Clone Wars One Shots

Care

Padmè Amidala was anxiously waiting for her husband's arrival. He had been away for nearly 3 weeks fighting yet another battle in the outer rim. As a Senator, she wasn't able to get much information about the siege but she knew it was rough. No matter how occupied Padmé made herself, all she could think about was Anakin and whether or not he was okay.

Suddenly the door to her apartment opened and in walked, well limped, her husband. Padmé's eyes immediately drew to his figure. There was blood seeping through parts of his tunic and he was favoring his left side a lot. Not to mention the many cuts and bruises littering his handsome features.

Padmé ran up to Anakin. "Oh Ani, what happened?"

The Jedi stepped back a minute then encased her in a warm embrace. "I'm fine. The battle was a little rough, that's all."

Padmé Amidala knew what rough looked like, but this? This was more of a suicide mission. She ran a finger over a bloodied section of his tunic. "You're bleeding."

Anakin winced. "I'm f-fine." He said through gritted teeth, but she knew the Knight was far from fine.

"Why didn't you go to the healers?" She asked while slowly supporting him to the couch. "You need medical help."

"I hate going there. I slipped away while Healer Che was talking to Obi-Wan."

Padmè sighed. She loved her husband but sometimes he had trouble asking for help. "It's ok, Ani. Let me take a look."

"Ok, just please don't be worried. A lot of those cuts are old." Anakin said, slowly lowering himself on a couch and placing his head on top of an armrest.

Padmè wondered what he was talking about, but she nodded her head anyway. "Tell me if it hurts."

The Senator started taking off his bloodied tunic while also supporting his back. She spun around and placed the pile of clothes on the ground to be washed later.

Padmé turned back around gasping at the sight of his bare chest. Her eyes caught a huge scar running from the tip of his collarbone to the bottom of his rib cage, there were marks on the edges so it must have been stitched together. "Ani, what's that?" She asked, pointing to the long scar. "You never told me."

Her husband huffed, "it was from a while ago, I had to get chest surgery to remove some pieces of sharpenal." Anakin's glossy eyes met hers, "from an explosion."

The Senator sighed, and ran a finger down the scar. Padmè couldn't believe how many surgeries her husband has had, she wished the Council would stop putting him on the frontlines. "I'm sorry, love."

Anakin let out a slight groan as he sat up. He ran a thumb over her fingers before winding them together with his. "It's not your fault Padmè, it's war everyone gets hurt."

"I hate seeing you in pain." Padmé sniffled, "I want you to stay with me and be safe."

"Hey, hey, it's ok." Anakin grazed his thumb across her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere."

The Senator scoffed, "you better not."

Her husband laughed at her attempt of a joke.

"Now lay back down before I call a medical droid." She added with a hint of sternness to get her husband to fully obey.

He grinned, wincing slightly as his body moved. Padmè returned her eyes to his chest now looking at the numerous red welts covering his stomach. "What happened there?" She asked, referring to both the injury and the mission.

Anakin sighed, "we were ambushed, but Rex and I managed to get everyone to safety."

The Senator laughed while gently cleaning the cuts with a wet cloth. "Always playing the hero."

The Knight didn't respond, instead gritting his teeth so he didn't gasp out in pain.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Padmè asked, immediately dropping her movements towards the angry cuts.

"No, they're just really sensitive." Anakin motioned towards the welts lining his abdomen, "I'm sorry if I scared you."

"Let me get some bacta patches from the fresher." Padmé stood up brushing Anakin's cheek lightly with her thumb. "I'll be right back."

Her husband breathed deeply- well as much as his bruised ribs would let him- and rested his head back against the armrest.

The Senator glanced back at Anakin, happy to see he was finally getting some much needed rest. She stepped into the fresher opening the medical cabinet adjacent to the door. Padmé grabbed out 5 big bacta patches, hoping it would be enough to cover all of his cuts. She closed the cabinet and walked back out to the parlor.

"Ani," Padmé cooed, gently grazing a finger across his cheek. "I need you to wake up."

The Knight stirred, slowly opening his eyelids. "Did something happen?"

"No, no, I just need to apply these patches to your cuts." She started peeling back the plastic covering the patches.

Anakin nodded. He was in more pain than he admitted and was very grateful for his wife's help.

Padmé started to apply the first bacta patch, tensing up whenever she felt her husband wince in pain. It panged her heart seeing him in so much discomfort.

By the time the Senator had finished patching up all the welts, Anakin was practically asleep. Padmé leaned her forehead down to his, feeling a warm heat from his steady breaths. She twined her hands through his blonde locks, twisting them gently beneath her fingertips.

Padmé leaned down and planted a soft kiss on his forehead, wondering how she had gotten so lucky. Every day for the past weeks she had longed to be in this position, but as she twirled her fingers through his bloody matted hair she realized everything he'd been going through.

She then made a promise to herself. A promise to never be selfish when Anakin couldn't be with her. She had to be strong and self reliant when he wasn't around, not soft like most of the other young female Senators in the Republic. Padmé had to be there for her husband, especially now when Anakin was on the frontlines in a bloody war, leading millions of troops through treacherous conditions. She had to be able to comfort him and love him. The Senator had to relish the times he came home, because maybe one day he wouldn't be so lucky.

Padmé fought back the urge to cry. She couldn't imagine a life without him, Anakin was her everything.

Another story finished! It might be awhile until the next one comes out though, I have a ton of drafts but just haven't gotten around to finishing them. But I hope to soon, preferably sometime this week. Anyways, bye!!

-Kat :)