Intruder

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Padmé opened the bedroom door several hours later to an empty living room.

"Anakin," she called. She stepped down the stairs leading down to the living room. "Ani?"

The room remained dark and silent until the lights flickered in the kitchen.

"Very funny, Ani." She walked closer to the kitchen. "Look, I'm really sorry for earlier. Can you forgive me? And, I have something to tell you, too."

A strong breeze flowed through the balcony entryway and into the house. It was all the way open. She rubbed her arms of the cold and walked over to the balcony, pressing the button on the wall to close the glass over it. It slid down silently, and she walked up the three steps to the kitchen.

"Anakin, I'm not kidding. Can you come out?"

She felt an eerie silence, as suddenly she was swept off of her feet. She screamed, but it was muffled as a cloth was tied around her mouth. Padmé looked around frantically, and she felt breath traveling down the back of her neck. She heard a hissing sound and green, scaly skin next to her, and she knew right away: Bossk the bounty hunter.

The Republic forces hadn't yet arrested him. But they were looking for him.

Padmé sat in silence as the hissing continued.

"What a pretty little one. Wait until I get paid for you," Bossk hissed. "You're affiliated with that famous Jedi, aren't you? What a special girl. And the next to-be Chancellor of Coruscant! Not anymore, sweetie!"

He tugged at another cloth that had been tied around her throat, and she coughed harshly.

Bossk laughed, but Padmé could still hear what was going on outside of the apartment door. Laughing. And it was her favorite laugh: Anakin's.

Surprisingly, Bossk didn't hear it, because he was focusing on tying her hands together tightly.

Anakin unlocked the door and walked in, Leia and Luke coming in after him with ice cream cones in their hands.

Padmé fiercely bit the cloth and pulled it down. "Anakin!" she screamed from the balcony. "Anakin!" she screamed as loudly as she could. But he had already whipped his head around to look at her. He had heard her the first time, and he was coming to save her. The Hero with No Fear, the best military general, the strongest Jedi Knight was coming to save her.

Her husband was coming to save her.

Bossk pulled tighter at the cloth around her throat as she tried to scream again. "An-" she choked.

Anakin sprinted towards she and Bossk. His face expression was furious, but Padmé knew that deep inside he was worried.

He yelled as he slid out onto the balcony behind Bossk, slashing the blaster from hanging from his holster.

Bossk hissed and held the cloth tied around Padmé's neck, his one arm swiping at Anakin.

When Bossk brought his big, meaty claws down towards Anakin, Anakin swung his lightsaber and cut off his one arm at the shoulder.

Bossk screamed with pain, and Anakin ran towards him.

"Let go of my wife!" he bellowed, shoving his lightsaber deep into Bossk's chest. He caught Padmé when Bossk's one arm that was left dropped her.

Padmé laid in Anakin's arms coughing. Anakin tore the cloths in half that were around her neck and wrists, revealing a red ring around her neck.

Bossk's body slid off the edge of the balcony, and Anakin looked around to see why. It couldn't be the wind.

It was Luke Skywalker, eyes wild and hair everywhere.

He had kicked Bossk off the edge.

What a Luke type of thing to do.

"Luke! Leia! Come here!" Anakin said.

They ran over to him, nestled under both of his arms.

"I'm so glad you guys are all right."

"Mommy's not," Luke said.

"I am. I'm fine," said Padmé, sitting up.

The twins hugged her tightly, and she hugged them back.

"Anakin, I'm so sorry for earlier," Padmé said once she broke away from the twins.

"Oh, me too. If that's the last thing I said to you, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. What did you have to tell me?"

Padmé hesitated for a moment, deciding whether to tell him one of two things.

"Well. I was appointed to become the Supreme Chancellor!"

"What?"

"Yes! I was! Aren't you happy?"

"Yes! Yes, that's great! When is the election?"

"It's in five months from now."

Anakin embraced Padmé. "That's so awesome."

"Isn't it?"

The Skywalkers all sat on the balcony floor. Luke and Leia were playing hand games with each other, laughing. They were a very blessed family.

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