"What are you doing?"

"I'm working."

"What? I thought we agreed, no work today." Anakin stared blankly at Padme, who sat in bed with a datapad on her lap.

"The whole day?"

"Yes, the whole day," anakin replied. "No Senate, no Temple... nothing. Just the two of us together."

"but-"

"No buts," Anakin said somewhat stubbornly. "At least not that kind," he laughed.

Padme slapped him across the head. "Anakin!" she blushed.

Anakin dodged the second blow then buried his head into her bosom. "How hard is it to spend the day with the love of your life?" he mumbled against her skin.

"Get up, Anakin! You'll crush the baby!"

"It's my baby. She's a trooper, she can take it."

"You mean 'he' can take it."

"Maybe it's a he-she," Anakin replied.

"That's not funny," Padme objected. "How could you wish such a thing?" she rubbed her belly, as if to soothe the unknowing little one from his joke.

"What's wrong with being a he-she? The Chucucoocoomaca's are he-she, they even -"

Padme raised a hand in the air in protest. "Oh Anakin, please... no more stories about your crazy adventures with Obi Wan."

"I thought you liked those stories?" He gave her a look of mock hurt.

"I do, but in small doses," she smiled.

Anakin tried to pull the datapad from Padme's hand, but she snatched it back. He growled contemptuously.

"You're awfully feisty today."

"I'm always feisty. You can't imagine what I put up with while you were gone. Like that Cobra situation-"

This time, Anakin's hand raised in protest as he cut her off. "Don't you dare speak his name to me."

"And then there was Chancellor Palpatine," Padme griped.

"What's wrong with the Chancellor? The Chancellor is a great man!" Anakin objected.

"He's a toad."

"Oh, well you're just being mean. I suppose it's the pregnancy hormones talking and not my Padme."

Anakin snatched the datapad again and tried to read, but Padme pulled it away. "You can't read that! Conflict of interest," she cited.

"Says the boss..."

"Dont' call me that."

"Well it's true," Anakin replied. Then in a whisper as he brushed her hair aside... "But I'm the boss in here..."

Padme sat the datapad on the night stand then turned over, navigating her ever growing belly to face him. "You sure about that?"

Anakin grabbed her by the wrists. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"I have a blaster under this bed to shoot you with."

"I'm terrified, Padme," he said, taking a deep breath, while folding his arms behind his head. "But your blaster is no match for my lightsaber."

"Of course, you're a Jedi, I expect you to use a lightsaber."

"Not that kind of lightsaber," Anakin said in a naked voice. He covered her belly with a hand. Irked, Padme pushed him away.

"You're awful when you tease," she pouted.

"So are you."

Padme rolled her hand into a fist and clopped him on the head with her knuckles. Anakin winced. "Were you not teasing me last night in that gown?"

Padme blushed... "well, just a little." She laughed. A thoughtful look surfaced in Anakin's eyes.

"Now that I'm home, you don't have to worry about doing everything by yourself."

"Don't worry my love, Threepio helped me."

"Did he really?"

Padme nodded. "You made Threepio, so, in a sense, you were helping me."

"I like that," Anakin said. "Have we decided on a name for our he-she?"

Padme looked close to striking him again. Anakin buried his head in her bosom as she neared. "You wouldn't strike an unarmed man would you?"

"I will name him Luke. If it's a girl, we'll name her Leia."

Anakin nodded. "I like that... has a nice 'ring' to it." He looked at Padme again, seeming to undress her naked body with his eyes.

"Don't leer, Anakin. You know I hate when you do that."

"I can't help it, you're so beautiful."

Padme smiled. "It embarasses me."

"I'm embarassed to have leered at you. Especially when you yelled at me before we went to Naboo a few years ago. But I couldn't help it. I couldn't help myself," he said, caressing her shoulders with the back of his hand.

"But you're a Jedi. Have you not learned anything from Obi Wan?"

"Dont' give me that Obi Wan crap. Obi Wan simply hides his lust better than I am able to. If you have ever seen him drunk, you'd know what I'm talking about."

"Obi Wan was drunk?"

"Many many times. Falling off of bar stools, even getting into fights. He's an awful drinker. He even made me fight him when he was drunk, once."

Padme laughed. "You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Please, stop-" Padme laughed. Anakin was always taking funny little shots at Obi Wan, but generally only meant to make her laugh. Anakin gave her a serious look.

"I was sixteen summers when it happened. The only time I ever beat him in a lightsaber match."

"Pupils seldom outmatch their masters."

"Someday I will," Anakin replied. He knew it to be true. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind that he would have to. His hope was that, Obi Wan didn't turn evil one day, forcing them to square off. That seemed the only likely possibility. "I don't want to talk about Obi Wan anymore," he said, somewhat solemnly.

Anakin grabbed her hand and pulled it beneath the blanket. He led her toward the lower region of his body. "So early in the morning?" Padme whispered. He pulled her body, crushing her against his chest.

"I feel good in every way when we're like this. You make me happy."

He then rolled her over, spooning against her body. "Be careful of the baby," Padme moaned.

"I'm always careful of the baby." He was muscular and hard against her. Anakin muttered something about her being so good, feeling so good to him. However, a few sighs into their lovemaking later, there was a knock on the door. Anakin gave an angry growl.

"I'll get it."

"But it's day time," Padme objected.

"You're in no condition to answer it. Let whoever it is think what they want."

Indeed, Anakin was still high from their lovemaking, and uncaring about what anyone should think. Especially any unknowing suitors who might stop by. Let them see him there, wearing only a pair of pants. Let them draw their own conclusions and eat their hearts out.

Anakin left the bedroom and answered the door. He practically cried out, in seeing who was on the other side. Obi Wan Kenobi. A second time his carelessness had exposed his relationship with Senator Amidala.

Obi Wan Kenobi walked in, a curious smile on his face. "I figured I might find you here."

"Really? Anakin said, swiveling to follow the master with his eyes as he walked into the apartment and sat on the couch."

"Well... you and Senator Amidala are friends? Aren't you?"

"Very good friends," Anakin replied, sitting across from him.

Obi Wan could smell the stench of their lovemaking emanating from Anakin's perspired skin. "Ah, yes... so it would seem."

"I happened across the Senator in the market. She said she was having trouble with some 'plumbing' and I offered to help."

"Interesting. I can see that you're pretty wet."

"I hung my shirt to dry. I'll be back in it soon enough, don't worry, Master."

"And Senator Amidala? Is she well? She looked a bit... I don't know... fuller."

"I wouldn't know anything about that. It's not like I've been paying attention to her figure... at least, enough to notice any changes."

Obi Wan's gaze was steel. "We have a meeting tomorrow," he replied. "The council would like to meet with you, for a briefing on Chancellor Palpatine's rescue."

"You couldn't tell me this over comlink?"

Obi Wan laughed. "I thought it better to come and visit you, in person."

Anakin stood, arms folded behind his back. Obi Wan walked toward the door. He turned, looking Anakin up and down, head to feet. "Be sure to shower before you go. You wouldn't want to walk into the meeting with the smell of a man who does...a bit of 'plumbing' on the side."