Accismus⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.• Anakin Skywalker⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.•

68.

The drive to Padme's apartment was tense. Sol had made sure that she was in the driver's seat this time and Anakin didn't make an attempt to force his way behind the controls. With her already in the seat, Anakin slipped in beside her and gave Sol a strained smile. Sol didn't make a comment, even though she wanted to try and diffuse the atmosphere, and pulled the speeder out of their secret meetup point in the city.

Sol parked the yellow speeder on the platform attached to the balcony and the two headed through the living space. At their arrival, the doors opened to reveal C3-PO, who had been sent by Padme to ensure the two Jedi made it to the apartment.

'Good evening, Master Ani and Madam Sol,' C3-PO bent his torso to take a bow. 'I hope you are well. Would you like me to bring some supper from the kitchens?'

'No, thank you, Threepio.'

The gold droid stepped aside as Anakin headed into the bedroom with a short glance to his right. C3-PO let out an 'oh' at his master's dismissal and his stiff joints hissed as he headed towards the hall that would lead back to the main part of Padme's apartment. He would alert the senator that the Jedi had arrived but would note that they seemed unwilling to talk or to join her for a meal.

Sol waited patiently in the living space of the balcony. She knew that another rant was brewing from Anakin, and he would walk back out from the bedroom to settle his racing mind. When she heard the bathroom door open and close, Sol took the moment to do some light meditating. After the Council meeting and learning that their secret had been found out by Obi-wan, Sol needed to be in touch with the Force.

As the sun set over the city, Sol sat on the sofa with her hands resting on her knees. She closed her eyes and saw the Force's realm that was lit with the signatures of every living thing around her. With Padme's penthouse apartment being so high, there were a limited amount of Force signatures that Sol could see. She preferred this, as feeling multiple signatures with all their emotions at the same time could have the opposite effect of meditation.

Padme's pink hue was simmering in the living space as she waited for C3-PO to arrive in the elevator with her dinner, and Sol sensed the stress in the senator. The vote for executive powers to be with the Chancellor was causing chaos in the Senate, and Padme was feeling the full force of her advisors' constant discussions on the decision. Sol could feel the troubled mind of Padme radiating through the Force, and she hoped that she had been sleeping well despite her stress.

Captain Typho and Dorme were in their own apartments in the building just below the penthouse. They were stationed there while Padme was on Coruscant, and their signatures were faint, but present enough to be at the senator's protection.

And the last person that Sol could sense in the Force was Anakin. His orange flame was the strongest signature Sol had ever felt in the Force, and it used to be Sol's sanctuary. The warmth of his presence would calm her nerves and made her addicted to being in Anakin's radius. But recently, all Sol could see were the edges of red that she swore were crawling towards his signature's orange middle. It scared her, and she feared that whenever she looked into the Force, she would see that the warm orange would be a flaming red.

Sol's eyes opened and she pulled her mind out of the Force; now feeling relaxed and capable of talking civilly with Anakin. The balcony was bathed in the shadow of the city's buildings and the sun was on its last glow before it would welcome the night. She heard the opening of the bathroom door from within the bedroom and she turned to see Anakin appear in the doorway.

She waited for him to descend down to the living space from the sofa. His eyes were on the ground when he dropped himself on the same sofa, and his added weight made Sol shuffle to keep her position on the cushion. While Anakin hesitated to speak and was yet to look Sol's way, Sol reached out and put her hand on his covered arm. She felt the black leather that covered the robotic muscles, and she thought about the silver limb that was concealed underneath.