Chapter Text
Coruscant
Senate Office Building
Senator Amidala's Office
190000 hours
For the fifth time that evening, Padmé pored over the proposal delivered during the Senate's morning session. The esteemed Senator from Malastare seemed to think that finding funding for upgrades on the Republic's war fleet was essential to resolution of this war. He had outlined a substantial budget increase for renovations of all the command starships and starfighters, a staggering sum amount which only could be accessed by diverting funds away from relief programs. Outrage and incredulity were the initial responses to his address, both of which admittedly, Padmé herself had felt. It went against her firmest platform, that supplementing this war financially would only further its duration. Her previous voting record demanded that she fight against this act tooth and nail.
And instead what had she done?
"The Senate recognizes Senator Amidala of the Naboo."
She had thought of Anakin.
"The floor is yours, Senator."
Sighing heavily, Padmé powered down her datapad, and swiveled her chair away from her desk. The throbbing in her head increased with the memory of each word she had spoken in favor of the budget restructure. The proposal had passed overwhelmingly after her impassioned plea, and while her heart danced at the thought of providing further safety and advanced weaponry to her husband, her mind wondered what blow she had delivered to her position on the Loyalist Committee.
It doesn't matter. I would do it for him again, she thought fiercely.
Opening her eyes, her gaze rested on the endless stream of Coruscant traffic, the multitude of headlights and taillights seemingly a steady river of white and red. Padmé stared out into the darkening night until her vision blurred and she wasn't really seeing them anymore. She knew the wave of anguish was coming even before it washed over her in full force.
Anakin!
Her heart besieged her with such emotion instant tears sprang to her eyes. She swiped at them viciously and tried desperately to resolve herself against her grief.
But five months was wounding to say the least. Each passing day an additional grain of salt to sting and fester the deepening rift.
In the confines of her office, Padmé gave herself over to her tears and wept for the frustrations of the day and the loneliness of yet another evening without Anakin by her side. The worries always came hot and vivid when her guard was dropped. Was he safe? Was he alone? Was he thinking and worrying over her too? She reached for him, hoping he might feel her thoughts wherever he might be.
The gentle brush against her mind was almost startling in its clarity. A deep warmth passed through her, and Padmé blew out a long calming breath, fortified at the strength he gave her through their bond. Her heart soared knowing his presence was somehow near. Drawing on her invigorated strength, she collected herself and began gathering her belongings, intent on heading home for the evening.
Perhaps, he was close enough she could comm him. Perhaps…
A musical chime broke her optimistic line of thought and Padmé groaned when she saw the Chancellor's heralding beacon. What could he possibly want from her at this hour? Steeling against her frustration, she rearranged her face and opened the channel.
"Supreme Chancellor, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"My dear, I apologize for the intrusion this late, but I must request your presence in my office at your earliest convenience."
Padmé suppressed a sigh. "I have not yet left the building for the night. I can be there momentarily."
"Excellent," he smiled at her. "I assure you this late rendezvous will certainly lift your spirits."
His hologram disappeared before she could question him further. Puzzled by his upbeat demeanor, Padmé wondered what good news could possibly arrive at this hour of the night.
"Well no sense in waiting, I suppose," she whispered to herself.
She retrieved her datapad and evening cloak, keying the security protocol for her office on her way out. She swept the heavy dark brown fabric over her shoulders and smiled at its familiar welcome weight. Padmé had the cloak commissioned for her by a well-known seamstress from Naboo after Anakin had given it to her during a particularly short visit. The hem of the tunic had become frayed from wear and tear and he had insisted she take it as a piece of him. The damaged Jedi robe was only going to be discarded for a new one when he returned to the Temple. As she walked, she swore she could still smell Anakin's scent tucked somewhere into its fibers.
The turbolift opened to the short private hall before the Chancellor's office. During regular hours, the hall was lined with four guards dressed in the characteristic crimson of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's personal staff. Despite the late hour, Padmé was surprised they weren't at their stations. Rumors circled that the guard never left his side. She surmised that's what made it rumor rather than fact.
