Obi-wan returned two hours later. "Master! There you are, I was starting to think I'd killed you," Anakin greeted happily as Obi-wan stepped inside and hung his sopping cloak on the wrack beside the door gracefully.

Obi-wan cocked a brow at them. "And I see you're weeping with concern over my welfare," he drawled. "Totally," Anakin agreed from his spot next to Padme on the couch. "I suggested locking the door on you," Padme put in helpfully, snug beneath Anakin's strong arm.

"We just got done lamenting how uncivilized the room had become without your presence," Xanatos added from the bar, leaning his elbows on the countertop.

"We were heartbroken," Qui-gon assured him, hovering beside the couch. "I was wondering who was going to help me study for the exams," Ahsoka spoke up from the floor, where she was lying on her stomach studying several holo-books.

"It took me approximately five minutes to forget your name," Kennor topped it off by blurting as he took a swig of his caf. Obi-wan did not seem at all offended by their remarks. "I see," he said mildly.

He stepped aside to allow others in the room. "I brought home the others," he announced as four others scampered in. "By the force, its raining cats, dogs, frogs, hogs and billa-bongs outside!" The woman announced cheerfully.

She was in her late forties, at most. Yet not even a streak of grey had permeated her dark auburn hair. Intelligent, hawk-like green eyes swept the room, when they landed on Padme; they softened.

"Sentara!" Kennor said joyfully, his face brightened as if he had just been delivered the most precious treasure in all the galaxies. Two children, one fifteen and the other twelve raced inside.

One had Kennor's lush blonde hair, tied into a bun behind her head, but the other had his mother's deep brown auburn locks, which curled in wet tangles around his forehead.

Padme wondered if they were force sensitive, and came up with the answer no when she saw no training sabers, or even the slight aura of power that most force sensitive's gave off.

The fourth figure was hunched and short. She recognized Grand Jedi master Yoda. "Come join us, lovely lady! Ani brought a girl home!" Xanatos called from his seat, grandly.

"And she isn't a tree," Obi-wan put in. "By the force, it's a miracle!" Sentara gasped teasingly. "Hey!" Anakin squawked. Suddenly, Yoda hobbled over with finesse, gave Padme a formal dip of his head, which she returned, and promptly gave Anakin's shin a painful wallop with his walking stick.

"Hey!" Anakin yowled again, holding his knee. Padme cringed at the loud crack which accompanied this statement from Anakin's knee. "What was that for?" Anakin pouted. "I didn't even do anything this time!" he protested, cringing as he rubbed his sore appendage.

"Perhaps you were sitting wrong," Ahsoka muttered under her breath, evidently biting back laughter at her master's expense. "Getting married you two are, and tell me you did not?" Yoda screeched. Padme relaxed, and had to laugh at the perfectly peeved look on Yoda's face. "I thought Obi-wan would have told everybody!" Anakin defended indignantly.

The aforementioned council member made his way into the kitchen and calmly began searching for food. "Obi-wan has a life. I don't have time to go about divesting to everyone all your business, Anakin," he told his former apprentice calmly. "Obi-wan, divesting my business is your life. You are a horrible gossiper. Don't pretend you aren't," Anakin retorted matter of factly. Obi-wan gave him a wide eyed 'who, me?' look before returning to his mission.

"If you three are quite finished, I'd like to know the name of my new sister-in-law," Sentara informed them imperiously, as she hung her sterile white coat on the rack to dry. "And we'd appreciate knowing our aunt's name too," one of the children, Dray, she assumed by his male gender, said. "Padme Amidala," Padme supplied before Anakin could.

"She fits right in," Xanatos said with content. "Well, welcome, Padme. Good to meet you," Sentara replied with a gracious smile and a dip of her head in Padme's direction. Padme smiled back. The two children, also with friendly smiles, jumped to the floor beside Ahsoka. With small groans of displeasure, they took out holo-books and began studying with intense concentration.

"Master Kenobi, since you're here, can you help me with this problem?" Ahsoka inquired from the floor. Obi-wan turned and peered at her work curiously. He wrinkled his nose. "Astro-navigation paths and gunship piloting instruction is for droids," he replied distastefully.

"And not only droids. But droids with loose wires. Like Artoo," Xanatos agreed. "Artoo does not have a loose wire!" Anakin threw his hands up in exasperation. "Then he has eight loose wires," Obi-wan corrected. He took out several boxes and the sound of pots clanking wafted across the room. "You're cooking?" Dray threw over his shoulder, curiously. "If I can find the right ingredients for my stew…"

"YOU'RE MAKING STEW!?"

