Chapter 2

I woke up in clean bed, which surprised me because my back still burned, and I could almost feel the blood on the wet bandages. The room was so bright, I had to blink a few times to get my eyes adjusted.

"Oh, you poor thing!" A woman, maybe a few years older than I rushed to my bedside. She had long, dark curly hair and deep hazel eyes. "We'll have to get you home."

"No." I said quietly. "I don't want to go home."

"Why not? Your father, Exil-Reytal, he came in this morning. He was so worried about you."

"He's not my father." I snapped.

"Honey, he said he was." The woman replied. "Are you sure he's not?"

"My mother never married him!" I coughed.

"It's alright, it's alright." She replied. "I'm going to bring him in." She walked out, and in came Exil-Reytal, dressed in his nicest clothes.

"Oh, Leena, I was so worried about you!" He said in a horribly fake tone.

"Go away." I said. He looked like he was going to hit me for a moment, then he regained his composure.

"I have to take you home, you can't run away like that."

"Are you kidding me?" I snapped. "You nearly beat me to death!"

"Shut up!" He said ferociously. "You have cost me so much trouble!"

"Sir, is everything alright?" The woman asked, no starting to believe me.

"Yes, everything is fine. This is our business, not yours. Just leave us alone."

"You beat me!" I screamed, seeing my opportunity.

"Shut the fuck up!" He shouted, slapping me.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to leave!" The woman said.

"This bitch!" He said pointing at me. "She's lying!"

"Sir!" the woman said again. "Leave."

"No!"

"Just leave me alone, all you do is hit me!" I said.

"You're done!" He shouted.

"Anakin!" The woman cried loudly as he started hitting me. "Anakin!"

The boy from earlier came running in, and wrestled Exil-Reytal off of me.

"You bitch!" He screamed.

"Leave her alone!" Anakin said, slamming him against the wall.

The man who saved me in the speeder came in too.

"Are you alright?" He asked. I was sobbing uncontrollably. The pain... it hurt so bad. This must be the worst feeling in the world. My bloodied back, I was laying on it, I could feel the flesh against the sheets. He held my face in his hands, trying to hold me steady. "Are you alright?"

"No, no." I said, truly afraid. "Please, don't let him near me."

"It's alright, no one's going to hurt you, no one's going to hit you. He won't touch you." The man said. Anakin continued to keep him pinned against the wall.

"Obi-Wan, what do we do with him?" The woman asked.

"Senator Amidala, I believe it best that he be put away. For good."

"I'll take care of that." Anakin said, leading him out.

I continued to cry, and the senator stayed with me long after everyone else had.

"You're very strong, Leena." She said.

"Thank you, Senator." I said, picking at the hospital food.

"You can call me Padme." She said. "I have never seen someone stand up to a person like him. Not even adults I know have been able to do that."

I was silent, unsure of how to respond. Do I say thank you again?

"How old are you?"

"I don't really know..." I said. "I haven't had a birthday since my mother died when I was six."

"That's terrible."

"It's not that bad." I said. "It doesn't matter how old I am, does it?"

"It doesn't hurt." Padme said. "I'm going to say you're eighteen."

"Okay." I said.

"You know, Anakin's nineteen. You guys could be friends."

"I guess." I said. "I've never had a friend before."

"Really?" She asked. "Well, this is a good time to start."