Chapter Twenty-Two – I Still Love You.

As Obi-Wan and Anakin wandered around the apartment checking security, Sabé turned to Jar Jar. "Are you retiring to bed soon?"

"My don't know. Mesa so happy to see desa Jedi!"

She smiled sadly. "I am too, Jar Jar."

When the Gungan had left, Sabé stood at one of the windows, gazing out at the ugliness of Coruscant. She still couldn't understand how a planet so important to the Republic could have so little natural life. Naboo had plants and trees in abundance. Sabé had a strong suspicion that finding even a leaf in this planet-wide city would be no easy task. Just as she was thinking this bizarre thought, Anakin entered the room and strode towards the turbolift.

"Are you all right, my short friend?" he asked with a smile.

"Just because you've sprouted."

"Just because you haven't." They laughed and Anakin disappeared into the lift.

Sabé looked back outside, not really seeing anything, thinking about the day's events. She knew one thing for certain. Her feelings for Obi-Wan, which she had been sure had remained the same these past ten years, were indeed unchanged. At first she had been rather annoyed that the past was resurfacing when she could do nothing to avoid it, but she had quickly changed her mind. He had looked pleased to see her. She was sure she'd detected joy in his blue eyes when their gaze had met. He hadn't changed much from her memories. His hair was much longer and a well-trimmed beard adorned his chin, but he was exactly as she'd remembered. She wondered if she seemed different at all. She wasn't aware of any changes. Her hair was usually untidier, due to suffering neglect when she chose work over its maintenance, and she had become older and wiser, but inside she still felt the same old Sabé.

"You haven't changed much," Obi-Wan said quietly from behind her.

She turned silently and he walked over to join her.

"How long were you standing there for?" she asked at last.

"Not long. You seemed so peaceful, I was hesitant to speak to you."

Sabé smiled. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Still alive. You?"

"I'm well, thank you." They regarded each other curiously for a minute or so, then Sabé said, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to stare, it's just…it's you. It seems strange that we're all together again. In a good way, of course."

Obi-Wan allowed himself a small chuckle. "Yes. I am really here, I can assure you."

He noticed her absent-mindedly place her hand upon her cheek and realised it was the spot where he'd kissed her goodbye ten years ago. He also realised that he too had been thinking about that kiss.

"How old is Anakin now?" she asked, coming out of her daydream.

"Nearly twenty, can you believe it?"

"No. He used to be so sweet, now he seems…I don't know. Serious, I suppose. I don't know. Something," she floundered.

"He can be serious."

"You seem it too. Has taking on an apprentice so sobered you, my friend?"

Obi-Wan thought about it. "I can't say I've really noticed. I was still young and naive when we first met, Sabé. We both were."

"Yes, I know."

"I must say, your dress sense has improved," he teased.

"You never did like those hoods did you?"

"No, I could never tell which handmaiden was you."

"Well, that was the point."

"I see."

Obi-Wan studied her. Her dark hair was fastened in an upsweep, decorated with a multitude of Colo pearls. The lighting caused them to sparkle and highlights of red tinted her hair. Her full lips and upturned nose gave her the most perfect profile he'd ever seen. She was still startlingly similar to Padmé, except Obi-Wan noticed more of the differences now that they were older. Sabé was taller and thinner for one. Her face was longer, her neck more elegant. Both Padmé and Sabé were undeniably beautiful, but Padmé's beauty had a dainty, rosy quality to it, whereas Sabé remained pale. She had definitely improved with age. Gone was the lively, scared teenager and in her place was a calm, collected young woman, whom he realised had become more beautiful in his eyes than he could have ever imagined.

"I'm going to try and get some sleep now," she said softly, interrupting his reflections.

"Very good, M'Lady."

She swatted him gently on the arm. "None of that. Call me Sabé as you always have."

Obi-Wan smiled. "I certainly will, I'm afraid not to!"

She laughed quietly. "Goodnight, Obi-Wan."

"Goodnight, Sabé."

When her door closed she slumped against it with a sigh. As if this trip to the capital wasn't stressful enough, she now had to deal with spending time with Obi-Wan. She could still feel the underlying tension that had filled the room when they had first entered. She was exceedingly grateful to be around him again, but until the first moments of awkwardness passed she could not really enjoy his company. If she had been told earlier that by the end of the day she would be with him again she would have scoffed.

