Oh, Possibilities
By infinitykat
Part 5: Plan A
"I feel as empty as a drum…
Don't know why I didn't come
…My heart is drenched in wine
You'll be on my mind forever…" – Norah Jones "Don't Know Why"
A/N: I think now Anakin and Padmé won't be hanging out so much anymore, more action. You know what I mean? I've waded through all the love stuff and now actual plot is showing up. Lol. In the fifth chapter, no less. Anyway, you know the deal, review and I'll love you forever. :)
And to "none of your business" who reviewed my "Walking in the Rain" story: Don't hate. And besides, the song in the first chapter of THIS story was written by me. I know perfectly well that the first quoted song from WIN was a Michelle Branch song. I absolutely adore her and would never claim a song of hers as mine. (Sorry, had to say that, but my cheeks are burning with anger, so it was best to get it out and thanks to "Me." for defending my honor. Lol.) (Oh and thanks to yumyumkittysnax for actual advice. It made me watch myself, thanks.) (I forgot to thank all my reviewers in the note of my other story…so…yeah…thanks!!! anyways…)
Oh, and the Mara in this story is NOT Mara Jade. I just stole her name for this purpose. k? Not Mara Jade. Though she's all cool and angst-y and stuff. Sorry…babbling…here we go…
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Two years later…
Another day, another sector of the vast city planet to search. Anakin Skywalker brought his Delta 7 around a structure and, finding no disturbance to speak of, followed Obi-Wan Kenobi to the next building in the sector.
"Anything?" Obi-Wan's voice said in his earpiece. Anakin shook his head.
"Nope. But I have a feeling we're getting close." He replied, peering down at the industrial district below. They'd been at this for some time now, but no leads had been found. Anakin sighed, wondering how long it would take them to find these dark warriors who threatened the Order for the last two years.
"I sense it too," Obi-Wan said, "Let's check those over to the right."
"Copy that," Anakin agreed, and sped up fly next to Obi-Wan as they continued the search. Anakin tried to focus on the mission, but his mind kept drifting off to the conversation he had had with Padmé the day before.
"Bye, Daddy!" Leia called to the transmission, waving furiously. Luke waved as well.
"Goodbye, Darling," he replied, smiling.
"And Anakin-" Padmé said, "Let me know when it's time." Anakin nodded. "I love you, Ani," she added quietly.
"I love you too, angel." And the transmission cut.
He had nodded knowingly then, but Anakin still didn't know what she meant. When it's time? Anakin did not dwell on this for long, for a disturbance yanked his attention to the now.
"What the-" Anakin muttered, "Obi-Wan, I think I've found something."
"I felt it as well," agreed Obi-Wan, "Straight ahead. The rounded one." Anakin nodded.
"Yeah, let's check it out." The two swooped their fighters around the structure in opposite directions, examining it. The building seemed to have no windows and no doors at their altitude or any altitude for that matter. Anakin noticed a small balcony on the east side, but there wasn't a door leading out to that, either. Anakin turned around for another look at the balcony. Just as his fighter was going the other direction, Obi-Wan spoke.
"There is something over here-" he said, and his transmission broke slightly, "I think we may have company." Anakin punched the throttle to hurry over to the side where Obi-Wan was and saw what he meant. A small, circular hatch slid open and a surveillance droid poked its spherical head out. It extended its neck out completely and looked around. It noticed the two Jedi star fighters watching it and it retracted, then disappeared completely behind the hatch again. Anakin felt a twinge of anticipation.
"Move!" he suddenly yelled into his headset, but Obi-Wan was already speeding away. Anakin punched the throttle and narrowly missed a blaster bolt.
"Well," Obi-Wan said with a sigh, "That's our place, alright. Did you track the coordinates?"
"Yes," Anakin replied, paused, and then said, "Time to devise Plan A."
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Padmé Amidala closed her case with a snap. She went to the door, tapped the code for the lock, and watched it slide open noiselessly. Standing on the other side, with his hand on the comlink, was Captain Typho.
"Oh, there you are, Captain," Padmé said to him, "Tell Dormé I'm going home. And tell Sabé to get changed. I have a bad feeling something is going happen tonight." Typho gave a short bow.
"Yes, M'Lady. And good night," he replied and strode off down the corridor. Padmé watched him until he was out of sight, then moved in the opposite direction. She walked quietly, her heels clicking softly on the gleaming floor.
Making sure her blaster was secure on the strap about her leg (a suggestion of Anakin's), Padmé slipped out into the side courtyard and away from the Theed Complex. She walked quickly through it, and then down a rough dirt path. Her home was only a short walk from the complex, and so a transport was unnecessary. Besides, this dirt path was made when she was queen, for the purpose of escape if there was trouble, so she knew it well.
Thick over-growth surrounded the path and Padmé had to squint to see in the absence of the moonlight. She passed quite a few fruit trees and stopped occasionally to pick a fruit and place it in her case. At last, she arrived on her street. Taking a quick look around, she crossed the street and climbed the steps to the front door of the Naberrie household.
"I'm home!" Padmé called as she entered. There was a loud clank in the kitchen and she heard two pairs of feet running towards the entry hall.
"Mommy!" Leia and Luke both squealed at the sight of their mother. They wrapped her in identical sticky hugs.
