A/n- Thank you for all the splendid reviews and new followers! Note here about the Dates involved. I am using the Standard Galactic Calendar found on Wookiepedia. So if you see the dates- there's 10 months in their year, three fete weeks to add up to 368 days a year. The months are also 7 weeks which is important to note when the characters are speaking of time passing. There are also only 5 days within that week. I just want to be clear for the time that is being following as it will be important in later chapters. Please Read and Review or follow. - GP

Chapter 6

Location: Theed, Naboo

Month 8

Day 34

30 BBY

Sweat beads down his chest as he continues his onslaught of the magnificent form beneath him. His breathing is labored as he turns the crank under her. His fingers churn and coax the bolt tighter and she whines gracefully under his fingertips. He grins from his spot under the speeder with satisfaction. It has taken him most of the week to perfect this beauty as she was. He continues to admire his work until he hears soft crunches of the fall leaves, crunching towards the garage.

Naboo's autumn usually was very cool in the early weeks of fall, but this year is an unusually warm autumn. The days are warm like summer without any rain, which has caused many leaves to ignore their usual fall warm colors and turn a dark crispy brown. And like the autumn season, the last few weeks have been unusual even for Anakin.

He slides the hoverboard from under the speeder as the heels halt above his head. His eyes find the smooth pale skin of a familiar persona. His eyes continue their slow staring gaze up to the fabric of a slight maroon color which clings to the woman's legs and hips. His eyes continue their feasting up her waist until they fall onto the woman wearing the tight-fitting dress. His mouth is dry as he takes in her beauty. Her hair is done in an up-do with the golden hues of highlights Sabe' had offered to put into her hair. Her chestnut curls flop out of the up-do in an almost natural manner, but whatever she tried to do the heat made some of her curls flop out of the up-do.

The desire crawling through him is inundated by the presence of this magnificent creature. She is more breathtaking than even the speeder his hands had been in moments before. She has grown more into her beauty as the years have passed by. Most onlookers would wonder her age, as she did not look her age. She appears older, perhaps 18 most would say, and right now it was damning for even her best friend to stop staring at her.

" What? Do I have something on my teeth?" Her sweet red lips turn into a frown as she touches her teeth.

Her voice shakes him from his revere. He mumbles something incoherent to her ears. Her sweet voice graces his attention again. " Anakin, are you alright?"

Anakin sits up from his laying down position on the hover board and nods smiling to reassure her. " Everything's fine- did you ask me something?" His voice is tight and hidden with desire, and want.

Desire and want? What the hell Skywalker? You're thinking about a girl you've known for years in a sexual manner?

Her beautiful brown eyes furrow in confusion at his behavior. Her best friend never acted in such an odd manner towards her. He was speechless and hadn't heard her question. She ignores this fluttering of worry and asks again, " Do you think this is too much?"

Anakin peers up and down at the tight fitting dress again. His eyes attempt to ignore her womanly figure and chest raising up and down out of nervousness. He turns his head and says quite frankly, " It depends- where are you going dressed like that?"

Padme' features express her perplexing situation. Had he forgotten about her first date? Palo Jemabie had asked her out during lunch hour at her university where she studies. She is completely smitten with this curly black haired boy. She hadn't thought about any romantic connections while joining the legislative program. She has dreams of becoming a Senator of her home planet after serving in the parliament in the city of Theed.

But here she is- about to embark on her first official date. She had been surprised that her father had agreed in allowing her to attend this date on her own. In most cases her father had made sure there was a chaperone on one of his daughter's dates. Padme was surprised that Sola had ever found time to sneak away with Darren when they had first started dating. Her father is protective of his daughters and her cousin Dorme'. He wants the best for them.

Her hands twist out of nerves awaiting for her best friend's approval. Anakin's approval means the world to her. She wants him to meet Palo in person and size him up. His force senses are very useful when it comes to reading people he didn't know. It has served him well for many years.

He rubs his chin and she states, " I want to look good for my date with Palo. Remember? I told you about it earlier this week."

He nods as if he remembers and suggests, " Where is he taking you?"

She smiles at his sudden interest in her evening plans. She bites her lip and says, " He said something about that Courscantian restaurant near the art gallery. I hope the food is good."

Anakin rolls his eyes and sighs at her daydreaming. Even his best friend had found her hormones. They weren't as strong as in most women, but she still had begun to show interest in boys at her school but she had been shy about it. It had taken the boy to ask her to accompany him on this date. But he feels uncomfortable watching her go with this boy dressed like that-

A young woman.

He shakes off the thought. She is still a girl. He reminds himself. 16 year old girls are innocent and dating for them is new and uncharted territory. He had been as innocent at 16, but many short flings with a few of the local girls showed him the dangers of lust and dating. He didn't want a serious relationship at 18. His whole life is ahead of him and he is currently trying to study for his Imperial Exams for the Imperial Navy Academy on Coruscant, but his grades have to continue to improve through his last year at university.

" Anakin, are you sure that you're okay?" Padme's voice brings his thoughts back to his reality.

Her beautiful features shine with worry for her friend. He shakes his revere and mutters, " No, um I don't think it's too much. Have a good time on your date."

Without another word he turns his bare back on his friend and begins cleaning his tools. He didn't know what to say to her. His thoughts as of late hadn't been very friendly like. She is changing right in front of him and he didn't like how it makes him feel. He's yearning desires that he shouldn't want from the innocent girl behind him.

