Post- Blue Shadow Virus

Outer space was beautiful.

Constellations of stars, traced an intricate lattice across the darkness, like a spiders web. The celestial glow of nearby planets lit the cockpit in a rosy glow. Despite the occasional metallic groan from the twilight's dodgy engines, the 2 pilots were silent.

Silent.

A silence so deep, the small humming of the pilot's electro-drivers in his bionic arm could be heard.

To say the pilot was agitated was an understatement.

He was terrified.

Throughout the flashy media coverage of the Holo-Net, this pilot is heralded as "The Hero with no Fear" and other accolades such as "The Chosen One". His is worshipped all across the galaxy for his incredible lightsabre combat, his unmatched ability as a pilot, his rousing leadership.

This is the man who shows no fear.

At least for his own life.

When it comes to the lives of the people he loves, he is petrified: people like his master, his padawan, his troops, even his astromech droid. But the person he fears for the most is the life of his beloved wife. Padme`.

Just her name, sent a warm feeling influx through his body.

He closes his eyes, feeling the transcending bond between them begin to soar. Suddenly, the Twilight didn't exist; instead he was reclining in the lush pastures of Naboo. With his beloved by his side. His lips twitched, as he felt the soft pressure of hers against his; his bicep tickled, as he felt the echo of her fingers, genially caressing them.

When he went into these trances, he knew for a fact, that she was dreaming with him.

Suddenly, he felt her voice; her warm breath brushing against his neck:

"We are one my love" she consoled, as she rubbed her chin against the nape of his neck.

It was just a few words- but they carried the absolute truth of her life.

He turned himself over, to kiss her again, but his reverie was disturbed by the irritable voice of his master, calling him back to the present.

"Anakin!" Obi-wan spat, as Anakin jolted in surprise

"Were you even listening? I ask you to disengage the auxiliary engines about 7 clicks ago!" His master scolded. Anakin immediately did so, hearing the soft hiss of the engines disengage. He felt his Master's eyes bore into him, and felt his stomach stich with guilt; making him feel just like he was a padawan again.

"Honestly Anakin, what were you thinking?" Obi-wan scalded again.

They both knew the answer to that question.

"I'm just a little- on edge master" Anakin stuttered,

"My padawan, my men-"he almost choked on the word-"Senator Amidala, are down there and they're dying."

Obi-wan sighed heavily, and then turned to face Anakin, small tuffs of his beard highlighted by the flashing display of the cockpit.

"You and Padme are very- close" he said the last word slowly, trying to see his reaction. Anakin swallowed nervously, trying to keep his calm façade. Just as Obi-Wan expected.

Anakin and Padme were deeply in love- he had no doubts about that. Infact, however much Obi-wan would deny it, seeing his 2 oldest friends share such a true bond made him happy. Secretly, behind his white robes, he felt his heart swell, as he thought of her; the duchess- Satine. He remembers as a padawan, the days they spent together on Mandalore, the shared smiles, the stolen kisses. Yet despite his orthodox obligation to the Jedi code- he knew his heart craved for her- And only his Satine.

Anakin flinched:

"Padme is my-"he couldn't find a word to describe that.

She is his everything, his wife, his best friend, his comfort, his colleague, his other half. He can't imagine life without her. He shuddered, remembering the dire situation on Naboo. Then using his Jedi- reflexes made a surprising jump to hyperspace, despite the look of shock on Obi-Wan's face.

"Hang on Padme`" Anakin thought… "Please hang on…"

Naboo

"Hang on Padme`-Please hang on…"

She let out a small gasp, as she felt the beautiful voice of her husband reverberate inside her. Even the soft baritone of his voice, was enough to make Padme's heart beat like a turbo-hammer, she her pure love for him swept through her very being. Her Ani. Her beloved Ani.

Behind the Senator exterior she held in front of her company of her husband's padawan, and his troops, she was something different. Padme` Amidala- Skywalker is Anakin Skywalker's wife. Her love for him excels beyond soul-souring measures, a love so deep, so pure it knows no bounds.

