Okay, I've finally gotten my timelines correct. This is my little idea of a scene before Anakin and Padmé wedding, when they first return to Coruscant to recover from the events on Geonosis. After this, Ani and Padmé are going to go to Naboo and get married. This is what happened in between those events.
Chapter II
"Don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid of dying. I've been dying a little bit each day ever since you came back into my life."
"What do you mean?"
"I love you."
"You love me? I thought we decided not to fall in love. That we'd be forced to live a lie – that it'd destroy our lives!"
"I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. My love for you is a puzzle, Ani, for which I have no answers. I can't control it...and now I don't care. I truly deeply love you."
Padmé sighed softly, trying her hardest to look stern. She remembered Sola's playful words. You act like you're not allowed to love and you are, and he acts like he isn't under such restrictions and he is!
Anakin was still staring at her.
Too late, Padmé realized the process of staring had gone on too long. She opened her mouth to speak. Words eluded her. All her life she had spent making speeches...and now, at the moment when great convincing arguments should burst forth from her lips and soul, she found nothing.
"Anakin..."
Oh great. Keep saying his name. That's really convincing.
He leaned forward. "You said you loved me."
"Anakin – "
"Or did you just say that because we were about to die?" His tone was an attempt to sound neutral, but Padmé could hear the hurt underneath it.
"That's not it!" she protested immediately. "I told you my love for you was a puzzle."
"You said you didn't care."
Padmé struggled again for words. "I don't know," she said at last, helplessly.
The harsh look on Anakin's face melted away quickly. "I'm sorry," he stammered out. "My feelings have interfered. My only real goal is – your happiness. If you don't want it, I won't force anything."
"Anakin, it isn't your fault. It's mine..."
"Don't say that!" Anakin blurted out quickly. Padmé paused, startled at his vengeance. Anakin continued, "You can do no wrong."
"That's not true, Anakin." Padmé tried to convict her thoughts to him. He's a Jedi. Why can't he sense that I love him...but I just can't bring myself to admit it?
Anakin's eyes strayed towards her packed bags. "You're – uh – leaving."
Damn. Of all the things for him to sense... "I would be honored if you'd come," Padmé blurted out before she could stop herself. A moment later she blushed. Did I just say that?
But she couldn't help feeling slightly giddy as Anakin gave her a long calculating look before some of his old cockiness came back. "I'll have to ask the Jedi Council first – " he smiled as Padmé took on a stunned look. "Nah. I'll just go."
"Master Obi-Wan will be very unhappy."
Anakin suddenly appeared very interested in listening to the air. A moment later, a grin lit up his face. "Speaking of Master Obi-Wan, here's something we should go see."
***
"Oh my god," Padmé whispered.
"I know." Anakin sounded smug. The two were carefully hidden around the corner of a hallway, the view of Obi-Wan and Sabé talking right before them. Padmé giggled again as she saw the handmaiden approach Obi-Wan carefully.
"Can you hear what they're saying?" she asked.
"Do we need to in order to understand?" he replied back.
"They're in love!" Padmé declared. She had always known Sabé liked Obi-Wan...but never more than a friend.
Sabé and Obi-Wan were now standing side-by-side, speaking softly. Both suddenly burst out laughing. Anakin's expression soured. "They're making fun of me."
"Hmm, no, they're not. They'd be much too frightened to tease a Jedi."
Anakin stared at her disbelievingly. "That's it; throw my own words back at me." He put on a mocking voice. "You're so bad!"
Padmé gave him a little shove. Waving his long arms, Anakin gave a perfectly good impression of a fall...save for the fact he was grinning widely. "You hurt me," he accused, his innocent wide eyes blinking.
"I'm sorry...not!"
Anakin allowed a hurt expression to linger on his countenance for a little longer, until he saw Padmé wasn't going to surrender. He broke out into a grin. At the same moment, Obi-Wan's words drifted over to them.
At least I know I'm safe around you.
For a long moment, Padmé didn't say anything. It applied to her too, she realized. Anakin had saved her countless times. He was always there, with his lightsaber flashing. Always there, picking her up on a reek from the rampaging nexu. Always blinking innocently. "Ani," she said softly.
It was just one word, but that one word held all the grand speeches Padmé had been trying to come up with the whole day.
He saw her gaze and smiled.
***
Sabé shifted her head, trying not to disturb the heavy crest on her head. The disturbing transmission began to repeat itself, the image crackling. Feeling her heart beginning to break, she turned to see Obi-Wan staring incredulously at the transmission. With a quick nod of his head, he rose and faced her. "It's a trick. Send no reply of any kind."
