WHAT IS REAL

LVIII

Padme sat up and screamed "NO!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and she could not focus on where she was for a minute. Then the soothing coolness of Anakin's arms encircled her and she clung to him trying to push the fear out of her heart. The agony and fear had gripped her so hard it was at long time before she could relax her grip on Anakin's neck. He soothed her and softly whispered words of love into her ear until she calmed a bit. Padme felt protected but not safe; not this time. Palpatine was looking for her and not just her. 

He was looking for Luke and Leia. She had never found out during her time in his presence if he had believed that they were dead. He constantly asked and he probed her mind lots of times to try to find any information about them. She always was left unconscious from those sessions. This dream was worse to her than all the things he had done to her during her captivity.

After tears slowed and she gulped for air to fully fill her lungs again, Anakin turned and commed for Jennifer to bring Padme some tea. Padme got up from the bed and went to the fresher. She splashed cold water on her face and it helped to dissipate the terror of the dream. She just stood bent over the sink for a little while. 

It was not long to her but it was long enough to make Anakin come in and check to make sure she was all right. She went to him again clinging to him silently begging him to keep her safe all the while knew he might not be there to help her this time.

Anakin picked her up and took her to the large sofa. He knew that she was not ready to go back to the bed though she needed get off her feet. Her fear and anguish wrapped around his heart constricting it just as it was doing to her. Jennifer brought the tea and as she gave the cup to Padme she looked into Padme's eyes. The fear was so readable in them that Jennifer had to give Padme a hug before leaving. She knew that Master Anakin would take good care of her and yet she wanted to be in there to help also. She really had come to love her mistress.

Two hours later as Padme stared into the fire that Anakin had built she was ready to talk. Padme looked into Anakin's eyes and said, "Palpatine found us." Anakin's eyes filled with unshed tears. He had feared this ever since she came back into his life. He was training to kill Emperor Palpatine but the one thing that could cripple him would be for Palpatine to capture Padme. He would do anything to save her. He had already proved that fact.