Anakins smile wipes off of his face as soon as he sees Palo.
And then he immediately looks at me.
"Anakin! You're back! How did it go?" Padme asks while running to give him a hug.
Anakin knew that this was probably the only time he would be able to hug Padme before Palo would steel her all to himself.
He embraced the hug as if he hadn't had one in his life.
He gave a small fake smile and said,"it went well."
"So. Should we discuss our findings with the jedi council?" I ask
"Yes but first you guys need to introduce me to this guy right here." Anakin says trying his hardest not the breakdown.
"Oh right. This is Palo. Palo Corse-" Padme starts.
"Wait like. Corse as in the speeder and ship company." Anakin says while glaring at me.
"Yes indeed." Palo responds as he reaches his hand out in a welcoming gesture to Anakin.
"Cool cool. Alright alright." Anakin says trying not to seemed fazed at how famous this guy is as he shakes his hand.
"Nice meeting you but Tara and I better get going. Padme are you and Palo all right here while we go call the council?" Anakin says. I swore his eye started twitching.
"Yes we'll be alright." Padme says smiling and making eye contact with Palo.
Anakin and I leave the room and head upstairs into a living room.
I know.
There's like seven living rooms in this penthouse.
"What. No what- where. Why?" Anakin can't find the words.
"Huh?" I say acting confused when I know damn well he's about to freak about Palo.
"Why would you allow him to come here. First. He could be here trying to hurt Padme. Second, he's a guy that is so successful and rich and smarter and better and everything better than me-"
"I did not know who he was when I agreed for him to come over." I defend myself.
"Oh so first you don't know who he is so he could be some random killer. And. And you just. Agree to him coming over?"
"Anakin there's nothing we can do."
"Nothing I can do but there was something you could have done."
"Anakin how do you think it is for Padme to be locked up in her penthouse away from her home country. With no friends. No nothing and no familiarity with anything what so ever. She was almost killed the other night for who knows what reason. And so I thought maybe a visit from an old friend might keep her mind off of things." I say probably sounding a bit too harsh.
Silence.
"They're alone. They're alone together right now probably planning to get married and have kids and have this big fancy house that he can buy her that I couldn't even be able to step foot in because I'm too broke and a worthless piece of shit."
"Well why would you leave them alone."
"Really? Who's the one who gave the green light for him to come over here?" He says rolling his eyes.
"Anakin I'm not dismissing your feelings. Ok? I know how much you love Padme. And how much you wanted to be with her ok? I know you don't like seeing her with someone else. But you need to accept that Padme is happy. And I know you want her to be happy. You wouldn't want her anxious about who's out to get her this day. And if she will make it out of the day alive. I know you want her to be able to be happy. And Palo," I pause for a second to take a deep breath, "Palo makes her happy. And I'm sorry, I truly am but you're going to have to accept that. Accept that he makes her happy."
Anakins head is hanging low.
And then he looks up at me. His eyes read and a tear streaming down his face.
I suddenly have a wave of déjà vu wash over me as I'm reminded of the raindrops rolling down the window as I waited to be informed of this mission which felt like a century ago.
The small tear drop trickling down Anakin's face falls gracefully from his crystal eyes.
I take a few steps over to Anakin. And delicately place my arms around him.
He burrows his face into my shoulder.
I feel the dampness of his tears bleed into my shirt.
We stay like that for a long time. Just the two of us embracing each other.
He hugs me tighter and then releases.
I wipe the tear from his cheek as my hands are cupped around his face.
Anakin is doing everything in his power not to look at me. I see an ashamed look upon his face.
There are no words spoken. Just pure emotions being portrayed.
Until Anakin gets up and leans against a wall and slides down until he's in a ball position on the ground.
The sunlight comes in from the window at a specific angle and reflects onto Anakin's tearful eye.
The light illuminates his tears and make it seem like he's crying gold.
I sit down beside him and he leans over and lays his head into my lap.
After a moment. Words are finally spoken.
"I do. I do want her to be happy." Anakin whispers.
He sniffles.
"But. I also want to be happy. And I saw myself happy with her." He says while tracing his finger against my thigh.
This sends shivers through my body as I'm caught off guard of his tender touch.
"I know you did." I say consoling him while I run my hands through his hair trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.
"Thank you." He says to me while managing to somewhat smile.
"I promise it will get better. Ok?"
"Ok. I hope so."
"I know so." I say as he gets up and reaches over into his pocket.
He sniffles and wipes his tears before taking a deep breath.
"This. This is a dart from Kamino." Anakin starts to explain.
"Wow. We moved on pretty fast."
Anakin chuckles.
"Business is business. And since I won't be able to make Padme happy by being with her, the least I can do is keep her safe." Anakin says while getting up and walking over to the projected where we will call the council.
"That's your job to keep her safe bozo. But. Yes. That is very sweet."
Anakin rolls his eyes and blushes.
"Thanks. I thought so too." He says and then the projector turns on.
"And don't think that you don't make Padme happy. You do. You make her laugh. And you will always make her happy. Just for other reasons."
"You know you're pretty good with being comforting and stuff."
"Thanks. I've had a lot of practice."
Anakin looks at me. I can tell he wants to ask me what I mean by that but just then the projector is on and I see the Jedi council show up in blue holograms.
Anakins face lights up when he sees Obi-wan.
It's funny how the council will never know what just happened between Anakin and I.
It just goes to show you how people will never know what is going on in someone's life.
You could be the happiest person on the outside but feel numb on the inside.
And even when everyone thinks they have you figured out.
They really don't.
"Anakin. Tara. What have you guys discovered?" Obi wan asks.
"It was really more Anakin than me so go ahead Anakin." I say trying to give the credit to Anakin.
"Thanks." He whispers to me as he grabs the dart from his pocket.
"The other night while Padme was sleeping. A droid cut into her bedroom and released poisonous worms. Luckily Tara and I sensed the trouble and killed the bugs. I decided to chase after the droid..." Anakin explains the whole story to the council.
Obi wan looks very proud of his padawan while Mace looks very concerned. And. Well. Plo koon is watching a butterfly fly by their window.
Gosh he's the best.
"And just as the killer was about to tell us who they worked for. This right here was shot into their neck." Anakin says while holding up to the dart.
"I visited my friend Rex today and he told me that this comes from the planet of Kamino. I've never heard of it before but we can run some scans I'm sure..." Anakin explains the rest of what Rex told him and the council seems very pleased with the amount of information that we had collected.
Well more Anakin than me.
"Thank you Skywalker for this valuable information. Master Kenobi?" Mace windu says.
"I think we will get you to go and find this Kamino planet and do some investigating so Anakin and Tara can stay with Padme."
"Of course." Obi wan says.
"It's settled then. Keep in close contact with us ok?"
"Yes Master Windu." I say.
"One more thing. I think Padme should be brought back to Naboo. So she is in a more familiar environment while we figure all of this out. I know you guys were just there but whoever is out to get Padme won't see this coming."
"Ok. We will leave tonight." I say. And then the call ends.
Anakin and I look at eachother worried.
"Naboo? Again?" Anakin asks.
"You heard him. We have to follow orders." I say
"What about Palo? Do you think he will come?" Anakin asks.
"I don't know."
"Let's go tell Padme our plan then we will deal with that scoundrel afterwards." Anakin snickers.
"Oh yes. A scoundrel." I say rolling my eyes as him and I laugh going down the stairs with an echo.