A/N: Hey guys! I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY sorry for the lateness of my update. This summer has been EXTREMELY busy for me... but that's no excuse. I've really been planning how I want the story to go. I wanted to make this chapter longer, and easily could have, but I wanted to see if you guys like the direction I'm taking it in. I already have the next 2 to 3 chapters planned out; I just have to write them. I'm posting this today, and then I'm leaving tomorrow for a week. Then I'll be back home fora few days and have to leave again for a leadership camp in Austin. So this will be my only chapter for at least 2 weeks, but don't worry I haven't given up on this story and I have some interesting things coming up in it, if you guys decide that you like the turn I've taken. Its a little more serious in this chapter and the next, but after that I'm going to keep to my overall mood that I've been having throughout the story drama/comedy/angst/romance as much as possible...you get the picture. So try and give me as much feedback as possible so that when I get back home I can write you guys some AWESOME chapters! And now, on with chapter 5. P.S. Thanks to anyone who read this extremely long authors note lol. Thanks again to all who have reviewed. It really inspires me!

Padme surveyed herself in the mirror. It was ironic she thought, that she had done this same exact thing only 2 weeks ago. She'd looked in this exact samemirror-then with high expectations-now with frustration and a sense of despair.

She'd barely uttered a word to her mother since the announcement about the picnic that just "happened" to be on her birthday. She sighed. Today was her fifteenth birthday and she was being forced to spend it with the person, who in two weeks time had managed to be despised by her. Not spending it with her friends at the mall or a club, oreven just a peaceful afternoon at home, but spending it with Anakin Skywalker.

She cast a last glance at the black tube top styled bikini that she wore, covered by a light cotton dress, before leaving her room and meeting her parents downstairs.

"It's about time you got down here", Jobal said cheerfully. In reply Padme merely pretended that she hadn't heard her mother's comment.

"Ruwee dear, are you coming?" "Of course dear, I was just getting the keys and the picnic basket," he said, appearing in the doorway. The three of them walked out to their speeder and started off. Jobal launched into a conversation with Ruwee and Padme replied with a simple "mm-hmm" every time her mother addressed her.

She was mostly silent during the ride, and occupied her time by gazing at her surroundings. The beauty of Naboo never ceased to amaze her, or anyone for that matter. Except for a few storm clouds in the distance, the sky was a blue, and the grass and forests a lush green.

They arrived at the lake and drove a ways down a gravel road that led them to a more private section, where the Skywalkers were waiting for them. Formal greetings were made and everyone walked to he designated picnic spot, under a large oak tree.

Jobal and Shmi both agreed that it was a bit early for lunch, and that they should all sit and talk for awhile. Jobal hinted that Anakin and Padme "might enjoy taking a swim". Anakin headed for the lake, halfwayexpecting Padme not to follow him, but reluctantly she did. "Don't stray too far", Cliegg called absentmindedly to the two teenagers as he lit he and Ruwee both a cigar.

Anakin shed his shorts and cannonballed into the lake. Padme followed, doing a graceful dive. She came up to the surface, her hair wet and eyes glistening, and stared intently at Anakin. He felt her gaze and looked over at her. "So I'm really that good looking, huh?" She smirked but didn't turn away. "Don't flatter yourself Anakin." "I didn't, you did."

He glanced back up to where their parents were, and seeing that they were otherwise preoccupied, turned back to Padme and said, "Lets go"

Lets go? What did he mean lets go? Go where? None of her questions were answered, however, because Anakin had already begun swimming towards the opposite shore. She rolled her eyes. Does he honestly expect me to just follow him? Obviously he does, she thought, or else he would've stopped swimming by now. She didn't really want to go with Anakin, okay so she kind of did, but there was nothing else to do until lunch anyway, and she wasn't about to sit in the middle of the lake bored and alone.

She sighed and started off after him, cautiously eyeing the thunderclouds that seemed to have grown larger and closer to them in the last 20 minutes. She continued swimming as a feeling of utter dread filled her.

-x-

Anakin reached the woods, and looked back, seeing that Padme was not far behind. So her curiosity got the better of her. Padme reached the shore and after ringing out her hair, turned to Anakin. "So where to now, Guide Skywalker?"

