Obi wan's knee pressed into Anakin's chest, nearly knocking the breath from his lungs. "What's distracting you today, Anakin?"

Anakin shoved out from underneath him, swiping wide with his saber. "Nothing."

"Nervous for the trip tomorrow?"

"Not at all, Master." Obi-wan ducked, missing Anakin's quick swing.

"Sloppy movements are deadly." Obi-wan said, stepping back and into default stance: his left hand up to channel the force, his right hand wielding his light saber.

About twenty minutes later, their sparring had resulted in Anakin's robes being singed and a scratch on Obi Wan's arm that needed a quick trip to the infirmary, insisted upon by their droid that oversaw their training. Anakin hadn't meant to nick his Master, but his mind was full of visions of his wife.

Padme didn't show last night. Anakin had waited thirty minutes nursing a drink at the shady bar he'd suggested on a low, low level of Coruscant. Three drinks down and an hour went by before he started to worry. Padme tended to be late to their meet ups, as she frequently spent extended hours in her office or in session with the Republic. But a full hour late?

He'd been out of his mind the whole day, antsy to sneak away from Obi Wan and check on her: check her office, her rooms, question her guards, anything. But instead, he'd been forced to wake up alone, train, eat, train some more, sulk in the archives and wrap up the day with a sparring session. With Obi Wan questioning him every few minutes, it was as much of a mental sparring session as it was physical.

He was unsure if he should risk other means of contact. They tried not to send frequent messages after a few close calls and some nosy droids. Anakin would occasionally risk sending R2 with a coded note - where was that droid anyways? He hadn't seen him today either. And R2 would've been that last to see Padme, if he followed Anakin's orders and made it to her rooms.

Their rendezvous was planned ahead of time anticipating Anakin's departure with Obi Wan, on a mission ordered by the Jedi Council. Pretty widely referred to as the Clone Wars, which he thought sounded ridiculous and a little on the nose.

Now, Anakin was due to be gone for an "indefinite" amount of time, which usually meant at least a month, without the luxury of seeing his wife. Or even knowing if she was okay. Two Jedi passed Anakin as he strolled the halls of the temple, pulling him from his thoughts. When they inquired about his presence at dinner, he pulled an excuse about meditating and departed quickly to his rooms.

Anakin changed into some darker, nondescript robes, not bothering to shower even though he was still slick with sweat, and left the Jedi Temple.

Padme scrunched up her nose for the millionth time, her shoes and hem of her dress soaked through. The stench of the sewers permeated the air around her, making it difficult to breathe normally.

Her head ached where she'd taken the blow yesterday. Her fingers went to it, finding a knot that seemed to only get bigger. She could honestly have a brain bleed. She needed a medical droid, or a med kit, at the very least. She could patch it up if she just had something to work with. She looked around, still, as it had been the past few hours, only dirty, dark iron met her. Unless one of these fat womp rats could perform a medical check up, she was on her own.

Anakin had to be worried, had to be looking for her, as inconspicuously as he could. She had lied to her guards to get away, so they wouldn't be worried until she didn't show back up tomorrow morning.

She'd spent the past 24 hours underground, in some awful smelling and cold chamber. After a pretty amateur (in her opinion) interrogation, Padme figured that these masked figures had no idea who she truly was. Perhaps her disguise had worked a bit too well. They just wanted credits - and not credits from the former Queen of Naboo, or credits from the current Naboo representative, but from this girl walking alone in the seedy streets of Coruscant. They threatened her family, her friends, her own life, but hardly laid hands on her.

She had long since pulled her hair back, but it was long and pin-straight not 24 hours ago, a style she had never even worn. Her dress was simple, a drab gray, her shoes sensible and… she looked down. Absolutely ruined and covered in shit. Ugh.

During interrogation, she had turned out her pockets and cried, biding her time. Begged, wailed, and waited. Once they were sure they could eventually break her, threaten her, black mail her, whatever, she'd attacked the very next person that unlocked her cell.

They'd hit the ground like a sack of stones. And here she was now: slinking through the sewers to freedom. Wherever that was. Surprisingly, she hadn't seen a shaft of light or exit since she escaped. They must've brought her in much deeper than she thought.

She scratched at her neck absentmindedly. Her injuries were few, her head being the worst, but the black eye and cuts on her arm… she wasn't sure yet what her story would be.

Not to her guards, but to Anakin. He wouldn't hesitate to hunt down this clan of thieves.

