I Would Die For You Once More {ANIDALA AU}

Chapter Two - "There's a Man From a Science Fiction Movie Asking For You"

That morning, of course, was a time to crunch to get a series of things done, as always. It was no different until she got a call from Sofia from the downstairs lobby desk, Padmé expecting it to be a call about mail or some sort of package coming in for her to pick up.

But it was about something completely different, at that. Sofia was calling about a man downstairs who had just walked in, drenched in some sort of 'robes that looked like they were from some sci-fi flick' -- as Sofia described it. The man apparently was asking for a lawyer to study and defend his sudden and desperate case -- no, not asking, not requesting -- begging.

Padmé sighed after Sofia's explanation "Sof, you know I don't take anyone unless they're a client or a paying customer already. Just tell him to go somewhere else. It doesn't have to be me, anyway."

It took Sofia a minute to answer. Then, abruptly she blurted, "You have to take this man. He has nowhere else to go! You're the only lawyer that can defend his case!"

Padmé snorted. "Of course he can go somewhere else, and no way am I the only lawyer that can take him. What a --"

Padmé paused, thinking. This didn't sound like Sofia. The other line on the phone was silent.

Something was wrong.

"Sofia, why is it so quiet?" There was a buzz of activity going on in the background. "Sofia?"

Silence. There was no answer.

Padmé hung up the phone, nearly dropping it off the edge of the desk rather than back on the receiver before she bolted out of her office and down the stairs as fast as her stilettos could take her. But when she arrived downstairs everything appeared completely normal, Sofia was answering calls at her desk like usual, except for the soaking wet man standing in a puddle in the middle of the the busy lobby, cramped with people rushing around, letting no one slow them down from getting where they needed to go.

Padmé knew it was him. Who else would be in a set of space robes dripping wet with rain water?

"Hi...," she started slowly, making sure he wouldn't spazz out on her or anything. "Are you...."

"Anakin?" he replied completely normally, and just then and only then it seemed he was in fact, from planet Earth. "The name's Anakin. Anakin Skywalker."