sModern AU. Padmé is a lawyer who works for Senator John Kerry in Washington DC . Anakin is a doctor, gynecologist, came just from Germany and works in Johns Hopkins Clinic in Baltimore. They meet by chance in Washington DC. The acquaintance begins with a disaster.
I don't own Star Wars, Anakin, Padme or any other characters, unfortunately
Rated with M.… George Lukas didn't give us enough of it ;-)
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A / N : All charecters, names, actions and processes in this story are fictitious and have nothing to do with reality. Should there be a resemblance, it is pure coincidence.
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Don't do it , Chapter 8
London 2010
The pathology released the body after three days. Cliegg engaged an funeral director and the burial itself took place at the City of London Cemetery on Friday. At first Shmi was layingin a closed casket in the chapel of the cemetery in a sea of flowers.
Anakin weared the black suit and coat and Padmé also weared all black, dress, coat, shoes, bag and a black pillbox hat with a small veil.
Owen and his wife Beru were come, many of Shmi's colleagues were there, some friends. Before they gathered at the dug grave, Anakin noticed a crowd of police officers, some in uniform and carrying heavy weapons. None other than Jonathan Evans got out of a large dark armored limousine. The Lars family, Anakin and Padmé stood next to each other. Evans walked past everyone, shook hands and offered condolences. He stopped at Anakin.
"My sincere condolences. Shmi was my good friend. We will all miss her. Nobody will be able to replace her."
"Thanks. Why couldn't you protect her?"
"She insisted on working as she saw fit. I did for her all I could."
Padmé didn't like the last sentence. But if she thought about it better, what was logical is that none of the terrorist organizations took revenge. The task of such groups is to eliminate those who know how to actively prevent their goals. Taking revenge would be a waste of resources. That meant Anakin was safe in the US and anyway, he wasn't of any interest anymore, they wouldn't get anywhere with his death.
Everyone threw a shovel of dirt on the lowered casket, Anakin another rose for his dear mother. Padmé thought of her own mother. How awful it must feel when your mother, who wasn't that old yet, is snatched away from you like that. It's bad when the disease makes you die, but losing your mother like that...The day will come when she will bury her parents too, hopefully not so soon.
After the funeral there was a little something to eat and coffee for the closest friends and family at home. Evant was there too. Anakin thought Cliegg must know him better than he mentioned. He decided to ask.
"Since you're here, I assume you knew my mother very well.."
"As a matter of fact. We studied at Bristol University together, we were close."
"How close?"
"I assume your stepfather told you. Shortly after graduation, your mother met your father. I ….."
"You never got over it?"
"I never married, well... my job has allowed to have your mother always close to me, to protect her..."
"Yes…. protect, and here we are..." Anakin said almost angrily. Evans said nothing.
Padmé came and stud on Anakin's side, wanted to listen the conversation.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Naberrie. So, you work for the government, for Senator John Kerry. Do you intend to move on with him when he becomes Secretary of State?" Evans said.
"Excuse me? How do you know he's going to be Secretary of State. I'm not aware of that." Padmé said
"I'm not MI6, I'm MI5 but we complement each other and cooperation with CIA and NSI and other agencies whose acronyms are not known, works really well."
"Then I won't be surprised by his decision and I still have time to think about it. Thank you for preparing me for this."
At that moment, Padmé was furious. This man knew everything about her: who she was, what she was, what she did, what she will or won't do...damn it. What right does he have to do that? Well, it's part of his job to know, it's in interest of his country. Did she go the right way?
What did she actually want, what did she want from life? She thought she wanted to live a normal life; a good payed job, yes, make a career, good friends around, someone who loves her, later a family…. What has she got out of all this so far, she's twenty-nine. OK. she has a good job, but it could get complicated. Job is well paid. She may have a career, but it will also be complicated. She has good friends. She also has someone who loves her, but it's someone who has a past, or rather, the past of his family will make her career even more complicated. Can she get involved with such a man to think about the future. No... the future with him has already begun, it's the present and what's even worse, she doesn't want to give him up, she loves him.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with small talk, how could it be otherwise, she didn't know anyone. She was introduced to everyone as a life partner. Was she? Wasn't she, or not yet she thought, or she will be…at all. As time passed, she became aware of the horror of Shmi Lars' murder. What if that's how she ends up being John Kerry's assistant? No, she has a baby in her belly, she wants to live.
