Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update, I was a little busy with school and other stuff. Now I can update semi regularly again so enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. If I did I wouldn't have to post it on this site.

Chapter Three: I don't like sand

Grace stepped out of the shuttle and into the bright Naboo sunlight. She took a deep breath, reveling in the feeling of clean air filling her lungs. Coruscant may have the most high-tech air filtration system in the Galactic Republic, but Naboo had the advantage of an absurd amount of foliage and greenery, the stable environment cherished by its inhabitants.

Anakin followed after her, carrying their bags as Artoo trailed behind. She had been gifted that droid from the former Queen Amidala after her term had expired, since she was retiring from politics. The little astromech had proven himself to be very useful, recording her meetings and being her little protector when her handmaidens could not. That thought hurt, seeing as Corde and Verse had recently become… unavailable, so she allowed her companion to catch up before starting a conversation.

"So," she began, unsure of how to ask this, "are Jedi allowed to love?" She inwardly cringed at the bluntness of her question, telling herself that she had absolutely no ulterior motives to asking this other than pure curiosity.

He didn't answer immediately, probably stunned by the incredibly direct query. She allowed him the moment to calibrate before he explained, "Jedi are not allowed to form attachments of any kind. We are, however, encouraged to be compassionate, which I view as a sort of unconditional love. So in a way, you could say that Jedi are encouraged to love."

He smirked at her, and Grace felt her stomach do a flip. She laughed unsteadily, fighting the pounding of her traitorous heart. They walked in a comfortable silence after that, arriving at a prearranged transport after a few minutes. It was to take them to the Queen, they were already in Theed so it would not be long.

"When I first saw Naboo I was half convinced it wasn't real. I had been on Tatooine my whole life, I didn't have a clue what a tree even was."

The Senator looked at him, startled. She had been gazing out the window, fantasizing about seeing her family again. The admission was a little shocking at first, but the more she thought about it the more it made sense. Tatooine was not known for its abundance of nature, so it was reasonable that an uneducated slave would have seen their first tree on the first green planet they were on.

Grace replied, "I had forgotten that you've been to Naboo. I'm sure this stay will be much less stressful than the last, we have completely recovered from the Occupation."

That event did not have good memories for her. She had been taken into a camp with other writers, poets and novelists abundant in the overcrowded space. They had all been artists, given barely enough rations and they all stunk like a bantha because of the poor sanitary conditions. She had been hungry, thirsty, and her clothes had been absolutely ruined since she had no replacements. The droids had killed anyone who stepped out of line, and the greedy overseer had been cruel. She did not enjoy her memories of that camp, and she had worked hard as a Senator to ensure nobody else had to have similar experiences.

He nodded solemnly. Anakin had been too young and too far from the thick of it to see the effects of the Trade Federation's somehow legal actions, but he had been told about it when he was older and more mature. It was a stain on Naboo's past, he couldn't imagine what grief it held for Grace. Just thinking about what those slippery neimoidians had done to her made his blood boil. He wanted to make them all pay for hurting her, but that would have to wait.

The transport arrived at the palace in Theed, the grand building ringed by a stunning array of waterfalls. Senator McNally smiled at the sight of them; it was clear that she had missed her home. The padawan took the suitcases and followed closely behind her, keeping an eye out for threats that weren't there. Nobody really knew who she was, and Naboo was a very peaceful planet, especially in comparison to others. Anyone in the courtyard they were walking through was either a government official or an artist of some sort, meaning that they were very unlikely to want to hurt their Senator.

The duo continued in silence until they reached the throne room. Anakin could've sworn that her face hardened the moment they got there, becoming more neutral and formal. It was a bit jarring to see her masks come up so fast, the caring demeanor having faded significantly to make way for her political mode.

He followed a bit farther behind her once they entered the throne room, taking a place behind her chair when she was seated. The meeting was long and boring, discussing government things he didn't care about. There was a woman there with a striking resemblance to Padme, a member of the planetary legislative assembly. She had a name similar to that of the former Queen as well, but he couldn't remember what it was. Honestly, he was paying a small enough amount of attention that it really could be Padme and he just hadn't noticed. The only thing that allowed him to deduce it wasn't was the surety that she'd retired, he'd heard it from multiple sources.

