DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

Yearning flooded Anakin's system again. He couldn't help his body's reaction to his wife. She was so beautiful, so perfect that he just needed to hold her, be with her. He breathed in deeply, taking in the flowery scent that was all Padme. Force, how he'd missed her.

He turned his head so he could see her face. She was smiling at him already. He grinned back, for a few moments forgetting all that he'd been through. Slowly he lowered his lips onto her neck, just below the ear. He felt her shiver as he made his way around her jaw with gentle kisses. When he finally reached her mouth he paused. Just for a second he kept Padme waiting. He could hear her breathing coming low and fast, already anticipating what was to come.

When his lips met hers, she pushed against him hard. He rose up on his knees so he could close what little gap there was between them. Bodies flush against each others, they both broke for air. They stared into each other's eyes while their breathing struggled to return to normal. Padme noticed that some of the brightness had returned to Anakin's eyes, almost like life was coming back to him slowly but surely. Her smile lit up her face and Anakin couldn't resist another quick kiss. Then he placed his forehead against hers, enjoying the feeling of her breath on his face.

"I missed you Ani," Padme admitted.

He grinned. "Not as much as I missed you."

She giggled and pulled back, biting her lip. She glanced seductively up at him from under her eyelashes. Her hands lowered themselves down his back until they cupped his backside before pulling him against her. Anakin's grin grew.

She kissed him quickly on the forehead, on the end of his nose and then finally on his lips. But they were all quick, barely-there kisses which left him wanting more.

He groaned as Padme pulled away from him.

"You're killing me Angel!" his voice was thick with desire.

Padme just smiled knowingly, casually lowering the left strap of her dress off her shoulder. She looked back at Anakin temptingly. He swallowed as the urge to grab her and rip her dress off completely thundered through him.

Padme took a few steps back, her index finger motioning for him to follow. She sat on the bed, barely ten steps away from him.

Anakin rose, keeping his eyes on his prey. His whole body ached for her touch, needing it more than air. He had nearly reached the bed – only one step away – when the leash ran out of slack. Crashing back into reality, Anakin felt it tug on his collar, pulling him up short. He was so close to Padme and yet so far!

"Ani?" Padme murmured, her hand reaching out for him.

Anakin turned his head away, clenching his teeth and his fists.

"I can't," he whispered.

Padme sat up straighter, her hand lowering. She looked hurt and confused.

"What do you mean?"

Anakin, hearing the rejection in her voice, quickly turned back to her.

"No, Angel, it's not that I don't want to! Force, how I want to. It's just..." He took a step back, causing the leash to slacken and motioned to it. "I physically can't."

Realisation dawned in Padme, who was suddenly embarrassed to have thought Anakin wouldn't want her. Having been isolated for months, there was a lot Padme was second guessing. She was elated to know Anakin's love for her was not one of them.

"Then I guess I'll come to you," was her reply.

She practically threw herself into his arms. He caught her and kissed her straight away. Padme wrapped her legs around Anakin's hips, locking her ankles behind his back, all the while still kissing him. Anakin stumbled backwards. Eventually his back hit the wall behind him and without breaking contact he spun around so he had Padme sandwiched against the wall.

One hand let go of her back and reached for her dress straps. He pulled it away roughly, the flimsy material snapping easily. Padme started unbuttoning his shirt. He placed soft kisses along her collarbone as she worked. When she finally had his shirt off, they shared a deep kiss before Anakin placed her back on the ground. There they both undressed the rest of the way, impatient to be back in the other's arms.

For a moment, Anakin stared at his Angel. She was just as perfect as he'd remembered. He could see Padme eyeing him off too and then their urges got the better of them. They crashed back together, losing themselves in their love.

Only once Palpatine was positive that Anakin's conditioning was faultless did he allow him to see Padme again. He had monitored Anakin's behaviour during the dinner very closely and was pleased with the results. Anakin, while clearly desiring his wife, had been able to ignore those urges long enough to wait until Palpatine had given him permission.

