Hey guys, I just got back from an amazing ski vacation. I hope you like this chapter. I'm going to introduce characters like Obi wan and Bail Organa in the upcoming chapters. Again, I definitely need some help with chapter titles. Anyway, please review and feel free to PM me with any questions,advice, or requests. - Kiera
CHAPTER 7
It had been one week since Anakin returned to Padme and already he showed some signs of improvement. Sure the guilt from all the problems he caused bore down on him, but hey, at least he wasn't an evil mastermind. Ahsoka and her had borrowed an old villa located on a remote island. Back in the days of the Republic, someone probably spent their vacations here, but when the Clone Wars broke out they must have chosen to remain on their homeworld. Though it had not been used in years, the musty old house was still had beautiful sapphire blue exterior. Silky drapes adorned every window, and the floors were made of a crystalline volcanic rock. The house smelled like salt water, over the years late deposits of sand and shells had found their way into the house.
When she awoke after a long nap, she found Ahsoka asleep next to the children. Smiling, she wandered the house searching for her beloved. Padmé found Anakin moping around the deck of the villa, gazing out at the ocean. He had be cooped up in the dark, dirty steerage of their boat for weeks. Padmé put her arm around him and admired the rosy sunset. The sun made Anakin appear to have a pink glow to his face. His hair was tangled from the wind, and his skin a sun kissed tan once more. He inched closer to her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. At first glance he seemed fine, but Padme noticed that his eyes lacked their usual luster, and his expression was one of remorse. Then, she had an epiphany. Grabbing Anakin's hand, she dragged him out onto the beach. The warm sand tickled her toes and the cool surf swept her off her feet.
Anakin helped Padmé up. Her beautiful coral gown was soaked, so he gave her his cream colored shirt to use as a towel. With the warm sun on their backs, Padmé gestured for him to follow her. "Exactly, where are we going, Angel ?" he inquired. "Shh, it's a surprise, something to get you out of your mood." Padmé stopped and waded waist deep in the sea. " Come on, the entrance is this way." She dove into the waves, Anakin diving in after her. She led him to a secluded cave wreathed in vines and aromatic flowers. Anakin plucked one and put it behind her ear. " How did you find this place it's beautiful." he said as he looked around. " I noticed it when I was looking for you." She nuzzled up against him and he wrapped his arms around her surprisingly muscular shoulders. And there they sat, looking at the waves and the sunset. Forgetting who they were and why they were supposed to do, just holding each other as the purple moon cast a halo around them. And there they stayed until they feel asleep with the waves lapping their clothes.
Anakin woke up with Padmé's curly brown hair tickling his nose. Carefully he slid his arm out from under his sleeping wife. She was right it did help him out of his mood. He still felt guilty for all the problems he caused but moping around wouldn't solve anything. There was a yawn to his left and he grinned. " Good morning, Angel." She moved closer to him and placed her head in the crook of his neck. He breathed in the sweet smell of tropical flowers. As they walked home along the beach, it dawned on him that he wasn't bothered by the sand. Seriously Anakin, he chided himself, you're going there. After stopping to pick fresh chibifruit for breakfast, they were about to return home when a ball of sand hit Anakin in the back of his head." You are totally going to regret that." said Anakin as he scooped up a mound of sand. It hit Padmé square in the chest. Laughing, they engaged in an intense sand fight. Padmé ended up tackling Anakin into the waves. The battle continued as they attempted to splash each other. Curious as to the origin of the noise, Ahsoka had come down from the villa and was caught up into the chaos.
Soon all of them had sand in their hair and their clothes were sopping wet. After a good hour or so, they returned to the villa leaving little puddles of salt water on the floor. Padmé was curled up on top of Anakin absentmindedly playing with his curls. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest on her cheek. " Padmé, can I see the kids? I feel bad that I've been neglecting them for so long. I want them to have a real father, unlike me." he said with a hint of bitterness. Softly, they entered the cozy nursery. Luke was sleeping peacefully, unlike Leia who was eyeing them suspiciously. Carefully Anakin cradled Luke in his arms, his tiny fingers grasping his thumb. Leia began to tug on his curls. He could feel their faint pulses and sense their little heartbeats. Their force signatures were extremely bright and vibrant. They were lucky. Somewhere in the galaxy, there was a child with their ability being slaughtered like an animal. And I was usually the one doing the killing, he thought guiltily. Padmé placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. " We can't focus on the past. What we need to do now is look towards the future. We need to hope that our children will eventually live a life free of oppression and violence. I've been wanting to talk to you about joining the rebellion. With your intel, we could turn the tides once and for all." Anakin looked at Luke and Leia and his paternal instincts kicked in. His grip on them tightened subconsciously. " Alright, I'm in."