A/N: Thank you all so much for the wonderful welcome back! And all the reviews! I've certainly missed that after my hiatus. Here's the next chapter for you. We're still in Anakin's head right now, so savour it while you can, but it won't be long before it's back to Padme again :)

Hope you enjoy! xx

Anakin couldn't sleep. Again. It had been the third night in a row since his… confrontation with Ben, and the troubling thoughts of that revealing conversation kept him from finding even a scrap of solace. Even making love with Padme long into the night after their return home from the wedding reception had been but a temporary balm for his turbulent thoughts. While she contentedly drifted off to sleep nuzzled against him, sated and exhausted from their lovemaking, he found his mind refocused from passion's embers to brooding about Ben. He did his best not to stir, so that he didn't wake her, for she would worry and start asking him questions again, none of which he could answer. Instead, he lay there on his back, arms crossed under his head, staring blankly up at the ceiling, as he tried to clear his mind.

It didn't work.

He eventually managed to doze off to the rhythm of Padme's gentle breathing, only to be woken up by a jolt what felt like mere minutes later, to the sound of his mother's voice coming from downstairs. Grumbling under his breath, he slowly rolled over to reach for his phone on his nightstand to check the time, and his frown only deepened when he saw that it was just 7:30 am. What on earth was his mother doing talking so loud at this time of the morning?! On a Sunday, no less?

Beside him, Padme mumbled something softly in her sleep and snuggled closer into his bare back, her warm arms wrapping immediately around his waist like they always did. Her fingers whispered a gentle caress against his abdomen, as she brushed her lips against his upper back and rubbed her nose between his shoulder blades, her cloud of hair tickling the base of his neck. Waiting a couple of minutes to let her resettle, a small smile graced his lips at her loving embrace, but he was too awake now to stay in bed any longer. Taking care to be gentle, Anakin slowly untangled himself from Padme's arms and rose out of bed, pulling the covers up over her shoulders snugly, and bent to press a soft kiss to her forehead. Redressing himself in a white V-neck t-shirt and some grey sweatpants he had flung over his desk chair, he opened and closed the bedroom door as quietly as he could before he shuffled downstairs on bare feet, stretching his long limbs in the process.

He found Shmi in the kitchen, draped in her fluffy, pink dressing gown, brewing herself a cup of morning coffee as she leaned against the counter, and she turned around at the sound of Anakin's heavy footfalls, giving him a pleasant smile.

"Morning, Sweetheart," she greeted him. "I'm just making some coffee. Do you want some?"

Anakin stretched his arms up above his head, arching his back forward as he rolled his head left and right to stretch his neck and then nodded his head, his face scrunched up in a yawn, and took a seat on one of the barstools at the breakfast counter, watching his mother move about the kitchen. "Yes, please," he muttered groggily.

Shmi regarded him with concern. "You look exhausted, Ani," she remarked, pouring his coffee and sliding a steaming mug of fresh brew over towards him. "Couldn't sleep?"

He took the cup of black coffee and nursed it tenderly between his hands, sipping at it and instantly regretting the way the hot liquid scalded his tongue and throat. "Y-yeah," he spluttered between coughs.

Laughing at him, Shmi simply shook her head, reaching over and handing him a napkin to dab at his lips with. "Oh, for goodness sake, Anakin! Have some patience will you? You'll burn yourself!"

"Mom…" Anakin smirked wryly, his eyes amused despite the bags under them. "Patience has never been my strong suit. You know that."

"Hmm, yes, I know," she grinned back with an exasperated roll of her eyes, and took a sip of her own coffee.

"Who were you talking to this morning?" he asked after a while, his coffee half gone and that cloud of exhaustion somewhat lifted. "I heard someone downstairs."

Shmi put her mug down on the counter and shrugged her shoulders casually. "It was Obi-Wan," she explained. "He's invited us over to his place for dinner tonight. You and Padme as well."

Anakin hesitated at the mention of his name. "Oh." Dinner? What was he playing at? It was hard enough for Anakin to swallow the immense bombshell that had been unloaded on him not two days ago. It was still hard to comprehend. Not to mention keep quiet about. And, now he had to be in the same room as him? With his family? With Padme? Pretending that everything was fine and nothing had changed, when it felt like his entire world had been turned upside down and inside out?