Padme' stands behind him and bites her lip. She may not be force sensitive but she knows something is wrong with her friend. She wants to stay, order some of his favorite foods and discuss his odd behavior. Anakin had been busy with his studying as of late, but he hardly wanted to hang out with his little friend anymore.

" Ani?" Her voice is small and frightened of the disconnect between the two of them.

His ears perk up at the fright in her voice and he turns towards her with an ease of a smile. " P- have a good time tonight. I'm sure Palo will think you're stunning."

This seems to ease her fright within her force signature. Her smile forms on her features and she says, " I hope so-"

She is cut off by a sound from behind her. It is a light baritone of a boy she admires. Her cheeks become more red as he draws near her. Anakin's eyes flash to the boy strolling happily on the brown colored leaves.

Palo is short, perhaps 5 ft 6 inches in height. His deep black hair is curled in thick locks that stand up as if on their own. He is a slim boy and Anakin knows if he needs to he'll go down real quick in a fight. The boy is not a fighter. He is an artist. His brown eyes shine in excitement at eyeing his date.

The boy sizes his date's outfit slowly in a seductive manner. Jealousy crawls through Anakin's veins as they greet each other with a comfortable closeness. Palo kisses her on the cheek and her cheeks redden as her date shows affection in front of her friend. Anakin holds back his fury watching the boy touch her as his arm snakes around her waist, almost protectively.

She doesn't belong to you, boy. His mind hisses to himself. Why? Why did he feel the need to punch the boy's lights out? He clearly liked Padme' based on his body language and he seems just as innocent within their little date. Anakin never hears his best friend address him and introduce the younger boy to him. It's as if it is slow motion for him as he only eyes the couple in front of him.

Palo sticks out his hand to shake. He doesn't remember shaking his hand back without a word. Palo squeezes his hand as if sizing up the older boy. Anakin smirks and curtly says, " It is nice to meet you as well , Palo. But by ten, have her home. She has a curfew."

Padme narrows her eyes at her best friend's tone. Was he seriously pulling the old brotherly protective routine? She thought they were past this little argument. His protectiveness had to only stretch so far, she is a young lady now and can take care of herself.

She eyes him and makes sure her thoughts are loud enough for him to hear them. Could you please be nice? I'm not a child and don't need you telling me or my date I'm too young to be out late!

Anakin's gaze turns to her chestnut ones as if he's answering her without shooting thoughts back at her. He eyes Palo and grips his hand tightly. " Have her home by ten and if you try anything I'll kill you."

Padme's eyes bug out at her friend's protectiveness. Her blush deepens into a furious apple color. Her fury is evident as she tries to keep it at bay. " Palo shouldn't we be leaving?"

Palo gulps sizing up her very large and built friend. For a boy who is only two years older than he, Anakin Skywalker frightens him. His cold dead stare meant he is serious about his threat and it appears he worked out a bit. His bare chest shows the forming muscles over time that would continue to become abs within a few months or years with more training. Palo lets go of the older boy's hand and states, " Yes sir, I'll have her home by ten. Let's- let's go Padme."

Palo grips her waist to keep his hands from shaking. Anakin smirks watching his threat scare the sithin shit out of the younger boy. Good maybe you'll keep your hands to yourself.

Padme' eyes her friend as if she heard his thoughts. Anakin eyes her, seeing the dead set fury in her eyes. She isn't enjoying their meeting at all. It's for your own good P-.

This time his thoughts are sent directly to her. She frowns and her thoughts pass over his mind. I will discuss this with you later.

Even the tone of her thoughts are radiating with venom. He doesn't regret threatening her date. This boy doesn't know how precious she is to him. The pair walk in silence towards the speeder and Anakin watches them as they go. He watches them leave and tries to pull away his thoughts of watching her leave with the boy. He sighs. What is happening to me?

He turns back to his cleaning. He didn't understand it. Before a few weeks ago, Padme had never been an object of sexual appeal in any sort of way. She is his best friend, whom he's known for the past four years. She is like the little sister he's never had. He treated her as such and being protective over her meant threatening the boys whom she wanted to date. But what had changed?

His mind drifts back to her change in attitude and dress. Since the start of the term at the university, he had noticed she had been acting more girlish. She had started choosing certain shirts that she felt appealed to her body type, and other clothing changes. She had also started asking Sabe' to help her learn more stylish ways of wearing her hair. It had happened gradually and Anakin had noticed every change in his friend. Perhaps it is just the drastic change in her appearance and attitude that has him eyeing her like he did at the local university girls. She actually acts and looks like a girl.

He didn't like the change. He liked the little tomboyish girl who enjoyed watching podracers with him and swam to the island as they had every summer at Lake Vaykrio, where they had met.

He enjoyed the times he had heard her creeping down the halls and into his room because she needed comfort because of her fears of storms and watching holovideos on their beds laughing at the irony of the characters, making fun of the romantic gush nonsense. Love didn't feel like those holovideos. He had seen this with Sola and Darren, and Katrina and Ruwee' relationships. Both couples had their spats over time, the latter pair are completely distant.

I'm just noticing that she's changing. She's just growing up. He sighs rubbing his hands through his unruly blond hair. His hair had spiked in waves and some curls from the humidity. It needed to be cut shorter as he can't stand it at this length. He has been cleaning the same tool since they had left a few minutes prior.

Or maybe it is the boy. Padme' had met Palo at the start of term. Maybe she finally had found a boy interesting enough to form a crush. Maybe he is the cause of all the changes in his friend. Either way he isn't keen on her changing, because it meant his feelings for her are changing too.

To Be Continued.