Chapter 7: Ani's Secret Lake

by dreamingofani

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my mom Chris (hehe I believe....). I think saying that one word is a compliment in itself, and I shall dedicate this to her EVEN THOUGH she doesn't like Hayden Christensen. For shame. But she is still a good person, as impossible as that may sound after hearing that previous statement. I love you.

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The world I loved

the tears I cried

to be part of the wave

can't stop.

Ever wondered if it's all for you?

-Red Hot Chili Peppers-Can't Stop

Anakin awoke the next morning in a state of all-consuming bliss. He opened his eyes to see Padmé with a little grin on her sleeping face. Her arms were wrapped around him tightly, and her once-neat curly hair was a bit tousled and tangled. The silk sheets only partially covered her body, now wrapped in a thin nightgown. Anakin smiled and looked to the floor, where the blankets lay crumpled and forgotten. Their feet poked out of the bottom of the sheets. Anakin tickled her crimson-painted toes with his own and played with her silky, soft hair. He took a deep breath, drinking in her intoxicating scent.

Padmé began to stir.

"Mmm, Ani..." she sighed, her eyes still closed.

His mind raced.

"Mmm hmm," he agreed, closing his eyes too and wrapping his arms around her.

"I love you Anakin...I love you so much," she whispered in his ear.

"I love you too Padmé...No words could ever tell you how much..."

They lay in silence for a few moments, still in an acute state of shock. It was still hard to believe. He'd done everything he'd ever dreamed of since he was ten years old. She'd filled that empty space in her heart that she had always denied existed, but secretly wondered how to fill. Their souls were bound together forever, never to be torn apart.

"What should we do today, Ani?" Padmé asked with a kiss.

"Well, I did have something planned...but it's a surprise," Anakin said, smiling wide.

"What?" she asked, and Anakin began to laugh. "Tell me!" she demanded.

Anakin managed to shake his head through his fit of childish giggles.

"Ugh," she said in mock outrage."You're no fun."

"Padmé..."

"Humph," she mumbled and turned away from him.

He swiftly reached over and pulled her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her, his fingers quickly titillating her entire body. Her peals of laughter sounded in his ears, and Anakin couldn't help but giggle himself.

"No one ever told me you were ticklish," Anakin said over her laughter.

Finally, Padmé pulled away from his touch, and she began to tickle him herself.

"Revenge!" she cried.

He began to roll around, shrieking with laughter.

"Mercy!" he gasped, but she tickled him some more. She smiled at his innocent laughter, thinking back to the little boy on Tatooine...

At last, Anakin managed to grip her wrists, halting her tickling. The effect was still upon them, however, and each would let out a little contagious chuckle every few seconds. They got trapped in one another's eyes yet again, and several silent moments passed before Anakin seized the opportunity and reached up to tickle her. She giggled again, and Anakin pulled her down for a kiss. His lips began to devour hers completely, and Padmé pressed her lips against his just as insistently. All thoughts were driven out of his mind as he kissed her. Anakin felt a giant wave of uncontrollable emotion sweep over him. He couldn't think clearly. His mind, his consciousness, spiraled in a state of confusion. The effect that she had on him was silky, addictive, stronger than even the Force. Padmé, too, could feel everything else melt away. All that was left was the press of his sweet lips against hers, and an overwhelming desire, a full-body ache for him.

Suddenly, Padmé's lips pulled back in mid-kiss as the high-pitched beeps of her comlink, resting upon the shelf above the bed, reached their ears. She let out a groan.

"Just let it ring," he whispered into her ear, and he brought his lips up to meet hers again.

But after a while, the comlink was still beeping. Padmé, with one arm still wrapped around Anakin's neck, reached up with the other, feeling around for the comlink. She slammed the off button, and the machine lost balance and fell, narrowly missing Anakin's head. But he didn't even flinch, and he continued to kiss his new wife

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"Anakin...where are you taking me?" Padmé demanded.

"Oh, you'll see..." he replied teasingly. They sat in a roofless red speeder. Anakin was driving, and Padmé sat in the passenger seat. They were driving over Naboo country, with the lush, green fields and small villages passing underneath them. Anakin abruptly accelerated, and Padmé shrieked in delight. Her long hair was flying behind her in the breeze. Anakin looked over and grinned.

"Okay, Padmé, close your eyes."

"Why, Ani?"

"It's a surprise," he replied. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then close your eyes."

Padmé obliged, and Anakin began to land. Once on firm ground, Anakin stepped out and opened Padmé's door. He took her hand and helped her out.

"Okay, you can look...for now."

Padmé's eyes snapped open. She looked around to see a dense forest. Tall, aged trees grew around them, stretching up high enough to touch the sky.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"We're not there yet. It's a bit of a hike. You up for it?" he asked.

"Yes," was her simple reply.

So they set off. Anakin took her hand and they walked towards a narrow dirt path. Anakin was wearing the usual Jedi robes, and Padmé wore lavender pants and a matching shirt with slits completely down the flared sleeves.

A bit later, Padmé was struggling to keep up with Anakin, who was practically running up the path. She wasn't out of shape at all, but keeping up with a honed Jedi Padawan was another story. And he was from Tatooine, and therefore seemingly immune to the blazing hot sun.

Sensing her unease, he slowed down to a walk.

"Almost there... it's just around the corner..." he said.

The path curved, and they followed it to it's end.

