Push and Pull

"Padawan," Neeva replied, an irritated note in her voice that Amira recognized as being very distinct from the one her Master used when she was irritated with HER. No, her Master was peeved at someone else this time.

"I don't understand," Amira shook her head, "I did not think the Council would allow…"

"They didn't," Neeva cut in, turning her head to look at her Padawan with a sigh, "The Senator intercepted a transmission Obi-Wan sent me informing him of who was behind the assassinations," she explained, "I only just caught her in her starship as she was planning to come and rescue him herself out of guilt he'd been apprehended investigating someone after HER life."

Amira nodded at that though she had a small frown on her face. Padmé was, from what she could barely glimpse of the girl, fiddling with the manacles around her wrist and looking pointedly at anyone but the Jedi beside her, her cheeks flushed with what might have been embarrassment or guilt for the situation.

"Diplomacy does not always work," Neeva grumbled under her breath, giving Padmé a chastising look. Apparently the Senator had tried to negotiate and gotten them both captured.

"Master," she heard Anakin greet and looked to her right where Anakin was beside her, Obi-Wan on his right as well.

"Padawan," Obi-Wan gave Anakin a look, "I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message."

"Amira and I re-transmitted it as you requested, Master," Anakin informed him, "As the parameters of our own 'mission' didn't extend to a deadline of when to return to the Temple nor did a command come from the Council NOT to come here follow transmission of your message to them, we felt it would only be right, as a Padawan, to offer my Master assistance."

Obi-Wan blinked at him a moment, almost seeming like he wasn't sure how to respond to that, "…did you now?"

Anakin nodded, "I am sorry, Master, that we seemed to have failed," he gave a small bow of his head, "I offer my most sincere apologies for any distress or shame this might cause you."

"You…do?"

Amira bit her lip as Obi-Wan's expression slowly morphed into something that resembled a gape, pretending not to see the way her own Master was shaking her head as though she had worked out exactly why Anakin was responding the way he was.

"If I may, offer my opinion about our present situation, Master?"

Obi-Wan blinked again and nodded, "I welcome it."

"I have bad feeling about this," he shifted his hand above him slightly to gesture at the arena. There were three large creatures being herded in, a Reek which was a rather rhino-like alien, a Nexu that resembled a serpentine lion, and an Acklay that appeared more a mix between a mantis and a crab, "Have you a plan, Master?"

Obi-Wan glanced over at the creatures, "Take the one the right. I'll take the one on the left. Amira," he called, leaning forward just slightly to see the woman on the other side of Anakin, "The center. Neeva," he added as a shout, "Guard the Senator…" he trailed off slightly, seeing Padmé had been able to pick her restraints somehow and was now using the chain that had bound her to climb to the top of the pillar. He shook his head, looking at the silent Anakin, an almost odd look on his face, "Understood?"

"Yes, Master," Anakin nodded, turning to focus on the creatures, preparing himself, his eyes locked on the Reek on the right.

Obi-Wan looked out into the arena, ignoring the shouts and cheers of the crowd that was watching, before he turned back to his Padawan, unable to stop himself, "That's it?"

Anakin glanced at him, "Master?"

"No…arguing?" Obi-Wan shook his head, "No wanting the one on the left instead? No remarks on my errors in judgment to end up here? No quips about the danger and our odds? No better plan to offer?"

"I have some ideas," Anakin admitted, "But I defer to your knowledge, wisdom, and experience, Master."

Obi-Wan frowned intently at that, "Who are you and what have you done to my Padawan?"

Anakin chuckled, internally smirking at his Master's reaction, it was JUST like Amira said it would be if he was overly obedient to Obi-Wan. He HAD been hoping for the shock to the heart she'd mentioned, but given their current situation and his divided focus, he could appreciate the suspicious look in his Master's eye, the way his gaze roved over him as though trying to determine if he was some enemy disguised as his Padawan.

"I have had…" he took a deep breath, focusing on the arena, more so that his Master would not see his gaze flicker to Amira as noticeably, "An enlightening time without you, Master."

