Chapter 12
"Ani Bananie!" Chloe said as she burst into her best friend's room, the evening sun streaming in through the windows to reveal Anakin hard at work at his desk.
"Why did I ever tell her I hated bananas?" He muttered to himself as he spun around, watching his friend sit down on his bed. "Do you even know how to knock?" He asked as she made herself at home.
"Knocking's overrated." She said smiling at him.
"Yes, consideration for others, highly overrated. What if I was busy? Or naked?"
"Like I haven't seen you that way before." Chloe said causing him to blush.
"And if I am not mistaken that is what caused much of your recent problems. Just a few hours ago if I am recalling correctly." He said getting up to sit on the bed as well.
"Oh, that is of the past Ani. Over and done with. So, no need to rehash all of the gory details." She said turning to face him, her legs crossed over one another as she leaned back on her elbows.
"You mean the ones where your psycho Master nearly ripped my head off?" He said bitterly.
"As I said, no need to rehash. It's not that I am defending him, it's just that it is in the past, and I am here to talk about the future." She said anxious to tell him her news.
"And what exactly will you be discussing with me." Anakin said becoming agitated, as Chloe's riddles were always a great annoyance. Yet she could not stay away from them. "Your leaving the Knighthood? Your next argument with your Master? Or the next awkward situation you can place me in?"
"Ani. It's not any of those things." She said goading him.
"Well I am not guessing. You know I hate it when you do this. And you always do this. Just tell me what about the future you want to discuss."
"Fine." She pouted slightly, but still continued. "Well as you can see by my lovely dress." Chloe paused to gesture to her Jedi robes, "That I am indeed still a Padawan learner, which would lead you to realize that once more Brady and I have come to some sort of understanding and that he will remain my Master. And so that that situation is as non volatile as possible I am not planing on any argument with him, nor placing you in any awkward situation."
Groaning, Anakin reached up and ran his hand through his hair. "Okay, now that I know what you do not want to talk to me about, what exactly are you here for then?"
"Why, you have a hot date Anakin? I am more than certain my sister would not appreciate that." She giggled lightly as he smacked at her.
"Get on with it Chloe! Sometime today please!"
"Okay, okay. Fine. You are so no fun Ani." She joked causing him to growl at her. "I, Padawan Chloe Amidala Naberrie have been given my first assignment. Well, granted it is with my Master, but still, the Council is trusting me with a great responsibility, and hopefully after this task they will allow me to take the trials!" She said excitedly as Anakin reached out to hug her.
"That's great Chloe!" He said genuinely excited for her. "So, what's the job?" He asked as they both pulled away from the embrace.
"Well, see that is why I have come to tell you personally. So, that you don't hear it from someone else. But I am asking you first not to get mad or overreact. Everything is okay."
"What is it?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.
"The council wishes for me and Brady to go to Naboo. They feel that with the Clone Wars in full force and Naboo being a threat to the Trade Federation, that they themselves could become a target. There is no proof of this yet though, just the council's feelings. So we are going there as preventatives, cautionaries if you will, to serve in military service, but most importantly to protect the higher governmental structure. The Queen, the Senator..." She said trailing off. "But don't worry. There is no immediate threat, and I will do everything in my power to protect my family and my home." She said assuring him.
"Just because you are smarter than me does not mean you can use large words to make me worry less. Why didn't the council come to me about Padme? I've protected her before, granted they do not know she is my wife, but I would give anything to protect her." He said as the worry that had once consumed him, was soon developing into anguish, he could barely hear Chloe speak as he reached down inside himself to try to control his feelings.
"I asked my Master the same question. Well, without the whole you and Padme being married thing. But he said that the Council feels that this is my trial. Dealing with my feelings as I go to my home, to see my family. Places and people I have not seen for as long as I can remember, but places and people I can see so clearly. Sometimes it is so surreal Ani. It's like I know they are my family, but it does not feel as if they are. Not having them here as I grow up, not seeing or being with them. I do not know them at all, and soon I will be joining them. How will I act? How am I supposed to? When I go to see the woman who is supposed to be my mother or the man who is supposed to be my father, when I do not know them as such. Only in name I do. Hell, Master Mace Windu, or even Chancellor Palpatine is more of a father to me then my own. That is why they have chosen me to do this. To see where my feelings lay between my oaths as a Jedi, or my internal feelings towards my family. But I promise you Ani. I will protect them. I will protect them all."
"I understand." He muttered, her words not truly registering.
"And perhaps you or maybe Obi-Wan can manage to find your way to Naboo while I am there? I have no idea how long we will be there, and you never know, Padme may actually be happy to see you." Chloe said, hoping to get him to smile.