When the last guest said goodbye, calm returned. The servants cleaned up, tomorrow everything will be brougth to a high gloss. She liked the Cliegg house. Anakin told her that his father owns the house, that he moved in there when his mother got married. She liked the interior of the house, it reminded her so much of her parents' home, only that this house was different in terms of the layout of the rooms. The house here wasn't that big either, after all it's in the middle of London, the houses here aren't as big as those in the country, London is the most expensive place in the world, this house costs Millons.
"It's a beautiful house, Cliegg. It reminds me of my parent's home in Boston. We're set up similarly, too." She said to break the silence.
"Yes. I inherited the house from my parents and also a country house in Kent and all that land too. I have no siblings. Everything I own, and that's a lot, will be divided between Owen and Anakin one day ."
"You treat Anakin like your own son?" she asked
"Yes, I love him as much as Owen. When I married his mother he was five. He was a beautiful child and smart and sweet. I fell in love with him straight away."
Cliegg described Anakin accurately, he's beautiful and smart and kind, he's just not a kid anymore. Will any of this change, right now he's broken. She looked around but Anakin wasn't there. She walked through the rooms on the ground floor and then she spotted him sitting outside on the steps leading to the garden behind the house.
"Anakin, what are you doing out here, it's cold, you're only wearing the suit."
"Padmé, I couldn't save her from death, I wasn't there, I couldn't protect her." He sobbed.
"Anakin, no one could, don't blame yourself. You see her close friend Event, who had so much opportunities, couldn't stop it."
"Yeah, he of all people... he dragged her into it. She loved him then back and he took advantage of it."
Padmé couldn't argue with that. Putting everything Cliegg said together, Anakin's conclusion is correct. She just hoped that Anakin wouldn't linger too much and too long in this deep grief because she needs him and will need him and the child does as well...and above all, they have to get out of here, it's still dangerous, no matter what they say or not.
"Anakin, I'm going to book tickets to Washington D.C. today. For tomorrow or the day after?"
"We're going to Kent tomorrow. Cliegg has a cottage near Canterbury. I want to show you and I have not visited it for a long time, there was no time. I spent a lot of time there as a kid...and...and I want to see it again, maybe I'll never come back."
She had the feeling that he wanted to say goodbye to everything, but no, it's not meant to be like that.
The next day they were already on the road with Cliegg's BMW. It was less than sixty miles. The weather was rainy, Padme wasn't surprised, and Anakin was used to it. Anakin turned somewhere before Canterbury, the road got narrower and narrower, then through a dence forest and another turn through one gate of stone . That was the way to the cottage, a dirt road lined with old trees, the end of the road invisible... and then a rondell in front of the entrance to the house. It was a large old stone building, the main house two storey, side wings only ground floor. The house seemed in perfect condition, the roof newly covered and white lattice windows glittered even without sun. The flower beds directly on the wall of the house had already been cut back and prepared for the winter. You could see right away that the house was well taken care of, even when the owners weren't there.
"A cottage, what? I must have found a wrong definition for cottage somewhere."
"In countryside here, everything is called cottage, either it's a manor house with a huge piece of land around it."
They got out of the car and the nice big door opened. The man, about forty, dressed like a butler, came out, bowed:
"Welcome home, My Lord."
"Thank you, James."
"Anakin...!?" Padme stopped
James had already got the bags out of the car and was carrying them inside.
"Yes, Angel?"
"He said My Lord to you."
"Yes, Lord is the correct form of address."
"What? You didn't tell me that you're extremely rich and have a nobility title!? That's not fair! I showed you and told you about everything we have, not yet the villa on Varykino….but, …..when were you going to tell me?"
"I didn't want a woman who wants me only because of my title, or if she thinks I have money."
"Not me! My family is wealthy, I don't need your money and your title...it doesn't impress me either."
"I know that and that's exactly what I appreciate... and now please come in or my little Lady in your belly will catch a cold."
"No, there is a little Lord in my belly." She smiled defiantly.
In the house, as expected, country style, nice and light, comfortable, warm.
"I could imagine living here, Anakin."
"No Padmé, we can't live here. We cannot expose our children to real danger. We may come back from time to time to spend a few days in this house, but we can not live here. I don't love this country anymore and the country doesn't love me either."
"…but children? Why are you sure that we..."
"I'm sure. We belong together, Padmé, I will never let you go."
"I love you My Lord."
He smiled.
"And I love you My Lady."
Padme and Anakin spent the whole afternoon taking a long walk around the house. Anakin showed her which land belongs to the Cliegg and Pasdmé couldn't be amazed enough. Of course she couldn't see everything, it stretched out over vast areas out of sight. They came home late in the afternoon, tired and cold. They showered to warm up and went downstairs to sit in front of the fireplace. They snuggled up to each other, threw a blanket over their legs and he told her everything she wanted to know about his title and nobility ancestors.