Obi-wan took the shouting with remarkable poise. He cocked a brow at the stove top where he was working. "If I can find the right ingredients," he repeated serenely. "We might as well invite the entire Temple if you're cooking, master," Anakin said hungrily. "I take it he can cook well?" Padme deduced.

"Obi-wan doesn't cook. He creates heavenly materials," Sentara informed her matter of factly. "Can I help?" Kina-Bae wondered, eagerly. "You can make the cake," Obi-wan offered kindly.

"YOU'RE MAKING CAKE!?"

"Would you all stop shouting?" Obi-wan replied with a scowl in the assemblies' direction.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

Padme laughed. Yoda shook his head at their silliness and rested against his gimmer stick. "Spread the word I will," he told them, before he hobbled out. "The door will be open!" Qui-gon called after him. "I'll get the batter!" Kina Bae announced as she pounced to her feet. "I got eggs!" Dray said. "I got the milk!" Ahsoka agreed.

"Alright, Anakin, you move and make room for the women. You'll get your time with her soon. I want to sit next to Padme," Sentara suddenly ordered Anakin, who raised his palms in a sign of peace.

Padme had yet to see any of them go against Sentara, She wondered if she would carry that much respect in the household anytime soon.

"Far be it from me to disobey you, Sentara. It gives me a reason to mess with Obi-wan, anyway," he said. And with a kiss to her cheek he relinquished his spot and headed into the kitchen. Sentara plopped down next to Padme with all the exhaustion of one who had done hard work, and was happy with the work done.

Padme looked down at her dress and smoothed the wrinkles out; suddenly shy. Sentara had no such scruples. She merely crossed her legs daintily and regarded Padme with kindness.

"I heard about the efforts you took as a young queen to save your people from the Trade Federation," she said, by way of starting the conversation. "I was impressed by your tenacity," she said. Padme nodded, not really wanting to talk about the battle of Naboo that she and a select group of prisoners had led. She was glad Valorum had stepped in when he had.

"Thank you," she breathed, a bit embarrassed to know that Sentara probably knew as much of her as she knew as little as her. Now she really wished she would have asked Anakin more about his family members.

"But I'd prefer we not talk about that. I want you to get to know me as the person, not the queen," she explained, bluntly. Sentara leaned back and regarded her with content wisdom.

"I don't think they're that different of a person, my dear," she reflected softly. before Padme could seek clarification, however, Sentara continued. "So, has Anakin met your parents yet?" She asked impishly.

Padme had to smile back. "Yes. My father was going to kill him at first, but after that moment was eased, I think my family started to like him more than me. He regaled them of his stories about all the missions he's been on. They're still a bit nervous about me being married into…" she looked around the room.

"Jedi," she finished, glancing sideways to see if the other woman would take offense. Sentara chuckled softly. "I remember when I took Kennor to meet my parents," she recounted fondly. "It wasn't my father, but mother, that was planning on butchering him. Daddy was just happy I found someone who had substantial ability to take care of me, even if the Jedi are all broke as the blazes," Padme laughed.

"So I've heard," she agreed magnanimously. "Kennor did everything he could to impress her. But she didn't care for him until the end," Sentara recounted, with a fond sigh. She leaned her head against a fist, staring lovingly at her husband, who was laughing at some shenanigans Padme suspected Anakin was pulling in the kitchen. "What did he do?" Padme asked.

"He told her to kriff off," Sentara replied absently. Padme's jaw dropped. If Anakin had ever said such a thing to her mother…! "And that made her like him?" she almost screeched. Sentara gave alight shrug.

"Not really. She informed him that he was a…Well, that he was a lot of things. None of them very nice. They were nose to nose by this time, you see, so close I thought she might gauge his eyes out. It was hopeless. Then, after her rampage ended, the barve has the nerve to smile, just so," she demonstrated with a small, casual grin that would not have taken a calm person unawares.

"And say, quite clearly, 'gotcha,' to my mother," Padme eye the other woman dubiously. "He had been joking?" she asked, a bit worried about how extreme Kennor's jokes could be. Sentara shook her head.

"I don't believe so. Not in the slightest, really. He says now he was just nervous and needed something to say to cover up. He thought it was hopeless, too, but my mother need not know that. She thought it was hilarious. She's always loved a good joke, and even more so when it's on her," She chuckled softly.

"Of all the stars. That man got lucky," she breathed. Padme had to laugh at the odd story. "I'll say!" She agreed. Sentara smiled, her eyes doing a slow circle around the room. Padme followed her gaze into the kitchen.

