A Thousand Rainy Days: Part 2
By: Anakin's Angel
Email: anakinsangel@aol.com
Website:
No Ordinary Love
Rated: PG13, for some violent images
Disclaimer: Star
Wars, Anakin, Padmé, Obi-Wan, etc. DO NOT belong to me.
Title of
story taken from the song "Every little thing she does is magic" by the Police.
Summary: Abducted on a mission, Anakin is held against his will by a
Sith hell-bent on turning him to the darkside. Finally found by his Master,
Anakin is brought back to the Temple for healing. Will his friends be able to
save his soul?
Warm, bright sunlight dappled through the leaves as Sabe
and Padme enjoyed the remains of their lunch. The light garden was such a calm
refuge in a place such as Coruscant, and the two friends often found themselves
spending a lot of time there. They rarely spoke though, today. Obi-Wan was
still in the infirmary, recovering from fatigue and loss of Force-sensitivity.
Brynna had explained to them that it was akin to suddenly losing one's
sight. Sabe shuddered; She couldn't even begin to imagine such a thing.
Tianna said we could stop in and see them when we're through.
She said, gathering up her napkin.
Padmé nodded, absently.
A strong blast of air tumbled their glasses onto the grass, carrying
with it, the sweet scent of the Niyas flowers planted nearby. We should
go relieve him then. I can sit with Obi-Wan for a bit, and you should try to
get Anakin to eat something, She watched as the Queen tore a blade of
grass into pieces, looking very distracted. It wasn't like her at all.
Are you okay, Pad?
As if snapping out of the trance, Padme
got to her feet. Oh, I'm just worried, that's all. I think I
will try and get Ani to take a walk or something. Great thinking, Sabe.
And with that, she turned around and walked away.
Not liking this one
bit, Sabe shook her head and followed. What else could she do?
..
Anakin paced around the large infirmary, trying his best to ignore the
nagging feeling in his mind that had begun that morning. Meditation hadn't
worked, but he hadn't really expected it to at this point. Not with
Obi-Wan lying so sick in the bed like that. Masters Yoda and Windu had been in
off and on, both scratching their heads as to what the problem could be. Well,
they had been discreet about their concern, but Anakin wasn't called
the chosen one' for nothing. He'd been able to read them like a
book.
His other worry was Padmé.
She'd been distant
since Obi-Wan had been brought in. Distantshe's been positively
absent! A small part of him was a bit angry at this; She knew that his
Master needed him. How could she expect him to spend as much time with her as
before? It just wasn't possible.
Tianna stepped in then, followed
closely by Padmé and Sabé. At least she's here.. He
stopped his pacing, walking across the room to give her a hug. Hey,
you.
She replied, offering no more.
Stretching along their bond, Anakin found it curiously closed off. A
quick flash of her brown eyes spoke volumes.
Fine, I can take a
not-so-discreet hint just like the next guy. Did you guys have a nice
lunch? He asked, plastering a faux smile onto his face.
Padme
stiffened, pulling away from Anakin completely. What, are you spying on
our every move now? She snapped, crossing her arms defiantly.
What? No, Tianna told me, He gently tugged her closer
again. Well, he tried to. Where is this coming from-
Looking intensely towards Obi-Wan and Sabe, she shook her head.
Can we take a walk? Sabé will stay with him for a little
while.
Anakin had to admit he was curious, but to leave
Obi-Wan? No, I have to find out what's wrong with her. After
you.
Once they were in the hall, her sunny
disposition' was gone. I do feel bad for you, Anakin, really I do.
But-
He stopped. But you want me to spend more time with
you, right? The words came out a lot harsher than he'd intended, but
it was what he needed to say right now. My Master is SICK, do you not
understand that, Padmé? I can't go on picnics with you, I cannot,
no matter how much I want to, spend all day
Spend all
day what, exactly? Is there any reason for me to still be here? You're
better now, are you not?
Anakin stepped away from her.
You're absolutely right. In fact, I don't think I want you here
anymore if you're going to act like this. He shook his head,
slamming down his end of their bond and walking back towards the infirmary.
..
Standing alone in the hall, Padme felt a horrible chill
invade her body. What had Anakin said to her? Yeswhy was she still here?