Now, standing amid the chaos of the control room, Emperor Palpatine ordered his crew to jump to hyperspace. They acknowledged him and instantly set about readying the ship. Within minutes they were breaking light speed.

Palpatine walked out of the control room and made his way back to his chambers. They would be reaching Coruscant within the day. He needed to be fully rested for his arrival and the revealing of his latest success.

Ferus had been meditating with Obi Wan when they felt it. Anakin's Force signature, along with the dark presence of the Emperor, was suddenly getting closer with greater speed.

Both Jedi opened their eyes and stared at each other.

"He's nearly here," Ferus muttered.

He stood and was about to dash into the living area of the apartment when the lift sprung open and Pieter and Rex burst in.

"Ben! Olin! Ahsoka!" they shouted.

Both men were out of breath, their hands on their weapons. Ferus and Obi Wan instantly approached their friends, Ahsoka joining moments later, having been awoken by the shouting.

"We have a problem," Pieter admitted.

He proceeded to tell them what had happened. Earlier that afternoon, Pieter and Rex had gone out for supplies. At the markets they had seen Clones, a sight none of them had witnessed since arriving on the planet three months ago. Normally Clones stayed in the more populated areas, unless they had a particular reason to venture further. After all, Palpatine knew of the dirty dealings that happened in the lower levels and the type of scum that populated the area. No Resistance members had been able to penetrate Coruscant before due to the Emperor's loyal and seemingly endless spies who were more than willing to hand over the Resistance members for a small sum. These spies were the law down here and Palpatine allowed that, hence why the Clones were unnecessary.

But there they were, talking quietly with a stall vendor. There were a lot of hand gestures and laughter but there was no doubt that the Clones were on duty. Pieter and Rex had instantly ducked into the shelter of another stall as the Clones moved on. They approached the stall Pieter and Rex were hiding behind.

"I don't want no trouble," the vendor said loudly.

"That'll be no problem, as long as you can help us. A ship was found in the docks, one registered to an ex-Resistance member who was killed a while ago. We want to know if any new faces have been seen around the markets?" one of the Clones said.

The vendor paused for a moment. Pieter knew he'd seen them a few days ago but he hadn't seen them today, not before they'd ducked behind his stall.

"Maybe I has, maybe I hasn't," he replied cautiously.

"These men are Resistance members Sir and there would be a lot less trouble if you helped us out," the other Clone said. His tone was threatening, his hand reaching for the blaster at his belt.

The vendor growled but nodded. "Yeah I saw 'em. They was here a couple a days ago. Been comin' and goin' like locals they have. Just seen two of 'em but they buy enough food for a small group. I don't know where they're stayin' or nothing, just that they never give me no trouble. Best customers I got."

Pieter gritted his teeth. He knew he couldn't trust the vendors in this market but he was still annoyed at the weakness of this vendor. How could he just give in to the Clones like that?

The Clones thanked the man and moved on to gather more information. Rex tapped Pieter on the shoulder and motioned behind him. There was a dark alley that led into the next street over. The pair ducked down it, hands on their weapons just in case. They ran quickly back to the apartment, wary of followers.

When Pieter finished his retelling, Ferus shared a glance with Obi Wan. Then Ferus turned back to the three in front of him.

"The Emperor is only a day away from Coruscant. Anakin and Padme are still with him but we still can't find Luke and Leia. The fact that we've been found out will be a setback but something we can work with. After all, they don't actually know how many of us there are."

Ferus' mind was working overtime. There were so many variables about what they knew and what they didn't that he couldn't formulate a set plan for the situation. They knew the Emperor would be arriving soon, bringing with him Anakin and Padme, but they didn't know what had taken them so long to actually arrive. They also now knew that they had been discovered but the enemy was yet to find out where they were hiding and how many they were.

"Right, we're going to have to play this by ear," he said finally. "Everyone will stay inside until the Emperor lands. Then we'll make our move."