Hello I forgot to mention in this AU that Padme and Anakin are NOT married. That doesn't mean they aren't romantically involved though, or that they don't have feelings for each other. I wanted to explore more of their relationship as friends, lovers, and with their duties to the republic. Though they might get married in the future... you'll just have to keep reading to find out.

"How much longer until we make it back to Coruscant?" Padme asked while she wiped the sweat off of Anakin's forehead. As they rode through hyperspace, his condition continued to get worse and worse, and now she knew that he really might not make it out of this.

"Another hour." Ahsoka replied, not looking away from Anakin's pale face. Padme wasn't a jedi, but she had a pretty good sense of intuition and knew that something was very, very wrong. She had been on several missions with Anakin, had seen him injured before, but never like this. Anakin was always full of energy, always on the move. As she watched him lay here like this, she couldn't help but wonder what happened to the little boy that she had met all of those years ago. While she thought that he was cute and endearing back then, she now realized that she was deeply attracted to him. Not only for his looks, and the way his bright blue eyes lit up when he smiled, but for how selfless he was. Although he wasn't a boy anymore, Anakin was selfless, and always willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Padme sighed. She knew, in her mind that a romantic relationship with Anakin could destroy them, and everything they swore to protect. But she couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach when she thought about how they had almost kissed on Geonosis, or even just the way he called her name. Padme looked over at Ahsoka, whose very presence reminded Padme why she had to fight so hard in the senate. Ahsoka was a talented warrior, and wise beyond her years. But she was also a 15-year-old girl who had been thrown into the war, and now had to watch the closest thing she had to family be torn apart over it. She frowned- Obi-Wan should be in here with them, not in the cockpit. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made. Obi-Wan was the closest thing that Anakin had to a father, and instead of being here at his bedside, he was worrying about flying the ship. A man who doesn't like flying was worrying about flying. She rolled her eyes, took one last look at Anakin, and then made her way to the cockpit.

"What are you doing?" She said as she sat down next to him in the co-polit seat. The lighting from the hyperspace lanes accented the shadows and lines of his face- making him look far older than he actually was.

"What do you mean 'What am I doing?'" He asked her in response.

"Why are you here? Why aren't you with Anakin?" She pressed. Obi-Wan was quiet, and stroked his bear slowly for a few moments before responding.

"Because he wouldn't want me to be there." He whispered.

"Obi-Wan, that ridiculous." She replied. Padme reached out and gently laid her hand on top of his "Anakin cares very deeply about you. What's going on?"

"You were at my funeral, were you not?" He asked her while turning to face her. She nodded.

"And you saw Anakin's reaction to my death?" He continued. Padme broke eye contact and looked down at the ground. She had seen his reaction, she remembered trying to calm him down afterward. She also remembered trying to calm him down once they found that he wasn't actually dead. She couldn't help the surge of annoyance and anger.

"Why didn't you tell him?" She asked him softly, her voice full of rage.

"His reaction was essential- it's what made everyone believe that I was actually dead."

"But at what cost?" She exclaimed. "Obi-Wan, you weren't there to see what happened to him, to Ahsoka, after you did that. You didn't see the grief, and the pain on their faces. You didn't see the amount of pressure the council put on him, to get back up and go back to the war."

"I know, Padme. Believe me, I know." He said, his voice full of sorrow. Suddenly, Obi-Wan looked up and turned around.

"What is it?"

"It's Anakin, something is wrong." He said as he got out of his seat and ran towards the medical bay. Padme followed, as a cold fear began to settle in her stomach. As they approached the medical bay, she could hear the alarms from the equipment going off. The door slid open and she saw Ahsoka bent over Anakin's body, her head on his chest.

"Master, he's not breathing, I don't know what to do." She yelled with tears in her eyes. Obi-Wan moved past her and grabbed his left wrist and removed his glove.

"He still has a pulse; we have to move quickly." He said. Padme felt as though someone else was controlling her body, like as if she was a separatist droid. She walked up to Anakin's head, and tilted it so that it faced her. She opened his mouth, and began to perform mouth to mouth resuscitation.

"Come on Ani, breathe." She muttered in between breaths. After what felt like an eternity, Anakin gasped loudly, his body arching upward so that his lungs could fill with air. She stepped back and stared at his face. The medical droid moved past her and replaced the oxygen mask that had been ripped off in the frenzy.

She refused to count that as a kiss.

The ship jerked forward as it came out of hyperspace. No one moved.

"We have to start the landing procedure." Obi-Wan said, and backed out of the room. Ahsoka continued to stand next to Padme, her entire body rigid, her shoulders shaking.

"Ahsoka," Padme said as she laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face Padme, and saw the tears streaming down her face.

"I can't… I can't lose him." She whispered. "Not like this." Her commlink beeped.

"Ahoksa, I need your help up here." Obi-Wan's voice said through the speaker.

"I should go." She said while turning to look back at Anakin. The two of them walked back to the cockpit in silence, and Ahsoka slid into the co-pilot seat.

"The healers at the temple have been informed of Anakin's condition, and will be waiting for us in the hangar at the temple." Master Kenobi said as they began to descend into Coruscant's atmosphere. The temple was easy to spot, and they raced towards the hangar.

After that, everything was a blur. Obi-Wan landed the ship while her and Ahsoka raced back to the medical bay to grab Anakin. The healers from the temple were waiting for them at the edge of the ramp, and quickly moved to grab his limp body from their arms and place him on a stretcher. Master Windu quickly ran over to them, his brown robes flowing behind him.

"Obi-Wan, Padawan Tano, Senator." He greeted. "It is good to have you back. The council requests your presence, and the chancellor would like to speak to you, senator Amidala." He continued; his tone serious.

"It was Maul." Obi-Wan said with a monotone voice. Master Windu looked at the three of them, making eye contact with each one of them. "We will discuss this in the council chambers." He replied, his tone indicating that he was done with the subject for now. "Senator," He said while bowing before turning around and leaving.

The three of them stood there, the hangar buzzing with life, and the busy skyline of Coruscant behind them. Yet all Padme could focus on was the memory of Anakin's lifeless body being taken away by the healers. A commlink beeped, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Kenobi." Obi-Wan said.

"Informed of your arrival, I have been. Request your presence and Padawan Tano's, at once, we do." She hear Master Yoda say. Obi-Wan looked at Ahsoka.

"Let's not keep them waiting." He said. Obi-Wan turned back around to face Padme "We'll let you know if we hear anything about Anakin." He said, and turned around to walk towards the halls of the temple. Ahsoka paused for a moment, before following him. She turned around to wave at Padme before they disappeared behind a set of doors.

And then she was all alone.