"I'm gunna walk around the woods for a while." "You can do whatever you want." "What do you mean I can do whatever I want", she shot back frustrated." "You're the one who was all "lets go", so I figured you had some kind of plan."

"Well Padme, despite popular demand guys don't always have and ulterior motive." "That's got to be the biggest understatement of the year," she said, not missing a beat.

"If you say so"

"I do", she said matter-of-factly.

"Whatever. See ya"

"Wait!" "You're not seriously just going to leave me here?"

"Swim back to shore", he said, mimicking her matter-of-fact tone.

"So that I can sit around bymyself all day with our parents, and explain that you didn't feel like picnicking, so you decided to take a walk instead?" "No way Skywalker, I'm coming with you." She stood there gazing at him, with her hands on her hips.

"Then come on." She was a little surprised that he had given in so easily, but she decided to catch up to him anyway, and they began walking to some unknown destination.

As they entered further into the woods, she turned and looked at him. "How do you presume that we keep ourselves from getting lost?" Getting lost. Nowthat was something he hadn't thought of.

"I guess we'll just follow our footprints back."

"Wow, Bravo Anakin!" "That's almost as foolproof as Hansel and Grettle throwing down breadcrumbs that got eaten by birds," she said sarcastically. "Well honey", he shot back just as sarcastically, "I don't think the birds are going to eat our footprints."

"It's a metaphor Anakin!"No duh! I'm not entirely clueless, Padme! "Haven't you noticed the rainclouds that have been getting closer and closer every few minutes?"\

He looked at the sky, seeing what she said was true. How had he not noticed the before? Frowning, he listened to her continue.

"So now we're lost with no food and no shelter, and it's about to rain any minutenow."

"Wait a second", he said, "What makes you think we're lost?"

She rolledher eyes as if itwere the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been walking for nearly 30 minutes now." "These woods are 50 miles in every direction." " We've long strayed offof any trailwe might have been on, and every one of the trees look the same!"

He looked around them, seeing that she was right. Again.Is this what it's going to be like when we're married? Her always beingright, and me always being wrong? The trees around them looked almost identical, and he couldn't tell which direction they had come from.

"We aren't completely lost." "If we just find north..." This was one of the few times in his life when he wished he'd actually paid attention in geography.

"Great! Just Great! We're lost and you don't even know which way north is." "Neither do you." he said defensively. "I never said that I did", she shot back quickly.

"Look on the bright side, at least this cant get any worse." As if to contradict him a loud boom of thunder shot across the sky, and seconds later was accompanied by the crackling of lightning and torrents of rain. "I suppose you're going to add this to the list of things I've done wrong today too?" "Yes", she said in a definite tone.

"Wow, I can't wait to see how long this list gets once we're married", he muttered. "What makes you think we're getting married?" venom seeping into her words.

"The obvious, the fact that we're engaged."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you see my hand?" "Yeah, I'm not blind actually."

"There's no ring on it Anakin!" "We're not engaged!"

He laughed bitterly at her. "Allow me to welcome you to a place you've obviously never been before: Reality." "Population: You and me babe." "You can't stop the inevitable Padme, you can only postpone it." "If we're not engaged now then we soon will be."

"Well don't you sound like a fortune cookie." she said haughtily.

"Come on, we have to find shelter." he said, ignoring her last comment.

She followed him silently, pondering over what he had said. His words drounded out the sound of the storm. She paid no attention to what she was doing or where she was going. Was this what it would be like from now on? Fights, bitter words, let downs, and disappointments? Is this how she would spend the rest of her life? Being miserable?

Anakin wasn't far in front of her, but even so the heavy rain was like a fog, and she had to squint hard to see him. She stopped in front of a small, fast flowing ravine that had formed due to the downpour.Not wanting to get anymore wet than she already was, she decided to get a running start as she vaguely remembered seeing Anakin do only moments before.

She backed up and began running, but on her third step slipped, and losing all sense of her surroundings, fell face-forward onto a large jagged rock. As she faded slowly out of consciousness, her last thoughts were ones that pleaded with Anakin to find her. Anakin the man whom she was fighting to love. Anakin the one she pushed away. Anakin the one who she thought she hated. Maybe she was just scared. Of what? Loving him? Being loved by him? Or was she terrified of for the rest of her life having to depend on someone that she was afraid to trust?