"Oh my," she said, taking hold of Luke's wrist, "What have you been doing?" Luke wiggled his sticky fingers.
"We got to help." He said with a smile that could soften even the most stubborn politicians. Leia nodded in agreement.
"Well, you better wash your hands for dinner," Padmé told him, kissing his cheek. She kissed Leia's cheek as well and led them into the kitchen.
Sola and her daughters, Ryoo and Pooja, Ryoo now five and Pooja eight, stood at the counter, preparing the dinner.
"Hey sis," Sola greeted, while chopping up some vegetable. Padmé held Luke up to the sink so he could wash his hands.
"Hi Sola. Anything happen today?" Padmé asked, squirting some soap into Luke's hands. He began to rub them vigorously, creating a foamy lather. Sola shrugged.
"Not really. All the kids helped make dinner tonight. Luke and Leia were working on the dessert when you came in." Sola smirked, and nodded to the island counter behind Padmé. She turned her head to look, and tried to stifle a laugh.
A bowl of a brownish substance sat near the edge of the counter. The substance looked sticky, and was practically all over the counter. Several open ingredients were scattered about, and a large, abandoned wooden spoon (which was also covered in the brownish goop) had several lick marks on it.
"I see," she said to Sola, and after Luke rinsed, put him down and picked up Leia for her turn. When she finished, Padmé used a cloth to try wiping off the sticky goop now on her neck from her children's enthusiastic greeting. "Thanks for watching them. I'm going to change." Sola nodded.
"Set the table, Ryoo," she told her daughter. Padmé left the kitchen for her own bedroom. She slowly undid the restricting tunic and under dress and slipped on a much more comfortable garment. She was just about to sit down and unbraid her hair when a knock came at her door.
"Come in!" she called, pulling pins from her hair and setting them neatly in a box. The door opened and closed, and Padmé looked up to see Pooja slowly walking towards her.
"Dinner's ready, Aunt Padmé," she said. Padmé nodded. There was a bit of a pause as Padmé took out the last of the braids. "Can I help?" Pooja asked quietly.
"Sure," Padmé told her, and handed her a wooden brush. Pooja began to very carefully brush through her aunt's long, dark hair. Padmé leaned forward and her elbow and sighed. She felt as though something, something she didn't like, was going to going to happen that night. She could feel it in her gut, like something was prodding faintly inside her stomach, trying to warn her.
Obviously it showed on her face for her niece asked, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," Padmé replied, "I have a terrible feeling something bad is going to happen tonight." There was a thoughtful pause.
"Is it Uncle Anakin?" Pooja asked quietly.
"I don't know," Padmé said again, "I hope not."
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On Courscant, as the sun was setting, giving the surrounding structures a deep, orange glow, Anakin sat, meditating. The last building he and Obi-Wan discovered on their search that morning was definitely note-worthy. Now came the mystery of what it held and how they were to get inside. There seemed to be no entrances, but there had to be, how could the occupants get in and out? He was having trouble with this because he couldn't keep his mind on the task at hand. It kept going back to that conversation, and trying to figure what Padmé meant.
Anakin was pulled from his thoughts as another presence entered the room. His eyes snapped open and he turned to regard the being. Seeing who it was, he turned back to meditating.
"Hello, Mara," he said calmly.
"Sorry to disturb you, I-" she began. Mara pushed some of her inky black hair out of her eyes.
"No, it's fine. Come in," Anakin assured her, again in that almost annoyingly calm tone. Mara sat down on one of the meditation seats and watched him. Anakin felt out in the Force and found that Mara was feeling slightly uncertain but mostly frustrated. "You wanted to ask me something?" he asked at length. Mara opened her mouth and closed it again.
Another pause. "It's Obi-Wan, isn't it?" he asked, looking at her.
"How'd you know?" she asked timidly. Anakin shrugged.
"I felt the same feeling in you as in someone else I know," Anakin stated, smirking a bit. Mara raised her brows.
"What? I mean…you?" she stuttered, unbelieving. Anakin Skywalker? The Chosen One? The calmest young Jedi she knew? Impatient and frustrated? Anakin nodded.
"You forget, I was once Obi-Wan's apprentice as you are now." There was a slight pause, and Mara sighed.
"It's just so frustrating. He doesn't realize what abilities I have! He's holding me back!" Mara almost shouted the last bit, letting her anger boil over. Anakin patted the air, trying to calm her.
"Don't worry. I'm sure it's not that he doesn't think you're able. Someone very wise told me that teachers tend to see more of our faults than we would like. It's the only way that we grow," Anakin said knowingly. He smiled at the exasperated look on Mara's face. "Just give it time. Obi-Wan will give you more leeway once he sees that you are trustworthy."
"I don't know…"
"Trust me," Anakin said with finality. Mara took the hint and left the room, with no more answers than when she entered it. She also left not knowing what to make of the funny jolt in her stomach that she felt when Anakin smiled at her. Mara was almost certain it wasn't frustration. She walked slowly down the corridor, making up her mind.
There was only one person who could give her answers. And he definitely wasn't within the walls of the Jedi Temple.
…to be continued.
Post note: Ahhh!!! Plot!!!! REVIEW please and thank you.