Chapter 6
"Wake up. Anakin, wake up!" Chloe said as she shook the lifeless lump that lay on the plain board bed in the typical barren Jedi quarter. As she watched the lump shift, still refusing to wake, she became increasingly irritated. "If you do not wake up right now Anakin Skywalker I will be forced to…well you don't want to know what I will be forced to do. But it will be so bad that there are not even words to describe the atrocities which I will do to you." She threatened, as she finally watched the blanketed form slowly sit up. Pushing away the blanket from his head, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair, the blanket slipping slowly to his waist, bearing his bare and well sculpted chest. "Jeez would you put a shirt on Anakin." Chloe said blocking her eyes in mock disgust.
"No." He said drowsily as he sat up fully, the blanket still draped from his waist down. "If you wake me up," he paused to move the curtains, by use of the Force, to reveal the ever-busy city skyline of Coruscant, "When it is no where near day break, you have no right to dictate my appearance."
"Fine. But don't be cranky just because I woke you from a dream of my sister." She said teasing.
"Chloe, had I been dreaming of Padme I would be no less grumpy because you still would have woken me up in the middle of the night!" He groaned.
"Okay I get it. Don't wake you when you are having improper dreams of my sister." She said still teasing as she sat down next to him on the bed, ignoring the groans the emanated from him.
"Believe what you want. I am not arguing with you when I haven't had a full night's rest. And I cannot believe that I am asking this, but what do you want Chloe?"
"Well since you've asked. I just thought a little payback was in order." She said slyly.
"Payback for what Chloe. I don't know what all of your ominous statements mean half the time, and you expect me to after I've just woken up?" He said throwing himself back on to the bed, covering his face with his hands as Chloe sat on watching.
"Fine. Be that way. Let's just say, you informed a certain Jedi Master Black of my whereabouts this evening." She said.
"Oh, that. Right. Um, yeah. I don't think that he heard it from me. It must have been somebody else." He said trying desperately to cover up his mistake.
"Another Padawan Anakin Skywalker?" She asked as she pried his hands away from his face, still unused to the cold metal arm, both by sight and touch, that now lay placed where his old one had.
"Perhaps. It must be a clone. Yes, another clone. Of me. But just one, no more no less." He said sitting up once more as he faced Chloe seeing the disapproving look on her face. "Fine, I was on my way to a com- room. He asked me a question, I was distracted and didn't even think before answering, and as I realized it was too late because he was gone. Why? Did he interrupt a private moment between you and Obi-Wan?" He said elbowing her lightly.
"Why were you distracted on your way to the com-room? When you were no doubt contacting my sister, the love of your life, Padme?" She said answering his question with one of her own.
"I see your point." He said slowly. "So, I take it that your meeting with Master Black was less then stellar?"
"You mean my second meeting, you know the one after the first which ended on me storming away from him?" She asked as he nodded. "Well it went better than the first."
"And the outcome?" He asked.
"We've agreed to disagree." She said shortly.
"I don't think that I understand what you mean Chloe."
"He sees our differences, that we do have clashing personalities, that he is a boorish, brainless, egotistical, misogynistic, ageist bastard."
"So, if we've agreed that he's all of that, him included, what have we agreed that you are?"
"Oh, just that I have a short temper." She said nonchalantly. "But we already knew that."
"Indeed we did. So, basically he is all in the wrong and is willing to change his attitudes to accommodate you?" He asked unbelieving.
"Well, not so much." She said softly. "But like I said, we've agreed to disagree." She said turning her head away from him.
"Talk to me Chloe. What does he have a problem with that is upsetting you so?" He asked, reaching out and turning her face back to his.
"Well, that horrid man is disapproving of my relationships." She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, the sheer cloth of her white nightgown clinging loosely.
"And if I am not correct a Jedi is not supposed to have relationships?" He said.
"Says you. Like I'm supposed to take that to mean anything from you. But you sound exactly like him. Which would be the exact reason why I asked Obi-Wan if you and I could switch Masters. You two egotistical men could be together, while Obi-Wan and I would as well."