"Yes Angel, it's so natural for us, we don't brag about it. The Skywalkers belong to the old nobility. An ancestor of mine, Arthur Orion, son of the Major-General, was raised to Baron in the Peerage of United Kingdom. Arthur Orion Skywalker, Baron of Hoth. That was in the 18th century. Lord is just the salutation, the hierarchy is Baron, Viscount, Marquess, Earl and Duke….well, I'm a Baron, that counts to high nobility, but nothing special. More specifically, and officially after the deaths of my father and grandfather, I am The Right Honorable Anakin Alden Skywalker, Baron of Hoth. The whole history of my family is carefully recorded in the books that are at home in London, no need to take them with us."
"This is all impressive, Anakin, and I'd like to take the books with. I want to study that books, make my son aware of this story from an early age... and I'm interested too. I just can't understand why you didn't feel it was important to tell me."
"I told you why."
"It'll be funny when I tell my parents you didn't tell me you were a Lord."
"I don't think your mother will be surprised, she's been checking me in and out."
James walked in to, see the two in a tight embrace, an unfamiliar sight for the butler. Ladies and Lords are not usually so intimate in public, you can't see that, only hear it at night...but the young Lord has spent too much time on the continent, which may have affected his behavior negatively, James thought...and now this American . He is lost, he thought, but he remained professional, as usual.
"Dinner at eight, as usual, My Lord?"
"Yes, James...and for my...for Miss Naberrie nothing greasy and heavy, all well done."
"Very good, My Lord."
He should think his part about it. Anakin didn't care. Padme was embarrassed.
"Are you sick, problems?"
"Not really. I'm a little nauseous in the mornings, but I haven't thrown up until now. Hopefully it stays that way."
They changed for dinner as was customary and enjoyed the dinner specially prepared for them. Cucumber soup with fresh dill, lamb shank with mashed potatoes and green beans, and Charlotte Russe for dessert.
"The lamb shank well done for Miss Naberrie and for you as usual, My Lord."
"Thank you James. We stay here for two more days. Make sure that Mrs. Jacobs is in house, we have two guests for teatime tomorrow."
"Very good, My Lord." He left.
"You're so...snooty all of a sudden and he's so submissive."
"This is England, Padmé, nobility and its servants. As Lady Skywalker, you'll have to keep your distance too." He smiles.
"Firstly, it's not certain that I'll be Lady Skywalker, and secondly, I'm glad we're celebrating the Fourth of July." Padmé says, half serious and half joking, "...and who do you have as a guest?"
"We have guests, Padmé. There are two acquaintances who couldn't come to the funeral yesterday. They just want to offer their condolences, Lady Mary and Lady Margaret."
"Aha, and how old are….. the Ladies?"
"Twenty-seven and twenty-eight."
"Have you had them in bed yet?"
"Padme! Of course not…do I hear …jealousy?"
"It is just a question. I have to adapt if I have to be there as a competitor."
"You have no competition. You are the only one for me and I love you. Neither of the two can hold a candle to you. They are not as beautiful as you are, nor are they as highly educated and clever like you."
"Well, you're an excellent match. You are stunning, have a high education, you are a Lord and are filthy rich."
"Some of it may be true, but I'm not filthy rich, I just have a doctorate that I worked hard for and a title of peerage that I inherited." Anakin tried to explain.
"But then I heard something else from Cliegg."
"What Padmé, tell me, you obviously know more than I do."
"He told me that after his death, everything he owns will be split between you and Owen."
"He never told me that."
"Then I don't know why he told me that."
"Neither do I, maybe he wants to test you, but I won't ask him about it. Are you tired?"
"Yes. We'll go to bed and watch the news...or a movie."
"Very good, My Lady."
"Anakin, don't be kidding."
"You're going to have to get used to it." He smiles
They went upstairs, put on their pajamas, climbed into bed, leaned their backs against the headboard, and covered themselves. Anakin put one hand on Padmé's waist and with the other he stroked her belly, although nothing had shown yet, she was only two months pregnant.
"Have you thought about the names?"
"Not yet. I think there's still time before we know what the gender it is. Come, put your head on my shoulder, I want to comfort you."
He did, and then turned around a bit, started kissing her neck and unbuttoning her pajamas.
"Is that the kind of comfort you need?"
"Sorry My Lady."