"I got the distinct impression he wants to tell us something. Something important." His mother tilted her head, a quizzical look on her face as she probed him for answers. "Do you know what's going on, Ani?"

Swallowing uncomfortably, Anakin took a deep breath and turned his head away, looking out the patio door into the backyard. The first orange rays of sunlight were just starting to shimmer in the morning dew on the grass. Lying to Padme was hard enough… but to lie to his own mother? It was almost impossible. Keeping his promise to Ben was proving to be the hardest thing Anakin had ever had to do in his entire life. How was he supposed to keep this up for the rest of his life? Keep lying to those he loved...forever? It was exhausting to even think about.

"Know what…?" he shrugged his shoulders and muttered weakly in a poor attempt at a lie.

Shmi narrowed her gaze and eyed him suspiciously. "Hmm…Well, I suppose we'll find out tonight then, won't we? You've never been a very good liar, though, Ani," she added with a chuckle, smiling fondly at him.

If only you knew, Mom, he thought bitterly to himself.

"Is Padme awake yet? Will she want some coffee?"

Snorting with laughter and glad for the directional change of conversation, Anakin nodded his head. "Oh yeah. She'd want it twenty-four-seven if it was available in an IV," he smirked. Padme's love for coffee outweighed even his own – all those stressful assignments at Harvard had caused her to become somewhat addicted to it over the years. Dorme had even confessed to him recently about Padme being at shaking-point from a caffeine overdose on more than one occasion in the last two months, which had Anakin worried sick. While she was better now, she still never went a day without at least two cups of coffee if she could help it. He secretly hoped that once she was done with school though, he could help her to cut back to just one cup a day.

"Alright, I'll make her some," Shmi conceded, grabbing an extra mug out of the cabinet and poured a fresh cup of coffee for Padme, adding some sugar and creamer at Anakin's suggestion (because Padme was a sweet tooth), before putting the lid on it and placing it on the kitchen counter for Anakin to take up to her. "So... how are things between the two of you? You looked rather amorous at the wedding, I must say." She turned and flashed her son a fond smile, her eyes twinkling with delight.

"Yeah…" Anakin mumbled as a small smile crept upon his own lips. The wedding had had a profound impact on both of them, but Padme especially. She'd been much more affectionate at the reception than she'd been with him in a long time, at least, in public. Normally, she was quite shy and reserved about open displays of affection (beyond holding hands) in public, but at the reception, as they'd slow-danced in one another's arms to song after song, she'd allowed Anakin to cuddle and kiss her on multiple occasions, and had spent most of the evening attached to his side, wrapped around one of his arms, holding his hand, their fingers entwined tightly together. Anakin had been beyond elated at this unexpectedly romantic side of her, so freely open, when normally she was only like this in the privacy of their bedrooms. And, to be sure, that romantic spirit had certainly carried over to their lovemaking last night. But, Anakin decided to keep that to himself.

"They're great, Mom."

"Have you given any thought about… you know… what we talked about the other night?" his mother asked carefully, tilting her head and crossing her arms over her chest, watching her son closely.

Shrugging, Anakin just sighed. "Yeah, I have … it's just – it's sort of complicated. Padme doesn't…I mean, I know she loves me and everything, but the timing's gotta be right. She's still at college, y'know. She doesn't graduate for two more months."

Nodding her head slowly, his mother smile and reached out to take his hand. "I understand. Just follow your heart, Ani," she told him wisely. "Trust your instincts. You'll know when the time is right."

Grinning at her, he squeezed her hand gently. "Thanks, Mom."

Once he'd finished the last slurp of his coffee, Anakin reached over, grabbed Padme's mug of coffee off the counter, and decided to head back upstairs to see if she had woken up yet. It was rare for her to sleep later than him, as she was always an early riser, but he supposed she was just exhausted after her hectic semester and then the wedding and everything, so he didn't begrudge her, her beauty sleep. Not that she needs beauty sleep, he thought to himself fondly, as he ascended the stairs. When he opened the door to his room, however, he saw a horrifying sight, and he stopped dead in his tracks, his breathing caught in his chest, his heart in his throat...

Padme.

Very much awake.

And sifting through his sock drawer.

He almost had a heart attack!

"What do you think you're doing?!" he demanded, a little more roughly than he'd intended, his heart palpitating in his chest so fast he was sure it was going to burst. What was she doing?! What if she'd seen the ring?!