If Anakin was being perfectly honest, he didn't actually care if it was her. His crush on Padme- because that is all it was- had completely faded in the light of what he felt for Grace. Each day he had to restrain himself around her felt like another piece of his heart being torn away, but he had to hold out until this assignment was over. Though he didn't want to admit it, he never actually wanted it to end. Even though it caused him great distress, the padawan would suffer every second of it to be with Grace. That was a problem.

Obi-Wan followed after the Kaminoan prime minister, not having to work to keep pace. Though they had long legs, these beings did not seem to use that advantage and walked very slowly, leisurely. It was certainly something to get used to, along with their melodic voices and the sterile and minimalist halls. They were hypnotizing, forcing him to fight to keep any focus.

The Prime Minister finally stopped at a balcony overviewing a large area. The Jedi let out a soft gasp as he saw the vastness of the army before him. He had been informed of its existence very early on, he had played along to investigate. Now he was faced with the truth that the Jedi had an army and no idea what to do with it.

He stared at the clones, all in startlingly white armour and in formation as they were loaded onto ships. For what reason he did not know, perhaps they were getting ready to head to Coruscant (not a great idea right now) or were going on a training mission. The second one seemed unlikely, but he hoped it wasn't the first.

The Prime Minister began, "Beautiful, aren't they? We keep their host right here on Kamino, his name is Jango Fett."

They went back into the hallway and continued down it further. Obi-Wan's mind spun. The possibilities for this were nearly endless, and he did not like most of them. Violence was not the best option in any case, although he and Anakin did employ it occasionally. Usually, however, it was only a last resort for if the enemy was the instigator. As of yet there was no battle, it would likely lead to war if this army became legitimate. There was talk of thousands of systems separating from the Republic, this might push it along.

The pair arrived at a second viewport, the transparisteel revealing several groups of clones. There was a set of what appeared to be fully grown ones sparring in their full armour, children doing some sort of standardized testing and a second viewport revealed a cafeteria full of the fully grown clones eating and socializing. The Prime Minister breezed right by that one with no hidden distaste, it was odd.

They finally came out of the hall into another room with chairs, the Jedi Master taking a seat. He was far drier now that he had been in the warm, climate-controlled building for a while and was quite comfortable in the spoon-shaped furniture. He recalled a question that he'd had earlier, drawing it to the forefront of his mind.

"You said you had the donor here on Kamino. Could I meet him?"

The Prime Minister nodded. Obi-Wan had noticed that these creatures did not smile, perhaps they just disliked him or maybe s smiling as just not something they did.

The Kaminoan answered, "We can." He got up, indicating the guest follow him. "Come with me, this way."

Anakin and Grace walked side by side, leisurely climbing some steps to get to a balcony overlooking the lake. They were at a lakehouse, a good place to hide when people didn't know you were gone. The padawan tried not to stare at the exposed skin on his companion's back, it was revealed by the flowy and elegant lake gown she wore. The fabric was dyed ombre and just added to the Senator's elegance. He had to hold back from imagining how soft her skin would be if he touched it and focused on the ground beneath his feet as they walked to the balcony.

She was beauty and she was Grace, smiling as fond memories brushed her mind. "We used to swim out to that island every day, we would do a lap and then come and lie in the sand, I never minded how it got between my toes."

Anakin did not ask who the 'we' was, he was so entranced by her presence. They arrived at the balcony, staring out onto the waters of Naboo. He thought back to his life on Tatooine. "I don't like sand. It's coarse, rough, irritating and it gets everywhere." she smiled and it was the best thing in the world, he was so unreasonably happy to have amused her. He felt bold, adventurous, and a little bit reckless. He reached his hand out, tentatively, and gently touched Grace's back. She looked at him, startled, and he kept going as his adrenaline fueled his impulses. "But I do like you."

Her breath caught in her throat. He flattened his palm against the small of her back, it was as soft as he had imagined. Anakin started moving his face towards her, Senator McNally could hardly believe what was happening. It felt like a scene from her dreams, and she closed the small gap that remained between her lips and Anakin's. He reveled in how soft her lips were, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. It felt as if there was a symphony inside them both, the instruments reaching a crescendo. They both had their eyes closed and at the moment everything felt right, felt perfect-

"No."