His gaze remained on her moments longer, waiting for a confirmation. Slowly, Sabé nodded, seeing the intensity behind his gaze. Obi-Wan, she decided, had two modes. There was the side she had seen, the fun, relaxed, casual Obi-Wan, and then this serious and intense young Jedi.
Deep blue eyes sank down into her own, as if trying to read her emotions. "Your Highness, if this is a trick, then these things aren't true." His tone was sympathetic...understanding even.
"But what if it isn't a trick?" Sabé asked.
Obi-Wan stared at the transmission for a long moment. With a wave of his hand, the transmission turned off. "You shouldn't spend too long viewing depressing things, Highness. It lowers the morale."
Sabé rose, challenging him. "It's the truth."
"Possibly."
Sabé started a retort back, before noticing that the advisors and fellow officers were staring at her. With a jolt she realized that the real Queen wouldn't be arguing with this young Jedi. She had slipped up.
Again, she halted her emotions and simply stared at him. "Thank you for your words, Obi-Wan," she said carefully.
With a short nod, he bowed deeply and exited the room, gathering his long flowing robes around him.
Sabé stared longingly after him as he exited back to the cockpit. How she wanted to go after him, to strike up a debate to simply stare into those deep eyes of his...but she had her duties to do and he had his.
Perhaps another day, she sighed. One day, she would get her chance to be with him. One day, when they could put politics and duties aside and simply be who they were and enjoy each others company out of something other than obligation.
***
It was long after night had fallen that Obi-Wan found himself standing outside his quarters at the Jedi Temple. He started to enter before feeling another rather smug feeling through the Force. With a sigh, he accessed the door, seeing Anakin sitting lazily on the couch.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Obi-Wan asked, trying to defuse the feelings of smugness flowing easily from the young man.
"I tried, Master." Anakin smirked.
Obi-Wan sighed again. "Nothing happened, Padawan."
"You were talking with Sabé." Anakin's eyes widened in innocence as Obi-Wan shot him a dangerous look. "How sweet, Master." He smirked again. "How was she? Do you love her?"
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted.
"At least I know I'm safe around you," Anakin quoted, wisely ignoring the fire-breathing dragon his master had morphed into. "That was a good one. I could learn a bit from you about pick-up lines."
Expelling out a quick breath, Obi-Wan made his way to Anakin's side and tugged on the braid, twisting it in his hand.
"Ow!" Anakin blurted out immediately.
"Good," Obi-Wan muttered, "Anakin Skywalker, nothing happened between Sabé and myself. Certainly not in the terms of what's happening between you and Senator Amidala."
The smirk was still on his padawan's face. Obi-Wan tugged on the braid. "Got it?"
"Never!" Anakin declared.
"You seem in a good mood," Obi-Wan quickly said, trying to change the subject.
"She loves me," Anakin said confidently.
Obi-Wan dropped the braid and stared at Anakin in stun. "Did she tell you so?" he asked. Is this the same person I saw earlier? Is Anakin the same person I saw earlier?
Anakin nodded. "Maybe not in so many words."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Exasperation lined his words.
"She asked me to accompany her back to Naboo tomorrow."
Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow, trying to suppress the sudden horrible thought that froze his every muscle. She's going? Already? She didn't even tell me..."She's leaving tomorrow morning?" he verified.
"No, Master. Afternoon." Anakin stared at Obi-Wan, a slow smile gracing his features. "She wants me to go with her again. To Naboo."
"Congratulations."
Anakin grinned. "I'm going to marry her."
"No, you are not."
Pouting, Anakin stared pointedly at Obi-Wan.
"Don't give me that."
"Well you shouldn't be one to talk," Anakin argued, "You and Sabé..."
"Don't give me that." Obi-Wan gave Anakin a glare intended to wipe the smirk off the apprentice's face, but it failed to serve its purpose. "Sabé and I are friends. Nothing more. We haven't seen each other in years and now we're enjoying each other's company."
"Yes, Master." Anakin kept his expression perfectly calm.
With an exasperated sigh, Obi-Wan gave up. "You just don't learn anything, Anakin."
"Where have I heard those words before?"
"Who gave you permission to go to Naboo?" Obi-Wan asked, changing the subject again.
"Right." Anakin chewed his lip. "Um...you?"
A raised eyebrow was his response. Quickly, Anakin continued. "Because of the Clone Wars, you know? She might be in danger if anybody wants revenge. That viceroy is still at large and still has forces at his disposal. So I should accompany her to Naboo to see her safely arrived." He ended with a triumphant smile.
