Boundless as the Sea

Chapter Seven

Anakin's face began to twist into an expression of anger, but he quickly put on a calm expression.

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, oh. What about Clovis?" Anakin did his best to keep his composure. "What was he doing in the dream?"

"I was getting to that. I don't know why I dreamt about him Anakin, I haven't even thought of him since he..." Padmé started to tear up.

Anakin embraced her and ran his hands through her hair. "Hey, it's ok. I know that what happened probably scarred you, and...what I did probably did too. I'm sorry that you had to go through that. Now, tell me about your dream."

Padmé looked at the clock. 3:30 a.m. She really wanted to try and get some sleep, but she felt like she needed to talk about this. She needed to talk to Anakin about this.

"I was here, in the apartment, doing laundry."

"Wow, I didn't know you had such a wild imagination, Padmé," said Anakin with a smirk.

"Ani, this is serious." said Padmé, suppressing a smirk that reflected her husband's.

"Sorry. Continue."

"Well, then, Clovis walked in. He told me about some sort of promotion he received, and then we...kissed." said Padmé very apprehensively.

Anakin tried to cover up his intense jealously with humor. "Huh, must've been like kissing a slimy-mouthed Hutt. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Padmé knew what he was doing. She knew that he was trying not to get angry, and she hoped that it was working.

"Actually, I'm not sure what it felt like. I saw the dream through a third-person view. Anyway, turns out that in the dream, Clovis and I were married. Apparently, I never had that threat to my life back when we were first reacquainted. So, no assassin, no Jedi protector."

Anakin had never thought of it like that before. Would Padmé had married Clovis if he had not been tasked with protecting her? Anakin inwardly shivered at the thought. Life without Padmé...was pointless.

After failing to read her husband's face, Padmé continued. "The next thing I knew, we were both the most powerful and respected senators in the Republic. We even had a son together." Padmé smiled. "I think we were about to go on some sort of vacation together, when I woke up."

Anakin and Padmé both sat in silence for what seemed like several minutes. Finally, to Padmé's relief and fear, Anakin spoke up.

"Well, if it was such a good dream," he said with a bitter tone, "why are you so sad? Because it ended and you're stuck being married to me?" He silently dared her to answer.

"Because, what we had in that dream, that happiness, is what Clovis deserved. But I took that away from him. He died thinking that he was all alone. That no one in the world cared about him. I..." Padmé started to sob. "I'll never forgive myself."

Anakin took her in his arms and held her tight. "Padmé, you shouldn't be worrying about him anymore. What happened wasn't your fault, ok? It was his, for dealing with the wrong people. Besides, he was a sleemo for trying to take you away from me."

Padmé instantly recoiled from Anakin's touch at those words. "I can't believe you just said that." she said, her voice low. "You're still jealous of Clovis, after he's dead? And let me guess, you still don't trust me?" she said, starting to get in a rage.

"Padmé, think of what he did to you! You were poisoned because of him, almost killed by a bounty hunter, and he held you at blaster point! Yeah, he's a real catch! Yet you would rather have the life with him from your dream, than this life with me!" His words were laced with venom.

"I can't believe that we are even discussing this! Clovis is gone, Anakin. We are not honoring him at all by having this conversation!"

"That guy deserves no honor! I'm not gonna stand here and say nice things about someone with nothing nice to say! I'm glad he's dead! Good riddance!" Anakin was shouting quite loudly at this point.

It was at that moment that Padmé could not hold in her anger any longer.

"Get out."

"What?"

"Get out, now! I can't even look at you! Go sleep at the temple, where you're supposed to be anyway."

"Padmé, I didn't-"

"Just- go." Padmé ran to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, crying herself to sleep.

Anakin, with tears of his own threatening to appear, went to his speeder and flew in the direction of the Jedi Temple, his heart heavy with anger and guilt.