Author's Note: Thank you very much for your feedback, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2

Padmé's plan worked but only halfway. Another attempt was made on her life, just as she had predicted, but the Jedi had been unable to capture a suspect. And now to add insult to injury, the Jedi council and the Chancellor had suggested she go into hiding. Hiding! She'd never run from a fight in her life and now they were asking her to hide while Master Kenobi investigated whom her assassin was. At least she was going to get some answers, she reasoned miserably.

Dormé would be her representative in the senate, and for that she was glad. She trusted her handmaiden with her life and knew that she wouldn't disappoint her. And while Dormé would get to fight the military creation act that she'd spent a year working on she would have to go into hiding, like a coward.

A frustrated sigh escaped her as she packed her bags over her bed.

"They must be feeding them well at the Temple", came the off-hand remark.

Padmé smiled knowingly and carried another dress to her suitcase.

"It's been ten years, Dormé. I'd be surprised if he was still short", Padmé said. The handmaiden was confused.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Anakin, of course."

"Oh", the handmaiden understood. She had a vague idea of who Anakin was. He was considered a hero among Naboo pilots, but that was the extent of her knowledge about him. "I meant the Jedi are very handsome", she clarified. "Both of them." Padmé laughed softly.

"Obi Wan has always been handsome. I'm not crazy about the hair, though. Not too many men can pull off that look", she said casually as she packed another dress. She crossed paths with Dormé as she went to get more clothes.

"And Anakin?" she asked. They rarely had occasions to chitchat about lighter things, much less men, and both women were more than happy to indulge into some girl talk.

"He could use a haircut, too, but other than that he's a walking felony", the Senator admitted barely able to contain a chuckle, making her friend laugh.

"He'd be worth the jail time", she replied. They laughed but quieted down when the walking felony himself stepped into the room. The women exchanged knowing glances before Dormé continued packing.

"Hi, Ani" Padmé greeted casually.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" she asked, almost smiling. She assumed he wasn't being serious.

"You're in your room in the middle of the day with the window shades open", he explained, a bit on edge.

Again with the damn window, she thought.

"I think I'll be fine, Ani", she dismissed, a bit annoyed. Anakin pointed at the wide glass.

"Need I remind you that last night someone tried to kill you?" he pressed. Padmé looked at Dormé and her friend raised her brows. The young man had a point. "I suggest you wait in the sitting room. Captain Typho and I have secured the area. Dormé can finish packing for you", he offered.

Padmé turned to Dormé again. "Go ahead, milady. I'll only be another minute", she assured. Padmé sighed and left the room. Dormé looked up at Anakin and noticed that he wiggled his fingers. The window screen came down darkening the room for only a second before the lights went on. "Why would you do that? She's not in the room."

"But you're still here", he explained. Dormé smiled gratefully.

"How did you know my name?", she asked as she struggled to close the suitcase. Anakin assisted her.

"I asked Captain Typho", he shrugged. Dormé smiled at him and he smiled back. "Will you be okay staying here?"

"Yes", she tried to sound confident but failed miserably. "Well, it will be my first time as her representative in the senate. I don't want to fail her", she admitted.

"Don't worry, you'll be great. And Captain Typho will make sure you're safe, he already told me his security plan", he assured.

The handmaiden was grateful for the young Jedi's thoughtfulness. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her mistress, but with the death threats on the senator's head she found herself becoming more and more stressed.

Anakin picked up the suitcases. "Is this it?"

Dormé nodded and they exited the room.

"Once in Theed you'll go to the palace and report to the queen. Don't let anyone recognize the senator and reach me as soon as you know where you'll be staying", Obi Wan instructed.

"Yes, Master", Anakin nodded. They looked at Padmé's luggage, which was piled up in front of them.

"That seems a bit excessive", Obi Wan commented. Anakin laughed softly.

"I have to say, I like knowing what I'm going to wear every day for the rest of my life", he looked down at his refugee clothes, "I feel so weird in these." Obi Wan chuckled.

"You'll have to get used to them for a while. If people notice a man in Jedi clothes walking around with someone who resembles Padmé it will look too suspicious. Your haircut is enough of a give away", he added.

"I could chop it off if you Knighted me", Anakin teased, though there was more truth to his suggestion than he would've liked to admit.

"Don't even think about it; you still have a lot to learn, young Padawan", Obi Wan said firmly. Anakin struggled to appear calm.

"I'll pull my hood up in public", he said. Obi Wan nodded.

A few rows behind them, Padmé and Dormé went over the final details of their switch. A public transport wasn't the ideal place to do this, but they didn't have enough time.

"Keep me updated with everything that happens during the senate sessions", Padmé reminded.

"And I'll use your private signal", Dormé finished, clutching her comm link. Padmé smiled softly.

"Perfect. You'll be great, I know it", she encouraged. Dormé smiled and glanced at Anakin.

"Thank you. You and Anakin seem to have a lot of faith in me."

"Anakin? What do you mean?" Padmé was confused. When exactly did Dormé and Anakin become close friends?

"He stayed with me while I finished packing. He was very supportive. He's a sweet felony", she added with a smile. Padmé didn't expect that. He didn't have to be so nice to her handmaiden, but he was anyway. Maybe he had developed a little crush on her, she reasoned with a smile.

Anakin and Padmé made their way into the refugee shuttle with their hoods pulled over their heads, trying to pass unnoticed. With so many people waiting to board it would've been hard for Padmé to be recognized, but they didn't want to take any risks.

Once inside and settled into their booth, Padmé reviewed some senate documents in her datapad while Anakin dozed off in his bunk. Padmé turned to him and found herself studying his face. She could see no trace of the young boy she had met all those years ago, except for his hair and his eyes, which were now closed. He had full lips but still looked very masculine, yet there was so much youth in his features. In a few years he'd probably be even more handsome and she wouldn't feel a wave of guilt for ogling him.

