"Obi-Wan." Padme moved a little closer to his face. A little louder maybe. "Obi-Wan." There was still no response. "Obi-Wan!" This time she added a slight nudge with her hand.
"Hmmm?"
"Are you asleep?"
"I'm not now. What is it?"
"I can't sleep."
"And misery loves company?" Obi-Wan scooted himself up and leaned against the headboard of the bed. Padme was soon draped across his chest, listening to the steady and comforting rhythm of his heart.
"I'm worried about Anakin and Dorme."
"Oh, that again. Ouch! What did you pinch me for?"
"You are not taking this seriously enough! Dorme is upset! Anakin is hurt! Did you see his face when he came back into the restaurant?"
"He's young Padme. He'll get over it."
"No, he won't." She was sitting and facing him now, allowing her words to be accentuated by her eyes. "Dorme is the one responsible for getting you and I together. And don't start feeding me that Jedi nonsense about destiny!"
"You're so beautiful when you're angry."
Following a sensual and lingering kiss, Padme pulled back slightly to gaze upon her husband's handsome face. "You really need to stop doing that, or else we are never going to finish an argument!" She once again kissed him firmly and stroked a hand along his beard.
"Now, give me your honest opinion, love. I told Anakin that in order to prove to Dorme he is serious, he was going to have to do something drastic. You know him better than anyone. What do you think he'll do?"
Obi-Wan leisurely ran his fingers through Padme's long curls as he considered the possibilities. "Dorme doesn't race pods, does she? He could build her one of those, I suppose. He's also pretty handy with hyperdrive assemblies and shifting columns..."
Padme rolled her eyes at her husband's sense of humor. "Shhh." She suddenly placed a hand gently over his lips. "Do you hear that?"
"Yes."
"What is that?"
"It sort of sounds like a strangled Jerba, and it's coming from outside." He grabbed Padme by the hand, pulled her off the bed and they walked over to peer out the window.
"Well, I said drastic. That's pretty drastic." Padme was surprised at what she saw and began to giggle.
Obi-wan was simply stunned. Outside in a speeder, hovering in the darkness just beyond the ledge of their apartment balcony was Anakin. He was standing up, holding a bouquet of flowers and he was singing...loudly and very badly.
"This should be interesting." Obi-Wan drew Padme closer to him as they watched out the window and wrapped his arms securely about her.
"Interesting?"
"They say that love is blind. Let's see if it's deaf as well." Obi-Wan let out a small oomph as Padme's elbow struck him in the side. "Do you think she hears him?"
Suddenly, Dorme's voice shattered the silence of the darkened apartment. "Anakin! Are you crazy?"
"Yep. She hears him."
Dorme flung open the balcony doors with her mouth hanging open. "Anakin! Hush!"
"Not until you come with me for a ride." And then he continued singing, just as loudly and just as badly as before.
"A ride? To where?"
Anakin continued his song, inserting his next words into the lyrics. "Come along...and you will see...I will show you...come with me..."
"Okay, okay! I'll come with you, if you'll just stop singing!"
His song ended with a broad smile as he held out his hand and offered Dorme the bouquet of flowers.
"She's going with him?" Obi-Wan was amazed.
"Why wouldn't she? He gave her flowers! You never gave me flowers." Padme peered up into his face with a small teasing grin.
"I didn't have to. You were the one who chased me, remember? Ouch!"
