Chapter Twelve

Anakin, Shmi and Padmé arrived at the Naberrie home later that afternoon. Jobal welcomed them warmly with freshly baked muffins and tea, for she had been expecting them. Anakin noted that Padmé's father was not at home, and he hoped that they would manage to leave the house before he made an appearance.

"Where is Dad?" Padmé asked as they sat in the garden behind the house.

"He's over at Sola's house," Jobal replied. "Jarred needed some help building a swing set for the girls, and you know how handy your father is."

"How many grandchildren do you have?" Shmi asked Jobal.

"Two," Jobal replied, "so far," she added, looking at Padmé with a smile.

"Don't look at me, Mom," Padmé declared. "You know how demanding my career is."

Jobal nodded. "Yes, and I know how much you want your own family," she retorted, much to Padmé's embarrassment. Anakin said nothing for a moment, merely enjoying watching her squirm.

"I didn't realize you wanted a family, Padmé," Shmi said with a smile, looking from her to Anakin. "I think you'd make a wonderful mother," she added.

"Yes, so do I," Jobal concurred. "If only she'd sit still long enough to find a nice man to settle down with."

Padmé could feel the color rising in her face as she sat between the two women. She glanced over at Anakin and was annoyed to see the amused look on his face. I hope you're enjoying this, Anakin, she thought in irritation. His smile only broadened, no doubt reading her thoughts, which only made Padmé more annoyed.

Anakin and Padmé took their leave of the Naberrie home an hour later, both of them breathing a sigh of relief that Ruwee had not returned home before they were able to leave.

They headed for Theed, where Anakin leased a small cruiser for the trip to Coruscant. Knowing that Palpatine was no doubt keeping close tabs on him, he realized that arriving at Theed in Padmé's star skiff would be simply too risky. So he had found a yacht that suited their purposes, as well as his own tastes, perfectly. By nightfall, they had left Naboo and were on their way to Coruscant.

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself back there," Padmé commented.

Anakin looked over at her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You know very well what I mean," she replied. "My mother, your mother, me as a mother," she said. "You were enjoying watching me squirm, weren't you?"

Anakin couldn't help but smile. "Well, maybe just a little bit," he admitted.

Padmé laughed. "I knew it," she said. "I'm just glad my father didn't arrive before we left," she continued.

"Me too," Anakin replied. His face grew serious again as he thought about what faced them when they arrived at Coruscant.

"You're worried about confronting Palpatine, aren't you?" Padmé asked.

Anakin looked at her. "Not in the way you mean," he told her. "I have no doubt that I am stronger than the old man, and will best him should it come down to a fight."

"Then why are you worried?" she asked, not telling him how much she hated the thought of him engaging the treacherous Sith Lord in a duel.

He studied her face for a moment before responding. "I'm worried about you," he told her.

The sincerity in his voice, the touch of warmth in his eyes grabbed at her heart. "I have you to protect me," she told him, reaching out and putting a hand on his arm. "I'm not afraid."

Anakin took her hand and studied it briefly. "I meant what I said, Padmé," he said. "I won't let any harm come to you," he looked up at her, "even if it means killing Palpatine to ensure that."

Padmé nodded. "I know," she said. She watched him as he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the underside of her wrist. The brief contact was enough to make Padmé's heart race, as the warmth began to spread through her again. Anakin lifted his eyes to hers, and she could see within their ultra blue depths the same desire she felt. Anakin gently pulled her out of her seat and towards him as he turned his chair to face her. Pulling her onto his lap, he ran his hands up her back while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You know, I have thought about you so much over the past eleven years," he told her as she ran her fingers through the locks of hair that brushed his collar.

"Not good thoughts though," she said. "Since Palpatine had filled your mind with lies about me."
"I felt betrayed," he told her. "When I thought you'd turned your back on me, I was so hurt. It took me a long time to get over that. Palpatine made me feel that I was weak for feeling that way. He made me feel weak for feeling anything at all except anger and resentment. Dark emotions, that's all he permitted. Is it any wonder he feels so threatened by you?"

Padmé shook her head. "No, not really," she said. "He was foolish to think that he could keep you in the Dark forever, though. He underestimated you if he thought that."

