DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.
There was a beautiful purple dress hanging over the end of her bed. It hadn't been there before she'd gotten into the fresher but there it was. Someone had been in her room. Padme glanced at the door while walking over to her bed. This was the first time someone had acknowledged that she was still in here; apart from the three daily meals she was given.
The dress was short, slightly gathered around the bust with a thin white piping that separated the top of the dress from the bottom. From the piping, the material hung straight down, flowing nicely around her mid thigh. Padme smiled at its simple beauty. Then she found the holodisk.
Put this on. We will come get you once you are ready.
That was it. Padme frowned as she dropped the holodisk back on her bed. This could be her moment. She was finally going to be able to get out of this cell. Maybe she would find her moment to escape, find Anakin and then they could get out of here and find their kids.
She slipped the dress on and applied a little bit of makeup. Moments after she'd finished pinning her hair up in an elegant knot, the door opened.
Aayla was standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. Her lightsaber hung on her utility belt. Padme also counted three Clones behind the Sith and two droids as well.
"Senator, the Emperor awaits you," Aayla announced.
Padme glanced down at herself once before raising her head high and walking over to her captors. They led her through countless identical corridors, doors at random intervals, Magnaguard droids standing guard outside some of them. Padme tried to keep track of where they were – she even went so far as to note where the larger vents opened onto the corridor from above.
Nearly five minutes later the group turned into a new corridor, at the end of which were a set of steel double doors. As they approached, Aayla broke away from the little group and walked over to where the lock was beside the door. She punched in a code, which Padme missed, and the doors slid open. In silence, Padme was ushered into the room beyond.
It was a giant dining room, empty except for the huge table that sat in the exact centre of the room. Padme counted twenty-four chairs that ran its length. The table had a dark red runner down the middle with different platters and dishes sitting ready to be eaten.
Her droid and Clone guards stayed on the other side of the doors as they closed behind her. Only Aayla was with her. Aayla grabbed Padme's upper arm roughly and they walked right down to the other end of the table where a man was already sitting.
Padme hadn't noticed him before but the minute her eyes rested on him, she instantly knew who he was. A scowl twisted her lips.
"Palpatine," she hissed.
He stood and walked around to greet her.
"Padme, come sit. You must be hungry," he said, seemingly oblivious to her disgust.
He motioned to the chair to the right of the table head, where he had previously been sitting. Wordlessly Padme sat, her head held high. Aayla sat on her right as Palpatine pushed in Padme's chair. He went back to the head of the table.
"Our other guest should be here any moment. I hope you have enjoyed your accommodations?" Palpatine said. He seemed determined to keep up the small talk.
Padme glared at him.
"Where are my husband and our children?" she demanded.
Palpatine chuckled lightly. "Straight to the point as usual Senator, or should I say, ex-Senator? You were always a great negotiator and skilled orator. Such a shame we have no use for the Senate anymore."
Suddenly the doors slid open again, this time only admitting one person. Padme looked up and gasped.
It had been three months since she'd last seen her husband. The months had apparently not been as kind to him as they had to her. Anakin walked with his head bowed, sandy hair falling over his face. There was something defeated about the hunch of his shoulders and he had lost weight.
"Anakin!" she cried.
Padme leapt out of her chair and practically flew to his side. Anakin barely raised his head but the moment she touched his arm, he seemed to sag.
"Padme?" his voice was soft and scratchy.
Slowly, seemingly carefully, he lifted his head. Padme gasped again. Anakin's usually brilliant blue eyes were dull and guarded. He stared hard at her, unsure whether he was actually seeing Padme and not the simulated version he had let be killed in the virtual reality. At that memory, pain shot deep into his heart and his knees nearly collapsed.
"Angel," he whispered, pulling her into a fierce hug.
Padme wrapped her arms around her husband's diminished frame, feeling the bones that stood out alone his spine. Had they been starving him? She clutched him tighter to her.
"What happened to you?" she whispered into his ear.
Anakin's arms tensed for a second then pulled her closer.
"I'm sorry Padme," he started murmuring. "I'm so sorry. So, so sorry!"
Padme pulled back slightly, just enough that she could see his face.
"No Ani, it's okay. Whatever it is, it's okay," she said firmly.
There were tears running down Anakin's eyes as he gazed down at her. She smiled lightly and then reached up and wiped away the tears. Suddenly Anakin plunged his mouth down onto hers and kissed her hard. Padme responded more than willingly but she couldn't help feeling like Anakin had been starving for more than food.
"Alright lovers," Aayla's snide voice broke them apart.
