Chapter Four

Anakin groaned and rubbed his face. Gods, it still hurt! Well, duh, smart ass, it's only been about 5 seconds! Anakin scowled at himself and just sat there, he didn't feel like getting up. Why'd she have to throw something at me! He looked around and finally saw it, a rather thick book. BOOKS! GODS! I HATE THEM SO MUCH! He sighed and mourned for himself, sitting in Ciana's bedroom, mourning for his pain.

Ciana still sat there, clutching at the bed sheets. She finally willed herself to move, she got on her hands and knees and actually crawled around the bed. When she got near the end she slowed down and blinked. She couldn't quite make out who it was. She gasped when she saw his face.

"Anakin! Oh my gods! I am so sorry!" she cried, while standing up and rushing to him.

Anakin looked at Ciana and blinked.

"Wha...?" he said, his mouth hanging open, a completely lost look on his face. Ciana frowned, she turned on the lamp and turned Anakin's face towards the light. She put her hands on his shoulders and grimaced. Jeez, how hard had she thrown that book? There already was a bruise forming on the right side of his face, under his eye. Anakin turned his head to look at Ciana. Suddenly their faces were mere centimeters apart. Blue eyes searched hazel ones. Ciana could feel Anakin's breath on her face. Time seemed to slow down. Ciana's heart was pumping so fast and so loud, all she could hear was the THUD thud THUD thud of it drumming in her ears. She was sure Anakin could hear it as well.

Involuntarily Anakin's eyes strayed to her lips. They were so beautiful. Such a red color, such a natural pout to them, to make them look so kissable. Suddenly Anakin moved and his lips were upon hers. Ciana's eyes closed and she became lost in these new feelings. Such wonders. Anakin's lips moved from her lips and slowly traced her jawline, he nibbled her earlobe softly. Ciana shivered in delight, her grip from his shoulders moved up and entwined in his hair. Fire was boiling through her veins and through her whole body. Anakin's hand moved and parted her nightgown from her shoulder. He kissed down her neck and kissed the top of her shoulder. For a moment a tiny voice in the back of his head yelled at him to stop. But he ignored it. This felt too good. She moaned when she felt Anakin's hand doing such wonders as it moved down her body. When Ciana felt his lips on her neck again she finally came to her senses. She gasped and tore herself away from him. Suddenly her hand moved back and slapped his cheek. They stared at each other in shock. Ciana, breathing hard, her eyes wide. Anakin, looking like nothing had happened. Suddenly he smirked.

"Why don't ya punch me next time, I might actually feel that."

Ciana stared at him, her eyes flashing. She stood up and glared at him.

"Oh! YOU! YOU...", she sputtered for a good enough insult,"...MAN!" she yelled, while stomping towards the door. She turned around vehemently and glared at him once more before storming out of the room.

Anakin winced and rubbed his right cheek. Man, even though he had said that, that slap sure did hurt. She had hit him square on the cheek where the bruise was. It had taken all his man power not to yell out in pain when he had felt her small tiny hand connect with his cheek. He snorted and continued to rub his sore cheek. First a book, now a slap. This was not the most perfect morning he'd ever had.

Padmé looked up from her dresser when she heard the front door slam. She sent Obi-Wan a questioning look across the room, in which he just shrugged and went back to his book. She rolled her eyes and walked out of the room. Fine, I'll just go see to it myself. Men are never any help. She shook her head, a smile on her face.

Ciana stormed down the hallway, muttering darkly to herself. She was so angry and so distracted that she barely even felt it when she collided with a woman who had just turned the corner. She turned and hoped that she had said the right thing as to when you bump into someone. She turned back to the front and continued to storm down the hallway.

Padmé opened the door and wasn't too surprised to see Ciana stomping down the hallway. She followed the younger girl. She practically had to run to catch up with her. As she got close enough so she didn't have to yell, she asked,

"Ciana, come on, what are you doing? Where do you think you're going to go? You've never been on any other planet except Naboo, you don't know this world."