She couldn't remember.
Her mind spun wildly, the effect
almost knocking her to the floor.
Leave. Run. Now..
Was
that her own voice? It made sense thoughthe idea to leave.
Of
course she should leave.
Nodding, she walked purposefully towards her
quarters.
..
Lira sat, albeit impatiently, as she waited
for the Council to discuss her situation. Their initial shock had worn off, so
she was working now on borrowed time. Palpatine was strong, yes, but even
Master Yoda would detect something the longer she remained here. Varying
feelings assaulted her at the moment. She could feel the uncertainty of the
Councilthe confused, single-minded determination ofsomeone.
And she felt fear.
//It was pure, unadulterated terror.// She
corrected herself.
It felt wonderful, exhilarating. The dark side sang
in her veins, and she struggled to contain it.
Lira, my young
apprentice.. She was instantly at attention, at that.
Master.
//Leave them. I need you to bring her to
me.//
Lira closed her eyes, taking in the image of Padme
Naberrie. Easy prey, my Master.
..
Finding a
transport that was unoccupied, as well as available tosteal,
proved to be vastly more difficult than Padme had expected. Pulling her hood
down to cover her face, she padded silently towards a large Jedi transport. The
door slid open silently, only to reveal a rather small female Padawan. Padme
stepped back, feeling an ice-cold shiver course through her entire being. The
girl was scarred, her hair burned, or melted off in places. I'm
sorry, I was-
Oh, I know what you were about to do, Your
Majesty, Lira sneered, walking down the ship's ramp.
Backing
up, Padme thought immediately of Anakin. Help me, Ani
Lira
laughed humorlessly. Oh, he can't hear you. Now, get up here.
Repeating the mantra in her mind, Padme moved backwards. Please,
Ani. Help mesomeone. Ani, please. Lira ran forward, her Jedi reflexes
catching her pathetic attempt at escape. Padme felt her arm twist behind her,
and Anakin's name fell from her lips as the transport door slid closed.
..
Obi-Wan awoke to the pleading, terrified voice of Padme in
his mind. Blinking his eyes open, he wondered how this was still even possible.
His connection to the Force was so thin, to tenuous, that merely reaching out
to his own Padawan took extreme effort. Why was Padme calling out to him? His
head was swimming, but he was able to make out the blurry form of Sabe, seated
beside him.
"Padme..." He whispered, his throat tight and parched.
The handmaiden smiled. "No, it's Sabe, silly. How are you feeling?" She
placed a cool rag on his forehead, before placing a glass of cool, clean water
to his dry lips.
Obi-Wan shook his head, after taking in the water.
"No, Padme...where? She's calling for help-"
"Master?" Anakin shouted,
bounding in through the door, Tianna in tow. "You're awake?"
Nodding,
Obi-Wan motioned for his Padawan to come closer. "Where is Padme, Anakin?"
The boy's blue eyes darkened. "She has decided to return to Naboo. I
don't...I don't know where she is."
Please...someone! Help me,
Anakin!
Startled by the strength of Padme's voice, Obi-Wan
winced. "Anakin, why is it that you cannot hear her calling to you for help?"
He asked, urgently.
"Help? What are you talking about, Master?" Anakin
nearly shouted. It took him about a moment to process the words. "Oh Sith! I
was...angry with her. I shut down my end of our bond!"
"You did WHAT?"
Obi-Wan ground out. "Anakin, take Tianna with you and FIND HER!" He ordered.
Anakin quickly reached out to Padme. Her terror and confusion nearly
overwhelmed him. Padme! I'm here-
Anakin! I'm with a
girl. She has scars on her face, dressed as a Jedi!
"Scars?" He
whispered, running through the halls. Tianna glanced at him, but remained
silent. It really didn't matter what anyone thought, Padme had needed him, had
called out to him...
And because he was too concerned about his ego, he
hadn't heard her.
This is why pride and ego will are never befitting
a Jedi, Padawan.
Yes, Master.
...
Padme waited
until her eyes adjusted to the darkness before she began to explore her
surroundings. The ship wasn't moving, or at least not so she could tell. Anakin
had assured her that he was doing everything to find her, but how could she
help, if she didn't know where she was?
