A/N- So I've had massive writer's block for most of the summer. However, I've been dealing with my third trimester as well so if updates are a bit slow in the next coming months for this story or any others, it's just because I'm taking time to care for the newest member of my family. Please follow or review if you want to see what happens next!

-GP

Chapter 49

Month 2 Day 22 Year 27

0730

( Padme's Apartment)

The sunlight blaring through the windows alerted her senses. She sighs leaning into the warm body next to her. Her head lays on his arm with her curls splashed in a muddy sweaty pattern- an indication at their actions the past few hours.

Padme' had been woken up perhaps two or three hours ago to the not so soundless footsteps of the man lying beside her. He had come into her room and taken a course of action of pulling her to him without a word. He had been angry as she had sensed his fury through their bond, and there hadn't been any time to focus on where the anger was directed at.

She rubs at the small bite mark on her neck. He hadn't been exactly sweet or gentle with her. But it hadn't mattered, she had needed him too. She had needed him to rock her rocky world after the day she had had at work.

His fingertips touch hers and their eyes meet for the first time in a few minutes since they had finished a third round of exercise. He pulls her hand away and uses the force to begin healing the mark. She smiles and whispers, " Leave it. It's a reminder of you."

His face is less frustrated now, and less serious. He forces a smile to his face and whispers, " Okay."

He says no more and begins to sit up without saying anymore. He checks his comm. link and sighs. He hadn't slept at all and wanted to finish his conversation with Qui-gon, but he had class in an hour. He needed to shower and change his clothes which he had left at his and Obi-wan's apartment. He uses the force to reach for his nightshirt on the floor where it had fallen. His fingers feel the soft black fabric between them as he feels the hand on his bare shoulder.

" I know you're angry and I'm here if you want to talk about it, " comes her sweet voice.

He does not look at her and tries to keep his mental shields up. What would she think of him if she knew the truth? He had killed a man to protect his father- he had argued with his other best friend because they stood divided by the choice. He had taken upon himself a persona that by now or soon would be seen as a terrorist to the Inquisitors. It isn't a truth he wants to discuss with the woman he loves, whatever is between them has been going smoothly the past few weeks and doesn't need to change.

He turns to her and murmurs, " Thank you- I'm just angry about something that happened on duty last night. I'm sorry if it seems I'm pulling away- I just don't want to talk about it."

She nods clearly understanding it had something to do with his job as an Inquisitor. He didn't like to discuss with her what happened in the prisons or torture chambers. She kept the light side lit inside him and he needed her to be that light. But she understood, she didn't tell him about her time as Raven.

She leans forward and kisses his shoulder. He turns his head and kisses her cheek quickly sighing tiredly. His eyes reflect his exhaustive state- the countless nights without sleep are getting to him. She rubs his shoulder and questions, " When was the last time you slept more than an hour?"

He shrugs and complains, " Whenever Inquisitor Maul chooses to stop tormenting me with night shifts on top of classes at the Academy."

She squeezes his shoulder and murmurs, " If you are that exhausted then you should rest, Ani. You need your strength."

He smiles tiredly at her caring and says, " I have a class in an hour. What are you doing today?"

She tries to smile and hide the truth of her worry, but chooses to go along with the change of subject. " I have my final meeting with my lawyer , Rush and his lawyer. I hope today we can come to an arrangement of sorts."

He leans forward and kisses her lips and eyes the clock. " I wish you luck then."

She smiles and says, " You too. Please rest after class if you can, even for an hour, okay?"

He nods and suggests, " I'll try."

He pulls his shirt over his bare chest and pulls his loose fitting pants up to his waist. He has a few minutes to squeeze in a quick shower, but food will have to wait.

She smiles and watches him leave her bedroom. Her expression falls after he leaves. She had sensed the darkness within his aura when he arrived- the anger hadn't been what she was used to feeling from him- it felt almost like he had pleasure in whatever task he had been given last night, and felt guilty for enjoying the kill. Padme' desires to tell him of her own thoughts on the matter, she understood if he had killed someone and the pleasure of it. She had felt somewhat of pleasure when she had killed Corde' and couldn't fight back that darkness.

She lies back into bed and stares up at the ceiling. She and Ashoka hadn't planned on infiltrating Rush's office anytime soon, but they needed to based on the information they hadn't been able to find within the confines of his personal comm. link. He had to have one in his office at work, it wouldn't make any notion of sense to not have a back up comm. link in case someone were to ever try to blackmail him. She still hadn't connected who had blackmailed Rush or how it connected to her child. Rush had planned on asking her for her hand whether she had been pregnant or not at the time. He had gone after what he wanted and that was all.

