A/N- Thank you for all the reviews. I'm just grateful I am able to give you this chapter. I was involved in a car accident this weekend so I'm glad to be unhurt and able to keep publishing this story! Please review or follow!
Chapter 29
Location: Vice Admiral Jinn's Residence, Imperial Center
Month 9 Day 1 Year 28 BBY
Anakin blocks Ben's on-coming strike. He grits his teeth and quickly uses the force to shove his opponent's lightsaber back enough to lift his own blade in a slashing motion. Ben parries his blade with his own. The sounds of the light-sabers fill the room, echoing off the training rooms walls. Anakin grunts as he feels a bash from behind him. He senses the oncoming danger of one of the training droids second bolt. This time he rolls to the side and underneath Ben's azure blade. He blocks the blast bolt with his lightsaber and then whirls around in time to jump over a lightsaber thrown in his direction. The lightsaber flies back to its owner and Anakin flexes his own. The blade swishing as he waits for his training partner's next move. He knows most of Ben's moves by now, but he waits for the timing- just as he used to do when he raced his bike.
Ben usually liked to use the force in defense. His main source of fighting usually came from his saber techniques. Ben dodges a few blaster bolts in his direction as well. He turns his back to slice through the training droid, but turns his back just at the right moment.
Anakin smirks and uses the force to flip through the air. The air whooshes with the passing of his body. He leaps right next to his friend and is about to place the lightsaber against his neck when Ben senses the oncoming attack. Inches from his face, he blocks the offensive move. He smiles at his friend and states, " You have learned much, but forget your feet."
Anakin's eyes widen as his feet are kicked from underneath him. His body slams into the gray training mats with a loud thud. His lightsaber deactivates as it hits the ground. Ben points the blue saber at his opponent and suggests, " We're done for today. Good work."
His saber deactivates with a slight hissing sound. He lends a hand to his friend and Anakin gratefully accepts it. He rubs the sweat off his face with the back of his hand. They had been training for the past hour. Anakin eyes the chrono on his wrist. 1600. He has a few hours to kill before checking on his new mentee before lights out.
Ben senses his annoyance thinking of his new mentee. His gaze flickers to his friend as he walks towards their workout bags. He pulls out a towel and asks, " You are not enjoying your mentoring of a first year?" His voice sounds a bit like it is teasing as Ben teaches the first year students' a class every day- mainly hand to hand combat training. He had objected to becoming the pilot trainee as he despises flying, one area his best friend is highly skilled and a successful pilot.
Anakin frowns at his teasing and mutters, " No. She's a pain in my ass. She doesn't listen to my orders, and she is petulant. And without my guidance she's going to get herself killed out there."
Ben chuckles at his serious attitude to training the first years. He had felt the same way about Anakin, each time he defied orders, or had to be punished for his outrageous behavior. His friend has grown up in a sense. The changes in his patience were coming along with a lot of meditation sessions. His patience needed a bit more testing with this mentee as well. Anakin rolls his eyes and mutters knowing he's thinking of himself, " Don't say she's just like me."
Ben shrugs and humor glints in his gray eyes. " You said it. I did not. You need to have patience with Tano."
Anakin sighs and sits down on the bench. Cadet Tano is the youngest to ever attend the Imperial Naval Academy. She had been granted special permission to attend the academy at 16. Her parents had to sign off waivers and such because of her age. On most planets 18 is the legal age of an adult and Tano is an exception. Her tactics and advanced skills in all her classes had allowed her to be granted this honor. On top of all of that, she's strong in the force.
Anakin knows she's shielding herself most of the time, but since he had begun training with Ben and Qui-gon, he has been able to sense others that are force sensitive at times when they shield themselves from others within the force. The girl's advanced skills would send her straight to the mechanical engineering program during her second year at the Academy. But first she has to be able to pass her classes and take orders from her mentor- namely Anakin.