She wasn't sure if that feeling she had in her stomach was justice or dread.

Anakin had checked everywhere. Except the bar. So he was off, trying to stop himself from getting frantic, holding on to the force with as much calm and focus and he was able.

Obi wan had pinged him earlier, So much for a scratch. I just got out of the infirmary - you nearly nicked an artery.

Anakin sent back a message a few minutes later, talking into the thin black band around his wrist. Sorry, Master.

I'm fine. Remember to pull back in training, Anakin.

Yes, Master.

Heard you skipped dinner to meditate in your rooms.

He didn't sound convinced.

Yes, he sent back. Anakin rushed down the street near the bar. Neon lights flashed, groups gathered around bins alit with flame, warming their hands. Just stepped out for a quick bite before bed.

Hm. Don't be out too late, we have an early start tomorrow.

Yes, Master.

And Anakin?

Yes?

Be mindful.

Always, Master.

A familiar beeping caught his attention. A small crowd circled, cheering and whooping, fists in the air.

Anakin pushed to the front to confirm his suspicions. R2 sat in the center, performing party tricks - a spurt of water, juggling some tools, shooting electricity into the air. Anakin almost laughed. R2 stopped then, pointing at the other droid beside him.

That droid took this as his queue and began creating flames, throwing up knives, and pouring a cup of steaming hot coffee. He handed it to an onlooker.

The crowd whooped, some threw credits toward the droids.

Anakin, now at the front, crossed his arms. "Really Ar-too? Is this in your directive?"

R2 saw him then, beeping happily. He scraped credits off the ground before following Anakin out of the crowd, who cheered as he departed.

They walked together - "You're in a dance battle, and Padme is missing." Anakin shook his head in disbelief, but couldn't bring himself to scold the droid any further. He wished he could tell Obi wan about this, but it would raise too many questions. "I sent you to see her last - where is she? Did you follow her like I asked?"

R2 whistled out a low, melancholy tune and Anakin's heart sunk. A panel opened on his front side, and a hologram came before Anakin, glowing quite brightly in the dark alley they were shadowed in.

It was Padme. He knew that much immediately. She was being dragged from under the arms, around a corner. Anakin was blinded by fury for all of two seconds before a dark calm settled over him. He finished watching the short clip, she was put into a hole in the ground, which was covered back up with a circular slip of metal. The sewers.

R2 redacted the hologram, but stayed silent. Anakin's voice was low, but solid. "Take me there. Now."

R2 spun, going back to the main street but taking a left down a large pipeline big enough to fit a speedracer. Padme must've tried to take a shortcut, a more hidden path.

They then stood before the manhole that his wife was drug into. R2 again brought up a hologram, and before Anakin could say he did not want to watch again, R2 played a clip of his efforts: he had tried to open it himself, to no avail. R2 fast forwarded - he had stayed beside the covered hole the entire rest of the night and day, until he was pulled into this rowdy crew and swept away.

R2 made a dejected sound that Anakin took as an apology.

He patted his head twice, ordered him back to the Jedi temple, and pulled his lightsaber from his robes. Anakin sliced open the iron cover, dropping in to the pitch black darkness a heart beat later.

Padme needed to sit, for just a moment. Her head spun, her feet ached, and she was starved. She licked her dry lips, her tongue leaden in her mouth. The only sound came from womp rats that splashed and skittered far down, from the way she had came.

Was she only going deeper? Should she turn around? Padme had no idea how many were in the group that kidnapped her, but regardless she wasn't in a state to handle a physical fight with more than one. She had a scrap of jagged metal in her pocket that she had swiped on her way out, but that was it. It wasn't exactly weapon material. But it was something. The place right below her ear tingled and she rubbed at it, deciding her path.

She stood, her feet sloshing in the putrid water.

And Padme continued deeper into the darkness.

Anakin ignored the smell, ignored the womp rats feasting on whatever they could find down here. He'd felt life forces close by, and retracted his saber only to hide his pending attack.

The force hummed through him, his focus like a living thing, sharp and potent and hungry.

He didn't have to go far - A splash sounded ahead. Anakin paused, listening, feeling.

"She's performing better than we could have expected."

Anakin's jaw tightened. He hardly breathed.

"She's persistent, I'll give her that." Another responded. "Let's see how her encounter goes before we start making assumptions." A scribble sounded.

Anakin felt 3, maybe four, probably Quarren by the guttural sound of them, just up ahead and around a bend in the pipeline.

