Wassup my small amount of dedicated readers, I'm back at you again with this amazing crackfic that I very much am taking seriously. This is so mcuh fun to write, especially since I know that Grace (xxanimeabsxx on tiktok) is living her dream through this fic. I have full intent to write all the way through the plot of ROTS as well as AOTC, so strap in because this is gonna be a long ride!

Disclaimer: I don not own Star Wars or Grace. If I did that would be a problem

Chapter Two: Escape to Naboo

Anakin stood in the middle of the Council chambers, his Master by his side. The eldest of the duo was giving his report on the bounty hunter that had dared try and harm Grace, detailing the chase through the Coruscant traffic and the speeder crash, recounting how they had apprehended the assassin but she had been killed. He described the mysterious figure in shining armor that had fled the scene, most likely having been the culprit of the assassin's death. The Council took a moment to think before they spoke.

"Investigate this, we must," declared Master Yoda.

Master Windu nodded. "Obi-Wan should follow up on any leads while Skywalker stays with the Senator."

That was not a great idea. Anakin knew that he needed some time away from Grace, her beauty was intoxicating. He felt he could not control himself if he were to be alone with her for too long, he would become a slave to his growing feelings for her. He had already crossed several lines with Senator McNally, it was a wonder she hadn't said anything. He just felt drawn to her, there was something about the way she carried herself and spoke to him like she cared- spoke about everything like she cared- it was too much.

The padawan was brought back to reality when Master Mundi spoke up, "Senator McNally is not safe on Coruscant anymore, she should leave and return to Naboo."

He watched with rising dread as Master Windu nodded his assent. "Skywalker will escort her on a refugee transport, nobody will know who she is. The bounty hunter behind the attempts on her life will believe their target is still here on Coruscant, she will be protected on her home planet."

Anakin tried not to let his nerves at being alone with Grace show. "It will be difficult to get her to leave, she is the leader of the opposition to this bill."

It was a feeble argument and he knew it, if enough people asked she would have to listen. Obi-Wan agreed woth the boy's inner thoughts. "We will simply ask her to, she will have to listen to her security detail."

It was true, that was what made it worse. The padawan would be chaperoning Grace McNally, a woman who he had a steadily rising desire for, on her home planet. Unsupervised. He felt a little bit guilty for being so affected by her presence, a lingering fondness for Padme having been something he'd clung to like a floatation device at sea for the past ten years. Now he was an adult meeting another adult, this was real and it was scary. He just couldn't take his eyes off of Grace when he was around her, he would just have to shove it deep inside of him when he saw her next and explained the plan.

Grace paced her room, finishing her packing angrily. Normally Corde would've done it, but she wasn't exactly available. Anakin watched her, leaning against her doorframe. She pretended she wasn't sneaking glances at him, ever so nonchalant in the face of her displeasure. He pretended he didn't notice, giving her a look that made her feel both intrigued and flustered, curse his charm!

"I do not agree with this decision."

The padawan sighed, resigned to the berating. "So you've said. But it's for your own safety, I don't want you to get hurt, Grace."

They gazed into each other's eyes, heat coming into her cheeks. As soon as the moment happened it was over, she bent over the suitcase to hide her glowing red face. How did this padawan, barely an adult, have such an effect on her, a grown Senator? It was absurd and she did not like it.

Anakin's eyes tracked her movement through the room, watching her like a predator stalking prey. The way his attention fixated on her gave her chills, she almost shivered from the feeling of his gaze. She focused on folding her Naboo outfits for travel, packing climate-appropriate garments for her stay. As much as she detested fleeing the planet as soon as her life was in danger, she was glad at the chance to see her family. Her work on the opposition of the Military Creation Act, something that had been in the works for a year, had kept her far too busy to visit. Now, she could finally reunite with them.

Senator McNally glanced back up at her new bodyguard. He seemed preoccupied, brooding over something. She spoke up, "What's wrong, Anakin? I can see something is troubling you."

The padawan noted the lack of anger in her voice, all of her fight from before gone. He sighed, uncrossing his arms and walking up to a decoration in her room, a stand with a ball on it. He admitted, "I feel like my skills aren't valued. Obi-Wan didn't want me to go on this assignment alone, he doesn't trust me."

She watched as he picked up that ball and twirled it through the air with the Force. "Teachers often hold on to their students for too long. Obi-Wan just wants to help you, sometimes people need to learn to let go."

Anakin placed the ornamental ball back on its stand, pacing the room aggravatedly. "He's jealous. He's holding me back!"

Grace looked at him, concerned.

He continued, "Obi-Wan knows that he'll never be as powerful as me, he doesn't want me to pass him!"

She abandoned her packing, walking to the troubled boy's side and placing a hand on his shoulder. He stilled, breathing heavy and glaring at the floor. They stood like that for a few moments, the padawan leaning into her touch, taking comfort from it. He finally exhaled, slowly letting out the anger. Grace brought with her a calm, soothing presence, she had the ability to make him see the bigger picture.

