AN: SandiaVida: Thank you! XOXO

Perfect

I found a love, for me
Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead

Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet

Well, I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know
She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home

I found a lover, to carry more than just my secrets
To carry love, to carry children of our own

Anakin walked along toward the Jedi temple. He breathed in the fresh air, hoping it would calm his frustrations. He hadn't been seeing eye to eye with them lately, and tensions were high all around - partly because of the war, partly because they didn't like his way of doing things.

He couldn't help but grow more resentful towards the Jedi Order. They take up copious amounts of his time, and he yearned for free will.

With each step he took, he practically groaned inside. Who knows what they wanted from him this time? He could only imagine what they said about him when he wasn't around.

"Much fear, I sense in Skywalker." said Yoda, deep in thought.

"Perhaps being the chosen one has gotten to his head. He's ruthless, arrogant, he tries to cut corners with the code, and his willingness to kill for a win is a big concern." Mace replied.

"He is a great warrior." Obi-Wan defended. "But he struggles . . . he cares so deeply about people, and he lets his emotions dictate his actions before reason."

Anakin seemed to be playing with a lot of temptations - the temptation to kill to succeed, to disobey the rules and follow his instincts, to give into his urges, to blindly and fiercely chase his desires with tunnel vision - he seemed to dance in the dark, in the darkest depth of human emotions. If he sunk too deeply into his bad habits, he'd be one step away from willing to dance with the devil - if the devil could give him what he wanted.

Anakin knew his faults. In fact, he knew them better than anyone. It was hard for him to see the grey area. Everything to him was black and white - and he couldn't help but put his personal interests above all else. If those he cared about were in harm's way, then the person who commits this harm is the enemy to him. And he knew, that's not the Jedi way. But he couldn't help it - even if it meant killing in cold blood. He'd act now, question later.

He was trying, though, always trying to chase perfection. He was trying to practice patience, he was trying meditate and do what was requested of a Jedi. But unfortunately for him, the results were subpar - especially when there was a lot more on the line for him.

Achieving victory was not just for the republic but to keep those he loved safe. He would do anything to ensure the safety of his friends, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, and his clone troops. But more importantly, ending this war was personal. It was to protect his wife, to be able to go home and be with her - his sole purpose for living is for her.

And what made it even more personal was that this was the very thing driving a wedge between them.

"You're late." Padme groaned on the holoprojector.

"About that... I don't think I can get out tonight." Anakin said sympathetically.

"You're not blowing me off again." Padme warned, shaking her head.

"Padme, I'm sorry." He huffed, impatiently "But what can I do? You know how important this is."

"I find it hard to believe you can't spare a second of your time for me. It's been weeks, Anakin!"

"Padme, don't make it harder. You of all people should understand. I'm under enough pressure as it is, and I don't need you making me feel guilty!" He barked "Duty comes first, especially in wartime."

"I've done nothing but be understanding, Anakin. I don't think it's unreasonable to want to sometimes feel like I have a husband."

Anakin lowered his head, taking a deep breath. He hated letting her down.

". . .I know, I know." He pleaded, brushing his hair back with his fingers. "Look - forget I said anything. I'll try to sneak away tonight."

"Don't do me any favours." Padme scowled, shutting off the connection.

"Still mad at me?" Anakin asked as he peaked through the door.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Padme mocked, folding her arms, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"I brought dinner." He held out the peace offering.

"Good, 'cause I threw yours in the trash when you didn't show up." She got up and took the package from him.

"Well, we don't have to eat. I'm not hungry anyway, for that." He smirked but she wasn't amused. She placed the food down on the table.

He sighed to himself, wanting to make her happy. She looked perfect in a beautiful, white, off-the-shoulder gown, looking like an angel. Sometimes he wondered how he got so lucky.

He grabbed her arm and turned her back around to face him.

"I'm sorry, baby." He eventually spoke. "I'm just... I'm tired, I haven't been sleeping... I don't mean to take it out on you."

"But you do, Anakin." She finally replied.

"I know." He nodded in sorrow. Why do we always hurt the ones we care about the most? He thought.

"And what's worse, you make me feel bad for asking anything of you. Our marriage has been on the back burner, and I've been more than patient because I don't want to put any extra pressure on you. But consider me. . . It's hard for me too!" She paused. "My job is hard too. And all my friends, they have a partner to come home to. . . I barely have that. And when you do come home, I'm lucky if you'll stay the night." She turned away from him. "So when you lash out at me, for telling you how I feel, yeah, it hurts."

