Chapter 42

Office of Dr. Wallig – psychiatrist

"So, Anakin, how have you been? I haven't seen you in more than a week," Dr. Wallig said as they sat down together.

"Sorry about that," Anakin said. "I've had my children, and was kind of short on time," he explained.

Wallig nodded. "I see," he said with a smile. "That must have been wonderful."

Anakin smiled. "It was, the time flies when I'm with them," he said. He frowned. "I miss them when I'm not."

"Understandably," Wallig said. "How are things going with their mother? Have you had much contact with her?"

Anakin tried not to smirk at the unintentional double entendre. "Yeah, you could say so," he said.

"And things are going well?"

"For the most part," Anakin replied.

"Sounds like there have been some bumps along the way," Wallig said. "Care to elaborate?"

Anakin's first reaction was to say no, but he knew that the doctor was only trying to help. And so, he described the heated conversation he'd had with Padmé the previous night at the gala.

"So it was a misunderstanding on her part," Wallig commented.

"Yes, but it upset me that she'd jump to that conclusion," Anakin said. "Makes me think she doesn't trust me."

"Did you tell her that?"

"I did," Anakin said. "She told me she does trust me. But …her actions and her words don't always jive," he said. "And I pointed that out to her in a manner of speaking."

Wallig nodded. "And how did she take that?"

"Not well, she was pretty emotional," Anakin said.

"That sounds intense," Wallig commented. "How did you leave things with her? Was there any form of reconciliation?"

Anakin couldn't help but smile. "Well, you might say so," he said, rubbing his chin. "She came over to my apartment later, and we ended up getting rather…physical with each other."

Wallig raised an eyebrow. "You were intimate?"

"Yes," Anakin said.

"Well, I'd say that's a reconciliation," Wallig remarked with a smile.

Anakin chuckled. "I suppose so," he said. "It was kind of …spontaneous. I'd been drinking, and…"

"Wait a minute, you were inebriated?" Wallig asked.

"Well, more like tipsy," Anakin said.

"Tell me something," Wallig said, "would this have happened if you hadn't been tipsy?"

Anakin frowned. "I can't say," he said.

"Any regrets?"

"No, well…not really," Anakin said.

"Sounds like you're not too sure," Wallig observed.

"I just don't want to hurt her," Anakin said.

"And how would that happen?"

"Well, she asked me to move in with her, essentially," Anakin said. "And I'm not sure I'm ready to do that. I mean, I love her…but I'm not sure I'm ready for that level of commitment."

Wallig nodded. "No, clearly you're not," he said. "Did you tell her that?"

"I told her I'd think about it," Anakin said. "We get the house next week."

"And what are you going to tell her next week?"

Anakin looked away, a frown creasing his brow. "I honestly don't know," he said. "I was hoping you'd help me figure it out."

Wallig smiled. "Well Anakin, I can listen, I can help you think through things; but at the end of the day, you're the one who needs to make the decision."

"Yeah, I figured," Anakin said. He looked back at the doctor. "Well, when I decide, I'll let you know," he said. "How's that?"

Wallig nodded. "That will work just fine," he said. "Good luck."

Anakin returned to the temple after leaving Dr. Wallig's office. He felt badly that he'd missed his therapy the previous week, for he found his sessions with Dr. Wallig helpful.

"How's it going in here?" Anakin asked as he joined Ahsoka and Obi-Wan in the hangar.

"Fine, just fine," Obi-Wan said. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon."

"Why?" Anakin asked as he walked over to one of the new fighters.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I figured you'd want to spend the afternoon with the twins," he said.

"They're with Padmé this week," Anakin replied. "I brought them over to her this morning."

"So, things are okay with you two?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yup, things are good," Anakin said, not daring to reflect on just how good. "Hand me that hydrospanner, would you Snips?"

"Excuse me, Master Skywalker," a protocol droid said as it appeared in the hangar. "But there is someone who is insisting on speaking to you."

Anakin looked up from what he was doing. "Who?" he asked.

"A young woman by the name of Julie Banks," the droid replied. "She assured the guard it was a matter of life and death, but he decided to detain her anyway."

Anakin frowned, and looked at Ahsoka whose face clearly showed her displeasure.

"What does she want?" Obi-Wan asked. "Can't she take a hint?"

"Apparently not," Anakin said, setting his tool down.

"You told me that she'd got the message," Ahsoka pointed out.

"Clearly she hadsn't," Obi-Wan observed.

Anakin shook his head. "Why don't we wait and see why she's here before we jump to conclusions?" he suggested, and then left the hangar.

Ahsoka frowned. "This girl is up to something, I can just feel it," she said.

Obi-Wan nodded as he watched Anakin leave. "Perhaps," he said. "But Anakin is perfectly capable of looking after himself, Ahsoka."
Ahsoka wasn't so sure.

"Julie, what are you doing here?" Anakin asked as he met her at the temple's enormous entrance.