Reaching the office doors, she palmed the entry-pad and immediately realized why his security may have been granted a reprieve.
Anakin twitched imperceptibly with barely controlled patience as the gathering awaited for the last requested member to arrive. He could feel her shimmering presence just beyond the Chancellor's doors and it sent the Force tremoring in ripples around him. Obi-Wan turned to regard him for a brief moment, before seeming satisfied with what he saw on his former Padawan's face. If he already knew of their imminent reunion and he could just only hide his anticipation from the Jedi Master at his side, Anakin knew Padmé's genuine shock of seeing him would send tidal waves throughout the room.
Anakin projected a shield out the instant the door chimed and slid away to reveal his unsuspecting wife. He immediately engulfed her wayward emotions as she slowly took stock of her surroundings, though to her credit, her face betrayed nothing . Padmé's unadulterated thrill at seeing him almost broke his concentration, but Anakin bit his lip to keep the giddy smile off his own face.
"Good evening, Senator, and thank you for coming on such short notice."
Palpatine rose to greet Padmé personally and invited her to sit in the semi-circle of chairs that already contained Senators Organa, Mothma, Eekway, and Zar. Her chair was maybe five feet from him, and Anakin centered himself to contain his eagerness. He watched her formally greet the selected members of the Loyalist Committee and Masters Adi Gallia and Kenobi as decorum dictated, before she turned her gaze to him.
By the Force, she was beautiful.
"Master Skywalker," she said with a deferential nod and a careful smile. "It has been far too long. I trust you are well."
Anakin, I've missed you so, how are you?
"Even better for being in your presence once again, milady," he nodded back, his returned smirk deliciously dark around the edges.
Well, now that I can see you, my angel.
He felt her heart flutter precipitously at his brazen charm, but she only shook her head as if amused and nothing more.
Careful, Ani.
She turned her brown eyes back towards Palpatine, expectantly, and took her seat. Anakin begrudgingly followed her lead. As he did, he caught Bail watching their exchange with puzzled concern. Anakin did not have long to ruminate on the Senator from Alderaan's expression before Palpatine spoke.
"Now we may begin," Palpatine said, folding his hands on his desk and leaning forward with zeal. "I have called you all here to discuss an exciting offer I have just received from the Separatist leaders. They wish to discuss the terms of a cease-fire."
The five Senators erupted into exclamations of surprise, quieting only when Palpatine raised a hand to halt their questions.
"It would appear that their resolve to sustain this war effort is dwindling, as I daresay so has ours. It is not lightly that I ask of you my next request, Senators, but I trust each of you implicitly even if you decide to decline." Palpatine surveyed each Senator before him deliberately. "I have selected the five of you to be my negotiations team at this cease-fire. You will be escorted by the three Jedi behind me to Spira. The Separatists are eager to commence talks and I have accepted their request for opening negotiation in two days time."
Anakin frowned as the emotions in the room slowly built in the ensuing silence after Palpatine's address. Shock. Suspicion. Worry. Exhaustion. Hope. He had felt them all himself just moments before when the Chancellor had briefed the Jedi. Then chaos erupted.
"Supreme Chancellor, if I may…"
"Which leaders are we talking…"
"Two days? It takes two days just to reach Spira!"
"Three Jedi to five Senators cannot possibly guarantee our safety."
Anakin's temper flared hotly at the last comment. The owner of the concern was Senator Fang Zar, the representative of the Sern sector, known for his staunch defense of civil liberties and his criticism for the sweeping amendments the Constitution had seen since the beginning of the Clone War. If he only knew how far a certain Jedi Knight was willing to go to save at least one of his colleagues…
"I agree with Senator Zar," Senator Mon Mothma said in her calm maternal voice. "With no disrespect to the three Jedi present, I am concerned for this group's security. Which leaders are we to meet with, and might this not be a trap?"
Padmé's eyes flicked to him for the briefest of glances, her eyebrows raised conveying Mothma had a point.