"It's just a bunch of trees, Anakin."

"Look..." he whispered, and pulled back a few tree branches. He stepped through, and Padmé followed.

She found herself in the middle of a clearing. Feet away was a secluded little lake, waterfalls and all.

"Oh, Ani..." she gasped.

"Wanna know the best part?" he teased.

"What?"

"No one even knows this place exists," he said with a mischievous grin. Padmé smiled back.

'C'mon. Let's go for a swim."

Anakin reached into the small bag he was carrying, and pulled out Padmé's swimsuit. He tossed it to her. He kicked off his boots, set aside his utility belt, and pulled off his shirt. He waded out into the water while she changed, and he dunked his head underwater, letting the crystal clear lake water cool his body.

"Come on in, Padmé. The water's..." He became silent as he watched her stand atop one of the giant rocks surrounding the lake. She reared back and leaped off the rock, laughing as her body rushed to meet the cool water. She finally hit, and the refreshing coldness spread throughout her entire body. She rose to the surface and pulled the hair out of her eyes. Anakin swam over to her, a look of utter surprise on his face.

"What, you think the female Senator won't be the first one to jump off the rocks?" she asked with a laugh.

He laughed as well. "Not at all, milady."

"Yes you do," she said, but swam into his arms nonetheless.

"Meh," he said and shrugged, pulling her in close.

They swam around for a while. Then Anakin climbed up the highest rock with a grin. His wet feet slapped against the hard stone, leaving watery imprints after each step. He reached the top and paused for a moment, seemingly contemplating his next move. Padmé stopped swimming, She craned her neck up in the direction of the rock and squinted her eyes to shield them from the bright sun. This'll be good, she thought.

He ran back and soared off the edge. He closed his eyes and extended his arms. Then, not even guided by the Force, he began spinning around in a series of impressive mid-air flips. He wrapped his arms around his knees and pulled them into his chest before hitting the water with the impact of a falling boulder. Huge sprays of water rose up , crashing down on him and an astonished Padmé.

"Show-off," she muttered under her breath, but laughed despite herself.

Anakin's head popped out of the crystal clear water just in time to hear her.

"You haven't seen anything yet," he said with a mischievous grin, and gripped her hand. He dragged her along out of the water and up to the highest rock.

"What now?" she asked and let go o his hand.

"Trust me. Now take my hand."

She did

"Ready?" he asked.

"I was born ready."

"No, you were born beautiful. And kind," he informed her. "And unyielding..." he added as an afterthought.

"Well, at least I was born! You were negative five."

"Negative five?" he asked through a laugh.

'Hey, be quiet."

"Okay, we're getting off topic," Anakin pointed out.

"So?"

'You just don't want to jump!"

"Not true!" she fought back.

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"All right, all right! I've given up trying to argue with you, remember?" he said.

"Are you calling me stubborn?"

'Yes," he said through a laugh.

'"Well, look who's talking!" she said, laughing as well.

"Okay, are we going to jump, or not?" he asked.

"Yes."

And with that, they ran hand-in-hand and leaped off the edge. As their feet left the ground, Anakin's eyes closed and he allowed the Force to flow through him. It calmed and soothed him, and he began to focus all his Force energy to one point.

Padmé squealed with laughter as they plummeted towards the deep water.

They were feet away, and Padmé gripped Anakin's hand tighter and braced herself for the impact that was to come, the rush of the icy water as it surrounded her body, that panicked second when you realize you can't breathe...

...but it never came. They stopped abruptly in the air, hovering feet above the lake. Padmé looked over to Anakin. He had his eyes closed and he was concentrating deeply, a small smile playing on his lips.

This'll teach him, Padmé thought. In a flash of a second, she brought her lips up to trap his. He gasped in surprise, and he could feel all his control slip away. She had to scream as she felt herself falling towards the water again. They finally hit, and the water rushed to surround them. Anakin's head poked out and he gasped for breath. Padmé's head emerged seconds later.

"Hey!" he called. "Why did you do that?"

She merely shrugged. "Why did we fall?"

"I lose control when you kiss me like that."

Padmé laughed. "So the all-powerful Jedi is powerless at the hands of a Senator?"

"No, of an angel."

"Oh, okay."

He kissed her nose.

"Swim with me, Padmé. I want to show you something."

He swam off, and Padmé followed, wondering what he was up to next.

'Ta da!" Anakin announced proudly.

"Oh, Anakin, wow!" she said. He was pointing to a small, hidden waterfall whose rushing water was crashing into the calm water around them. It was by far the most beautiful she had ever seen.

"Come on," he whispered, taking her hand. He led her behind the waterfall. She gasped. The sun reflected the water in the tan, water-splashed rock, and the water fell down all around them. It was beautiful.

Neither of them spoke a word. Anakin inched closer to her. She wrapped her shivering arms around him, her hands feeling the toned muscles beneath them. Anakin did likewise, his arms slipping past the silky smooth of her sides. Their faces were nearly touching as they stared into the other's honest eyes. Hardly breathing, Anakin carefully undid her bikini top and silently sought out her lips.

The water crashed down around them in an echoing roar.

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A/N: For those of you who wanted more steam, hope that was okay. For those of you who thought previous chapters were too steamy, sorry. It's their honeymoon! Let them have a little fun.

I think that's how the lyrics go. I'm too lazy too look it up.

More soon, please review.