A/N: Well I did promise I would get another chapter up soon, and I have delivered! Man, I missed writing so much! I had so much fun writing this little one. There's not many chapters left until this story is finished, so I'm going to try and get it completed in the next few weeks! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 46

"Congratulations, class of 2017!"

The hall erupted into applause, as Padme rose from her seat with her fellow graduands and threw her academic cap high into the air. She was unable to keep from cheering loudly, a wild grin on her face. She'd finally done it! After all those years of intense study, first with her Bachelor's, and now with her Master's, Padme had finally achieved what she wanted! What she had worked so hard for, over so many years. She now had her Masters in Political Science and Communications. She was ready to take on the real world.

After the ceremony had ended, Padme filed out of the hall and searched for her family. She heard her sister calling out to her amongst the crowd, and followed the sound of her voice eagerly. They were waiting near the exit, and her eyes were immediately drawn to Anakin. He was leaning against the wall, looking utterly delicious in his navy suit pants, and crisp white shirt, rolled up casually to his elbows, letting his tanned forearms free. Padme's eyes eagerly took in his form, his lean build, long legs crossed at the ankles, blonde curls easily styled, blue eyes shining like chips of sapphire, raking hungrily over her. The intensity of his stare made her shiver right down to her core. Her tongue instinctively swept over her top lip at the sight. He was simply gorgeous to behold and all she wanted to was to be swept into his strong embrace and kiss him deeply. Before she got the chance, however, her nieces squealed in delight, and ran up to her immediately. Padme laughed and kneeled down, arms open, as the girls leapt into her arms.

"Aunty Padme!" Pooja cried excitedly, her blonde ringlets bouncing around her face as she grinned broadly.

"Hey sweetie," Padme smiled back at her little niece, skimming her eyes over the both of them. They had grown so much since she'd last saw them. Ryoo was at least several inches taller and Pooja had lost a little of her baby fat around her face.

"Your speech was so good, Aunty!" Ryoo praised her, awe sparkling in her blue eyes. "Mummy, when I grow up, I want to be like Aunty Padme!" the young girl turned her head up to face her mother.

Sola laughed, winking down at Padme. "If you work hard, you will be just as brilliant as Aunty Padme," she assured her daughter, making Ryoo giggle and clap her hands together happily. "Now girls, let Aunty Padme go, there are other people who want to give her a hug.

They both obliged, letting Padme rise to her feet. She beamed around at her family, but made straight for Anakin. It had been months since she'd seen him, and she couldn't wait to be in his arms any longer.

He seemed to be thinking the same thing, for he crossed the space between them in two long strides, put one of his hands on her hips, and the other gently cupped the back of her head, before crushing his mouth to hers fiercely. Padme melted and tried to stifle the groan that escaped her, as her nieces were present and it wasn't exactly appropriate. Anakin, however, made no such attempt. He moaned into her mouth as he fused his lips to hers, the hand on her hip gripping tighter, pulling her closer to him. She let her hands travel up his broad shoulders to fist in his hair, pulling him even closer to her as though she was trying to devour him. Time faded away, as though they were locked in that moment for the rest of time.

A subtle cough, from Sola, Padme realised, broke them apart, and they rested their foreheads together, chests heaving, never taking their eyes off each other. Padme thought she could drown in Anakin's eyes, he was looking at her so intensely, so wantonly, it was as though she was the only person in the room. Her lip quivered and a fierce blush warmed her face.

"Hey," he whispered softly, dusting his lips across the tip of her nose softly.

She smiled, feeling her eyes well up. "Hey," she whispered back.

Anakin's hand moved back around to cup her cheek, his thumb catching stray tear that leaked from her eyes. "I'm so proud of you, Angel."

Smiling, Padme griped his shirt between her fingers. "I was worried you wouldn't make it."

He shook his head and flashed her that favourite smile, the one that made the corners of his eyes crinkle adorably. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Your woman's a pretty amazing public speaker, Anakin," Dorme informed him proudly, and Padme stepped out of his embrace to see her best friend beaming at her. "You killed it!" Dorme then pulled her into a fierce hug.