" She is very strong in the force, Ben. I don't know how she's had so much training which has allowed her to stay off the radar. I won't be surprised if Maul tries to recruit her." Anakin comments wearily.
He cares about his mentee. He knows she has the possibility of Jedi training, even Qui-gon had commented on this recently, but they have to be careful with whom they trust. Having four Jedi at the same location on Coruscant could end in disaster. Usually Jedi are scattered throughout the galaxy at different posts to infiltrate the Empire. It has been how they have been able to stay alive these past thirty years after Order 66. Qui-gon doesn't speak much of those days, but Anakin and Ben both know he regrets following his master during the Clone Wars.
" We will approach her if we see the right time, just as we did you," Ben comments to his thoughts.
Anakin nods in understanding and asks, " What are you doing tonight?"
Ben's facial expression changes then. His face brightens and he mutters, " Nothing much why?"
His nervous flex has Anakin curious. He tilts his head and asks, " No it's something. Ben what's going on?"
He shifts his feet and throws the water bottle back into his bag. He's nervous. Why? Not much made Obi-wan nervous: flying in a ship, flying in a speeder and spending time with a certain young woman.
Anakin's mouth curls in a smile and assets, " You're stopping over to see her aren't you?"
Ben throws his towel in his bag and murmurs, " Perhaps- she may have a date or some work to attend too."
Anakin laughs and pats his friend's shoulder. " Ben, Sabe's infatuated with you. I've known her for a long time, and I know when she likes someone. Why don't you ask her out formally?"
Obi-wan gulps and nervously states, " I'm not good with women. I've been training as a Jedi since I was a young teenager. Girls were a mystery to me and with our missions ahead I shouldn't become involved. I like her friendship and companionship. I'd rather lose that."
Anakin shakes his finger at him. " Excuses. She's liked you since she first met you at Winter Fete last year. Stop with the excuses, and as far as staying friends- speaking from personal experience that doesn't stop from any feelings you develop for her. Just ask her out."
Ben zips his bag and murmurs, " And what's if she rejects me? Do you understand how embarrassed I'd be? She's important to me."
From what he can hear in his friend's voice, he's already fallen for the woman. He's just not sure of his feelings yet. Anakin knew from experience that in time he'd figure it out, whether he acted on it, it depends on him. Sabe's had short relationships, but Anakin's never seen her spend so much time with a young man that she's not dating. And she and Ben spend countless days together- with and without their friends around.
Anakin zips his own black bag up and mutters, " You'll never know until you try."
Ben resigns himself and murmurs, " I'll think about it."
" No, you're going to speak to her now. We'll drop by 500 Republica and you'll casually ask her to dinner- that's all- just you and her." Anakin determines with stubborness.
Ben is speechless as he's dragged out of the training room and into his personal hell.
Location: 500 Republica, Imperial Center
Month 9 Day 1 Year 28 BBY
The two young women continue to play their game of galactic chess. The game is one that their father had spent hours teaching the girls. He had always believed in teaching them strategy games, as if the girls would be commanders in the navy come adulthood.
Padme's eyes glance to the clock on the wall. Rush would be home in an hour or so from his meeting. She's sure he won't be in a mood after today's meetings. He sure as hell won't want to have company either- namely Sabe' around. He liked to keep their arguments to themselves so that he can conceal how violent their fights could be. How livid he became over small things- dinner- or expenses she had spent on small things. They had once had a spat over her purchasing a new sofa for the living room without his approval. She had heard him complaining about the couch for many weeks being uncomfortable and wanting to buy another one. So what had she done? She'd tried to make him happy. She had made him angry for spending the credits on the small frivolous thing. And what thanks had she gotten? She'd ended up shoved into the glass mirror with his hand around her neck. She had tried to bite him and he'd been angry enough to shove her head into the back of the mirror.
That had been hard to explain to Sabe' when she came home from the market. She had needed stitches from the medical droid Rush kept in the penthouse. The mirror had busted as well. Her explanation to her sister had been that she'd decided she wanted a new one and had tried to climb up on a chair and stupidly had slipped and tumbled backwards into the mirror and broke it.
