A/n- Thank you to the new followers and also my readers. Some of you may recognize this chapter from the original. It's been tweaked to fit into the rewrite as I could not part ways with this original chapter. Happy Early Thanksgiving!

Chapter 36

Location: Cantina, Imperial Center

Month 10 Day 6 28 BBY

The loud noises of the cantina echo in Anakin's ears as he takes a sip of his whiskey. The taste is bitter to his lips, but his mouth isn't tempted by the drink or the red-haired woman eyeing him from the corner of his eye. He observes the older gentlemen in the corner of the cantina, he makes no objectives to the woman sitting on his lap, making sassy comments. Several men sit around the table playing a game of passack. Rush Clovis sets down his hand and pulls in the chips in the middle of the table. His lap dog sips her drink and squeals in delight. Anakin recognizes the woman as Padme's handmaiden, Corde'.

He had followed Rush after he had left work several hours before. He had used the force to disguise his path in the force. Then he had sat for several hours, watching, waiting for the right moment to strike.

" Another?" Calls the voice of the red haired woman attempting to grab his attention.

He waves his hand and uses a force suggestion on her, " You do not want me. You want to go home to your husband."

Her eyes are glazed over as she murmurs the suggestion and turns away from him.

" It's taken me hours to track you down," comes the voice of his other best friend, Ben.

Anakin's gaze doesn't leave the man before him. He snaps, " Good, I'm improving my skills in hiding myself within the force."

" What in blazes are you doing, Anakin?" He comments.

He shrugs and mutters, " Nothing yet. You're welcome to help."

" Anakin-" He warns.

Anakin turns his blazing gaze on his friend. His voice is slick with poison. " That bastard deserves to get his ass kicked."

Ben sighs and agrees, " Yes, but you can be imprisoned for this. Anakin, have you thought of what would happen with your career?"

Anakin turns on him then. He whispers angrily, " Yes I have. Besides If I do nothing, I still have to become an Inquisitor officially after graduation."

" Anakin, the council members think it is best to have someone on the inside. We could gain new information about the Emperor's movements- put an end to this war." Ben comments, suggesting it isn't about him.

Anakin mutters bitterly, " It is all about my bloodline, Ben. I am their little playtoy to help them gain control of the Empire. I don't like being treated like a slave. I've already had a lifetime experience of that."

Ben pats his friend's jacket and he gestures with his head towards the Senator and his guests, " And this is? How is ruining the career you've worked your ass for, worth it?"

Anakin eyes his friend. " You know why."

Ben sighs, knowing all too well his feelings for a certain friend of his. He replies, " What will she think when she finds out you did this?"

Anakin grunts and mutters, " She might not like it at first, but she'll thank me for it one of these days. I have to keep her safe."

Ben murmurs, " It's not your job to protect her, Anakin. She can take care of herself."

Anakin sips his drink, eyeing the Senator once more. " I know she can as long as the son of a bitch leaves her alone. Now if you'll excuse me."

His eyes hold onto his prize- or rather mark. Rush Clovis deals another hand to his passack partners as Anakin uses the force to sense any weapons on the men. Rush has a blaster, but nothing else. The other men have blasters as well.

Bastard

Anakin eyes the table and takes his drink with him. He stumbles into the table and spills his drink all over Corde, who sits straddling her companion. She shrieks as the cold drink hits her dress and skin.

" What the hell?" She cries out and stands up.

Rush narrows his eyes at the boy standing in front of him. It is no other than Anakin Skywalker without his uniform on. His eyes are a fiery storm of blue as he watches Rush like prey. Rush smirks and suggests, " Ah, why don't you join me in my victory? I can taste it in every sip of this wine."

Rush stands to his feet and gestures towards his seat. Anakin's fists clench as he snaps, " No, I don't sit at a table with bastards that abuse their wives."

Rush's eyes narrow and gleam in the very low light room. He holds out his arms in feign innocence. " I never touched her. Though I did enjoy her in bed. She always liked it when I-"

Anakin's rage cannot be controlled as he grips onto the shorter man's shirt. Anakin stands a few inches taller than the Senator. The Senator had combat practice on his home planet, but no one dared to touch him due to his status. Anakin pulls the Senator closer and whispers to him, " Touch her again and I'll put you in the ground."

Rush's laughter surprises Anakin. Usually he intimidates his enemies, but not Rush. Rush leans into his hold and murmurs, " I will have her again and she'll shout my name. I bet you've never satisfied her in bed. She likes it rough-"

Rush cannot finish his sentence as Anakin's fist meets his mouth. Rush is pushed back some and Anakin is on him again. His jab meets his mouth again and Rush falls back onto the table with passak cards flying through the air around them.

Several women screech at the fight occurring. Several of the men sitting at the table attempt to attack Anakin. Anakin flips one of the men on his left over his shoulder, while sensing the other to his right. The man on his right attempts to pull out his blaster and fire at Anakin. Anakin waves his hand and the blaster is taken from his hand and is thrown across the room. Obi-wan catches the man off guard and his fist meets the man's face.

Anakin turns back to his prey, who has scrambled off the table in fear for his life. He stands to his feet and throws several fist attempts at Anakin's face- jab- uppercut and another jab to his jaw. Anakin feels none of the blows as he uses the force to lift the pitiful Senator in the air and off of his feet. Anakin clenches his fists and the Senator gurgles for air.

Anakin hits Rush hard in the stomach as he holds onto the force choke. Obi-wan watches on and shouts, " Anakin- stop it you'll break his neck!"

