Padme stood in the refresher unit of her Couriscant apartment, letting the warm water run down her. The water caressed her tan skin and soothed her. The day had been long, and she was glad that she was again at home. She was tired; all day arguing with different senators over different issues could make anyone tired.
Her soaked hair clung to her shoulders as the water ran down her back. Reaching out of the refresher she got a self-dry towel and wrapper it around herself. Only a little longer. She thought, but it feels so good.
Unknown to Padme, a tall figure entered her apartments. With the stealth of a highly trained assassin he slipped towards the light coming from where Padme showered. Nearing the refresher door he slipped inside. Walking up to the shower he got up on its side and looked down on the unknowing Senator.
"BOO!"
Padme nearly jumped out of her skin as the voice reverberated against the tile walls. Looking up she saw Anakin’s face, beaming a bright smile. "Why’d you do that?" Padme asked, still trying to get her heart to slow down to it’s usual pace. "You scared me! I didn’t think you’d be here until next week."
Anakin shook his head, "Obi-Wan let me come early."
Padme laughed, still gathering her senses, "Okay, thank-you for scaring me. Now get out so I can get dressed."
Anakin’s smile broadened, "Why? I’m your husband."
"Because I’m your wife!" Padme said, splashing water at him.
Anakin tried to keep the water out of his eyes and held up his arms to shield off the assault, and in doing so lost his balance. Slipping on the wet tile he was thrown toward the hard floor.
"Anakin!" Padme cried, pulling away the curtain, expecting to see the Jedi on the floor. Only instead she saw him hovering about three feet above it.
Putting his hands leisurely behind his head he yawned. "Why do you worry so much?" he asked, still hovering above the floor.
Padme laughed, "Because I’ve got a rascal Jedi for a husband!" she answered. "Now, get out!"
Anakin looked around the apartment. Every time he came home, he felt like it had changed. One of Padme’s small hobbies was to change everything’s color. The last time he’d been there everything had been a light blue, but now everything was a tan. From the color of the walls to the window curtains, everything was tan. Walking through the rooms he felt out of place, like a family member who hadn’t visited for a year.
Absently, he entered the bedroom. The large windows were open, letting in the cool air of Couriscant’s night. He left the lights off, and let the dim glow of the city filter in through the curtains, which moved in the breeze.
Looking around he saw the unmade bed sitting in the corner. That’s Padme.he thought, She never did like droids too much. Walking over to the bed he laid down. It was unbelievably soft.Padme was everywhere. He felt her imprint on the bed’s mattress, and he smelled the scent of her perfume on the covers. This lulled him, and suddenly the stress, and physical strain from his last mission caught up to him and he laid his head down on the pillows. In seconds he was sleeping peacefully.
Padme dried her hair and slipped on her loose lounging shirt and pants. He would probably be hungry, so she should probably cook something. Although she wasn’t talented in mixing foods together, he said he liked it. Glancing in the mirror she smiled. He was just being nice though, she thought. Just like you Anakin. Catch me when I’m not ready. She had been deeply involved diplomatic affairs, and hadn’t taken the time to even make her bed this morning.
Walking out of the bathroom, she half expected that he’d jump out at her again, but he didn’t. When he was in a good mood he liked to play those silly games. Despite herself, she actually liked them because he made her laugh so hard.
"Anakin?" she called out softly as she walked through the rooms- and trying to tidy them as she went.
Finally she got to the bedroom and saw him fast asleep on the bed. His boots touched the boards at the end of the bed, and he still wore his lightsaber. Oh Anakin. she thought. They work you too hard.
Walking up to the sleeping Jedi she took his lightsaber from his belt and gently placed it on the bedside table. The sleek silver weapon felt smooth and cool in her hands. It was Anakin’s identity, and the weapon of a Jedi Knight.
Again she turned to the young Jedi Knight. His chest rose and fell in a silent sleep, and his eyes were closed. Quietly she crawled up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder.
He felt the slight and opened his eyes. "Hi." he said quietly, wrapping and arm around her. How he wished he woke up more often like this.
"Hi." she replied. "I missed you."
Anakin sighed, "you wouldn’t believe how much I missed you." he said.
She nodded. Every time he came back from a mission she could tell the difference in him. Every time he came back she saw the tiny fragments of the boy she had known on Tattoine disappear. This last mission must have been hard though. Although he hardly ever told her about them she sometimes asked Obi-Wan, who answered her questions. Many times his answers worried her, but Obi-Wan only told her about the last mission, not the one they were going off to do next. She could feel his ribs through the Jedi tunic; even the fine muscle! couldn’t hide them. She could also smell the slight scent of medicine, which usually accompanied bacta. Padme pulled him closer, not wishing to ask herself why he had been without food and needing medical attention.
"I saw Palpatine today." Anakin said.
Padme sat up, but let her face poise about three inches away from his.
"I need you to stay away from him." She said sternly, her brown eyes serious.
At first he was surprised, "What?"
Now her padme’s took on a pleading look, "Anakin, please! Promise me you’ll stay away from him."
Now he was concerned. Padme was a senator...was it possible that Palpatine had bothered her when he was away? The thought made him shiver. If he found out if that particular assumption was true, not even the Republic and all it’s systems could keep him from carrying out a severe punishment on the chancellor. However, all she was asking was that he stayed away from Palpatine. Why?
Still her face was above his, framed in her soft dark brown hair.
"What happened?" he asked.
She shook her head violently, "Promise!"
Anakin nodded, "I promise." he said quietly.
Padme sighed, her warm breath caressing his face and neck. He didn’t need to know did he? she asked herself. It might worry him.
The past few nights she had been having the most horrible nightmares. They were dark, and dreadful, full of death and destruction. And always there was Palpatine, although not the man she knew. He was evil, and laughing. Last night Anakin had been in her dreams, and he had fought Palpatine, but Palpatine had used horrible blue lightning. She could still hear the bloodcurdling shrieks of the lightning along with Anakin’s screams. In that dream he’d been alone, and that was just like him. He’d blindly go into battle, acting on instinct alone, without using his head. That was one of his weaknesses. But she had warned him...and he had never broken a promise he’d made her.
Anakin could tell she was upset, and ran his hand through her hair. She laid her head down on his chest, trying to forget her nightmares.
"I have to go in two hours." he said, sorry to break the silence.
She picked up her head to again look down into his crystal-blue eyes. With a slender finger she traced the curves of his mouth. "It doesn’t matter," she whispered. Closing the small distance between them she kissed him.
Later
Again Anakin slept. His heartbeat and breathing sounded loud in her ears. His arms were still around her waist, and his breath brushed against her. My protector. she thought, smiling inwardly. Moving just a little closer she closed her eyes. Suddenly a poem she remembered a poem she had to memorize when she was young. At that time she didn’t understand, but now she did.
It went:
When the sky is red,
When the stars fall from the sky,
Only you can save me.
So stay close I pray,
Please never leave me.
You are the only one,
My heart and soul are in your hands,
Together we can create worlds.
So,
When the sky is red,
When the stars fall from the sky,
Stay close I pray,
Please never leave me.
Soon Padme slept. They were in total bliss, the windows were open and a cool breeze washed over them. For now everything was right, everything was peaceful.
By the time Padme would wake Anakin would have gone to the council. But he’d be back. He’d always come back for her.
The End
DISCLAIMER: yeah, yeah, yeah... All I got from writing this story was an asleep foot from sitting in a chair wrong. I don’t own N.E. thing.