CHAPTER ELEVEN

Padmé sat alone in her living area staring at the digital clock on the opposite wall, wondering what was keeping Dorme. She had said she only had one errand to run, but that was over two hours ago.

She found she was acutely aware of the time this morning since she had been staring at the clock on the wall now for exactly two hours, 46 minutes, and 22 seconds.

In another hour he would be gone.

She fought back the sudden urge to cry, swallowing the lump forming in her throat at the thought that she would not see his face, feel his touch or hear his voice for at least six months. Six months? Who was she kidding? It could possibly be forever! He was so angry the last time she saw him, but then so was she.

She should have explained, denied what he had said and told him the truth, told him how she really felt. That it didn't matter how long he was gone. She would wait for him. She would wait as long as she had to. It didn't matter. She had to tell him the truth. Before he left.

She quickly glanced back at the clock. Fifty minutes. She had 50 minutes before his shuttle took him to his ship and away from her, and blast it all, if Coruscant shuttles weren't notorious for being on time.

Forty-nine minutes. What was she waiting for!

Not even bothering to voice command her alarm, she bolted from her apartment and into the turbolift, hope filling her heart.

As the turbolift reached the ground floor, Padmé desperately pushed her way through the crowd of people attempting to board it. She did not see the figure of the handsome bearded Jedi Knight who boarded the turbolift across from her.

"Driver! Can't you get there any faster?"

"I'm sorry Senator. It's morning rush hour and this space lane is apparently blocked by a stalled cargoship ahead."

"Then change lanes!"

Her driver hesitated.

"Do it!"

Padmé gripped the rail separating them as the craft swooped down to a lower lane and adjusted to a faster speed to accommodate the moving traffic.

She rushed onto the loading platform where Obi-Wan's shuttle was to depart at a dead run. The attempt at catching her breath quickly turned to a sob as she saw the thrusters of the shuttle fire and the ship blast away.

"No. Obi-Wan." It was a desperate plea falling on ears that would not hear her. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She sobbed.

"Sorry for what?"

Padmé spun and was stunned for a moment to see him standing in front of her. He was smiling broadly, his entire face lit up and his eyes were glittering like sunlight on blue waters. He was so beautiful.

"Obi-Wan!" Emerging from her shock, she threw her arms around his neck and held him so tight, he could hardly breathe. And thenwas placing kisses on her neck, her cheeks, her forehead, her eyes, before finally meeting her mouth, devouring the sweet nectar of her.

He released her slowly, touching his forehead to hers, smiling once more. "Sorry for what?" He repeated.

"For pretending not to care, when I do Obi-Wan. I care..so much. I love you...so much." Once more his lips molded to hers, his arms closing tightly about her.

She murmured into his ear as he held her against him. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how long you are gone. I'll wait. I'll always be here for you, Obi-Wan. Always."

His mouth was once more on her, caressing, seeking, growing in its demands, until Padmé stopped him with her hand gently pushing against his chin. "Obi-Wan! We're in public!"

"I don't care. I love you and I don't care who knows. I'd tell Master Yoda to his face if he were here right now." He again touched his forehead to hers and spoke in a low whisper. "Marry me."

Once again, Padmé was stunned.

Obi-Wan felt it necessary to repeat himself. He wanted it to be a question. He needed to hear her answer.

"Marry me? Please?"

Padmé swooped up and this time was the aggressor as her mouth claimed his, leaving him breathless and desirous of much more.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Definitely, a yes."

Hidden in the shadows of the space port office building, Dormé stood with her arms crossed and large smile on her face. "He did it. He actually did it!"

She mumbled to herself as she strolled away from the platform. "Let's see...there's the guest list...the actual wedding to book...which has to be on Naboo...the cake...the dress...I need at least three months...plenty of time. Just leave everything up to me..."