The denial came from Grace, pulling away despite how much she wanted to continue, to do other things as well. She ached for him but had to restrain herself, this could not be allowed to happen. Anakin felt stung, her rejection hurt more than pining without her knowledge. She continued, "We cannot be together like this, I can't believe I allowed that to happen."

The padawan felt dejected and hurt, he had thought she liked him. He had no clue how painful it was for her to say she didn't.

Anakin ran through the field, the wind in his hair and laughter in his ears. Grace chased him, the kiss from earlier completely forgotten as they frolicked. She was in a new outfit, a yellow gown that had few layers and flowed easily paired with a corset of similar pattern and colour, her hair mostly down but with two chunks of hair inside yellow nets, giving her a regal look even in her casual clothes.

The padawan approached one of the creatures there with them, jumping on its back in an attempt to impress the Senator. She laughed as he stood on the bucking beast's back, balancing as it pranced around. Suddenly it took a sharp turn and he fell off, landing with a thump on the ground below.

Senator McNally started to fear for the worst when he tried to get up but just fell back down, the creature must have run over him with its hooves! Her laughter gone, she stood from her spot in the field and ran towards him, coming to a halt at his side. She placed a hand on his back, worry coursing through her, but then she realized it was moving. His body was heaving and she turned him over to reveal a face full of laughter.

Anakin nearly cackled as she lightly slapped his chest, giggling at the prank. They embraced and rolled through the field in a tangle of limbs and fabric, enjoying a rare moment of happiness out of the public eye.

Anakin smiled as he continued on with his story. "So of course at that point we had to move on to aggressive negotiations-"

"What are aggressive negotiations?"

He paused for a moment, realizing Grace didn't exactly know the meanings of every slang term he used. A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he explained, "Well, it's negotiations with a lightsaber."

She giggled and he smiled, happy to have made her laugh. They were seated at a small table just big enough for the two of them in one of the lakehouse's rooms, awaiting the droid that would come bearing their dinner order. The Senator had changed her dress and headpiece, opting for a simple gown of deep purple that had a low-cut strapless torso and a scarf that sparkled in the candlelight. Upon her head rested a delicate band of the same colour as her dress, woven into her hair in elegant twists and braided down her back. The padawan thought that along with the dark eyeliner she preferred and the nude lipgloss she wore she was absolutely stunning.

The awaited droid brought him out of the trance he was falling into from staring at her lips with the appetizer to their meal. It was a small assortment of fruits, and Grace chose to start with her pear. Anakin did not give her the chance, using the Force to extract the fruit from her plate and place it on his. She raised a notched eyebrow, intrigued, and he began to cut into it himself.

He admitted, "Master Obi-Wan would be very grumpy if he caught me doing this." She smirked as he returned the now sliced fruit to her and began to eat. They talked very little after this, instead enjoying the delicacies of Naboo as the sun set outside.

It was dark out now, and the lit fireplace warmed the duo as they sat in silence on a couch. The air between them was thick with the unsaid, night bringing with it the urge for honesty that the sunlight had chased away. It was Anakin who broke first, bursting out, "If you are suffering as much as I am, please tell me."

Grace stared at him with her mouth open, shocked. He continued, "Every day we have been together it has felt as though I have been losing a piece of my soul. I cannot bear to be around you anymore without confessing how I feel. I thought I could hide the feelings and it would be worth it but I was wrong. If you feel the same way I must know. Please."

She flinched at how his voice cracked on the last word, staring deep into the eyes of her tormented protector. She tried to keep her voice steady on her response but it shook almost as much as her hands. "We cannot be together. It would not work-"

"Why?" she shut her mouth, surprised at the aggressive outburst. He continued, "Why can we not be together? Is it because you don't like me? Or are you afraid?"

The accusation stung more than she wanted to admit. Senator McNally took a deep breath. "The way I feel about you-"

"So you do love me."

"The way I feel about you cannot matter. I'm a Senator and you are a Jedi, it could mean the ends of our careers."

At this point the padawan had thrown caution out the window. "I don't care! All I care about is how I feel about you."

Grace was surprised by such a blatant admission of his feelings, clearly she needed to end this discussion quickly, lest she agree to something she would regret. She stood from the couch. "I think that we should just agree not to fall in love." With that she left, carefully obscuring her face so he could not see the lone tear that traveled down it.

