Updated: 08/21/2022

The Bounty Hunter: Ch. 6

Later on that day, Obi-Wan returned and informed us that he's been ordered to pursue Jango Fett and Zam Wessel. I gave him the frequency of the tracker I had on Jango's ship and he was pursuing it. Obi-Wan told me that Master Windu wanted to assign a different Jedi to protect Padmé, but he managed to convince them that she was safe with me. He said that Yoda quickly agreed, and at the end of the day, what he says goes.

He's not the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order for nothing.

In this case, I'm glad. I didn't want to get stuck with some pompous Jedi, watching over our every move. Talk about a mood kill. I didn't want Obi-Wan with us either, I wouldn't feel right doing the things I- and Padmé would want to do, even if he was nearby when Padmé and I lost our virginities together, at least it wasn't like he was right outside the door or down the hall, hearing Padmé's vocalizations.

It'd be like having her parents be in the same house, right down the hall...

And that actually happens to be exactly where we're going. Padmé's parents' house.

We just met with Queen Jamilia, Padmé talked with her and Governor Bibble about the ongoing crisis with the Separatists and the Military Creation Act and then we agreed to go to Lake Country where Padmé's family owns a lakefront home. But first, the Queen mentioned to us that her parents are looking forward to seeing her, and Padmé is looking forward to introducing me, her fiancé- and that's something I'll never hear of tiring...though husband does sound better.

I want to marry this woman more than anything. I just want to make sure Mom is there to see me marry the woman I love, and I know she'd kill me if I married Padmé without her knowing.

She did like Padmé, at first sight, just like I did, even when we both thought the same, that she was a handmaiden to the queen...and not the queen herself. Mom was shocked when she'd learned that, though I think I was the one who was more surprised. I knew Padmé was an angel, that was obvious, but...queen?

That was too much.

And now she's a senator. I can't begin to describe how proud I am of her. She's so strong, so successful. When I first met her, I knew she'd somehow do great things. How can someone as smart and kind as her not? She's proven all of her doubters wrong, and I can't be happier to have someone like her as my fiancé. Soon to be my wife. At least I hope it's soon.

I'll have to bring that up to her eventually, but I'll give her time, since we only got engaged about twelve hours ago.

Padmé puts her hand in mine and squeezes. "Don't worry, my love. They'll love you," her eyes light up and I swallow. Hard.

She mistook my silence as me being nervous, and I wasn't. Now though? Now I am, because I wasn't even thinking about what their reaction would be. She cares deeply about her parents, so I need them to like me. "Oh, um," I swallow again. "You think so?" I squeeze her hand back, raising a brow. Is it hot out here, or what? I pull at the collar of the cloak I'm wearing, we had to change our apparel and pretend to be refugees under false identities to sneak off the planet.

The smell of that nasty, overcrowded ship still lingers in my nostrils. I'll be lucky if it ever goes away. I'll need to comm R2 and have him bring my go bag. He flew the N1 here and I told him to dock it with our modified freighter when he gets here, he's probably waiting for me to comm him. I remind myself to do that after we meet Padmé's folks, that can wait until then. In the meantime, I let Padmé's hand go and wrap an arm around her shoulder, pulling her against my side.

She wraps an arm around my lower back and smiles up at me. "You have nothing to be nervous about, Ani. I'm sure Sola will try to grill us though." She shakes her head and laughs. "Your timing is kind of funny, actually."

"Oh?"

"About a month ago, I was at Sola's house and we were sitting on the bench swing in her yard watching my nieces play." Padmé's smile only grows as she speaks of her sister and nieces. I can tell how much she loves and adores them from her tone and the carefree look on her face. "They were chasing each other around their playhouse, playing a game of tag. Sola was grilling me about work, about my meeting with the Queen, the military creation act-" she shakes her head. "She was trying to tell me that all I do is work, work, work. She wasn't wrong. She made me face some hard realizations about myself that I didn't want to admit. She asked me if I ever wanted a family of my own. My own children. I didn't answer her, I couldn't. I did want that, but I didn't think I'd ever have that." She squeezes me, her deliciously inviting lips curve upwards even more. "Then you showed up."

Not even the Force itself could stop me from bending down and taking those succulent lips with mine. I do, and she moans into my mouth. I've never fell victim to desire so much before in my life, but this is Padmé I'm talking about. She's the center of my fantasies, and now I know how amazing she tastes and feels. I can't control myself around her, I'm just an open datacard with no impulse control.

I want her to know how I feel.

I want her to hear how I feel.

I want her to feel how I feel.

