Sorry I haven't posted lately. My excuses are DRL and computer viruses.

"I see what you are feeling," replied Charlotte. "You must be surprised, very much surprised—so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry you. But when you have had time to think it over, I hope you will be satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins's character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state." Charlotte to Elizabeth, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Chapter 16: "Counseling, You Both Need"

At this, Padmé began to laugh. As a matter of fact, she laughed so long and hard that her eyes watered until Rabé glared at her.

"I though you'd understand," her friend said, obviously hurt.

Instantly, she sobered, "You really aren't joking, are you?"

The mournful look on Rabé's face confirmed her worst fears.

"Why, Rabé, why? You're supposed to marry for love and affection- this is just all wrong. You are supposed to meet a nice man, let him court you, and then fall deeply in love- not all this."

"Not always," Rabé whispered, going a bright red either from pain or anger.

"But to Palo?"

Padmé…"

"But he's absolutely ridiculous!" she cried out, wondering why her friend wouldn't admit to the truth.

"Stop it!" Rabé screamed.

This action was so uncharacteristic of her friend that Padmé not only jumped but also became suddenly silent.

"I've been offered a good home and protection," the dark-haired woman continued on in a quiet voice. Tears of sorrow glistened in her dead eyes before rolling down her thin cheeks. "Padmé, you know my family is poor- yes we are," she snapped when Padmé began to protest. "I am the eldest of eight children, and I am already a burden to my parents." Taking in a shaky breath, she wiped at her eyes and shook her head. "I'm so frightened, Padmé."

Padmé too began to shake her head. "No," she whispered in shock and disbelief.

"Stop judging me!" Rabé shrieked, her fists clenched resolutely at her side. "Don't you dare judge me, Padmé!"

With that, Padmé's last friend was gone.

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Considering it to be her duty to inform the headmistress of Rabé's imminent marriage and departure, she soon found herself standing before the oversized bed that Madame DesLauriers had refused to leave since their return to the Temple.

Sharp and sulky black eyes suspiciously watched Padmé's approach as she sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"Madame DesLauriers," the young woman said slowly, very well of the fact that the large woman still harbored an equally large grudge against her, "I have some wonderful news to share with you."

The grudge turned into a pout, something which Padmé decided to ignore.

"Rabé is to be married," she finally announced, forcing a weak smile.

This suddenly animated the headmistress. Bolting upright and still wearing her flowery bed clothes (and a frilly one at that!), she all but hugged the bewildered Padmé. "I knew it!" she cackled, rubbing her bejeweled hands together in glee. "When we first left Naboo, I promised her parents that I would find a suitable husband for their daughter even though Rabé was the plainest of you all…"

Stinging from the harsh comment made about her friend, Padmé reminded her, "But you did not find him- Rabé did!"

After giving Padmé a beady glare, the headmistress clutched at the young woman's hands. "Who is he?" she asked eagerly, already thinking ideas of grandeur.

"Palo."

The headmistress' reaction was quite different from what Padmé had expected for she had halfheartedly hoped that the giantess would march over to her confused friend and demand that she end such nonsense. With a sinking heart, she saw that this was not going to happen. Due to the shrillness of the Headmistress' exclamations, Padmé understood not a word of it, but gathered that the woman was delighted. In a second, Palo had gone from a sniveling painter to a dashing young man.

All she could do was watch with a sickened smile and pray that no one outside the door could hear the loud noise.

Madame Deslauriers finally calmed down, but she then turned a mocking eye on the cringing Padmé. "Had you not been so foolish, you could've married him and be where Rabé is now!"

Though it was not the desired effect, Padmé did not feel the slightest bit jealous of her friend and her presumed joy. Palo and Rabé living together in domestic bliss was just as likely as Padmé doing the same thing with… Anakin.

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A Hour Later

Thus in a rotten mood, Padmé decided to turn her nasty attitude on a likely subject- Anakin Skywalker. After escaping the headmistress, she headed down to Piloting Class where she sat down in the middle of two now empty desks.

Long after the bell rung, Anakin ambled into class and made his way over to the front of the room. Briefly, Padmé thought she saw him give his empty and non makeup-covered desk a relieved look, but he soon then turned his harsh gaze on the class.

Obviously in a bad mood, Anakin started roll call, but he eventually noticed the empty desks and gave Padmé a questioning look.

"You do not want to know, Master Skywalker, even though unhappiness and misfortune seem to be your ways," Padmé said flatly. "My friend was cheated in a way that you would certainly be able to compare to.'"

"Oh, Force, do you have to be in a bad mood today?" he mumbled, eyes mostly closed as he sipped on his decaf.

"Are you saying that I am temperamental," she challenged, folding her arms over her chest. For all this, she might have well asked Anakin if he thought she looked fat.