"You're right," He admitted. "Master Obi-Wan is just being protective, but I can prove to him that I'm ready to take on more responsibility. I can prove my abilities as a Jedi." This assignment would be the perfect opportunity to show he was ready for the trials, he just needed to get through it without completely falling for Grace.

That was going to be a challenge.

Obi-Wan walked into the familiar diner, basking in the heat and the thick scent of fried goodies and sugary drinks. It was a nice establishment, clean and respectable. The diner had always been a favourite place of his to eat when he had some credits to spend, it was a treat that he liked to indulge in because the food at the temple was… not as good as this. Along with being a comfortable place to kick back and relax, this diner also happened to be owned by a very good friend of his, one that could be a real help in finding the mysterious bounty hunter.

Dex was a large besalisk male, putting his four arms to use to improve his efficiency in the kitchen. Upon seeing his old friend he looked up and boomed, "Obi-Wan!"

The Jedi smiled. "Hello, Dex."

"I'll be out in a moment to talk to ya, take a seat!"

He did as was instructed, accepting the offer of drinks from the droid employed at the diner. Another benefit of this place was that it served booze, sometimes he needed a pick-me-up after dealing with his padawan. Anakin was incredibly talented and powerful, a hard worker and an outstanding padawan. The problem was that he let it get to his head, he was arrogant. He needed to learn humility before he could become a Knight.

The human male took a seat in a cushioned booth, settling into the familiar cushions. He gazed out the window for a moment, appreciating the view of normal people living normal lives. He could've been like them of Satine had asked, he had almost wanted her to.

He was startled out of his musings by Dex's exit from the kitchen, walking up to his friend with a huge grin and two cups of Jawa Juice. As a padawan he had originally thought it was a juice that was inhumanely made of Jawas or something they cherished, but it turns out that was not at all the case. He chuckled at the memory, watching with veiled amusement as the besalisk across from him struggled to wedge his considerable form into a booth.

"So," began Dex, "What can I do for ya, Obi?"

The Jedi reached into his robes' pocket, pulling out a dart and silently handing it to his friend. "I took this off of a bounty hunter we apprehended last night, she was trying to assassinate a Senator. Before she was able to tell us who hired her she was shot in the neck with this dart, killed her before she could speak."

The besalisk turned it over in his hands, examining the tiny object. He finally spoke, "This here is a poison dart; Kaminoan. You can tell from the etchings on the sides-" he pointed at the tiny grooves in the dart, showing them to his friend- "The Jedi Temple tech only scans for symbols, that would've been overlooked."

Obi-Wan ignored the obvious jab at him, knowing it was in light taste and meant to amuse. He accepted the dart back, another question rising to his mind. "Where is Kamino?"

Dex leaned back in his chair. "Way out past the outer rim, South of the Rishi Maze. They're odd on that planet; cloners. They ain't very friendly. That is, unless your pockets are big enough!"

He let out a booming laugh, and Obi-Wan cracked a smile.

Grace sat aboard the transport to the refugee shuttle, watching Anakin part with Obi-Wan. The vehicle left in a few minutes, but he seemed to be dragging the goodbyes out. Finally, when she was worried he was going to leave her to go alone, the boy picked up their bags and walked over to the transport. Artoo the droid was already with her, tasked to be their second chaperone. She was worried that they would need him.

The padawan hopped into the vehicle, taking the seat right next to her moments before the doors closed. She breathed in the scent of his body wash; he smelled like sanitized rooms. Whatever soap the Jedi had him using was weird, she wished she could give him something nicer- no. Why was she like this, he probably didn't even want her soap! She needed to stop inhaling his smell like a creep and maybe start a conversation, try to keep things normal even though she was freaking out at the proximity she shared with this man.

Anakin turned from gazing out the window, saying, "that color looks nice on you."

The Senator tried to hide her flush. She was in a simple yellow-brown gown, a headdress of yellow adorning her head. It covered her hair and made her less recognizable, though the dress itself did make her stand out among these poor people. It was the simplest thing they had had on such short notice however, and she had been required to leave immediately.

Mustering some dignity, Grace replied, "Your outfit makes you look quite different than your Jedi robes do."

He feigned hurt. "Is that an insult, m'lady?"

She laughed. "No, not at all. I believe it makes you look quite handsome."

He went silent and she was afraid she'd crossed a line. Was he offended? She worried until he muttered, "You're quite beautiful."

She couldn't hide her sharp intake of breath, one which he mistook for shock and anger, not shock and a bright joy that filled her very being, warming her to her core. The Jedi quickly backtracked. "For a Senator, I mean. Because you're- a Senator-" His halfhearted excuses quickly faded as he realized he had none.

Senator McNally still felt the adrenaline from his compliment, perhaps it was making her a little crazy. Deciding to be daring, she leaned against Anakin's shoulder. He stiffened and she worried that it had been a horrible idea and he would realize how she felt about him, but he soon relaxed and leaned against her as well. They stayed like that until the transport arrived at the shuttle, everyone vacating the vehicle to board the shuttle to Naboo.