I've never wanted anything, or anyone, as much as I do this amazing woman that the Force sent back into my life. And now the possibility of having children together is on the table. There's no one else I'd ever want to start a family with besides her. I want her to be the mother of my children, and it seems like that'll happen. I don't know when, but we're young with our whole lives ahead of us. The world is ours, and I'll keep it that way.

It's only catcalls that sound around us that has me pulling back, and I don't even have the decency to blush at people seeing me kiss my fiancé. Let them watch. Let them be jealous that this gorgeous woman agreed to marry me.

Padmé does blush though, and it's adorable. I put my arm back around her, she does the same to me and we continue on our way to her family's house. Fuck, I needed that. I was a bit in my head, letting my insecurities nag away at me. But there's no denying our chemistry. Even a blind person could see that we belong together, at least that's what I tell myself.

I only hope her family feels the same way.

The beauty of Naboo continues to astound me. It's not even just the one sun, it's...everything.

On Tatooine, houses were singular, or out in the desert, or clustered tightly in cities like Mos Eisley, with its hustle and bustle and bright colors and brighter characters. But here on Naboo, there's nothing but children laughing as they play, adults sitting quietly under the warm sun or gossiping across neatly trimmed hedgerows.

Naboo is nothing but simple beauty. It looks even better now, than it did ten years ago too. Naboo recovered, rebuilt and moved on after the disastrous Trade Federation blockade and invasion. It didn't let the greedy Neimoidians ruin their lives, their homes. I respect that.

This is exactly the kinda place I'd love to live, marry the woman of my dreams and have a family. Hearing her say that made me want to fistpump again. I squeeze her tighter against me, kiss her head and say, "For the record, I want that too."

Her eyebrows furrow as she looks up at me.

I smile down at her, "Kids. A family, I want that." I lean down and kiss her again, right on the lips, a quick simple kiss. "I want everything with you, Angel."

No truer words could ever be spoken. Whatever she wants, I'll give her. I've already lived all my dreams getting to be with her.

Padmé beams up at me, and her face lights up even more as she yells, "There's my house!"

Following her gaze, there's a simple and tasteful structure, surrounded, like everything on Naboo, by flowers and vines and hedges. Padmé runs ahead of me as I admire her slender figure as she runs towards her house, I tear my eyes from her and study her house. I could see how she is the way she is, living here, surrounded by love and beauty, it's easy to see how one could end up becoming such an amazing, compassionate, selfless woman, like Padmé.

Beeping and chirping has me turning around to see R2-D2 wheeling up to me, my go bag being carried with one of his pincers. "Good timing, buddy," I pat R2's dome and take the bag from him. I'm not even going to ask him how he knew where I was or how he knew to bring my bag with him, he's pretty smart, especially for an astromech. He's been with me for some time though, and we've been through a lot together.

Padmé sneaks up from behind me and grabs my hand. R2 beeps in greeting, and Padmé beams down at him, then back at me. "Don't tell me you're shy!"

"No, but I-"

"Aunt Padmé! Aunt Padmé" Two little girls squeal, interrupting me. The girls are clearly her nieces, I'd know that even if they didn't just shout out to Padmé calling her their aunt. They run out of the yard and make a dash towards Padmé.

Padmé's smile only grows, lighting up her whole face as they run to her. She bends down low to scoop up the pair of them, lifting them up and twirling them around and around. "Ryoo! Pooja!" she says, as she twirls them. I burn their names into my memory. "I'm so happy to see you!" she kisses them both, settles them back down on the ground and holds them close so they don't fall from dizziness. Then she takes their hands and leads them towards me. "Ryoo," she says to the niece on her right, who looks like the older sister with hair like Padmé. "Pooja," she says to the little girl on her left, who has short curly blond hair. "I'd like you to meet Anakin," Padmé smiles up at me as the cute little girls blush and bury themselves in her neck. "Anakin, this is Ryoo and Pooja."

I might be blushing too, and I'd also like to be burying my face in her neck, though for a totally different reason.

Padmé laughs, noticing all of our unease. Then R2 rolls on ahead of me, and the little girls squeal and run to R2, running around him and R2 spins around and beeps and whistles and looks as happy as I've ever seen him- as I've ever seen a droid, period.

"This is R2-D2," she introduces them. The girls start shouting out his name, and R2 plays right along with them, acting just like a kid.

I look back over at Padmé, admiring her as she smiles at the kids. I like seeing her with kids. She's naturally sweet and nurturing, and I know that she'd be the perfect mother. Our kids will be so lucky. I'm already incredibly lucky to have her as mine.

Padmé takes my hand and walks me towards the yard and up the stairs to her house. Naboo is obviously a safe place, one where kids can run around without having to worry about a fight breaking out and blasters firing, people getting shot and injured or killed. Mom would've never let me roam around without having an eye on me, Tatooine isn't like here.