"Anakin Skywalker, get away from that cake batter!" Obi-wan ordered, without turning, just as Anakin swiped a finger through the dark brown cream still in the bowl. Anakin, caught in the act, looked up with twinkling eyes. "Master!" Ahsoka scolded, laughing. Dray and Kina-Bae giggled as well.

"You have beautiful children," Padme said, a sudden longing making itself known deep within her heart. She wondered what she and Anakin's children might look like sometime in the future. Wondered what color their hair would be, and eyes. She hoped they looked like Anakin.

No matter what they look like, they'll still be perfect. My perfect children, Padme thought. "Thank you," Sentara murmured, eyes taking on a faraway look as she gazed with unlimited love at her family.

"You know," Sentara said softly, furtively to Padme. "That old saying 'die without any regrets'? I never understood that until I met Kennor. It seemed to me that there would be something, even if it was a tiny thing, you never would have a chance to do at the end of your life," Padme nodded in agreement. She had always thought so as well.

"There would always be a little mistake you regretted making and couldn't go back and fix. Always. But then I met Kennor, and the kids were born," she sighed, wistfully. "And now…Now, I still don't have everything I've wanted for myself…But I have everything I need, and I'm fine with that. I've done everything I needed to do with my life, and that fact will override any regret I may feel. You know what I mean?" She said. Padme gazed at Anakin thoughtfully, wondering if there would ever be a time she regretted the decision she was now making, to spend the rest of waking days at his side.

"Master, this is not fair! Come on, give it back!" Ahsoka cried, trying in vain not to sound like she was on the verge of laughter as she reached imploringly for the jug of Shirrka milk Anakin held above his head teasingly.

Obi-wan, walking past with a glass pan of some spiced, raw meat inside held balanced in one hand, adroitly snatched the box from Anakin's hand with the force and handed it to Ahsoka. "Don't play around in the kitchen," he scolded mildly.

"Yes, master," Anakin and Ahsoka responded in unison, then grinned playfully at each other. Ahsoka, with exaggerated patience, walked off to add her own help to the cooking procedure.

Anakin chuckled softly and turned to take something from Obi-wan's hands, gesturing for him to take a break while he happily placed the cooking devices into the oven. Even from where she was at, Padme could hear him humming happily, a permanent smile plastered onto handsome features, and angular bones. Her heart melted at the childish ease in his eyes.

Padme remembered the pain that had echoed in the sweltering ship's bowels as he had wept for his tortured, dead mother. She remembered the anguish and fury that had shook his voice as he described the agony of turning away from the Sand People, close to the edge of murder, before he did something he would regret.

The same happy-go-lucky, content man she saw now had no prevalence at all to the same who had collapsed weeping into her arms. So soon after losing his mother, he had seemed already to have found his balance again.

He was a strong man. Stronger than anything a dark temptation might have to offer him. She was proud to be his future wife.

There is something in the air in the Temple, Padme reflected. Something that makes you feel as if everything's alright. That nothing can hurt you here. Like you are safe, always. Or maybe its just the family. She smiled.

She suspected it was the present company, rather than the aura. She had learned from her days as queen that the denizens made a home, not the other way around. "Yeah," she sighed, grinning.

"Yeah. I know what you mean," she did. She did with all her heart and soul. If she had nothing but Anakin and a roof over her head, she would not mind at all. That would be all she felt she needed to face any obstacle in the universe.

Any at all. He wasn't just her husband, her soul mate, her love. He was her destiny. She looked up to see Sentara studying her face with a quiet contemplation. Padme endured her gaze passively, until a full-fledged smile split the other woman's face. She squeezed Padme's knee. "I see that you do," She replied softly.

Dray and Kina leaned against the counter, accepting the small mugs of steaming tea that Qui-gon sat before them. Ahsoka seated herself at the bar beside Xanatos, and called her studying materials to her hand with a nudge of the force. The two leaned over them, and Xanatos's face was kind as he helped her figure out the problems. Padme watched them, curious.

"You know something?' she remarked to Sentara. "I was terrified to come here, at first. Anakin thought it was the normal case of every future wife's fear of meeting the in laws for the first time. But I wasn't really nervous about that at all. These past few weeks," she smiled, a bit sheepishly.

"We haven't spoken much about family. It seems like we talked about everything but the most important things. I realized I didn't know a lot about the Jedi beside what everyone else knows. Anakin was the first one I ever really spoke too," Sentara nodded with understanding.

"Believe me, I didn't know much either when I came here," she assured her. Padme snorted. She was pretty sure she had known less. She hadn't even been up-to-date on any of the obnoxious rumors about Jedi before she met Anakin.