The padawan glanced at his companion, she looked just as regal as when they'd met, even without the makeup she donned like war paint. Her eyes were stunning even without her signature winged eyeliner, their gray hue glowing in the sunlight. She seemed not to notice his blatant staring, getting in line to board the only safe way off the planet.

Anakin coughed into his hand, gaining some composure, and took his place at her side. He kept his eye out for any refugees who would bestow any harm upon her, being vigilant in case one of them decided she was dressed a little too finely to leave her pockets unpicked. There was a small part of his mind that worried that this plan was going to fail, that Dorme would be discovered to be a handmaiden instead of McNally herself. There was a fear in him that the bounty hunters after her head would find her and hurt her, something he vowed to never let happen. He would do what it took to keep her safe.

The tension eased when they boarded the shuttle, taking their seats in the small area assigned to them. The place stank, the scent of unwashed people filling the air. Anakin was uncomfortably reminded of his past, of a time when he had smelled like that. These people were better off than he had been, but they still carried with them the burden of being poor and the pain of loss, something he had had for his whole life before Qui-Gon had saved him. Unfortunately his mother had been left behind, a price he'd had to pay for his own freedom.

Grace seemed to notice his tension and feelings, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He sighed, nodding and turning to face her. "I am. It's just… being here reminds me of things I would rather leave behind, brings up emotions Jedi should not have."

He wasn't sure why he was being so honest, but something in him just wanted to.

The disguised Senator's face softened in sympathy, as well as shifting in confusion. What did he mean, what had happened to him for this to bring up bad memories?

He seemed to sense her questions, which was entirely probable because he was a Jedi. He explained, "I was born a slave to Gardulla the Hutt. She lost me and my mother in a bet and I worked in a junk and repair shop until I was nine. The Queen of Naboo at the time- Padme Amidala- had fled to Tatooine because of the occupation of Naboo. She had a Jedi with her by the Name of Qui-Gon Jinn, and some trickery and betting on his part allowed for me to win my freedom in a pod race."

She listened with rapt attention as this boy revealed his entire life to her, laying his heart out for her to do as she wished with it. It was a burden she would not take carelessly and she vowed to treat him well. Anakin finished his retelling of his childhood, glancing away as if ashamed. He muttered, "Go ahead and think less of me now, I would not judge you for it."

She stared at him, shocked. She would never look down on him for his past, something entirely out of his control! She told him exactly that, gently cupping his face to tilt it, looking into his eyes. In that moment he seemed so vulnerable and open, the air between them thick with something Grace refused to contemplate. They gazed at each other for a moment until she remembered that she was a Senator and he was a Jedi, this could never work out. It was best she ignored these feelings, they would bring nothing but trouble.

Senator McNally broke their staring contest, turning away from her confused escort. She looked at Artoo, the droid pretending he had seen nothing, and wished he would chaperone them properly. This was far more difficult than she had feared.

Obi-Wan braced himself, preparing for the familiar jolt that signalled his exit from hyperspace. He was jostled in his seat for a brief moment, the ship stabilizing almost immediately. He pressed a button and detached from the hyperspace ring, his fighter needing to be separate from it to land. He looked out the viewport, taking in the supposedly nonexistent planet. It had a greyish-blue hue that indicated it was a water planet, it was a shame he didn't bring any gear for that scenario.

R-4 helped the Jedi bring the small fighter through the planet's atmosphere, allowing him to confirm the vast amounts of water that seemed to make up most of the planet's surface. He sent out a scan of the planet from his ship, receiving enough data to navigate the world to find a settlement, after a few minutes he arrived at the largest one, sticking out of the tumultuous ocean on strong stilts.

The Master landed his fighter, instructing the red astromech to stay with the ship. He opened the top hatch, climbing out of the warm and dry cockpit (which was now quite soaked) into the heavy rain. It was coming on an angle, soaking the man to his core with a passion. He hurried to the entrance to this building, praying it was unlocked so that he could get out of the freezing water that was weighing him down.

Mercifully, the door did in fact open into a blissfully dry corridor. It was warm and he was sure the excess water would evaporate from his clothes in no time. The only problem was that now that he had arrived he wasn't sure what to do. He did not enjoy the idea of snooping around this building until discovered, it was rude and could end badly for him.

His dilemma was solved as a tall being came into view. It had dark black eyes and white skin, a neck about as long as his arm stretching out from a skinny torso. long legs held up the slender thing, it was ethereal and almost felt other. The creature looked like if you made a human out of white dough and stretched it until it became something else entirely. As it walked down the hallway towards him he was almost hypnotized by the grace it possessed. Obi-Wan watched as it took long but slow strides down the hallway, coming to stop a few feet from him. It was far taller than he, and it seemed to like that advantage.

"After all these years," It said, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming!"

What?

End of chapter!

Notes:

-*cackles evilly* CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

-Artoo do ya damn job pls

-As you can see this is following a very similar plot to AOTC, but I will take some liberties.

-Grace I do it for u go get ya space husband

Tune in next time i update for chapter 3!