"Your concerns have been heard, Senators," Palpatine began, "Believe me, I have outlined details of this meeting to ensure the safety of all those involved as I am sure the Separatists have some anxiety about safety themselves. It was I, who negotiated for the presence of the Jedi as good faith something more sinister was not being set forth. I, myself, am not attending, in exchange for Count Dooku's absence. The Separatist delegation consists of Shu Mai, San Hill, Wat Tambor, Passel Argente, and Nute Gunray."
Through their connection, Anakin felt Padmé's pure resentment and anxiety climb to the stratosphere with his own hatred. All five members of the Separatist Council had handed down a verdict of imminent execution during their shared trial on Geonosis. And now he was going to not only face his condemners himself, but to allow his wife to sit at the same table? Anakin ground his teeth with such ferocity, Obi-Wan turned to regard him with a reproachful look.
"The Jedi guard eases my concerns, however that doesn't mean we aren't all walking into a trap," Bail Organa said.
The room settled into an apprehensive impasse. No one seemed to know what to say to dissuade the broiling anxiety bubbling effervescent beneath the surface.
Anakin reached out to Obi-Wan and Adi Gallia. Both Jedi seemed to harbor similar concerns for the task at hand but not to the same degree as himself. Then again, they didn't have their heart and soul being offered on a platter to her arch-enemy either. He turned his attention to Padmé who watched all three Jedi with deep concentration.
"I suppose that is a risk we must take for the possible reward of peace," she said evenly. She seemed to be speaking directly to him, though her eyes were back on Palpatine. "And I will accept your request, Chancellor, if it means a chance to end this war."
"Thank you, Senator," Palpatine replied. "Have no fear that your courage does not go unnoticed or unappreciated."
"Senator Amidala is right," Bail agreed, nodding in thought. He looked to the three remaining members of the delegation. "It would be wasteful to not pursue this opportunity."
"I will go," Senator Eekway said, "but Spira is almost two days travel itself. We'd have to leave tonight."
"Which is why I have already contacted your personal security and staff to prepare for your immediate departure," Palpatine said. "Forgive me for being so presumptuous, but I thought it was the least I could do considering the rapidity of this outstanding offer."
Anakin felt Padmé bristle, and knew she did not take kindly to the Chancellor's meddling with her chain of command. He understood how Obi-Wan must sometimes feel at his own moments of audacity.
"Very well," Padmé said, "When and where do we depart?"
Through the determination in her voice, Anakin also heard the fatigue of the next venture and the excitement to spend it with him. He immediately thought of the despair he had felt befall her earlier this evening, and hoped this trip would make up for the isolation of the past five months.
"The Resolute has already been outfitted for your journey," Palpatine said. "If you can depart within the hour…" He let his voice trail to make it sound less of a formal request and more of a compassionate suggestion.
"And so we shall," Bail said, rising and bowing courteously. "Thank you, Supreme Chancellor, and rest assured, if a cease-fire can be made, it will be done."
"Thank you, Senators," Palpatine responded, dismissing his delegation with a returned bow. "And my sincere thanks to you Masters." He nodded his respect towards Obi-Wan and Adi, both of whom returned the acknowledgement, before following the delegation out of the office. "Oh, Anakin, a word, if you please."
Anakin halted in his tracks and glanced toward his former Master. Obi-Wan's mouth turned down ever so slightly, cautiously disapproving of the Chancellor's request, though he quickly tried to cover it by rearranging his face into a contemplative expression.
"I'll be along shortly, Master," Anakin said, using the title not for Obi-Wan's position on the Jedi Council, but as a gentle recognition for Obi-Wan's fatherly concerns.
"Do hurry, Anakin," Obi-Wan smiled over his shoulder. The turbolifts doors opened and the Jedi Master boarded with the group. "We do have a timetable to keep."
As the doors closed, Anakin just caught Padmé's demure smile and failed to keep his own off his face.
Palpatine studied the young Jedi Knight before him. Anakin's gaze still lingered after the vanished party, but his sheer anticipation was palpable even hidden beneath his Force shield. Palpatine had thought it quite gallant of Anakin to attempt to hide the radiant emotions zipping between himself and the Senator from Naboo. While he may have blinded Masters Kenobi and Gallia, the Chosen One still wasn't strong enough to ward off the Dark Lord himself.
