Author's Note: I'm on a roll here! Another update, and a little after midnight of the next day. All right!

Chapter 84 responses:

Anakin's Love Slave: Hmm...I think you should read this chapter and then rethink the question. As for Padme, revenge is taken against her eventually in an evil form.

G-Anakin 13: Yeah, she really hurt him. But he pulls through it and plans the ultimate revenge against her, and her father (in Episode VI anyway).

The Lure of the Dark Side: Chronicle 1-The Turning of an Era

Episode V: Revenge of the Sith

Chapter 39: Friends…for now

Anakin awoke the next morning to the disappointment that Arica was no longer beside him in bed. Stretching out with the Force however told him she was in the main kitchen with the twins. Glancing beside him on the bedside table, he was surprised to see a set of night clothes, his night clothes, sitting on the table folded up. Though confused, he put them on and decided to see what Arica and the kids were up to.

Upon entering the kitchen, he found Arica feeding the twins a breakfast of formula. When Leila sighted her father she giggled and pointed a single small digit at him.

Arica looked up with a smile. "Oh, hello Anakin."

He smiled back and, after placing his pointer finger on each of the twins' noses (who giggled in response), simply watched Arica feeding his children for a moment. She was so beautiful doing that: acting as a mother figure for the twins. And it was obvious they absolutely loved her. Sighing happily, Anakin came up behind her and wrapped her into his arms. Arica responded by also sighing and tilting her head back onto his chest. But after giving him a quick kiss, she returned to giving Luke his spoonful of formula. Afterwards, however, she turned around and cuddled herself into Anakin's arms. He held her even tighter, but soon let go somewhat to lift her chin within his fingers. The young couple simply gazed at one another a moment before Anakin sweetly kissed her. Arica rested her head back in Anakin's chest and sighed dreamily.

"Oh I love you Anakin," she murmured into his chest.

Anakin abruptly tensed and sighed heavily. Letting go of her, he walked away from her and out of the room.

Arica miserably closed her eyes and reprimanded herself. I'm such an idiot.

She watched him walk through the rest of the kitchen, the living room, and finally onto the penthouse balcony beyond before going back to feeding the giggling, cooing twins.

Earlier that morning, when Anakin had still been asleep, Arica had gotten up and went down to Anakin's suite on the twenty-fifth floor. She knew the twins would probably wake soon so wanted to be ready with some things when they did. She collected formula, a few toys, and one of the playpens and brought them up to her own suite. Sure enough, as soon as she'd successfully set up the playpen, she heard the unmistakable sound of babies announcing they were awake by crying. So once she finished feeding the twins, she placed them in the playpen and went out onto the balcony to see Anakin.

So many things had been running through Anakin's mind since Arica's love pronouncement. He knew he had feelings for her, but he wasn't sure if those feelings were love or not.

I've just gotten my heart ripped out. I can't fall in love again that fast. He absolutely refused to accept that he'd been in love with her before. How could he have been in love with two different people at the same time? It was impossible in his eyes.

And then there was Arica herself. She said she loved him, and she seemed sincere, but so did Padme.

I can't keep comparing Arica to Padme, but all the same, I need to be cautious.

Just than, he felt Arica's gentle presence approaching from behind, but made no move to greet her.

"Anakin," she said softly. He glanced over at her, face betraying nothing. She sighed.

A few moments were spent in silence with the two simply looking at the other. Arica sighed again and glanced at the ground before looking back into Anakin's expressionless face.

"Anakin?" she said again, her eyes begging him to speak to her.

He moved away from the balcony rail and closer to her, so their faces were only but a few centimeters apart. "Yes Arica," he replied softly.

She sighed again. "There's something I want you to know."

"Okay." His face still betrayed nothing.

She sighed yet again and took a deep breath. "I just want you to know that I would never, ever hurt you. You know that, don't you Anakin? I would never tell you 'I love you' and not mean it."

Anakin sighed deeply and turned away from her, back to the railing.

There was a brief silence before he spoke. "I want to believe you Arica but-" He interrupted himself with a sigh. "Oh I'm just so confused with all these racing hormones and Arica, I just-" He turned back to her. "I couldn't bear to have my heart broken again. I'm not even sure I love you. Just because we were intimate-that doesn't mean anything." He turned away from her again. "I don't know maybe-maybe this all was just a big mistake."

