A/N- I am very impressed by how quick that last chapter got so many reviews- mixed reviews which is always good feedback for an author. Thank you for your comments and concerns. So without further ado- I give you a second chapter this week, as I will be having a procedure done later this week and won't be feeling up to posting. Please R&R as always or follow.

Chapter 15

Location: Imperial Navy Academy

Month 10 Day 25 Year 29 BBY

This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker: a broken man. A warrior, but a broken man. He sits at his desk watching the holo over and over again. The message had come this morning and he had been happy to see a holo from Naboo. A part of him desired it to be from his friend that he left behind. They have gone 19 weeks without seeing each other. 19 long weeks without any sign from her. He knows he might never hear from her again. He had plans to return to the Naberrie estate in two weeks time for the Winter Festivals. His exams are almost over and he should be studying, but his eyes are lodged on the holo playing. The official letters stare back at him as the holo replays for the hundredth time. His eyes are glued onto the images sent to him. It is of his best friend clutching onto a man he knows as the Senator Clovis. He has only had the pleasure of meeting the man in person the same night he had given into his own desires. He never thought he'd see a wedding invitation so soon.

Katrina and Ruwee Naberrie cordially invite you to the union of their daughter Padme' Naberrie to Senator Rush Clovis on the fifth day of Fete, at 7 pm standard time.

He swallows down the cracks in his heart. He knew she would move on, but not this fast. He had thought he'd broken her spirit enough where she wouldn't jump into a marriage after only three months apart! Perhaps she hadn't really loved him. Perhaps she had played him- NO he knew she had cared. She had been too broken up the night of the party.

It doesn't mean she didn't fall in love after you left her life. He grunts and angrily pulls the holo disc out of his R2 unit and slams the disc against the wall. His R2 unit beeps loudly at him with a complaining tone. He eyes the unit and snaps, " Not now R2!"

The droid beeps stiffly and rolls off in the other direction of the small bunk. Obi-wan enters the room and eyes the droid beeping loudly in an angry tone. " What did you do to your R2 unit? I thought you were getting along."

Anakin eyes his friend clearly annoyed by something. Obi-wan's gaze flickers to his friend and asks, " Do I even want to know what you did now?"

Anakin cocks a smirk at him. He had done a few things to get a few demerits this term, including breaking a locker after one of the other cadets had accused him of cheating during their blaster exam. He had not cheated and had been pissed enough of the accusation to throw his own blaster at the cadet and then pound his face into the locker. The locker and the cadet sustained injuries and Anakin had found himself in General Jinn's office being yelled at by his childhood hero. That hadn't been his finest moment.

That stubborn R2 droid didn't help Anakin's behavior either. They had piloting training and R2 had suggested the idea of adding a few fancy moves to their flight path- again Obi-wan had to stand and listen to his master yell at the cadet. Again Obi-wan had been scolded for not helping the boy control his fancies and his anger. Though he is his mentor, he can't control Anakin's behavior. He cannot reveal the connection of the force either. He isn't ready for that yet. But if Anakin causes anymore trouble he might not have a position to come back to after the holidays.

Obi-wan begins, " Look Anakin, I know you have anger issues but you need to learn to control it before both of us are expelled from the Academy."

Anakin holds up his hands in his defense and states, " I have done nothing. Take a joke Ben."

Obi-wan crosses his arms at the younger man's nickname for him. It had become his nickname as of late and Obi-wan didn't mind it. The nickname had been used in his childhood by his Jedi master during one of their undercover missions for the Rebellion and had stuck.

" Then why did you piss off your R2 unit?" He questions wearily. If anyone is going to cause his death, he thinks it will probably be his friend Anakin. Anakin's wild nature cannot be tamed and he enjoys winning at all costs.

Anakin's smirk falls as his anger is noticeable in his tone. " I received a holo from home."

Obi-wan eyes him with confusion, " Is everything all right with your family?'

Anakin grinds out, " Yes everything is great. There is to be a wedding during the Fete holiday."

Obi-wan's eyes flicker back to the broken holodisc on the floor and asks, " And whose marriage is taking place?"

Anakin's dark hues darken into the storm Obi-wan knows is a sign of his simmering anger. The boy's ability to swirl into the dark side so easily terrified him. He didn't know of too many force sensitives who can sway to both sides so easily. Anakin teeters on the dark and light as if the force is fighting within his own body. His pride and fears gave the dark a fighting chance against the light.

" Padme's wedding ," Are the two words that leaves his mouth.

Obi-wan is aware of this name. That is the name of the girl Anakin had told him about. The girl that he dreamed about often. Obi-wan has heard Anakin's murmurs in his sleep. He has heard the dreams plague him. It didn't help that they had an easy connection within the force. Obi-wan has never been able to explain such connections. He and Anakin have become good friends in the one term they've spent as bunk-mates. He knows it won't be long to tell him the truth of his mission of what is at stake in the galaxy.

Obi-wan nods and replies, " I understand you are hurting, but perhaps in time you'll understand why she moved on so quickly."

Anakin's rage and hurt is evident in his next words. " I understand that she has a right to move on. I just didn't expect it to be within such a short time."

Obi-wan pats his friend's shoulder and suggests, " Perhaps some hand to hand training will help?"

A curl of a smile forms in the corner of Anakin's mouth. He did enjoy combat training with Obi-wan. His friend has helped him learn new ways to defeat an opponent in ways he hadn't thought of using before. " Sure, let's go. I'd rather be beating your ass than replaying that dreadful holo anyway."

Obi-wan chuckles and adds, " Only in your mind young one."

The two friends head for the training room without looking back.