The young couple's auras burned a brilliantly dangerous red. Such feelings that practically electrified the room. Such passion that so easily could be manipulated to whichever emotion he so chose for Anakin's undoing. Two almost ripened shuura fruit, so tantalizing, so…
"Chancellor?"
Palpatine blinked, his vision focusing slowly again on a pair of dark blue eyes.
"Is everything all right?"
Palpatine laughed a grandfatherly chuckle years in the making and clapped Anakin's shoulder.
"Ah yes, my boy, I fear these long days and late hours have been catching up with me."
Anakin helped him to a chair, worry evident on the young man's face.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
Oh but you already are…
"Anakin, I know I can trust you," he began.
"Absolutely, sir," Anakin said, bending to his knees at the Chancellor's side.
"I don't believe that the importance of this mission can be overstated. This opportunity I fear will not present itself again. But I also fear that my confidence in front of the delegation may have been for show."
"For show?"
"I fear their concerns over this meeting being less than sincere have plagued me more than I have let on," Palpatine explained.
Anakin stared at him, concern creasing his brow and making the scar over his right eye stand out even more.
"Is there something else, Chancellor?"
Palpatine let himself grin, meekly. "No, no," he said, laughing quietly at himself. "Just a feeling of unease. Probably nothing but a silly old man worrying over a dear friend…"
"You mean…" Anakin swallowed, grasping their mutual concern. "You mean, Senator Amidala?"
"I do worry about her, Anakin," Palpatine said. "In a way, I still feel responsible for her. I argued with myself whether or not to ask her to join this task force, considering her extensive history with the Separatist Council, but I was more afraid what may happen had she found out I had not included her. She is a force to be reckoned with when angry, I assure you."
Anakin laughed openly at that.
"That she is," he agreed. Then his voice turned more somber, threatening even. "Don't worry, nothing will harm her. I won't allow it."
The Dark Lord inside Palpatine thrilled at the murderous emotion in the young man's tone. Such potential…
"Good, good," Palpatine purred. "How glad I am to have you on my side, Anakin. Thank you for giving me peace of mind."
Anakin glowed at his praise.
"Anytime, Chancellor."
He bowed deeply in deference and appreciation, an action that Palpatine dismissed embarrassedly with a wave of his hand.
"Now hurry, before I make you later than I already have."
With that, Anakin spun and strode from the room after his colleagues.
Inwardly, the Dark Lord smiled at the long black cloak billowing ominously behind the young Jedi Knight.
Coruscant
The Resolute
Command Bridge
204700
Obi-Wan resisted the urge to tap his foot. Impatience was most unbecoming for a High Master of the Jedi Council. Instead, he kept his hands clasped firmly behind his back and stood stock still. If Adi Gallia felt his anxiety, she didn't show it. Her brown eyes silently tracked the clone command crew finishing the final preparations of the large Republic starship.
The Resolute wasn't the largest vessel Obi-Wan had had the pleasure of running, but it was one of the newest in the Republic fleet. Its central command bridge stretched nearly fifty meters with viewports surrounding the main catwalk 270-degrees. The controls demanded a crew of ten to fifteen troopers and pilots at any given time to coordinate the mammoth ship's movements and life support systems. Surveying the clones working in the trenches on either side of him, Obi-Wan could see the state-of-the-art displays and readouts changing at rapid speed beneath the trained soldiers fingertips.
Oh, how Anakin would salivate over this…
Speaking of, where in the blazes was he?
As if on command, his former apprentice came careening out of the turbolift doors like a ball of uncontained energy. He only slowed his break neck speed when he realized the scrutiny of Adi and Obi-Wan. Anakin gave a sheepish grin when he at last came to join them on the bridge.
"My apologies, Masters," Anakin said.
Obi-Wan studied the young Knight with a surreptitiously questioning look, but Master Gallia didn't feel the need to handle Anakin's relationship with Palpatine as gently.
