Remember What We Were

Seven

The air was cool the next day as Anakin opened the window of his room. His metal arm seemed especially difficult as it stiffly jerked down at his side. This thing could really use a mechanic's touch, he thought with wheels turning in his head.

As Anakin stepped into the hall, he was greeted by giggles and squeals. "Anakin! Anakin let's play!" Pooja and Ryoo chorused. Sola followed behind them and crossed her arms. "Girls, Anakin just woke up. Give him a minute." Pooja pouted. "Are you still sleepy?" she asked, looking up at him. Anakin chuckled as he picked her up. "Not too sleepy to do this!" he said, tickling her side so she giggled even louder.

Sola shook her head and laughed herself. "Breakfast is ready if you want anything, Anakin." Anakin set Pooja down. "Is Padme up yet?" he asked, breakfast slipping his mind almost instantly. Sola turned back and smirked.

"Try the willow tree in the rose garden."

The rose garden was immense. Endless seas of flowers spanned below a balcony on the east wing of the mansion. A mesmerizing perfume hung in the crisp morning air as dew drops sat like crystals on the rose petals.

A gigantic willow rested at the foot of a gentle hill at the far end of the garden. Its leaves hung like a curtain around the tree's trunk. It was a perfect place to sit and enjoy the morning.

Anakin brushed away the drooping willow branches and entered the shade beneath the canopy of leaves. Padme was sitting against the fat trunk with her hands in her lap. She sat up straight when she saw him.

"What are you-"

"This is a nice little hideout you've got here. Do you come here a lot?"

"Yes. It's where I go to think. Now if you would please-"

"Thinking? That sounds exhausting."

Padme sighed. "What do you want?" she asked in annoyance. Anakin sat down beside her. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay," he answered innocently.

Padme frowned. Her brown eyes still looked puffy from a night of crying. "I can't remember my sister's daughters! My own nieces!" Anakin bent his knees and rested his elbows on his kneecaps. She obviously didn't want his company, but he didn't care.

"So this hideout?"

"It's not a hideout."

"But you are hiding," he pointed out.

"What do you mean?"

Anakin chuckled. "I had one when I lived in Tatooine. It was this beat up old freight vessel in the back of Whatto's shop. I remember once, I accidentally broke one of the shop droids. I was so scared I would get in trouble, I hid in freighter the whole day until my mother came to find me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know. So what about this hideout? What makes it a good place to think?"

Padme let out a breath as she realized she wouldn't get rid of Anakin easily. "I used to come out to the garden with my sister when we were little to play. Before I became Queen, I still had a semi-normal childhood." She smiled to herself as she plucked a small blue wildflower from the grass. "I guess coming here is like hanging onto that childhood. I had a lot of good memories here."

Anakin smiled as he leaned closer to her. He closed his eyes as his lips met her's for the first time since Geonosis. He had missed the sweet taste that had become just a memory.

Padme jolted back after only a second. "What were you thinking? Are you crazy?" she asked in utter disbelief. Her demeanor had done a complete flip as her smile bacame a scowl. Anakin pulled away, still savoring the brief touch of her lips.