"Right, now would you be asking me to go so that I might see my beloved wife or so that you might see my Master?" He asked, happy for Chloe's change of tone so that he might bring his feelings away from the brink they were closely approaching.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She said slyly.
"Well, yes I would. That is why I asked Chloe." He said smiling at her, his feelings calming with the realization that this woman before him, his best friend, would not let him down. She never had, and she never would. She would protect Padme with all that she had. "Did something happen between you two?" He asked as he saw her begin to blush. "Something did. Come on, spill. I tell you everything, it's a best friend law, you have to tell me as well."
"Well, perhaps, maybe Obi-Wan and I may have shared one or two kisses. Maybe." She said shyly as she ducked her head.
"You what?" He yelled, unbelieving of what she had just said. "My master and you? Well, no wonder I haven't seen him all day, you must have gotten him really worked up."
"Ani!" She said smacking him, appalled at what he had said.
"Well, it's about damn time, you two have been skirting around each other for what seems like forever. So, how was it?" He asked, eager to know.
"You are worse than some teenage female Anakin Skywalker! I am not telling you that!"
"That good huh? Well, I don't think that I will be able to look at my Master the same way ever again."
"You cannot tell him that I told you!" She protested. "He would never forgive me, and he would die of embarrassment just as I would."
"You have my word. So, now that you may or may not have a something with Obi-Wan, how does he feel about you leaving?" He asked as he watched her smile fade.
"I actually haven't told him yet. I came to see you first, so."
"So, you better go Chloe, I know your good-byes will take all night." He said smiling as Chloe's face reddened once more.
"Okay." She said standing up and facing him. "I will go see him now, but I will stop back later to see you briefly, well before I go anyway."
"And why is that?" He asked confused.
"Well to get your message to Padme of course. I'm certain you'll take all night to think of something halfway witty or romantic to say." She said walking to the door as Anakin stood up shooing her out along the way.
"Well you need to go now! Go see Obi-Wan and stop back for the holo- chip before you leave. And you better not watch it when you get it!" He yelled as he stepped through the doorway.
"There is no way I would! Wouldn't want to see you doing anything perverted." She said laughing as Anakin slammed the door on her. She could hear him dashing around his room quickly as she walked down the corridor her laughter subsiding as she prepared to find Obi-Wan and what she might tell him.
"Ani Bananie!" Chloe said as she burst into her best friend's room, the evening sun streaming in through the windows to reveal Anakin hard at work at his desk.
"Why did I ever tell her I hated bananas?" He muttered to himself as he spun around, watching his friend sit down on his bed. "Do you even know how to knock?" He asked as she made herself at home.
"Knocking's overrated." She said smiling at him.
"Yes, consideration for others, highly overrated. What if I was busy? Or naked?"
"Like I haven't seen you that way before." Chloe said causing him to blush.
"And if I am not mistaken that is what caused much of your recent problems. Just a few hours ago if I am recalling correctly." He said getting up to sit on the bed as well.
"Oh, that is of the past Ani. Over and done with. So, no need to rehash all of the gory details." She said turning to face him, her legs crossed over one another as she leaned back on her elbows.
"You mean the ones where your psycho Master nearly ripped my head off?" He said bitterly.
"As I said, no need to rehash. It's not that I am defending him, it's just that it is in the past, and I am here to talk about the future." She said anxious to tell him her news.
"And what exactly will you be discussing with me." Anakin said becoming agitated, as Chloe's riddles were always a great annoyance. Yet she could not stay away from them. "Your leaving the Knighthood? Your next argument with your Master? Or the next awkward situation you can place me in?"
"Ani. It's not any of those things." She said goading him.
"Well I am not guessing. You know I hate it when you do this. And you always do this. Just tell me what about the future you want to discuss."
"Fine." She pouted slightly, but still continued. "Well as you can see by my lovely dress." Chloe paused to gesture to her Jedi robes, "That I am indeed still a Padawan learner, which would lead you to realize that once more Brady and I have come to some sort of understanding and that he will remain my Master. And so that that situation is as non volatile as possible I am not planing on any argument with him, nor placing you in any awkward situation."
Groaning, Anakin reached up and ran his hand through his hair. "Okay, now that I know what you do not want to talk to me about, what exactly are you here for then?"
"Why, you have a hot date Anakin? I am more than certain my sister would not appreciate that." She giggled lightly as he smacked at her.
"Get on with it Chloe! Sometime today please!"
"Okay, okay. Fine. You are so no fun Ani." She joked causing him to growl at her. "I, Padawan Chloe Amidala Naberrie have been given my first assignment. Well, granted it is with my Master, but still, the Council is trusting me with a great responsibility, and hopefully after this task they will allow me to take the trials!" She said excitedly as Anakin reached out to hug her.
