Chapter Seven

The only passenger Anakin had had in a speeder in the past nine years of his life had been his Master. And Master Obi-Wan didn't like to fly, at least not the way he liked to fly.

He swerved some oncoming traffic and dove suddenly to avoid a collision, glancing quickly to Dorme who smiled excitedly and grasped ahold of his arm. This could work to his advantage, he thought.

Without hestitation, Anakin increased his speed, whipping the ship around traffic, diving in and out of traffic lanes, the buildings of Coruscant becoming a blur. He once more glanced to Dorme whose cheeks were glowing in the neon lights of the city. She was smiling broadly and her hair had come undone, it's length whipping behind her.

To his amusement and pleasure, she leaned closer to him and whispered, "Faster Anakin!"

He knew there was a reason he fell in love with her.

He increased his speed even more and pulled the ship back into a steady incline and abruptly dove straight down at an incredible speed. Dorme screamed in delight at the rush. He pulled out of the dive and laughed along with her.

"That was incredible!" Dorme surprised herself when she leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Anakin's cheek. "Thank you."

"Any time."

"Now what is it you wanted to show me?"

"That wasn't enough to impress you?"

"Not quite." She smiled demurely at him.

"Oh Anakin!" Dorme looked around her in awe. Anakin had parked the speeder on the slanted rooftop of a very tall building. The city looked quite different from this vantage point. It was almost beautiful.

"This is the highest point in Coruscant. You can see the Jedi Temple, the Senate buildings, even your apartment. But this is why I come up here." Anakin leaned back in the seat and stared out into the distant stars.

"I can understand why." Dorme joined his posture, enjoying the view of the brillaintly glittering sky. On the lower levels of Coruscant, the stars were concealed by the glow of the city, but here, they were shining brightly and seemed almost close enough to reach out and touch.

"You come here often?"

"Not so much any more. But I did when my Master first let me start flying alone. It just seemed closer to..."

"To...what?" Dorme looked down from the view to catch a momentary pained expression on Anakin's face.

"My mom."

Dorme was aware of the occurrence on Tatooine all those years ago. She had found it appalling that a young boy should be taken from his mother like that. Even Padme's own anger flared at the injustice of it, and was probably the reason she had befriended Anakin all these years.

As these thoughts and memories came to her, Dorme began to look at Anakin in a different light.

"Have you heard from her at all?"

"Not in the last couple of years."

Dorme attempted to cheer him up. "If you want a mother - you could borrow mine, but only if you promise not to return her too quickly." It obviously hadn't worked. His coutenance was still gloomy. "I'm sorry Anakin. You must miss her."

He reached across and grasped ahold of Dorme's hand, and to her surprise, she not only allowed it, she was enjoying his touch.

"It wouldn't be so bad if I only knew she was okay. Tatooine is an evil place and the Hutts are vicious. I just wish..." His voice trailed off and Dorme squeezed his hand.

"I'm sure she's okay Anakin. She just has to be."

Anakin turned his head to look into the pair of beautiful dark eyes that were now glimmering in the city's lights with unshed tears. She did care about him. He still had a chance.

He sighed deeply at that thought and reached across the cockpit to run the back of his fingers in a gentle caress along her cheek and down her jaw. Dorme visibly trembled beneath his touch. The slight trembling turned to a tremor as she felt a gentle tugging of her chin and was helplessly drawn to his kiss.

This kiss was not like the one on Kintan. Not at all. That kiss they shared all those months ago was passionate, fueled by pheromones and desire. This kiss was fueled by tenderness, care...and could it be...love? Anakin's kiss continued to sweep across her face and gently back to her waiting mouth.

Though too early to admit it, the devastating kiss had sparked a realization deep within her. She was in love with Anakin Skywalker. Jedi Knight. Her mother was going to freak! Mother...Dorme pondered for a moment as Anakin began to kiss along her jaw and neck, his hands now wrapping themselves in her long dark hair. She was lucky. Her mother, although a bit flamboyant for her taste, had always been there for her. It grieved her now to not only know but understand the pain that Anakin had gone through as a child, and the pain he was still suffering in not knowing.

By the time that Anakin's mouth found hers once more, Dorme had already made up her mind what to do. She was not going to let the man she loved suffer any longer.