At some point she had stood and joined them near the door. She pulled Padme away from Anakin, seemingly without effort, despite Padme's strong grip. The moment Padme let go of Anakin, his eyes dropped straight back to the ground.
Aayla pulled Padme back to her seat while Anakin walked slowly over to Palpatine. He knelt down beside the Emperor's chair, head still bowed.
"You may sit there tonight," Palpatine stated, pointing at the chair opposite Padme.
She stared, her mouth open in stunned silence as Anakin nodded silently and did as he was told. What had just happened?
Dinner went by with awkward small talk and a lot of silence. Anakin barely spoke two words, unless a question had directly been asked of him. Padme noticed a collar around his neck, identical to the one she wore except more snugly fit. Something was attached to the front of his, something that was hidden under his shirt. His bionic arm shone dully in the light while a fitted cuff of similar metal was around his left wrist. He ate little but fast, like he was scared it would be taken from him before he could finish.
After a painfully long hour, Palpatine stood. Anakin immediately did so too, moving to his side and kneeling again. Aayla stood and took Padme's arm again. As she was pulled back towards the door, panic started to set in. They were being separated again!
Instinct took over and Padme started fighting and yelling her protests. Aayla laughed and backhanded her across the face. Stunned Padme stilled momentarily – long enough for Aayla to secure her in a tighter grip.
"Fear not Senator, we will follow behind you," Palpatine assured her.
Padme stared at Anakin, who was still looking down. Aayla pulled her out the door before she could say anything. Palpatine stepped in front of Anakin and turned to face him. That was the last Padme saw of him as she was pulled back down the corridors.
Dinner had been torture to Anakin. When he had first heard her, he had thought he had died and was in heaven. Then she touched him and his skin lit up. Daring to raise his head, Anakin had once again taken in his wife's beauty. He could see straight away that she was fine. Palpatine had not lied to him when he'd said they would look after her for now. When she'd asked him what they'd done to him, he hadn't the heart to tell her. Not yet.
After that Palpatine's presence had been an all-consuming factor and he'd had to work hard not to stare at Padme the whole time. With Aayla sitting so close to her, Anakin had been constantly reminded about his last round in the virtual reality. It had been a long hour.
Now Padme was gone again and he was sitting quietly on his haunches as Palpatine pulled his leash out from under his shirt. He pulled Anakin to his feet roughly before following Padme and Aayla.
Anakin didn't absorb anything about where he was going. He just stared dejectedly at the ground and allowed Palpatine to lead him. They stopped not long after in front of a plain door. Palpatine unlocked it and then pulled Anakin inside.
He motioned for Anakin to kneel before he unlocked the leash from his collar. Confused, Anakin stayed quiet but started to pay more attention. Palpatine swapped the leash for another longer link of chains. It was thin but looked tough. The Emperor locked this to his collar and then had Anakin follow him over to the wall on his left. There he locked the other end of the leash to a solid bolt in the floor. Again, Anakin was told to kneel. Then they waited.
In that time Anakin glanced curiously around the room, careful about where he looked. He appeared to be in a bedroom. There was a hug bed against the adjacent wall and a bookcase with actual novels on the wall opposite. The only other feature of the room was a desk next to the bookcase. The whole room had an antique feel to it. Beside him was an open door, which seemed to lead into a washroom otherwise there was nothing on his side of the room.
When the door opened again Padme and Aayla entered. Anakin didn't know how they had beaten the women here.
"Anakin?"
Suddenly self-conscious about his predicament, Anakin kept his eyes on the ground, clenching his fists.
"We'll leave you two to get reacquainted," Palpatine announced and left the room with Aayla.
Although he knew the Emperor was no longer in the room, Anakin still didn't raise his head. He couldn't face the look in Padme's eyes. She would be so disappointed in him, allowing Palpatine to control him so completely.
Suddenly she was there, right in front of him. Her proximity made his heart beat faster and something ignite within him that he hadn't felt for months. Padme placed her finger under his chin and lifted his head so their eyes could meet. Yearning exploded throughout his body.
She kissed him hard and for a moment, Anakin let himself fall into her embrace. Force, he had missed her touch!
When she pulled away they were both breathing hard.
"Ani, please tell me what happened to you," she whispered.
He shook his head and pulled her into a hug. He needed to feel her close to him. Maybe the past three months had been worth something after all. Padme was safe and they were together again.
He had no thoughts of escape, just thoughts of him and Padme staying together, sharing each other's touch. His face turned into Padme's shoulder, he smiled, for the first time in three months.
"I can't," he said. "Not yet. I just need to hold you."