"I remember a Jedi was tasked to protect one of the other Senators at the Senate Building before reelections one year. She was just…Elusive. It seemed she was everywhere; and nowhere all the time. Whenever you'd turn, you'd see a flash of her standing there, but try and look harder, and suddenly she was gone, like a ghost. You'd find her standing in a corner or sitting at his side, but otherwise, she wore no expression, said little and smiled even less. I thought the Jedi must be very droll and stern lot. Probably one of those archaic groups from unenlightened times," she gestured around. "I never imagined this," she admitted.

"And what is this?" Sentara inquired, without much threat, but mostly curiosity. Padme's eyes rested on Xanatos, who pulled teasingly at the padawan braid behind Ahsoka's Lekku to get her attention. Kennor now held Kina-Bae securely in his lap, and was braiding his daughter's short blonde hair into one golden plait with intense concentration.

"Ow! Dad, be careful!" Kina-Bae scolded when Kennor pulled too hard. "Force, your hair is thicker than your mother's! And that's saying something. So many knots, how's a father supposed to get them out? Master, hand me your saber, I've got shaving to do," he determined.

Kina-Bae shrieked and attempted to wiggle from her father's embrace, but his arm only locked around her waist, tickling her into willing submission. Qui-gon tossed his saber to his first apprentice without scruple, humor glinting in his eyes as he watched the father and daughter with fondness.

Anakin and Obi-wan were still in the kitchen, leaning against the stovetop. Obi-wan was inspecting Anakin's arm again, his hands gliding over the metal with an experienced and gentle touch while Anakin finished outlining the rest of the details of the battle with him.

The two friends were so achingly familiar and comfortable with one another Padme could already see plenty more afternoons of watching them do this. It was a happy image. "A family," she breathed, this being the only word she could think up that suitably matched the warm picture.

"Wait awhile," Sentara suggested. "And you'll see just how hotly a family like we can bicker! But you'll be fine. I'm glad Anakin finally found someone to love," Sentara informed her matter of factly.

"I think he was getting lonely. Tahl, Qui-gon's wife, died about four years back after nearly forty years of marriage. Kennor has the kids and me. Xanatos never fell in love with anyone, though he's passionate enough with anyone willing!" she harrumphed.

"But that's just the way he is. You can't tie him down or chain his heart. Then, Obi-wan's wife, Siri," Suddenly, Sentara's face grew grave. Padme snapped back to look at her. "Obi-wan is married?" She gasped. Padme, for one, was still trying to figure out how Anakin got Obi-wan to smile more than once.

Sentara nodded, scowling. "Yes. He was. Siri Tachi was a golden Jedi beauty. And Obi-wan's childhood sweetheart. She died five years ago in a chemical explosion, three months after their vows. Obi-wan's never really gotten over it," she shook her head sadly.

"We all loved Siri. She was a brave woman. I think she would have liked you," she said. Padme blinked rapidly, shocked to in finding unbidden tears come to her eyes for the woman who had given her life in a dangerous occupation. "Anyway," Sentara looked down, as if trying to find something less painful to say was a chore.

"Anakin, I think, has always felt as if he's missing out on something important. He's so passionate and emotional, I knew he'd have to fall head over heels one day," she winked at Padme. "I'm just glad it was with the right person!" She laughed. Padme laughed with her. "Believe me, so am I!" She agreed.

Suddenly, a head peeked around the open door. "Qui? I heard Obi-wan was cooking?" a deep voice inquired. Qui-gon's face lit up at the sight of the visitor. "Mace! Yes, come in my friend. Don't stand out there like a stranger," he invited enthusiastically, waving a hand inside.

With a nod, the imposing, sang-froid specter of Jedi Master Mace Windu moved into the room with the fluidness of a shadow. His dark eyes swept the room sharply, mouth set into a grim and unchanging line of stubbornness.

Padme recoiled from the hard, fierce gaze. Sentara squeezed her knee, smiling graciously. "Master Windu," she greeted amiably. "We have a guest. Padme Amidala," it seemed announcements and introductions were her job. Padme gave him a stiff nod.

Mace returned the gesture, his face suddenly flashing a quick, almost shy smile before returning to its expression of bland impenetrability. He folded his hands folded behind his back.

The large man looked to Anakin, critically. "I assume she's with you?" he asked. Anakin smiled and nodded. "My wife," he chirped happily, giving Padme a brilliant, proud grin that rivaled the twin suns of Tatooine.