Despite being 2 parsecs away, she could feel his love, feel her heart melt under the cerulean glint of his eyes, feel his warm voice, comforting her, soothing her. A gift only Anakin could do. A small giggle left her lips as she pictured her husband's beautiful physique in her head; his broad shoulders, conditioned abdominals, the… handsome tissue between his legs, the chiselled muscles of his quadriceps, she had to supress her thoughts, in case she released a low, amorous moan- in the middle of company.

Catching a weird glance from Ashoka, she started tending the infected soldiers, encouraging them with words of advice. She heard the staccato beat of battle droids marching outside the door- knowing that time was slipping away.

There was only 2 options- death by a lethal infection, or death by lasers. 2 options, unless her husband and his master rescued them with the antidote.

Despite her strong belief in her husband, she knew that she didn't have long-

The storeroom, which she and a squadron of 7 others had taken refuge in, was becoming increasingly volatile. Already 2 troops were on their last legs, as sinister whispers of gas from the virus, curled through gaps of the room. Padme` felt herself weaken- her lungs burnt, her eyes were seething with hot tears but she tried to ignore the symptoms- putting the lives of others ahead of her own- again.

'Anakin would have done the same' she thought to herself

Just where was he?

Nubian Atmosphere

The static hiss of the communications panel fizzed into life. Anakin rammed towards the equipment, shoving Obi-wan out of the way.

"This is General Skywalker- permission to land in the Theed Quadrant, coordinates 42" by 6'."

A long pause

"Copy that General Skywalker, permission granted" said Captain Typho from the Grand Palace.

Gritting his teeth, Anakin and Obi-wan ignited the auxiliary engines, and slowly felt the nose of the ship dip down. Obi-wan adjusted the tail-angle, so the Twilight didn't have the wrong trajectory during its descent, while Anakin checked that the reverse thrusters were ready to use

The twilight landed safely, near the bunker. Immediately, Anakin sprinted out of the transport, leaving Obi-wan (yet again) annoyed at his padawans rash behaviour. Anakin skidded down the landing ramp, his organic hand clamped around the glass vial of the antidote.

"I love you Padme`- I always have and always will" he prayed to her

"Please hang on…"

Vindi's Laboratory

All she that she could do, was wait.

Nauseating spasms of pain convulsed through her body, as she applied her weight onto the wall of the store-house. Her heartbeat erratic, her breath rasping through what felt like her shrivelled lungs. She was burning. Or so she felt like she was.

But the most painful thing wasn't physical-

She didn't have time to tell her husband she loved him.

Her heart clenched at the very thought. Anakin was the living half of herself- he fulfilled her, in ways no-one apart from them could understand. Her love for him excelled beyond an inconceivable scale- the magnitude used to scare Padme`, but now it enlightens her, cleanses her, completes her.

Her eyelids sunk, as she drew in one arduous breath.

Using her final reserves of energy, a small smile curled on her dry lips

"Anakin..."she whispered feebly.

The world went black.

Later

As soon as Anakin saw her body being uploaded by a stretcher, he instinctively ran over, mentally assessing her for any injury. A cold dread gnawed at his insides, as she lay dormant. Unmoving.

Could she be?

The word stifled him-

Dead.

By using the calming techniques, he learnt during intense meditation, he smothered the rising anxiety.

She wasn't. He would know otherwise.

Suddenly, her eyelids fluttered open.

And Anakin could breathe again.

Suddenly, all the pain vanished; leaving only their love. Her smile was a radiant as the Nubian sun, as she saw her husband. Her cheeks blazed crimson, her eyes glistened with delight. From where she was lying, the sun seemed to halo Anakin's head, giving him an ethereal glow behind his flaxen curls.

"You will be okay in a few days" he comforted

She sighed dreamily, as she turned her head towards him

"I never lost faith in you- none of us did" she said, her voice raw with emotion.

As Ashoka's limp body was being loaded onto the surface, Padme` turned to address her husband,

"Your padawan performed brilliantly" she praised, regarding the stretcher that was carried into the hold of the medical capsule.

The delicate tips of her fingers traced the thumb of his bionic hand; intuitively he curled his hand into hers, clasping their fingers in a knot of prayer.

"I trust I'll see you soon… general Skywalker"

"Of course... milady"

And as she was transported into the medical capsule- there was no chance she could not be happier.