"I'd like some time in that cell with her. Feisty, that one. I'd show her how to treat a Quarren male right." Three laughed. One did not.

He slaughtered the first three without hesitation or guilt. He only heard Obi wan's ingrained disapproval for a second before snapping his attention to the remaining Quarren.

The fourth, clipboard in hand, hit the wall and sunk down slowly, blubbering. The quiet one.

"Where is she? The girl you stole?"

He cried out and Anakin resisted the urge to hit him. "Please, please, we're scientists, we're scientists-"

"Where is she," Anakin was about to press him into the wall with the force, but stopped short. The Jedi Council would surely hear of these activities.

But only if there were survivors.

"We have credits, we have-" Anakin snapped, pulling the pathetic creature up and slamming it into the concrete slab with his fore arm at his throat.

The Jedi focused then, swallowing his anger as best he could. He looked into the Quarren eyes, wide with fear, and waved his hand, saying slowly and directly, "You will tell me where the girl is."

A beat. The creatures eyes seemed to haze and unfocus only slightly. Anakin was almost shaking with the urge to throttle him until the information came out. He didn't really need him, he could search on his own. But he didn't know what they were doing with her, and the longer he took…

"Cell B6. Two levels down."

Anakin halted his anger, imagining his beautiful wife, captured and hurt or worse. He heard Obi-wan's training again, and wrestled the pure fury he felt blurring his sense of right and wrong, sending him into a place he felt he could not return from.

But Padme. Padme.

He dropped the Quarren. Wiped his memory and left him a pile on the floor of the sewer.

Padme was not alone. For a while now, she'd heard it. Stalking her. Slinking up behind her in the shadows. There were occasional small slits or gaps that let in a grayish light, but otherwise inky darkness met her on all sides.

She feigned ignorance. Walked slightly faster. Gripped the bit of metal in her pocket. Scanned for any foothold or lip or crevice she could use to her advantage.

Based on the splashing, whatever it was, was agile. Gliding. Slipping along the curved iron walls and shallow brown waste that lapped at her ankles.

It grew closer, more confident. Padme calmed the fear rising in her chest as the approaching sound grew.

A dim light glowed faintly in the darkness ahead. Padme almost choked in relief: the only hope she'd seen in hours.

She broke into a sprint, the thing behind her turning rabid, leaving behind any facade of silence.

10 steps away, her legs now soaked, dress dragging, she hung a left, the creature now only steps behind her.

The room was large, circular, with no other exits but a small hole at the top. No ladder, no rope.

A dead end.

B2, 3….4, 5…..at the end of the hall, Cell B6. He sensed her within, dulled, but there.

Anakin drew his saber without thinking, cutting through the thin iron bars in a split second.

At first, the cavernous space was silent. Empty. He heard her gasps before he saw her come from the shadows.

Padme, in a faded gray jumpsuit, numbered 873, held her arms out in front of her. Anakin bit his tongue before he could call out to her.

Something was off. Her soil-brown eyes were hazy, grayed out as if filled with a swirling mist. Her hands shook where they were held in front of her.

"Stay back," Padme said. She circled an invisible foe, one arm out, one now going slowly to her pocket. She hadn't looked at him since he entered, hadn't acknowledged his presence.

"Padme," he murmured.

She stilled for a moment, then shook her head and began her slow circling again, her eyes not leaving a fixed point in front of her.

Anakin put away his saber and approached his wife.

The creature's size dwarfed her in comparison. She was right, it was serpentine in shape, but with more than a dozen legs along its slimy abdomen, standing back on its tail end. Those, she did not anticipate.

She broke her focus for a second to scan again for an exit.

It was either up at least 20 feet or back where they came from, the entrance the creature now stood in front of.

For a flash, she thought of Anakin and his force jumps, and could've sworn she heard him even say her name. It wasn't like using the force was an option for her anyway. But she shook the thought away, again taking in the creature before her.

How did something like this grow in the sewers? On an all-womp rat diet? Unlikely. It probably surfaced occasionally to drag Coruscant citizens to their death. Dread roiled in her gut.

It's gaping maw contained endless rows of teeth, circular in pattern, not one space unoccupied by a sharp fang or jagged bone. Meat hung from those jaws. Raw meat, blood, and…. hair.

Padme reached for her slip of metal slowly, and hoped this dark pit beneath even the underbelly of Coroscant wasn't where she would die.

