A/N: I've always wanted to see Anakin and Padmé's relationship through other POVs within the SW universe, but by far and away, the one that fascinates me the most is Dormé's. Here's the first in a series of "one-shot" vignettes that hopefully helps me explore this character as much as maybe it entertains you. I have some other segments already in progress, but if anyone has any specific requests or scenes/scenarios they want to see from her POV too, I'd love to hear them! Intention is to stay canon compliant though I will say canon now extends widely in my mind to the Disney-verse, Legends, and even EU eras.

This installment is inspired by Karen Miller's Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth. There's a short section in Chapter 8 where Anakin reflects on Padmé's reluctance to move into a higher security complex, before she ultimately gives in when he pleads with her to do it for his peace of mind.

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. :D

residence

502 Republica isn't nearly as ostentatious as the 500 building, but it isn't shy about showing off that it belongs to one of the most prestigious and luxurious residential districts of Coruscant. The penthouse apartment is larger than her lady's current residence, offering a spacious open-air veranda with an attached private landing dock, a wing for staff quarters, and a decadent master retreat with en suite bath.

Dormé can't wait to see it all in person.

Glancing to her left, she can see that Anakin shares her enthusiasm for the complex, though his wife wears a petulant frown on her face. Captain Typho is as poised and stone-faced as ever.

When the turbolift stops its ascent and opens into the small foyer complete with a guard post, Padmé frowns even more.

"Is this really even necessary?" she asks, gesturing to the expanse before her.

"Milady, the Queen and the Chancellor feel the added security offered by 502 Republica is essential considering recent intelligence reports," Captain Typho explains patiently.

"If you're so against this," Anakin says, "you shouldn't have made yourself such a Separatist priority." Padmé's scowl only makes Anakin smile wider.

Dormé contains a wry smile of her own. She knows Anakin has already discussed this at length with Padmé. It had been a little hard not to overhear his impassioned pleas with his wife to "Just take a look."

"Or were you asking about the guard post?" Anakin quips, gesturing with his gloved hand as he walks past into the formal living room. He throws the little entourage a wink over his shoulder. "It's not likely to be filled most of the time anyway."

Padmé rolls her eyes at her husband's back, and Dormé sees her bite back a no-doubt quick-witted retort. Her close friend and mistress calmly, but resolutely strides forward into the apartment to follow the Jedi, and thankfully does not hear Captain Typho's uncharacteristic joke add into the fray.

"He's not entirely wrong about that," Typho says, a barely suppressed smile on his face. "I still think it's a sin she continues to pay me for all the nights we go dark."

Dormé grins knowingly. "Going dark" was the signal Naboo's Senatorial Security staff used when a certain Jedi was on duty in the Senator's private residence. At first, it had made them all a little uneasy – Dormé included if she was being honest – to turn off the multitude of cameras and recording devices that were instrumental to the ongoing security of a well-known Galactic Senator. But who was going to argue that a surveillance system was needed to protect Senator Amidala when a Jedi Knight was sleeping right next to her?

Gods help whoever thinks to try another assassination attempt whenever Anakin is home.

Dormé shudders, purging the thought from her mind and joining the small group on their private tour.

The foyer leads into a living room laid out very similarly to the Senator's current residence, and Dormé sees her best friend relax a little, welcoming the familiarity. She watches Padmé watch Anakin flop onto the couch and stare up into the open glass ceilings.

"Is that two-way transparisteel?" he asks. Both the Jedi and the Senator flinch a little at the thought of who might be able to watch them.

"It says two-way clari-crystalline with dimming capability for increased privacy," Dormé explains, scrolling quickly through her datapad. "The dimmer switches are located at the foyer entrance and the back hallway."

Captain Typho adjusts the switch closest to him, and nothing seems to happen. But just as Anakin sits up to scrutinize whether any actual change occurred, an electronic voice speaks.

"Enhanced privacy level five."

"Well let's go see what enhanced privacy level five looks like, shall we?" Anakin says, smiling wickedly at Padmé as he walks out onto the adjacent veranda.

"Anakin."

Padmé's admonishment is so quiet, Dormé almost doesn't hear it, but she didn't miss the sudden flush blooming across the Senator's skin.

Enhanced privacy level five is deemed to be sufficient shielding from wandering eyes as they stand out on the adjacent veranda. The expansive windows they could still see through while inside are now tinted against the warm Coruscanti sun. Outwardly, no one could see anything unless pressed firmly to the clari-crystalline.

Padmé nods her approval, but Anakin frowns and looks to Captain Typho.

"Shoot at it," he commands.

Hearing the authority in the Jedi's voice, Captain Typho immediately raises his blaster at the nearest window.

"We can't just fire on this apartment," Padmé exclaims, moving to step in front of the blaster. Dormé watches Anakin barely refrain from pulling her out of the blaster's range, his fingers twitching at his side. "It's not even ours yet!"

"We can, Senator," Typho says, taking aim over her shoulder. "Because we need to know what grade clari-crystalline this is."

He fires before Padmé can protest further. The bolt sizzles through the air and strikes the window's expanse where it pings loudly before dissolving into the material, almost like a drop of water disappearing beneath the surface of a lake.

"That'll do."

Anakin nods, his expression genuinely impressed until it falters when he takes in his wife's

"May we have a minute?"

Though her words are directed at her handmaiden and her captain, Padmé's eyes never once leave Anakin's. Chocolate sears into cobalt with barely bridled fury; to his credit, Anakin doesn't seem inclined to lose this staredown.

Quick to offer an acknowledging nod, Dormé tucks the datapad under her arm and follows a rapidly retreating Captain Typho to the previously vacated living space. The silence of the room isn't awkward between them, only in the fact that they both try and fail over the next few minutes to not eavesdrop on or see the ensuing argument between their employer and her husband.

While she can't pretend she doesn't occasionally catch glimpses of the heated discussion between Anakin and Padmé – both are still quite visible from this side of the glass despite the enhanced setting still in effect—Dormé does note that the clari-crystalline makes good on its promise of privacy in more than just visual shielding. Later, she promises to tell Padmé that she can personally vouch for its sound-proofing capabilities as well.

And Dormé can tell already that she will indeed be overseeing the move to the residence they all are currently standing in. Even if Padmé hasn't officially signed the bill of sale yet, from the glances Dormé has pointedly tried to avoid seeing, she can see that the decision has been made.

Fury and stubbornness have softened to tender touches and intimate stares. When Anakin steps forward to gently take Padmé's face between his hands, Dormé knows she should avert her own eyes. Without reluctance, Padmé's fingers curl around her husband's wrists. Chocolate no longer tries to bore into cobalt, rather cobalt seems to be melting chocolate now instead.

Dormé doesn't wish for more voyeuristic opportunity, but she does find herself watching Padmé's and Anakin's lips for any indication to confirm her suspected conclusion. Not for the first time and certainly not for the last, they fail to offer any verbal clues, instead using an intrinsically silent communication all of their own to finalize the terms and conditions of their bargain.

Eventually, Padmé nods, her face still lovingly held in Anakin's hands. When he beams at her capitulation, it brings an unbidden smile to even Dormé's face. Finally, tearing her gaze away, she turns to see if Typho knows too of all that has transpired in the few minutes they have waited.

The captain of security has made his own version of "going dark" for the time being a reality by staring unblinkingly at the toes of his polished boots.

Gently, Dormé nudges him with her elbow to re-activate his professional status.

"Better pack your bags, Captain," Dormé says, the smile still evident across her lips.