THE DEPARTED

Chapter Six

Her hands gripped the weapon fiercely as she blocked his blow. Her movements were swift and exact, just as they had always been. Feeling up to the challenge, she advanced on him and the exercise sped up in an instant. They moved in unison on the sweat-slicked floor until it was abruptly complete. She had bested him.

"I'm feeling much better." She said slyly and allowed him to stand.

"Yeah, I can see that." He promptly brushed himself off and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you've actually improved since you were injured."

She smiled smugly at him. "What makes you think I haven't?"

He couldn't help but return her grin and simply shook his head at her. Suddenly, a grim thought passed through his mind. She was back to her old self and that meant he had to leave her now. His fists clenched in anger and he glanced around the room for something to hit.

Padme immediately noticed the change in him. She slowly approached him and placed a hand softly on his shoulder. Once their eyes met, she was shocked by the sadness and despair in his eyes. "What's wrong, Anakin?"

He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. "The Council has reassigned me. Now that you're better, I have to leave."

Her mouth dropped open in shock and she gripped his shoulder tightly. No…he couldn't leave her. Not now when she needed him the most. He had been so kind to her, helping her heal, always being there for her. He couldn't leave now…she needed him to be there.

"No…Anakin…you can't leave me! Please…there has to be some way that you can stay!"

He shook his head, desperately trying to deflect the glimmer of hope that was growing within him. Was it possible that she loved him too? Was that why she didn't want him to leave?

"Padme, I don't know what to tell you. There's nothing we can do."

She moved closer to him and he found himself reluctantly stepping away from her.

"Please, Anakin…can't you just wait a few more days?"

He looked deeply into her desperate eyes and he couldn't know how much more he could take. It was torture to not know what it felt like to hold her and it was even worse knowing that he might never know. Still…he had to know. He knew he wouldn't be able function properly until he did.

"Why…why do you want me to wait?"

She swallowed nervously and looked away, despite his best efforts to get her to look at him again. "I just don't think I'm completely healed yet…that's all."

He nodded slowly while biting his lip. She was a very good liar. "Alright. I'll wait a few days."

She exhaled with relief and before she realized what she was doing, she reached up and hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

He simply nodded while turning to leave, realizing that it was time to check on Sabe.

Padme watched him leave with a heavy heart and leaned against the wall. She closed her eyes and pressed her head into the wall, hoping that the pain in her head would overwhelm the pain in her heart. To no avail, she opened her eyes and sighed. She needed more time with him because a few days simply weren't enough. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair to either of them. But what were they supposed to do? She sighed again and slowly walked out of the room. Time to get back to real life whether she liked it or not.

Later that evening, Padme decided to find Anakin after seeing Sabe safely to her bedroom. It was time they talked. She sensed him and let her feet bring her to him. Her heart leapt when her eyes finally rested on him meditating in his room and she cautiously approached him.

"Padme, you know you can't sneak up on a Jedi."

She jumped at his words and laughed nervously. "I wasn't trying to sneak up on you."

He turned to face her with a sad expression on his face. "I spoke with Obi-Wan. The Council is expecting me back in Coruscant tomorrow morning."

Her heart sank and she nodded hopelessly. After a long silence between them, she finally spoke. "I don't know when we'll see each other again so I think now is as good a time as any to talk."

His surprised eyes caught hers and he cleared his throat nervously before speaking.

"Alright."

Padme took a shaky breath. "I know you have feelings for me, Anakin."

Anakin took a step back from her, too stunned to find the words to reply. He had always feared this moment would come and now it had. It was time for him to face her rejection.

"Padme, I don't…"

"Just listen to me. I'm sorry that you feel the way you do because there is nothing either one of us can do about it. We're bound by the Code, Anakin. We can't betray everything that we're worked for. Besides, I can't let you give up your future for me. You have so much potential…so much skill and I can't let you throw it away."

Anakin turned away from her, unable to look her in the eye. Despite all his efforts, his shoulders began to heave and he felt threatening tears forming in his eyes. Then her words flowed back to him and the realization dawned on him. She wasn't saying she didn't feel the same way. She was saying that they couldn't be together and break the Code. He turned to face her, now the look of despair had been replaced by determination and hope.

He took a step forward and his heart leapt when she didn't move away from him.

"Padme, I know you feel the same way."

She didn't speak, instead she looked frozen with an unreadable expression on her face. Anakin took that as a sign to continue and he cautiously moved closer. This time she backed away from him. Unable to stop himself, he closed the distance between them and gripped his hands firmly on her waist, bringing their bodies close enough together so that there was only a slight touch. His right hand snaked all the way around her waist and he brought his left up to caress her angelic face.

"I know you feel the same way." He repeated, his mouth so close to her face he could almost kiss her.

He heard her whimper and gripped her tighter. "You're right about the Code. You are. But I can't help what I feel and neither can you. The thing is, Padme, I'm leaving tomorrow and I don't know when I'll see you again. So…let's have this one night. Let's give in this one time and then after I leave, you don't even have to speak to me ever again if you don't want to. But just this once, Padme, I want to know what it feels like to kiss you, to touch you, to make love to you and I know you want that too."

Her breath came in shaky gasps and she trembled against him. Her hand grasped his hair tightly as he waited patiently for her to accept. Her forehead rested against his and finally, she allowed herself to look into his eyes, knowing that now there was no going back. Her eyes silently agreed and with that, the deal was made.

Their mouths crashed together in an urgent force and he led them to his bed, their mouths and bodies still intertwined. Clothes were hurriedly cast off and before either of them knew, they were lying on the bed, Anakin's body gently rested on top of hers.

He pulled his lips away from hers and looked lovingly into her eyes. "Padme, I lo…"

She immediately silenced him with a kiss and then abruptly broke away. "No... don't say it. I don't think I could take it."

He nodded sadly and in an instant, their lips once again found their rightful place, sweeping them further into oblivion and ecstasy, further into the places they had always said they would never go.