She rolled her eyes and chastised herself for her silly thoughts. He was just a boy and she shouldn't be entertaining fantasies of him when there were more important tasks at hand.

Still, there's nothing wrong with wondering, she teased herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when he twitched.

"No, mom…" he whispered in his sleep. Padmé put her datapad down and moved closer to him.

"Ani?", she said softly. He twisted and turned, his breath coming faster. He was obviously having a nightmare. Padmé placed her hand on his shoulder and gently shook him. "Ani, wake up."

Anakin opened his eyes and found her invading his field of vision. He looked around, confused.

"We're in the shuttle. You were having a nightmare", she explained. Anakin nodded quickly, his mind still focused on his dream. "I'll get us something do eat. I'll be right back", she said.

When she left him, he sat up and leaned his elbows on his knees, his eyes closing. He reached out for the Force, applying a calming technique he was beginning to use more and more often in the latter months. The nightmares were happening almost every night and he couldn't remember the last time he had had a good night's sleep.

Padmé came back with soup and bread and they sat on boxes, creating an improvised dining area.

"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked.

"Yes. It was just a dream", he dismissed. She nodded and scooped some soup with her spoon, blowing softly to cool it down. Anakin caught himself staring at her lips and quickly tried to think of something else to occupy his mind with.

" So why aren't you married?" he asked, immediately regretting the words when they jumbled out of his mouth. "I'm - I'm sorry, is that too personal a question?"

"It's fine. We'll be spending some time together, we might as well catch up", she said. Anakin smiled. "Work keeps me busy, I suppose", was her reply.

"Senator Organa is married", he pointed.

"Bail is better at organizing his time," she smiled. "Besides, I'm not really interested in getting married right now."

"But you've had boyfriends," Anakin pressed. Padmé laughed in disbelief.

"Of course I have!" she said, biting into her loaf of bread. Anakin looked down and stirred his soup. "How about you? Any special girls in your life, Ani?"

His eyes shot up to meet hers, caught off-guard.

"Uh, no…"

"Really? No cute Padawan girls in the temple chasing after you?" she insisted playfully.

"No, we're not supposed to form attachments", he said, a little annoyed. What was with her tone, anyway? It's not like he was a child.

"You can still have fun and not form an attachment", she said. Anakin realized what she was suggesting and his face grew crimson.

"I don't know about that", was his awkward response. Padmé giggled.

"Maybe you're too young."

"I'm twenty!" he defended, trying to hide his outrage. Padmé arched a brow, interested. So he wasn't a felony after all. Maybe this mission wouldn't be so boring after all.

"Alright, then. What about Master Kenobi? I'm sure he's had… friends", she implied.

"Not that I know of."

"Are you serious? He's a grown man, you mean to tell me he's never…?"

"Not while he's trained me", Anakin said firmly. Padmé was shocked. Obi Wan was well into his thirties and quite attractive. She couldn't believe he had never been with a woman. Sure, he was a Jedi, but he was still human. Surely he'd had affairs? Or at least a lover. She started to realize that the Jedi were stricter than she'd first thought. She used to see them as exciting figures, but it turned out they were a little boring. Unless they had a lightsaber at hand.

"You seem shocked", Anakin commented.

"Just a little", she admitted. "Master Kenobi seems to be very… strong-willed."

"You're telling me", Anakin said with a half smile. Padmé once again noticed how handsome he looked when he did that.

"How about you?" she asked, eyes on him almost in invitation. Anakin felt his face warming up.

"Me what?" he asked, suddenly feeling like he was being interrogated.

"Are you as strong-willed as Master Kenobi?" she clarified, amused.

"I try to be", he shrugged. Padmé shook her head softly and stirred her soup.

"The Jedi Order is so puzzling to me… So many of its members are human, yet they keep you from ever acting like one", she said.

"It's important to be connected to the Force", he explained. "I don't know how focused I would be if I had a girlfriend or a…." he paused and lowered his eyes to his bowl of soup, "lover." Padmé scoffed.

"In my experience, men are very good at separating their jobs from their personal lives", she argued with a hint of bitterness. Anakin tried to keep a straight face. It was obvious she'd had a bad experience in her personal life.

"Somebody dared to break your heart, Senator?" he pressed. Padmé gave him a half smile.

"I wouldn't go that far", she answered. "Politics can get very dirty sometimes, Ani. You have to know who your friends are."

"Sounds like he was more than just a friend…" he muttered. Padmé met his eyes.

"Perhaps", was her brief answer. No more questions followed. They continued eating in silence, each left to their own thoughts.

Padmé's image of Master Kenobi changed drastically. She never told anyone, but she had developed a bit of a crush on him while she was a young teenage queen. The then Padawan learner seemed so determined and obedient, not to mention handsome. Now he seemed like a robot, completely devoted to the Jedi Order and with no room for some personal enjoyment. Anakin, on the other hand, seemed more spontaneous. He had no issues when it came to asking her extremely personal questions and for some reason he didn't sound as strict as his master even though he tried to convey that image. Probably because of his age. In a few years he'd be as devoid of emotion as Kenobi.

Anakin was quite stunned to learn about Padmé's personal life. It seemed so odd to him to learn about her previous liaisons. He studied her in silence. She was remarkably beautiful, so it didn't exactly come as a surprise that she had attracted male attention before. What he didn't expect was for her to return those approaches. It made sense, though. Padmé was single, young, and had every right to be in relationships, no matter their nature.

For the first time in his life, he felt jealousy coursing through his veins.