Hello Everyone . Woah, life has been busy! Lol, I apologize for all of the short chapters, butthis one is a bitlonger at the request of, well everyone ha ha. I would make them much longer but wow, not enough time in a day :S For chapter 10 I'll try to make it much longer okay folks? Thank you everyone for all of your reviews and support, they keep me goin! Lol, lots of love,

-Eversohuggable

Chapter 9 – Suspision

In the midst of space, on their way to Naboo, Anakin, Padme, and Paulo were all aboard the ship that was to bring them to negotiation. Anakin, keeping a close eye on Padme at all times, decided to put the ship on Auto for the next couple of hours, and unpack his belongings in his sleeping area. Walking into his quarters, he looked from end to end of the small area, and sat himself down on the cot that was conveniently rolled out for him already. Bringing his hands up to his face, and than running them through his hair, he exhaled heavily. Stress, stress, stress.

"Anakin?"

Padme's soft, soothing voice caught his attention, and he focused his gaze on her figure standing in the door way.

"I….set up your quarters, I wasn't sure if you would have the time to do it yourself, I mean, piloting the cruiser with Paulo and…I…."

Padme gradually brought her eyes down to the floor as she trailed off her sentence. She wasn't quite sure what she should say to him right now, Paulo could be right next door with his ear pressed up against the wall for all she knew. She than brought her eyes to linger with Anakin's, seeing the pain inside of him that was aching to get out. Suddenly, she gathered up the courage to sit herself beside him, and place a soft kiss on his cheek.

"It'll be okay"

Padme stated those words with more strength than she had had in a long time, and Anakin noticed. Anakin placed his hands on either side of her face, and brought her close to him, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Padme, I hate to say this but, are you sure it was Paulo that night? Who…"

"ANAKIN of course I'm sure!"

She replied, putting emphasis on his name so he would know that she is, and was always positive of what had happened, and who had done it. Anakin's light saber lay on the table beside his bed.

"Y…you don't believe me, do you?"

Anakin shook his head,

"Of course I….Padme isn't it just…."

Padme wasn't angry with Anakin for doubting her, she was ashamed, and she was scared. She was hurt that he would even question attempted rape. At last, she was determined to get him to listen, and she would do it the easy way, and if need be, the hard way.

"Anakin if you don't listen to what I have to say I'll….!"

Padme lifted his light saber and pressed it to his stomach, what she wasn't aware of however, was that she was holding it the wrong way, and if she had activated it, she would impale herself.

"I'll run you through with your own light saber!" she shouted.

Anakin looked down at his love, and saw the way she was grasping the light saber. If she really had had the light saber in his direction, he would almost be willing to see if she would activate it, however her life was now at stake , and her threats meant more to him than what she had intended.

"Okay, Padme, I will listen , but first…"

Anakin took hold of the light saber, noticing her trembling hands.

"This, goes this way…."

He instructed crucially. Padme immediately turned flush, and tears pricked the back of her eyes.

"Ani I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you….and I would never run you through with it but…."

Anakin shook his head, and kissed her neck.

"It's alright, I know this has been hard for you, and Padme, I do believe you, I could never doubt you. It's him I doubt, denying his presence here in the Interior".

Suddenly, the door to Anakin's quarters slid open. There Paulo stood, with his blaster in his belt, and a smug grin on his face.

"Pad…er, Senator Amidala? May I be so bold to ask for a moment of your time?"

Padme shook her head.

"Actually, I was just about to retire, if you'll excuse me…"

Padme tried to make her way past him, but he put his arm out against the frame of the door, blocking her passage out.

"It will only take a second, M'lady…if you please?"

Padme shook slightly, however refused to let him see the fear she had for him. She turned to Anakin, and he knew.

"Master Skywalker, I'll say goodnight than, sleep well".

As she turned around to let Paulo escort her to the deck, she placed her hands behind her back, crossing her fingers, signaling to Anakin to be very, very aware of the activity going on between herself and Paulo. The door to Anakin's quarters closed.

Paulo took Padme to the main bridge of the ship, where glass windows covered the entire room, giving the two a perfect view of the many stars and planets as they passed by them quite swiftly. Paulo turned to Padme, and observed her actions. Everytime he would pace towards her, she would take a step back. When he spoke, she looked as if he was poisoning her with metaphor and scripture.

