Chapter 2
Padmé rolled over and woke up with a start. She looked over at the chronometer that had so rudely interrupted her dream and realized she had yet another pointless committee meeting in less than an hour. The sun was shining in her face, requiring that she get up in spite of her reluctance. She couldn't believe it. Today was the first anniversary of her and Anakin's wedding. Thoughts of spending it alone, only made her want to pull the covers over her head and wish the world away. She would give anything to return to her dream, the dream where she and Anakin were alone back at the Lake Retreat. The same Lake Retreat where they had first started falling in love, where they had been married after the battle at Geonosis, and where they had spent some of their happiest times together. But that was not going to be. Anakin was off someplace unknown fighting the Clone Wars. And she had her senatorial duties, duties she couldn't ignore no matter how much she tried to wish them away.
She knew that he would contact her if he was able, but given their current situation his contact had been sparse. He never knew for sure where he might be or how long he would be there. He had managed to send her a few holos over the last year and had even managed to make it back to Coruscant a couple of times, if only for a short while. She remembered the last time that Anakin had made it home. Instead of letting her know that he would be coming, he had decided to surprise her. It was a lovely thought even if things didn't quite work out as planned.
"When did anything in our lives ever work out as planned" she mused.
She still smiled at the memory. She had gone to bed early that night, after a particularly frustrating series of meetings that seemed to go no place. She had been asleep for maybe a couple of hours when she heard a strange noise. At first she thought maybe she was just dreaming it, but then she heard it again. Dormé was gone, having taken a much-earned vacation back to Naboo for a few days. She knew no one could get past the guards outside. Looking around for something to defend herself against this unknown attacker she had grabbed a blaster pistol she kept in her drawer for just such a possible event. Armed and ready for what ever might await her, she had gotten out of her bed, not even bothering to grab a robe. She had started walking towards the source of the noise, when something made her stop suddenly. She could feel there was a presence in the room, and it was very close to her. She couldn't see who it was, but she could she a shadowy figure. She turned towards the dark silhouette. Never one to run scared, she faced her unknown attacker, and pointed her pistol directly at him.
"Who ever you are, I am armed and I am not afraid to use it!"
"Is that anyway to great your husband? I know I haven't been able to make it back much, but I didn't think you would be this upset."
"Ani!!! Is that really you Ani?"
"Do you have another husband?"
"When? How? Ani, I can't believe you're here. Wait a minute… I could have shot you!! Ani, I could have killed you!"
"Considering where you have that blaster pointed, I think that would be the least of my worries. If you don't mind I would feel a lot more secure if you put that thing away."
Padme looked down to see where she had been aiming the pistol, and quickly broke in to an uncontrollable giggle, when she realized she had been aiming a little lower than his chest. She quickly dropped the pistol to the floor and threw her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace and then their lips found each other. The kiss soon deepened and before long they found themselves on top of the bed, their clothes scattered haphazardly throughout the room.