A/n- A bit of time has passed within the last two chapters. But I hope you enjoy! I think all the suggestions made are good- though perhaps one of the suggestions was already part of the plan. Please read and & review or follow!

Chapter 32

Location: Imperial Academy Training Rooms

Month 9 Day 30 Year 28 BBY

She grunts as she's shoved back by her opponent. She catches herself before she falls and eyes the light durasteel dagger that has fallen a few feet from her grasp. She eyes her opponent watching and waiting for him to move in her direction. She eyes his stance and notices there's an opening. She sweeps her body in a roll towards the dagger. Her hand grips the cold handle and she turns her back for that split second. She can feel a cold blade against her neck.

" You're dead," snaps a voice behind her.

She grunts and shows her signal to yield and turns back to those piercing blue daggers. He tosses her the other blade and suggests, " Don't turn your back to your opponent."

She sighs out of tiredness. They have been at this for three hours and it is late. She has heard him snap out, " You're dead." countless times now.

She complains, " I need a break."

His eyes snap to hers. " If someone is trying to kill you, you don't get to be tired. You'll be dead."

She huffs and mutters, " Fine but I'm done after this."

He ignores her whining and lunges for her. She feels the action before he can hit her. She tries to remember some of the moves she'd learned for self-defense purposes. But she has the offensive. He whirls back quickly on his feet and tries again to puncture her side with the steel blade. She eyes his movements and grabs in time the blade around its handle. She grunts and tries to force his wrist in the motion he'd taught her. He uses his arm strength to push back.

Remember your strength comes from your lower body. It is your built type.

She can hear his words in her memory. Her eyes glance down to his stance. He has left his stance unbalanced. She pushes back on his strong arms as a distraction. She turns her body so that her hips are sideways and her foot catches his back heel. Then she uses the force of her hips and arm power to throw him over her shoulder. He yelps in surprise at her movements and lands with a loud " thud" on the mats. She grips the dagger that had been in his hands and straddles her opponent and places the blade near his neck artery. " You're dead," She coaxes loudly.

Both of their breathing is uneven from their workout session. His glaring eyes have softened and shone in triumph. His body feels the closeness to hers as she straddles her hips against his ribcage to keep him from moving. He could get out of this position if he desires, but the ability to be close to her like this- feels good. He smirks at her and comments, " It's about time."

The sound of a cough echoes in the room and breaks their focus on the training at hand. The Togruta female eyes the pair in awe. Anakin's eyes fall on his mentee and notices she's still wearing her uniform from working on the ships in the hanger bay. Her blue eyes shine in amusement at seeing her Lieutenant Commander on the ground for once. " It's about time someone is able to kick your ass, Skyguy." Her tone is teasing especially using her nickname for him.

Padme' eyes the young Togruta. She had met Ashoka a few weeks prior and thought the girl entertaining. Though the dynamics between her and Anakin are amusing to watch. They worked well together but got on each other's nerves enough for Anakin to nickname her " Snips". Padme' slides from her position on her friend and helps him up. She smiles at the younger girl. " Ashoka, how did your day go?"

Ashoka peers down at her uniform and mutters, " Long. I would have been done hours ago, but someone was busy." Her eyes fall accusingly on Anakin.

He holds up his hands dismissing, " Snips I asked you hours ago if you needed help. But you said you didn't need my help and you had everything taken care of."

She places her hands on her hips and mutters, " I was at the time. I didn't expect you to be training for hours."

Anakin grabs his black towel and water bottle. He shrugs. " I am busy as you can see."

Ashoka's blue eyes look between him and Padme' in an odd manner. She studies the older woman, noticing her force aura is bright, much like another force user. She can feel the connection within the force between her and the brunette- but she doesn't speak of this. She seems untrained with her abilities and Ashoka won't tell her what to do with her powers. She had had enough of that growing up.

She remembers why she tracked him down in the first place. Ashoka glances at her friend and mutters, " I was hoping tomorrow you could help me study for my exams coming up next week."

Anakin takes a swig of water from the bottom. His Adam's apple moves as the liquid pours down his throat. He nods. " Of course I'll help you. P, are you hungry? Ashoka?"

Ashoka eyes the pair. She can tell there's more to their little friendship. Their body language had given it away the first time she'd met Padme'. She is a bit hungry, but she sees the expression Padme has on her face. It's one that speaks of some things she needs to speak to her friend about.

Ashoka shakes her head. " No, I'm going to meet some friends in the chow hall. But you two enjoy yourselves."

Anakin shrugs and waves goodbye as she vanishes as fast as she had come into the training room. He gestures to the exit and they walk in silence.

Location: Dex's Diner

They had entered the diner and sat in the very back. Their droid waitress had come and gone with their order. Padme' sips on her blue drink. The taste is more of a berry flavor found on some planet she'd heard of but can't remember it as of now. Anakin notices her silence and weary expression. She has something on her mind, she'd been a bit distracted during practice today.

" What's on your mind?" He says.

She sips her drink again. Where to begin? She had been trying to think of a way to talk to her friend about her newfound abilities and how to tap into them without others noticing. She puts down her cup. " Ani, I never told you how I escaped from Rush's attack."

He eyes his cup and nods intently. " Go on,"

She stays focused on her drink as well. " When he held the shard of glass to my face, I tried to reach for the leftover shards and couldn't reach them. But I could feel them."

His eyes lift from his drink as his focus turns. " You could feel them?"

She nods with her eyes still focused on her cup. She continues, " I could feel them with my mind, and they moved on my command- they hit Rush in the face."

His eyes widened in surprise. He leans forward and murmurs, " You're not a force user."

Her eyes lift from her glass and see replies, " Apparently I was given the vaccine for most of my life by Katrina so it hindered any abilities I had. I stopped taking the booster after-" She stops herself from mentioning their daughter. It still ached to think of her on a daily basis.

He catches her meaning. " After we- lost her."

Her eyes see the hole in his expression. He touches her hand lightly and she clasps her hand in his.

Padme corrects, " When we lost her, I vowed to not get the booster again. Katrina had warned me of the possible complications-"

He holds up his hand to stop her. His eyes narrow. " What complications?"

She had never been able to tell him why she went into early labor. She'd never had the courage until now to tell him their child was dead because of her. " Katrina told me the vaccine and boosters can render a woman who is force user infertile over time. If she's able to conceive and the child is force sensitive then the likelihood of miscarriages and stillbirths is high."

He places his hand on his jaw and leans away from her. He didn't know these risks. His jaw is tight as he suggests, " It isn't your fault-P."

Padme's eyes droop to her cup again. She lifts the cup and uses her mind to stir the sugar into the blue liquid. " You seem to have a knack on picking up on your skills. But you should be careful about where you use them." His voice warns.

She sips her sugary drink and nods. She places it down on the table. " I want you to teach me how to use these abilities."

He takes a sip of his drink. " I will but not here. Why don't we go back to my place and I can teach you a bit of meditation and mental shielding?"

She nods ignoring the late time. She desires to learn ways to keep others out of her head- or sensing their feelings from afar.

To Be Continued.