Naboo, I realize, is paradise. Exactly the kind of place where one would want to raise their kids.

Padmé lets my hand go and wraps her arms around a woman, who must be her sister, at the top of the steps. She's a little older than Padmé, bearing more signs of age, but they're not too noticeable. She still has a friendly glow to her. I could see Padmé becoming her, in a few years, she looks more settled, more content, and the love she shares for Padmé is evident. As is the love Padmé shares for her sister.

"Mom and Dad will be so happy to see you," Sola says. "It's been a difficult few weeks."

Padmé frowns. Her family must be aware of the attempts on her life, or at least the one that killed her decoy, Cordé. I don't think anyone else is aware of the second attempt that I thwarted, besides the Jedi, her security team, the Governor of Naboo, Sio Bibble and Queen Jamilia. I imagine it must be difficult for any parents to have to deal with assassination attempts on their child. Parents who only want their child to be happy and safe.

For as long as I live, I'll do everything in my power to make sure she's happy and safe, I vow to myself. And may the Force help the fools who decide to try and take her from me, because they won't receive any mercy. Not now, not ever.

Sola eyes me, curiously. Her eyes crinkle at the sides. She has the same eyes as Padmé, as her older daughter, Ryoo. "Mom's making dinner," she says to Padmé. "As usual, your timing is perfect." Then she steps closer to me, her eyes are vibrant and warm, like Padmé's. Must be a family trait, I muse. "I'm Sola," she introduces herself to me.

"Anakin," I offer my hand to her to shake but she just smiles and hugs me, like she did her sister. My eyes widen, and I wrap my arms around her. Padmé smiles, which naturally, makes me smile.

Sola releases me and calls for her daughters to come back inside, Padmé takes my hand and we head inside ourselves. After seeing the outside, the inside doesn't surprise me much. It's more...comfortable than anything, with no glaring lights, or beeping consoles, or flashing computer screens. Instead, it's just as full of life and soft color as was the yard. The furniture looks plush and comfortable; the floors were made of cool stone or covered in soft carpeting.

Life here isn't like what it is on Tatooine, or Coruscant. Life here is...beauty. And everything I keep experiencing here makes it more and more certain to me that if I grew up here, I'd never want to leave.

Naboo would be it for me. It is it for me. If Padmé- when Padmé and I eventually have children of our own, I want to raise them here on Naboo. I want them to be able to grow up like Padmé did, just without the politics at such a young age. Or without politics at all. I'd want them to be able to grow up and just be kids, experience life to the fullest, before having to grow up and experience adulthood.

The pair of us had our childhoods taken from us too young, I barely even had a childhood. I can't imagine how hard it was for my mother to be young, pregnant and a slave, knowing that she was bringing her child into a life of cruelty, into a life of slavery. Despite that, I know I was her joy, and she was mine. And we might've been slaves, but we had each other and there were some good times we had then.

Thinking of her, us, back on Tatooine as a kid, only makes me love and admire her more. She did everything she could, and more, to make me have the best life possible. Even letting me go, not knowing if she'd ever see me again, when I left to be a Jedi. It didn't work out that way, and I ended up returning to her, I just wasn't that same kid I was when I left. My time away changed me, even if it was only a short time, I did a lot then.

I helped free Naboo from the Trade Federation Droid Army. If I could do that, at nine years old, I could free my mother from a Toydarian. And I did.

"Anakin," Padmé says, squeezing my hand. "I'd like you to meet my Mom and Dad."

Her dad's a strong shouldered man, with bluer eyes than me and brown hair that he wears short and a bit out of place with a face that was plain and strong and compassionate all at once, if that makes any sense. He looks like a man who's content, settled and enjoying his life with his family.

Her mother is a dead ringer, I could easily see Padmé being her mother, in thirty odd years or so. She looks younger though, both of her parents look younger than what they probably are with both having their brown hair, without a single gray hair in sight.

"Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Anakin."

Her mother only smiles and walks up right to me and pulls me in for a hug like she already knows that I'll soon be her son-in-law. I already feel welcome here. Her mother's hug is warm and welcoming, exactly what I'd expect from the woman who raised Padmé into the amazing woman she is today.

Her father smiles too. He extends a hand and firmly shakes mine. He's a strong guy. "Welcome to our home, Anakin."

I decided to end this chapter here and pick up right where we left off here. Next chapter will be some dinner with the Naberries and getting to know her family a little better before setting off for Lake Country, where they'll be all alone and enjoy their time together as fiancés.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the delay.