a.n. So I lied: I didn't have this chapter out right away; in fact, it took me almost a year to get it out. I have no excuses (well, I do, but I'm not going to put them here). I am VERY VERY VERY SORRY that I didn't get this out as quickly as I promised you all, but here it is. It is a bit long, though shorter than I planned on. I wanted to do the rest of the Naboo scenes in one chapter but by the time I got to the end, I realized I was at a good stopping point. So here it is. I'm thinking this story will be about 30 - 35 chapters and I am planning on finishing it by June (though I will not promise anything that I may not deliver). As always, please Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Any recognizable dialogue, names, places, etc. is not owned by me. It is all owned and is copyright to George Lucas and Lucasfilm. The only thing I own is Luca, the plot of this story, and everything you don't recognize.

Chapter 24: Meadow Memories

The group docked at a magnificent looking villa overlooking the water. For Luca, it was a bittersweet sight. The scene was quite beautiful, as beautiful as he remembered it, as beautiful as it always was in his dreams. He had had many happy memories here with his dear wife and had been looking forward to many more, especially after she had announced her pregnancy. She had wanted their child to be born on Naboo in this very home. The nursery would have been a room right by the garden where the wonderful smells of the vibrant flowers below would have wafted through the window along the gentle breeze. She would have rocked their child in a rocking chair he himself made as she sat by that open window and let the wonderful aroma surround her, looking out at the twinkling stars in the dark sky, humming a soothing melody to lull their child to sleep.

Luca had to stop himself from tearing up in front of the others. The memories were overwhelming and it took all of his self-control and restraint to keep a lid on his emotions. As much as he wanted to reminisce and remember all of the good times he had had here, now was not the time. He had a job to do, a mission to accomplish, and he needed to remain focused. He may have been unable to make more happy memories here and could only hold onto the few that he did have, but he would make sure that this Anakin and Padmé had that chance.

The early afternoon sun seemed to light up the villa as the water speeder pulled up to the landing platform. Anakin hopped out first and offered his hand to the Senator. Luca noticed the extremely delighted on his face when she took it. He also noticed Anakin's eyes looking longingly at the Senator's lovely form, her airy pastel colored dress not leaving much to the poor boy's imagination. Despite the seriousness of the situation and the importance of this mission, Luca couldn't help but smirk knowingly at the young Jedi, not envying the lad one bit. He knew how terribly tempting and alluring Padmé was and how utterly frustrating it had to be for Anakin to be so close to her without being able to do a thing about it. Padmé had to know how much her attire was affecting him and had to be purposely testing his resolve; she had always had a devious mind. Luca followed discreetly behind the duo as they entered the building and made their way to the large terrace, their bags already taken up and carried inside by the speeder driver and two serving girls.

Anakin and Padmé strolled along amiably, talking about anything and everything they could think of. They walked close together, arms brushing against one another every so often, hands practically holding each other. Padmé was too excited explaining her surroundings and her wonderful memories to the young man beside her to notice. But Anakin, senses always attuned to the pretty young woman, was fully aware of their situation and could hardly focus on what was being said. He was also dimly aware of the bodyguard silently slinking somewhere behind them but decided not worry about him. He turned his attention back to the lovely Senator.

"We used to come here for school retreat. We would swim to that island every day. I love the water." The couple finally reached the railing and stopped, staring out across the water. "We used to lie out on the sand and let the sun dry us and try to guess the names of the birds singing." Anakin looked down at the railing beneath his hands, nervously playing with his fingers.

"I don't like sand." Padmé looked towards him, urging him to continue. "It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere." He paused. "Not like here." He turned to stare at her. "Here everything's soft...and smooth..." Anakin gently stroked her hand. Padmé watched him for a brief moment before returning her eyes to the dark blue water before her. She concentrated on the scenery before her, desperately trying to avoid the soft touch of Anakin's hand making its way up her arm and down her side. His feather-light caress was too much for her to take and she turned her head to look at him, trying to maintain her stern, Senatorial expression. They stared at each other for a few long moments, and though she tried her best to keep her face serious, the handsome smirk that made its way onto his face was too much for her to take. She could feel herself melting at his advances and was surprised to find herself waiting, anticipating him as he drew closer and closer. She felt slightly startled but looking into his eyes she could see the longing, the wanting, that was lurking there. She knew her eyes had the same hidden desire in them and she dared to open herself to him for this brief moment.