"Wife?" A loud, sudden voice cried. Out of the blue another woman, this one just as tall and imposing as the man before, but undeniably more cheerful looking, entered the room. Padme was surprised at the difference between the two.

Where Mace was stern, this woman seemed easygoing. Where he marched, she waltzed. Where he frowned, she smiled. Where he observed, she estimated. Where he was tall and dark, she was tall and of light complexion. Her hair, shaded a deep brown, flowed down her back in straight waterfalls of luxurious plains.

Her chestnut eyes searched the room with a much gentler gaze than her companions, and she gave Padme a polite smile. Padme returned the gesture, curious as to whom this person was.

"Tilda! Its been far too long!" Sentara cried as she stood to greet the other woman with arms outstretched. "Oh, darling! Hasn't it just?" Tilda cried with great enthusiasm, booming where Mace was quiet.

She hugged Sentara warmly, and then looked to where Padme was sitting. "Wife?" she repeated, looking between Padme and Anakin. "Marriage? Finally? She's not a tree?" She gasped. Padme giggled at Anakin's exasperated expression.

"I am not Qui-gon!" Anakin defended, throwing his hands up. "Bringing home a tree is a perfectly respectable thing to do, Anakin. I'm sure any tree would be delighted to have you," Qui-gon informed him firmly.

Mace snorted as he made his way to the side of his friend, and the two gripped forearms, eyes locking in a moment of intimate silence. Padme could tell these two were as close as Anakin and Obi-wan were.

Mace crossed his arms, one hand sitting almost protectively on Qui-gon's, though he shook his head. "I still deny any association with you to people if they bring that up. So far as the universe knows, you're that crazy plant guy who was always saving kittens from gutters and damsels from castles," he said.

Qui-gon grinned at the other man, eyes twinkling. "And you, my friend, were there right along with me!" he pointed out. Mace gave a small half shrug, taking great pains not to look down at Qui-gon's glowing smile, it seemed. "Only to keep you out of trouble," he replied.

"It isn't an easy task. Am I right, boys?" he called for support from the former apprentices. "Are you kidding? If anything was easy with Qui-gon, it was easy to lose patience with his antics!" Kennor snorted, having finally tackled the mess that was his daughter's hair.

"Do you know how many times he got me captured while he saved a kriffing cat?" Xanatos added, barking out a laugh. "Not to mention all the times I had to convince the Council not to expel him for disobedience, rashness, and disrespect for any law that didn't concede to his opinion," Obi-wan called over.

"Be nice to grandpa Qui-gon!" Dray defended indignantly. "Yeah, he's the best!" His sister put in. Qui-gon gave them a sparkling grin. "As usual, I have my faithful followers. What say you, Anakin? Your brothers are now traitors and to be shunned until further notice," he scoffed dictatorially.

The thenceforth shunned brothers shared a glance of laughter, not at all disturbed. Anakin pretended to give the question grave thought. "Well, you did save me from a life of slavery on Tatooine," he considered, rubbing his jaw.

"Yes," Qui-gon agreed with a look shot at the three other's that said clearly 'in your face, you treacherous barves'.

"Then again, you also lent my room out to three homeless people, who set it on fire,"

"They didn't mean too!"

"And destroyed all the droids I was working on,"

"Oh, you rebuilt Threepio. He wasn't so terribly melted,"

"And Yoda blamed me for it,"

"He blamed you for everything. One more thing made not a wit of difference,"

"So I had to do kitchen duty for four months and couldn't leave the temple,

"Sometimes doing the right thing isn't easy,"

"And I never did move back into that room,"

"Obi-wan was lonely anyway."

Tilda laughed abruptly, as the Anakin gave the conversation a close, grinning as he shook his head. "I give up," he said. "And another challenger has been defeated," Qui-gon concluded to the children, who cheered laughingly at the victory of their surrogate grandfather.

Mace chuckled softly, eyes lighting into liquid warmth as he squeezed Qui-gon's shoulder. "Yan?" he asked softly. Padme turned away from the conversation as Qui-gon's face dropped.

"Its nice to meet you," she finally greeted Tilda, who took her hand and shook it vigorously. "Oh, how rude of me! Forgive me sweetie, I get caught up in my fantasies every once in awhile! Along with these here knuckleheads!" Shouts of disagreement rose from aforementioned knuckleheads.

"I'm Tilda. And that horrible wreckage of husband over there is Mace. Once he gets used to you, he'll start smiling every two hours or so," she teased. "Three hours," a gruff voice corrected. Padme looked down to see a small, green skinned creature wiggle her way into the circle.

