One Last Encounter
AUTHOR: Abigail
SUMMARY: There was only one way that Anakin and Padme could have stayed together…Twists the plot from RotS.
CHAPTER 12: Dream
RATING: T
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything that was created by George Lucas.
NOTE: Feast yourself on this one. Sorry I didn't update that fast. I know that if I were reading a story and the person took as long as I do to update, I'd hunt them down and kill them like a Jedi. Anyhoo...
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I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
the sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing...
-AeroSmith
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The scene was all too familiar for Anakin. Medical droids hurriedly worked over Padme's body. Anakin waited outside of the transparent glass, while Yoda and Obi-Wan sat on a bench in the busy waiting hall of the medi-center. Anakin was very pensive, assoft thoughts of Padme floated in his mind. His reverie was broken when the Doctor left the room, and walked over to where Obi-Wan and Yoda sat.
They spoke in low voices that were accompanied by nods and glances in Anakin's direction. Anakin did not want to hear what they had to say. He would rather stand there and think about Padme. But he found this impossible, when Obi-Wan came and stood by him, staring through the glass as well. Anakin waited for him to speak.
"That was the Doctor, Anakin…" Obi-Wan said. Anakinmoved his head to look at Obi-Wan's turned face that continued to stare through the window. "Padme appears to be in a deep coma. Mentally, she is doing well. But her physically health is worsening. The doctors fear that they will loose her…" Obi-Wan then turned to look at Anakin.
Millions of things ran through Anakin's mind. He turned back to the window, defeat washing over him. "May I see her?" Anakin whispered, his hand reaching up and touching the cold glass. Obi-Wan was surprised by his answer.
"Of course, Anakin," Obi-Wan replied, distraught by all of the pain he could see in Anakin's eyes. Anakin slowly walked into the room, and stood in the corner. He waited as the medical droids left the room, chirping quietly to themselves and shutting the door behind them. The air held an artificial silence, only the calming beeps of the machines hitting Anakin's ears. He walked over to Padme, standing by the side of her bed. She looked the same, her face still holding the soft and innocent features it always had. She was extremely pale though, and her tiny fingers looked like skeletons, curled into her palms.
He sat beside her, taking her cold hand into his own. How big his hand looked against hers, he thought. He brought her fingertips to his lips, gently kissing them. Anakin then placed her hand against his own cheek, feeling the coldness against his flushed skin. He was reminded of the many times when Padme would place her hand against his cheek, and softly kiss him. Anakin always loved it when she would do that. It had always been a small reminder of her love for him.
He brought her hand back down and let it rest by her side. Anakin moved his hand up to her forehead, letting his fingers graze her hairline. Padme's soft brown curls cascaded down to her shoulders. Even now, she looked like an angel, as Anakin had thought since the moment he met her on Tatooine. He lost himself as his fingers entangled themselves in the silkiness of her curls. Anakin remembered how he would always do this at night, when Padme had fallen fast asleep. His hands always seemed to find their way in her hair, until he was able to peacefully fall asleep himself.
His fingers trailed down until they met her shoulders. Anakin's fingers softly touched her lips. Padme had always hated it when he'd done that. She's always told him that, but Anakin did it anyway, until he would capture her with a passionate kiss. Anakin then noticed the necklace that hung around her neck. It was the pendant that he had given her so long ago. He fingered it gently, letting his fingers trace the tiny grooves in the wood. One night, Padme studied the necklace furiously. Anakin asked her what she was doing and she simply shrugged, wrapping herself in his arms and softly sighing. "I love you" she said quietly.
Anakin couldn't take it anymore. The memories had overwhelmed him and a tear glided down his face. He let his face rest on the bed next to Padme's, his arms wrapping around her feeble body. Anakin inhaled her scent, a mixture of beauty and love. How many times they had lain like this? Anakin wondered. How could that suddenly be gone? He clutched her tightly, more tears slipping from his face.
Anakin slowly sat up, letting himself fall back into the chair. The world gradually fell away, and all that was left was this room, Padme, and himself. The beeps of the machine were gone and the imminent fate of Padme had disappeared. Anakin stood up and cautiously slipped into the bed, carefully lying down next to Padme. He wrapped his arms around her, holding like he did so long ago. He closed his eyes, and drifted into the memories of his mind, where there was nothign but their love.