"Oh?" was all Obi-Wan could muster, just shaking his head at the boy. He opened his mouth to remark on it, to ask what it was that had changed him so, but snapped his mouth shut. He didn't want to know, he really didn't, whatever it was…he was grateful for it though. Maybe, by the time Anakin was ready for the Trials, he'd have less gray hair and more years on his life than he feared he would.

There wasn't a chance to say another word as the Reek charged at Anakin, who used the Force to jump up right when the Reek slammed into the pillar, breaking his chain from the post as Anakin came down to land on its back. He flicked the chain and looped it around the Reek's neck like a rein, trying to use it to get control of the Reek, but it just started bucking, pulling Anakin off. Amira looked over at a terrible thud to the side to see the Acklay, the one that Obi-Wan had intended to target, had knocked over the pillar the Jedi was attached to, crushing it and breaking Obi-Wan's chain in the process, the man rushing off to lure it away when a roar on her other side made her whip her head around.

The Nexu was heading right for her Master and Padmé!

She looked around, trying to find some way to distract it, Padmé was still working on trying to yank her chains free while her Master was attempting to focus the Force enough to pull the manacles apart. She looked down, seeing a rock the size of her fist lying in the sand of the arena before her. She shifted, managing to get the rock closer and aimed…kicking it hard and sending it flying at the Nexu. It let out another angry roar and charged at her. She turned, grabbing the end of her manacles and, much like Padmé had, used it to leverage her feet onto the pillar, running around behind it as the Nexu barreled into the pillar, her momentum keeping her over the falling pillar and to the side of the Nexu as it freed her from her chains. As the pillar fell and the chain snapped she was tugged forward, rolling on the ground till she landed on her back…the Nexu rearing onto its hind legs above her, swiping down at her as she ducked to roll back the other way, narrowly avoiding its claws in the process.

She had only just scrambled to her feet when the Nexu was shoved to the side, attacked by the Reek that Anakin had gotten control over, sending it charging into the Nexu, taking it down.

"You ok?" he called down to her.

"Get the Senator to safety!" she shouted, pointing towards the pillars, her Master had gotten free, as had Padmé, running towards them herself but knowing the Reek would be faster.

He gave her a brief nod and led the Reek over to the pillars, "Jump!" he shouted at Padmé, the woman not even hesitating before she leapt from the post to land on the back of the Reek. Amira looked over to see Obi-Wan had grabbed a spear one of the guards had dropped and managed to take down the Acklay, hurrying towards them as fast as he could.

"Amira!" Neeva's voice pulled her back as she reached her Master, "Go!" she crouched slightly, her hands cupping with the clear intent to launch her into the air towards the Reek, which she did, not hesitating to do as her Master intended, landing behind Padmé.

She glanced over as her Master and Anakin's caught up, running just behind the Reek for protection as Anakin led it towards the gates they'd entered through…

Only for Droidekas to fill the arena, rolling quickly to surround them and transforming, their weapons ready, trapping them.

It was then, just as the small group thought they were finished, that all hell literally broke loose around them when about two hundred Jedi jumped out of the crowd, their lightsabers activating and swarmed the arena, taking down Geonosians and Droids alike, the Council's original rescue team had arrived and infiltrated the execution. Soon enough it was nearly chaos, lasers flew left and right, lighsabers swung, each side pushing hard against each other, each side trying to beat the other. Amira felt like she'd only blinked when she found a lightsaber in her hand, one of the other Jedi having tossed her one, others doing the same for Obi-Wan, Anakin, and her Master.

Now, she felt, the execution had truly become a battle.

She jumped off the Reek, grabbing Padmé as she did so and pulling her off when she felt the Reek start to buck under her, spooked by the noise of the battle. Anakin followed close behind, the three of them landing on the ground as the Reek turned and stampeded away, but they had little time to look at that or see who it might have injured as the battle closed in around them, droids starting to attack them, forcing them to defend themselves.

"Senator!" Amira shouted, "Get back!"

But Padmé ignored her, grabbing a fallen pistol and firing at what droids she could…and moving back towards Anakin.

