Author's Note: Hi everyone! I had a good time writing this chapter, hope you enjoy it! Thanks again for the reviews - hope you'll continue the trend! You guys are the best!
Anakin felt his mouth drop open as he took in the scene. Padme was frozen in place as she stared in horror at what she had done. Obi-wan's eyebrows were arched in surprise and Master Windu... Well, he was squeezing his eyes shut to keep the wine from running into them.
So, this is how it's going to end. I'm going to be struck down defending Padme from an enraged Jedi Master covered in red wine. Thanks a lot, Obi-wan. Some Master you are, Anakin thought glumly.
Finally, Padme seemed to emerge from her stupor. Running for the kitchen, she returned with a handful of soft towels and offered them to Mace, pressing them into his hands. Reaching up, he dabbed at the red liquid before finally opening his eyes, his mouth stretched in a firm line. Walking forward, he kept his back to the group as he faced the far wall.
"Oh, Master Windu, please forgive me," Padme pleaded. "I simply lost my head for a moment there. We've been under such pressure and I was anxious to get Master Kenobi back for an earlier prank... And, well, I'm very sorry."
"No, Padme, you mustn't take the blame for this," Obi-wan interjected. "Master Windu, it was my fault. I was teasing the Senator and you came in on the back end of it. The fault lies with me. I realize my behavior was not appropriate, especially for a Jedi."
Anakin edged his way towards his wife, keeping a watchful eye on the angry, wine-soaked Master. Concerned, he watched Mace's shoulders begin to tremble before a loud burst of laughter echoed throughout the room. Startled, Anakin rocked back on his heels as the Jedi Master turned towards them.
"Please Senator, Master Kenobi - there is no need to apologize," he insisted in between gulps of laughter. "You should see the looks on your faces. Ah, yes, that is retribution enough."
Padme sagged against the wall, relieved beyond belief. She released her death grip on Anakin's tunic and smoothed the wrinkles away. After a moment, she began to snicker and her hands flew up to her mouth to try to stifle the sound. But then she caught a glance of Obi-wan's stunned expression which only made her laugh harder.
Anakin wondered if the universe had suddenly turned upside down as he watched the two Jedi Masters chuckling deeply while his wife wiped away tears before dissolving into another fit of giggles. Shaking his head, he simply retreated to the kitchen and finished the dinner preparations.
ONE HOUR LATER
Padme scooped up a forkful of rice as she listened to Obi-wan as he outlined the proposed plan for landing on Plauu. She tried to ignore the warning bells that were going off in her brain. They are Jedi, she told herself. They know what they are doing. Trust them.
But she couldn't shake the feeling there was something more sinister going on. I'm just being paranoid. Those cursed visions are making me question everything. Get a grip!
"Padme," she heard Anakin say and she brought her attention back to the conversation at hand.
"Yes?" she replied. The hand holding her fork stopped in mid-air as she met his gaze steadily. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what was coming next.
She was right.
"We're going to need you to stay with the ships. If you see any trouble, you must leave immediately - don't wait for us," Anakin explained. Mace nodded, obviously in full agreement as he took a long sip of his tea.
Padme was silent for a moment as she felt anger bubble up inside her.
"Anakin Skywalker! I have come all this way and now you're going to just leave me with the ships? If you'll remember, I held my own in the Battle of Geonosis!" She huffed, indignant. "Look, I might not be a Jedi, but I can help! And don't you think I have a right to find out what's causing all these visions?"
Anakin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Mace's eyebrows were raised to what would have been his hairline as he absorbed her uncharacteristic outburst. Obi-wan merely looked serene and nodded as if he understood her anger.
Padme returned her utensil to the plate and flexed her fingers, trying to work the blood back into her white knuckles. She tried to calm herself and blocked Anakin's tentative probe into her mind. Flashing him a frustrated look, she took a deep breath and began to speak in the best diplomatic voice she could muster.
"I understand that you may not think I can keep up, but I will, I promise." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she continued, "Please, I don't want to just sit in that blasted ship, wondering if I'm going to see the three of you again. Don't make me do that."
Anakin's eyes softened as he took in her words, but the worry did not leave his expression. Disappointment began to creep into her as she saw him slowly shake his head, but Obi-wan quickly interrupted.
"Padme, it's not that we don't need you," he promised solemnly. "You are quite a warrior yourself and dead accurate with a blaster. However, the visions that are plaguing you are incredibly unpredictable. And as we draw closer to the source and to this weapon, there's a chance the pull might become too hard for you to resist."
Stunned, she felt her heart flutter with fear as his words began to sink in. It would be like Master Windu said. I could become trapped in that nightmare. Forever.
"We can't take that chance," Anakin stated, his words pleading. She could read the emotion behind that sentence as clear as if he were speaking it directly. Padme, I can't lose you. I couldn't bear it. Please.