Anakin stepped in front of her. Jedi mind tricks wouldn't work, not on Padme. Especially not in whatever state she was in. He scanned the room - a chair with locks, a table with medical instruments rolled out, a hologram with calculations and theories, vials, paperwork…

What did they do to her? Where did she think she was? What reality was she now facing? the questions buzzed through Anakin's head, flitting quickly by before he could think solidly on one.

Anakin turned back toward his wife just as she swiped, a slash near his face that the Jedi pulled back from, but the metal met his chest, scraping an arc through his skin.

Was the creature saying her name? It jumped back after she sliced at it, slithering along a wall. Padme, padme…. it mocked her, using a soothing, familiar voice. Anakin's voice, she realized with a startle. How did it know? A chill ran down her spine.

She had to kill it, or at least seriously maim. Running was not an option.

His wife, armed with a jagged piece of metal, an intent focus in her foggy eyes, watched him. Anakin had tried saying her name again, pulling her from this trance, to no avail. She stayed rigid, now eyeing him, eyes flitting every now and then to her surroundings.

No light sparked in her eyes, no recognition. Only that deep, never-ending silver mist. He had no idea what she was seeing, what enticed her to attack him.

He moved slowly to the hologram on the side of the room, near the other supplies, keeping one eye on his wife. Her sensed her fear, felt it flowing through the force with urgency.

Anakin flicked through the hologram, passed by mathematics and physics, files of other species in similar suits as the one Padme wore, but stopped short at a page titled "Trial 873 - human, female"

Padme was projected there in form on the hologram, asleep in her jumpsuit. A circle blinked below her ear, and Anakin tapped it.

A new page unfolded listing ingredients, types of reactions, past data… extreme hallucinations…. creatures of the subconscious…. survival rate 10%.

Ten percent? Ten fucking percent? These Quarren were sadistic.

He read further - Can be dangerous… remove before further interaction…

Anakin snapped his head to where his wife was, the force changing with her movement. She pounced, yelling, her arm back and ready to swipe. The Jedi resisted the muscle memory to grab for his saber, and instead jumped out of the way, focusing on the force to lengthen the movement.

Padme advanced, and Anakin was surprised by her quick approach. She came for him again, but this time Anakin had a hold on the force, stopping her short.

Padme struggled against the hold, whipping her head side to side.

There. A small black dot, flat against the skin on her neck.

He inhaled. Focused on the small chip, sending out a tendril of the force to grasp at it.

It clattered quietly to the ground.

Padme slumped against his hold on her, and he moved forward, catching her mid fall and he released the force grip. Her eyes were closed, breathing shallow.

He cleared the nearby table with a push of the force, laying her down gently atop the surface. Her dark hair was completely straight, and he'd never seen her wear it like that. She must've been in disguise on her way to see him.

If she hadn't been walking that dark alley to meet with him, this wouldn't have happened. He leaned over her, and drops of blood hit her chest.

His hand flew to his own chest, wet with blood. Fuck, she swiped him good. He hadn't even noticed, but now he felt the ache, a crescent stinging starting just below his collarbone and plunging down to the left side of his chest.

He'd deal with that later - Padme's eyes were still closed, but her hand was warm in his. He assessed his options, reigning in that familiar frantic feeling - stay in this dark room and try to bring Padme to consciousness, or carry her up and out to a real infirmary. Anakin scooped her up bridal style, heading for the exit. Besides a bump on her head and some scrapes and bruises, she seemed fine - the chip hadn't left much of a mark.

But she still wasn't awake.

She bumped against him as he ran, and Anakin grunted at the pain across his chest. He wasn't going as fast as he'd liked, using the force to help hold Padme's small frame to his own, and keep himself upright in the brown water.

He sensed it too late, his mind too tangled with thoughts of getting Padme to the surface. Anakin was slammed sideways, hitting the iron curve of the pipe. He had only enough time to curl around Padme, taking the brunt of the impact.

He immediately went for his saber, but it was knocked from him, some feet away. He shifted Padme gently off, propping her up.

A giant centipede-like creature stood a few feet before him, curled and charged to pounce. And beside him - "You cannot take the girl." The sniveling Quarren male from before, the one he had left two levels above.

"We have been experimenting for years. She is the first hope of a breakthrough. Leave her, and you can leave with your life."

Anakin laughed, a bitter thing. "You're delusional if you think I'm leaving her."

