Author's Note: I do not own Star Wars, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Naberrie or any other characters. All rights are reserved by Lucasfilm. I write stories just for fun and for free.

Why so much sex... well, because we couldn't get enough of George Lucas ;-)

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IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

Chapter 4

When Padmé was back , Sola was already waiting for her behind the door.

"Why didn't you tell us about him?"

"What's there to say, he's just my fellow student."

"Oh yeah, just fellow students. Did you see the way he looks at you?"

"Sola, stop!"

"It's obvious that he has feelings for you. Are you trying to tell me you didn't notice, Sis?"

"Anakin and I are just friends, our relationship is purely companionable."

"Well, maybe you didn't notice the way he was looking at you. I think you're afraid of it."

"Why should I be afraid?"

"Rush Clovis, Palo...? Not all men are like Rush and Palo. You gotta get over it slowly. This young man is different and he looks like...like...like Michelangelo's David standing in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence...or even better."

"That's true ."

"What? Does it mean you saw him naked, hm?"

"Am I supposed to lie?"

"Try it."

"No, I didn't."

"You really are bad liar. Padmé, if you let that beauty slip through your fingers, I don't want to be your sister anymore."

Padme walked into the living room hoping to end this conversation, but Sola had followed her.

"And besides, Mom and Dad think he might suit you."

"Yes, Anakin seems fine." Jobal said.

"See, if he's accepted, you won't be lost like me."

"Sola, the family didn't lose you, but our law firm did...but like I said, he suits Padmé."

"Yeah, I know you scanned him from the position of the status." Sola said.

"I see you decided some things without me." Padme said angrily.

"We haven't decided anything, Padmé, we're just discussing."

"Padmé, you're the one who's supposed to make a decision, but you still have three and a half years. However, you know what is expected of you….and it's the same with the man for life." the father reported.

"I feel like I'm in the Middle Ages. My parents decided for me: I have to study at Harvard, I have to take over the law firm, I have to marry the man who meets their expectations. …...and...I'm going to my room now."

"What's wrong with her all of a sudden?" asked Jobal.

"You snapped at her roughly." Sola said.

The afternoon was spent talking as usual, this time including Hurricane Sandy and playing with the girls, but without Padmé.

Padmé had pulled away angrily, feeling like a schoolgirl being preached at. She knew what was expected of her, at least as far as the law firm was concerned, she wanted, but her family to choose her man for life?...No, that will not happen. Besides, she was only twenty, had so much time to find a man her heart wanted.

After a few days, slowly, life in New York returned to normal. You could see everywhere that the remnants of damage caused by Sandy are being cleaned up, but the shops that were not damaged opened, classes at Columbia University also started afterwards.

She got a text from Anakin that her car was in water up to the bottom edge of the window, which meant a total loss. At the moment it wasn't a problem, she took a taxi to Uni, which sometimes wasn't worth it.

The father assured her that she will get a new car. Padmé thought of asking Anakin for advice, maybe a BMW or another Audi, we'll see.

There were many students on campus again, they exchanged opinions on Sandy, talked about what they had experienced.

Four girlfriends met again and the topic was of course Sandy.

"So Padmé, I want to know every detail of what happened when you left our apartment."

"We spoke on the phone, did you forget?"

"OK. , you just said that you were picked up from the street by an acquaintance who practically saved you and you stayed with him at his apartment until the hurricane was subsided. So, who is this mysterious acquaintance?"

"It doesn't matter, it was nothing, nothing happened...if that's what you want to know."

"You're such a bad liar." Dormé offered.

"What's his name, Padmé, spit it out!" Sabé wanted to know.

Padmé knew they wouldn't let up. She could only delay the answer, but she couldn't escape. What the heck, she thought, at some point it will come out and then she gambled away the friendship.

"Anakin Skywalker."

"I knew it ! I knew it, damn, damn!...aaaand, how is he, hm? Is it as good as it is said?...the V-Card gone? Hm? Come on, Padmé, give us something." Typical Dormé.

"Nothing happened, Dormé, there was a hurricane outside."

"He didn't fuck you? Then none of what is said about him is true." Said Satine.

"What is wrong?"

Someone asked behind Padmé's back, well, distinctive baritone. She turned her around and saw the sky in his eyes. Butterflies in the stomach. Put yourself together, she thought, don't get weak in front of her friends here.

"Hello there. I see everyone survived, so we'll do as before." Said Ben, who Anakin had come with.

"As I can see, things are not the same as before. Where are all the women who always swarm around you? Did the hurricane blow them all away, Skywalker?" Sabé asked wryly.

"Seems so."

...said Anakin, but the truth was different and only Ben noticed. As the pretty girls walked towards Anakin, he held up his hands and stopped them before they could touch him, clearly letting them know he didn't want that...and they got it, quickly and definitively.

He was never seen in female company again, either alone or with Ben, Rex, Cody, Bradley and other male fellow students.

On Wednesdays, as always, he sat next to her, but that didn't bother her anymore. Her friends, like Ben, always sat in front of or behind them, sometimes next to them. It was noted that they no longer argued, no bickering, no inappropriate jokes on his part...nothing.