"That's good," Obi-Wan admitted. "All right, you can go."
With another cocky grin, Anakin started off towards his room. "And, Padawan," Obi-Wan said quickly before Anakin was completely gone, "Don't do anything stupid! I mean it this time."
"I won't," Anakin said confidently.
***
The moment the sun spilled across the land, Obi-Wan was immediately up. Normally he reserved this time for light meditation and morning exercises, but today was a different story. Less than a minute later, he was out and in an air taxi, headed for the Senate buildings.
A few quick words got him through the hallways and with a bit of help from the Force, he was standing outside Sabé's quarters. He raised his hand – and let it drop. Was he insane? It was almost the crack of dawn! She wouldn't be up yet...he really should be more patient.
Obi-Wan turned away for a second, trying to compose himself. All he wanted was to be with her now and yet it wasn't possible. It wasn't meant to be.
Wasn't it?
He stared longingly at her door a moment longer, remembering her gentle touch against his arm before turning to go. He was acting more foolish than his apprentice, going against every word he had ever said to Anakin. His mind told him he was wrong and yet why was his heart screaming for him to do this?
The Force, apparently, does not like Jedi to love.
The words fully sank in. One last look and Obi-Wan turned to go.
"Obi-Wan?"
With a sweeping turn, Obi-Wan whirled, picking up Sabé in his arms. "You didn't tell me you were going," he said, "I just couldn't – let you go so quickly."
"Oh, Obi-Wan!" she blurted out as he whirled her easily through the air. Gently he set her feet back onto the ground and simply stared at her. "You look – amazing."
"You more so."
"Come in," Sabé whispered, "We shouldn't have another conversation out in the hall. You never know who might hear." Her face reddened slightly and Obi-Wan immediately assumed Padmé had done some light teasing of her own.
"Did she give you a hard time?"
Sabé snorted. "I suppose you had the hardest time of all, with Skywalker."
"It was worth it," Obi-Wan admitted. He sat down next to her on the couch. "Ten years we haven't seen each other and somehow I feel as if I've known you all my life." He snorted decisively. "Other than Master Qui-Gon, you're the only other person I've really admitted everything to."
"All in one night, too," Sabé said knowingly.
"That night, on Tatooine," Obi-Wan started, "I've thought about it any moment I could have. Even when I was berating Anakin about such feelings and dreams." He glanced ruefully at her. "Some Jedi Master I make."
"A wonderful one?" Sabé asked lightly. "There can't be a Jedi out there who has never felt love?"
"Master Yoda, perhaps." A moment later, Obi-Wan stared seriously at her. "Don't tell him I said that."
"Your secrets safe with me."
"I should hope so." Obi-Wan hesitated, seeing the tiny apartment already packed up. "You're leaving this afternoon."
"Even earlier, I'm afraid," Sabé admitted, "In about two hours, I must go on the ship and play my part of the decoy." She sighed wistfully. "I should start getting ready."
"So this is goodbye."
"Another ten years, Obi-Wan. There is only one man who can ever fit into my heart."
"Ten more years," Obi-Wan murmured. "That's how long it'll be?"
"By then this war might be over." Sabé sounded doubtful of that. But she wasn't one to beat around the bush. "You'll be fighting in it, won't you? You better not get killed," she warned, "Or I'll be after you for not making the appointment."
Her words acknowledged what Obi-Wan knew deep inside. The chances of both of them being alive and together again in ten years was bordering on never. But he held in his emotions and simply nodded. "I won't forget."
"Well, then, this is goodbye, Master Jedi." Sabé started to hold out her hand and then collapsed against him. "Oh forget those formalities!" She gave him a sly kiss, going deeper in as he returned it, his arms holding the two of them close together, entangled in one another's arms.
At last they released. "Until next time," Sabé said again.
"Our duties will not be in the way next time," Obi-Wan promised. He stared at her again, the woman he loved, a woman he wouldn't see for quite a long time. Would his heart be able to take it?
Yes, he firmly promised himself. It would. He would force himself to. For he was a Jedi and love was forbidden. He was a Jedi and he had a job to do. A Jedi knows no love. Without a backwards look, he stubbornly got his legs to move and walk out the door.
But a heart does.
For the first time in his life, Obi-Wan wished he were not a Jedi. Then perhaps, he would be able to stop and enjoy these simple emotions that were a part of all life. But there was no room to think of the "what ifs?" in life.
I am a Jedi.
And a Jedi knows no love.