Bit of a time jump this time! I really want to get more to the root of this story- which right now is scheduled for chapter 12 or so...

Anyways, I admit this chapter really isn't my best, but fluff is something I don't really think I'm too good at, plus, weddings are just really hard to write. Either way, this is what months of writing and rewriting has gotten me!

Happy Reading! I promise the next chapter will be better!

-DFD

Chapter 8

The day of the wedding came faster than he thought it would. Standing before a large full length mirror in the room Anakin had been given to sleep in the night before, he looked himself over. Dressed in a grey suit with white tie and boutonniere, for the first time since he proposed, he felt nervous. After Padme finished making decisions on the wedding dress and the bridesmaid stuff, the months flew by faster than an aortic dissection. Running his hand over his hair, he tried to fix the invisible lumps only he could see as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He wasn't nervous. What did he have to be nervous for? All he had to do was stand before the fifty-some people and proclaim his love to the woman he loves. That isn't hard… is it?

The door to his room clicked open and he actually jumped before turning to see it was only Ben. He wore the same color suit but with a light blue colored tie kept in place by the grey vest and he had his jacket hanging over his arm. "You seem a bit on edge," He commented.

"Do I? Cause I feel great, never better," Anakin said, sounding more nervous than he wanted to.

Ben shook his head and closed the door behind him as he walked over to him, throwing his jacket on the back of a chair. "You're sweating, relax," He said, "What are you so nervous for anyway? I'm the one that has to give a speech about how you and Padme are the ideal couple when it took you three times, and around seven years to get it right."

Anakin narrowed his eyes at his best man, "Really?" He shook his head, "I guess I just don't want to screw it up."

Ben leaned his hip against the bed frame and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Screw it up?" He questioned.

"Trip over my feet, say the wrong thing, step on her feet-"

"Cause an earthquake that takes half the continent?"

Anakin groaned, "Not funny, Ben! I'm serious!"

The older man laughed and shook his head, "Anakin, stop worrying! If you ask me, the wedding is more of a formality. You've practically been married since you moved in with her so what are you so worried about?"

He held out his hands in front of him, "I don't know!" He said through clenched teeth. "This should be easy, right? I mean, I love her, she loves me… she agreed to marry me again…"

Ben walked over to stand in front of him and took him roughly by the shoulders, "Calm down," He urged. "It is easy, frankly you just have a tendency to overthink and over react. Take a breath, think about the last night at the rehearsal." Anakin closed his eyes and took a breath, "Padme never left your side once. I saw the look in her eyes as clearly as I'm sure everyone else did. She doesn't have any regrets about being with you, so neither should you."

Anakin let out a relaxed breath and nodded his head as he reopened his eyes, "Thanks for that," He said.

Ben gave a shrug as he went to retrive his coat, buttoning the top button and pulling out the sleeves of his shirt, "Don't mention it," He said, "It's my job today to make sure you actually make it to the altar."

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Padme glanced at the clock as her sister finished helping her into her dress. She wasn't nervous at all, rather she was anxious to finally have things go back to normal where she didn't have to come home only to have a pile of choices she had to make waiting for her on her phone. It was tiring, but as she stared at herself in the mirror, she couldn't say it wasn't worth it. She smiled as she imagined the look on her husband-to-be's face when he would see her; his jaw would probably hit the floor when he saw her.

A soft knock on the bedroom door had her turning to greet her visitor. The door opened slowly as Sola stepped aside to so their father could see her better. He looked at her for a long moment before he smiled and dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief. "You look beautiful, Padme," He said, "Just like your mother on her wedding day."

"Thank you, Daddy," She said, stepping forward to hug him, her hands wrapping around his midsection tightly.

Ruwee pressed a kiss to the top of her head and held her in his protective embrace. "I just want you to be happy," He started.

"I am… more than you know," She said. "Anakin isn't the same man he was back then."

He nodded, "I know, I suppose it's just hard to see my baby girl grow up." He checked his watch and pulled back from their embrace, "It's almost time, are you ready?" He asked, holding his arm out to her.

Padme smiled and took it gladly, "Yes."