Once in the cafeteria, while Padmé and Anakin weren't there as they had other electives, Dormé, Sabé, Satine, and Ben met. Ben came last.

"Hello there. Satine, you look particularly beautiful today."

"At least we're not hiding anything, lovebirds," Dormé quipped.

"Status briefing?" asked Ben.

Everyone nodded.

"OK. . So. The two. Something must have happened between them, they behave completely different, treat each other differently. No arguments, no teasing, no jokes, nothing. The funny thing is, they don't look like in love...or they're good at hiding it. I'm just wondering what it's good for. I asked him but he won't say anything, claims there was nothing between them."

"That's exactly what we think too...but you're right, something happened, it's been like this for weeks, actually since the hurricane, since nothing supposedly happened in his apartment. I had such an idea; there are Saturdays when the two of them don't come to the party. Could it be that they meet somewhere to be alone?" was Sabé's idea.

"If they say we can't come to the party, we could go after them, Ben after Anakin and I after Padmé to see if they meet up. I know it's mean, but it's also mean to lie to your best friends." It was a specific suggestion from Satine.

And soon they will spring into action.

Thanksgiving is a family celebration. In the Naberrie house, dinner is celebrated with the family. Mother Jobal, father Ruwee, Sola, Darred, Ryoo, Pooja and Padmé.

Mother always had the same thing served, housekeeper Maria could do it all blindfolded, but tradition was tradition.

Padmé's parents also wanted to invite Anakin, but Padmé told them that Anakin wanted to celebrate with his family, so they invited Anakin over for the following Saturday. Padmé wasn't thrilled, didn't want her parents interfering with her no-relationship with Anakin. Still, she relented, Anakin was due at 7:00pm, enough time to cross-examine him again. Well, Jobal's and Ruwee's professionally deformed.

Anakin told Ben he was invited, to the party at Domeneo's, he's not coming. Padmé told her friends she had to stay at home and help out because her mother had guests. Actually, that wasn't a lie.

Dormé said there was no need to control Padmé, but Ben wanted to go after Anakin. He waited in the street and saw Anakin come out of the house. He wore jeans, a blue shirt without a tie, a blue and green checked jacket, black Oxford shoes on his feet and a bag in his hand. This must be an important invitation, Ben thought. Anakin got into a taxi and Ben hurried to catch the next one.

"Follow taxi 3A37."

"Very good, sir."

They followed the taxi across W 96 St, through Central Park, across 5th Ave, onto E 86 St, turned onto Park Ave and stopped in front of 1036.

"Oh my god!" Ben said loudly.

"Are you all right, Sir?"

"Uh...yeah. Please bring me back to 309 w 97st."

"As you wish."

Arrived in his room, he immediately called Satine, she called Dormé and Sabé, turned the volume up and let Ben speak.

"Dressed pretty well, Anakin took a taxi, I followed in another taxi, and where do you think he got off?"

"Where, tell us, don't make it so exciting." Curious Satine.

"1036 Park Ave."

"Holy shit ! Not only that they are together, he visits her parents...and you know how strict they are. Well, lying like that is a crime." Dormé said….and everyone laughed.

"What are we going to do with them now?" Ben asked the group.

"I wouldn't confront them...actually they don't have to tell us. At some point she'll come out." Satine's suggestion.

Anakin was expected and warmly welcomed by Padmé's parents, but was surprised that Sola wasn't there with the family. He brought a little something for the parents. The four of them ate.

He dreaded further, perhaps more direct, questions involving himself and Padmé that he didn't have an answer to...and then they came.

"If you get drafted by the Jets or the Patriots, you get a two-year contract, that's a few million, then you're a rich man. Do you want to settle down then, get married, start a family?" asked Ruwee.

"It doesn't have to be immediately, but it's going in that direction. I have to find the right woman first." Anakin laughed.

"Does Padmé fit into your plans… somehow?" Jobal's question was very direct.

"We're not together, Mom." Padmé said.

"Padmé is a bit... reserved with me." Anakin complained.

"But you like her, don't you?"

"Yes, very much so."

He looked at Padmé and she smiled. He saw this as progress and Jobal was satisfied with the answer.

They talked about all sorts of things, even politics. The parents knew their way around the world of politics, they also had politicians as friends and clients. Anakin didn't like politics, but he was well informed about what was going on in the world, you could say he was well versed in all of things. You couldn't bring up a subject he didn't have an opinion on. Her parents liked that very much.

"So dear, we have to go to Sola. Darred's parents are there and they don't stay that long, we want to see them. It was nice to have you back with us, Anakin. We will definitely see each other again soon."

"Thanks for the invitation. I could also go home slowly….."

"Stay a little bit longer." Padmé said.

"Äh….. OK. , I have time."

The parents left. In the elevator, Jobal winked at Ruwee.

"It runs."

"You're bad my love. I wouldn't be surprised if you hired Andrew to investigate though."

"Already done."

"You're really bad."

"Take a look Ruwee, the boy is nice and he's in love with her and she's in love with him too, I'm not blind but she's scared... after those two desasters. And finally, you have to know who you are dealing with. I'm right?"

"As always."

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Best regards from Germany