It was a wonder he hadn't dropped her mug of coffee on the floor, his hands were trembling so bad.

Padme, dressed in the new cream lace and red satin babydoll set she'd worn to bed last night, squealed in surprise and jumped back immediately, slamming the sock drawer closed and whirling on Anakin with wide shocked eyes, her right hand slapped over her heaving chest in fright. "Anakin! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Stepping further into his room, Anakin closed and locked the door, set her coffee down on his desk, and crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you doing, Padme?"

"My feet are cold," she explained with a shy smile, rubbing her hands up and down her arms adorably. "I just wanted a pair of socks to put on." He noticed she was rubbing her right foot on top of her left foot, and she had goose pimples all over her arms and legs.

"Oh…" he softened a little at her expression and shook his head. "You could've just asked me to get you some, Angel."

She shrugged, but kept rubbing her arms for warmth. "Well, you weren't here when I woke up so I decided I'd do it myself. Besides, it's no big deal, Ani," she laughed and stepped closer to him, a smirk on her face. "Gosh, I didn't realise it was such a crime to go through your drawers! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to hide something!"

Anakin jolted a little but bent to kiss her softly. "I'm not!" he assured her with a grin he hoped didn't look fake. "I was just…surprised, that's all." He hurriedly reached into his sock drawer and pulled out a pair of thick, white socks with a black stripe around the top and handed them to her, making sure that the ring was still hidden from sight, tucked at the back of the drawer. He'd need to move it, of course, once Padme had left the room. He couldn't take the risk of her accidentally finding it if she should need more socks.

Padme rolled her eyes and shook her head, grinning as she bent down to roll the socks up her legs. They were enormous on her, reaching past her knees, and the sight of her in his tube socks, with her little lace outfit, made Anakin chuckle. She could be so adorable sometimes.

"Sure, Baby. It's okay. I won't go near your 'private stash'," Padme drawled, raising her eyebrows at him, motioning with air quotes with her hands as she spoke. "Guys are allowed their secrets, too." Her eyes were twinkling with mirth.

Confused by her remark, Anakin tilted his head to the side and frowned. "Private stash?"

"Oh, come on, Ani! I'm not an idiot," she laughed, shaking her head at him. "You grew up in this house. You were a teenager in this house. And, this is your 'sock drawer'," she used air quotations again as if emphasising a point, then tilted her head at him with her eyebrows quirked up, a teasing grin on her face.

It was only then that Anakin understood what she was insinuating, and his face grew hot in embarrassment. A 'private stash'…of porn, no doubt. He would've laughed if his insides weren't currently squirming about uncomfortably. He couldn't pretend that he had been some sort of wholesome, proper teenager. He'd been… sexually explorative as a teenager, just like any other red-blooded American male at that age, and had definitely had to keep his private things hidden from his mother during those tormenting adolescent years. Only, Padme had it all wrong. It wasn't his sock drawer (though that was used for other purposes), it was underneath his mattress. But, if Padme was willing to believe that, then Anakin was willing to go along with it, if it meant keeping the existence of his grandmother's wedding ring a secret.

"Er...well, I – "

With an impish grin on her face, Padme stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and rose up on her toes to rest her nose against his. "Don't worry, Baby. Your secret's safe with me. I won't go snooping," she assured him, then kissed him quickly and flashed him a wink when she pulled back.

His face still aflame with embarrassment, he decided to change the subject and leaned over to retrieve her coffee and placed it in her hands. "Here, Mom made you some coffee."

Padme beamed happily, grabbing the mug with both hands and eagerly took a sip. "Ahh, a woman after my own heart."

Anakin rolled his eyes at her, but couldn't help kissing her on her nose. "You're ridiculous," he told her, full of affection and giddy with love. Oh, how Anakin adored her when she was like this – all happy and sweet and full of light. He'd missed this side of her. Padme could be incredibly serious sometimes, almost too serious really, and while he admired that about her, he missed her playfulness.

"Ridiculously in love with coffee," she responded cheekily, scrunching up her nose and poking out her tongue at him.

"Hey!" Anakin cried in mock-offense, crossing his arms over his chest and frowning. "I thought you were supposed to be in love with me, not Starbucks!"