"Thanks." He muttered. "But what was the final decision on this heinous idea of his?"
"Well we never actually got that far. He stated what he thought. I got angry, we argued, we somehow came to the understanding that, well like I said, we would agree to disagree. Then we went our separate ways, eating supper, then retiring to our chambers. I have not seen him since. But I am to meet him tomorrow morning."
"You mean later this morning since you've woken me up in the middle of the night." He interrupted.
"We are to meet later to begin our training. Whatever he thinks that is since he's never had a Padawan before." She said seething quietly.
"I would have to say; what was the council thinking? Do they not want you to pass the Trials." Anakin said, angered for his friend.
"And that is what I said. But I have to take what he says with a grain of salt. Learn to control my temper, for I am more than certain he will continue to act as he normally does, and pray that the Council allows me to take the trials soon. For both our well beings. Not that I care about his in any way possible." She protested as she saw the odd look on his face.
"I know. You're too involved in my master." He teased.
"Excuse me, Mr. Padme Naberrie Amidala? Did you just say something to me?" She asked.
"Nothing at all. But how is your dear husband Obi-Wan doing?"
"As well as your little Misses is." She teased back.
"I hope so." He said, his tone completely serious. "Chloe, I have something to tell you. But you must promise not to tell anyone. And of course not to freak out in anyway."
"Anakin, you are scaring me." She said, her voice filled with concern. "Whatever it is, I promise it stays between us."
"I am Mr. Padme." He said as he watched her face mask in confusion. "I mean, she's Mr. Padme. No, that's not right either. Why is this so difficult to tell you, when all I have wanted since the moment I have gotten home was to share this with you. Okay." He said taking a deep breath. "Padme and I. When we went back to Naboo. Well, we are now married." He blurted out waiting for her response. Leaning back on his elbows he watched her face, her confusion washing away as she slowly considered what he said, then her face breaking out into a large smile as she leapt across the bed to embrace him.
"Ani, that's…that's amazing. I'm at a loss for words. I'm so happy for you. But, how did you pull it off? Are you keeping it a secret. Well, obviously you are keeping it a secret, oh but what about the Council. You cannot be married and be a Jedi, and I don't want you becoming part of the lost 20, well it would be 21 with you. But I don't want that. And the prophecy, but what will happen now? I mean…"
"Slow down Chloe." He said interrupting her rant. "I don't know what the future holds. But you have to keep this a secret. You can't tell anyone. I won't let you." He said through gritted teeth, his intensity shaking her slightly.
"You have my word Ani." She said sincerely. "I just want you and my sister to be happy. I would never do anything to destroy that.
"I understand. I'm sorry. It's just, this is all overwhelming. But I'm happy Chloe. Happier than I have ever been in my entire life." He said smiling, as Chloe observed it to be probably the most genuine one she had ever seen.
"Well then perhaps there is hope for us all." She said as she lay down on his bed, situating the pillow to her comfort as he stared at her from above.
"Or you mean hope for you and Obi-Wan?" He asked as he too lay down on the bed as well, she on top of the covers and he underneath.
"You know something?" She paused starring up at the ceiling calling out to the Force to close the curtain, blocking the city lights that lay behind it. "I honestly don't know. How he feels, what's to come for us either. Everything is unclear for us all. I just pray that everything turns out well."
"As do I." He said as they settled into a comfortable silence, waiting for sleep to overtake them.
"Are you naked under there?" Chloe asked suddenly, her laughter filling the room.
"Shut up Chloe." He mumbled as he turned on his side, making sure that the blanket lay securely placed across his lower half.
"You know something, you're sleeping with your wife's sister. How horrible is that?" She asked still laughing.
"Shut up!" He mumbled as he reached behind his head and pulled out the pillow, slapping her upside the head quickly, then placing it beneath his head one more.
"Now which would be worse. She finding out we slept together or…"
"Obi-Wan?" He asked interrupting.
"Okay, shutting up now." She said as she herself turned on her side, curling slightly into her best friend as they both fell into a restful sleep.