Rush takes another jab to his stomach as he gurgles away. Anakin shouts in rage and lets go of the force choke. He grasps Rush's bloody shirt and smashes his first into the man's face over and over again. Rush feels each blow to his face as he's pounded out like dead meat with a matte, ready for tendering. Blood pools from his mouth and nose. Rush blacks out before his attacker is finished. Anakin cries out in rage and punches the already unconscious Senator again.

Obi-wan grasps his friend's arm to stop him from killing the unconscious man. " Stop! He's out Anakin. Don't you think you should stop?"

Anakin's knuckles are bloody as he pulls himself away from the man. He peers around the cantina and says nothing. Corde' is huddled in the corner of the room and says nothing as they walk right on by and out of the cantina.

Location Kenobi and Skywalker Residence, Imperial Center

Month 10 Day 7 Year 28 BBY

Padme' blinks back the sleep in her eyes. She and Sabe' had been offered to spend the night at the guy's residence after Ben had gone looking for Anakin. That had been hours ago. Padme' had fallen asleep with Sabe' in the guest bed. Padme' yawns and hears the raucous from the living room. She pats down the small hallway and listens in. " " What were you thinking? He can have you arrested for assault!" Ben shouts.

Anakin stands his ground as he retorts, " He tried to kill her and got away with it! What did you want me to do? Allow him to stalk her for the rest of her life? She'll never be able to have a normal life!"

Padme is fully awake at this point, knowing something had occurred between her husband and friend. She eyes the two friends yelling at each other. Ben sighs and states, " Anakin, I warned you not to do this."

Padme comes out from the hallway and demands, " Do what? Anakin?"

Two pairs of eyes fall onto her. She observes her friend's bloody fists and swollen lip. She crosses her arms and accuses, " Anakin, you went after Rush didn't you? Are you an idiot?"

Anakin snaps back, " I am trying to protect you."

She outstretches her hand yelling, " Protect me? How are you going to do that from inside of a prison? He will come after you."

Anakin shrugs and suggests, " I doubt he'll press charges. He's a coward."

Padme' glares at both of them. She snaps, " Yes he's a coward, but don't underestimate him. He will press charges against you. You went against my wishes."

His bloody jaw is clenched. Why can't she understand? He had a responsibility to keep her safe.

" You'll understand someday," He snaps out. He heads to his room. He brushes past her and she follows, not done with their conversation, and knowing he'd need help cleaning up his bloody mess of a face.

His refresher door shuts behind them both. There is little room for both of them. He snaps, " I don't need your help. I'm fine."

She gestures to his mirror and his face. His jaw is bloody with several places that need aid. " Really? That is what you call fine? Sit your ass down. I'm helping you one way or another."

Anakin sits on the perch of the shower ledge as she grabs a rag and runs warm water over it. She turns and takes his bloody fist, setting the warm rag on it. He hisses as the warm water meets the cuts and sore knuckles. She snaps out, " You deserve all the pain for going against what you promised me."

His eyes meet hers as he retorts, " Yes I did and you should be thanking me, not scolding me."

Padme narrows her eyes at him and presses harder into the cuts on his sore knuckles. Anakin hisses under his breath as she responds with determination, " There are other ways than violence and I asked you not to kill him."

Anakin laughs through the pain of his mouth and jawline and says, " I didn't kill him, I kept my promise."

She snorts and attempts to smile through her anger, at his smart ass comments. He always had something to say- the one with the last word.

He keeps the smirk on his face as he watches her nurse his fist. As the blood clears, she takes the rag to his lips and jaw. He hisses from the shear pain, but cannot ignore her fingertips on his lips. He hadn't been this close to her in a long time in an affectionate way. Usually their closeness was a squeeze of their hands, or they had to be close to spar. But this feeling is worth the scolding. He closes his eyes trying to fight any urge he has to kiss her. Her soothing fingertips heal the cuts better than the water and soap ever could.

" Oh did I hurt you?" She jokes in anger.

She is furious with him, but senses his own fury simmer with every touch from her fingers. She senses the desire rising between them. Their connection is strong and with every change in his emotions she can sense his urges through the force and she's not sure how much he notices his feelings shining through their bond. Her mind pulls back to the unspoken conversation they'd been avoiding for weeks. He had been focused on her injuries, which were healing nicely. She had been focused on her husband's investigation and had put her revelations in the back of her mind.

He senses her change in mood as she murmurs, " You know, we still need to talk."

" About?" He snaps, not catching her meaning.

" About that night we meditated together," is her reply.

He huffs out a breath and he mutters with his eyes still closed, " There is nothing to talk about."

" Anakin, you can't keep avoiding me, and we might not get to talk about it if they arrest you." She retorts.

His eyes snap open and retorts, " I told you, there's nothing to talk about. I need a hot shower, so if you don't mind leaving." His tone is one of warning.

She takes his warning and snaps, " Fine if that's what you wish."

She throws down the rag and stomps out of the fresher. Anakin lets out a low growl and leans heavily against the sink. She had to stop pushing him to talk about his feelings. What is there to tell? She is still married. She wants nothing to do with men. So why should he bring up what they both knew? He didn't need to proclaim the truth to her. She'd felt it through their bond that night. It had to be kicked in the butt. He finally had her friendship back in some form and didn't want to lose her again. He cannot think straight and his jaw hurts. He throws his bloody shirt on the ground. He turns on the hot water, hoping he can forget their conversation by drowning it out with the hot water.

To Be Continued.