Where was I going anyway?
Rubbing her temples, she tried to think back to earlier that day.
She could remember...something...sitting in the garden with Sabe?
Did
I really say those things to Anakin?
She shook her head. It didn't
make any sense! And now, because of this, she was the prisoner of a Jedi gone
bad.
What does she want with me?
No, she knew the answer to
that too. A bone-chilling cold invaded her very being as realization took hold.
The darkness wants Anakin. It will stop at nothing... "Oh, force..."
She whispered. Her very being screamed out for Anakin. Of course they wanted
Anakin, and with her trapped here...
ANAKIN! It's a trap!
No response.
In fact, she could feel a small awareness on the other end
of their bond, but the presense felt more like Obi-Wan. Bed-riden and weak,
there would be little Obi-Wan could do even if she could reach him.
Wiping angry tears from her eyes, she pounded again and again on the
sealed door. She wouldn't let this happen, she couldn't let this happen!
There was no way she was letting them get Anakin.
..
Coruscant glittered, even from this distance, but Lira payed
it no attention. She gathered the supplies around her and quietly made her way
towards the room she was keeping Padme in. The woman was pounding against the
door, in a vain attempt to be released.
That was not going to happen.
Lira pulled the darkside around her, reveling it the untamed power of
it, and pushed Padme away from the opposite side of the door. The door then
slid open, revealing an almost-unconscious Queen of Naboo.
Some Queen,
this one.
"You won't win." Padme swore, her voice slurred.
Lira
scoffed. "We'll see about that, won't we? Now, why don't you take a little
nap?" Producing the hydrospray, she advanced on the other woman.
Backing up, Padme seemed to realize that it was futile. With all the
strength she could muster, she called out to Anakin one last time. Lira
released the hydrospray, and darkness descended over her like a blanket.
Satisfied that Padme was sufficiently drugged for the moment, she
walked back towards the ship's bridge. A small, personal craft that Palpatine
had given her, was all ready for its short trip to the surface.
This
has been all too easy.
Instructing the transport to remain in position
over Coruscant, Lira boarded the smaller ship and jettisoned into the blackness
of space.
Swirling clouds of exhaust circled the small ship Lira was
piloting. Below her, the Jedi Temple gleamed in the light. To any other Jedi,
the Temple was a symbol of home, of light and beauty.
Lira hadn't felt
those feelings in a long time.
Lira hadn't felt in a long time.
Get down there, you insolent child!
The insistant
voice of her Master dragged Lira from her reverie. Yes, she had work to do, and
the sooner the better.
..
"Please, Obi-Wan, you are not well!"
Placing a firm hand on Obi-Wan's chest, Sabe tried, in vain, to push the Jedi
back into the bed. He looked a mess: ragged, ginger-colored beard, his hair
sticking up from every angle. Yet, she knew the biggest mess lie beneath the
skin.
Obi-Wan sighed, tersely. "I need to help my Padawan, Sabe! I
cannot...sit here and do nothing!" His voice came out as a rough whisper,
choked with emotion. Raking a hand through his hair, he melted back into the
bed. "How much more must we go through?"
Feeling tears well in her
eyes, Sabe reached for his hand. "You are stronger than you believe, Obi-Wan.
The Force, well I don't anything about the Force, but it wouldn't give you more
than you could handle, right?"
A reluctant smile formed on his face.
"For not knowing, you seem to have hit the mark there," A faraway look came
over his eyes, as he tried to reach out to Anakin. Painfully, he felt the Force
dance just out of his reach. It wasn't so much a physical pain, but an empty
feeling inside his very soul. "Sabe? Will you...I need you to page Masters
Windu and Yoda for me. Do you-?"
She smiled, getting to her feet. "Rest
now, I will seek them out for you." Releasing his hand, Sabe walked out towards
the turbolifts.
The lift was empty, save for a lone Padawan she passed
as she got on. A cold, almost chill, filled the air around her as the doors
slid shut before her.
...
A deathly quiet silence hung in the
air as Lira approached Obi-Wan's room. In the back of her mind, she could hear
Palpatine's whispered commands urging her on. She felt compelled to obey, but
began wondering what she was even doing. Of course, there was no way of
shielding these thoughts from her diabolical Master.
