"And how much did he tell Count Dooku, exactly?"

"Nothing, according to his claims." Sabe spoke smoothly and with a crisp efficiency that matched Padme's own: if anything, it was almost as if she was having a conversation with an out of sync mirror instead of a holo-comm. "Typho has made sure that even if he did tell all he knew, there's not enough information to be traced back to me, least of all to you. Shell corporations within shell corporations."

Padme's lips pursed in thought. "And the cargo?"

"Irrecoverable. But two more smuggling teams have been sent out, and the last shipment of kolto...?"

"Yes, we received it all right." After the second round of kolto injections, more color had returned to Anakin's cheeks; he actually seemed lucid when he woke, now, even though she urged him to rest while he could. Padme was smart enough to keep him in bed while he could be so easily corralled: as soon as he was well enough to think he was all right, he would be up trying to do everything as if he was perfectly fine. With such slim supplies of healing kolto, that would be some time for now. Until then...

Sabe frowned lightly. "When the next shipment is smuggled in, I'm going to have to insist that you take half of the serum for yourself..."

"Absolutely not. Anakin needs it more."

"In your condition - " Sabe glared, making her meaning quite clear. "It's no longer about just your life, anymore..."

"Fine, fine. But certainly not half of the next shipment. A fourth at most."

"That's far too little. You need half of it."

"I certainly do not."

"A third."

"Done." Padme let a small smile creep onto her lips. "You're better at negotiating than I am. The Senate won't be prepared in the least for you."

"Only because I'm riding your coattails, and you know that very well." Sabe smiled back. "I'll be here if you need anything. Be well."

"Of course, Sabe. Be well."

The machine gave a soft click as she terminated the call, and Padme gave a small sigh out of her nose. She wished it wasn't so easy to simply not be bothered about the fact that Anakin's health was coming at the expense of other lives. Just a few years ago she would have been torn, and at least momentarily guilt-ridden. Now... she would certainly say a prayer to some nonspecific deity (she had given up trying to distinguish one from the other long ago in Naboo's varied pantheon). Perhaps she would send some credits to the Brotherhood of Cognizance for the names of the smugglers to be recited in holy chant so that they may be remembered and honored. But it was soothing balm for an injury that had never occurred. Pleasant but not needed.

Anakin was suddenly, startlingly, much more important.

As she went to sit beside him on the bed, he stirred, giving a snuffling deep breath and looking up at her with a drowsy smile. She leaned in to greet him with a kiss, which he happily accepted - and messily returned with a small moan. She gave a small laugh before pulling back and tapping him lightly on the nose. "You're not that strong yet, Anakin."

"It's morale-building?" He still slurred lightly, and his breaths were even and slow. He drifted in and out of sleep less easily these days, but even staying awake and alert thirty minutes was a struggle.

"Give it a little time," she said, kissing his forehead. A light blush was still on her cheeks as she looked aside almost shyly, trying to collect her thoughts into seriousness. "Ani, I needed to talk to you about a few things."

"Hm?" He reached up, playing with the end of her sleeve, unbuttoning it.

"Serious things."

"...like what?" He gave a stifled yawn, though he did look momentarily more seriousness. "If it's about the cottages you were looking at earlier... anywhere is fine, as long as it's with you." His smile was calm and genuine in a way that made her heart melt, and it was very hard to keep from getting distracted.

"No, it's not about that." She gently traced the line of some of the embroidery on his shirt - dressed in typical Naboo fashion, now, instead of looking so much like a Jedi. "I haven't been really... honest with you." Padme gulped solidly. "I know you asked a few days ago about if Obi-Wan had come looking for you. So... about that." His eyebrows knit in confusion. "I haven't quite told them that you're here. In fact, I haven't told them you're alive."

He blinked solidly. "They think I'm dead?"

"Well - yes." She sucked in a breath. "Apparently the service was very nice, and Ahsoka is doing well - Obi-Wan took her as a padawan, and you shouldn't worry about it. I know it's - I know it's dishonest, and I know that you would like to be charging back to the front lines."

"Padme -"

"Please, just listen to me! I promise, I'm not trying to say you are some sort of coward. And I'm certainly not saying you're - you're useless. I love you, Ani. Please understand that. But both of us have done so much for the Republic."

"...Padme -"

"There's no shame about saying that we've done all we can for them. I - I think that the Jedi Order would try to work you to death, Ani, I really do. And right now we need you here, with us, far more than that -"

"Padme!" She jumped a little and Anakin looked as if he was about to burst out laughing. "It's all right. You don't need to try to talk me into it." His hand grabbed for hers and gave it a squeeze. "My answer's yes, if you're asking what I think you are."

Padme bit her bottom lip. "So you'll come... run away with me?"

"Of course. I already told you yes."

She gave a happy sigh of relief, leaning in and planting another long kiss on him, nuzzling cheek-to-cheek afterwards. It took Anakin a few moments of thought before he spoke again. "Though... when you said 'we'... who did you mean, exactly?"

"Um. Well. That's the other thing I perhaps haven't told you all about..."