Anakin hated seeing her upset. He pulled her back towards him, stroking her arms.

"I don't wanna hurt you. That's the last thing I wanna do." He lowered his forehead on hers, wanting to close the gap between them. "But I'll do better... Things will get better. I promise. Just have faith in me."

"I do..." She sighed, breathing him in. She just missed him, and now that he was holding her, all she wanted to do was sink into him.

"Forgive me?" He asked as he buried his hand in her hair - she melted at the touch of his hand.

"It's just... " She began, "When things get hard. . . I just want to hear your voice."

"Promise me, you'll always want to." He begged, gazing into her eyes.

She nodded, and he bent down and kissed her slowly, savoring her mouth.

"We've got tonight." He whispered as he trailed kisses on her forehead. "Dance with me."

He held out his hand for her to place hers in his. He twirled her around and they began to dance to no music - just to the rhythm of their hearts.

We are still kids, but we're so in love
Fighting against all odds

I will not give you up this time.

When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful

I don't deserve this

But darling, just kiss me slow

Your heart is all I own
And in your eyes, you're holding mine.

Anakin thought about how they danced earlier today, knowing it was moments like those that kept him going. It was her. The reason he rarely lost a battle, the reason he survived this long, it was all just to get to go home to her.

While that was great motivation, it also tormented him. Now he had her, he couldn't help but worry if she was ever taken away. She had already risked her life on missions he didn't permit her to go on. The Jedi would try to split them up if they knew they were married. There were many ways he feared losing her.

He was fearless to the outside world, but those who knew him best, knew fear was one of his most dominant emotions. He had these types of anxieties even as a child - they were just amplified by the turbulent details of his life.

Sometimes he wondered if being known as the chosen one, one of the most powerful Jedi, was actually more a curse than a blessing. He seemed perfect to those who couldn't dream of attaining his power or strength, and that perfection, while making him idolized, also made him a target. And he was always special - different. And people don't like different.

Maybe genius and crazy must go hand in hand, he thought as he walked up the steps of the Jedi temple.

After all, the problem with having a powerful mind, is that it's almost impossible to defeat when it turns on you. And lately, his mind turned on him a lot.

He had a dark side. A side that he had worked very hard to suppress. Sure, he had the same emotions everyone else had, anger, hate, fear, sadness, revenge, lust - but the difference is that while most people can catch themselves before they go too far, he often fully jumped off the ledge.

That dark side felt like an unpredictable monster. A monster that constantly desires to be fed. Taunting him, dancing inside him, coercing him. A monster that grows a little bit bigger each time he gives it what it wants.

He started noticing it was in him as a kid, whenever he was mistreated as a slave. The monster popped up again, urging him to defend himself, when he was trained to become a Jedi alongside younglings who made fun of him for being different. That experience alone made him want to walk away from the order. But Palpatine had convinced him to stay when he was a Padawan, train, and rise above their jealousy. And of course, he saw the full capabilities of the monster when he finally, wholeheartedly fed it - like with the Tusken Raiders.

There was only one person who made that monster fade away, and that was Padme.

Mature

Anakin groaned out in euphoria when he finally entered her. He lost and found himself when making love to her. He could feel her warm, wet, essence soak up his throbbing shaft inside her. He thrusted into her, bearing his soul as he wrapped himself around her. Finally, he was with her, he was here in bed with her, and the whole world faded away.

Sometimes it felt as though he made love to her for survival, and the more dependent he got on her, the more fearful he got, worrying about whether someone or something could ever take this away. If he was certain about one thing, it was that if he didn't have her, he had no reason to live.

Feeding his anxieties only seared them into his memory, and once again his powerful mind began to play tricks on him. He knew what it was - it was the monster within him, burdening him with doubt, taking him out of the moment.

He began to thrust harder into her, determined not to think about losing her. He was determined to focus on the fact that he was inside her right now. He was safe with her, and he will never let anyone pull him away. Their hot, sweaty, writhing bodies completely intertwined in the heat of passion. He could feel her soft skin as her legs wrapped around his waist, the warmth of her breasts that were squished under his chest, and her hot breath on his lips as he lost himself in the heavenly sounds of her sweet moans.