Young Lira,
so foolish...
The sharp, screaming pain invaded her mind then.
It had been something Palpatine threatened her with often: removing their bond.
The pain had usually kept her at bay...
But at least the pain let her
feel something.
Sucking in a hasty breath, she shoved all thoughts of
rebellion from her mind and pressed her hand to the touchpad.
..
"Miss Sabe to see you, Masters."
Sabe nodded politely
to the young Padawan that had shown her in before turning towards the Jedi
Council. "Pardon my intrusion, but Master Kenobi wished to speak with you
and-"
"Something wrong their is, go to him we must." Yoda cut in, much
to the chagrin of the 11 other Council Members.
"I sense nothing!"
Ki-Adi Mundi argued. "It would be foolish to-"
"The Queen of Naboo is
missing, Masters. If you can help Obi-Wan is any way right now, my people and I
will be greatly in your debt." Sabe pleaded, ignoring the fact that she had
just interupted a Jedi Master.
Yoda cast a sidelong glance at Mundi.
"Go we must."
Growing more and more restless, Sabe practically ran from
the chamber...and right into Anakin and Tianna. Their group was complete, when
Yoda and Master Windu stepped up behind her.
On some unspoken command,
they all enetered the turbolift. Sabe had no idea what to expect once it
stopped, but if the pained look on Anakin's face was any indication...
...
The transport was eerily quiet as Palpatine boarded. He knew, from
what Lira had relayed, that the Queen was still unconscious. She wasn't of any
consequence to him at the moment; away from Anakin, he would be powerless.
He recoiled as he felt a wave of...compassion coming from Lira. Without
even lifting a finger, he tugged at the bond connecting her mind to his own.
She responded immediately, as he knew she would.
Now, get in
there and finish the job!
He could see her enter the Jedi's
room, and he smiled. Weak and out of touch with the Force, Kenobi would be no
match for Lira.
..
Anakin shifted his weight from foot to foot
as the lift climed towards the healers wing. It was a route that he knew all
too well, unfortunately. Yoda and Windu were characteristically silent, and he
sensed nothing more than nervous jitters from both Sabe and Tianna. It boiled
down to how he felt.
And I'm about to push this lift up with the
Force if it doesn't hurry!
"Arrived, we have, Anakin." Yoda
announced, a slight smile upon his green lips.
With what he hoped was a
polite nod, he ran past them towards Obi-Wan's room.
..
Quiet
beeps and snoring greeted Lira as she entered Obi-Wan's room. He was facing
away from her, which would make things much easier. All she had to do was place
the hilt of her lightsabre against his back and...
Press the button.
Unconsciously, she had pressed the button, and the room was filled
with a soft, red-hued glow.
Stupid!
Nervously, she
thumbed the button to the off position. Obi-Wan hadn't moved, and she suspected
that had something to do with his inability to properly use the Force.
Quickly and quietly, my young apprentice.
"Quickly and quietly." She whispered, nodding to herself. Padding over towards
the bed, she felt her hands start to shake. Could she really do this? Become a
murderer of her own kind?
You aren't a Jedi anymore!
Her
mind screamed out. "Not a Jedi, not a Jedi," She whispered, moving closer by
the moment. "Just press the button and it will be over." With a firm nod, she
placed the lightsabre up against the sleeping Jedi's back.
...
"Master!" Anakin exclaimed, throwing open the doors. What he found
inside would remain with him as long as he lived.
Lira, pale and
shaking, holding her lightsabre against her own heart. "Don't you come near me,
Jedi." She spat, distraught.
That could have been Obi-Wan... "Lira? You
don't have to-"
"I don't have to what?" She walked around the room
nervously, lightsabre still in place. "Be pulled in a thousand different
directions? Be manipulated, and disfigured? Too late for that, Jedi."
She sounded so defeated, so scared. So like me.. There was a huge
missing factor here, however; He'd had Obi-Wan and Padme to help him through
it.
Lira didn't have anyone.
Oh, Force.
"Save
your pity, Jedi." Lira hissed, snapping him back to reality. The blood red
blade of her lightsabre illuminated the room.
