Falls the Shadow Chapter 9

Healing

      Padmé awoke later than usual that morning. Anakin had been seized in the middle of the night with a fit of shaking, and she had spent over an hour just comforting and reassuring him even as he slept. Despite the lateness of the day though, she was quite content to stay as she was, nestled against his body. Indeed, this morning she was surprised and pleased to find that her husband, who at first had spent so much time and effort at avoiding being touched, was now languidly covering her body like a human blanket. Seemingly still asleep, he pulled her closer in, sighing contentedly as he did. She echoed his sigh, and tenderly kissed the inside crook of his arm knowing full well that she would have to get up, and soon, but the security and proximity of her beloved husband was too much to resist.

     "I'm glad to be such a distraction to you M'lady," came a sleepy voice from behind. "In fact, I would be quite happy to stay like this the entire day. If it is quite all right with you."

     "I thought you were still asleep," Padmé teased him gently.

     "I was," Anakin admitted. "Just being next to you..." He uncovered her neck and kissed it tenderly. "It is better than any Healer's concoctions in the whole of the Republic." Anakin nuzzled her throat. "In fact," he continued innocently, "You might want to ask Pavot to tell the healer that I do not need his services today after all..."

     "Guérisseur is coming back today?" Padmé asked, concern creeping into her voice.

     "He wants to make sure that I am fit to return to battle probably," Anakin said bitterly.

"After all, we must keep feeding the machinery of a dying system of government..." He

trailed off, suddenly remembering that his own wife was a member of the Senate and did not need to look into the force to see the black cloud that had settled in between them. "Padmé, beloved... I'm sorry..." he started, embarrassed. "I... I have seen so much and it all seems so senseless..."

      "I have to go to the village." Padmé said, suddenly getting up, her face grim. "Dying system or not I have work I must do this morning..."

      "Padmé!" Anakin cried out, trying to pull her back with no success. "Padmé I AM sorry! I did not mean to offend or include you in that..."

       "It's alright," she replied a little coldly. "Sometimes I wonder if you're not right in thinking that, however; I MUST keep fighting for what is right despite the obstacles." Padmé turned to see the hurt and (frightened?) confused look on her husbands face, and, being ever the diplomat, she let her anger disperse. Smiling and trying to be reassuring, she sat back down on their shared bed. "Roll over," she entreated. "Let me see how your back looks. I can't have Guérisseur thinking that I have neglected my duties as your nurse."

      Reluctantly, Anakin did as he was bade and exposed his back to her. "It's not so bad..." he began but Padmé cut him off.

      "I'll be the judge of that," she chided him gently, and as she lightly touched the healing places on his back, she felt him shudder beneath her hand. "It looks much better," she managed, trying to keep her voice even. Reluctantly, she pulled the sheet back up over his back, placing a light kiss between his shoulder blades. He shivered again, and sighed.

      "Guérisseur's touch can't do that," he admitted. "Perhaps you should leave politics and

become a healer..."

       Padmé laughed lightly. "Only for you my love, only for you." Her tone grew more serious. "I should be back before too long, I have to tend to some business and of course pick up our cloths for tomorrow... If you still want to that is?"

       "Of course I do!" Anakin agreed. "Perhaps you know of something we can do this

afternoon?" he winked at her roguishly.

        Padmé refused to be baited. "Clean bill of health first," she bent over and brushed his cheek with her lips. "We'll see about anything else later Mister Jedi. What are you going to do while I'm gone? Promise to behave?"

        "Well, I was thinking about running naked through the villa, and proving that the adage about Jedi Knights and the size of their light sabers..."

        Padmé shrieked with indignant laughter, and Anakin joined her, the last residue of the tension leaving the room.

        "I... I thought that was... " Padmé gasped, "...privileged information..." she giggled, trying to get herself under control at last. 

        "It is..." he agreed, chuckling lightly, and he kissed her palm. "But I will, as you say,

behave myself. I was planning on doing some mediation and if the healer permits it, some

light exercise. Nothing too radical. Maybe a bit of sleep later today... maybe."

         "Alright," she said rising once again. "I should get ready and leave soon, but I have time for some breakfast with you, if you'd like?"

          "Of course," Anakin smiled. "You are going to the message center then?"

          "Yes."

         "Will you send a text message to the Jedi Temple for me?" he asked a little shyly.

         "If I send word to Master Obi-wan that I do indeed still breath, then our time here is far less likely to be, shall we say, interrupted?"

          "Of course I will," she returned his smile and started giggling again. "Light sabers..."

          "And other things," Anakin said, his smile becoming a grin. "Wash, get ready, and we will enjoy breakfast together. This afternoon... well, we shall see about that when the time comes then wont we?"

           Padmé kissed him one more time before heading into the fresher. She hoped that her errands wouldn't take the entire day, but then again, there was always tonight...