Anakin was surprised that she was being so receptive to his advances and as he drew closer and closer to her, he noticed her eyes beginning to close, her lips parting slightly, inviting him in. Their lips soon met in a sweet embrace as warm feelings overcame them. They were beginning to lose all sense of self, all sense of time, all sense of anything but the two of them in this moment. Birds were chirping and cawing in the distance and a gentle breeze was blowing through the trees and flowers on the terrace. The atmosphere was perfect for this one moment in time and the couple was alone in their own little world.

Just as their kiss was beginning to deepen, Anakin felt Padmé pull away. He heard her breathless "no." But he wished he hadn't. He wanted to stay like this until neither one of them could breathe anymore, perhaps they could have even stayed that way forever, but Padmé's determination forced him to stop. He opened his eyes and looked down at her. She had turned her head away from him and her eyes had turned back towards the water but their faces were still tantalizingly close, her lips still swollen. He could have grabbed her right then and there and kissed her again.

But her eyes told him no. There was something there that hadn't been there before. Yes, he could still see the desire, the longing, the passion that he had noticed moments before their lips met. Yet, there was something more hidden in the soulful depths of her eyes, something that overshadowed even the strongest of her desires.

Fear.

It was fear. She was scared of going too much further, of going too far to come back. She wanted to go over the edge and back with him. She wanted them to release all of their pent-up emotions, to fall into one another's arms. But she couldn't. Her reasonable, responsible side was telling her that it was best if she ended this now, if she nipped it in the bud before they went so far they could never return. She had turned her head away so she wouldn't have to look at him. She didn't want him to see the pain in her eyes as she spoke her next words. She didn't want to see the pain in his as he listened.

"I shouldn't have done that." Anakin looked at her forlornly. He knew she felt something when their lips met just as he had. He knew she wanted it just as much as he did. But he couldn't force her to admit it.

"I'm sorry." The couple remained there in silence, neither one willing to break the awkward tension that seemed to have descended upon them.

Luca watched the two from the shadows, sighing longingly. He remembered this moment from his own life. How could he not? His first kiss with Padmé. His first kiss ever. He had been willing to sacrifice everything to be with her at this point. He had known that he was in love with her; in fact, he had known that for ten years. But Padmé, his ever-practical, responsible Padmé, was trying to be reasonable. She knew that it just wouldn't work between them. They were a Jedi and a Senator. Both dedicated to their duties. Both sacrificing themselves for others. Both working for the good of the people. But, he couldn't have cared less about his duty or hers at that time. All he wanted was her. All he needed was her. All he cared about was her.

The couple had been standing in silence for some time now and Luca decided to let them be for the moment. They needed their privacy. They had to come to terms with their feelings and try to figure out what just happened, just as he had, just as he was still doing He slowly turned away, walking towards the interior of the large villa, a small tear escaping down his cheek.

Anakin and Padmé seemed to have shaken off the awkwardness that had settled between them and made plans for a small late afternoon picnic. Despite Anakin's insistence that everything would be fine, Luca was coming along as well. He knew nothing would happen while they were out, but if he wanted to maintain his cover, he would have to act as if something could happen at any moment. He did agree, however, that he would leave the couple alone to their own devices and that he would stay out of their way, though close-at-hand in case of emergency. It had taken a little convincing on his part to assure Anakin that he would remain out of the way and that the Jedi would indeed be on his own with the Senator, but once Anakin reluctantly agreed, Luca could see the almost gleeful smile on the young man's face as he thought about their excursion.

After packing a basket of some light food and grabbing a large blanket, the trio set off with Padmé leading the way to one of her favorite spots. It was a brief hike and when they crested the large hill, they stopped, breathless at the sight before them.