"Wake up. Anakin, wake up!" Chloe said as she shook the lifeless lump that lay on the plain board bed in the typical barren Jedi quarter. As she watched the lump shift, still refusing to wake, she became increasingly irritated. "If you do not wake up right now Anakin Skywalker I will be forced to…well you don't want to know what I will be forced to do. But it will be so bad that there are not even words to describe the atrocities which I will do to you." She threatened, as she finally watched the blanketed form slowly sit up. Pushing away the blanket from his head, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair, the blanket slipping slowly to his waist, bearing his bare and well sculpted chest. "Jeez would you put a shirt on Anakin." Chloe said blocking her eyes in mock disgust.
"No." He said drowsily as he sat up fully, the blanket still draped from his waist down. "If you wake me up," he paused to move the curtains, by use of the Force, to reveal the ever-busy city skyline of Coruscant, "When it is no where near day break, you have no right to dictate my appearance."
"Fine. But don't be cranky just because I woke you from a dream of my sister." She said teasing.
"Chloe, had I been dreaming of Padme I would be no less grumpy because you still would have woken me up in the middle of the night!" He groaned.
"Okay I get it. Don't wake you when you are having improper dreams of my sister." She said still teasing as she sat down next to him on the bed, ignoring the groans the emanated from him.
"Believe what you want. I am not arguing with you when I haven't had a full night's rest. And I cannot believe that I am asking this, but what do you want Chloe?"
"Well since you've asked. I just thought a little payback was in order." She said slyly.
"Payback for what Chloe. I don't know what all of your ominous statements mean half the time, and you expect me to after I've just woken up?" He said throwing himself back on to the bed, covering his face with his hands as Chloe sat on watching.
"Fine. Be that way. Let's just say, you informed a certain Jedi Master Black of my whereabouts this evening." She said.
"Oh, that. Right. Um, yeah. I don't think that he heard it from me. It must have been somebody else." He said trying desperately to cover up his mistake.
"Another Padawan Anakin Skywalker?" She asked as she pried his hands away from his face, still unused to the cold metal arm, both by sight and touch, that now lay placed where his old one had.
"Perhaps. It must be a clone. Yes, another clone. Of me. But just one, no more no less." He said sitting up once more as he faced Chloe seeing the disapproving look on her face. "Fine, I was on my way to a com- room. He asked me a question, I was distracted and didn't even think before answering, and as I realized it was too late because he was gone. Why? Did he interrupt a private moment between you and Obi-Wan?" He said elbowing her lightly.
"Why were you distracted on your way to the com-room? When you were no doubt contacting my sister, the love of your life, Padme?" She said answering his question with one of her own.
"I see your point." He said slowly. "So, I take it that your meeting with Master Black was less then stellar?"
"You mean my second meeting, you know the one after the first which ended on me storming away from him?" She asked as he nodded. "Well it went better than the first."
"And the outcome?" He asked.
"We've agreed to disagree." She said shortly.
"I don't think that I understand what you mean Chloe."
"He sees our differences, that we do have clashing personalities, that he is a boorish, brainless, egotistical, misogynistic, ageist bastard."
"So, if we've agreed that he's all of that, him included, what have we agreed that you are?"
"Oh, just that I have a short temper." She said nonchalantly. "But we already knew that."
"Indeed we did. So, basically he is all in the wrong and is willing to change his attitudes to accommodate you?" He asked unbelieving.
"Well, not so much." She said softly. "But like I said, we've agreed to disagree." She said turning her head away from him.
"Talk to me Chloe. What does he have a problem with that is upsetting you so?" He asked, reaching out and turning her face back to his.
"Well, that horrid man is disapproving of my relationships." She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, the sheer cloth of her white nightgown clinging loosely.
"And if I am not correct a Jedi is not supposed to have relationships?" He said.
"Says you. Like I'm supposed to take that to mean anything from you. But you sound exactly like him. Which would be the exact reason why I asked Obi-Wan if you and I could switch Masters. You two egotistical men could be together, while Obi-Wan and I would as well."
