Disclaimer: I DO own Star Wars Episode III on DVD. And the original trilogy…except that's on VHS.

A/N: Read and Review, please. Y'all know the drill. Oh, and I bumped the rating up to T. Just for safety's sake.

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Chapter Twenty

PART ONE: BUDDING

She was there extra early, having been unable to sleep that entire night, pacing in little circles in front of the lilies. In between her fingers was a strand of her long red hair—she was playing with it, twirling it about nervously.

Damn it, where WAS he? Granted, it was only 0150…he did have ten more minutes to go…but she wanted to END this all! It had been plaguing her thoughts for the past two weeks, forbidding her to sleep, and the hours of sleep that she did get were spent feverishly dreaming. She couldn't focus, she couldn't fight, and she couldn't listen in class without thinking about him and it. It was a huge, throbbing headache that simply would not go away.

And suddenly there he was, walking purposefully out of the Temple, looking about warily. And then he caught sight of her.

She had missed him. There was no denying that. She had missed his laugh, his wry sense of humor, his sarcasm, his ability to make her laugh, his deep, deep blue eyes...and that sense of belonging that she felt whenever he was around.

Was she trying to drive him insane? Two weeks! Two bloody, hell ridden weeks without her! And now she was standing there, looking so unbelievably gorgeous, with her hair loose and cascading down her back, green eyes sparkling under the moonlight. Damn, he had missed her—everything about her.

He swore impatiently and in a few brief, brisk strides, crossed the lawn that separated them. Then he pushed her—crushed her, really—against the tree behind them, and kissed her thoroughly, his lips crashing down upon hers in a bruising, passion filled kiss, her eyes fluttering shut.

She felt his body flush up against hers, felt his warm, soft lips cover her own, felt his rough hands shift down from their position above her shoulders against the tree trunk to grasp her waist, and her knees went weak. She gasped for breath when he finally broke away, afraid that she would faint if he kept going, or that her racing heart would jump out of her body. And yet, when he came back a split second later, she didn't faint, nor did her heart escape her--although her eyes did see stars for a few moments behind closed lids. Instead she let her hands roam over his chest, one gripping his shoulder for sheer balance, and the other entangled in that blonde mess she loved.

Ali felt increasingly light headed with each kiss he showered upon her in a crescendo of fervor. Then at last, her brain caught up, and somewhere in the middle of the third kiss she pulled back from him, her body and heart crying out for more.

"What are you doing?" He murmured raggedly, his voice hoarse, nose tip still nuzzling her own. She could feel his chest heaving against her, and she tried to squirm away once more. He wouldn't let her—his arms tightened a little around her waist.

"Ani, stop it. Please." Her voice came out in a breathy beg instead of the firm command she was hoping for. He was trying to kiss her again, his eyes dark with desire, both of them literally panting for breath. She kept pulling back, dodging each attempt, and thus frustrating him.

"I've missed you," He whispered huskily, attacking her lips again. She put a hand up to block it, and he made a little noise of impatience.

"Ani, listen to me."

"I'm listening." His voice was muffled—giving up the attempts on her lips, he was now pressing little kisses across her jaw line, down her neck. It made the stomach butterflies awaken again with a vengeance, and she felt herself gasp when he kissed a particularly sensitive area. He chuckled against her neck, his breath hitting her bare skin in a way that made her heartbeat, if possible, race even faster.

This was a danger zone. Exactly what was not supposed to happen. She had to break this, and fast.

"Stop it, Anakin." Her tone was serious, and she backed away from him, tearing herself out of his grasp. "We need to talk."

He saw her face, with its somber countenance, and grinned roguishly.

"I'll save that for later, then. Talk. And hurry up, please." He was looking at her hungrily, wolfishly, almost undressing her with his eyes like he had been for the past two weeks. And it unnerved her to no end.

"Alright. Thank you for listening." She refused to meet his eyes, well aware, however, that they were upon her, fixed onto her face and its green, green eyes.

She took a deep breath and began.

"I have decided that it would be most beneficial to both of us and our futures not to become romantically involved with each other. Any situation of the sort could result in expulsion from the Jedi Temple and the termination of our hopes and dreams. Which, I'm sure, neither of us want." She recited. It had taken the better part of an hour to make it up and to get it memorized.

A stunned silence, one that she simply could not stand. Lifting her head up a bit, heart pounding in her chest, she met his eyes—they were confused, puzzled, angry, and hurt. His skin had paled, his eyes darkened in disbelief at her heartless words.

"Most beneficial to us and our futures?" He repeated quietly, his expression incredulous.