Padme tilted her head playfully, tapping her fingernails against the mug, and chewed on her lower lip for a few moments, as though she was actually thinking about it, before shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. "It's a close call. But, I think coffee's the clear winner here," she smirked, watching him through half-hooded eyes. "I mean, it's always...hot and steamy...and ready for me first thing every morning, and it's always there to keep me warm and…sated...during all those long, lonely, stressful nights at Harvard…" her voice trailed off each word suggestively, and she rolled her eyes to the ceiling first before dropping her gaze back to his own and winking at him with a coquettish smile.

"Is that so?" He huffed, raising his eyebrows, and suddenly, he snatched the coffee right out of her hands, placing it roughly on his desk, before lunging at her with a low growl deep in his throat, tackling her backward onto the bed. Padme's peals of laughter filled the room, as he pinned her down on his mattress with his body, holding her arms above her head with his large hands, his knees bracing her hips snugly. Their faces were barely a hair's breadth apart from each other, and Anakin could feel her warm breath ghosting over his lips, her doe eyes sparkling with desire, as her chest heaved upward from her continued laughter, brushing her peaked nipples in a barely there caress against his cotton covered chest. Anakin gloried at the contact and shifted both of her wrists into one of his large hands, bringing his other hand over to slide his fingers suggestively down her arm and side, making her shiver with want.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled back, provocatively. "What are you going to do about it, Skywalker?" Her throaty voice was barely a whisper but dripped with fervent heat.

He rubbed his nose gently along her own, his lustful gaze never leaving hers, as his lips ghosted over her parted mouth, his hand continuing its slow slide down her side, over her hip and snuck inside her red lace panties, swiping his fingers in a feather light touch along her feminine folds. She was already dripping wet for him, and he grinned wolfishly, rubbing his thumb in slow, deliberate circles over her engorged bundle of nerves, causing her to mewl in pleasure. As expected, her eyelids began to flutter, her nipples hardened further against him, and she arched her back slightly, pushing her hips closer against his hand, seeking more of that delicious friction.

"I'm going to remind you of just who you belong to, Angel," he whispered hoarsely, before sealing his lips to hers, his tongue invading the warm, sweet depths of her mouth to claim her, as she opened up for him. The subtle hint of coffee lingered in her mouth as he kissed her, almost roughly, and she returned his passion eagerly, her teeth snagging on his lips. Anakin let go of her wrists, and her hands quickly weaved themselves into his hair, tightening into little fists and pulling his face as close to hers as possible. Anakin smirked against her mouth and continued his torturous little circles over her clit, thrilling in the low, erotic sounds she made and the way her body moved so naturally against his.

It was only when the need to breathe once more became necessary that they pulled away, both panting heavily, and Anakin grinned down at her, his eyes sweeping over her flushed cheeks, passion hooded eyes, and kiss-swollen lips with predatory pride.

"So, are you going to admit I'm right or are you going to be stubborn?" he teased in a rough voice, waggling his eyebrows at her playfully.

Padme sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and blinked up at him with her large, brown eyes, remaining silent.

Rolling his eyes, Anakin shook his head and sighed dramatically. "Stubborn it is, then. Looks like I'm gonna have to persuade you."

Ducking his head, he pressed a series of wet kisses along the elegant slope of her neck, slowly making his way down towards her collarbone. Each little nip of his teeth against her skin caused Padme to emit those glorious mewls of hers that drove Anakin wild, and he felt his cock begin to swell in his sweatpants. Padme, it seemed, noticed too, because she pushed her hips upwards, effectively rubbing herself against his growing erection. Anakin couldn't help but laugh against her skin. She was truly terrible at being nonchalant.

He made his way slowly, tantalizingly down her chest, stopping briefly to lazily lick at a puckered nipple through the lace that covered her breasts, down further over her satin covered belly, until his nose was pressed right up against her core, rubbing slowly against her panties. He could smell her arousal against the dampened cloth, and it only served to make him throb harder in his pants. But, this wasn't about him. This morning was about pleasing her, and there was nothing Anakin enjoyed doing more than bringing his Angel pleasure.

"Mmm, you smell divine, Angel," he whispered, his voice dripping with need. Oh, how he wanted to taste her, but he also wanted to make her suffer, tease her just a little, because it only made her pleasure that much sweeter when he did.