"Anything we should be aware of from the Chancellor?" she asked, her tone leading.
Obi-Wan watched Anakin's resentment at the judging tone rise and then fade from his face so quickly, he might have imagined it.
"The Chancellor shares the same concern as the Senators of this requested cease-fire having an alternative motive," Anakin said. "I can't sense any malice but still feel a general unease."
Obi-Wan nodded, agreeing with Anakin's assessment of their current situation.
"It's truly out of Wild Space, this sudden desire for peace," Obi-Wan replied. He looked to Master Gallia. "I must admit something does seem out of place."
"We must be diligent. It will important for all of us to keep a constant pulse on this situation. Any subtle changes should be brought to everyone's attention," Adi Gallia said, her brow furrowed in contemplation.
Obi-Wan and Anakin's silence was a resounding accord.
"Well, the final checks are done," Obi-Wan said, after a moment. "And it is late. I suggest we reconvene with the Senators tomorrow morning once they've had some time to more thoroughly debrief. I suppose someone should address them and escort them to their quarters."
He looked pointedly at Anakin.
"Oh no but surely Master, you wouldn't miss the chance to say good night to your politican friends?" Anakin teased.
Despite his feigned horror at the task, Obi-Wan could practically feel Anakin's heart pounding in excitement. He hadn't been blind to the sudden shield that surrounded Senator Amidala the moment she walked into Palpatine's office. Unless he was gravely mistaken, Obi-Wan was fairly confident the Senator from Naboo wasn't adept at Force-shielding her emotions.
"While it does grieve me, Anakin, it really is your turn to deal with them. It's only fair," Obi-Wan jested.
"All right, Obi-Wan, but next time I insist…" Anakin conceded.
"Best not keep them waiting then. Temperamental creatures…"
Anakin laughed and bowed dutifully to both Masters to bid them a good night.
As they watched him go, Adi spoke.
"And so this is how a mission with the infamous duo of Kenobi and Skywalker begins," she said, trying to hide an amused smile.
Obi-Wan grinned.
"Oh Master Gallia, we're just getting started."
As she watched her husband walk in front of her, Padmé wondered if this was what torture felt like. Two feet away and she couldn't just reach out and touch him, no matter how badly she wanted to. Instead, she'd have to settle for letting her eyes do what her hands could not.
Anakin always looked different with each return. At first, the changes were drastic. His hair was longer. His shoulders broader. His Padawan braid severed. Recently, the changes were more subtle. His eyes, though bright, were tinged with an underlying weariness. His usually exuberant energy had waned. His words carried a heavier weight.
"Senator Zar," her husband said, palming the entry pad and gesturing as the door slid open to the residence within. "Your quarters."
Senator Zar trundled forward, pausing only to address the welcoming Jedi and to momentarily act out a traditional chivalry on his colleague's behalf.
"Thank you, Master Jedi," he began in his drawling voice. "Though I must insist Senator Amidala not be burdened to wait for respite any longer."
Padmé was about to decline Zar's offer, but Anakin beat her to it.
"Most gracious of you, Senator," Anakin replied, light-heartedly. "But Senator Amidala's personnel have requested larger residence for their lady." He leaned into the older politician with a conspiratorial grin. "Between you and me, I do not believe her wardrobe would fit here."
Padmé raised an eyebrow warningly at Anakin's teasing, but Zar laughed amused at her husband's joke.
"Indeed," he chuckled, a rare show of emotion for the usually placid Senator. "Well, Senator, I will leave you to your unpacking, and my thanks to you for your escort, Master Jedi."
All three supplied the necessary deferential bow and Senator Zar disappeared into his temporary home.
Anakin turned to face her, eagerness all too evident in his eyes.
"If you'll follow me, Milady," he said, allowing his hand to gently find her elbow.
Padmé shuddered at the contact and felt the blush climbing her cheeks scorch hotter under Anakin's watchful stare. She didn't dare trust her voice, and let him guide her through a series of corridors, noticing only after several minutes, how far her room was from the other Senators.
