A/N- Thank you for the followers on this version and reviews. Please keep in mind many of these chapters may have content you've read in the other two versions of this story. However, this is the final version and is a slow burn for Ani/Pad so keep that in mind! I also will try to update once a week, just so I don't try and update too many chapters at once and hit writer's block. Currently I have rewritten up to chap. 20. Please review and follow!

-GP

Chapter 2-Drowning

Summary: Alternate World: The Empire Prevails and the Jedi have all been in hiding for thirty years. Emperor Palpatine searches for a way to live long past his dying body through cloning technology and his attempts at descendants. One of his " experiments" escapes and comes to live a slave's life on Naboo. He will meet and forever his destiny changed by the fateful meeting with none other than one young Naberrie girl…

Location: Lake Varykino, Naboo

Year 37 BBY

The sand under her feet is soft as she runs breathlessly towards her target. Her eyes are on the prize, reaching the buoy before her sister and cousin, Dorme. The buoy is several meters away out in the large lake. The sounds of splashing reach her ears and her eyes watch as her sister, Sabe' leaps into the lake. Her smaller feet try to run faster as her cousin dives into the lake.

It is not fair! Her cousin is 12 and a lot taller than her. Her sister is 11. They have speed and more practice swimming in the lake. Padme is nervous as she breathlessly dives into the lake where she can stand. She is not fearful of the water but had never swam to the deeper portions of the lake. Her swimming skills are not up to par, but that won't stop her. Nothing would stop her from reaching her goal and beating the two older girls.

Being the youngest of the group, she always attempted to prove to them she could outrun, outswim, or out-eat them. Sabe' had been outraged when she had puked all over the new dress she had received from their Uncle Ryoo. Padme' had tried and failed many times to prove she was worthy of hanging out with the two older girls. Then there is Sola.

Sola is 14 and could care less about their little game of competition. She has eyes only for a boy she had met recently named Darren. They met through the agriculture program and he is studying to be a professor like their father. Padme didn't understand her obsession over this boy. Boys at her school picked on her because she is scrawny and skinny. Boys are annoying and not for kissing on.

Her eyes stay planted on the water as she comes up for a breath. Her eyes turn back to the shore where Sola and Darren cheer on the three girls in their race. Her Uncle Ryoo is speaking to her father on the hillside with her new stepmother, Katrina.

Padme's eyes glance in Katrina's direction. Katrina stands in her newly purchased lilac gown standing as regal as she can be. Her green eyes smile as she listens in on her new husband's conversation with his brother. Her hair is in an updo with a few auburn locks dangling from the tight bun. She seems to think her father has lavish accounts based on her shopping habits.

Each month, Katrina went to the local stores in Theed spending her father's earnings on new gowns for herself and Sola. Sola has bonded well with their new step-mother as she has known her for many years.

Katrina had served as the local midwife for all three of their births. She had kept in contact with the Naberrie family for all of these years and then about a year ago, she and Ruwee had begun a relationship. He proposed to her after speaking to all three of his daughter's of his new found love and had asked their permission to marry Katrina. Padme' hadn't been fond of the idea, but had seen the light in her father's eyes every time he was around her. She hadn't seen her father look at a woman in the way he did before and wanted him to be happy.

Yet, Padme' and her step-mother could never really see eye-to-eye. She enjoyed running and playing outside and being more like a boy than a young lady. Sabe' and Sola both loved to spend time with Katrina and at times, this made Padme' feel a bit left out. Instead, she'd find herself in her father's arms, studying the different planets and hearing stories about the infamous Jedi and the historic wars they had served in.

Padme's father had become dean to the agriculture department at the local university, so money is not a problem any longer. He enjoys his job and sometimes allows his daughters to attend the university class with him. Padme' enjoys listening to her father's lectures though they are about farming. Though there were times Padme' enjoyed sneaking into the lectures down the hall on politics. She dreams of becoming a senator when she is a young woman. She dreams of becoming the Senator of Naboo.

Her arms and legs scream in agony as she continues her pace towards the buoy. Her feet cannot touch the bottom at this point and she has to try to keep her mind off this fact. She is tiring fast but that buoy is in sight. The waves are a bit larger out here as she continues her journey.