A long silence ensued, but Anakin eventually decided to take the plunge. "That isn't quite the word I'd use."

"That's it!" Padmé screamed. Angrily, she stuffed all of her belongings into her backpack before storming to the door, the rest of the class staring in horror. "I've had enough of you and your class, Master Skywalker!" she hollered before slamming open the heavy door and marching out of the room.

Much to Padmé's surprise, the door did not shut behind her. "I will not tolerate you leaving my class!" Anakin shouted, already following after her at a furious pace.

"I am not leaving," she snapped, whirling about to face him, "I'm quiting!"

"You can't do that!" he stammered, grabbing a hold of her arm.

"Get your nasty hands off of me!" Padmé shrieked, slapping him soundly when he refused to do so.

This earned many an interested look from the passerby's, but only Anakin, who had a reputation at stake, seemed to care.

When she whipped around again and started to walk off, Anakin blindly groped for her- and yanked on her bookbag. Books and datapads fell to the floor, ink bottles shattering against the hard tile, its contents spilling all over her possessions.

"I am so sorry," he moaned, but she only kicked at them, nearly missing his fingers.

"I quit," she hissed. "I do not need piloting classes to become a Senator."

Then, the young woman strode off, Anakin following in her wake even when she entered into the turbolift.

At this, Padmé broke down and cried, not caring if the Jedi thought she was weak.

Her long day was to become even worse.

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Master Yoda's Quarters, Thirty Minutes Later

Oddly enough, Padmé and Anakin soon found themselves in group counseling.

"What is going on here?" Mace snapped. "You two are acting like a married couple!"

"He's the one who keeps trying to hold my hand," Padmé muttered, sending Anakin a heated look.

"Master, I never…"

"Let the lady speak, Anakin," Mace said sternly.

"See- he is a gentleman," Padmé said pointedly, earning herself a nonplussed look from her companion.

At this, Mace raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at Yoda. "What do you think about having them do a week's community service here at the Temple? Those bathrooms on the first floor-"

"I will not go near him!" Padmé exclaimed. "I remind him of… my friend, and he is determined to make my life as miserable as he surely made hers."

"I would never…"

"Enough!" Mace cried out as the discussion once more got out of hand. "Can you two not behave like mature adults?" he scolded.

Anakin gave Padmé a sly and wicked grin before immediately ignoring Mace's comment. "It that is why I dislike you, then the reason you're in a bad mood is because your friends have sought better things in life and have left 'poor' you behind!"

"Anakin!" Padmé gasped in horror.

"Master Skywalker, call him that you must," Yoda corrected gently though he was obviously amused by this banter.

"Anakin, tell her you're sorry," Mace Windu commanded, fixing the young man with a look that had made many a felon quiver in his boots.

Stubbornly turning her back to him and crossing her arms over her chest, Padmé expectantly waited.

"I'm sorry," he finally mumbled halfheartedly.

"Mean it, Skywalker."

"I'm sorry," Anakin whispered, slowly moving to look at her. "Look, I know that I'm still not the nicest person in the entire Galaxy, but I have things going on in my life that you can't possibly understand."

"I also have things that you, a selfish, hotheaded man, can never possibly understand."

"Are the two of your feuding because of the dance?" Mace asked intently. "At least you two can agree on the fact that you hate each other."

"No… I just…" Padmé stammered. Suddenly, her large brown eyes filled up with tears.

"A class, have you not?" Yoda asked Anakin, causing the young man to break out in a sweat before running out of the room.

"What happened?"

Quickly and with many tears, Padmé explained what had happened to her two dear friends.

"Unexpected, this is," Yoda said thoughtfully as his face furrowed up into a frown.

"And highly uncharacteristic of Obi-Wan," Mace added. "Though we feel very sorry for your friends, things shall hopefully be settled in due time."

"But what about my political career?" Padmé cried out, suddenly realizing how jeopardized her future was. "They were my two biggest supporters, and Anakin…" She couldn't find anything nice to say so remained silent.

At this, Mace and Yoda exchanged looks.

"Another, there is."

"Yes," Mace agreed. "Due to certain… medical reasons, she is to be here at the Temple for quite some time wand would be more than happy to help you."

"Who is she?" Padmé asked eagerly, already feeling a little better.

"An old friend she is- Siri Tachi."

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Spoiler for the next chapter: The Journal

Thumbing around, Padmé saw that there were several pages that had been left blank. Hurrying back to the last entry, Padmé noted that Anakin's handwriting was sloppier than usual.

Dear Journal,

Today is a happy day- the happiest day of my entire life.

Two seconds later, the book fell from Padmé's limp hands and onto the floor.

"Did you find anything of interest, Miss Padmé?"