Sitting up on his knees, he withdrew his fingers from her and slowly slid her panties down her slender legs and tossed them to the floor. He took a moment to admire the sight of her, all flushed and aroused, breasts heaving with every breath, legs spread wide before him, her chestnut hair a wild, curly mess fanned out above her head. "You're so beautiful," he told her, reverently, unable to keep from bending to kiss her again, just because he could. At times, he still couldn't believe that this was all real… that she had chosen him. She was the single greatest thing in his life, and he was so damn lucky to have her, and even though he wasn't perfect, he'd spend the rest of his life showing her just how much he loved her. No matter what.

"… Ani…" she muttered a soft moan of protest against his mouth, forcing him to refocus his attention back to pleasuring her.

He beamed impishly and shuffled back down her body so his face was between her spread legs. She was pink and glistening, her downy curls framing her folds invitingly, and the arousing sight was too much for Anakin to hold back any longer. Slowly, he licked a long, gentle stroke up her slit, gathering her sweet nectar on his tongue as he did so. A satisfied sigh escaped Padme's lips at the intimate contact, and Anakin smiled to himself before continuing his task. He slid his hands around her hips to cup her bottom in his warm palms, anchoring her to his mouth, as he continued to lap at her, alternating between wide, broad strokes against her lips and quick, pointed flicks against her swollen clit, until she was writhing against his face, one hand scrunched up in his hair, the other fisted in the sheets of his bed. His name fell repeatedly from her lips in strained whispers, undulating her hips against his face, encouraging his actions, and Anakin eagerly obliged. He loved being able to pleasure her this way, and a surge of masculine pride swelled within him as he did so.

It didn't take long before she fell right over the edge, slapping her hand over her mouth to muffle a sharp cry. Anakin stroked her hips softly, gently helping her ride out her orgasm, until she slumped back on the bed, exhausted and sated. Smirking, he crawled back up her body and kissed her deeply, before rolling onto his side next to her, resting his palm against her flat belly, draping his leg heavily over her thighs, and brushed his lips against her temple tenderly.

"Ready to admit it now?" he asked, teasingly, his blue eyes dancing with affection.

With a sappy smile, Padme twisted her head to look into his eyes. "I'm yours, Ani," she said simply, without flare or dramatics and then curled snugly into his side, his leg still draped over hers. "All yours."

Anakin stroked her hair lazily, keeping the other curved possessively over her hip, his fingers playing absently with the hem of her babydoll. "Good," he hummed, happy to hear the words he never tired of hearing come out of her mouth, even though he already knew them. Try as he might to suppress his jealous tendencies, he couldn't help it. He was still a man in love, and hearing her validate it stroked his masculine ego.

"I love you, Anakin," she muttered quietly against his skin. "You know that, right?"

Surprised by her sudden confession, he glanced down to see her blinking up at him, her head resting on his shoulder. There was a strange expression on her face, a sadness in her eyes that confused him. "Of course, Angel. Why would you say that?"

She shrugged, "I just…wanted to make sure you knew that. I mean, I don't – I'm not as… good, at expressing my feelings as you are, or as good at all that romantic stuff, and I just – I don't want you to feel like I don't love you just as much as you love me, y'know?" Her words came out quickly, like she was embarrassed, and Anakin beamed at her, overcome with affection.

"I don't think that at all, Padme," he assured her, sincerely, before swooping down to kiss her softly. When he pulled back, she was smiling again, her eyes moist, and she looked so beautiful that it made Anakin physically ache.

"Well…good. That's good, then," she gave a small laugh and snuggled back into Anakin's side, draping her arm across his torso.

They remained that way for several long, lazy minutes, sharing soft nuzzling kisses, until Padme moved off of him to find her discarded panties on the floor, and Anakin was disappointed to say the least when she stood up and pulled them up her shapely legs and threw her pale blue robe over her shoulders, sliding it on and tying it securely at the waist, his white socks still encasing her feet.

"C'mon," she said, retrieving her coffee from the desk and taking a sip. "We can't stay up here forever." She flashed him a grin over the rim of her mug and headed for the door.

Grudgingly, Anakin got up and followed her out of his room and downstairs for breakfast, the smell of bacon frying wafting up and making his stomach growl. On the contrary, he could have happily stayed up in his room with Padme for the rest of his life and been thoroughly content. Especially if it meant skipping out on having dinner with Ben tonight. Oh, how he was dreading the evening that was to come.

It was a disaster in the making, he just knew it.