In an instant, Anakin's
own sabre flashed to life. He did not want to fight her, not here. Not with
Obi-Wan helpless and unconscious beside them. "Put your weapon down, Lira." He
whispered, with more than just a subtle push of the Force. "I know what it's
like to be controlled by him."
That gave Lira pause. "Then you know why
I have to do this!" She screamed, advancing on Obi-Wan again.
Anakin
tossed her across the room, ready to defend his Master. "Do you honestly think
you will be able to kill my Master?" He growled.
Lira's red blade
crackled as it collided with Anakin's. "He's weak, he can't even feel the
Force! Some Master!"
Easily blocking her sloppy strike, Anakin slowly
backed her up towards the door. It slid open, revealing the forms of Mace,
Yoda, Brynna...and a small band of healers.
Anakin's breath caught, as
the onslaught of memories filled his mind.
****
"Please..no
more...I can't take it"
"You will take it, Jedi. You will."
"No, I...yes, I will do anything you want"
"Very well, Skywalker. We will meet again, I'm afraid."
"That makes two of us"
****
He watched as Brynna walked
towards Lira, a hydrospray in her hand. If they were going to attempt sedation,
it wouldn't be before he found out where Padmé was.
Lira backed
up, her face revealing a mixture of fear, confusion and torment. Yoda reached
out to her with the Force, trying to calm the torrent in her mind. "Help you,
we will, young one."
"No! Nooooonononono! Just stay away from me! My
Master...my Master...he..." She looked up, locking eyes with Anakin.
The images she projected made him shiver. Burning, pain, fear, anger,
death. It was hard to believe that Lira was only 13 standard years old, with
all that she had been forced to endure these few months.
He was able to
call her sabre to him, placing it deep inside his robe. Without her weapon, the
inexperienced Padawan struck out at him with her bare hands.
Reacting
the opposite of what she expected, Anakin pulled her tightly into an embrace.
She thrashed around, and only stopped when Anakin placed a hand on her
forehead.
Lira? We will help you, I promise. If I can do it, if I
can break free of the darkness, so can you.
It hurts, Anakin.
I'm so tired...
I know you are, Lira.
....you can
call the ship back to the Temple. Take the comunit from my robe. She is alive.
"Thank you, Lira." He said, aloud. Brynna stepped forward then,
effectively sedating her.
The process of healing had begun, it seemed;
For Obi-Wan had just awakened.
...
Anakin had called the ship
back to the Temple, as Lira had told him, only to find that the person he never
wanted to see again was onboard.
Palpatine.
His evil,
Force-eroding presence, hung in the air around Coruscant.
He would meet
the Sith bravely, Masters Yoda and Windu at his side. There was no way that he
would be fooled again...no possible way that the darkness would-
Possible always, it is. Be cautious, you must be.
Anakin cast a sidelong glance at Yoda. "Yes, Master." It
just...felt different this time. He was ready, he knew enough not to be fooled
so easily again.
But he would be cautious.
. . .
A
deafening scream finally awakened Padmé.
Instantly alert, she
jumped to her feet and walked towards the door. Strangely enough, the tiny
cabin was now illuminated. Staggering, as waves of nausea threatened to knock
her down again, she leaned up against the wall.
The struggle to remain
upright was finally too much, and she crashed to the floor. I'm awake now...I
can call Ani
Anakin?
Padmé! Stay right
where you are!
His presence washed over her, comforting in its
warmth and familarity. "Ani.." She mumbled, as the room began to spin. Outside,
she could hear the sound of voices and the distinct buzz of a lightsabre.
I love you, Anakin...
She felt, rather than heard his
reply, as unseen arms seemed to wrap around her and hold her tight. Placing a
hand to the cold door, she said a silent prayer to the Force.
...
The look of pure contempt on Palpatine's face was obvious, as Anakin,
Mace and Yoda came into view. Recoiling a bit, he lashed out at them with a
wave of crippling Force-lightning.
Anakin, having gone through such
torture at the hands of his former 'Master', prepared himself for the
onslaught.
He hadn't, however, expected diminutive Master Yoda to
strike back with a heady dose of the lightside.
Fight evil with
good, darkness with light...
It was a basic Jedi lesson, but would
it work against someone as strong as Palpatine?