Suddenly, he felt Padme move.
Her hand slid up his back, resting on his shoulder. Anakin pulled back and looked into her big brown eyes, staring back at him. She smiled lovingly at him, bringing her other hand up to his cheek. "Anakin," she whispered. Anakin's heart warmed as he whispered her name as well. He pulled her close to him, her body tingling at the warmness of his embrace. It had been so long since they had been close like this.
They continued to look into each other's eyes, brown meeting blue. Anakin leaned his face towards hers, letting his lips graze hers. She softly sighed, her hands and fingers gliding down his neck and pressing against his trembling chest. And for that wonderful moment in time, the two of them were back on Naboo. Anakin held Padme closer. She kissed him back, and he followed. Their show of love continued without thought or mention of anything other than love. Anakin whispered quietly to Padme, until she soon fell asleep, her physical exhaustion too overbearing to stay awake.
Anakin remained there, his eyes watching her sleeping form. Several times, medical droids had entered the room to readjust settings on the monitors, but they had been easily ignored. Anakin had also felt Obi-Wan and Yoda outside of the window, but they never once came inside. He was happy for this. The farthest reaches of the sun had left the room and it was left totally dark. But there was enough light from the city to light up the features of Padme that Anakin loved best. Her beautiful figure, her glossy hair, her alabaster skin…Anakin wanted to stay awake forever, just so he could look at her, and watch her sleep.
He did so throughout the night, continuing to caress her soft skin. His heart was overwhelmingly at peace. Padme was alive. And that's all Anakin needed to know. The night wore on and Anakin began to struggle to keep his eyes open. Happiness was soon replaced by fear when he realized that if he slipped away into the dream world, he could loose Padme, and this moment, forever. What if it was all a dream?
But Anakin knew that he no longer had to be scared. She was here now, and that was all that mattered. No longer did Anakin have to fear loosing her. Anakin felt at peace with this as he slowly drifted off to sleep, his arms still holding Padme close.
Padme remained at medi-center for quite a length of time. Her injuries required extensive care that could easily be given by the Hospital Droids, and Anakin was comfortably fitted with an apartment one level above Padme's room. Despite the luxury of the apartment, Anakin always found himself falling asleep with Padme, every single night. She constantly wanted to see her children, and would make Anakin bring them in, setting them down next to her. She would play with their hair, rub their feet, and tickle their tummies, until she could no longer stay awake.
After a few days, Yoda left for an extensive session of meditation on the Dagobah system. Obi-Wan stayed behind so that he could continue to watch Luke and Leia, while Padme went through her rehabilitation with Anakin by her side. Anakin was happy that Obi-Wan could be there. His energy had been positively influencing the children and their play, and that's exactly what they needed, after the scene they had witnessed that dark night.
After many days of artificial light, white-washed walls, and vexed droids, the Doctor released Padme from her treatment, and let her go home. Anakin and Padme said their final goodbyes, not sure when they would see their old friend again. Obi-Wan waited by the loading ramp, waiting as Anakin came down a final time. Anakin slowly walked over to his old master, searching for the heartfelt words that he wanted to desperately say.
"You've done well, Anakin." Obi-Wan placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder, realizing how much the man before him had changed. "I remember back when Qui-Gon wanted to take you as his Padawan Learner. Yoda had told him that your future was too uncertain, and that you were too old. I agreed with him, and tried to convince Qui-Gon, but he wouldn't hear it," Obi-Wan said, wistfully.
"And then when...well, I promised him that I would continue to teach you. And that's what I did, Anakin. I taught you all that I had to teach. And all that has happened, that painful past has only molded you into who you are now. A Jedi Knight, the most powerful I have seen in a while. The prophesy was right. You destroyed the Sith and brought order to the galaxy. I just don't think you see it yet. Remember the past, but think back on it as an experience that changed you." Obi-Wan let Anakin reflect on these words, and then walked away from the landing ramp.
"Goodbye, Master..." Anakin called to his old friend. Obi-Wan stopped and turned around.
"May the force be with you always," Obi-Wan said, and he quickly disappeared behind the glass door. Anakin waited a moment, soaking in all that Obi-Wan had told him. He then turned around and ambled up the ramp. The transport left the medi-center, its coordinates set for the lake country of Naboo.
