The following morning when she woke up, Padme walked quietly along the palaces dreary hallways to Anakins courters. The sun hadn't fully come up yet and most of her servants were still asleep. She just had to see Anakin. After three months of him being so far from her, the knowledge he was so near was intoxicating. It excited her very soul that she could be with him. But something was wrong, she felt as if she were being followed. Quickly, she turned to catch the person but she saw nothing but an empty hallway. So she continued to approach Anakins room, conscious of the trouble she could get in. But before she even had the chance to knock on his door, Anakin was already opening it up. He led her in and the two hugged each other.

"Did you sleep well?" Padme asked, remembering what Obi Wan had told her about him. He said Anakin has not slept well and that him being with friends might cheer him up. Padme was most grateful to Obi Wan for this gesture. Her sleep had been interrupted as well with nightmares and frightful thoughts.

"How could I," Anakin said with a quick kiss on her nose,"when I know you are near me?" Padme's face drew Anakins attention immediatly. She was thinking about the two of them again and about them not being able to show affection for each other too much, for fear they'll be found out.

"Anakin..." she began with a sob but he just held her in his arms and chuckled. He held her so carefully, as if he were afraid to squeeze her too tightly, afraid to hurt the baby. Padme sighed, deeply and inhaled all of the feelings Anakin made her feel. As it drew back down her throat, the rest of the room just barely disapeared. He began to tell her that he used to have dreams that the two of them someday just ranaway and lived peacefully together with no worries. He told her that it was dreams like these that kept him sane. Padme laughed, but just barely.

"Why don't you still dream like that?" Padme asked, wondering why his hopeful dreams so suddenly ended.

"Because it sorta came true, now didn't it?" he asked her. Padme felt so scared all the time. Afraid someone would find out the condition she was in or find out what Anakin and her were doing. Her maidens never asked questions although they always wore the expression on their faces everytime Anakin and her passed by.

"Oh, don't you ever worry about anything, Anakin?" she asked him, feeling very jealous of his happy-go-lucky attitude. Deep within him he had to be at the least worried. But then again, Jedis aren't afraid of anything. And worrying, such as she was doing, only got Jedi's in trouble. But his answer startled Padme.

"I worry for you," he said, leading her outside where the air was warm and fragrant. "I worry for our future." Anakin touched Padme's stomach gently and laid his head lightly on her shoulder. Padme wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Anakin Skywalker..." she whispered. His breathing near her ear was quieting, calming her very nerves. As their two heads arose, they both stared off into the arising sun, ignoring every worry and focusing on what they had at that moment.

"Are you hungry?" Anakin asked her. Padme smiled and the two left the balcony. He was so selfless, always thinking of others. She remembered his face when he had been having nightmares about his mother. His mandate was to protect Padme but his heart was torn between the two. How could she not allow him to help his mother? Although, the outcome was not as happy as Padme had hoped it to be, Anakin still fufilled his duty. That was what made Padme fall in love with him. The realization that her Annie did grow up. She looked into his eyes and tried smiling. Anakin grabbed Padme's hand and squeezed it.

"Whatever happens," he began as he stopped her in the middle of the room, "I will always love you." Padme couldn't breathe for a moment. What did he mean 'whatever happens'? Was something going to happen? And just before she could ask him what, he gave her an apathetic stare and then moved slowly towards the door.

"What? Whats going on?" Padme asked. Anakin took her by the hand and told her to pretend she was asleep. Padme, afraid, did what he said without questions. After pulling the covers over her, Anakin hid behind the bed curtains, watching the door in the corner of his eye. Then he closed his eyes. She could hear the door knob turning. Padme realized then that somebody was coming into Anakins bedroom. But why? Quickly, she shut her eyes again and allowed Anakin to handle the situation, whatever it was. Her heart was beating with every footstep of the intruder but was not worried that Anakin couldn't handle it. She had seen him do more miraculous things before and she never doubted his powers. Suddenly, the man was right next to her. She could taste his stench in her mouth and hear his heavy breaths as he got nearer and nearer. But he did not get too close before Anakin leapt out from behind the curtains and attacked the man. Padme's eyes popped open and on the floor was the intruder, dismembered and partially dead. Anakin looked at Padme, eyes glazed over. His arm reached out for her and the two ran out of the room at a fast pace.

"Anakin, wait!" Padme breathed fast and ran into the sitting room. Anakin stopped and looked at her, worried. She must have said it like she could not go any further because he still appeared concern. But that wasn't why she stopped him. Above the mantle was a long sive. Quickly, she took it down and threw a steady glare at Anakin.

"You know how to handle that?" he asked her, set back. She looked at him with a curious grin and shrugged. Anakin shook his head in awe of her courage. He always seemed so pleased of how brave she could be. He once again took her hand and the two ran outside. Their were two other men on boats that Padme did not recognize.

"What do they want?" she asked him, breathlessly. Anakin turned her towards him and explained what he wanted her to do. First she was going to hide then wait until he makes a distraction. At that point, she was to make a run for it. Padme set the sive down on the ground and looked Anakin in the eyes, questioning his plan.

