The moment the heavy statue swung into the face of the Senator's horrid nephew behind her, Padme heard the sickening squelch as the impact likely shattered his nose. Varlo jerked backwards with an agonised scream, throwing his hands over his face as blood poured everywhere, painting his face in a deep red flow. Excruciating howls poured from his panting mouth along with screaming expletives and threats she Senator knew he was in no position to follow through with any longer. Some small part of her wished to gloat or take the opportunity to kick the piece of scum while he was down for all the women he had hurt, but this was her chance, she had to take it!

Panting, Padme made it across the room while Varlo remained in a heap by the desk. His face would need serious and urgent medical attention before the night was over but she didn't care. So long as he ended up in prison where he belonged, that was all that mattered. She heard him groaning and spitting blood out onto the richly carpeted floor behind her as she reached the door receiver pad and slammed down upon its opening button.

She did it! The Senator thrilled in her freedom and escape from Varlo. She had been all alone, weaponless and hurt but she had still managed to get away before he could do as he wished. He had thought she would simply whimper and give in but Varlo Hedsard had grossly underestimated her fire and drive.

As the poor pulled itself open, Padme bolted out of the still widening gap and into something solid with such force that her still trembling body almost hurtled backwards as she tripped over the hem of her dress. She kept her footing only because a pair of large hands caught her wrists, tugging her forward before she could completely topple over. The sudden grasp sent off a blinding panic within the Senator and she screamed, tugging and battling with her newest captor holding her in place to free herself.

She wasn't going back in there – they couldn't make her! No! No, this wasn't happening!

"Hey – hey! Padme, calm down, it's me! Look at me!"

Wait a moment… that voice…

The fog of absolute terror lifted as recognition finally allowed her wide eyes to take in the sight before her. "A – Anakin?" She whispered, letting her arms fall limp in his grasp. The Prince stood there, his navy suit so pristine and unrumpled compared to her own appearance which she was sure must have appeared hellish with her dress open and all but hanging off. Anakin looked down at her with deep concern shining in his wide, azure gaze.

But how…? How had he known she was here? Padme watched him leave the party long before Varlo's protocol droid manipulated her into coming all the way up here. Maybe she had gone unconscious after hitting her head on the desk and this was just some wonderful dream to distract her from the foul reality she was experiencing. She had certainly had worse dreams.

Tears pooled in her eyes before Padme could stop them and she felt her lip tremble as she tried to speak through the sudden pressure which clenched her throat shut. Instead of intelligible words, the Senator merely shook her head as a choked sob slipped out of her mouth and into the air between their bodies.

"Hey... hey, it's okay. I've got you," Anakin gathered her into his strong arms then, crushing her body against his in a tight embrace Padme had only ever dreamed of before. Another little sob tumbled out of her mouth as she grabbed at his jacket and pressed herself against the warm solidness of him. "I'm here, Padme," Anakin pressed his nose to her crown, "I'm not going anywhere."

Anakin could hardly believe this was happening… She was here, she was alive and alright… she was in his arms.

The soul-shaking relief he'd felt as the door had opened to reveal Padme rushing out had almost been enough to send him to the floor, his legs had felt so shaky. He hadn't been able to control himself, especially when the tears filled her eyes and she had whimpered that little cry. It had been impossible not to take her into his arms after that.

And Padme had thrown herself forward and clung to him. It was his every fantasy come true to feel her body against his and to breathe in the soft, sweet fragrance of her hair. Anakin felt the dampness of tears against his chest and something within him stiffened. Why was she crying? Her heartbeat pattered against him frantically but he was wholly distracted by the feeling of her in his grasp. He had never touched her beyond a polite kiss placed on her knuckles which had always thrilled him but having her pressed so fully against him? It was the most delectable sensation the Prince had ever known.

"I've got you," he heard himself murmur quiet words of comfort into her hair, "I'm here for you, Padme, I promise. I've got you."

She took a deep breath and then gave a long trembling sigh. Relief mingled with the stress. Anakin held her close and began moving his hand up and down her back. The feel of her flesh under his fingers surprised him but only momentarily as Padme pulled back to meet his eyes and there was no denying how his beath stuttered in response.

He entertained, for a sinfully tempting moment, the prospect of simply taking her far away from here, to the Hedsard's private living room or a guest room where he would have a serving droid would fetch her some water or tea to soothe her. Anakin wanted to kiss her eyelids, the tip of her dainty nose and her cheeks until there were no more tears wetting her skin. She would be safe there with him, where nothing would ever, ever, be allowed to harm her.

"Thank you, Anakin" she whispered, her big hazel eyes swimming in tears, pale cheeks streaked from the bleed of her make-up. Crying… Oh, that was right. She was crying… but why was she crying?