"I need to talk to you," she said. "I swear it's really important."

Anakin could tell she was telling the truth. "Okay, what is it? What's so important?"

"Can we go somewhere and sit down, maybe?" she asked.

Anakin nodded. "Follow me," he said.

Julie was awe-struck as she followed Anakin into the Jedi temple. "Wow," she said as she looked up at the soaring ceiling. "Never thought I'd be in this place."

"I'm sure," he said. "Now tell me what's going on," he said as they sat on a bench in the enormous foyer.

"Do you know someone by the name of Palo Jamabie?" Julie asked.

Anakin frowned. "Yeah, why?"

"He was in my uncle's office today," she said. "He wants to sue you for assault."
Anakin scoffed. "Seriously?"

"Yes! I'm totally serious!" she said. "My uncle thinks he's crazy, and didn't take the case," she went on. "But I wanted to warn you. He seems like he might try something."

"Let him," Anakin said. "I'm not concerned. He's just a petty little man who hates me because of his own insecurities."

"I hope you're right," she said. "I'd hate it if anything happened to you, Anakin," she said, looking at him longingly.

Anakin frowned. "Thanks for the warning," he said. "But I don't think he'd be stupid enough to try anything."

Julie sighed. "Okay," she said. "I'd better get back to work, my lunch hour is almost over," she said. "If you hear anything from him, anything at all, let me know, okay?"
"I will," he said. "Though I'm not sure what you could do about it."

"Maybe nothing," she said. "But I care about you, Anakin, of course I want to know."

Anakin said nothing in response, her words making him uneasy. "I need to get back to work," he said, standing up.

"Me too," she said, standing up. "Keep in touch, okay?" she said, giving him a smile.

Anakin nodded, then watched her leave. Would Palo be foolish enough to do something? Let him try, Anakin thought. I'd love to have a second go at the idiot.

"So? What did she want?" Ahsoka asked when Anakin returned to the hangar.

"She wanted to warn me about Palo Jamabie," Anakin told her and Obi-Wan. "Apparently he's trying to have me charged with assault."
"Good Lord," Obi-Wan said. "Has this man nothing better to do?"

"Apparently not," Anakin said. "I'm not worried. I mean, he's going back to Naboo, right? What's he gonna do?"

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan looked at one another, hoping his confidence wasn't misplaced.

Padmé's apartment

"I still can't believe you can cook," Anakin said with a smile as they gave the twins their bath.

Padmé laughed. "Well, Dormé has the occasional night off, and I hate take out," she said. "So, I've been motivated to learn. I think being a mother has something to do with it."

"No doubt," Anakin said. He wanted to tell Padmé about what he had learned from Julie earlier, but didn't want to mention her name. Still, he felt that she needed to know.

"I need to tell you something, Padmé," Anakin began.

"What is it?" she asked, growing a little alarmed.

"Julie came to the temple today," Anakin began.

"Oh, please tell me you're not serious," she said.

"I'm afraid so," he said. "She felt compelled to tell me something," he went on. "Something about your friend, Palo."

Padmé frowned. "About Palo? How does she even know Palo?"

"Well, apparently he showed up at her uncle's law office," Anakin explained. "He wants to sue me for assault."
"What?" Padmé cried. "Because of the punch?"

Anakin nodded as he picked Luke up out of the tub. "Yeah, he's got it in his head that I'm some kind of maniac I guess," he added with a smirk.

Padmé stared at him. "Ani, this is serious!" she said. "People saw you punch him; he could have a case!"

"According to Julie, her uncle said he had no case," he said.

"Well, there are plenty of lawyers on Coruscant," Padmé countered.

"Padmé, relax," he said. "He's all talk, I guarantee," he said, smiling at Luke as he dressed him on the change table.

Padmé frowned as she picked up Leia. "I don't know," she said. "I have a bad feeling about this, Ani. I'm going to talk to him, talk him out of this nonsense."

Anakin looked up at her. "No, don't do that," he said. "I don't need you to protect me from this jackass."

"I'm not protecting you, Anakin," she said. "I'm just trying to put some sense into his head," she said as she dressed Leia.

Anakin frowned. "Yeah, good luck with that," he said. "Come on Luke, story time."

A little while later

Anakin and Padmé lay in bed together simply enjoying being together.

"What if you came to my office and we spoke to him together," Padmé said. "Clear the air. What do you think?"

Anakin said nothing for a moment, and simply ran his fingers over her bare shoulder. "I don't know," he said. "I don't want him thinking I'm apologizing. I have nothing to apologize for."

Padmé sighed and turned to look up at him. "Ani, I know you don't like Palo, but believe me, this is the way to mollify him."

"Why should I mollify him?" Anakin said. "He was rude, condescending and arrogant," he said. "If anything, he got off easy."

"Anakin, you're not a diplomat," she said. "Please, let me handle this," she said, taking his face in her hands. "We don't need this in our lives."

Anakin nodded. "If you insist," he said, and kissed her.