Location: Theed, Naboo

Fete Week Day 2 29 BBY

Padme's eyes are overwhelmed by the vibrant colors of all the dresses brought into the parlor. Her hands touch the fine fabric of a light blue dress. The fabric is light and has several layers underneath. This dress is more made for the purpose of a maid of honor or two maid of honors. Padme' eyes her two sisters eyeing other dresses that perhaps she might want to wear as her wedding gown.

Wedding-That word seems foreign to her thoughts. In less than three days , she'd be a married woman. Married to a man she neither loved, nor knows much about. But she isn't doing this for herself- she's doing it for her child growing inside her. Her stomach churns at the thought, though it feels light fluttery, as if the child knows its mother is thinking of him or her. Is that even possible within the womb? Sure the child probably is force sensitive as both its parents are.

She and Rush have agreed to keep the pregnancy private for another month or so. At that time she'd be showing and no longer be able to hide her news and they can share it with her family during this time. The thought of her family knowing makes her a nervous wreck. Katrina has been monitoring her pregnancy since she left for her trip several weeks ago and returned.

The chances of survival could go up with each month she makes it too. But the chance of having a stillbirth is also still out there. The thought churns her stomach again. She doesn't know how she'd handle such a situation and prays to the force or maker to relieve her of any of these events.

" Padme' what about this color? It would look gorgeous on you!" Sabe' claims.

Padme's gaze flickers over to the dress her sister is holding. It is an off-white color, not white as most wedding dresses. The lace is thin and more of a floral pattern. Padme' touches it and smiles. Sabe is correct that the dress is beautiful. Padme' did not want to wear white and had insisted on finding a color that was not white. Off-white could work for her predicament.

Padme' hands the short blue dress over to her sister, insisting, " What do you think of this dress for you?"

Sabe' blushes and her golden eyes fall upon the dress. The light blue dress is an off the shoulder dress. It is shorter than most bridemaid's dresses, but is just as attractive as the wedding dress in her own hands. " I think you should try this one," Sabe' comments, pushing the wedding dress into her sister's hands.

She wants to ignore the beautiful light blue dress in her sister's hands, but Padme' exchanges a knowing look with her. " Sabe' please just try it on?"

Sabe' beams back at her and suggests, " If you try on that dress, I will."

Padme' smiles and agrees. They each head to the temporary changing booths set up in the parlor. Padme enters and changes out of her simple black shirt and white skirt. She pulls the dress over her head and cannot button the back without help. Her eyes are drawn to the beautiful floral pattern set in simple beads swirled in the patterns. Sabe' is right- the dress is very attractive on her. It is not too clingy, and the fabric is cool against her skin. This is the dress.

She smiles with the feelings of joy of finding her dress. She may not be marrying the man she loves, but she at least has the perfect dress. Her hands cradle her flat stomach out of habit and she murmurs, " I'm doing this for you little one."

Her fiance' had insisted on marrying her as soon as they could. Wedding planning had been taken over by Sola and Sabe' in Padme's absence. Padme' had left on her trip several weeks prior and had returned only three days ago. She had enjoyed every minute of her mission and had plans to return after the birth of her child. She desires to continue her work with the locals and help the new colony develop. A part of her wishes she had stayed with them and helped them build and never returned to Naboo. But what sort of daughter would she be if she hadn't come home? If she had deprived her sisters' and father of knowing their newest kin? Running away wouldn't solve her problems and that is why she had come home- to her new future.

She and Rush had spoken of her future and completing her internship. She wanted to wait until after the baby was a bit older and could have a nanny. She wanted to take at least a year break before applying for an internship, though she had already received offers from one such Senator Mon and Bail Organa. Padme' had told both of them due to her wedding plans and honeymoon she desired to wait until the Summer or Fall term to begin her studies again. They seemed surprised at her choices, but they will understand when her announcement of the babe is made. Their offers still remained.

Her eyes travel over her appearance. She smiles and her mind drifts to that blond haired man she hasn't laid eyes on in months. Would he like the dress? Would he approve of her choices?

She finds herself wondering what he would think of her marriage announcement so soon. She isn't sure he won't be furious at her. He had told her once that she'd meet someone that would replace him. He had meant someone to love and to be her partner in life. But no one could replace him. No one. And that is the simple truth. No matter what had happened during their summer fling, he still is her best friend. She needs him in her life, even if it is painful to do. He'd been away much of the next few years, but she'd be closer as well. She'd be moving to Coruscant after the honeymoon and their return. She'd be busy with her socialite life with her new husband.

She bites her lip at thinking of seeing Anakin again. He hadn't sent back his reply of coming to the wedding or not. She doesn't blame him if he chooses to not come. It had sunk in that he is obeying her wishes of keeping space between them. To allow her room to grow and figure out life without him.

She already knows the answer. She despises life without him in it. She needs her best friend's support to get her through this happy time- to support her choices no matter his personal opinions of her choices. Her best friend should be here to celebrate with her. He had promised her once that no matter what happened he's always been there for her. Dammit she needs him here with her to get through her wedding.

The voices of her sisters' are a bit louder than before and pull her from her thoughts. She hears the excitement outside of the changing booth and she exits out of curiosity. Her dress swishes as she leaves the booth and eyes her two siblings chatting excitedly with two new arrivals in the parlor. Their chatting continues as they don't notice her come into their view.

It's as if the force has heard her prayers. Her heart beats faster in her chest and a smile graces her lips. His eyes turn in her direction as he senses her comforting presence in the room. Her breathing stops as their eyes meet. The sparks fly between the pair and neither of them needs to speak words to the other.

You came. Her thoughts pass on to him as she has done for many years.

A smile graces his lips as he hears the joy in the force. She is delighted and relieved to have him here. That's all he needs to feel to know he made the right choice of coming to her rescue. He would find a way to talk some sense into her. He has a wedding to stop.

To Be Continued