Sabe' had gone with her explanation at the time, but sometimes her clumsiness seemed to be getting worse each time.
Her thoughts are sprung from her mind as the bell at the front is rung. She presses her comm. Link asks Captain Panaka of her husband's guard, " Who is here?"
His voice booms over the clear connection. " It is Commander Kenobi and Lieutenant
Commander Skywalker."
Padme' eyes her sister with a knowing smile. " Send them up, Panaka."
Sabe's blush returns to her cheeks as she eyes her dress for the evening. Her dress is of a simple yellow and is a simple short sleeved dress which falls below her knees. It is a dress she wears on her days off and no company is in attendance. She tries to fix the messy bun on top of her head with a few sweeps of hair falling out of it.
Padme touches her sister's hand and suggests, " You look beautiful. I'm sure Ben won't mind seeing you like this."
Sabe' turns brighter red and replies, " I don't think what I'm wearing is appropriate to see company at this time."
Padme squeezes her sister's hand and states, " It's Ani and Ben. Neither of them will care about your attire or mine."
Sabe' huffs out a nervous laugh. " Yes of course-."
Her statement is cut off as the two best friends enter the residence. Both young men are wearing their training clothes and hadn't changed after training. Ben's hair is longer now that he is a Commander. He keeps it a bit longer than regulations allow for Cadets. But he is their teacher, so he can do this. His clear gray eyes land on the pair of women and he states nervously, " Did we come at a bad time? I'm sorry if we interrupted your plans."
Padme' eyes her best friend's mischievous smirk growing with every word Ben says. She knows he's trying to play matchmaker as much as she has been with her sister. Padme' dismisses, " No, we are currently free this evening, it is a pleasure to have you stop by."
Ben smiles graciously at her and then doesn't say anymore. Anakin rolls his eyes with impatience. He bumps the man's shoulder and coughs. Padme' tries to keep the snicker from leaving her mouth. It ends up being a small smile as she asks, " You're welcome to join us, we're just playing a round of Galactic Chess."
Ben swallows out of nervousness and asks, " Actually I just wanted to stop by and see-" He pauses and his eyes fall onto Sabe's.
Maker, she's breathtaking. His thoughts echoing into the force. Padme' eyes Ben almost as if she's heard him. At least she would swear that she'd heard him.
Sabe' asks, " You wanted to see what?"
Ben grips his hat tightly and asks, " If you would join me for dinner Miss Sabe'." His formal tone surprises her.
Her eyes slide back over to her sister's brown hues. She wants to say yes, but is he just asking if everyone wanted to join? He coughs awaiting the silence that has filled the room. Sabe's eyes flicker onto his and she asks, " By ourselves? Or all four of us go?"
Ben shifts his feet and Anakin chimes in, " I have to get back to the Academy within the hour, so I cannot come."
Anakin's eyes peer back at his best friend's. Padme gets the idea and shrugs, " Rush will be home soon so I'll have dinner with him. Sabe's free though."
Sabe's eyes widen and she says, " Yes, I would love to join you Ben. Let me just grab my cloak."
Ben smiles and says, " Oh let me get it for you."
She stands up and allows him to place her red cloak over her shoulders. She turns bright red watching her sister and suggests, " I will see you later."
The pair begin to exit together and onto their first date alone. As the doors slide shut, Anakin's laughter fills the air. The laughter is extremely infectious as Padme' finds her stomach hurting from the belly laughs leaving her body.
Anakin places himself across from his friend trying to halt the fits of laughter. She genuinely smiles at him through her laughter. " They are so adorable." She heaves out trying to catch her breath.
" I've been trying for months to get him to ask her out. Hopefully she takes the hint."
Padme' smiles and finally her laughter stops. His eyes meet hers and he smiles at back murmurs, " It's good to hear you laughing again."