Sensing a break in the
Sith's concentration, he moved ahead with his lightsabre. His purpose was to
disarm, possibly maim...
Never to kill in anger.
Well, if he
happened to maim the old lunatic in the process, all the better.
Swinging his sabre around, he aimed for Palpatine's left arm. He saw
Mace out of the corner of his eye, advancing on the Sith's right side. "We will
defeat you, 'Master'" Anakin sneered, managing to scorch Palpatine on his arm.
An evil, vile laugh escaped the Sith. "Fools! You have nothing in
comparison to the dark side. Honor, Peace, Justice...you sit back as corruption
rages on around you. I can bring order, I will restore control of the Galaxy-"
"Into your own hands." Mace cut in, bringing his violet blade around in
a graceful arc, effectivey removing Palpatine's ungaurded right arm. Howling
out in pain, Papatine fell to the cold marble.
Anakin watched, sabre
ready, as Yoda walked towards the wounded man. "Harm innocents and spread the
darkness again, you will not." He half-screamed.
If the situation
wasn't so serious, he would have been tempted to smile; The thought of little
Yoda reprimanding a Sith was hilarious.
Instead, he backed up as a
warm, green glow encircled the small Jedi. It moved, as a living thing would,
down Yoda's arms and out through his fingertips. "Banish the darkness, we
will." He spoke, as he ended the miserable life of the Sith Lord Palpatine.
Not wasting another moment, Anakin raced onto the ship.
He had
to see a girl about a kiss.
...
Once inside the starship, Anakin
slowed the pace somewhat. Even as the Sith's body lie, drained of life, the
darkness here threatened to suffocate him. The one point of light, buried deep
within the belly of the ship, was waiting for him.
She called out to
him, not with her mind, but with her spirit. She was
everywhere...surrounding him like she never had before. It was odd, he thought,
that they had been fighting only hours before.
Hard to see, the
darkside is.
That much was true.
Lira and Palpatine had
played upon Padmé's trust and emotions; using them to seperate her from
him. Scary thing was...it worked. Like a fool, he closed down his end of the
bond. While he wasn't convinced that Lira, or even Palpatine, would have harmed
her, there was always the possibility.
Finally in front of the door, he
pressed his hand to the durasteel. I'm here. The response was immediate. All at
once, the door slid open and Padme fell into his arms. The kiss...the moment
their lips touched...was electric.
Pulling back, she gave him a quick
once-over. "You're...okay?" She managed, around her tears.
Pulling her
close to him, he kissed her forehead. "Better than okay, actually. Don't worry
about me, how are you feeling? We need to get you to the healers..I need to
tell Sabé that your-oomphky." Effectively cut off with a kiss, he smiled
against her lips.
"I'm fine, just a little dizzy at the moment,"
Looking into his eyes, she smiled at the happiness reflected thre. "What
happened out there?" She asked, quietly.
Anakin couldn't hold back the
shudder. "Pal...the Sith is dead. Master Yoda..I don't know what he did,
exactly. It all happened so fast."
"What happened to the girl? The one,
with the scars?"
A nod. "Lira, yes. She'll be okay, eventually,"
Kissing her once more, he tugged her towards the open door. "We have to get out
of here." They wasted no time, exiting the darkness-infsted ship.
Once
outside, Anakin noticed that the remains of Palpatine had already been cleared
away.
Life carried on.
Traffic buzzed past.
Light
conquered dark.
Standing with Padmé, on the platform leading
into the Temple, he felt like the luckiest man in the Universe. Warm breezes
washed over them, carrying the delicate voices of the initiates music
class.
She turned inside his embrace, tilting her head up to kiss him.
They remained that way for longer than either could recall.
Kissing.
Living.
Not giving up.
Tomorrow, life would carry
them...along with the warm breezes and soft voices...onto paths yet to be
determined.
But for now, Anakin wanted nothing more than to hold onto
the light that saved his life.
...
'Do I have to tell a story,
of a thousand rainy days since we first met?'
...
"I did
not!"
"Did too!"
"Master!"
"Padawan!"
Peaking her head inside the door, Padmé giggled at the sight
before her. Anakin and Obi-Wan, up to their elbows in old holo tapes, arguing
over who ate the last muffin.