Resigned, she nodded and stabbed a piece of fruit with her fork. Before bringing it to her mouth, she forced a smile and said, "Very well. I understand your position. I will stay with the ships."
For a little while at least...
LATER THAT NIGHT
Padme watched the Jedi Masters bid Anakin a good evening before heading into the cold night. She was glad they were in the adjoining cabin as the weather had turned downright frigid. As the doors slid shut behind their cloaked figures, Artoo activated the extra security code and retreated to the far corner, shutting himself down.
With a sigh, Padme dropped onto the cushioned sofa and watched Anakin approach her nervously. They hadn't spoken much since their altercation at dinner and she knew it was bothering him. As much as she hated fighting with him, she knew Anakin hated it even more. Wanting to soothe away his worries, she held out her hands in a gesture of forgiveness and warmth. He crossed the distance hurriedly and swept her into his arms.
They didn't actually exchange verbal apologies until much, much later.
OUTSIDE CABINS OF JEEPA - NEXT MORNING
Padme craned her neck, searching for any sign of their ships, but came up empty. She turned to Anakin but he simply shrugged, not spotting anything either.
Her ears caught a rustling sound as Obi-wan and Mace emerged from their cabin. Mace was wearing one of the warm fuzzy hats they had won the day before and had tied it under his chin securely. He was frowning as his legs came into contact with the deep snow. Taking giant steps, he reached the platform quickly, Obi-wan a few seconds behind.
"Good morning," Padme greeted, her teeth chattering slightly. Anakin wrapped an arm around her, trying valiantly to keep her warm.
Finally, the hologram beeped on and four pairs of eyes turned towards it. The voiceover stated, "Welcome to the Seventh Leg of Racing Through the Stars. As you may have noticed, your ships are not stationed here as they have been in previous legs. That's because we're starting this leg with a challenge. Teams will fasten runners to their boots and ski down Dead Man's Descent. Your ships are waiting for you at the bottom, along with your next clue."
Turning, Padme hurried towards the giant basket, where she could see several pairs of the aforementioned runners sticking out of the top. The several layers of clothing she was wearing made running awkward, but she moved as quickly as she could. Hopefully all these layers will protect me during what will surely be a spectacular fall at the bottom, she thought dispassionately. Anakin laughed quietly as he caught her line of thinking.
She quickly locked the runners in place, remembering to fasten them tightly over her boots as she had done with the iceblades. Turning around was not very easy and she almost eliminated her chance for children with Anakin as the tip of her ski grazed his midsection. He paled momentarily before regaining his composure and sliding backwards, moving out of her range. "Sorry!" she called sheepishly. She grimaced and continued to straighten herself out.
Finally, she realized she could use the provided poles to navigate herself a bit better and she made her way towards the hillside. As she slid past Obi-wan, he promptly tipped over and got stuck in the snow, causing Anakin to make a big show out of coming over to help him up. Padme looked over at Mace and smiled at the Jedi Master's determination. He leaned back slowly and then sprang forward, zooming down the hill at an alarming rate.
Well, she thought nervously. Here goes nothing.
Mimicking Mace's actions, she pushed off and raced down the hill, bending her knees to absorb the impact of the small bumps. Her eyes began to water as the wind whipped past her head, her body continuing to pick up speed. Suddenly aware that she had no way to stop, she began to issue a litany of very salty words, the curses not losing any impact even though they were shrieked in silence. She could feel Anakin's surprise at her knowledge of some of them, but her panic quickly knocked his thoughts aside.
The small corner of her mind that was still rational realized the ground had finally leveled out and she sailed across it, wincing as she saw the giant snow bank in the distance. Dragging her poles in the dense snow, they were suddenly ripped from her grasp and her arms spun like windmills as she fought to keep her balance. With a cry of reluctance, she plowed into the piles of fluffy snow, feeling her breath leave her body in a whoosh.
She blinked the snow out of her eyes, and realized she was staring up at a perfectly clear sky. She was certain a group of angels were going to fly by at any moment. Suddenly, a smiling Master Windu peered down at her and she raised a gloved hand to her forehead.
"Am I dead?" she asked. He simply laughed and hauled her out of the snow, setting her next to a disheveled Obi-wan.
Much to her aggravation, Anakin had come to a complete stop several yards away and was already out of his runners, striding confidently towards her. She unlocked the straps from her boots and stepped free, kicking them away in her haste. Her gaze softened as she looked towards Anakin.
"Oh, if that isn't a sight for sore eyes," she breathed. Her face radiated sheer joy.
Realizing the intimate words were spoken in front of his Masters, Anakin looked down at his feet, blushing. Much to his surprise, Padme brushed past him and headed for the ship, exclaiming happily as she boarded.
With a frown, he followed.