"Master Yaddle!" Tilda greeted with utmost respect. Yaddle, leaning heavily on her cane, gave a small smile to Tilda and Sentara, eyes racking them over as if she were searching their souls. When her eyes landed on Padme, the emerald orbs widened. "Ah! New you are, I see! A wife for young Skywalker, hmm," she nodded approvingly. "Very good," she decided.

Padme had no clue whether this was a compliment to her or to Anakin, so she only smiled and muttered a sincere thank you. All at once, a deluge of warm smiles and heartfelt congratulations started pouring into the small chambers, so many that Padme's head swam with the genuine kindness she felt radiating.

Despite the large number of inhabitants suddenly flocking into the tight space, the noise level stayed at a reasonable, disciplined pitch. Padme was surprised. Usually when there were this many people in one place the noise level could rise to head-pounding proportions.

Not all of the women or men who approached her or joined the circle were Jedi. Padme recognized those without lightsabers make their way into the ever-growing population.

"Hey! Anakin!" A new voice whooped, over the fray of people still streaming into the open door. The deck doors were opened, and Padme felt a draft of chilly air tingle up her arms. She inhaled deeply, a slight nip in her lungs. It felt good. The air smelled of the baking things and boiling food as people waded to see what was for dinner.

"I heard you were getting married and you didn't tell me!" Padme heard rather than saw Anakin laugh.

"Ferus! It's good to see you! Darra, Tru, there you guys are! I've been looking for you!" She heard him cry. She wondered who had come to him, and if he were getting just as flocked as she was. "Hey, Kenobi! When were you planning on saying hi to us?" A booming voice inquired as he pushed his way through the crowd to the kitchen.

"For you, Quin-lan, I was never planning on saying hello. Garen, it crossed my mind about once, and for you Bant…You occupied my mind for about ten minutes," Obi-wan teased back. "Barve!" was the combined accusation from three people.

"Come on. Lesson number one on being a woman of the house of Jinn," Sentara whispered against Padme's ear as she grabbed her arm.

"Greet all the guests," she said. Padme nodded, noticing the first rule of being a good hostess. Happily, confidently, she let Sentara lead her through the crowd, wading in and out of people of all species.

After awhile, Padme found she was having increasing fun. It wasn't like hosting a political ball or meeting. This room was real; these people cared and were full of quiet, heartfelt congratulations and well wishes.

She did not have to be on guard for any blasters concealed beneath innocent robes or for the glint of trickery in someone's eyes. Upon seeing that Padme could survive on her own, Sentara faded into the crowd with a leisurely smile.

"Padme," at length, she even caught up with Anakin, right in the middle of Padme having a conversation with Bant about the time Anakin had caught mex-pox as a twelve year old and had forced the healers to tie him to a chair to keep him inside of his medical wardroom.

Padme turned, chortling, to see her husband dragging three others behind him. He gave her a lopsided grin. "I see you're becoming acquainted with everyone. Thank goodness Ahsoka is preoccupied with Barriss and Xanatos with Syfo-Dyas, or they'd be over here adding to the list of lies I'm sure Bant is filling your head with," he gave the Mon Calamari a stern glare. Bant only threw her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Ani! You're all grown up now and marrying people! I remember when you were just a cute little boy who couldn't stand to get near water. We had to throw you butt naked in the artificial river to get you used to it!" she cried tearfully. Anakin patted her shoulders, cheeks turning a ruddy shade of red.

"You had to what?" Choked one of the people Anakin had dragged over.

"Hey, Bant…?"

"And you were so cute and your cheeks were all chubby…"

"Uh, er, Bant…"

"And then when you first got sick and tried to eat your snot rags so you could still go on missions,"

"Bant…!"

"Oh, Ani, you remember that time I told you the ways to make your own water in a desert situation, and you got so scared you started drinking out of the toilet?"

"Bant!"

"What about the time you lost a bet and had to eat one of Yoda's toenails, but it got stuck in your throat so I had to…"

"BANT!" Anakin cried explosively, eyes flicking to Padme in panic. Padme was doubled over, laughing with tears in her eyes, along with the three people Anakin had dragged over.

"Force above, what is going on over here?" Obi-wan asked worriedly as he appeared out of the crowd; with two men behind him as if stone bodyguards. Though they both towered over the short man, Padme had the feeling that Obi-wan was still considered leader.

"Oh, Obi!" Bant clasped her hands together and regarded him with wide, tear- filled eyes. "He's all grown up now!" She wailed. "He's twenty-four, Bant, he's been grown up for awhile," Obi-wan pointed out, puzzled. "But isn't it still sad?" Bant inquired. Obi-wan cocked a contemplative eyebrow at Anakin, seeming to weigh something in his mind, then shrugged.