She changed into a sleeveless white nightgown and braided her hair. She managed to catch snatches of sleep for a few hours, but in the end wrote it off as a hopeless case. Falling back onto her usual habit of wandering, she slipped on a thin dressing gown and ventured out to where the two Jedi stood in the social area.

"Don't worry, no harm will come to her," Anakin was saying. "I can sense everything going on in that room. Trust me."

"It's too risky. Besides, your senses aren't all that attuned, my young apprentice."

"And yours are?" Sabé wondered if he were always this critical of Obi-Wan's teachings.

"Possibly."

She came into view then, catching them both by surprise. They were so focused on Padmé that they failed to sense her approaching.

"Sorry, to startle you. I couldn't sleep."

"It's okay," Obi-Wan said. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you."

Anakin smiled at her distractedly and wandered out onto the balcony. Sabé sat down on one of the sofas and rubbed her arms.

"Are you cold?" Obi-Wan asked.

She shrugged. "A little. It's not really bothering me though."

"Nevertheless." He reached for his robe, which he had discarded on the seat and wrapped it around her. He paused, hands on her shoulders and they gazed at each other. Then Sabé glanced down, breaking the spell.

"Is Anakin all right?" she asked. "He seems distant."

"I'll find out." Obi-Wan stood up and walked to the balcony, glad for the distraction from the strange moment. He observed his Padawan for a while. "You look tired."

Anakin slid his hand along the railing absent-mindedly. "I don't sleep well anymore."

"Because of your mother?"

He nodded, looking, just for an instant, the nine-year-old boy who had only just left home. "I don't know why I keep dreaming about her."

"Dreams pass in time," Obi-Wan stated, drawing a curious look from Sabé.

'Mine didn't,' she thought, not really caring if he overheard her or not.

"I'd much rather dream about Padmé," Anakin sighed, coming back indoors. "Just being around her again is…intoxicating."

"Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin, they betray you," Obi-Wan said quickly. A little too quickly, Sabé thought. "You've made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not easily broken."

The words stung Sabé and she was once again reminded that her love would be wasted on Obi-Wan. 'But you can't choose which way you fall,' she thought to herself.

"And don't forget," Obi-Wan added, "she's a politician and they're not to be trusted."

Sabé shot him a look of disbelief. There was ripple of energy and she heard in her head, 'It's nothing personal, my friend, I'm just trying to discourage him.' She managed to keep from jumping at the unexpected comment.

"She's not like the others in the Senate, Master."

"It is my experience that Senators focus on pleasing those who fund their campaigns and they are no means scared of forgetting the niceties of democracy in order to get those funds."

Sabé raised an eyebrow. Both Jedi made true arguments. Obi-Wan had successfully summed up in a sentence the route of the corruption in the Senate, but Anakin had pointed out an important fact; Padmé was not like that. Obi-Wan flicked his gaze to her for a split-second, warning her not to interrupt the conversation. She wouldn't. It was far more interesting to observe.

"Not another lecture," Anakin moaned. "At least not on the economics of politics. And besides, you're generalising. The Chancellor doesn't appear to be corrupt."

What was he talking about? Palpatine was one of the most untrustworthy people she'd ever met. Obi-Wan certainly seemed to agree.

"Palpatine's a politician. I have observed that he is very clever at following the passions and prejudices of the Senators."

"I think he's a good man," Anakin said firmly. "My–"

His sentence was cut short as both men looked towards Padmé's room. Sabé's blood ran cold. What had they detected?

"I sense it too," Obi-Wan muttered as they ran for the door, Sabé following closely.

Anakin was in front and leapt atop Padmé's bed, lightsabre slashing at something. The Senator sat up, wide-eyed, though Sabé couldn't determine whether it was due to the threat or the fact that there was a Jedi on her bed.

Beside her, Obi-Wan caught sight of a droid outside and ran for it. Sabé gasped as he crashed through the window, the fact that they were several hundred stories up weighing heavily on her mind. To her relief, she saw that he'd managed to grab the droid as it flew away.

"Stay here," Anakin snapped to them both, running out past Sabé.

Dormé and Typho ran up and the handmaiden hurried to Padmé's side. "Are you all right, M'Lady?" she asked in her soft voice.

"What happened?" Typho asked Sabé.