"Padme, it has been too long since I have seen you, years, in fact, has it not?"

Padme stared straight ahead, avoiding his gaze. He knew what he had done, and she was going to prove it, some how.

"8 years". She replied.

"Quite the gap, Senator. Quite, the, gap". Paulo's words cut into her , it wasn't what he was saying, it was how he was saying it.

"Paulo, I am not blind, nor stupid. You know exactly what you did to me nearly 3 nights ago, and I'm not playing the "it didn't happen" game".

Padme was clearly putting the uncomfortable topic into play first, she wanted answers.

"Senator I have no idea what you speak of, I was no where near Coruscant these past few days".

Paulo turned his back to her, and searched his thoughts.

"Don't lie to me!" Padme raised her voice, she was quickly getting angered at his ignorance.

"Tell me you did it!"

Paulo stopped pacing , and chuckled lightly. Quickly turning himself towards her again, he brought his hand to her shoulder, and brought his lips to her ear, and began to whisper,

"And if I did?"

She shook very noticeably this time, there was no hiding fear from Paulo, it was his specialty to seek out what she wanted to hide.

"My lady, I assure you , and your Jedi Master, that you will be with me, in my quarters, in my bed before we leave. Is that understood?"

Padme turned to run from his harsh words, but he stopped her, grasping her in his arms.

"Leaving so soon?"

Paulo immediately masked both of their presence from the force, and Anakin could no longer sense anything happening between the two. Padme screamed, unaware that her presence had also been masked. Why wasn't Anakin coming? Did he not care? W…was he in on what Paulo had planned? Was she a fool all along? She quickly shook her head, bringing herself to the conclusion that Paulo was putting these vulgar thoughts into her mind.

"Stop It!" She shouted, and brought her hands to her face, tears began to fall into the palms of her hands.

Paulo ran his hands over her shoulders, and down her chest, and than just as quickly as he had started to assault her, he let go, and left her sobbing in the corner of the ship. He was gone. Padme was alone.

45 minutes had gone by, and Anakin had just lost contact with Padme through the force. He was clearly out of his mind, thinking to let her go with Paulo alone. He put his light saber into his belt, and opened his quarter's door, running to the Bridge of the ship. She was back in his presence, it dawned on him that Paulo had masked there presence. Running faster, faster down the long corridor, Anakin finally slid the last door open with the movement of his hand, letting the force control the movement of the door. There was Padme.

Padme sat curled up to the wall in the corner, crying softly. Her night gown straps that were once on her shoulders, rested on her arms. Her soft, creamy leg was now exposed as Anakin saw that the dress had been lifted to her thigh. He quickly gathered her in his arms, and felt her shake violently.

"P…padme….shhh….".

Anakin tried to hush her sobs, and carried her back into his quarters. Laying her on his bed, he quickly pulled up a computer scan of the entire ship, trying to pin point Paulo's location. He was no longer on board.

'How is this possible…?' Anakin thought to himself. How can one just disappear like that? For god sakes we are flying through the galaxy, where the hell could he have gone! Anakin, clearly frustrated, slammed his hand against the wall.

Padme stood up, and rested her hand on Anakin's shoulder, as he had his eyes shut tightly.

"This is my fault Anakin, not yours, please….please Ani listen to me…"

Padme pleaded with him to forgive her for bringing him into this nightmare.

Anakin turned around and kissed the palm of her hand.

"Padme this is no where near your fault, not at all. However we should go back to Coruscant and report this…"

"ANI! Who will believe us? He vanished into thin air! Even Jedi aren't that oblivious to the force's power, and no one can wield the force to make them disappear into thin air either! Clearly we have no argument, and are stuck with an excuse to avoid this mission."

Anakin sighed, it was nearly 2 am. Without saying a word, he sat down on his cot, pulling Padme down with him. Stripping off his Jedi garments, he let himself under the cool blankets, and lead Padme in with him. She was trembling, yet again. He put his arms around her, and gently kissed her soft, inviting lips.

"Ani, I'm…what if he comes back?"

Anakin pulled Padme closer to him, wrapping the blankets around her body.

"He won't get through me, to you, without a fight. I won't let him win".