"From a certain point of view, I suppose. But not if it gets him to move out," he finally conceded. "You haven't moved out of Obi-wan's quarters yet?" the woman Anakin had brought over demanded. Her husband gave a shrug.

"I have, but I don't really spend any time at my own quarters. Ahsoka and I usually just stay with Obi-wan when we're at home. And me and Obi-wan get sent everywhere together anyway. He's stuck with me and he knows it," he replied.

"You should have grabbed a paddle and drove him from your quarters years ago," the man on the right behind Obi-wan remarked.

"Preferably in the middle of the night, when he was in nothing but his underwear," the man on the left snorted. "And when we were around to take holo-pics," another added. "Okay, okay! I think you all have embarrassed me enough for the moment!" Anakin interrupted impatiently, waving his arms to get their attention.

"Anyway," he shot a challenging glance around, daring them to interrupt. "Padme, these are my old friends, Ferus, Tru and Darra. We basically grew up as the trio who never did anything right. And those two are Obi-wan's old friends, Garen and Quin-lan. Everyone, this is Padme," he introduced.

Padme, who had already been aware of these people from Anakin's stories, flashed a bright grin of happiness. "I still can't believe he's getting married," Bant sniffled. Obi-wan put an arm around her shoulders. "I'll drag him into the med -ward with an over exaggerated bruise or bump or something so that you can still treat him, Bant," he promised.

"And I will act as puerile and petulant as possible," Anakin agreed soothingly. "Oh, it won't be the same!" Bant said, though she seemed a bit more mollified. "Sure it will. The only difference is that I'll be helping you tie him down," Padme said, comfortingly. Bant gave her a grateful grin, and approval radiated from the others.

"Well, now that that's settled, I sense that dinner is nearly done. I do hope it's alright," Obi-wan muttered busily. "It's going to be awesome," Anakin assured him. Obi-wan gave Anakin a look that said he highly doubted it, but he nonetheless turned away an lead the way into the crowd, Garen and Quin-lan following.

Bant trailed them, now at ease with the galaxy. Anakin and Padme exchanged smiles before turning away to greet the rest of their guests.

Later:

Anakin escorted her back to the Senate Building, late into the night and stomach full with delicious food. Padme sat next to him in the speeder, leaning back in her seat with a slight smile on her face. Rain pelted the protective covering of the speeder, a steady river down pouring the sides of the windows. Padme was glad to be rid of the unpleasant fumes of Courascant's travel lanes.

Millions of speeders flashed past them in a blur of lights. Down below, a lava bed of the ground levels shops and bars flowed in an endless rhythm. The very air was illuminated.

The dark was pushed away. Padme, despite the blinding lights and chill, was feeling comfortably euphoric. Her heart felt as light as if she had no concerns in the world.

"Heavenly materials indeed," she muttered. Anakin, in the pilots sat next to her, chuckled. "Told ya," he chirped. "So, how was it angel? Did you get along with everyone?" He asked. Padme snorted.

"You know very well I did, Ani. Sentara showed me all the ropes of my new profession of being a wife of a Jedi," Anakin mumbled something about always being able to count on Sentara.

"I think she's going to be my new best friend, and Tilda will add shine to the day, I'm sure. Goodness knows how she stays quiet," she snickered, thinking of her humorous and cheerful friend. "That's Tilda. You ought to see her fight sometime. There's nothing funny or cheerful about that," he snorted.

Padme could imagine. "Well," she replied mildly. "I got through the night, at least. I never got the chance to discuss wedding plans with Sentara though, or my mother to think about it," she said. Anakin glanced at her in surprise.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself Padme. Tomorrow we still have to go before the Council," he stated. Padme blinked at him, surprised. "The Council? Whatever in the galaxy for?" She asked.

Anakin's cringed guiltily. "Oh, I never told you that, did I? Another subject we never got to," he muttered. "What?" Padme demanded, feeling nervous all over again. "Well, it is tradition…Or, law, really, that every Jedi that wants to marry, whether they're marrying another force user or not, has to come before the Council to get scanned," he explained.

"Scanned?" she repeated doubtfully, wondering if this included machines. "Not scanned as in machines whirring, angel," Anakin chuckled, apparently having known what she was thinking.

