Disclaimer: It's George's sandbox. I just play here, because it's fun.

AN: Here's chapter 8! Thanks for all the great reviews!

Never Gone

Chapter 8:

Yoda sighed heavily, as his ship sped through hyperspace. He had visited Kamino to see the Clone army for himself. Thanks for representative Binks' decision to give the Chancellor emergency powers, they were now on the verge of war. He was no heading to Geonosis with a battalion of Clone troops. He sensed a great disturbance in the Force and knew that master Windu would need help.

"Sir, we are approaching Geonosis," one clone, who was identified as Commander Cody, said.

"Very good commander. Bring us out of hyperspace," Yoda replied.

"Yes sir," the clone replied. Yoda sighed heavily again. Dark and dangerous places this war would take them.

Red clashed furiously with purple. Dooku and Mace circled each other, before bringing their sabers up in another arc.

"This little duel of our has been refreshing, but it is past time for me to go," Dooku said.

"You're not going anywhere, except prison for your crimes against the Republic," Mace replied.

"Oh, I don't think so," Dooku replied, as he parried and brought his saber around. Bringing it up, he caught Mace by surprise. He struck Mace in the thigh, causing a fairly deep laceration. Mace cried out in pain, as his leg gave out and he fell to the ground.

"You fought gallantly Master Windu, I'm sorry that it has to end this way," Dooku said, as he raised his saber for the killing strike. A faint tapping got his attention and Dooku turned to face the diminutive figure that had just entered the room.

"Master Yoda," Dooku said.

"Count Dooku," Yoda replied.

"You have interfered far too much with our plans," Dooku said, as he shot Force lightning at Yoda. Yoda held out his palm and thrust it back at Dooku. He deflected it and it hit the ceiling.

"I can see this contest cannot be decided by our use of the Force, but rather our skills with a light saber," Dooku said, as he drew the curved shaft of his saber and ignited it. Yoda pulled back his cloak and willed his saber into his hand. He pressed the igniter and the emerald blade blazed forth. Yoda flipped into the air and began the duel.

Jango Fett flipped off his comlink. He had just got a tip from a friend on Tatooine that he had spotted Senator Amidala in Mos Espa with a local boy. At first, Jango scoffed at the claim, until they had mentioned there was a middle-aged man with a beard with them. They had described the man as having reddish hair, long in the back and definitely not a native of Tatooine.

"Kenobi," Jango spat. He had successfully delivered the Separatist leaders to remote planet of Dantooine where Count Dooku would be coming soon to oversee the production of more droids. Dantoonie's wet climate was not very desirable, but it's deep canyons made a perfect place for them to construct their factories.

"Come Boba, we're going to Tatooine," Jango said...

Padme stepped inside Anakin's garage. They had eaten dinner not too long ago and suffered through Owen's jokes about why they had to go get bacta from her ship. Anakin had endured all the banter and fired right back, for he was not one to be outdone. Then Beru had joined in and teased Owen herself.

"Well, I think it's sweet. Why can't you be more romantic like Anakin?" Beru had asked. Padme giggled, when she remembered Owen stumbling around his words, before finally just remaining silent. Shmi had been quiet with a knowing smile on her face. It brought her immense joy to see her baby boy so happy. Padme stood back, as sparks flew around the machine Anakin was working on, as he wielded the part into place. He smiled and removed his safety goggles.

"Now, we'll see if our little trip to get this part was worth it," Anakin said, as he replaced the panel on the vaporator and switched it on. It hummed to life and ran perfectly.

"Good as new," he said. Padme wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek.

"Like there was ever any doubt that you could fix it," she replied. He wiped his hands on a rag and then wrapped his arms around her waist. He tilted his head and brought his lips to hers. Padme closed her eyes and guided her lips to his.Anakin gently moved his lips over hers in a sensual rhythm. Padme gently parted her lips, allowing Anakin's velvety tongue to slip into her mouth. Padme moaned into the kiss, as their tongues collided and fought for control. Anakin pushed the tools away on his work bench and lifted her up, so that she was sitting before him. He had yet to break the kiss and Padme pulled him closer between her legs, as she ran her fingers through his thick curls. Anakin momentarily broke the kiss to gaze into her eyes.

"I still can't believe it sometimes," he said.

"Believe what?" she asked, as she stroked his cheek with the back of her hand.

"That you're with a guy like me and that you've chosen me," he replied.

"I think we were made for each other baby," Padme replied, as she gazed at him fondly, thinking about how handsome he was.

"I like to think so," he replied, as he kissed her again. Anakin kissed her deeply for a long moment, before reluctantly ending the kiss and helping her off his work bench.