"It was exceptional, darling," Jobal praised, wiping tears from her eyes. "We're so proud of you."

Padme grinned at her family, flicking between her sister, her mother and her father. It was her father's expression that affected her the most. She'd worked all her life to make him proud, and to see him, on the verge of tears, smiling at her with pride in his eyes, was enough to make her start crying again. They shared a tender moment, speaking through their expressions only, savouring the moment.

"Right!" Dorme announced with an air of importance after several minutes of silence. "What are we all standing around here for? We've got an after party to go to!" She took Padme firmly by the hand and lead her out of the hall, her family and Anakin following behind her.

"Dorme! You're the best!"

Her best friend just winked and laughed, before tossing her dark hair over her shoulder. "I know. Now, let's go!"

"Dorme, you've outdone yourself," Padme cried in surprise as she stepped inside Orchids. The space had been done up elegantly – waiters were passing around champagne flutes, serving people standing at high bar tables covered in clean, white cloth. Large ornate pots of peonies outlined the room, and twinkling fairy-lights hung from the ceiling, giving the place a feel of twilight. There was more people than Padme had expected – her friends from her classes, and, it seemed, almost everyone in her entire graduating class. Padme couldn't believe that her best friend had organised this all for her, and she felt complete undeserving.

"Oh, it was nothing," Dorme shrugged with a smile.

Anakin squeezed her hand affectionately and bent low to brush his lips across her temple. "You deserve this, angel," he whispered softly in her ear, his warm breath ghosting over her skin, making her shiver. "You're amazing."

Padme smiled radiantly up at him, humbled by his honest praise, and leaned into his side. He draped his arm around her affectionately and ran his fingers gently up and down her arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. She spotted Teckla standing with Tyler over in the far corner, and tugged on Anakin's hand, pulling him over.

Once Teckla saw her, her face lit up, green eyes flashing, and she rushed towards her, throwing her arms around her friend. "P!" she cried happily, before pulling back and bouncing on her toes. "Congratulations, babe! You're a real adult now!"

Laughing, Padme tucked some of her loose hair behind her ears and blushed. "Thanks Teckla. It feels a little surreal. Like, it hasn't quite hit me yet."

"I guess you won't really feel like you've graduated until you don't have to come back next year," Teckla supplied thoughtfully, chewing on her lip. A frown crossed her pretty face, and suddenly her eyes welled up with tears. "Oh!" she whimpered, blinking her eyes furiously. "You're not coming back next year!"

Seeing her friend tear up caused a wave of sadness to overcome her, and suddenly, Padme found herself on the brink of tears. She sniffed, and looked across at Dorme, who was holding the same exact expression. With unspoken acknowledgement, the three of them held each other close in a large hug, sobbing together. Only now had Padme realised that graduating meant leaving her friends behind. The life she'd known for four years was about to come to an end. Living with Dorme, her best friend – staying up late and gossiping over glasses of wine, waking up to the smell of breakfast and coffee wafting in from the kitchen – meeting Teckla for coffee and bagels before class and staying late in the library… all of it. Padme was no longer going to enjoy any of it.

She held her friends tightly, savouring the moment for all it meant.

"We'll stay in touch," wept Padme as they pulled back and wiped their eyes.

"Nodding, then bursting into giggles at how ridiculous they were being, Dorme fixed both Padme and Teckla with a serious stare. "We'd better! Even if you move across the country. Promise?!"

Padme nodded seriously. "Promise!"

"Promise!" Teckla joined in.

Anakin squeezed her hand and she turned to look at him. There was something different about his expression – his eyes were gleaming with excitement and anticipation… like he was holding a secret he couldn't wait to tell her.

"Angel," he said, raking a hand through his blonde curls. "I was going to wait until after the party, but I can't wait any longer."

Padme tilted her head to the side and blinked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean, Ani?"