She flickers down to the chess game and murmurs, " I forgot what it's like to laugh like this."
His warm hand finds hers. She squeezes it in reassurance. It felt nice to touch him again after their stupid error of a kiss those weeks ago. Perhaps it had been a miserror on her part, as they hadn't discussed it since and had only seen each other a few times since the fall semester had begun.
And then her chocolate orbs meet his blue hues. Nope- still there. Her mind whispers in her ears.
He realizes they are alone and isn't sure how to begin what he wants to say to her. They had avoided this conversation since it had happened, but he knows it will just burn a hole into their relationship until they discuss that kiss.
" Look P, I've been meaning to talk with you about what happened on Naboo." He begins altering the comfortableness between them.
Padme's face falls upon hearing where this conversation is leading. She had been playing this in her mind for weeks on how to handle it when it came up. And now? She didn't have a clue as to how to handle this conversation. She bites her lip and murmurs, " I wish I could take it back."
Anakin swallows painfully and states, " Do you?"
Her eyes came up to meet his. She tries to hide away that part of her that wishes he could kiss her now. She squeezes his hand and tries to put up that wall she has used with everyone since Rush's abuse had started. It is her natural defenses kicking in and she replies simply, " I was
lonely Anakin and in that moment I didn't want to be alone."
Anakin tries to read her as he always has done. She's hiding something- he can feel it in his bones. She had been since that night or rather before that night. He isn't positive about what it is, but she isn't willing to share, even with him. It stung a bit that she's hiding things from even him. He's her best friend and shouldn't feel the need to hide anything away.
He shakes his head and whispers, " I don't want that kiss to be the death of our friendship."
She takes her other hand and cups his cheek. Her thumb touches his warm cheek in comfort. " Nothing will ever make you lose my friendship, you should know that after everything we've been through Ani."
He puts on a small smile just for her and whispers, " Then all is settled then. I wanted to clear things up between us and I'm sorry for it taking so long."
She smiles in return, grateful that the conversation had returned them to their normal and right spot in the galaxy. Although it still stung to know he was okay with it not going any further. That part of her that still wanted him to want her. She had realized that in the weeks following the kiss that a part of her longed for their simpleness and the ease of the romance they had once shared. But she had been determined to not allow it to happen again. Her mind had to win over this matter over her heart. She isn't available to any man right now and until she can figure out a way to divorce her husband without a huge public blow out she couldn't think of any man in that sense, especially not her best friend.
Her hand falls to her side and she changes the subject, " How is everything going with Inquisitor training?"
Anakin sighs and mutters, " The same. Maul still makes me do the dirty work and errands. It's frustrating not being able to make a difference in a sense."
Padme' left hand squeezes his again in reassurance. " Give it time, I'm sure it won't be long before he's giving you an actual assignment such as protecting a Senator or interrogating a former rebel. You're going to make an excellent Inquisitor."
She does not hear his answer. It's as if he's been burnt by fire, until she hears the clearing of a throat. Two pairs of eyes fall upon the Senator returning home from a long day of work. Padme' plasters a grin on her face as she always does in front of company. Anakin reads her like a book. He needs to know nothing is wrong in her marriage. She doesn't need her friend in jail.
" How was your day Rush?" She greets him from the sofa.
Rush eyes their guest in caution and mutters, " Long. I think I will have a drink."
Padme' tries to keep her fake smile plastered on her face as her husband begins his drinking. He always gets violent now when he's drinking. Those are the nights Padme' tries her best to be on her best behavior. He is faster and stronger than her small frame. She has not acquired enough hand to hand combat skills needed to take on her husband. She'd rather fight back when he's sober- or rather not. Her way of fighting is to remain silent and save her energy for the fights to come.
Rush gestures to Anakin. " It is good of you to stop by. Would you care for a drink?"
Anakin eyes the older man wearily. He seems on edge. He can sense his demeanor through the force. But he also senses the jealousy swimming in his veins. He had seen their affection for one another and it is a good thing he is not capable of using the force. He'd have force choked Anakin by now. Anakin smiles and suggests, " Actually I need to be going. I'm still on duty so no drinking."