She took a deep breath. "Well, the Jedi and I were sitting outside talking when they sensed something going on and ran in here. Anakin sliced at something and then Obi-Wan jumped out the window."

He raised an eyebrow. "Right."

Sabé turned from him and walked further into Padmé's room, kneeling down to look at what it was that Anakin had cut. Some sort of large insect, neatly sliced in half.

"Nobody touch these," she announced. "They must be poisonous. There's no other explanation for them being planted here."

"I agree," Typho said, leaning over her shoulder to look.

"R2," Sabé beckoned to the little droid, who whistled and rolled over. "Can you store these until we can take them to an analysis droid?" He beeped what she thought was an affirmative and scooped them up.

"Perhaps you should sleep in my room, M'Lady," Dormé offered.

"No. Whoever it was won't attempt another attack tonight, it would be too risky for them. They know we'll be on alert." Dormé nodded reluctantly and stifled a yawn. "Go back to bed," Padmé told her gently. "Sabé will stay with me."

"No, I'm all right."

"Dormé, you're tired. Get some sleep or you'll be no help to me in the morning."

She couldn't argue with that. "Very well, M'Lady."

"I'm going to check with security downstairs," Typho said, following her out.

"Thank you." Padmé turned to her cousin. "Oh, Sabé. What a day."

"I know how you feel."

"You didn't mind me volunteering you to stay here did you? Only I figured if you were out talking to the Jedi you couldn't sleep."

Sabé shook her head and perched on the end of the bed. "I certainly won't be able to now. Not until they get back at least."

"Why? Worrying about Obi-Wan?"

"…Yes."

"You're still in love with him after all these years?" she confirmed.

Sabé let out a sigh. "Yes."

"How does he feel?"

"We're friends. I'm thankful to have that."

Padmé looked at her, seeing the sadness etched into her face. "Is that his robe you're wearing?"

She nodded. "He offered it to me because I was cold." She huddled into its comforting warmth, subtly inhaling the scent of Obi-Wan.

"You've had other relationships haven't you?" Padmé asked.

"Well, yes…sort of."

"Sort of?"

Sabé looked down at her hands, clutching the robe. "They didn't go very far. I just…couldn't. Not with the way I felt about Ben."

"Ben?"

"It's a codename. So no-one knows who I'm talking about."

"Oh."

Sabé glanced at her. "Why are you asking anyway?"

"Just concerned about my favourite cousin."

"I'm your only cousin." Padmé smiled and Sabé decided it was time to change the subject. "Are you all right?"

"Oh yes. I don't really fear for my life, but the attacks are making me angry. I want to know who wants me dead and what they'll benefit from it, because it seems to me that what I'm arguing in the Senate must be a danger to someone."

"You're too good at your job, that's your problem."

Padmé frowned. "I don't see that as a bad thing. The Republic must not create an army, it would cause too much conflict. I have a strong chance of leaning it towards my point of view, but I don't think assassination attempts are good advertising."

"I know, I believe in the cause just as much as you. I just worry about you. I can't protect you all the time."

"Nor would I ask you to, Sabé, you have a life of your own. Sometimes I think about firing you just to force you to go and live it."

Sabé traced a pattern on the floor with her toe. "Don't you dare. Anyway, what would I be doing if I wasn't working with you? Probably be stuck behind a desk in Theed. I like the travel and besides, if I wasn't here I wouldn't have seen Ben again."

"True. He looks quite different, doesn't he?"

"So does Anakin." Sabé shot her friend a sly look. "He's quite a handsome young man isn't he?"

Padmé didn't swallow the bait. "But not as handsome as Ben?"

"Not as I see it," Sabé said truthfully.

Padmé looked wistful as she thought of the young Padawan. "You're right though, Ani has changed."

"Of course he has," Sabé told her gently. "It's been ten years. Now come on, you should get some sleep. I'll have the cleaner droid sort out those shards of transparisteel on the floor. If you close the blinds completely the lack of window shouldn't be a problem."

Padmé realised she felt more weary than she had anticipated and nodded. "I will, but I want to be informed the moment they get back."

"Of course." Sabé closed the blinds, gestured to R2-D2, then left her cousin in peace.

A/N: Sorry to anyone who got excited over the title of this chapter, it only refers to their thoughts, not their actions…yet.