A field of small yellow wildflowers lay before them and in the near distance a large lake calmly waited beneath a large wall of water. The thunderous sound of waterfalls pouring into the lake could be heard, the gentle roar adding to the already peaceful scene. Nearby, a herd of shaak grazed, unassuming of their visitors. Padmé led them to a spot close enough to the lake to enjoy its tranquility yet far enough away from it to avoid any possible stray water drops. Anakin and Padmé spread out the blanket while Luca did a security sweep of the area, checking for any possible threats. By the time he was done, the couple had the food spread out and was currently engaged in pleasant conversation. True to his promise, Luca grabbed a sandwich and some of the fruit and wandered off, leaving the couple to themselves.

The couple was oblivious to the departing member of their party as they were so absorbed in their friendly companionship and conversation. Luca watched them from afar, his own memories assaulting him as he recalled the happy laughter and moments he and his wife had shared here.

"Ani, stop it!" Anakin had been tickling his beautiful wife, eager to hear her melodic laugh. There was no sound he loved more than the sound of her voice, whether she was talking, laughing, or even addressing the Senate. Her voice was like music to his ears.

"Aww, come on Padmé. You know how much I love to hear you laugh. I haven't heard it in so long. Please?" Anakin turned on the charm then, looking at his wife with the puppy dog eyes he knew she couldn't resist. Padmé looked at him sternly, resisting the face that worked so well on her. They remained like this for a while, neither one willing to back down, both too hard-headed and stubborn to admit defeat. It was finally Padmé who buckled first. She just couldn't resist her husband's charm. And he was right. It had been a while since he was last able to hear her laugh.

Anakin's face light up and a wide grin spread across his face when his wife let out the happiest laugh he had ever heard from her. She was giggling uncontrollably now, eyes closed in blissful happiness. Anakin wrapped his arms around her tightly, loving the feeling of joy that was brought on by her happy mood. It was infectious and he soon found himself laughing alongside her. Both remained that way for the longest time and the sound of their gleeful laughter echoed around the field. Anyone who happened to wander by would be curious as to the cause of those happy laughs and the two who were at its source wouldn't be able to come up with an answer as to what caused it. They were just happy to be together again and couldn't contain their emotions. They just had to let everything out.

It was minutes later when their laughter finally subsided. Anakin's arms were still around Padmé and she had laid her head comfortably on his chest. He held her tightly and she listened to the sound of his heart beating and watched as his chest rose and fall with each breath he took. They didn't mind the silence; they relished it. It was just the two of them in this little paradise that they created for themselves. No one else was here and nothing could intrude on them. No politics, no Senate, no Jedi, no war. Nothing. Just Anakin and Padmé, a husband and wife deeply in love with one another.

They lay like that for what seemed like hours, both of them nearly falling asleep at one point. Anakin turned his head to look at her when Padmé sighed.

"What is it, angel?"

"I just don't like this, Ani. You're away for weeks, even months, at a time, and I never get to see you. And when you do get leave, it's never enough time for us." Anakin gently stroked her dark hair in an attempt to soothe her. He had to know that the solitude wouldn't last for long with the war going on. He had been enjoying their time together and he knew that she had been too. But the war was always lingering in the backs of their minds, no matter how hard they tried to forget. They just couldn't escape it.

"Look at me Padmé." She turned her head up to stare at his handsome, chiseled face. A sad smile graced it. "We may never have enough time together and this war may keep us apart far too often. But you know that I will always come back to you and that I cherish every moment we are together. Whenever we are apart, my heart aches for you and I cannot wait until we meet again. Every battle I fight and every enemy I defeat is all so I can get home to you. I fight for you Padmé, for us. For our future. I know that once this war is over, our lives will get better. It's hard for me so I know it must be hard for you, maybe even more so. But sometimes we must sacrifice ourselves for the greater good. You taught me that." Padmé stared at him as he talked. Since when did he ever make that much sense? She smiled at him.

"When did you become such a philosopher, my handsome Jedi?" He chuckled at her. She reached up to give him a small kiss on the lips. "And since when do you listen to everything I say?"