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Anakin stood on the terrace overlooking the lake with Ben, Ahsoka and Darred beside him. The guests were now seated and now they were just waiting for the small string quartet to change the song to signal the start of the wedding. Anakin had long since placed his focus entirely on the quartet, deeming the sight of the glass doors through which Padme would emerge was just making him more anxious. He wasn't really interested nor was he even listening to the music, he just needed to focus on watched as each finger on the cello player's hand danced up and down the neck, occasionally using a fluttering vibrato. As the quartet ended the piece they were playing, they quickly turned their sheet music over to the next song and this one caught everyone's attention. The more upbeat song was different from the songs they had played while people entered. Anakin's head shot forward as he watched shadows dance behind the curtains of the glass windows of the doors. When the doors swung open, Sola stepped out, carrying a small bouquet of blue flowers, she walked down the isle with a smile on her face. When she was about halfway down, Satine started to walk, and then Dorme, and then Sabe, and then Mina, after whom the doors shut.

Anakin shifted his weight and felt Ben's firm hand on his shoulder to steady him. As Mina took her place, the song ended and the moment it took for the quartet to flip their sheet music felt like an eternity. But once the music started again and the doors opened again, Anakin let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding as he saw Padme standing in the archway with her father. He smiled widely as she slowly walked towards him. Their eyes were locked on each other and it felt as though the world around them faded and they were the only ones there. As Padme's march ended, He shook hands with Ruwee before holding his hand to Padme who took his hand and together they turned to face the officiant.

As much as he should have been paying attention to what the officiant said, he couldn't. His eyes took in every detail of his bride, from the lace pattern sewn into the dress and the gold filigree that was woven into the patterns, to the way her hair flowed under her vale and how she had two curled tendrils framing her beautiful face. She was an absolute vision. "You look beautiful," He whispered in the air between them.

Padme smiled at him, and squeezed his hands, "And you look so handsome," She said.

Anakin barely heard his name when the officiant called for his vows and he said them with passion, his words seeming to please his bride as he pledged his life and his heart to her. The officiant then called for Padme's vows and she being the eloquent person she is, spoke with an eloquent grace that confirmed her love for him and her desire to spend the rest of her life with him.

The exchanging of the rings followed, which for them they couldn't get done with fast enough as each of them knew it was almost over. With the rings in place on their hands, they moved closer, knowing what the officiant would say next. Anakin could feel Padme tremble in his arms and he was sure he was too. And when the officiant finally said "You may kiss the bride," neither hesitated to close the distance between their lips as they kissed for the first time in almost four years as husband and wife.

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After the conclusion of the wedding, all the guests moved into the opulent living room which had been opened up to allow all fifty some guests to dance and dine as they celebrated their wedding. The reception was to last until midnight and Padme was glad to see everyone still having fun even after dinner was done. She watched as Dorme and Sabe danced to the upbeat song that she had heard on the radio too many times and was about to join them when strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back to the far wall where hungry lips proceeded to assault her neck.

"Ani!" She laughed, turning in his arms, and pushing back on his chest.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" He asked, his voice muffled as he pressed his lips to her neck again.

Padme smiled and pushed at his chest again, "Yes, for the hundredth time."

Anakin chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers, "Well let me tell you again; you are so beautiful," He said, cupping her cheek in his hand and running his thumb lightly across her cheek.

She sighed and covered his hand with hers, turning her head enough so she could kiss his palm before pulling it away from her face and tugging his hand lightly. "Come dance with me," She said taking a backwards step towards the dance floor.

Her husband chuckled and shook his head, "I'm really not much of a dancer," He said.

Her brow knitted and gave him a mock pout, "Oh, is the great Anakin Skywalker afraid of a little dancing?"

He laughed and shook his head, "Afraid? Never," He said, closing the gab between them and wrapping an arm around her waist tightly was her hands locked around his neck. "You should be though," He said.

"And why is that?"

Anakin smirked and walked them to the center of the dance floor, "Because me dancing is bound to be embarrassing." And with that said, he pulled away from her and started to dance… at least thats what she assumed be was doing.