"Just round this corner," Anakin said, as if sensing her thoughts. "I apologize for the distance but warships aren't usually designed to accommodate so many important personnel."
They came to a stop before an unassuming door much like the ones her colleagues had disappeared behind. Padmé quickly searched her husband's face with questions and noted the subtle nod he gave her, his eyes darting once to the security cam behind her right shoulder. This routine was a like a carefully choreographed dance by now, and while she suspected the GAR ships to be heavily outfitted with surveillance, Padmé still felt her heart fall at the thought of spending this trip at arm's length. She blinked back her disappointment, her mind furiously working out a scenario to keep him in her sights a little longer.
"Senator?"
His fingers on her shoulder were scorching even through the dense fabric of her gowns and robe. Padmé looked up, instantly drowning a sea of blue.
"I'm sorry, Master Jedi. I seemed to have spaced out," she said, pulling herself back just a step out of his reach. She was sure he could feel the roiling emotions tumbling over and over inside her, and silently thanked him for allowing her the minute to regain her composure.
"It's quite alright," Anakin said, reaching out to access the security panel. "I hope the suite is to your liking, Senator."
The door slid aside but neither of them even bothered to look in. Anakin stared, a moment longer than decorum allowed before beginning to turn on his heel.
"Good night…"
"Anakin!"
He paused and turned back to her, folding his hands behind his back, barely keeping a smile off his face.
"Yes, Milady?"
Padmé stepped forward almost timid, her eyes wandering up and to the right at the cam over her shoulder, signaling to him her intent.
"Forgive me, I know the hour is late," she began, "But my captain of security has requested a review of his plan by one of the Jedi, if it's not too much to ask…"
"Of course, Senator. Your security is paramount to my mission," Anakin stepped aside, gesturing to the entrance. "After you."
Padmé had barely crossed the stateroom's threshold when strong hands spun her around, his body pressing hers against the wall, his mouth capturing hers in a fervent kiss. Somehow, despite the rush of blood in her ears, she heard the door quietly hissing shut behind them. For a moment, the galaxy faded to non-existent, a respite lighted by their passionate reunion.
When she pulled away, her limbs tingled with liquid heat and she was fairly certain Anakin was responsible for keeping her upright.
"Did you disable the cam?" she asked, her voice light and breathy.
Anakin smiled wickedly.
"And the audio feed."
He let her think through the meaning of that before pressing his mouth to hers once again.
Then, Padmé felt Anakin everywhere.
His hands freed the restrictive clothing of her gowns. His lips danced over the pulse on her neck. His voice, dangerously low, whispered in her ear between frantic kisses.
Her own small hands worked just as quickly, peeling the layers of his Jedi tunic back to reveal his tanned skin. She had freed his utility belt, its heavy weight falling to the floor with a resounding thud, as he scooped her in his arms, kissing her senseless while he walked.
Padmé was momentarily aware of the sound of streaming water before she was thrust beneath the hot shower. The water was steaming, almost too warm for comfort, but the gentle stinging sensation was electrifying in the wake of their heady desire.
After a moment, Anakin pulled back, his breath still coming fast and heavy. He fixed her with his beautiful dark blue eyes, his blonde hair matted down beneath the pulse of the shower tangled in her fingers. Reverently, he tucked a stray lock of her own wet hair behind her ear, fixing her with a devilish grin.
"I'm afraid this security plan does not account for roving Jedi Knights..."
She smacked him lightly on the chest and laughed when she splashed him with water. Anakin grasped her wrists, pulling them up over her head and pinning them against the shower wall. He fixed her with his best serious stare.
"We need to overhaul the entire plan. It may take all night, Milady," he said, trying and failing to sound apologetic.
Padmé felt his hand leave hers, though her wrists still were gently tethered to the wall by an invisible hold. She was acutely aware of his flesh fingers slowly blazing hot tracks over her collarbone, and then lower, lower, following the hot streams of water flowing unabashedly down her front. When Anakin found what he was looking for, Padmé's head fell back in bliss.
"By all means, then, Master Jedi," she gasped. "Take all night."