The more things change...
It had been two months since Palpatine's death, and life was slowly
starting to get back to normal.
Well, she laughed to herself,
as normal as life at the Jedi Temple gets.
It had taken about a
week for Obi-Wan to recover his Force-sensitivity. He spent that week with
Sabé at his bedside, trading stories and jokes. Padmé wasn't sure
if anything more would develop, but secretly hoped it would.
Everyone
was elated that Lira appreared to be making a complete recovery. With the help
of facial surgery and bacta, she now looked more like her pre-Palpatine self.
Anakin had spent a lot of time with her, giving her the support she
needed. Who better to help, than someone who'd gone through the same
experience? Besides, Anakin was such a kind soul, that it pained him to think
that anyone was suffering.
She loved him more everyday.
Watching as Obi-Wan proceeded to pummel his Padawan with a heap of
pillows, she smoothed out her dress, and walked further into the room.
Cease fire called, they gave her their best smiles. She eyed them
suspiciously. "I'm afraid your innocent looks are lost on me, boys." She
quipped, winking at Anakin.
"We were...uh...?" Anakin stammered,
feeling all of 12 years old.
Obi-Wan chuckled, a low rumble that seemed
to come from the toes. "Don't act so prim and proper, Your Majesty. Even
someone as mature as you is not above an all-out pillow fight." He glanced at
Anakin, who was grinning devilishly.
She huffed, pulling her hair free
of its uptight bun. They were goading her, the bastards. Oh, where is
Sabé when I need her? Fine. They wanted to play...she would play.
But it was not going to be a pillow fight.
Glancing out the
window, she saw that the light rain that had began that morning was now a
downpour. Perfect! "You want to be immature? I can be frighteningly immature!"
She informed them, already dreading what this was going to do to her dress.
"What did you have in mind?" Anakin asked, getting to his feet.
Sensing the perfect opportunity, she tapped him lightly on the
shoulder. "You're it, Padawan."
Obi-Wan's smile grew as she took
his hand and they bolted from the room. In her mind, she could sense Anakin's
mirth, along with comeplete, overwhelming love.
Jedi of all rank and
species moved as they saw them running. She couldn't be bothered to care at the
moment. Knowing where she wanted to go, she relayed the locale to Obi-Wan over
their bond. He nodded, and they turned corner after corner.
They were
almost to the door, when she felt someone grab her shoulder. Expecting to find
Anakin behind her, she instead saw Sabé and Lira. "Hurry up, Anakin's
'it'!" She screamed, running outside into the rain.
And was it ever
raining.
Blowing in every direction, the warm droplets drenched them in
mere minutes. She giggled, dragging Lira along with her. Sabe and Obi-Wan had
gone off to protect the opposite edge of the garden.
She could feel
Anakin's presence nearby, but he had the ability to cloak himself. "He's around
here somewhere, the jerk." She whispered, grinning madly.
That was when
she saw him.
Standing in the middle of the garden, he appeared to be
waiting for her. She flashed him her brightest smile. Momentary truce?
He smiled, shaking his head. C'mere, I wanna kiss you in
the rain.
Shaking her head, excused herself from Lira and
walked over to him. The rain continued, plastering her hair to the side of her
cheeks.
He pulled her into his arms, kissing a raindrop from her nose.
"You're it." He teased, running his thumb along her bottom lip.
Leaning into his touch, she watched Lira, Sabé and Obi-Wan stare at them
from the opposite side of the garden. "Are you thinking what I'm thiking?"
He actually giggled then. "Let's get 'em!"
Nodding, she held on
as they ran, screaming, after their three unsuspecting friends. "I love you,
Anakin Skywalker!" Padmé screamed, running through the rain behin him.
Anakin stopped her then, capturing her lips in a crushing kiss. "And I
love you, Padmé Naberrie."
They continued the game, tagging
Sabé...falling into huge puddles...creating a muddy mess. Soon, though,
the rain faded into a light mist. It wasn't long after that and the sun decided
to come out. Standing together, they let the sun warm them inside and out.
Yes, after what seemed like a tear of rain...the sun was finally
shining.
...
The End