"Ani," Amira heard Padmé call and glanced back to see the woman smiling at him…and felt herself freeze for just a moment.

Padmé, she recognized that look in the woman's eyes. It was the same look that Anakin had often had when he spoke of her in the Temple, before Obi-Wan had taken the mission to guard her. It was a soft, happy, wistful look, the way she'd spoken was slightly breathless, like she couldn't believe that Anakin was really in front of her. It sounded…longing, in a way. The expression she had it was much like she imagined Anakin's had been when he'd been going to see the woman after ten years apart, eager and happy and nervous.

She froze for just a moment at the realization that, just as Anakin had thought and pined and mooned over Padmé the last ten years, Padmé too had been doing just the same since they'd been briefly reunited…

But it was a moment too long.

"Amira!" Anakin shouted suddenly and she turned to see a droid had fired its weapon at her in her distraction.

But before she could even react, she felt herself being pulled backwards by the Force, right into one of Anakin's arms as she stumbled, Anakin reaching out with his other to curl his hand into a fist, cursing the droid with the Force.

He looked down at her, but before he could even speak, she grabbed his arm and used him as leverage to pull herself back up and spin around him, thrusting her lightsaber out and stabbing another droid that had been sneaking up on him through the middle.

They locked eyes for a moment, nodding their head in dual thanks for the assistance before parting, stepping past each other and almost moving back to back, much like Obi-Wan and Master Windu, who had joined the fray and was engaged with the Bounty Hunter, were. The only difference was the distance between them, having moved far enough apart that Padmé was between them, keeping her safe as was the priority at the moment.

"Senator," Anakin called to a rather startled looking Padmé who was staring at the two of them with an odd look, "You need to get back!"

That was all the warning he could give her as the battle grew harder, the Jedi starting to find themselves pushed back towards the center of the arena, droid after droid herding them. It was as though, for each droid they cut down, two more took their place and, for each Jedi cut down in return, one more Jedi was in danger of following the same fate. All too soon there were only 20 of them left, and too many droids and Geonosians for them to face down and survive, especially considering there were even more battle droids, thousands of them, stationed on levels of the arena above them, having been called into action and aiming right for them.

"Master Windu!" one of their captors called from the viewing platform, Amira's eyebrows shot to her hairline as she saw just who it was, Count Dooku, a former Jedi of the Order, a man whose statue, younger than appeared now, was in the Archives, and there he was, his hair white, his clothes dark, standing on the side of their enemies, "You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the history archives of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished," he grinned, "Surrender and your lives will be spared."

Master Windu lifted his chin from where he stood in between Obi-Wan and Neeva, having ended his fight with the Hunter in a victory, "We will not be hostages for you to barter with, Dooku!"

"Then, I'm sorry, old friend," the man sighed, "You will have to be destroyed," he lifted his hand and the droids around them raised their weapons…

"Look!" Padmé shouted, pointing into the air where six large gunships were speeding towards them, dropping down to land around the surrounded Jedi.

The sides of the carrier part of the crafts opened and numerous men in white and black armor stepped out, all of them holding a blaster that they immediately began to fire at the droids with, giving the Jedi cover enough to rush to the various gunships that were heavily shielded. The gunships began to lift into the air, leaving the soldiers below to take care of the droids as the rescue of the Jedi commenced, the ships rising higher and higher above the battle below. As they hovered above the arena, they could see more ships had been brought to outside the area, setting down, taking out not just the droids within but the ones that were gathered outside as well. The winged creatures Amira and Anakin had faced down were firing large cannons up at the gunships, but their shields were holding, shaking the ships instead of destroying them.

Amira quickly grabbed onto the frame of the doorway of the gunship, using it to keep herself steady as she looked across the way, to another gunship where her Master and Padmé had gathered, leaving her with Obi-Wan and Anakin in the chaos and confusion of the sudden rescue. But her attention was quickly pulled to the battle once more, the soldiers were doing an incredible job of destroying the droid army, but that didn't mean that everything was going their way. There were numerous Federation Starships starting to rise along the edges of the arena, their enemies trying to escape as well.