Her alarm blares in her ears as she continues to stare up at the ceiling for a few more mere moments. She hadn't slept much the night before, but had slept more than her lover had. Clearly he is run down by exhaustion, she'd need to find a way to speak to Obi-wan about her concerns for him. She knows he is trying to graduate on time in the next few months, and he wants to earn that spot as an Inquisitor, but he couldn't keep going on like this. She makes a mental note to call Obi-wan later after her final meeting with Rush.

She sighs and slams her hand against the blaring alarm and sits up. Clearly she needs a shower and smells of slick sweat after hours of actions earlier this morning.

(930- Court Chambers, Imperial Center)

After showering and changing into a simple purple dress, she had a small breakfast. She hadn't been that hungry considering the nerves curling throughout her stomach and the rest of her body. Her body felt alame as she enters the chambers where her lawyer and soon to be ex-husband and his lawyer sit as well.

Her eyes watch her ex tear his eyes down her slim form and back up to her face. Clearly he still had an ache or eagerness to google at her body. It made her feel nauseous to even consider his desires for her. The only man she wants to look at her in such a way is her best friend whom she had satisfied her needs with this morning. Her smile forms on her face and the nauseous feeling dissipates at thinking of what Rush would think if he knew that Anakin Skywalker had her in his bed.

The smile widens more as he greets her. " Padme', you seem to be in a good mood this morning. Is it my charming presence?"

Her eyebrow lifts at his charming manner as he always does in front of others. She smiles sweetly with bark behind her smile. " My good mood has Nothing to do with your presence. I am hoping we can come to an agreement today and finalize this mess of a divorce."

He clamps his mouth shut and his jaw tightens. He nods towards his lawyer to begin the discussions. The Green Tortuga begins her opening statement by passing a datapad to Padme's lawyer.

Padme's lawyer is human, probably born and raised on Naboo as herself. Bail had suggested this particular lawyer for her case. She hadn't spared any details, including the report she had filed with Anakin at the time of the incident. She had tried to keep her public profile untarnished without revealing that he had raped her last year after she had lost her child.

Her lawyer peers down at the datapad in his hand and he states, " Is this the final possible agreement?"

Rush's lawyer nods and suggests, " Senator Clovis has been very generous with his offer and stipulations."

Padme raises her brow and questions, " What has he been so generous about and what are his stipulations?"

Her lawyer turns to her and says, " The final agreement suggests you can keep all assets before the marriage, but any property or money that you acquired through your father will be put on hold until the stipulations can be met."

" Who will hold onto the lake cabin property?" She asks, holding out hope it would go back to her father.

" It will be held onto by Senator Clovis for a vacation residence until the stipulations are met." His lawyer restates again.

She turns to her lawyer and says as calmly as she can, " What are the stipulations to gain back my father's title to the property?"

Her lawyer nods and suggests, " You will get financial control when you marry again- to all your assets that were left to you- including the mother left to you by your mother, her mother's estate and the lake island cabin."

She presses her mouth closed, borderlining fury. Her fury is set upon her husband. She seethes out, " He knows as well as I do that I may Never marry again because of what he did to me. He will continue to gain control over my life until then."

Rush seems unmoved by her fury. He suggests, " Dear, what we had was a quick form of lust and passion. We went through some very hard times, but I think I'm being awfully generous. You can be free of me as I can be free of you. If you choose to marry, you gain everything back- I'm sure there's a Nabooian man who would be willing to look past your discretions and divorce."

Padme' all about loses her control. She folds her fists into her hands trying to simmer her anger down. She has more control over the force and could just reach over the table and throw her sai into his chest..

No- you need him alive to find out who blackmailed him- and how it connects to her daughter.

She nods and suggests, " Fine, but I want stipulations that there is no time table on when or if I marry again. He cannot tell me whom, nor when I can marry again."

The sideways glance between Rush and his lawyer is one of nonemotional. He does not seem to care if or when she marries again. Rush turns towards her and replies, " I think that is a fair request. I will also hardly visit the Lake Retreat as it is. I'm busy with my work here."

Padme' sighs knowing this is as fair as her negotiations will get her. She agrees, " Then I agree to these stipulations. Let us sign the paperwork and be done with this."

The flickering of the datapad turns her attention to it then. She sees the bottom where her signature will go to finalize the divorce. She signs her name once more as Padme' Naberrie and breathes a huge relief through her lungs as she hands the datapad back over to rush. His thumb grazes hers in comfort almost as if to say " I'm still here if you want to fuck."

She does not respond to his touch, but silently waits for him to sign over his own signature. As his fingers move gracefully over the datapad, the weight of their marriage comes crumbling off of her. The datapad is handed back over to his lawyer and she replies, " Well- that is that. I think we can all move on with our days now."

Padme' stands and says nothing to her ex-husband. It was over- finally she was a free and single woman.

To Be Continued.