The Quarren pursed his lips. "Then, Jedi or not, I'm sorry to say that you must die. I can't stand by and let my life's work be for nothing." He waved the creature forward, and it half slithered half crawled, mouth open.

Anakin split his focus, panting with the effort. He wrapped Padme in the force, shielding her where she still lay unconscious.

And pushed back against the advancing creature. Before he could act further, the Quarren took the opportunity to kick his saber, and it skittered, falling down a gap in the sewer, clinking away into the darkness.

Fuck.

Anakin jumped, flipped over the creature. He attempted to calm it with the force, reaching for its mind - only to be met with thoughtless mush. This creature had no feelings, no thoughts or motivations to be molded and influenced. Only followed its Master's orders.

His saber was too far gone, despite his blind grabs for it, especially while he had Padme to guard.

Anakin continued to dodge the attacks, each one getting closer and closer. The thing was huge, but quick, accustomed to the darkness and slimy walls.

The Quarren male was reaching for Padme, and Anakin sent a push of the force to knock him over, his breath now ragged in his throat. "Don't touch her," he yelled.

That split second cost him his focus though, and the creature wrapped its tail around Anakin's ankle, pulling him down.

It snapped in his face, and Anakin pushed at its slimy neck, keeping it only a foot away.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Quarren dragging Padme, just how she had first been dragged into this shithole on R2's footage.

Anakin dove into the force, threw all his focus into it, even with the creature weighing on him, reaching for him with its rows and rows of jagged teeth.

Nothing was around for him to rip away with the force, it was all just slick walls and dirty brown water.

The snapping got closer, inches away now, the smell of death and rot coming in heated gasps from the monsters maw.

"Anakin!"

Padme threw the slice of metal, the male now slumped at her side.

Anakin made up for the gap of the throw with a push of the force, and he grasped the metal, slicing the creature at the neck - not quite completely severing his head but going deep into sinew and flesh.

A sickening wail and thump sounded, Anakin shoving out from underneath the heavy body.

Padme ran toward him - "We need to go, he mentioned others coming soon." Anakin embraced Padme for a second, only for his eyes to fall on the crying Quarren on the floor.

"I'll kill him."

Padme's eyebrows knit together, "Anakin, no. Let's leave him. He cant go anywhere anyways. We'll send a unit down to clear this place out when we reach the surface."

Anakin looked at the male again. Padme had used the metal to swipe his achilles tendons, blood leaking from both heels.

The Jedi approached him, Anakin's lip curled in disgust. "Looks like its your turn to suffer for the cause. Hope it's worth it."

Padme and Anakin surfaced in the dead of night, and bought a cheap motel room after the young senator insisted that she didnt need looking at. The rusty droid took their credits without asking any questions, and showed them to a corner room. It was small and needed some updates, but clean.

After fishing his saber out, the pair had headed up and out as quickly as they could, Padme already feeling better without the chip causing her hallucinations.

"When did you come to?" Anakin asked, shrugging off his first layer of black robe - different from his normal Jedi robes, but more in color than style.

"Right when that creature crashed into us. I kept my eyes closed, waiting for the right time. Unfortunately for that Quarren, he was there during that right time."

Anakin had fought the urge to bring Padme to the surface by herself and go back to slaughter them all. They had paid off a ground-dweller to send an anonymous tip to the Republic, which would no doubt make it's way to the Jedi council after going through the proper channels. But Anakin had already planned to "accidentally" stumble on their little sewer experiments with Obi-wan the next chance he got.

Shit, Obi Wan.

He checked his watch, still covered, like most of him and Padme were, in shit and piss and gore. They both needed to bathe, badly.

Three voice notes, all from his Master.

11:23pm - It's getting late, Anakin. I hope you're in your rooms.

12:14am - I just went to check, and you're still not back. Tomorrow morning will come soon. I hope you're prepared.

1 am - I'm disappointed in you, Anakin. Meet me at 6am at the departure deck.

Padme pursed her lips. "I'm sorry, Anakin this is my fault. If I had just been more wary of my surroundings…"

Anakin moved to her, embracing her, his head resting atop her own. "No, it's my fault. This sneaking around, it's unsafe, especially for you." He felt her stiffen a bit at that, so he amended with, "You can take care of yourself to an extent, but we got lucky this time. I don't want you wandering the sketchiest streets of Coroscant for my sake."

"It was my decision to come see you."

"We need a new way to meet. I won't risk this again, risk you again."