"Aim right above the fuel cells!" Anakin shouted to the pilot, one of the white-clad soldiers, who did as ordered, firing a stream of lasers at the base of the ship, causing it to explode a moment later, tilting dangerously towards where the gunships were all gathered, forcing them apart to avoid the ship as it fell back to the ground.

"Good call," Obi-Wan patted Anakin on the back, turning to the pilot, "Those Federation starships are taking off. Target them quickly!"

"They are too big," Amira offered, seeing that almost no damage had been done to the ships now that their shields were up, "A combined effort might weaken them…"

Obi-Wan nodded and gestured for the pilot to put out the call, the gunships turning and firing at the starships, finally managing to weaken it enough to get one final shot in, causing it to explode and fall towards the arena. But as it fell, another attack came from the droids, a massive shot fired up at them, the pilot quickly jerking the gunship to avoid it.

"Look over there!" Obi-Wan called when they saw a different craft start to rise through the smoke that was drifting up from the arena, a Geonosian Speeder taking off across the planet.

"It's Dooku!" Anakin spotted the Count in the cockpit as it passed them.

"We must stop him," Amira looked at Obi-Wan, the man seeming shocked for only a moment when Anakin too turned to him for further instruction instead of shouting orders himself.

He nodded, "Follow him," he turned to the pilot who nodded and set the gunship to follow the speeder.

They raced along after Dooku, when suddenly an attack came at them from behind, two small fighter ships had moved behind them, causing the pilot to divert the ship, causing it to bank up on a steep dune, the craft shaking as it was still hit despite the pilot's efforts but still able to fly on.

"Amira!" Anakin shouted, reaching forward, his reactions quick, standing close enough to grab Amira's hand as she nearly fell out of the ship as it rocked, pulling her back in and into his arms, steadying her.

"I'm fine," she told Anakin, quickly pulling out of his arms, swallowing hard, "Thank you," she glanced at Obi-Wan, breathing out a sigh of relief to see the man hadn't noticed his Padawan's actions as he was staring out the open side of the craft at where Dooku's speeder was moving to land just outside a tower.

"If we catch him we can end this war right now," Obi-Wan stated, turning to the two Padawans, not wanting to take Amira with him, knowing he was not her Master and should not be taking her without Neeva's express permission, but he knew the woman would understand that he would protect her as if she were his own Padawan, and that it was the way of the Jedi to assist each other, "We have a job to do," he decided.

Amira and Anakin grew serious, nodding and gripping their lightsabers, ready.

The moment the gunship set down, the three of them leapt out of it and ran for the tower as well.

~8~

Obi-Wan led Anakin and Amira down a dark corridor of the tower, the three of them following sounds coming from the end of it, the sound of energy powering up, stopping right before the doorway to what appeared to be a hanger where Count Dooku was throwing switches on a control panel across the room, an Interstellar Sailship stationed beside him.

"He's the reason all those Jedi died…" Anakin murmured.

Obi-Wan tensed at that, just knowing what would come next, Anakin would go charging in there, without pause, without hesitation, and launch himself at Dooku in a rage. He turned, about to try and tell his Padawan to wait…

When Anakin fell silent and didn't make a single move more.

Obi-Wan looked back over his shoulder to see that Amira had reached out, her hand on Anakin's arm as he gripped his deactivated lightsaber. His Padawan was looking at her intently as she was returning the gaze just as strong, it almost seemed like Anakin was waiting for her permission, which was…just ridiculous. But when Amira gave the minutest of head shakes, telling Anakin no, he saw his Padawan nod and lower his arm, clearly having been about to raise his saber just as he had feared the boy would. He eyed the two of them as Anakin turned back to look at HIM expectantly and he realized that Anakin was actually waiting for him to give the order on this.

"We'll take him together," he pointed to the two of them, "Anakin, you go in slowly on the right, Amira, the left, I'll take lead, try to shut down his controls while I distract him. We need him trapped."