"Scanned with the force. Since the Council is, in Obi-wan's words, the guiders, leaders and protectors of the Order, they have to make sure that we actually love each other. There are tons of people out there that would try to marry into the Jedi with malicious intent. So the Council brings all couples before them before they get married and, in a way, search for any signs of darkness, doubt or even falseness in either of us. If they find nothing, we have their blessing. If they find any doubt or any signs of darkness in our hearts, then that would be a no," he said.

Padme gawked at him. "But that's not fair!" She squawked. "What gives them the right to decide whether we love one another or not? Who are they to even try to understand what's in our hearts?" She demanded, aghast.

"Hey, I don't particularly agree with it either, but it's the only way we're getting married if I want to stay a Jedi. So far as anyone knows, the Council has never gotten it wrong, and I know they take it seriously," he tried to reassure her, though she heard the same distaste in his voice.

"What if they do get it wrong?" Padme asked. Anakin shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm marrying you with or without the Council's blessing. With or without the Jedi, if need be," he determined. Padme's heart clenched with a sudden spike of dread.

"Ani," she said softly. "I can't let you do that. The Jedi are your family. You'd miss them every day for the rest of your life. I won't let you throw away those you love for me," she told him softly, a sudden fear creeping into her heart. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

It was all she wanted, all she wished to do with her life. Padme was not sure what she would do if that chance were forsaken her.

"Padme," Anakin's soft voice made her look his way, and she saw he was staring at her with dark azure eyes, seriousness residing in the pupils where his voice was gentle. "If I leave, I may miss my family being in my life…But if I'm not with you, then my life has no meaning. All I want now is you. Everything else is second. I have no doubts. Do you understand?"

Padme swallowed past the lump in her throat, tears filling her eyes. Quickly, she nodded and turned away, unable to speak. He would give everything away for me, out of love for me, Padme realized. If that was not true love and light, then Padme didn't know what was.

"We'll be fine," she said at length, not sure which of them she was trying to assure. "I mean, the Council isn't stupid, right?" it was more of a statement than a question. Anakin nodded. "And Obi-wan will be there," he added. Padme felt a tad relieved at that fact. "He's on the Council?" she asked. Anakin beamed, seemingly happier to talk about this subject.

"The youngest person ever to be elected," he told her proudly. "And it's only right, too, he deserves it. He brought Yoda and made dinner tonight so that the Council members could get a feel for you before they inspect us tomorrow. The Council, including Obi-wan, are all naturally suspicious of politicians. I'm glad they got to know you first. Now they see you as a person, not a politician," he remarked.

Padme let out a breath of relief. "And here I thought all of that was just a coincidence," she said. Anakin chortled. "Jedi don't believe in coincidence," he told her, matter of factly.

"And with Obi-wan, nothing he does is ever without purpose. I doubt anyone else saw what he was doing. They probably thought he was just helping make you welcome, but he can't fool me," Anakin sighed deeply. "He's a good man," he mumbled, as if to himself.

"Yeah," Padme leaned back, the euphoric feeling that had inhabited her the night starting to sink back into her bones. She was getting married. "Hey, Ani," she piped up a few minutes later when the senate Building came into view. "Hmm?" Anakin hummed, eyes alight with happiness.

"Why didn't Qui-gon just get prosthetic legs?" She asked. Anakin scowled thoughtfully. "You know, none of us know. He always said it was because of his joints, and how they were already messed up beyond repair anyway…But somehow, I think its for another reason. I can't put my finger on it. For all his honesty, he's still pretty mysterious," he admitted.

Padme thought a few moments, pondering any logical-or illogical, with Qui-gon-reason for not wanting to walk himself. Before she could think too deeply on it however, Anakin pulled up to her deck at the Senate Building. Padme grinned. "Couldn't have landed at the front door?" She teased as the hatch above them opened.

"Where's the fun in that?" Anakin replied heartily. he didn't seem to pay heed to the rain. "You're going to get caught by the police droids, Ani," Padme told him as he stood to grab her hand and ease her back unto the slippery deck.

"Let them try," Anakin dared. Padme shook her head at him, without any disapproval at all, and placed her feet on the deck's smooth floor. "Until tomorrow, my love?" Padme asked, watching him plop back down into his seat.

He looked up and the grin he flashed made her heart skip a beat. It seemed as if all the stars and suns and planets light rested on his face when he smiled. Every type of joy that could be found was in his eyes when he looked at her.

He looked like the son of light itself.

"Until tomorrow, Padme!" he called, and then he was just another speeder amidst the throng…One with police droids chasing after him as he dodged and ducked through the traffic lanes, elegant as a sintering dragonfly.

Padme laughed and turned back to her suite to get a good nights' rest.