Padme nodded, agreeing. It wasn't something she wanted to experience again, herself. They stayed silent for a moment, then - "So, that creature was real, then?"

Anakin pulled back to look at her. "I was going to ask - is that what you fought the whole time?"

"I know you'd said I was chipped with whatever tech they were testing, but they must not be creative enough to encode their own monsters - that they pulled from reality." She shuddered, and Anakin's chest ached at the memory of her fear.

And also his cut was starting to throb - and was probably covered in the nastiest bacteria Coroscant had to offer. Great.

"Also, as much as I love you… you're covered in basically every gross thing I could think of right now."

Anakin laughed, pulling her with him toward the small bathing chamber - "No kidding. Care for a bath?"

"Lets start with a shower. And soap. Lots of soap."

After extensive scrubbing and enough soap to clean a desert Bantha, Padme soaked in the delicious heat of the bathtub.

And the image of her husband across from her.

His chest had healed remarkably fast with a slightly questionable salve given by the droid at the front desk, but still guilt sank deep in her gut at the image. She had done that to him, unknowingly yes, but still. She had teared up when he'd first peeled away the last of his robes to shower - and hoped it was the creature or a fall that had him bearing the mark, instead of by her own hand. But after hearing his side of the night, she was pretty sure she knew which swipe was responsible.

"Does it hurt?" She murmured.

"Not at all," Anakin replied, running his hand through his wet hair.

Padme bit her lip, and her husband's face softened. "It's nothing, Padme. Come here."

She crossed the heated tub, through the piles of rose-scented bubbles, and lay back against Anakin. "See?" he said. "Nothing. In fact, I'm feeling way better than before." With her back to his chest, he stroked her thigh gently beneath the water.

"How's your head, my love?" His fingers were gentle as they touched the spot she'd been hit - the lump had shrunk significantly from that same salve Anakin had used. Still, she considered getting a scan tomorrow - the last thing she needed was brain damage while tying to argue her points in a council session.

"Not even a headache," she replied, sinking deeper into the heated warmth of the water.

Anakin moved both hands now to her scalp, massaging in circular motions and Padme nearly groaned with relief. He started at her temples and worked his way back. When he spoke, his voice was low and rough, "I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm never putting you in that position again. We'll figure out what to do."

Padme hummed her agreement, lost in the silken warmth of his hands through her hair, so light and loving. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Padme said - "It's gotta be 4 or 5 in the morning by now. Obi wan said you're leaving at 6? Should we try to get some sleep?" She'd entirely lost track of time, and although she could live in this moment forever, she didn't want him off his game at the very beginning of a new mission.

"There's coffee for that. Besides, I have some other ideas on how we can spend the next few hours."

"Oh, do you?" Padme asked, sitting up a bit and turning to look at him.

Anakin had a mischievous glint in his eye, and he licked his lips and his hands once again dropped into the water, both rubbing large circles on her thighs. He came forward slowly, gaze dropping to her lips, and she met his kiss hungrily. Based on what he'd told her, Padme was sure her husband would be away for at least a month. She deepened the kiss at the thought, suddenly wanting him everywhere at once.

His full lips parted, tongue roving lazily through her mouth, hands still on her thighs, squeezing and trailing circles.

Padme couldn't suppress the groan that came from her throat, her breast heavy with anticipation and craving his touch.

Like he read her mind, his right hand left her thigh, moving up to grab her breast, never breaking the kiss. With his calloused hands there and his warm tongue in her mouth, she thought she might combust.

He hummed into her, and she felt him grow harder behind her. Padme started to twist to grab him, but he put a hand on her shoulder, keeping her down. "Let me touch you first," he said softly.

Padme whimpered at the promise in his voice, but obliged.

The kiss was driving her out of her skin. He worked her breast in his left hand, his right hand swooping oh-so-close to where she wanted him, but then circling back down toward her knee.

Up to her thigh, over to her hip, circling her lower stomach and - back to her thigh.

Padme groaned and Anakin pulled away only long enough to laugh and murmur, "My sweet wife has no patience…" He gave one teasing swipe across her aching core, finally right where she wanted him, then brought that same hand out of the water and up to her face.

"Lay back, Padme." His look was slightly glazed but intense.

She settled into the water, already missing his mouth on hers.

Until his hand started working against her under the water.

