Time line: About a year after the last chapter of "Senator Anakin, Jedi Padmé"
Anakin: 25
Padmé: 20, almost 21
Summary: Anakin and Padmé have been married for almost two years. They've kept performing their duties, though it has been hard. They still haven't figured a solution for their problems of distance and don't manage to find time for each other.
The Jedi council has been puting some pressure on Padmé so that she would take a Padawan, but she isn't so sure about it, because that would steal a lot of time from her and Anakin.
The senate has been very busy trying to start over. Supreme chancellor Organa has been doing a very good job, and the separatists have backed away. Now things are easier, and there are going to be elections in each system to pick new senators. Anakin is about to make a drastic decision.
OUR PATH THROUGH LIFE
CHAPTER ONE
CHOICES
Padmé walked around the Jedi temple while her case was being evaluated. The council had the power to force her to take a Pawan learner even if she didn't want to, and this really got to her nerves. If the council determined that she had to take a Padawan, that meant the end of privacy and the end of her marriage to Anakin. At first, they would just have to get used to the fact that there was a four or five year old wherever Padmé was, but then it would be unbearable.
The door opened and Padmé stepped inside the room. There were all twelve of the senate members. Some of them looked happy, others didn't. Padmé was sweatting, she had never been this nervous before. The decision of the council would make a big change in her life, for good or for bad.
"The council has reached a decision after a long time and lots of meetings", Mace Windu started. "Some of us are pleased with the final call, and others, as you can see, aren't. You are a very important member of this order, Naberrie, and though you are married, that doesn't mean that you can leave behind your duties and responsabilities to us". Padmé nodded and stood straight.
"Yes, master", she said.
"We've decided that you will not take a Padawan learner because you already have too many responsabilities as a Jedi knight and as a wife to senator Skywalker. Taking a Padawan would drift you away from senator Skywalker, and eventually, from us. You shouldn't mix your personal life with your duties", Mace explained. Padmé was about to jum up and down the room, but she held herself.
"Thank you, Masters. I know that whatever your final decision was, it would've been the wisest", she said bowing. She heard Yoda chuckle and lifted her head, frowning.
"Mean that, you do?", he asked trying to keep a straight face. Padmé blushed and fixed her eyes on the floor. "Understand, I do, young Naberrie. Now go, you may. Tell the news to your husband, you should, terrible worried, he is". Padmé looked at master Yoda and frowned once again.
"He is?", she asked in disbelief. Yoda and Mace nodded.
"We can feel the senator's distress. He knew that the council was going to reach a final decision today, and he communicated with us earlier to be better informed. You did tell him about his, right?", Mace asked raising a brow.
"Yes, I did. I guess I didn't inform him well enough", Padmé said forcing a smile that the council bought. "Now I'll leave you, masters. And thank you".
*
Padmé reached the senate and walked inside. They were at session, she could tell because she could hear Anakin's voice through the speakers. Something he said caught her attention.
"... I've decided that I'll not run for senator in the new elections. I'll speak to queen Jamilla fro my home planet, Naboo, so that she can suggest another name to replace me".
When Padmé walked inside the senate room, she caught sight of Anakin's booth returning to it's place.
"Very well, senator Skywalker. We shall respect your decision, as you would've respected any of our colleagues'. The elections for new senators in each system of the galaxy will take place in two months. This session is out of order", Bail Organa statened. All the senators started to leave their booths, ready to go home.
Padmé ran into Anakin on her way to his booth and they almost fell. Anakin was about to say something when he realised that it was non other than his wife whom almost made him fall.
"Padmé, what are you doing here?", he asked surprised. Padmé gave him a short kiss and smiled back.
"I wanted to surprise you", she explained. Anakin leaned down and gave her another kiss.
"Well, it worked", he said smiling.
"Listen, we need to talk, is there a place where we can have some privacy?", she asked almost in a whisper. Anakin held her hand and started walking.
"Let's go to my office, nobody should bother us there".
Once inside Anakin's office, Padmé locked the door. Why was she so nervous? It wasn't as if she was doing something illegal, she just needed to talk to her husband. Anakin sat down on a chair behind his desk and asked Padmé to sit next to him. Padmé brought a chair to sit by Anakin's side and finally sat down.
Anakin noticed that she was nervous, but in a good way. Whenever she was excited about something, she pulled her sleeves all the way down to her fingers, deforming the material. Now was one of those times.
"The council talked to me", she finally said. Anakin's eyes grew expectant as he held Padmé's hands.
"What did they tell you?", he asked, eager to listen at what she had to say. He already knew the answer when Padmé smiled widely at him. "Really?", Anakin asked in disbelief. Padmé nodded and Anakin smiled in relief. He hugged his wife and sighed on her shoulder. "I'm so happy".
"I'm relieved! I don't have to hang out with some kid for twenty years!", Padmé said. Anakin laughed and looked at her.
"If I recall you were one of those kids too, my dear", Anakin said in a sly tone. Padmé raised a brow and nodded.
"Is that so?", she asked.
"Yes, and you will always be my little kid", Anakin said amused. He knew that Padmé hated when he called her names or mentioned that she was young. But this time, Padmé didn't react in a bad way. She just smiled and held Anakin closely.
"If I'm a kid then that would make you a grumpy old man", she shot back. Anakin smiled defeated. He brought her closer so that she would sit on his lap and kissed her temple.
"I see that you've been practicing your come-back lines...", he pointed. Padmé nodded.
"I've been so nervous lately that I've kept myself busy thinking of come-back lines. Now I'm queen come-back", she said sarcastically. "Oh please, Ani, as if I had nothing better to do. I have a life too, you know? You are not the only one that does something around here...". Anakin didn't smile this time. Padmé realised that she hadn't been so nice and apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude", she said. Anakin just nodded and held her closer.
"Nah, it's alright", he said.
This was starting to be part of the every day life. Not really meaning it, they always said not very nice things to the other. It just came out that way, they never planned it to be so. They both noticed this but never talked about it. Maybe that's why they were having some problems: because they avoided them and act as if everything was alright.
"Ani", Padmé suddenly broke in. Anakin looked down at her and rubbed her back.
"Yes, Padmé?", he asked in a sigh. Padmé cuddled closer to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"What's happening to us?". Her question left Anakin almost speechless. He had been wondering the same thing for quite some time now.
"I don't know, but I don't like it", he answered shaking his head.
"I don't like it either".