He studied the assortment of shadows dancing on the opposing wall…

Anakin was cold. Colder then he'd ever felt before. Nothing, he believed, could make him feel warm again, not the crackling fire attempting to on his left, nor the heavy blanket covering his shivering body. He couldn't think. He felt so…so rejected. He had gone through the first two stages of rejection: Anger, and then sad realization. Now the third stage was taking place: Numbness.

The boiling of water and the tinkling of cups resonated from the kitchen area of Guil's apartment. She peaked through the doorway.

"Ani, tea's ready. How would you like yours, strong, no?"

He shrugged. He could care less.

Guil frowned. "I'll make it strong…" she muttered to herself.

She walked as best as she could holding a tray containing a tea kettle and two teacups. She set it down gently on the table Anakin's feet were now laying on and gingerly picked up a teacup and handed it to him. He took it without saying anything, and looked down at the tea leaves as if he were trying to read them and prophesize.

Guil put a hand on his shoulder. Anakin looked up at the scarred face. He felt pity. She was so physically beautiful before and now that was gone. He wasn't being shallow, he was just acknowledging that fact

Guil answered, as if reading his mind, "Yes, I know," she said with a little laugh, "I'm not too pretty anymore, am I? I try to make up for it with my personality."

"No Guil, you're beautiful. But I was just thinking how much easier people would see it had you only looked like you did before the fire."

The fire…She made an amused chuckle again. "Ridiculous how I live on a water planet, and yet I was unable to save my house or my family."

She looks so sad and unhappy, thought Anakin. "I'm so sor—"

Guil looked at him with a hard determination in her eyes that he had never seen before. "No don't be. One day I'll find a way to end death. People won't have to die, would never have to suffer! Never again will people have to mourn the death of loved ones, like I did, like what I have to go through every single day. Ani, do you understand me? I will close the portal of death. One day…"

The passion in her voice was so strong that Anakin felt a yearning to just lean over and kiss her hard on the lips. He did so without hesitation.

"Ani, what was that for?" Guil was so surprised that her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. So had Anakin's…

"I'm sorry." He was embarrassed now. What had come over him? "It's just that, what you said is so true, and you have so much passion and determination, and I don't know what came over me…sorry." He cast his glance toward the rug. He didn't have to courage to look her in the eyes. But for some odd reason, his numbness went away…

Embarrassment, he reflected, is better than numbness at least.

Guil was studying her teacup pattern, unwilling to show Anakin how much she actually enjoyed the kiss. She didn't have feelings for him…not yet at least. But hey, it was a good kiss.

"Uh, Guil, may I ask you something?" said Anakin, breaking the silence.

She knew this was coming. A sigh escaped from her lips. "You want to know why I said no to Wengo Eetlai's proposal, am I right?"

He nodded.

"Well, Anakin, it's because I didn't want to get too close to him, because if I got too attached, I knew it would end up hurting me sooner or later. And I didn't want to get hurt again, it was too soon. Attachment will kill you, Anakin, one way or another…"

Lie, she thought to herself, you're lying to him. This isn't the reason you said no to, Wengo. Emperor Palpatine, Darth Sidious, said it wasn't time to discuss the truth of the matter just yet…

"Oh, thank you for telling me that Guil."

Oh no, had he just read her thoughts? Her heart started pounding.

"I know attachment is a killer, and I learned that lesson today." Guil visibly relaxed. He hadn't read her mind.

"But now I understand why you said no to him, to Wengo. I guess it's a good reason, but Guil, he still cares for you. Very much."

I know, contemplated Guil, so do I, but I can't, I need to stick to the plan, and Wengo's not in it, but you are.

She just smiled at Anakin. He mustn't know the truth… just yet.

"Well it's late. I think it is best we retire for the night. If you want, you can stay here. The couch is quite comfortable."

He decided to stay. He didn't want to be by himself tonight, and like she said, the couch was comfortable. There was a lot to do tomorrow. Anakin had to deliberate with the Jedi Council and ask if he can be replaced with someone else for the duty of protecting Senator Amidala. He lied down on the couch…Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

"Wengo," whispered Padme. She had stayed with Wengo for the night. "Wengo, wake up!"

She was returned with a groggily answer of, "It sooo late. Go back to sleep." Wengo had kindly let Padme sleep in his bed while he slept on the couch, and his couch was not as comfortable as his bed. But he had to be a nice boyfriend…

Padme pulled the blanket off of Wengo's curled body. It was a cold night, and she knew that he wouldn't last very long without warmth.

"All right, all right! What's the matter?" You could hear an annoyed tone in his voice, though he was trying his best to hide it. His best wasn't good enough.

"Wengo, do not talk to me like that! I would've taken the couch but you nicely offered your bed. And I had come here to tell you that I'm not feeling to good about this whole Anakin affair and I wanted you to sleep over there-she pointed to the bedroom- with me!"

Wengo was puzzled. He still wasn't totally awake. "Wait, wait, you want me to sleep in the same bed with you?"

"Well only because I feel really guilty about Anakin…" It was true. She felt saddened about Anakin finding Wengo and her earlier, and she just didn't want to be alone tonight.

Wengo thought about it. He knew he might be tempted to do things…and he knew that he still loved Guil, but the bed was so appealing. It was warm and so comfortable…he couldn't resist.

"Okay, but don't do anything fishy."

Padme playfully punched him.

"No... No... No... Mom... Don't, no, don't!"

Anakin was moving restlessly in his sleep. Sweat was already forming in little beads on his forehead. He turned violently and began to cry out again.

He screamed one last time, "NO!" and awoke with a finger prodding him in the arm. It was Guil. She looked very worried.

"Anakin are you all right? You were screaming out! You had a nightmare..." She placed a cool, soothing hand on his burning forehead. His heart was still beating outrageously.

"What happened?" she asked as she caressed his hair.

His breathing started becoming more and more controlled. When he finally relaxed, he sat up.

"I saw my mother. I saw her as clearly as I see you now. She is suffering, Guil. They're killing her! She is in pain..." There was a sort of urgency in his voice.

"It was just a dream…"

"NO! It's not. It can't be…" He sounded desperate.

"Maybe you were prophesizing? Some Jedi have the ability to do that. Master Yoda can, I know that. Perhaps tomorrow during you're meeting you should discuss it with them, but still, it was probably only a dream."

Anakin had a feeling it wasn't. He hands were cold and clammy and suddenly he became nervous.

What was wrong on Tatooine? Was his mother all right?

He knew that whatever the Jedi Council decided, he still had to go to Tatooine and check on his mother. He had to make sure she was safe, that she was all right.

Author: Okay so we're back on track with the plot of Episode II: Attack of the Clones, except slightly different. Ideas were bursting into my head so I had to take an extra day to sort it all out in my mind, yet still, I can't really organize them. But I'm bursting with ideas and I'm so excited about putting them into my story! AHHHHHH! I hope that i protray my ideas well though, i don't want to upset my readers.

As youcan see, Guil is not the girl whom everybody thinks she is, and she's actually the one who is thinking like the Anakin from the original Star Wars, so there's a bit of a question mark there. But alas, you will find out all the answers soon enough.

I hope you're enjoying it so far because i'm definitely enjoying writing this! I'm soooo excited right now for some reason lol.

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. keep 'em coming! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!