Ciana didn't stop, she did slow down though, to a walk. She kept looking forward.

"I don't know where I'm going, all I know is that I want to GET AWAY. FROM HIM."

Padmé put a hand on Ciana's shoulder and turned the girl to face her.

"From who?" Padmé asked, although she knew quite well who it was.

Ciana scowled and shrugged Padmé's hand off.

"Don't be stupid, Padmé. You know full well who I'm talking about."

"Me? Stupid? That's where you've got it wrong, my dear. I am not the one who's running away from Anakin. I'm not the one afraid to...to, I don't know. Why ARE you running away."

"I never said I was - "

"Ah, but you obviously are, since you're storming down the hallway! You ran into that woman without even seeing her! So...tell me again, why are you running away. From Anakin, most off."

Ciana pursed her lips together until they became a white thin line and crossed her arms. She looked at the older, shorter woman.

"Fine, but could we talk in a more private area?"

Padmé smiled and turned to walk back to the apartment.

"Sure, in my bedroom. Anakin is probably sulking around." she said laughingly.

A small smile appeared on Ciana's pretty face and they walked back to the apartment.

Five minutes later Ciana and Padmé sat on the plush Queen bed, facing each other. Padmé watched Ciana intently. She wondered what Anakin did this time. Ciana bit her lip and refused to meet Padmé's eyes. She took a deep breath and spoke.

"Well, I woke up...and I totally freaked out because I saw a shadow next to my bed. I screamed, scrambled to the other side of the bed, grabbed something on the night table and threw it at him. I feel to the floor and just laid there, in shock. I finally willed myself to move and I crawled to the other side of the bed, I was surprised to see Anakin, sitting there, rubbing his face. I ran over to him and turned his face to the light, there's a bruise on his face..-"

Padmé interrupted by bursting out laughing. She blushed and covered her mouth.

"Sorry, please go on." she said, still giggling.

Ciana cleared her throat, still refusing to meet Padmé's eyes. She played with the edge of the fraying quilt while she continued.

"Anyway, yeah, there was a bruise on his face, I looked at him, he looked at me...he...he kissed me..." she said, blushing a deep red.

Padmé watched her, waiting for her to say more. When she didn't after 6 seconds Padmé touched Ciana on her arm lightly. Ciana finally looked into Padmé's kind brown compassionate eyes.

"He..did..more than kiss me...but not THAT much." she added hastily after she saw the look Padmé had on her face. Padmé sighed in relief and looked down.

"Is that all that happened?"

"No, I - ,well, I was so shocked that I slapped him."

Padmé laughed once again. She looked at the younger woman and smiled and shook her head softly.

"Wow, Ciana, first a book, then a slap. You're on a roll!"

Ciana's eyebrows raised, she was surprised that Padmé was acting like this. As if to answer her question, Padmé laid a hand lightly on her hand.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. Sometimes Anakin can be so...well, Anakin needs to be...he needs to have someone lighten his life up a bit."

"Ok..."

"Oh don't look at me that way, you know it's true."

Ciana rolled her eyes.

"Ok, whatever you say, m'lady."

Padmé pinched Ciana's arm.

"Hey, don't call me that!"

Ciana rubbed her arm, she pouted.

"Oww, that hurt."

"Well, don't call me that. I don't need you calling me that too. It gets very old."

"Fine, ok. And, thanks for letting me talk to you." Ciana said, while standing up.

"Of course, Ciana, anytime. If you need to talk, you know where to find me." Padmé said, standing up and winking. They shared a smile of understanding before they parted to their separate ways, which would be, well...anywhere Obi-Wan was for Padmé, and well, her room for Ciana, where she could sit and think.

Ok, this chapter just seemed to drag on. I don't know, sorry for the long wait, my lovely people, I had a major writers block and I didn't know what to write, but thankfully my mastermind thought of something, albeit a bit draggy, lol, is that even a word? Oh well, R & R people! PLEASE! Byes.

P.K. - 91 out.