"I always listen to you, angel." She quirked an eyebrow up at him in a disbelieving manner. "Okay okay. Maybe not always listen, but I do when it matters most." She decided to have a little fun with him.

"So you only listen when it matters, hmm? When it matters to me or to you?" Anakin had a feeling he had been trapped. His wife certainly had the mind of a devious politician.

"Uhh…well…ummm…that is to say…" Oh, she was certainly enjoying this!

"Well, Master Jedi? I'm waiting." Her eyebrow was still raised and a smirk was on her face. She tried her best to cross her arms but it was a little hard when her husband's arms were wrapped around her. She was enjoying his adorable fumbling.

Anakin should have known better than to match wits with his wife. He rarely won. She had a dangerous, devious mind, trained in the ways of politics and half-truths. She could outlast him in any word battle. He, however, was a skilled warrior, trained in the art of battle. He knew when victory was at hand and when defeat was inevitable. He knew when to press his advantage and when to fall back. He had the perfect strategy in this fight. When faced with a daunting battle against an enemy you cannot defeat, there is only one option: retreat.

The young Jedi quickly unwrapped his arms from around his young bride and before she could even blink, he was up and running out of her reach.

Padmé was too shocked to process what had happened right away. Her husband, the great Anakin Skywalker, the Hero With No fear, was afraid? Of her? Oh, if only the holovids could get their hands on that little piece of information! She shook her head at his childish antics as she leapt to her feet and took off running after her husband.

"Don't even think about getting away from me, Anakin Skywalker! You know you can't avoid me forever!" Her only response was his playful laughter ahead of her and she sped up, eager to catch up to her wayward Jedi.

Luca shook his head to clear his mind. His eyes returned to the couple once more and he could see the obvious glee on both of their faces and the hidden love that was simmering just below the surface. His eyes wandered back towards the direction of the lake house and he sighed wistfully. Knowing that Padmé would be left in good hands, he walked towards the lake and sat down near its shore, surrounded by its tranquility and the roar of the waterfalls. He closed his eyes and prepared to meditate. He hoped to clear his mind and get a hold of the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He couldn't let his emotions overrule and distract him; he had a mission to complete. Taking a deep breath, he fell into the Force, letting it surround and envelop him.

"I don't know..."

Anakin insisted. "Sure you do, you just don't want to tell me."

"Are you going to use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?"

"They only work on the weak-minded."

"All right...I was twelve." Padmé smiled, reminiscing on more youthful times. "His name was Palo. We were both in the Legislative Youth Program. He was a few years older than I...very cute...dark curly hair...dreamy eyes…" She drifted off dreamily. Anakin turned away.

"All right, I get the picture. Whatever happened to him?"

"I went in to public service. He went on to become an artist."

Anakin challenged her. "Maybe he was the smart one."

"You really don't like politicians, do you?"

"I like two or three," Anakin decided to tease her, "but I'm not really sure about one of them." He smiled and they both giggled. "I don't think the system works."

"How would you have it work?"

"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problems, agree what's in the best interest of all the people, and then do it."

"That's exactly what we do. The trouble is that people don't always agree."

"Well then they should be made to."

"By whom? Who's going to make them?"

"I don't know. Someone."

"You?"

"Of course not me."

"But someone." Anakin nodded determinedly.

"Someone wise."

"That sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me." A devilish smile crept across his face.

"Well, if it works." Padmé stared at him disbelievingly. Anakin just stared back at her, straight-faced, the small smile still on his face. After a few moments, he couldn't hold back his amusement and let forth a small chuckle. Padmé noticed this and smiled, giggling.

"You're making fun of me." Anakin grinned wide, his bright white teeth gleaming.