He studied her face for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face. "How can you do that?" he asked.

"Do what?"

"Get past what I so nearly did to you," he responded. "What I did do to you at the ballet. I have done nothing to earn your compassion, and everything to earn your scorn; and yet, you care about me. I'm just astonished that you would after everything that I've done to wrong you."

Padmé thought about his words for a moment before responding, her fingers playing lightly with his long hair. "I suppose I just knew that there was more to you than met the eye," she told him at last. "I remembered the boy I knew all those years ago, and realized that he was still there, deep inside of you. Palpatine has done his best to destroy that sweet boy, but he failed. You are so much better than a Sith, Anakin; so much better, deserving of so much more than he could ever offer you."

Her words moved him; more than that, they astonished him. He had almost forgotten what forgiveness felt like, for his master was not capable of such a thing. Palpatine had made Anakin feel like it was a sign of a weak person to forgive another. But he knew that was wrong; he knew that it took a remarkably strong person to forgive the sort of transgression Padmé had forgiven.

"What an incredible woman you are," he told her softly, cupping her face with one hand. "I feel so ashamed of believing all the lies Palpatine fed to me about you," he added, a troubled look in his eyes. "How could I have been so wrong?"

Padmé took his face in her hands. "You trusted him, Anakin," she told him. "You were a boy when he took you in; of course you trusted him. How could you have known that he was using you and lying to you all this time?"

He looked down, a frown creasing his brow. "I should have known," he replied quietly. "I should have sensed it, felt how wrong what he was telling me was. But I blindly put my trust in him, believing everything he said, trusting that he only wanted what was best for me."

Padmé nodded, knowing that he needed to vent, he needed to express himself this way. No doubt the road back to the Light would be a bumpy one, but it was one she was convinced he had already embarked upon. She stroked his face gently, allowing him to say what he felt needed saying, knowing that the catharsis was part of his rebirth.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "If only I'd got to you sooner, if only..."

Anakin shook his head, putting a finger over her lips. "Don't," he said. "Don't you even try to take responsibility for this. I know you did all you could, more than anyone could have done. I'm grateful for that, Padmé," he told her. "It means more to me than you know."

"I think I know," she said.

Anakin smiled, and looked at her mouth. He moved closer to her, and brought his mouth to hers, capturing her in a deep kiss. Padmé felt his hands move under her shirt, slowly making their way up the sides of her, his touch electrifying her. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" he whispered into her ear. "Do you know how much I want you, Padmé?"

Padmé closed her eyes, rapidly losing herself in the sensations his touch and his provocative words were drawing out of her. Anakin was lost in the scent of her, desperate to touch every part of her. But this wasn't exactly the place for such intimacies, sitting in the cockpit of the ship.

"Stand up, Angel," he said, lifting her off of his lap, and setting her on her feet. Padmé felt bereft without his touch, but needn't have been concerned, for he pulled her to him again, sweeping her up into his arms effortlessly. He brought his mouth to hers once again, the intensity of his kiss taking her breath away. Heading for the back of the ship, Anakin carried her to the small cabin situated there. Once there, he set her down again, and broke their kiss to look down at her, forcing himself to stop while he was still able to.

"I love you," he told her, surprising even himself with his declaration. "I've always loved you, and I was a fool to think I could ever harm you. You are in my very soul, Padmé."

Padmé smiled, and took his face in her hands. "I love you too, Anakin," she told him softly as she pulled her close once again….

Anakin knew for certain that he had never experienced anything like this in his life. He had never felt so connected, so one with another person, and it astonished him that he could feel this way. This wasn't just sex; it was love making, it was a union of souls not just bodies, and it was unlike anything either of them had ever experienced in their young lives…..

"That was phenomenal," Anakin sighed as he pulled her to him, planting a kiss on her sweaty brow.

Padmé nodded, running her hand over his chest. "It was," she agreed. "I never imagined I could feel that way." He had been so patient with her, so considerate of her inexperience that it only made her love him more. She looked up at him, running a finger over his lips. "I love you," she told him softly.

Anakin kissed her tenderly. "I love you too, my Angel," he replied, and pulled her close to him. Within moments, they both fell into a deep and very satisfied sleep.