"Thanks." He muttered. "But what was the final decision on this heinous idea of his?"
"Well we never actually got that far. He stated what he thought. I got angry, we argued, we somehow came to the understanding that, well like I said, we would agree to disagree. Then we went our separate ways, eating supper, then retiring to our chambers. I have not seen him since. But I am to meet him tomorrow morning."
"You mean later this morning since you've woken me up in the middle of the night." He interrupted.
"We are to meet later to begin our training. Whatever he thinks that is since he's never had a Padawan before." She said seething quietly.
"I would have to say; what was the council thinking? Do they not want you to pass the Trials." Anakin said, angered for his friend.
"And that is what I said. But I have to take what he says with a grain of salt. Learn to control my temper, for I am more than certain he will continue to act as he normally does, and pray that the Council allows me to take the trials soon. For both our well beings. Not that I care about his in any way possible." She protested as she saw the odd look on his face.
"I know. You're too involved in my master." He teased.
"Excuse me, Mr. Padme Naberrie Amidala? Did you just say something to me?" She asked.
"Nothing at all. But how is your dear husband Obi-Wan doing?"
"As well as your little Misses is." She teased back.
"I hope so." He said, his tone completely serious. "Chloe, I have something to tell you. But you must promise not to tell anyone. And of course not to freak out in anyway."
"Anakin, you are scaring me." She said, her voice filled with concern. "Whatever it is, I promise it stays between us."
"I am Mr. Padme." He said as he watched her face mask in confusion. "I mean, she's Mr. Padme. No, that's not right either. Why is this so difficult to tell you, when all I have wanted since the moment I have gotten home was to share this with you. Okay." He said taking a deep breath. "Padme and I. When we went back to Naboo. Well, we are now married." He blurted out waiting for her response. Leaning back on his elbows he watched her face, her confusion washing away as she slowly considered what he said, then her face breaking out into a large smile as she leapt across the bed to embrace him.
"Ani, that's…that's amazing. I'm at a loss for words. I'm so happy for you. But, how did you pull it off? Are you keeping it a secret. Well, obviously you are keeping it a secret, oh but what about the Council. You cannot be married and be a Jedi, and I don't want you becoming part of the lost 20, well it would be 21 with you. But I don't want that. And the prophecy, but what will happen now? I mean…"
"Slow down Chloe." He said interrupting her rant. "I don't know what the future holds. But you have to keep this a secret. You can't tell anyone. I won't let you." He said through gritted teeth, his intensity shaking her slightly.
"You have my word Ani." She said sincerely. "I just want you and my sister to be happy. I would never do anything to destroy that.
"I understand. I'm sorry. It's just, this is all overwhelming. But I'm happy Chloe. Happier than I have ever been in my entire life." He said smiling, as Chloe observed it to be probably the most genuine one she had ever seen.
"Well then perhaps there is hope for us all." She said as she lay down on his bed, situating the pillow to her comfort as he stared at her from above.
"Or you mean hope for you and Obi-Wan?" He asked as he too lay down on the bed as well, she on top of the covers and he underneath.
"You know something?" She paused starring up at the ceiling calling out to the Force to close the curtain, blocking the city lights that lay behind it. "I honestly don't know. How he feels, what's to come for us either. Everything is unclear for us all. I just pray that everything turns out well."
"As do I." He said as they settled into a comfortable silence, waiting for sleep to overtake them.
"Are you naked under there?" Chloe asked suddenly, her laughter filling the room.
"Shut up Chloe." He mumbled as he turned on his side, making sure that the blanket lay securely placed across his lower half.
"You know something, you're sleeping with your wife's sister. How horrible is that?" She asked still laughing.
"Shut up!" He mumbled as he reached behind his head and pulled out the pillow, slapping her upside the head quickly, then placing it beneath his head one more.
"Now which would be worse. She finding out we slept together or…"
"Obi-Wan?" He asked interrupting.
"Okay, shutting up now." She said as she herself turned on her side, curling slightly into her best friend as they both fell into a restful sleep.