"What?! No! Anakin please," Arica was beyond frantic, "I love you. I do. And I know you've heard this before from someone else but please, you have to believe me. I really do love you."

Anakin sighed once more and looked into her face expressionlessly again. Searching within her mind, he sensed that she was telling the truth but…one could never be so sure.

"I want to believe you Arica," he said softly. "Really I do, I just…" he trailed off, turning away from her, his eyes tearing slightly. He quickly whipped away these brief tears and turned to her again. "You know I really think I should leave. I think we've worn out our welcome enough here already. I'll see you around Arica."

He made to leave the balcony, but Arica stopped him. "Anakin no, please stay here." She moved into his arms. "Stay here with me, for always."

"Arica…no. I'm sorry, but no. I should leave. I'm a father now and I don't have time for romance okay."

He put his head down and sighed. "I really am sorry but-I don't love you Arica. Not in that way anyway. I'd be lying if I told you I did. And I won't do that to you."

"Anakin please," Arica had reached the beyond desperate now. "If you need time for me to prove my love for you I understand but-"

"Arica, Arica," Anakin said softly into her hair. "I'm sorry but the answer remains no."

Arica found that she was crying somewhat now. "Anakin," she cried, "You're breaking my heart again."

"Arica-" Anakin started.

"No." She ran off the balcony and made to leave the suite but Anakin used the dark side to stop her legs from moving. She cried out in rage as she fell to the floor cursing him.

Anakin cautiously walked over to her and bent down beside her. "Arica please, just listen to me."

Arica stopped her swearing and glared up at him. "Look I'm sorry. I really am. But I'm not going to say I'm in love with you when I'm not. I won't lie to you and hurt you like I was. I do love you but-just as a friend. And I'm sorry I barged into the shower last night. I did it out of my lust and I feel so selfish and ashamed for stealing your innocence. What I need now Arica, more than anything, is a friend. Say you'll be that friend. I'm sure that in time my feelings for you will grow but please Arica, will you just be my friend for now?"

Arica suddenly felt ashamed of herself. But mostly for throwing herself at him like that so soon after his break up. She sat up beside him. "Oh Anakin, I'm sorry. Yes I'll be your friend, and don't worry I'll desist my attempts of making moves on you. I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have thrown myself at you when you were married. It was wrong on me, and I'm sorry."

"It's okay Arica," he replied, "and you'll forgive me for stealing your innocence?"

She smiled. "You didn't steal it Anakin. I gave it to you. But if it makes you feel any better than yes, I forgive you."

Anakin smiled and opened his arms. "Come here."

Arica smirked slightly and playfully tackled Anakin to the floor, wrestling with him. They both laughed while doing this and hugged one another tightly. Anakin placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Thank you chicka."

Arica beamed at the use of her nickname. "You're welcome Anakin."

She placed a kiss of her own on his brow before giving his a mock stern look. "Now go take a bath. You're starting to smell."

"What?! No I'm not." He gave her a mock punch on the arm, but than sniffed himself to make sure.

Arica burst out laughing. "I'm joking Anakin. You don't smell, but you should bathe, shower or something. It's 1200."

"1200!" Anakin repeated in a great deal of surprise. "Wow, I didn't realize it was that late."

"Yup, but I'll tell you what: you go take a shower and I'll go downstairs and get you a clean set of clothes."

"Sounds good. Let me give you the keys."

Arica smirked. "Oh I won't need them. I can simply use the Force to get into your suite, like last time."

Anakin looked confused. "Last time?"

"Where do you think the playpen, toys, formula, and night clothes you're wearing came from?"

Anakin glanced over at the playpen at the right side of the living room in surprise. "I didn't even see that there."

"I hope you don't mind," Arica said. "I'm not usually a person who just barges into peoples' quarters uninvited."

"Oh no, I don't mind," Anakin assured her. "I bought two playpens. I was thinking one for Luke, and the other for Leila, but if you don't mind I think I'd like to keep this one," he pointed to it, "here in your suite so when we come and visit they'll have a place to play in."

"Sure, no prob."

"All right, well I'll go bathe, before I stink up your entire suite," Anakin quipped.

Both laughed at this. And while Anakin than went off to bathe, Arica, after assuring the twins she'd be right back, went down to his suite to bring up a fresh set of clothes.

Two chapters to go!