They both liked to snuggle up to each other and fall asleep like that.
There wasn't much left of the night and then Padmé had to get up for the first time to throw up. Anakin woke up hearing her in the bathroom, got up and rushed to attend to her. He held her head and hair, said nothing, just held her.
"Thank you Anakin."
She rinsed her mouth and brushed her teeth. Anakin was behind her, stroking her, showing his support.
"I hope it won't start like this every day now. Are you still sick? Did you take the pills with you?"
"Yes, but I will try to do without. If I don't get better after breakfast, I'll take one."
"OK.. just have something light to eat, jam bread without butter and tea...and you little Lady in mommy's belly, behave yourself and don't cause so much problems." He stroked her belly "...I love you my Angel, we're standing through this, together."
Breakfast was plentiful, for Anakin, Padmé just ate a bite and lots of tea.
They later visited the neighboring town where Anakin wanted to see the manager. Cliegg asked him to do it, wanting to be sure everything was running smoothly at the cottage and at the horse stud farm he recently bought.
"Can you ride, Padmé?"
"No."
"One Lady must know how to ride. You must join the fox hunting."
"Stop it, Anakin. I'm not a Lady, nor do I want to kill animals."
He snorted. She's stubborn, he thought. He wanted her around but it was too early to propose marriage. They had only been together for about a month. He didn't want to be shipwrecked. If things continue as they are now, then she is the one, but he needed a little more time, he wanted to be sure despite the fact that a baby was on the way. Well, if it doesn't work out, he won't be the first father who doesn't live with his child. He was confident though, he loved her.
"Can you shoot clay pigeons?"
"No, but I would like to try that. My father is a sporting marksman. When he was young he competed in the championships. I've shot a revolver before."
"Great. We'll do that tomorrow morning before we head back to London. I'm also a good in shooting."
"What can we do together now? I'm not allowed to do anything. Will you do childbirth classes with me? Will you be present at the birth….as a father or as a doctor?"
"I'll do it. I'll see if I use colleague Rodgers or Wilson as your doctor. I'd rather be there as a father. Well, and now we have to go back, we'll have guests soon."
The two changed at home. Anakin was wearing a dark suit, after all, he was supposed to be accepting the condolences, and Padmé chose a simple charcoal gray dress with a matching jacket, the collar of which was trimmed with black. Only a gold brooch in the shape of a cat adorned the left side of her jacket. She wore decent make-up and her hair was pulled back into a braided chignon. Anakin's eyes darted up and down her, he was mesmerized.
"Angel, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen...if you only knew how I love you."
"Because I look like this?"
"No, because you are who you are. I hope our daughter will be like you."
"Anakin, I really have a feeling it's going to be a boy."
"I still want a daughter."
"Look Anakin, a boy will carry your name, he will be Lord Skywalker, you need an heir. A daughter is a Lady, but she cannot pass on the name and title."
"You're right, but we'll negotiate for a daughter later." He smiled, "...and now, our guests are in front of the door. Don't worry, English women are toxic but you're a lawyer, they're no match for you."
The butler brought the guests into the drawing room.
"Lady Margaret and Lady Mary."
Two pretty young women entered the room, both blonde, slightly taller than Padmé. Both wore dark, but not black, clothes, and the fascinators that are obligatory in England, which they didn't take off.
"Anakin darling, my sincere condolences..."
She wrapped both arms around Anakin's neck, Padme thought she was going to jump him on, or something.
"Sorry I couldn't make the funeral, I was in Manchester with Margaret."
"Thank you Mary. Nice that you could come now." Anakin said coolly and was glad as she released her arms from him.
Then came Lady Margaret along and did the same thing only more insistently...probably to demonstrate that Anakin was close to them.
"Thank you Margaret. I want to introduce you to Padmé Naberrie, the woman by my side."
Padmé reached out and greeted Lady Margaret.
"Nice to meet you." The same with Lady Mary
"Judging by the accent, you are not... from here?" asked Lady Margaret.
"Padmé is from Washington D.C." Anakin was faster.
"Oh! You are ….American? We all thought that Anakin would continue the tradition and marry one out of our circle." The expected snake bite
"Anakin isn't married yet...but could it be that he's looking for someone of his intellectual level?" now Padmé had to be scathing too.
"And what are you doing... Miss Naberrie?" asked Lady Mary
"I'm a lawyer, I work for the government."