"Where should I run? There might be more of them." she argued. Anakin shook his head and told her to just do it. Padme was hesitant but assured herself that Anakin knew what he was doing. So, she found a place to hide where she could see exactly what Anakin was doing. She could see him jump at least ten feet down, onto the boarding dock. She saw him stumble alittle on account of his broken leg. Still, to protect Padme and his unborn child, he did whatever was necessary. His light saber went up and the other men scattered, looking for something to fight back with. This must have been the distraction he was talking about, so she ran. But still she couldn't figure out where she should go. So she ran back inside. The twisting corners of her palace were enough to get anybody confused so she made sure that she went the deepest she could into it. At last, she reached the main entrance of the palace. Outside was the Delta-7, Obi Wan's ship. But what was Obi Wan doing here? She went back inside and began calling his name, heading around corner after corner.

"Obi Wan!" she called. A hand came out of nowhere, startling Padme. A calm voice answered and she turned around, coming face to face with Obi Wan. She greeted him with an anxious hug and he hurried her out of the palace. Padme quietly asked Obi-Wan if he knew what was going on. Obi Wan used his good-natured sarcasm to calm her and ordered her to stay in the Delta-7 while he went to see to Anakin. Padme explained that there were only two other men that she saw. Obi Wan glared at the palace, as if he was searching through it with his mind.

"No, theres more." he replied, "I'll be back, Padme. Just stay in the ship." And so he ran around the side of the palace, leaving Padme alone with the Delta-7, un-armed and frightened. Still, she had to wonder why a man would enter the chambers of a Jedi. Either he wasn't all to bright or there had actually been someone following her in that hallway. And if there was, Anakin was going to be sore with her for being so careless. To hide, Padme slunk down in the front seat and waited for the two of them to come back to her, ashamed and fearful.

Obi-Wan found Anakin a few minutes later on the dock, still battling one last man fiercly. Finally, he forced the man off the dock and into the sea. Obi-Wan approached him slowly, retracted his light saber and called him over. Anakin looked shocked to see him but ran to his side.

"I think these men are trying to kill Padme, Master." he told Obi Wan breathlessly, "We need to find her." Obi Wan explained that Padme was waiting in the Delta-7 for the two of them to return. Anakin told Obi Wan about the man entering Padme's courters. Then hesitantly told him that he took care of it.

"Your senses are more attuned than I thought, my padawan. To be able to feel a man's presence that far away?" Obi Wan replied suspiciously. Anakin nodded and continued beside his Master with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Yes, Master." Anakin replied. His limping was worse than usual so Obi Wan asked if he needed any help. Anakin accepted and Obi Wan helped him walk back to the ship, allowing him to lean against Obi Wan's shoulder. Then Anakin began saying he believes that these men are the same ones ordered to kill Padme's father 3 months ago. Obi Wan agreed with his apprentice but was still curious of how he sensed the mans presence all the way on the other side of the palace. Especially when the body he had found was in Anakins chamber. Just before he ran into Padme, he sensed trouble and went to warn Anakin. But he was not there, just a dead body of a man. There was more than Anakin was telling Obi Wan and he was certain on finding out exactly what. The two came out from behind the side of the palace and walked over to the Delta-7. Padme came out from behind the seat and exhaled deeply, relieved of their presence.

"I thought you were those men again." Padme explained then hopped out of the ship. Obi Wan ordered Anakin to get his ship and to follow Padme and him back to Corascant. Anakin, seemingly nervous, agreed and limped over to his ship in the nearby ship lodge several feet away. Padme got back into the Delta-7 and Obi Wan asked her where she was when the man attacked her.

"I was asleep in my room." Padme said calmly. Obi Wan now knew she was lying but did not say a word for everything would come out in time. And although he was upset he was being lied to, there may be a very good explanation for it. Then again, there could be a very bad explanation too. After waiting for Anakin to get his ship in the air, Obi Wan set course for Corascant and flew off.

"I'm sorry Anakin's visit was cut short, Padme." Obi Wan said, "But he's got very important business to do. You understand though." Padme nodded and rolled over in her seat. Sighing, she fell asleep. Obi Wan had always had suspicions about Anakin and her but never believed they could be true. He always thought Anakin was a dedicated student to the Jedi order but alot of things recently have been decieving. But, still, he was jumping to conclusions not yet met. When the time comes, he will ask both Padme and Anakin if anything has happened between the two of them. But now was not that time. Now he had to find out why someone is trying to harm Padme. Naboo still had not joined the Sepertists but their queen may be bowing under the heavy pressure put there by her advisors. Padme still thinks differently on the subject and has opted her queen to trust her judgement. Many other planets are upset with the Naboo's hesitance to join and may be blaming Padme for such resistance. But ultimatly, it is the queens duty to join or not to join. So, the question remains, who is trying to harm Senetor Amidala?