The thought was impossible to focus on when she looked at him like that.

The glimpses of desire he'd caught in her expression from time to time in their meetings or conversations after running into each other in the Senate that he had always half-hoped, half-feared would disappear, shone within her expression so clearly now. This situation, whatever it was Anakin had found her rushing out of, whatever he was getting her away from seemed to have shattered all of Padme's previous restraint. Her lips parted as her eyes traced his face. He had never had a woman – or anyone – look at him like this before. It was as if he was all she wanted in the whole galaxy in this moment...was him.

Deep in his mind, Anakin knew that all he had to do was whisk her away from this room and there would be no more dancing around it, no more fighting what they both seemed to want so badly… None of the problems he'd had seemed to matter anymore. The galaxy around him faded so that there was only Padme.

Clearing his throat thickly, the Prince broke the silence between them. "Are you…uh, are you alright?"

"Yes," she nodded, lifting a hand to wipe away some of the wetness staining her pale cheeks, "I am now."

"Force, Padme," nothing could stop him from cupping her soft, smooth cheek in his palm and it was electrifying. "I was so worried about you. You have no idea what was going through my head while I was looking for you."

Her hand came over his softly and she nuzzled her face father into his touch. Anakin felt breathless as he swept his thumb over her cheekbone. Was this real…? It felt like a dream. The Prince expected to be jerked out of this fantasy at any moment by Vader or Sabe announcing they'd arrived back at the hotel but the awakening never came.

But then... Anakin finally looked at her more closely. Her tears truly registered in his fogged brain for the first time as he took in more than her gorgeous eyes and the feel of her skin against his. He saw other things… disturbing things.

The swelling bruise and cut on her temple. The way her dress hung loose and had slipped down, revealing the beginning of the delicate lace bra she'd worn beneath. Padme seemed to notice the shift in his gaze and glanced down at herself before tugging her dress up, holding the material against her body awkwardly as his hand fell away from her face.

Something had happened to her… something that made his stomach churn in furious disgust.

Anakin felt all the joy her presence brought him drain away. The darkness her touch had sent reeling back within the forgotten parts of him came slivering out once more as he took in her rumpled hair and smeared make-up. All the rage from earlier doubled. Tripled. It burned within him, seething that someone would dare lay a hand upon her. Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! It chanted inside his brain.

"Padme," his voice felt tight with restraint, "go downstairs and find your staff. I'll handle this." He carefully grasped her upper arm and tugged her out of the doorway so that he could storm inside and deal with Varlo Hedsard once and for all.

"What?" She frowned at him, reaching out to grab at his sleeve, halting Anakin's movements, "No! Anakin, no! You don't need to do anything, I dealt with it. Come with me and let the proper authorities deal with it."

Ignoring her desperate clutching, Anakin stepped into the room to find Varlo leaning against a wide desk, cupping his face and snivelling childishly. Blood seeped down his chin and stained his naked chest. His shirt was off… why was his shirt off? Whatever rage he had felt before amplified as the scum before him let his hand fall away and rolled his reddened eyes, as if Anakin was merely an inconvenience and not one moment from breaking his neck.

"Oh, fuck off!" The Senator's nephew hissed and turned his back, "She's not worth the effort! You can have her!"

What kind of man would he be if he let that go unanswered?

"You disgusting piece of trash," Anakin heard himself speak. When Varlo gingerly wiped his nose with his forearm, smearing blood and snot over his skin, he even had the audacity to glare. His nose was squashed and flattened. Bruises from earlier had begun to circle his eyes and a fresh bloom was building on his jaw, all Padme's handiwork, he assumed. "What the hell were you thinking going after a high-ranking politician from my father's Senate after she turned you down? Were you worried you wouldn't be thrown in jail fast enough for beating your girlfriend?"

Varlo flashed a bloody smile then. "The fact she's a delectable little piece of ass I just had to take for a ride isn't answer enough? I know you understand, it's obvious how you simper over her."

He laughed. Anakin was angry but he wasn't stupid, he knew bait when he saw it. Hedsard was trying to goad him…

Kill him! Strangle him! Make him scream! The darkness roared again and again.

Well, the thought was certainly tempting… Anakin thought of Padme's open dress and the cut on her head. The way she had trembled and wept in his arms. Whatever this bastard had done to her, he was going to pay for it. He would make sure that Varlo thought twice before lifting his filthy hands to another woman ever again! As the Prince stormed forward, the other man swung for him, grunting with the effort but Anakin dodged the blow easily. This wasn't someone trained in fighting or battle tactics. It was going to be woefully easy to take him down.

