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Padmé jumped up in bed. Anakin, sensitive to her unconscious pain, sat up to gently stroke her upper arms and comfort her.
"Padmé Padmé, is something wrong?" He spoke with the utmost seriousness as he looked into her deep brown eyes.
She leaned into him and quickly wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Please Ani" she sobbed into his smooth chest and he held her a little closer, "I'm so sorrydon't leave Ani, please don't go away! I thought I'd lost you" Anakin shut his eyes for a moment as he tried to search her mind for the cause of her suffering. Sensing what he was doing but still unsure of his method, she quickly sat up and pleaded with her eyes.
"Please don't, Ani... I thought I could trust you without having to do that." She winced a little, but then lowered her eyes in apology. "I'm sorry, I don't mind your powers, Ani, but sometimes I just worry—"
He smiled softly at her, not hurt at all by her remark, he just gazed at her, "As long as you are with me, my powers will have a purpose. They just need a strong direction to focus on. When I first learned from Obi-wan and Qui-Gon what the Force was and that I was a strong carrier of itit frightened me so much. Then I had to leave all that I knew and loved behind me, but I never hesitated when I decided to go, even though I was a little kid, not knowing what was to come. I never imagined any of this and I tried not to regret the decisions that led me here but it was very hard sometimes."
Padmé slowly brought her arms around her husband's neck and lowered his head to hers for a kiss. He started slowly at first, letting his lips linger on hers as he tilted his head to the side. Padmé felt his fingers firmly grip around her waist, and the initial touch of his mechanical hand sent a shiver through her body, but she tended to ignore that kind of shiver. She opened her mouth to him and licked his lips and he pressed himself harder against her, moving his hands to envelop her legs and lower body with the bed sheets and drawing her closer to him. He ran his left hand up her bare back and fondled her dark, curly hair. The air in the room was thick with their mixing scents and low, gentle sounds; Padmé could feel the heat of the breaking dawn across her back and it strengthened her senses. She pulled away from a little and smiled at him, pushing him gently with her hands to lie back. Anakin slowly leaned back with his head on the pillow and stared up at her, Padmé's dark tresses spilling over her shoulders, down her back and grazing his chest. This feeling he had, the one that grew every time they were alone like this, made his stomach want to spasm, not from nervousness, but the sudden anticipation. It excited him to love her, to see her hair stream on the pillow when she settled beneath him. He liked to watch her and sometimes he used the Force to heighten their awareness, which did not always work. It was like a shared meditation though it was hard to explain exactly, even to himself, how he had playfully manipulated their situation. Yet, he was always aware of how her attitude subtly changed when he was successful.
His heart was racing so fast as she traced the lines of his chest and arms with her fingertips, replacing the skin she brushed with her soft lips, sucking the pulse of his neck and all down his tanned body. Raising his half-slit eyes, he arched his neck and rose to kiss her, plunging his tongue hard inside her mouth and smoothing his hands all over her small body and feeling her soft breasts push up against him. He could sense himself shaking, sweating inside as she moved a hand below his waist, skimming his hips
"Padmé" he exhaled softly as he lowered his eyes, anticipating her touch.
"Master Anakin?!!"
Anakin almost leapt off the bed when he heard the knock on the bedroom door. He breathed deeply to calm his heart for it pounded like an animal in fear.
C-3P0 cautiously opened the door and flipped his head in. Padmé could hear R2-D2 whistle and echo behind him in the hallway. She noticed how secluded they were just then, just the four of them living all alone. She reluctantly moved off Anakin as he sat up.
"What is it, Threepio?"
If the droid could blush, he would be as red as the setting Nubian sun. "I'm dreadfully sorry to disturb you Master Anakin, but I fear there's an urgent message from Mister Obi-Wan Kenobi. I told him to hold for a moment while I—"
"Master!" Anakin hit the floor and ran to where he had last placed the Holotransmitter. But first, he had to make sure he had put on the right side of his clothes.
Don't want Obi-Wan to think anything unnecessarily!
***
"Master!" Anakin rushed into the kitchen, where an almost life-sized Obi-Wan was standing on the countertop. Anakin felt the need to bow, and so he bowed deeply before the image.
"I worry about you, my young Padawan." He spoke seriously but behind his eyes, there was a hidden concern for Anakin.
"Of what for, Master? Everything is safe here, there is nothing for you to fear about the Senator's safety."
"That being so-" Obi-Wan refolded his arms and rested a hand on his chin as though concentrating, "If the Senator is as safe as you say, and I do believe that you have done your duty well in protecting her, then I don't see why you are not in the Council training with me now. You've missed several days of meditation, and even Master Yoda has grown concerned for your whereabouts."
Anakin stood silent for a moment, hesitant at to what to say next. "I don't see why the Council needs to worry on my behalf. I'm there as often as I need be." Anakin lowered his eyes slightly so as not to seem too rebellious to his mentor.
"That's true Anakinwell I see no harm in it!" This wasn't what Anakin had expected, where was the shrewd scowl, the cleverness, what did he mean by 'I see no harm in it?'
"Eh, Master, I assure you that there is nothing out of the ordinary." For a brief moment, an image of his wife flashed in his mind. Twisting beneath him as he clutched the bed sheets, he could feel the beads of sweat travel down the center of his chest so anxious she would look up at him and smile so beautiful
Anakin
Anakin
"Anakin?"
The Jedi Padawan had shut his eyes in deep mental thought and moved his lips as though lip-synching to some unknown song.
"Anakin!" The boy jumped at the harsh sound of his name.
Obi-Wan eased back and smiled paternally. "There now, if nothing is wrong, then I have great news for you. The Senator Organa of Alderaan have invited the Jedi and the Council of Naboo to dine with him this evening. I expect you to be there, and you may escort the Senator Amidala, but that is all. You will return to the Jedi Council with me when it has commenced. You have much neglected training to complete."
Anakin nodded slowly, looking as solemnly and attentive as he could. "Yes, Master." Obi-Wan signaled out and for a while Anakin was alone, digesting the invitation that his master had given. Does he know? He can't possibly knowhe can trust me, can't he? He better, it's time he knew to leave well enough alone. Yes, yes, he'll trust me once he knows, he won't be mad a Jedi can't know anger!" Anakin laughed to himself, but at the same time he felt pangs of guilt for not confining to his Master on what he had done. He was only hiding the inevitable truth, and that was cowardly even beyond a normal person, and for a Jedi, it was highly dishonorable to keep quiet something like his marriage from anyone for so long.
He has begun to wonder though, and who knows what Master Yoda thinks of all this!
He heard small steps behind him and he felt Padmé's arms encircle him. "What did Obi-Wan have to say?" She leaned her head into his back but Anakin stiffened slightly.
"He wonders where I've been." She raised her head and moved to face him.
"Did you tell him Ani?"
"I couldn't I didn't know how he'd react if I did!"
"He'll understand, he cares for you, he's like-"
"He's like a father to me!" Anakin shouted and grit his teeth. He began again, "He said that Senator Organa of Alderaan has invited the Jedi and the Council of Naboo for a reception tonight. You will be escorted by me but I must go back to the Jedi Council to complete missed training."
She held his hands and looked up at him with mock sobriety. "That's ok, Ani. I won't be jealous, instead of being with me, you can be with Obi-Wan; just don't use your Force on him like you do me!"
Anakin grinned, then laughed so hard that his guilt eased away. He embraced her waist and lifted her up.
"We can tell him tonight, Anakin." She placed his hands upon his shoulders and gazed deeply into his blue eyes.
"Yes—" he kissed her as he smiled, tonight will be—,' a good night!"