"Oh no, I'd be much too frightened to tease a Senator." He turned away, his amusement still evident. Padmé watched him for a moment, still smiling. She too turned away and though a smile graced her face, a contemplative look had suddenly appeared. She was feeling something, something she couldn't describe. It was a new feeling for her and it scared her. This young man made her laugh, challenged her, kept her on her toes. And she liked it, enjoyed it. Why? It didn't make any sense. It should be downright annoying, even childish. But it wasn't. He wasn't. He wasn't trying to do anything out of the ordinary; it was just the way he was. She had never seen this side of him. True, when he was a little boy, she had seen how kind-hearted and fun and loving he was. But he was only nine back then, just an innocent little boy, who, although he had seen so much hardship in his life, still saw the positive, still believed in goodness and generosity. Now, as a Jedi, he had had spent years traveling the galaxy, visiting new places and meeting all sorts of new people. Certainly not all of them were as kind to the naïve young eyes he'd once had. He had to have seen some horrible things in their ten years apart, things that she couldn't even begin to fathom. Yet, here he was, sitting and joking and laughing with her, cheering her up, keeping her mind occupied and away from the threats on her life. He could have been just as morose as she was, just as accepting of the danger, just as worried. But he couldn't do that; that wasn't who he was. She knew that he saw this time away as an opportunity to just forget about everything and relax. He was still mindful of his duty and the task at hand, but knowing that she was scared about their situation, even though she has tried her best to hide it, brought out this playful side of him. His efforts were focused on cheering her up and making her happy, just as they always had been. When he was a young boy, he had given her that japor pendant to cheer her up when she was scared for the fate of her people. Although ten years had passed since they had last seen each other, he was still worried about her and did his best to cheer her up. She certainly appreciated his efforts and was grateful for it. She could sense, however, that there was something that was bothering him: his features had a haunted look to them and though she wished he would open up to her, he had yet to do so. She wanted to do for him what he had already done, and always had done, for her, but she didn't know where to begin.

Anakin still sported his huge grin when she turned back to look at him. That handsome, heart-warming grin of his could cheer her up any time. That sat together in amiable silence for a while, relishing in the quiet, friendly atmosphere. They let the sunshine warm them and enjoyed each other's comforting presence. It was Padmé who finally noticed the missing presence.

"Anakin, where do you suppose Mr. Redenov went off to?" Anakin had been blissfully enjoying his time with Padmé. They were happy, together and in this beautiful place; he was sure nothing could be better. But her innocent question shook him out of his happy imaginings and brought him back to the reality of their situation. Sure they could spend some time relaxing and having fun and he was doing his best to make her laugh, but they couldn't forget that this wasn't a vacation. There was a very real danger waiting for them and it wouldn't be wise to forget that.

The young Jedi looked around, searching for the third member of their party. When he couldn't find him visually, he closed his eyes and searched for the man in the Force. Treading carefully, he stretched out his senses all around them. He felt a strong pull from the direction of the water and focused his attention there. What he found surprised him. While he could indeed identify the older man's presence, there was something different about it. All beings had an easily-identifiable Force presence and those that were stronger with the Force, such as Jedi, had a stronger presence that was more easily sensed by those who were Force-sensitive. There were even some beings that had a very strong presence in the Force despite not having acute sensitivity like the Jedi. Anakin had learned all about this in his studies at the Temple and had seen evidence to support his teachings throughout his many journeys. Yet, even all of his studies and all of his experiences could never have prepared him for what he now sensed. Luca Redenov was centered in the Force; it was gathered around him in large rolling waves. He was exuding calmness, clarity, strength and power. Anakin had never before sensed such power, not even from Master Yoda. As far as he knew, and as far as the Council had informed him, Redenov was no Jedi; he was just like any other bodyguard, experienced in the ways of the galaxy. But the young Padawan had sensed something about the man that lay hidden beneath the surface, something that was so deep within him that it was nearly undetectable. Anakin would have missed it himself if he hadn't noticed something familiar about his presence. It was recognizable but elusive; he couldn't yet figure out why it spoke to him, why he was drawn to the mysterious man.

Anakin opened his eyes, a quizzical expression on his face. It wouldn't do to have Padmé question him so he quickly affected a more neutral expression. He turned to look at the lovely young Senator.

"He's over by the waterfalls. I'll go get him." With that statement, Anakin excused himself and headed over to the large lake to try to learn more about the man known as Luca Redenov and to figure out what, exactly, he had sensed.