"Yes." She whispered. The lilies on the ground had become intensely interesting. Why couldn't she LOOK at him?

"Say that to my face, Ali." He demanded. "Look at me and say it."

"Anakin, please. I've given you my answer."

"Do it." His tone left no room for questions.

She closed her eyes, mustering her willpower, and looked up.

"I thought that it would…it would be most…most…b-beneficial…" She looked down again. "Damn it, Anakin. I told you my answer!"

"Damn it, Alianne, I won't take that for an answer!" He replied passionately. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't do this, her heart screamed. She had to do this, her head yelled louder.

"Look at me, Ali." His tone was softer, gentler. He placed a finger under her chin and tilted it up. She blinked rapidly, trying to rid her eyes of all traces of tears, of weakness, and failed miserably.

He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her again, this time lightly, tenderly—a world of a difference from the previous ones. She marveled at the sheer range of feelings he could invoke in her, and felt herself falling again. Then she broke away, before it could deepen.

"Tell me you didn't feel that, Ali, and I'll let you go." He whispered, his warm breath sending tingles up and down her spine. He was so close…inches away, really. Anakin really had very, very blue eyes, didn't he?

"Anakin…" She began.

"Did you feel that, Ali?" He asked again. "Did you feel it?" There was this quality to his voice, almost desperate and sad. Like he needed to know.

"Why does it matter if I felt it or not?" She answered tiredly. "Yes, I did. I felt it, Anakin. But it doesn't matter. It doesn't mean anything."

"Yes it does, Ali!" He cried passionately. "It means everything! We were meant to be together, that's what it means! I shouldn't have given you those two weeks, you know. You think too much. I should just kiss you till you're faint and until you say yes. Say yes, damn it, Ali. Say yes."

"Ani, can't we just be friends? I want everything to go back to how it was before. When I could have you and my future."

"But we can't be friends. That isn't enough to satisfy me now, Ali. I just can't go back. I can't forget! It feels so right to kiss you, Ali. To be with you. Nothing is so unforgettable."

He had never meant anything more in his life. He bent down so that their foreheads were touching, one hand gently angling her face upwards to look into his own. And then he breathed:

"It's all or nothing, Ali. Choose now."

She paused, her brain and heart racing. Which one would win? Which one would pull through at the finish line?

One side screamed at her to kiss him, to run her fingers through his sandy hair like she itched to. To laugh with him, to joke with him and just to talk, to let him hold and protect her, to stare into those blue, blue eyes for an eternity.

The other side yelled no. That those actions would lead to nothing but trouble. She had worked almost a decade for Jedi Knighthood—would she throw it away now? She had to say no. That was the only way their futures would be safe.

"I already told you, Anakin. I choose nothing." Her words were soft but firm, finalizing the topic. The tears followed immediately, etching deep scars, river filled, in her cheeks and soul. Her heart crumbled at these words, shattered.

He looked about ready to cry, too. Anakin just stood there, dumbfounded, unwanting to accept it, shaking his head. He slowly pulled back from her, removing his hand from under her chin, and his head from hers.

"We'll move on, Anakin," She sniffled through her tears. "We'll both get over this thing, and we'll become Jedi Knights, and we'll save the galaxy together and we'll be best of friends again." She didn't sound very convincing, even to herself—which was who needed the most persuading.

She was sobbing now, the body wracking kind, hands wrapped around her arms, head bowed and tears flowing. Anakin closed his eyes. Ali looked so pitiful, so broken…

He sighed, and pulled her roughly into a hug, letting her tears soak into his shirt. They left a dark, wet spot near his chest, to signify the void where she should've been. He gently wrapped his arms around her slight frame, holding her close. He closed his eyes, inhaling in her scent, for what he knew would be the last time, reveling in it. And a tear ran down his cheek as well, mingling with those red locks that he so loved.

He would respect her choice, no matter how much he disagreed with it. She was throwing this away, damn it. He knew he would never find someone like her—someone he loved like her.

"You're a damn idiot, Alianne Tyri," He murmured against her hair, and despite the harsh words, his voice was soft and sad—heart wrenchingly so. And then he pulled away, turned his face away from her so she wouldn't see it twisted with pain, and left her there, crying tears of sorrow in the lily field, with his heart in her hands.

A/N: Review, please! Tell me if that was too angsty, dramatic, corny, cheesy, stupid…etc. Or, you could also tell me if you liked it : ).

P.S. About that prophecy--thank you all so much for the input! It will be reviewed and explained in upcoming chapters...