Without stopping, he struck the Senator's nephew right in his stomach, hard, sending him flying to the floor with a stunted cry. Varlo wheezed, gagging down vomit as he coughed and tried to catch his breath. We're not done yet, Anakin thought. Grabbing him by his red hair, the Prince forced Padme's assailant to meet his raging gaze, even as the other man groaned in protest. "You touched her against her will! You don't deserve to be alive!" He hissed.

Varlo glared and swiped a weak fist at him which Anakin easily knocked away. It had been quite some time since he'd gotten his hands properly dirty in a fight, usually, it was done with his lightsaber these days. He rarely used his fists anymore but Hedsard deserved to feel every blow coming his way. He wanted this to last.

Anakin lunged at Varlo. He knew what the royal power of the force granted him, he knew he could summon great strengths and speed other beings couldn't begin to imagine. Perhaps it was an unfair advantage to use right now but so long as it meant he left Hedsard in a whimpering heap at the end of it, he didn't care. Of course, it would be easier to simply deliver a hard jab into the man's already broken nose, delivering untold pain and then walk away with Padme.

But that wouldn't be enough…

He kicked Varlo hard and then before the man could suck a single breath into his heaving lungs, Anakin stomped him to the ground. He did it again and then again and again. Each drop of his foot was harder than the last.

Hedsard wheezed and gave a high, strangled cry as the Prince pounded him into the floor as if the effort was nothing. Suddenly, Anakin felt a spatter on his cheek, warm and wet and undoubtedly blood. He didn't care. It didn't stop him. This is what the bastard deserved! He'd lifted his hands to Padme! He'd hurt her! He made her cry! He deserved nothing but death!

Despite his frantic, vengeful thoughts, Anakin's mind was calm and collected. Beating Varlo Hedsard felt natural, like following his most base instincts. He felt the ghost hand of his father guiding him, goading him on, praising him for finally embracing the power of the dark side as Sidious had always wanted him to. He saw the exact damage he wished to inflict in his mind's eye and followed through, even as the Senator's nephew's pained groans and cries began to quieten.

"You're sick," Anakin roared at the bloodied lump on the ground before him, "you treated her like nothing!" He was going to hurt her in some petty form of revenge or control over her. Varlo was going to cause near irreparable damage to the woman Anakin loved… that was a lethal mistake.

The beast's face had collapsed into a swollen, shapeless form wearing a mask of blood. His eyelids would take days if not weeks to reopen and Anakin spotted two teeth laying a few inches from Varlo's mouth. Good, he thought, I hope it hurts worse than you've ever known.

It felt so damn good to protect Padme. To avenge her after the treatment this bastard had given her. Anakin couldn't help himself, the job was done and yet he began landing blow after blow upon Varlo once more. If he wasn't careful, he'd knock the life out of the Senator's nephew with just a few more hits. Would it be such a bad thing? Wouldn't the galaxy be better without this piece of scum in it? Yes, the hissing voice within him cheered, yes! Do it! Do it!

"Stop! Stop it now!" Something tugged at him, forcing Anakin back a step or two so that Varlo was no longer within reach or kicking distance. His ears rung, blocking out any further noise as he shrugged off whatever obstacle kept him from his prey but it persisted, trying desperately, even in vain, to hold him back from truly finishing Hedsard once and for all. "Stop it! Stop! Anakin, please! You're going to kill him! Stop this now! Come back!"

He whirled around to the source of the shrieking faster than he intended, knocking into whatever it was that had been grabbing at him and sending it tumbling to the floor. After a moment, Anakin's vision cleared and his blood stopped pounding enough to understand what he saw. Padme lay before him, gasping at whatever murderous expression painted his face.

But worse, she held up her arm, flinching away as he'd turned to her in a protective gesture against him. Him, not Varlo. Him. She had thought he was going to hit her, that he could ever raise a hand to her. Never! Anakin would never hurt her, ever! He loved her, she was the light of his life even from afar. The angel he dreamed of night after night. The very thought that she believed that he might…

Anakin looked down at his hands, chest heaving raggedly. Blood coated his palms and knuckles. It stained his shirt and jacket. His boots were soaked with it. He knew it was on his face too… Force, he had to look like a monster.

"Padme…" He whispered, eyes widening as her arm slowly began to lower and she reluctantly peered at him. There was no desire or warmth or affection in those eyes now. Only fear. He'd scared her… he had become the beast his father always wanted and it revolted her. He'd turned her against him probably forever. "Padme, no…" His throat was so dry. The horror on her face killed him. "I – no, I would never hurt you… I promise I would never…"

If it had to be said, it was probably already too late...

