What Time has Forgotten

Summary: A hyperspace accident on the way to Anakin transports Padme to the past. A 10 year old Qui-Gon finds her unconscious in Jedi Temple, and his superior, the Jedi Knight Jard Dooku decides to care for her. Other familiar faces also appear…

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Chapter 1: Travel through time

Padme held on to the ship's controls tightly as she maneuvered her way towards the nearest hyperspace transport ring. Her eyes were filled with dire determination as she thought of seeing Anakin again, her dear husband who she barely saw much of since he took off to fulfill his destiny in the Clone Wars. Why did they have to part so soon? Why couldn't they just live in the bliss of Naboo's seclusion for all eternity? Why did things between them have to be so complicated, so thinly spread like a beautiful thread that's about to break?

It had already been more than a month since the last time she saw his majestic and handsome visage. They had been married for almost a year now, and yet she barely saw him and felt his touch. She didn't want to keep him from being a Jedi, so she let him be. She let him become who he truly was…The Chosen One. After all, the council would suspect if he spent too much time with her. The last thing she wanted was to expose their eternal bond to the Council and the Republic.

But a fact remained…She missed Anakin, she missed him so much that it hurt her inside out. And that was why she was in the dilemma she was in right now. She had openly abandoned their island paradise in Naboo, and set out to follow him to Coruscant or wherever the wars had taken him now. She would even follow him to the depths of hell itself. She just wanted to see him again…To see him safe and sound and fight by his side. It was the least she could do as his wife. 'Til death do them part.

Padme licked her lips and hurriedly wiped the forming sweat on her forehead as she continued to maneuver the ship alone. She could have easily taken one of the public busses to Coruscant, but most of the public transports have been shut down due to the ongoing war, and she didn't want to attract any attention to herself. This was the only practical thing she could think of. She just hoped she wouldn't get in danger this time.

Suddenly, a flash of light engulfed the hull of her small ship and an explosion soon followed afterwards. Her ship tumbled helplessly in space, as an array of blast from a nearby enemy ship hit her hard. She couldn't control her fall as she flung backwards away from the control panel. Her rear and shoulder hit the floor hard, but pain was the least of her concerns now. She didn't even know who or what shot at her.

It was probably one of the Separatists. The Techno Union if she was correct. She had heard news of them patrolling the area, looking for potential prisoners of war. But she will not be taken prisoner. Not now when she was on her way to her Anakin.

Padme could barely stand up as she tried to get on her feet. Her ship was still recovering from the impact it had just received and she had a gut feeling that it wouldn't last her long enough to get to her destination. A slight tinge of hopelessness crawled up her spine, but no. She will not recede. She will find him and be with him.

With full force, she lunged at the controls, and used all of her piloting know-how to get her ship back on track. But the Techno Union starship that had just fired at her was relentless. It followed her like a hungry predator hunting its prey. Padme knew that her small transport ship would not stand a chance against it. She even doubted that it would survive another volley fire. If there was only a means for her to escape...

Then as if a stroke of luck, she finally spotted the nearest hyperspace transport ring in the area. If only she could maneuver her ship close to it, then perhaps, perhaps, she could use it to transport her anywhere…anywhere but here. She fired up the remaining power of her ship, and sped her way, full force, to the nearby hyperspace transport. She just hoped it was fully functional, considering the number of battles that have occurred in this area of space. It might have already been damaged for all she knew, but she didn't care about that now. The only thing she wanted was to flee and see HIM again.

Her teeth dug lightly into her lower lip as she found herself closer and closer to her freedom. She was so close. She just needed a minute, a second, she was there. Almost. She was about to hyperspace her way out of her doom, when the Techno Union's Starship sent another blast, causing her ship to explode into the hyperspace ring.

Padme's light transport ship re-appeared close to Coruscant. Smoke billowed from its engines as it teetered left and right. It was obviously damaged, though not damaged enough to warrant its passenger's death. It quietly hovered near the planet where Anakin waited. But unknown to Anakin, or anyone else for that matter, Padme was not in the ship anymore. She was somewhere else, where no one could reach her.

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Padme groaned as she felt the aches and pains of her muscles and joints consume her petite body. Her head throbbed in pain as if it were being split in two. She groaned louder and furrowed her eyebrows, and the grimace on her face was evident.

Did she survive? Was she dead? She could feel the coldness of the floor pressing against her back. It was smooth and marble-like and didn't feel like the floor of her ship at all. She was about to open her eyes, when she heard the voice of a boy…A very young boy who almost reminded her of the young…

"Ani?" She whispered, her eyes still closed. Was she dreaming?

"Master! Master!" Shouted the boy.

No. It wasn't her Ani. After all, her Anakin was all grown up now. But the young boy sounded worried and panicked. Was he worried about her?

"I think she's hurt, Master." Said the boy again, sounding more concerned than ever.

The tone in his voice calmed Padme. Though she had no idea who he was, there was something about his voice and diction that made her feel safe and warm. She slowly opened her eyes and basked at her sense of sight. Her vision was still cloudy, and the world around her was still spinning, but she looked up and met his eyes with hers.

And so she found herself looking up at the face of the worried little boy who came to her aid. There he was, looking down at her, with his dark blue eyes and short, dark brown hair. Down his shoulders hung his braid that reminded her of Jedi Padawans and younglings who often wore their hair that way. So if this boy was a Jedi, does that mean that she had safely made her way to Coruscant? But she couldn't even remember getting off her ship. She couldn't even remember what happened after her escape.

"Are you all right?" Asked the boy. His voice was soft and compassionate. He talked as if she was his dear friend. He gently placed his hand over her forehead. "Your forehead feels warm. Maybe you're sick. Maybe you need help. Don't worry. Master will soon come and he'll make everything better. He always does." He said innocently.

The boy slowly pulled away from her and called out to someone "Hurry up, Master!" He called again. "I think she's hurt. I think she needs our help."

Padme forced a genuine smile on her lips as she felt the boy's compassion. The more she looked at him, the more she actually felt at home. In fact, he reminded her of someone she knew…She couldn't quite figure out who, but there was something about that boy that felt so strangely familiar. And his face, she swore she had seen it somewhere before.

Then another voice filled the air, and it somewhat sent a chill up Padme's spine. It was deep, yet incredibly young and boyish and rich. It almost reminded her of Anakin's voice, but it was different. It was more composed, stronger, deeper.

"Qui-Gon! How many times do I have to tell you never to call me master?" He said in a joking tone. "I am far from becoming a Jedi Master and you are far from becoming my Padawan!" He followed his words with a chuckle.

Padme tried to bend her head upwards to see the source of the voice, but her aching body held her back. /"Who's that?"/ She couldn't help but think to herself.

The older Jedi's face suddenly turned serious as he found the reason for his young friend's troubles. No wonder young Qui-Gon suddenly called out for him. He quickly knelt beside Padme and gently cradled her head in his hand.

"My lady, I'm terribly sorry if it had taken me this long to come to your aide." He spoke apologetically. "I thought Qui-Gon had called me for something less serious. The last thing we except here during such peaceful times, is a lady like you lying wounded here in Jedi Temple. It's a good thing my friend had found you." He suddenly realized that he was doing more talking than actual helping.

"Are you well?" He suddenly asked. He didn't want to move any part of her, in fear of hurting her more. "Does anything hurt? Is there anything I can do for you?" He couldn't believe how panicked he was. He was a 24-year-old Jedi Knight, trained by the best Jedi Masters, Thame and Yoda, and now, here he was, reduced into a bumbling fool at the presence of his very own damsel in distress.

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