"Yes, Master," Anakin nodded, Amira giving him a firm nod as well.

It wasn't till the two had split up to start moving away from him that Obi-Wan even realized Amira hadn't actually let go of Anakin but that his Padawan had taken her hand instead that whole time. He gave a moment to glance at his Padawan, praying for strength and hope that nothing had happened or was going to happen between his Padawan and Neeva's. It had been difficult enough to deal with Anakin while he had been smitten with Padmé, for Anakin to form such an attachment to another Jedi…it could not be allowed. But he knew Neeva and he knew her Padawan and he hoped that it would be enough to stem Anakin's attention on the girl, Amira did not seem the sort to be as reckless as his Padawan was (had been?) as to allow something like that to happen.

He shook his head and quickly strode straight towards Dooku, "Dooku!" he shouted, pulling the Count's attention towards himself, Anakin and Amira doing as he'd instructed and starting to move out further on either side of him, giving Dooku a wide berth.

Dooku spun around and threw out a hand, striking Obi-Wan in the chest with a bolt of lightning he had generated from out of nowhere, throwing him back on the ground, winded but conscious, quickly holding up a hand to signal the Padawans not to attack.

"As you can see," Dooku grinned, "My Jedi powers are far beyond yours."

Obi-Wan forced himself back to his feet, his lightsaber activating, "I don't think so!" he called, launching himself at the man as Dooku activated his saber as well, the two locking in combat, one that quickly became apparent to Obi-Wan he was outmatched in for Dooku was truly an expert swordsman, far better skilled than he was.

Amira kept them in sight as she crept around the two dueling Jedi, catching a glance of Anakin as she went. She hurried on, seeing Obi-Wan starting to tire as Dooku sped up his attacks, pushing the Knight to his brink…before managing to get Obi-Wan in the shoulder and thigh in rapid succession, sending him stumbling into the wall and down to the ground, dropping his saber.

"Anakin!" Amira shouted to him, "Defend your Master! I can do this," she nodded at the control panel.

Anakin nodded and ran off, managing to slide his own saber under Dooku's as the Count tried to strike Obi-Wan down.

"That's brave of you, boy," she heard Dooku taunting, "But foolish. I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson."

Obi-Wan panted, looking up at his Padawan, fearing for the boy, knowing how Anakin's anger could rise at taunts to his abilities or lessons…

But Anakin just smirked, "I've learned a few tricks," he told the Count, quickly sliding his foot, which he'd caught behind Dooku's towards him, knocking it out from under the man, sending him not quite falling, but stumbling back, giving him the advantage to launch his attack while Dooku recovered.

Amira tried to focus on the control panel, but she could hear the duel behind her and couldn't help but glance back every so often, needing to be sure Anakin was alright. She had taught him that move, had taught him that his enemy wouldn't play fair and to do the same, but had also, through knowing her it seemed, taught him not to underestimate his opponent or overestimate himself. She could see a caution in his moves, a focus in his eyes. She could even make out how his lips were pursing in an effort not to talk or taunt but to keep silent and focused.

She could hear Dooku talking to him, trying to bait him, remarking on his strong power but also his inexperience. But, to his credit, Anakin didn't react, just fought on, Obi-Wan tossing him his saber to help as he struggled to his feet. But even with two sabers in hand, it wasn't enough, Dooku was a veritable master of the saber and Amira couldn't concentrate any longer, not when Dooku used the Force to send Anakin flying headfirst into a wall, one of his lightsabers falling away as he crumpled. She didn't even hesitate, but turned and ran for them as fast as she could.

She felt something surge through her when she saw Dooku raise his saber to strike at Anakin, in just the right position and with just the right advantage to either cut his arm or his head off entirely. It was arm, familiar, and powerful, amplified by her fear and concern for Anakin and his life, and threw her hand out, pushing the Force through her…

And sending Dooku flying through the air, crashing to the side into another wall, just like he had done to Anakin, save he hit his shoulder instead of head against it.