Two tears slipped onto her cheeks as the door slid open once again for several guards in Nubian uniform rushed into the room brandishing gleaming silver blasters. There were gasps and horrified murmurings. Probably some questions too but Anakin didn't register any of them. Behind him, he heard Varlo's frail wheeze. He sensed the man's weak life force. Distantly, he heard someone call for police involvement.

He watched as two of the guards carefully helped Padme to her feet and led her out of the room. She didn't look back. Anakin wanted nothing more than to follow after her, to explain, but the remaining guards shut the door behind her and blocked it with their bodies. They each faced him with harsh glares as the third inspected Varlo. Nobody asked any more questions. Maybe Dorme and Typho had already explained…

"I…" Anakin swallowed thickly, "I need to speak with my brother. Someone bring him here."

Nobody seemed to listen.

At some point, he was led into another bedroom, far smaller and simpler and all the way at the very bottom of the estate. Probably some staffing quarters, he thought. Two of Senator Hedsard's private guards stood silently by the door, blasters in hand lest he try something which seemed ridiculous to him. If he wanted to get out, they couldn't stop him no matter what weapons they had.

Still, the Prince waited and waited for his twin. Vader would get to the bottom of this one way or another… Though Anakin wouldn't be surprised to find himself incarcerated by morning. Nobody, not even royalty could get away with beating someone like that, even under the circumstances of tonight. He sighed, burying his face in his filthy hands from where he'd sat on the edge of the bed. Vader was going to kill him for this. They'd worked so hard and sacrificed so much waiting for their father to finally get out of their way only for this to happen.

The law was the law, Anakin was likely going to lose his titles and claim to the throne. Not even Vader would be able to reinstate him once he reigned, the public would never stand for it. He sighed again. As gut-wrenchingly terrible as scaring Padme had been, disappointing his brother was going to destroy him. They were all each other had in the galaxy. They were the two sons of Skywalker. Inseparable since birth! After their mother died in childbirth, the only love either brother had ever known was from the other, and now he had utterly and completely let Vader down.

A moment later, the door slid open and Anakin watched as a guardian police droid offer strode into the room. Its yellow bulbed eyes looked at the Prince without emotion and its tinny, blue-grey plating creaked slightly with every movement. In one hand, the specialised blaster created for law enforcement droids waited for any sudden action on his part, ready to send a searing but not lethal stun into his skin to render him unconscious if need be and in the other, it carried a datapad.

"Where is my brother?" Anakin asked before the droid could speak, "I asked for him hours ago."

Disregarding his question, the droid straightened itself. "Prince Anakin Skywalker, it is my duty to render you under arrest. Your actions this evening cannot be condoned under the Imperial laws of his majesty, Emperor Sidious Skywalker. You and Senator Padme Amidala Naberrie will be detained – "

"Woah, woah, wait a second!" Anakin threw himself from the bed and rushed toward the droid. Everyone in the room readied their weapons at once and had he not been completely overwhelmed with shock, he might have rolled his eyes at them. This didn't make any sense! Why the hell would Padme be detained along with him? She was the victim here, not Varlo Hedsard! What had the scum told them? "Why would Padme be arrested? Varlo attacked her!"

The droid stared on blankly. "From my findings at the crime scene and close observation of security cams, it seems that Senator Amidala intended to engage sexually with Varlo Hedsard. They spent the evening dancing together dancing and speaking privately. It was his personal protocol droid which led her to Varlo's rooms and she followed willingly – "

"Because he told it to deliver a message from me! He was lying! She would never have gone up there if she'd known Varlo was waiting." Anakin cried but the droid took no notice.

"Furthermore, it is being suggested that you came across the couple and fell into something of a jealous rage which the Senator now attempts to hide – "

"This is madness!" Anakin shook his head, "None of this is right! Yes, I hurt Hedsard, I admit that – but Padme had nothing to do with that. She tried to pull me away. You have to understand, she would never hurt anyone! He assaulted her! Haven't you seen the cut on her head? That was Varlo! Have you even talked to her? Look," he took a calming breath as the panic began to grow beyond control, "I understand I let my anger get the best of me. I know what I did was wrong, I do. Assaulting someone is never the right option, but this guy has other accusations against him. Isn't he about to be arrested for assaulting a woman? For the sake of the force, think about it!"

"There will be no arrest of Varlo Hedsard," the police droid said flatly as it lifted the datapad in its mechanical hand to re-open whatever report was loaded upon the bright screen.

"What?" Anakin blinked, "That can't be right… How is that possible?" After everything Varlo had done, he was going to walk away from tonight without consequences? Just because Anakin had lost his control and gone too far? How was it possible? It didn't make any sense!

"Varlo Hedsard is dead. And you, Prince Anakin, are to be tried for murder."