Anakin wandered the streets of Coruscant, night life buzzing around him. He wanted to go home to Padme, to have a nice dinner with her and to later hold her... touch her, but he was so confused. Things were fine for the couple now, but what would happen once she gave birth to the child? Obi-Wan had mentioned he wouldn't be a suitable father, and now the thought tormented him. For the first time in his life, he almost wished he could leave the Jedi order, or at least tell them his secrets.

Dodging out of the way of a large group of Twi'lek, Anakin stumbled off the street and the small fountain chamber of a newer club in town. It was beautiful, almost as much as the fountain chamber hidden beneath he and Padme's apartment, but not half as calming. For one, there was the loud buzzing easily heard from the street only a few yards away, and secondly, it was Padme's presence that had soothed him more than anything, which seemed to be absent.

Quickly making up his mind to sort things out here, Anakin sat down slowly on a low ledge and ran his fingers through the water. He loved how it made ripples around the tiny island in the middle of the small pond, much like the island near Padme's retreat on Naboo, except, again, lacking Padme, who seemed to be with him in his thoughts wherever he went.

Anakin sighed and hunched over his knees, burying his face in his hands. He cringed at the touch of his cold, black leather glove, but he welcomed it over the eerie feeling of the robotic fingers that lay underneath.

That day when he had lost his arm, the feeling of flesh, crept into his memory. He had been foolish, attacking Dooku aggressively and alone, and being knocked to the side while Obi-Wan fought desperately to save them both.

A devilish smile crept tediously across Anakin's face and hung there as he ran over the battle just before he had lost his limb. He had done well, he knew, but he and Obi-Wan would have both died that day, had it not been for Padme and that single clone trooper. For if they hadn't gotten to that hangar with Yoda, Dooku would have surely killed them.

In a sense, Padme had always saved Anakin. Had she not been queen of Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would have had no need to save her and go to Tatooine. Anakin would have continued his life as a slave boy.

As a padawan, every time he and Obi-Wan ran into danger, the thought of Padme urged him to push harder. Anything to see her again.

When Anakin had been overwhelmed with the agony of losing his mother, Padme had been there to calm him. To hold him and let him cry into her breast.

But most importantly, Anakin had survived the gruesome battles of the Clone Wars if only to see his beloved wife again. His power, strength, and reputation surged from her, as did his tranquility. Every aspect of him was derived in some way from her.

"Good evening, Sabe," Anakin mumbled politely, but shortly, making his way through the large greeting room of he and Padme's apartment. He did not stop to talk, or even wait for reply. The hand maid would follow him if she had any important news.

"Padme is not here," she informed him, following as he had assumed. She stopped at the door, turning her back to him.

"I know," Anakin replied, keeping his pace as he walked briskly into the room he and his wife shared and threw off his black Jedi robes, careless of Sabe's presence. He quickly changed into a brown pair of pants and a loose, white cotton shirt. These clothes were comfortable to him, more so than any robes would ever be, and he spent all day dreaming of slipping into them and napping on the couch. After the five months away from home, all Anakin wanted to do was sleep and be with Padme.

Sabe turned to him as he came out of the room, slower now, and walked beside him. "Obi-Wan came by looking for you. He said you, Padme, and him needed to talk, so I invited him to dinner," she said. Normally, in anybody else's presence, she would address Obi-Wan as 'Master Kenobi' and Padme as 'M'Lady', and instead of saying 'he said', she would say, 'he requests', but Sabe was used to Anakin's presence, and as she was friends with the couple and a devoted hand maiden, she was lazy with her wording around them. "I presume you told him about the child?"

Anakin nodded as he laid down slowly on the couch, and she turned to leave. Anakin tucked his hands behind his head, and he fell asleep before she even reached the next room.

"Aaannnaaakkiiinn," the voice was high-pitched as it called his name. It was close by, but Anakin didn't want to open his eyes. He felt something soft and moist press against his forehead, then his cheek, then his neck. He only realized it was lips when they finally pressed against his. He hoped to Force it was Padme, and when he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the Japer Snippet.

