𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐎 || 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫

Chapter 12 - Jedi Don't Have Nightmares

His kisses were like sparks of fire on my skin, hot and unrelenting. Over and over, soft pink lips connected to warm caramel skin. And when he finally pulled away, I was breathless with desire. Anakin smiled softly at me in the twilight, our fingers intertwined, as I ran my fingers through strands of his shaggy blond hair. Turning my head then to survey the expanse of stars in all directions as we stood before the massive windows of the Star Destroyer, we overlooked all we were to conquer. Moving to stand behind me, he wrapped his arms around my middle.

Pressing a feathery kiss to my neck, Anakin whispered in my ear, "Soon, my love, all of this will belong to us. The whole galaxy is ours for the taking..."

My lips curved into a smile, twisting in his warm embrace to gaze up into those gorgeous cerulean eyes I had fell so deeply in love with...but the familiar shade of blue had been replaced with a smoldering amber, a crimson ring around the iris. 

A gasp ripped from my throat as I bolted awake in bed, shuddering breaths wracking my body.

What was that?! Why was his eyes that color? Why was Anakin saying those things? Smoothing my hair back out of my face, I took a deep breath as my chest heaved with anxiety. No, it was fine. It was just a stupid dream, nothing more. Definitely nothing to get worked up about. Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream, I repeated to myself over and over. After several minutes, I had finally managed to calm myself down enough to lie back down. But just as I did, I felt a disturbance in the Force.

I sat back up immediately, satin purple sheets bunched around my legs. It was only then I heard the mutterings and heavy breathing coming from across the hallway. Immediately, I threw the covers aside, raced out of my room and burst into Anakin's.

He was restless and nearly incoherent as he writhed and turned, mumbling in his sleep repeatedly, "No...No...Mom! No...No!"

Sitting beside him on the crumpled sheets, I put my hands on his shoulders and began to shake him.

"Ani, wake up! Ani! Anakin, wake up!" I pleaded with him, one hand on his chest.

Finally, his ocean eyes fluttered open and disoriented and confused, he bolted upright in bed. His chest heaved with shaking breaths, a sheen of sweat glistening on his abs. The realization of Anakin being shirtless and myself only wearing a very thin nightgown struck me all at once. Flushing a deep shade of scarlet, I quickly removed my hand as if I'd been burned and moved away from him immediately. I'd seen Anakin plenty of times without a shirt on as we trained in the Jedi Temple. Yet here in the darkness, completely alone...felt entirely different.

Anakin must have noticed as well because he shifted uncomfortably in bed, avoiding looking at me. I could feel the air thickening with tension and knew I had to get away soon. Clearing his throat, he mumbled a quiet 'thank you' before I nodded and bid him good night. It was best not to stay any longer in there than I had to. Rushing back to my own bed, I burrowed down into the sheets and pulled the covers up over my shoulders. As I lie there and allowed sleep to overtake me, I desperately hoped I wouldn't be having any dreams of Anakin shirtless in the near future.

The next day, I rose early to meditate on the balcony overlooking the lake. The sun was just rising as well, creating sparkles of light on the water's surface as it peeked out from behind the clouds. Standing there in the consolation that my peaceful solitude had given me, I felt I could finally breathe and mull over the thoughts flitting through my busy mind. Too much had happened in the past few days that I needed to contemplate but most of all, last night's events that had shattered my mundane existence. Never in the ten years that I had known Anakin Skywalker did I ever believe anything would happen between us. It had never occurred to me, even the slight possibility. It was impossible, treacherous to even contemplate the idea.

And yet...yet I had fallen for a fellow Jedi. But it didn't matter. It was a path I could not go down and I knew that well...despite how much it broke my heart in half. It was Anakin's distress that I sensed through the Force which broke my reverie. Like a shadow, he appeared out of thin air beside me. My head turned only slightly to glance at him. Thankfully, he was wearing a shirt this time. Although it was far too sheer for my liking...or was it? His well-defined muscles were easily seen as he stood in the sunlight opposite me and suddenly, I wished to run my hands down his sculpted chest. The fleeting thought made me blush crimson and I shoved the feeling aside, praying Anakin hadn't somehow felt that thought through the Force.

The sound of soft footsteps on the tile behind us made my head turn and I smiled at Padme as she walked up, a royal purple robe hanging loosely over her tiny frame. I'd always wished to be that delicate but a healthy appetite had deemed otherwise, it seemed. Where Padme was porcelain-toned and slim, I was all curves and caramel skin. Yet despite our differences both in race and rank, we had become the closest of friends. It was for this very reason, I believe, that she even brought it up at all.

"You had another nightmare last night," Padme stated, her voice soft and comforting as she directed the words to Anakin.

I thanked my lucky stars she hadn't heard my own strange dreams last night...

Anakin didn't turn to face her as he dismissed her concerns, "Jedi don't have nightmares,"

She paused a moment before replying, "I heard you...the both of you."

At this last, her eyes shifted to me and I quickly glanced away. The reason for my going to Anakin's room last night had been innocent but...hard to explain. The truth of Anakin's dreams, although not a total secret among the Jedi, were generally left unspoken apart from myself and Obi-Wan.

Finally, his bright blue eyes fluttered open and he turned to face the both of us, "I saw my mother. She is suffering... I saw her as clearly as I see you two now..."

Moving a step away and into the rays of fresh sunlight, his hands briefly rested on his hips as he let out a deep sigh that shook his whole body, "She is in pain..."

He glanced over at me and then at Padme, "I know I'm disobeying our mandate to protect you, Senator. But I have to go. I have to help her!"

I shared a look with Padme, knowing very well my own answer but awaiting Padme's all the same. Slowly, she began to nod in favor of his plan, "We'll go with you."

"I'm sorry. I don't have a choice." Anakin admitted to the both of us.

And with these final words, we began to pack a few of Padme's clothes as well as the few material possessions allowed for Anakin and myself before we started our journey to Tatooine. Despite the worry for his mother's safety and the fear of repercussions this would surely cause with Obi-Wan, I couldn't help but be excited to finally explore Anakin's homeplanet...and maybe try some blue milk.