"Come on, we should take this to Cliegg or he'll send Owen to look for me. And if he caught us like this, he'd never let me live it down," Anakin joked. Padme laughed and looped her arm in his, as they left the garage.

Anakin unloaded the vaporator off the back of the speeder bike and set it down where his step-dad wanted it. Cliegg flipped it on and smiled broadly as it hummed perfectly. He pat Anakin on the back soundly.

"You're a miracle worker son. She sounds as good as new," Cliegg said.

"No problem dad, you know I like fixing things. Our eventful trip to Mos Espa paid off," Anakin said, as he looked around.

"Where's Owen?" Anakin asked. Cliegg chuckled.

"He's with Beru. Seems he's determined to show Beru that he can be romantic too," Cliegg laughed heartily. Both Anakin and Padme laughed with him. Cliegg started to head back up to the house.

"Don't stay out here too long," he said. Anakin nodded and wrapped his arms around Padme's waist. She leaned into his embrace and they held each other while watching the binary sunset.

Jango Fett and is son Boba arrived on Tatooine early the next morning. After speaking to his contact, who revealed that she and the other man were with a boy named Anakin Skywalker, they went to Watto's shop. Watto flapped his wings and went to greet his customers.

"What can I do for you?" Watto greeted. Jango replied by leveling his blaster at him. Watto put his hands up in astonishment.

"I need to know where Anakin Skywalker lives," Jango stated. Sebulba, who was also in the shop buying parts for his racer, raised his eyebrow.

"What did the brat do?" Sebulba asked.

"I'm after the woman that's with him. My client wants her dead," Jango replied.

"I can show you where Skywalker lives...for a price," Sebulba said.

"We'll discuss that later. Just show me where he lives," Jango spat, as he pointed the blaster at Sebulba.

"Are you going to kill the boy?" Sebulba asked.

"If he gets in my way," Jango replied. Sebulba smirked evilly and followed Jango to his speeder...

Count Dooku was tiring quickly. He was exerted from his earlier battle with Mace and his old master was still a very formidable opponent.

"Fought well you have, my old padawan," Yoda said.

"Yes, but I'm afraid this duel will have to be finished another day," Dooku said, as he used the Force to release a beam. He sent it barreling down on Master Windu. Yoda extinguished his saber and reached deeply into the Force, effectively stopping it and setting it aside. But this provided Dooku with the opportunity he needed to escape. Yoda ordered a couple of troops to help Mace back to the ship. For now, they would return to Coruscant...

It was midday and the binary suns were high in the sky. The Tatooine heat was in full Force and Padme fanned herself again, as she sat in the shade that was provided by the house. She didn't know how he stood the heat, but there he was, standing out in it like it didn't bother him a bit. She much preferred the cooler Tatooine evenings when she and Anakin would lay under a sky blanketed by stars. It was quickly becoming a nightly thing for them and she couldn't wait until those awful suns would set. Then, she would cuddle into his arms, breath in his familiar scent, and lay underneath the stars with him. Anakin smiled at her and waved his hand in front of her face. She looked up at him and blushed, realizing that he had caught her daydreaming. He beamed at her and leaned down, pressing a soft, tender kiss to her lips.

"What were you thinking about?" Anakin asked curiously. She smiled slyly.

"You," she replied, as she stood up and gave him another kiss. Anakin was about to follow her into the house, when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end. He turned abruptly, scanning the miles of sand in front of him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"There's trouble young one," Qui-Gon spoke to him.

"Ani, what is it?" Padme asked, a wave of concern washing over her face.

"I'm...I'm not sure. I think we might have been discovered," Anakin said. Before he could call for Obi-Wan, the Jedi Knight was already there.

"Obi-Wan, I sense something dark in the Force," Anakin said. Obi-Wan looked at him, still surprised by how the Force imparted to him.

"I sense it too and it's familiar. I think it may be the bounty hunter I encountered on Kamino," Obi-Wan said.

"Bounty hunter!" Anakin exclaimed. Obi-Wan nodded and drew his saber. Anakin grabbed the blaster from his belt and energized it.

"Go inside Padme," Anakin ordered. Padme wanted to protest, but she knew that she should do what Anakin and Obi-Wan said. She scurried inside, but peered out of the entrance enough so she could see them.

Not much later, they could see a speeder with three figures in it heading straight for them.

"Let the Force flow though you Anakin. Let it guide your movements and listen to its call," Qui-Gon's voice reminded him. Anakin did as he was instructed and centered himself in the Force. Obi-Wan looked over at him in astonishment, wondering how he was doing that. No one had ever taught him to do such things and opening one's self up to the Force like Anakin was doing now required an intense amount of training. He promised himself that he would ask Anakin about it after this. Obi-Wan and Anakin readied their weapons, as the speeder drew closer...