Falls the Shadow
Chapter 3 (really)
Cross roads
Morning came and Padmé awoke to find that not only had Anakin had already awakened and washed, but had brought her a small breakfast of breads and fruit from the kitchen. Anakin himself was out on the balcony again, this time dressed in a loose shirt and sleeping trousers, meditating, or at least trying to.
She wandered outside, aware that this was the same place she had stood and watched him meditate before. Now, it seemed like an eternity ago. After a moment, she turn to go, to leave him to his private time when she heard him sigh aloud.
"Your presence is as soothing now, as it was then Padmé..." he said quietly, and she smiled.
"You and your Jedi perceptions," she laughed lightly, and watched his face fall at the mention of the word 'Jedi'.
"Jedi," he spat contemptuously, and in a viciously sarcastic voice he mimicked Master Yoda, and then Obi-wan. "'Return you must YOUNG Skywalker... meditate on your mistakes you will.' 'Bread and water until you learn my young Padawan'" Each word was spat with a venom ness that Padmé had never heard from him before.
Padmé sat on a stone bench, just watching him. "Anakin," she said at last. "When do you have to go back?"
Anakin sighed. "I'm so sorry... it depends on who you ask I guess. The Fleet Commander and the Medical staff said the take as long as I need. The Jedi Council, they wanted me back at the Temple yesterday..."
"And what do you want?" she asked.
"Padmé, I don't know anymore... about anything."
"Anything? Does that include me Anakin?" Padmé stared out over the water.
He wheeled around to her. "NO!" he cried, "Never!"
"Then why are you pushing me away?" she asked suddenly, "You ask me to come, tell me there's no one else but you reject me! Do you know how that makes me feel Anakin? Do you have ANY idea?" She got up suddenly and headed back to the bedroom.
"Don't leave," he said in a shaky voice, barley above a whisper. "Please Padmé..."
She stopped, and regarded him from the doorway. "Anakin," she sighed. "I won't leave you... I'm just going to get some bacta for those wounds. Somehow I don't think you brought a supply with you now did you?"
He shook his head, of course not.
She came back to him and tenderly touched his chin with the back of her fingers. "Ani," she said softly. "I can help heal the physical scars, those are easy. The other wounds… unless you are willing to help, there's nothing I can do."
He started to protest but she touched her fingers to his lips.
"If you want me to help, I'll do everything in my power Ani... I'll fight the Jedi Council as 'Senator Amidalla,' to keep you here, I'll heal your wounds as best I can as your wife, Padmé. If that means right now we can't make love for whatever reason, so be it, but you HAVE to help me Ani... I can't do this on my own..."
Anakin bowed his head, took her hand and first pressed it to his cheek, then his lips.
"I might have to go to the village to get some things..." She said. "I could send for them but it would be faster if I got it myself, do you want to come?"
"You'll come back?" he said, eyes pleading, and it pained her that he would even have to ask.
She offered him a small smile. "Only if you promise to rest while I'm gone. Don't worry, I won't be long..." She kissed his lips very softly and he did not turn away.
"I love you Padmé..." he said softly. "Without you, I would surely die..."
"You wouldn't die, silly," she sighed softly. "But you would probably be a lot more banged up... are you going to lie down now or do I have to make you?"
"You have but to ask, Milady," he said and allowed a small smile to grace his lips, then he went suddenly serious. "You won't be long?"
"An hour or two at the most, I promise," she said. "You promise to rest? Try to sleep?"
Anakin nodded in agreement, although he would lie down as she asked, he knew sleep would not come while he was there alone.