Obi-Wan watched the door in front of him open with an alertness most would not employ. He knew that the man called "Jango Fett" could be the bounty hunter that had killed the other bounty hunter. Why send a bounty hunter to do your job when you're a bounty hunter and the bounty hunter you hired sends a droid who sends worms? It was odd, but he supposed he did not know much about the customs of bounty hunting. He never got mixed up in that sort of business.

The door slid open to reveal a young child in a blue tunic with darker blue sleeves. They wore a brown belt and a distrustful expression, looking over the newcomer with thinly veiled distaste. The child called over their shoulder, "Dad! A visitor is here!"

The Jedi was escorted into the main room of the living quarters he had been assured Jango lived in, the same overpowering white as the rest of the building. Jango himself entered the room, a distrustful look in his eye and a stiff posture, clearly neither of these people were welcoming to visitors. Jango barked something in a language Obi-Wan did not know at the child, who dutifully closed the door to a closet in the hall. Before it was entirely sealed off the Jedi caught a glimpse of something bright and metallic, it looked suspiciously like the lustrous armour of the bounty hunter he sought.

The Prime Minister was either oblivious to the tension in the room or was ignoring it. He broke the standoffish silence. "This is Boba Fett, the unaltered clone of his father, Jango." So the child was a clone. He did look eerily like his "Father", that would explain it.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms, trying and failing to look casual. "So, Fett," he began, painfully aware of his bluntness, "Have you made any trips recently?"

The Prime Minister answered for him. "Jango has just returned from a successful excursion."

The Jedi raised an eyebrow. "Really? Have you ever travelled as far out as the Core, Fett?"

The small shift in his stance and the nervous gleam in his eye was all the confirmation the Master needed, but concrete evidence would be necessary to bring him in for questioning.

"Once or twice."

He continued with the questions, knowing full well what the answer should be and what answer would be given. "Are you acquainted with any bounty hunters?"

The man's face hardened, it was all the confirmation he needed that this Jedi had suspicions. "No."

That seemed to put a stop to this discussion, the Prime Minister was finally seeing the tension in the small room and wanted to leave. The two men said their goodbyes, Jango waiting until the Jedi was far down the hall to turn to his son and say, "Pack your things. We're leaving."

Obi-Wan had waited several minutes before checking the landing pad of the Fetts' ship, not at all surprised to see the bounty hunter than had assassinated that changeling. Boba looked up upon the Jedi's sprint out of the building, the same freezing rain as before plastering his hair to his head. It beat down upon him in a steady rhythm as he ran for Jango.

"Over there!" Boba's warning alerted the bounty hunter to the Jedi just in time to turn around and fire his blaster, halting the Master.

He did not see the boy run into the sip, too focused on his fight with Jango. The man shot a cable from the gauntlets on his wrists, grappling the lightsaber out of his opponent's hand. The armoured combatant attempted to fly into the air to create a safe distance to shoot from, but he forgot about how useful the Force can be until Obi-Wan used it to jump into the air and kick him in the chest.

His armour of beskar alloy prevented the blow from doing damage, but the blunt force behind it was enough to knock him to the ground. Hand to hand combat ensued, the Mandalorian pretty much coming out on top due to his heavy advantage.

The ship on the landing platform began to rise at that moment, Obi-Wan realizing that the boy, Boba, must have gotten it started uop while he was preoccupied. Jango took that moment to punch him in the gut, using his jetpack to fly away and board the ship. The Jedi clutched his stomach, the beskar alloy basically having worked as brass knuckles to take his breath away, and barely recovered in time to take a tracking device from his pocket and throw it onto the hull of his ship. The vehicle was out of throwing range moments later, speeding out of the atmosphere and into hyperspace.

Obi-Wan clutched his stomach and grabbed his lightsaber, heading to his own ship to follow the bounty hunter.

End of chapter!

Notes:

-Anakin honestly had his spirits Crushed but its ok, love wins ;)

-As I'm sure you can see, the plot is picking up a bit! We're, like, half way thru the movie plot by now, yayyyy

-Again, no other notes except i was banging my head on my desk trying to write this chapter lol I just couldn't find the inspiration

Tune in whenever I next update for chapter four!