"That's great Chloe!" He said genuinely excited for her. "So, what's the job?" He asked as they both pulled away from the embrace.
"Well, see that is why I have come to tell you personally. So, that you don't hear it from someone else. But I am asking you first not to get mad or overreact. Everything is okay."
"What is it?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.
"The council wishes for me and Brady to go to Naboo. They feel that with the Clone Wars in full force and Naboo being a threat to the Trade Federation, that they themselves could become a target. There is no proof of this yet though, just the council's feelings. So we are going there as preventatives, cautionaries if you will, to serve in military service, but most importantly to protect the higher governmental structure. The Queen, the Senator..." She said trailing off. "But don't worry. There is no immediate threat, and I will do everything in my power to protect my family and my home." She said assuring him.
"Just because you are smarter than me does not mean you can use large words to make me worry less. Why didn't the council come to me about Padme? I've protected her before, granted they do not know she is my wife, but I would give anything to protect her." He said as the worry that had once consumed him, was soon developing into anguish, he could barely hear Chloe speak as he reached down inside himself to try to control his feelings.
"I asked my Master the same question. Well, without the whole you and Padme being married thing. But he said that the Council feels that this is my trial. Dealing with my feelings as I go to my home, to see my family. Places and people I have not seen for as long as I can remember, but places and people I can see so clearly. Sometimes it is so surreal Ani. It's like I know they are my family, but it does not feel as if they are. Not having them here as I grow up, not seeing or being with them. I do not know them at all, and soon I will be joining them. How will I act? How am I supposed to? When I go to see the woman who is supposed to be my mother or the man who is supposed to be my father, when I do not know them as such. Only in name I do. Hell, Master Mace Windu, or even Chancellor Palpatine is more of a father to me then my own. That is why they have chosen me to do this. To see where my feelings lay between my oaths as a Jedi, or my internal feelings towards my family. But I promise you Ani. I will protect them. I will protect them all."
"I understand." He muttered, her words not truly registering.
"And perhaps you or maybe Obi-Wan can manage to find your way to Naboo while I am there? I have no idea how long we will be there, and you never know, Padme may actually be happy to see you." Chloe said, hoping to get him to smile.
"Right, now would you be asking me to go so that I might see my beloved wife or so that you might see my Master?" He asked, happy for Chloe's change of tone so that he might bring his feelings away from the brink they were closely approaching.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She said slyly.
"Well, yes I would. That is why I asked Chloe." He said smiling at her, his feelings calming with the realization that this woman before him, his best friend, would not let him down. She never had, and she never would. She would protect Padme with all that she had. "Did something happen between you two?" He asked as he saw her begin to blush. "Something did. Come on, spill. I tell you everything, it's a best friend law, you have to tell me as well."
"Well, perhaps, maybe Obi-Wan and I may have shared one or two kisses. Maybe." She said shyly as she ducked her head.
"You what?" He yelled, unbelieving of what she had just said. "My master and you? Well, no wonder I haven't seen him all day, you must have gotten him really worked up."
"Ani!" She said smacking him, appalled at what he had said.
"Well, it's about damn time, you two have been skirting around each other for what seems like forever. So, how was it?" He asked, eager to know.
"You are worse than some teenage female Anakin Skywalker! I am not telling you that!"
"That good huh? Well, I don't think that I will be able to look at my Master the same way ever again."
"You cannot tell him that I told you!" She protested. "He would never forgive me, and he would die of embarrassment just as I would."
"You have my word. So, now that you may or may not have a something with Obi-Wan, how does he feel about you leaving?" He asked as he watched her smile fade.
"I actually haven't told him yet. I came to see you first, so."
"So, you better go Chloe, I know your good-byes will take all night." He said smiling as Chloe's face reddened once more.
"Okay." She said standing up and facing him. "I will go see him now, but I will stop back later to see you briefly, well before I go anyway."
"And why is that?" He asked confused.
"Well to get your message to Padme of course. I'm certain you'll take all night to think of something halfway witty or romantic to say." She said walking to the door as Anakin stood up shooing her out along the way.
"Well you need to go now! Go see Obi-Wan and stop back for the holo- chip before you leave. And you better not watch it when you get it!" He yelled as he stepped through the doorway.
"There is no way I would! Wouldn't want to see you doing anything perverted." She said laughing as Anakin slammed the door on her. She could hear him dashing around his room quickly as she walked down the corridor her laughter subsiding as she prepared to find Obi-Wan and what she might tell him.