"It must be exhausting..." Lady Mary said with a little insinuation
"Rather demanding, I'd say." Padm'e countered
Anakin stood and watched the women interaction, proud of Padmé handling those two snakes with ease and the funniest part, the two didn't even realize it. Then they twisted the subject, gossiping about their school days when they were all kids, gossip so Padme couldn't join in the conversation. Intention. And then they asked her what she thought about hearing all those stories, hoping Padmé couldn't say anything, but...
"Very interesting, indeed, and I have to say, I've never heard so many nice things about so many people, at once, in my life."
Anakin raised the teacup quickly to hide the laughter he could barely contain. His Padme. She was so smart and quick-witted, no wonder Senator Kerry was fascinated of her. And then all of a sudden he got serious, only marginally listening to the women's conversations...Senator Kerry, a powerful man...she worked with him every day and he was...well not exactly stunning but still handsome and extraordinarily charismatic, one or the other woman could get weak… but no, he was a lot older and Padmé wasn't... He was lost in unnecessarily jealous thoughts when two ladies wanted to say goodbye after one and half hour. Anakin was glad they intended to say goodbye. He felt the need to talk to Padmé... about Senator Kerry.
"Anakin darling, it was so nice to see you again..." Margaret kissed him and if he hadn't turned his head, the kiss would have landed on his mouth.
"Yes, and be back soon darling." And threw herself around his neck again "...we'll never forgive you, Miss Naberrie, for kidnapping Anakin. We might come over to fetch him back." So Lady Mary
"Save the time and money, believe me, the trip wouldn't be worth it." Padmé smiled.
Anakin escorted them into the main entrance hall, they were still giggling, being so pushy, Padmé thought, now that she's not there, the only thing missing is that they grab his crotch. He came back with a sigh.
"Thank God, they're gone. What did you say, you could imagine living here? That would mean socializing with such women… and men, when they want sex... are no less pushy, believe me. Did you eat a lot?"
"No, I just had a scone without clotted cream and tea and gotten funny glances. The two ate a lot, how are the dinners tolerated?"
"They're not pregnant." He smiled "...I've had too much of the cucumber sandwiches, we'll just have some of the steamed vegetables and maybe a small piece of meat for dinner." I'll tell James to prepare. Are you tired, do you want me to tell James to bring the food up to the room?"
"No. We stay here and wait for dinner. I would like to browse the library."
"My father has a lot of rare books, if that is interesting for you, and I'm going to brief James."
When Anakin came back, Padmé was on the ladder that ran along a rail along the bookshelves. Anakin was scared to death. If she fell down, she would lose the baby. He walked slowly towards the ladder without startling her, climbed up a rung and gently grabbed her by the waist, pulling her towards him and then down.
"Padmé, don't do that again. It's very easy to fall down there and then...you'd lose baby."
"Anakin, you're mothering me, and if I were considering all eventualities, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed. I think you're exaggerating."
"Maybe I'm overly sensitive at the moment, but these are real dangers. I just lost my mother and...and if I lost my child...and you, I couldn't survive that. please be careful."
She looked at him, he was upset, had very big eyes full of fear. She didn't want to frighten him any further.
"OK. I'll be careful, I promise."
He hugged her and held her so tight that it hurt her. It was only the fear that was being expressed, he didn't want to lose this child, he didn't want to lose her, he needed her. He stood there for a long time, holding her in his embrace, calming down. Then he kissed her.
"I love you."
"I love you too. Shall we stay down here after dinner or shall we go upstairs and see a movie?"
"Let's have a bite and go upstairs so you can make yourself comfortable."
Dinner was served for them in the dining room, always with fine china, crystal glasses and silver flatware. They ate steamed vegetables and some meat. Ice water with lemon and no dessert.
"Are you tired?" he asked.
"No, but you can make me tired."
"With pleasure."
The next morning was announced with nausea, luckily she didn't throw up, she had a good breakfast and then, as promised by Anakin, they went shooting clay pigeons. Anakin was good at it. During his student days, he always went shitting on clay pigeons somewhere near Heidelberg. He's always had at least nineteen of the twenty-five rounds. Padme wanted to try.
"Hold the gun tight or you'll turn black and blue."
She did what he told her and she got it, not everything but she was pleased with herself.
"It's my first time shooting and I've already hit ten."
"You are good. You could get that as a hobby."
That's exactly what she was thinking at the moment and resolved that when she gets back to Washington D.C. , she'll find out where there's a shooting range.
After lunch they packed their things and had James take them to the car. Anakin gave final instructions to be followed until Cliegg returns and then they were off towards London.
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Thank you for reading and stay true to me.
Best regards from Germany RNK