The Penpal Paradox/Chapter Seventeen
It was early evening when building security contacted Padmé to inform her two Jedi were on their way up. He might as well told her the building was on fire. Panic immediately seized her insides and why was it so hot in here?
By the time they arrived, Padmé worried she may actually pass out or fall flat on her face. Her knees were shaking so badly, she could barely stand. Sitting down might be a good idea, but she was too nervous to be still.
Only Dormé knew of her condition and thankfully had positioned herself close enough to intervene if she needed to. When door buzzer sounded, Captain Typho went to answer it and Dormé leaned forward.
"Just breathe," the young woman advised in her ear.
Padmé agreed that was probably a good idea and filled her lungs, releasing the air back out slowly. Along with it, she could feel some of her anxiety begin to ebb away.
As soon as he walked in, however, a tidal wave of uncertainties threatened to drown her.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, milady," Obi-Wan said warmly, holding her eye steadily while extended his hand.
Padmé accepted the formal greeting while willing her own hand to stop trembling. "Master Kenobi, it's been far too long."
Pleasantries aside, she couldn't pull her gaze away from him. Was he the one or not? How could she tell? Should she just come out and ask?
"This is my apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. Surely, you remember him."
"Oh, yes…yes, I do," Padmé smiled quickly and kindly at the younger Jedi. "Hello, Anakin. It's nice to see you again as well."
"It's been a…" the Jedi apprentice began but that's all she heard him say. Her focus was immediately returned to Obi-Wan. How could she ask him? What would he say if she did? What if she did ask and it wasn't him after all? How crazy would she appear? Did she care? Perhaps it was better to wait a little while.
"Come, let's have a seat where we can visit," she suggested, moving them all to the common room. Obi-Wan sat opposite her on a matching sofa but leaned forward on his knees, his attention solely on her; which made things worse, actually. Padmé could feel a blush crawling up her neck and cleared her throat, unable to trust her voice.
"When I spoke with the Chancellor earlier today, I told him I didn't need any more security, but I'm glad you came."
For just a second, his face pinched in concern, but then quickly relaxed again. "We'll do our best to stay out of your way. If you see or hear anything suspicious, be sure to let us know. Anakin and I will be making the rounds in and out of your apartment. We'll need to occasionally secure the perimeter."
Padmé bit her lip nervously. "I'll be sure to get in touch if I see anything. Perhaps, I could contact you another way. Maybe write a letter?"
Once again, a line appeared between his brows. Oh, he was going to think she was nuts!
"No written correspondence is necessary," he told her with a confused expression. "Just come find one of us. We'll be around. Anakin, go secure the outside access points while I work on the inside monitors."
"Inside monitors?" Padmé questioned. She didn't have any inside monitors.
Captain Typho stepped up from behind. "They were installed while you were in the chancellor's office, milady. We aren't taking any chances."
"Wait, I didn't agree to any monitors," she argued.
"This situation is more dangerous than the senator will admit," the security official told the Jedi.
"The Jedi Council is assigned us to protect you, Senator Amidala which is what we intend to do," Obi-Wan stated firmly while Padmé gazed at him longingly. She couldn't help herself.
Duty and loyalty. It's what he lived for. She knew him well enough to understand that much about him. Regardless of his own opinions, he would follow the Council's edicts. He was so different from Qui-Gon Jinn, but in a good way. She just wished she could tell him that.
It seemed, however, that Fate had other ideas. His lack of any reaction other than the occasional brow twitch revealed what Padmé had been dreading. He obviously wasn't the one.
Suddenly, exhaustion from the day's events, the loss of Cordé, and the weight of disappointment caught up with her and lay a heavy burden on her shoulders.
"If you'll pardon me, it's been a long day. I'm going to retire for the night."
Before even awaiting their acknowledgment, Padmé was up from the sofa and heading toward her bedroom. Dormé was right behind her and shut the door after them.
"You do realize it's only 1930 hours. The sun hasn't even set yet!"
Padmé collapsed backward onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "I know. I just couldn't stand looking at him any longer. He isn't the one, is he?"
Dormé joined her on the bed, sat cross-legged and stare down at her. "My guess is no or else he's one hell of an actor."
"So, what does that mean?" Padmé asked, not expecting an answer really. "That somewhere out there is the Ob-Wan I fell in love with and I can't even see him in person because he's…on the other side of some black hole or something?"
"I don't know what to tell you." Dormé sounded nearly as tired as Padmé felt. "But I really don't think that's your biggest concern right now. There's an assassin somewhere out there who wants to kill you!"
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry. Let's just hope with a couple of Jedi snooping about, he'll change his mind and leave me alone."
"Speaking of snooping" Dormé noted, getting up from the bed and walking to the corner of the room. She pointed up toward the ceiling to a small, oval device with a tiny black lens and a blue light. "Is that what I think it is?"
Padmé leaned up and took a look for herself. "It most certainly is!"
Energized by the total lack of propriety of an actual camera installed inside her bedroom, the young woman stepped to her door and swung it wide, catching the two Jedi off guard. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, we have a problem. May I speak to you in private for a moment?"