"You still have this?" He asked groggily, taking the Japer Snippet in his hand.. His real hand. Padme wrapped her slender fingers around his and giggled lightly.

"Of course I have it," she responded and pressed her forehead against his. "Apart from you, it's the most important thing in the world to me." Anakin could feel another person's presence in the room, but he couldn't help himself. He lifted his chin slightly and kissed Padme deeply, more-so than he had done in the morning. Padme pulled away, smiling brightly.

"Anakin," she scorned, "We have company."

Anakin sat up and turned to see Obi-Wan, Sabe, Captain Typho, and another hand maiden enter the room. Typho was too interested in his conversation with the two women to notice Padme straddling Anakin on the couch, but Obi-Wan wasn't, and shot Anakin a warning glance. Padme caught the warning and rolled off of her husband, pulling him to his feet. They caught each other's eyes, and Anakin smiled as Padme made a playfully annoyed face towards Obi-Wan.

"We're all friends here, Master Kenobi," she said, picking up the edges of her light, multi-colored gown. Anakin noticed it was the same one she had worn when they had first arrived at the Lake Retreat on Naboo. She had done it on purpose, he knew, just to make him want her all throughout dinner.

During dinner, Anakin would give Padme longing looks from across the table, and she would return flirtatious ones. No matter how long they had been married, she still liked to tease him. Every so often, Obi-Wan would catch one of the looks, and send a warning one in both their directions, but nobody said anything. Little did Obi-Wan know, underneath the table, Padme's bare feet were kicking lightly at Anakins'

Yes, they were playing a low-key game of footsie.

After dinner, the small crowd spread; Dorme and Sabe to the cleaning, Typho to his guard duties, and Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan to the fountain chamber below their apartment.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan had been walking between the couple, all thoughtful, before he finally addressed his old Padawan. "About our discussion earlier today..."

"Yes?" The response came almost too eagerly.

"I do not wish to continue it." He paused, receiving a confused look from Anakin. "I just hope you and Padme both know what you're doing."

Padme, who had been mostly silent all night, suddenly found the time to speak.

"I assure you, Master Jedi, we intend to keep this a secret. You and Sabe are the only people that know."

"Oh?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "And I wonder; What are your plans for after-birth?"

Padme glanced to Anakin, and he nodded, answering for her. "Padme and I hope to raise the child on Naboo. I, of course, will have to be declared either dead or missing-"

His wife cut in, "We don't want Anakin to be expelled from the order for this. He'll be gone a few years to raise our child with me, then return to the order when we think it's time."

Obi-Wan nodded. "You must be careful with this," he said, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "It may not be so easy to return."

Anakin shrugged off his hand. "We understand," he guaranteed his former master. "It's something we're willing to risk."

"Obi-Wan has gone back to the temple, and Dorme and Sabe have gone home," Padme informed her husband as she walked into their room. He was laying face down on the bed, and turned over to gaze wearily at her.

"We could have handled that better," he mused, sitting up.

Padme shot him an annoyed look. "You could have handled it better." she corrected, attitude clinging to her tone. She stood in front of the glass wall, her back turned to him, and watched as inhabitants of the city planet sped by.

Sighing deeply, Anakin pushed himself off the bed and walked to her. He slipped his arms through hers and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her gently, but tightly into him. She leaned into his embrace more than willingly.

"I love you so much." Padme could feel his warm breath as Anakin whispered in her ear, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She placed her arms over his and looked up, lips parted.

"I love you too," she mumbled, just before he closed the gap between them, pressing his lips against hers. This time, Anakin parted his lips, and their tongues met in his mouth. She turned her body slowly, and slid her arms so they were pressed against his chest. Slowly, Anakin allowed himself to be pushed to the bed, where she gently pushed him down, giggling.

He gripped her elbows, chuckling with her, as she straddled his waist one leg at a time.

I'm trying to write as fast as possible, but truth be told, I don't really know where I'm going with this. Is it bad that I'm going strictly off the top of my head?

Review response(s);

Eridani; Hm, thanks. I actually struggled with that part, trying to find a way to atleast hint to it, so I'm glad you caught that. I probably had to change it a few times, heh.