Return

•5•

Padmé collapsed to the ground as thousands of nano-darts dug their way into her beautiful, porcelain skin.

"No!" Anakin yelled, taking the small chance he had to hesitate whether or not he should help her--or kill the assassin. He decided to fight the person who harmed his wife.

He turned on her petite frame, lying on the ground below him. She looked just like she did after he himself had choked her at the landing bay on Mustafar. Sprawled across the floor.

Anakin clenched his artificial fist in rage and swiped away the memory from his head. The ever growing fear of losing his wife drowned the sense of where he was. Everything went quiet, and his mind spoke aloud.

Save her. Save her, Anakin, his ego pressed. Save her and you will also be free from your fear.

Anakin turned back to his wife and lifted her limp body, rushing her to the next medical facility. He would leave it to Obi-Wan to find the assassin.

***********************************

"She'll be fine. The swelling is gone in most parts of her body, except for the more sensitive areas. Her lips are swelled, as well as her cheeks. They'll die down eventually," a voice with a soothing accent said.

"Yeah, I can see that," another voice snapped, not so far away from Padmé, who lie still on a medical table.

Padmé opened her chocolate brown eyes to see the back of her husband, facing Obi-Wan, his master. They exchanged quiet whispers.

"Don't you think she's gonna be nervous when she wakes up? You know, the aftereffects of the stuff?" Anakin whispered.

His master shook his head, stroking his beard. "It appears to be a rare form of poison, though it won't do any serious damage. She'll just have to be bedridden for a few days resting."

"General Skywalker?" Padmé said quietly, sitting up. She could see that Anakin restrained himself from rushing to her side.

"Senator Amidala. I can see you're...better."

"Better than before I guess," the senator smirked. It was embarrassing to be in the thin hospital gown there in front of two Jedi. She sat wrapped in the sheet that covered the medical table.

"Calm your senses, Anakin," Obi-Wan said out of the corner of his mouth.

Anakin shot a hard glare at his master, and slowly turned back to Padmé. "I can escort you home if you'd like, Senator."

"That would be great," Padmé said, her eyes twinkling from the sweet smile she gave. She waited for the two Jedi Masters to exit the room so she could change. They obviously didn't get the memo, so she cleared her throat and said, "Well, I should get changed before we leave."

Anakin and Obi-Wan came to their senses and walked out of the room, closing the door behind them. Padmé sighed and pulled on a fresh new set of hooded robes, ornately patterned with designs.

"Senator? Are you-" Anakin started from outside the door, and Padmé could hear Obi-Wan swat his hand away from the doorknob. "Let her take her time," he told Anakin.

Padmé laughed to herself as she listened. The two were so comical together, and definitely a great source of entertainment. She'd rather watch them argue than her favorite show on the holoscreen at home.

Outside of the room, Obi-Wan dared not ask about the Skywalkers' twins, or about their marriage. Questions had been clawing at his throat, but he refused to become curious.

Padmé opened the door and smiled, ducking her head under Anakin's arm as he held the door for her. The couple didn't show affection in front of Obi-Wan, but he was sure they did when they were alone.

One thing. Obi-Wan saw Anakin's hand brush past Padmé's hip as he slid his arm around her waist. The elder Jedi master ignored it and faced the front of them as they walked. The one thing that bothered him: no one was close with Obi-Wan anymore. For once, he felt a sort of envy for love.