One wave washes over her head and then another. She chokes on the water that has found its way into her throat and mouth. Her muscles continue to scream in pain as she struggles through the rising current. She keeps her head above the water as best as she can, but struggles as the rising water feels as if it is pulling her under.

She can hear farther in the distance the shouts of cheering as Dorme' makes it to the buoy. Padme' can barely see through the rising current as her gaze is blurry once more through the water. She chokes out, " Help! Dorme'- Sabe!"

She hears her sister shout back a response of laughter and she cannot hear her words clearly. The next wave passes over her and she can feel herself being drugged by the undertow. Water covers her head and fills her nose. She chokes and falls deeper into the depths of the lake. She tries to fight the undertow but for a 9 year old girl it is a losing battle of strength versus the current.

Her body starts to lose the battle and she can feel her world begin to go black. She closes her eyes ready to meet her makers by the force.

She had once had a nightmare about drowning in a lake such as this. The darkness had encroached on her entire body. She had felt herself choking and trying to scream through the current. The water had been darker than this- darker and some creature had continued to pull her body under- deeper into the depths of the Lake's of Naboo that she loved so much. Her dreams always had come true- be them small or not.

Her eyes close and she suddenly feels the jerk of movement from behind her. Her body fights the jerking movement, but it keeps pulling her towards the surface. Her lungs swallow in the fresh air as her head breaks the surface. She is weak, but coughs the water that has filled her lungs.

Voices from far away catch her attention. Screams and cries of her sisters and the adults on shore. She has no idea who saved her but she is grateful that the makers saw that someone saw she was in trouble.

She allows her rescuer to pull her towards shore. The strong arms around her pull her onto the sand. She falls back and coughs on her side as her sister, Sola, Darren and other family members surround her.

" Padme'! My darling girl." Her father's voice is near as she stares up into the face of her savior.

Blue eyes stare back at her. The eyes are covered by sandy strands of blond hair. Her caramel eyes blink back and stare back at those blue eyes. They don't belong to her father, no- her rescuer is a boy no more than 11 years old.

His chest heaves up and down as he asks the young girl, " Are you okay?"

His voice is soft to her ears and she mumbles out, " Yes-"

She sits up as her father reaches her side and clings her to his chest. Her eyes remain on her rescuer. His eyes remain on hers concerned for her well-being. It's as if they have known each other in another lifetime. The force swirls around them as if they are the only two in the entire vicinity of the beach.

The boy can feel their connection through the force. He had known the force his entire life and hadn't felt a pull like this before. He backs away from the girl as the crowd of her family begins to take shape. Her eyes break away from him as her stepmother comes down the hill and embraces the girl and eyes the shabby looking boy. His hair is unruly and his clothes are those of a slave as he wears the neck brace around his neck. The signs that he is indeed a slave, but whose slave Padme' didn't know.

Her Uncle Ryoo enters the scene and eyes the boy with gratefulness and some shine of rage at the same time. He turns on the boy and snaps, " What were you doing down here on the beach? Your job is to clean the speeders and help the others with preparing the lunch for our guests."

Ruwee eyes his brother with hard eyes. " Ryoo, please don't scold the boy. He saved your niece's life."

Ruwee turns to the boy and asks politely, " What is your name, boy?"

The boy eyes his master in rage and defiance but politely responds, " Anakin Skywalker, sir. I should be going."

Padme' eyes the boy and cannot say anything else. She had forgotten that her Uncle had brought along his slaves for the trip to the beach. She is grateful for the boy's luck as to why he came down to the beach. She would be dead if he hadn't jumped into the water after her.

Ryoo eyed his slave boy and stated, " Yes you should. I suggest you get back to helping the others before I change my mind about a beating."

Ruwee eyes his brother's somber tone. This boy had just saved his niece's life and he was being punished for it?

Katrina changes the subject and suggests, " Perhaps we should return to the retreat? We can enjoy a refreshing lunch on the patio."

Ryoo's eyes meet Katrina's suggestion and he only responds with a nod.

Padme' eyes the young boy and mouths out, " Thank you,"

His eyes read her lips in knowing and he only smiles for her. Padme' cannot help the infectious grin crawling upon her lips as well. There is something about this boy and she has no idea how much he will alter her life after this moment.

To Be Continued.