Rush gingerly sips his wine and nods as if he agrees. " Yes- we don't want you to be court marshalled. Stop by any time."
Anakin keeps his distance between himself and Padme' and says, " I will stop by next week. We will have to share comments about their date."
Padme' waves to her friend from her spot on the couch. She can sense Rush's anger which is boiling over within the force.
As soon as Anakin had been down the hall for several minutes, Rush turned on her then. His eyes livid with envy. He chugs down his glass and pours himself another. He stares her down accusingly, " So you won't come to my bed, but you're going to his?"
Padme' stands from her spot on the couch. She says calmly, " Rush, Anakin is my friend. I am not sleeping with him."
Rush clenches the glass in his hand. He steps near her and claims in rage, " You are mine. I have wed and bedded you. "
Padme' tries to not wince at the tone in his voice. Yes, he has bedded her- and raped her. Since that event several months ago, he hadn't touched her sexually. He hadn't even tried. It's as if he felt guilty for his actions without saying those words. She says cautiously, " There is nothing between Anakin and I."
He steps closer to her, encroaching on her space. He grabs her chin and commands, " Swear it."
Padme's chocolate orbs stay focused on his green livid ones. She flinches at the pain in her chin and states, " You're hurting me." She will not whimper. She had promised herself after he raped her to stay strong and fight back.
He pulls her in and whispers into her ear, venom dripping from his lips. " I haven't hurt you yet, you have no idea what I'm capable of. And if I ever discover your lying to me about being with any man, I swear I-"
She spits in his face then. He will not threaten her life over his envious rage. The sharp hiss of the smack comes next. He grips onto her long braid and wrenches her head back. She bites her lip to stop herself from yelping in pain. He slams his glass down into shards. His bloody hand grips a shard and places it just under her throbbing throat. He cuts gently across her neckline- enough to draw a bit of blood.
" I can and will kill you- you can count on that. You have no power- and if you scream I'll kill you right here, right now."
She eyes the glass shards laying near her hands. Her hand reaches out, but they are not close enough. Rush is too busy to notice her eyes focusing on those shards. She tries to keep reaching for them, but to no avail. But she can sense the objects within her heightened state of mind.
Move! Her mind commands those shards, but they do not move an inch.
He holds the shard to her cheek and cuts it. " I should leave a scar for you to remember this night."
She focuses her attention on those shards as the pain from the glass rips at her left cheek. He does it slowly in agony, as if remembering this moment. Her eyes focus on the shards. She can sense them within her mind- all she needs is for them to hit his face.
And then she hears the screaming coming from her husband. Her eyes turn to his face- it's bloody. Shards of glass have punctured his face in several areas. His grip on her slackens and she watches him cover his face, screaming in agony. She scrambles to her feet and makes a run for it.
She runs for the lift.
" You bitch!" He screams out.
She doesn't look back or think of trying to figure out how that had actually worked. It didn't matter she was free- free to run away. She runs out trying to discern her directions- she has to find someone who will believe her.
Her shaking hands find her comm. link in the pocket of her dress. She shakes as the blood from her face and neck drip down the blue satin dress. Her fingers press the dial for the person who would answer her call.
" Hello?" Silence fills the comm, life forms around her, pushing past her and speaking to their partners.
" P? What's wrong?" comes the voices on the other line.
She finds her voice which is as strong as it can be. " Anakin I need you to come and get me."
" Where are you?" He presses and the worry in his voice is evident.
" I- I'm down a few blocks from- from 500 Republica."
" What the kriff happened?" He demands. He had left her there no more than 10 minutes ago.
" Rush and- I were fighting and he-" Her voice shakes a bit as he cuts her off.
" I'm on my way, stay put." His voice command, hearing the fright in her voice.
" Okay." She replies.
To Be Continued.