Chapter Seven, Rim of the World





Padme smiled, "Where are we?"

"In the Deatrix district." Anakin answered.

"Deatrix?" Padme shook her head, "I've never heard of it."

"It's an old and forgotten part of the city." Anakin walked toward her, running a hand over the speeder's sleek sheeting as he passed it. "Evacuated because of the radiation."

Padme looked around, fear obvious in her expression.

"Don't worry," Anakin said, "It's only contaminated in the lower twenty levels." He moved to the edge of the hole and sat down, with his feet over the edge, daring death in his usual fashion. Anakin glanced over his shoulder at Padme, and saw that she was still not comfortable with the idea of radiation. "Don't worry." he said, looking out over city again, "We're safe up here."

Padme sat down next to him, surprising even herself with how much she was trusting him. She leaned over, staring down again into the man-made abyss.

"Whoa!" Anakin grabbed her arm. "You don't want to look down like that."

"Why?" Padme was wide-eyed.

"You can loose your balance." He was talking to her like a child. "Look straight ahead until you get used to the altitude."

"All right." She took a deep breath and looked out over the city bathing in the sun "So..."she said quietly, "What do you do up here?"

Anakin smiled. "Anything I want to."

Padme raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

Anakin fidgeted with a piece of machinery. "There's nobody to stop me."

"Oh." Padme could understand that. There was no law in a place like this. Anarchy ruled. a hole in the wall, junk all over the place, and nobody else nearby. It made sense. "What I meant was, how do you live? Or do you just steal everything."

"I don't steal everything," Anakin said, making an excuse for himself. "first it was like that, but now I buy stuff too."

"Like my purse?"

"Well, I didn't steal it." Anakin grinned.

"That's because the Captain got you before you got it."

"No. I stole something else."

"What?" The realization came to her quickly and she blushed, remembering the stolen kiss. "But-"

"Shhhh.." Anakin hushed her questions, "Watch."

Padme looked out over the city again. The sun rose even higher, and to Padme's amazement it started to burn away the night cloud cover. The clean city was awakened it's walls and windows sparkling in the sun, still wet from the night's rain. Padme leaned out further as the sunlight crept toward where they were sitting, evaporating the clouds as it approached. She felt Anakin's hand on her waist as she leaned out, making sure she wouldn't fall over the edge. The solar-power panels opened, swiveling on their hinges to the sun. The sight was spectacular. "Magnificent," Padme breathed. It was then that she realized that Anakin was staring at her, watching her.

Slowly she turned to meet his gaze, and was drawn in by it. Those pale blue eyes that saw into her soul, almost reading her thoughts... Padme felt his arm around her waist. He leaned in close, and she didn't resist. "I'm not afraid of you..." she whispered.

Anakin nodded, rubbing his forehead against hers. "I know."

Padme closed her eyes, she could feel Anakin's breath on her face, and then the soft sensation of his lips lightly on hers.

"YO ANAKIN!"

Padme jumped as she heard the shout from across the room. The spell had been broken, and the kiss ended almost before it began. She looked up at Anakin's friend.

Slin was barefoot, and wearing his pajamas. "I'm hungry! When're you gonna make breakfast!"

Padme turned back to Anakin. "You cook?"

Anakin shrugged, "Have to. You can't get anything delivered up here."

Padme laughed, getting up.

"What's for breakfast?" Slin asked expectantly.

Anakin glared up at his friend. "Fried Slin, lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper."

Slin nodded. "Sounds good...Hey, wait a second"

Shrill alarms sounded from the other room, and Padme watched as Anakin glanced around. "What's wrong?" She asked, following both of them as they ran into the other room.

"Somethin's coming." Anakin said, picking up a blaster that was on the table next to the sofa.

"Who?" Padme asked, watching as Slin ran into his own room.

"I don't know, but they aren't the normal customers."

"What!"

Anakin grabbed her shoulders, "Stay behind me alright, I have depts. Some are serious."

Padme's eyes widened, what was he into?

"They probably wont mess with you, but stay right behind me."





To be CONTINUED! (I don't remember really who, but somebody wanted romance, so you got some!)