He tried to stop the monster from sinking the idea of loss into his head, as it continued to torture him with his own fears. He shook his head defiantly as the monster echoed his innermost thoughts inside his head. He wanted it to shut up, to stop distracting him!

He looked down at her, trying to focus only on her, reminding himself that his fears are not real. She's here, she's safe with him. In a desperate attempt to get out of his own head, he wanted to completely immerse himself in her, he was never close enough. He began to aggressively penetrate her, fighting to silence his mind and really feel her insides wrapped around his manhood.

Padme noticed how rough he was being as he ravaged her, shoving his quivering member into her as hard as possible. She placed her hand on his heart. "Anakin," she moaned out in between heavy inhalations, "Calm down."

But he could barely hear her under the monster in his head.

Suddenly, his wrist communicator that was placed beside the bed went off, perhaps for the 7th time tonight. The clicking now added to his distractions. He let out a rough, heavy grunt as he pounded into her harder and faster - sick of everything that was interfering with his night alone with her - this night that he needed so badly.

As he felt this intense rage from the clicking, and the constant interruptions from the monster in his head, begin to overpower him, he mustered all his strength to plunge his way into the present.

Without thinking, he used the force to levitate them up off the bed, fiercely determined to fixate on her. He needed his fix. She was his peace, she gave him the strength to face the outside world.

In mid-air, pounding her like there's no tomorrow, he groaned as they were fully moving as one. She screamed out his name as they began to feel the vibrations of the pending explosion of their passion, which was even more enhanced for her as he floated her in the air. The sound of her voice singing his name was all he needed to rejoin the present moment - she brought him back to life. And he began to lower their bodies back onto the bed.

He became stunned by the orgasm that encompassed his body, and finally, after that intense buildup, he felt that sweet release.

Laying on top of her after a wild, passionate ride, his peaceful moment in her arms didn't last long. The clicking sound of his comlink went off again.

Letting out an angry, coarse groan, he crawled off of her and went to check it.

-10 clicks from Obi-Wan.

He threw the device on the bed as he huffed, going to get dressed.

"Let me guess, you're leaving." She grumbled as she got out of bed and put on a robe.

He let out a tense exhale, annoyed that their night was interrupted, frustrated with the Jedi council taking their time away from each other, and angry that he was going to upset her again.

"Don't start." He groaned. Noticing the sullen expression on her face, only made him more disappointed. "Look-you think I want to do this? Do you think I want to leave you? Like I wouldn't prefer to stay here in bed with you?!" He growled, "I don't have a choice. I have to go!"

He was fed up with having to hurt her, seeing the sadness in her eyes.

"Everyone wants something from me." He mumbled under his breath. He was buckling under pressure.

Finally, once he was dressed, he turned to look at her but she was quiet. Once again feeling like he'd snap if she dared to ask for anything - and she was tired of shutting up.

"Fine." She huffed. "I understand." She was so tired of saying it. And she didn't have to, he knew what she was feeling.

His face softened as he gazed at her. She looked so beautiful with her bed hair flowing down her shoulders, standing there in a light blue robe that so elegantly wrapped around her curves. She was perfect.

He walked up to her and cradled her face.

"You come first" He soothed, stroking her cheeks. "Even when it doesn't feel like it, just know, I survive out there because of you."

He pressed his lips against her cheek, absorbing the sweetness of her skin, before heading out.

Anakin headed into the lift at the Jedi temple, as he thought about their love making that took place just before he got here - picturing how beautiful she looked. He should have told her before he left, he thought. He should have told her how perfect she was. How her love saved him every time his mental instability almost pushed him over the edge.

He now finally stood before Obi-Wan, Yoda and Mace Windu.

"You wanted to see me?" He muttered with an air of nonchalance, as their concerned faces stared at him.

"Anakin, I've been signaling you all night! Where've you been?" Obi-Wan urged

Anakin let out an exasperated sigh as he scratched his head of hair, "I'm here now."

He had no remorse anymore. He was tired of having to deny himself the things he yearned for deep inside. He hated having to leave Padme for this. They were always like two ships passing in the night - never quite getting their happy ending. And he resented the Jedi for keeping him away from her.

Even if he was on the verge of becoming the strongest, most feared man in the galaxy, it was the love of a good woman that made him human.

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark
With you between my arms.

I have faith in what I see

I see my future in your eyes

Now I know I have met an angel in person

And she looks perfect