Bouts of pleasure filled her, and she savored Anakin's hard body behind her, pressed into it. He started with slow, evenly pressured circles, grasping her breast with his other hand. Padme needed more, more pressure, more of him-

He quickened his pace, and Padme couldn't help the buck of her hips upwards. Pleasure flowed freely through her now, her knees bent and pressed against the edges of the tub, uncontrolled whimpers pouring from her lips. Anakin leaned forward, and began whispering praises in her ear - Good girl… just like that… I know you like it… you're so beautiful like this…

Her core was molten, every touch like electricity, building and building, endless pleasure.

She moaned, and Anakin's hand left her breast to wrap around her throat. "I know, my pretty baby. I know, shhhhhh…"

With the combination of Anakin's breath in her ear, the pressure of his hand around her throat and his calloused fingers relentlessly pleasuring her - Padme's breath hitched, her orgasm shattering her reality as she rode it out, arching off of Anakin's chest, her breasts out of the water.

After a few blindingly pleasurable waves, she slumped down, a euphoric haze settled over her, and exhaustion lay heavy on her bones. Anakin said something that she didn't process so she just said "Cant move… jelly legs." She felt the rumble of his laugh in his chest behind her.

He held her for a few minutes and she lay there, catching her breath, her chest heaving. "The water's getting cold," Anakin said, squeezing her upper arm. "Let's get to bed."

"Did you hear me mention jelly legs earlier? That still stands."

"You know, I'm carrying you around a lot tonight." He stood and scooped her from the bathtub, setting her down only long enough to wrap a towel around her before picking her back up and heading for the bed.

Small, old, but clean. and private.

Padme was set down old the mattress but stood on her knees, reaching for Anakin who was still stark naked. "Well, let me repay you for your services then, Big Strong Mr. Jedi."

Anakin laughed, letting her pull him into bed on top of her. He kissed her playfully, licking her cheek, nipping at her nose. She laughed, swatting at him. He moved down to her neck, and Padme sighed, turning her head - "Holy shit, is that the time?" The neon clock beside the bed read 5:37 am.

"Obi wan can wait a few minutes…" Anakin kept kissing her neck, not bothering to look up at the clock.

"Anakin, it's a ways back to the temple, and you must have to pack for the trip. I know you never pack ahead of time." Anakin groaned, pulling away.

"There's no way this is happening." He propped himself up on his elbows and looked down on her, hanging his head and groaning louder now, muttering something about Obi wan's bad timing.

She pursed her lips, raising her brows. "You gotta go. You know you do. You'll be late as it is."

Anakin looked as torn as she'd ever seen him, his face half lust and half doubt. "I know you've done the math. I'll be gone at least a month."

"And I'll be here when you return." Padme answered, hand on his face.

He gave it a beat, and groaned, rolling off of her. "Lets hope Obi wan can't sense hard-ons because I'm gonna have one the entire trip now."

Padme made a face of faux confusion - "You're attracted to Obi wan?"

He tossed a pillow at her. "Funny. Get dressed, I can drop you on my way." He had sent their clothes out to be cleaned by droids, and they were fluffed and folded by the door. He began dressing himself, putting her clothes on the bed.

"I should stay for a while, less risk of people seeing us together. The sun will be rising soon." Padme pulled her dress over her head.

"After what happened last night? Hell no. I'm dropping you off."

Padme shook her head - "I can get home just fine."

Anakin sighed, looking at his wife, her stubborn expression. "Then I'm sending Ar-too."

"Yeah, like I don't know you send him every time anyways."

Anakin rolled his eyes, but a ghost of a smile was at his lips.

Padme set up on her knees and Anakin came over, hands on her arms. "Be careful while I'm gone. I'll send updates when I can."

Padme nodded at the speech she's heard every time he left off-world with his Master: some combination of be safe, be careful, be wary.

"I'll miss you, Anakin. Stay with Obi Wan."

"Obi wan better stay by me." Anakin replied, cocky as ever.

Padme kissed her husband for their final goodbye, and didn't allow herself to fully feel the sadness of his departure until the door clicked softly closed behind him.

Padme entered her office that morning, any scars fading and covered in her current attire and hairstyle.

Her computer had tons of unread messages and requests from her absence - but she minimized the screen, opening her calendar instead.

Thirty days - her heart sank at the day she marked a month from now. But she swallowed it down, knowing she could confide in no one, share her worries to no one. Their shared secret weighed on her at these moments more than ever, the moments of separation, without the other to lean on. Because without each other, they had no one.

Padme closed the calendar, sat up straight, and got to work.