With a childlike grin, Anakin reached into his pockets and pulled out a think piece of paper. He handed it to Padme eagerly, almost bouncing on his toes. "This is your graduation present!" he told her enthusiastically. "I mean, you've got your Masters, so you deserve something special, and I thought it might be nice for us to, go away together."

Intrigued, Padme took the paper from him and glanced down at it. Her mouth opened immediately and her hand flew up to cover it. Eyes wide, she gaped up at Anakin, before staring back down at the slip in her hand. It was a ticket – a plane ticket, to the Maldives!

"Oh, Anakin!" she cried in surprise. The Maldives! What a beautiful place! Padme had always wanted to visit that gorgeous, remote island, but it was rather expensive and she didn't have the time. She couldn't believe that he had bought them tickets to go away together to such a luxurious place! The thought was so sweet and romantic, that she jumped at him and threw her arms around his neck, laughing euphorically.

Anakin's chest rumbled with his laughter. "I'm glad you're so excited!"

"This is amazing, Ani! You're incredible!" She beamed. He was truly the most amazing person she'd ever met – she felt unbelievably lucky to call him hers. "But how? How did you manage this? This is too much!" Padme knew that Anakin was only a student – he didn't have a lot of money, so she had no idea how he could afford such an expensive gift.

Sheepishly, Anakin shrugged. "Well, it's not just from me," he explained. "It's from your whole family. They all pitched in. It was my idea though." He bent to kiss her sweetly. "And nothing is too much for you, Angel. You deserve the world!"

"Wow, P!" Dorme whistled in appreciation. "You've got yourself one mighty good man." She shot a look at Tyler, who laughed.

Nodding, not taking her eyes of Anakin, Padme said proudly, "I know." Then, she took Anakin's hand and pulled him towards the dancefloor. She couldn't believe she'd been so spoilt! Anakin was a god-send, and his gift was not only sweet and romantic, but it stirred something primal inside her. Suddenly, she wanted him like a woman starved. Now.

Her hands curled through the air with inhibition as Anakin danced behind her, his hands gripping her waist gently. She let herself get lost in the music, and in the feeling of being back in Anakin's arms. Perhaps it was the champagne, or the way Anakin pulled her back against his chest, grinding his hips sensually against her backside, that made Padme feel… bold. Bolder than she'd ever felt in her life.

Every touchof Anakin's hands set her skin on fire, licked up and down her nerves and straight to her aching core. Biting her lip at the sensations he was stirring inside her, she turned around, only to see his heated gaze burning into her. His grip on her hips tightened, fingers digging into her flesh possessively, and Padme couldn't help imagining the feel of him on her bare skin, pulling her down on top of him as she rode him, a mess of sweaty limbs and white hot pleasure. Of its own accord, her tongue wet her top lip, before she stood up on her toes and captured his lips with her own.

Anakin bent lower at her touch, arms constricting around her waist and pulling her closer to him, so their chests were pressed together. One of his hands skimmed up her back to caress the nape of her neck, while the other twitched at her hip, tempted to sneak lower but resisted as they were in public. Padme curled her fingers up in his hair, humming softly as their kiss deepened, tongues meeting in an inferno of lust.

"Ani…" Padme murmured as they pulled back, just enough to breathe. "I want you." To emphasise her point, she ground her hips against his pants, causing his breath to hitch in his throat.

Anakin's eyes darkened with lust and he slid his mouth across her jaw, reaching her earlobe. His tongue flicked out and licked the shell of her ear quickly, before he whispered, "Padme, we're in public."

She smiled slyly. "I know."

Frowning, Anakin narrowed his eyes. "Your family is here," he reiterated, confused at her persistence. Padme could understand – normally it was him who was careless about public displays of affection. But tonight, Padme wanted Anakin desperately, and she couldn't wait any longer.

She bit her lip and blinked up at him through her lashes, making him groan quietly. "Then we should probably find somewhere less… crowded." When Anakin went to speak, she put a finger gently over his mouth to silence him. "Shhhh… follow me." Taking his hand in hers, Padme lead Anakin through a crowd towards the courtyard outside, making sure that she wasn't being watched. As she passed Dorme, her friend raised her eyebrows with a smirk, but nodded her head at Padme's silent plea to 'cover for her'.

"Padm-" Anakin's remark was cut short when the rounded the corner, out of sight, when Padme pushed him roughly against the brick wall and kissed him fiercely. There was barely any light, only the remnants of the inside that trickled out into the courtyard. The only way they would be seen would be if someone came outside, and Padme trusted that Dorme would be able to keep that from happening. Still, the thought that they might get caught gave her a little shiver of exhilaration.

"Are you sure you want this… here?" Anakin asked carefully, as Padme pulled away.

"Yes," she breathed. "It's been months, Ani. I can't wait any longer."

With a growl, Anakin drew her in closely, returning the intensity of her kiss. He pulled away after a little while, before sliding his mouth down the slope of her neck, nipping and sucking at her skin. Padme praised his attentions with breathless cries of his name when he sucked on that spot between the crease of her neck and her collarbone.

He laughed against her skin, causing vibrations to run up her neck. "You need to be quiet, Angel," he told her. "You wouldn't want anyone to hear you."

Padme swallowed thickly and nodded her head, gripping Anakins's hair forcefully and pushing him back down to her neck. The feeling of his mouth on her made her ache and she hitched one leg up around his hip, desperate for friction. Growling low in his throat, Anakin reached one hand down to grip her bottom tightly, massaging the flesh between his fingers, while the other gripped under her raised thigh. He ground his hips roughly against hers, and she could feel his hardening cock beneath his trousers as it rubbed against her underwear.

"Ani… Ani I – I want…"

"What do you want, Angel?" he asked softly while his finger made soft cruel circles on the inside of her thigh.

"Fuck me, Anakin," she pleaded with a whine.

Anakin didn't need any further encouragement. He spun her around with surprising agility, slamming her against the brick wall. He reached underneath her dress, pulling it up so it bunched around her waist, and swiftly yanked her panties down to pool at her ankles. Padme wasted no time in fumbling with the zipper of his pants, pulling them down and releasing his cock. Anakin moaned as she stroked it gently, before lifting her up by her thighs so both her legs were wrapped around his waist and then he thrust into her, powerful, painful, delicious, and Padme threw her head back at the force of it.

"Oh, Ani…" she mewled as he snapped his hips forwards, fast, rough. Padme thought she could pass out; he was so deep in her, so big and hard and she had missed this, missed him, so much. Her nails raked down his back as he drove into her, his face buried in her chest.

"Padme… fuck, baby," he grunted against her skin. "I've missed you so fucking much."

"Yeah…" was all she could muster to return.

It was quick – nothing about this was gentle lovemaking. They both had an itch that needed scratching, now, and neither had the patience for slow. When Padme began to cry out as her orgasm approached, Anakin shoved his fingers in her mouth to silence her. She bit down on them as she came, eyes rolling back into her head, and Anakin followed within seconds, spilling himself inside her with a final snap of his hips. They stayed like that for a moment, chests heaving, clinging to each other as they rode out the waves of their releases. Anakin slowly drew his fingers from Padme's mouth, lifted his head and kissed her sweetly on the tip of her nose.

"I love you," he told her, reverently, and stroked her cheek. Padme closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, savouring the moment of just being with Anakin like this, after so long.

Gently, Anakin set her back down on her feet, and Padme pulled her panties back up, while he tucked himself back into his trousers. "That was…" he began to say, but stopped and just shook his head, smiling.

"Yeah…" Padme blushed, feeling hot and breathless once more.

"We should go back inside. Your parents might be wondering where you are."

Padme shook her head and stepped closer to Anakin, rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. "Can we just stay like this for a little longer?" she asked quietly.

He kissed the top of her hair and returned her embrace, hugging her close. "Anything for you, Angel."

And the world faded away.