Unfortunately, all it served to do was make the man angry and turn on her. She knew she had little chance of beating the man, she had seen what he was like with a saber in hand and while she was good, she was not THAT good…but she could buy time, she could buy enough time for help to get there, she was sure she could. So she fought, parrying and slashing and blocking and thrusting, trying to do something, anything, putting all her instinct and focus into this, pushing the concern and terror she felt for Anakin to the side as she kept catching glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye lying there unmoving, not even seeming to be breathing…

She shook her head, narrowing her eyes as she fought on, pressing as hard as she could against Dooku, not holding back. Too much was at stake for her to fail in this, just a little longer, just a little longer…

She stumbled back with a gasp and cry of pain, resisting the instinct to put her hand to her side as Dooku slashed out and caught her in the side, squinting through the tears that had formed in her eyes to see Dooku smirking. Now would be the chance, the only chance she might get, while his guard was down, his arrogance high (a traitorous voice in her head remarked just like Anakin before she crushed it), and she swung out, falling to her knees moments later when the move caused her side to stretch in the most unbearable agony…

But Dooku was screaming…and he was missing three fingers, not on his saber hand, not on his strong side…but it was a disadvantage enough.

Dooku gained a hold of his pain faster than she did, turning his pain to anger as he strode towards her, seeing her down for the count, too weak to defend herself any longer and raised his light saber in his good hand…

When a voice that nearly made Amira cry in relief to hear spoke, "Count Dooku!"

Dooku froze in place, a grin spreading across his face as he turned to see a small green Jedi walking in, "Master Yoda," he gave a bow of the head at that.

Amira looked between the two of them a moment before turning and scrambling as fast as she could towards where Anakin lay, Obi-Wan already there, trying to rouse his Padawan, wise enough to know that if he attempted to engage Dooku once more it would be the end of him and he needed to survive to protect the Padawans.

"Amira," Obi-Wan turned to her, "Stay with him," he ordered her, pulling her closer to where he was, "I must go for aid," he looked towards one of the corridors, "Keep out of the way, keep back, Master Yoda will protect you while I gather the others and your Master."

Amira nodded, swallowing hard, her throat feeling too dry to speak, watching as Obi-Wan hurried off before she painfully dragged Anakin closer to her, closer to the wall, kneeling beside him as she watched Master Yoda facing Dooku down, using the Force to throw objects Dooku tossed at him away, deflecting falling debris as well as the Force Lightning Dooku conjured before locking in a duel of their own. It was…a sight to behold and, had it not been so serious, Amira was sure she would have been watching in more wonder and wistfulness to one day be as superior a dueler as the two before her were they were moving so fast and gracefully and elegantly, with such power and precision she could only hope to achieve a fraction of that in her lifetime. Master Yoda especially displayed an incredible skill and agility, spinning around and flipping in the air, jumping off the walls to strike at Dooku, wearing him out quickly in his attempt to block the numerous blows coming at him.

She gasped, however, when Dooku suddenly turned, using the Force to pull a crane-like piece of machinery to fall towards herself and Anakin. She turned, leaning over Anakin, trying to shield him from the falling object, knowing she didn't even come close to having enough control over the Force to try and stop it and Anakin was unconscious…

But the crane never hit.

She paused a moment before looking over her shoulder to see Master Yoda with his eyes closed, concentrating on the crane, on stopping it…even as Dooku used it as just the right distraction to make it to his ship and start it up, starting to pilot it away. Yoda set the crane just to the side of Amira and Anakin, blocking their sight of him as they were so near the wall, but she could see the ship taking off, flying out of the hanger…the man escaping.

Her attention, however, didn't last long on the ship, but instead turned to Anakin as she heard him groaning.

"Anakin?" she gasped, putting her hands on his shoulders, trying to shake him more awake, her heart racing at the sound, her hands trembling as they clutched at him, her lungs burning as though she were holding her breath, so focused was she on him, the hope of him being alright filling her and equaling the fear she'd felt as seeing him fall, "Anakin!"

"…mira?" Anakin mumbled, blinking slowly as he opened his eyes.

"Thank the Force," she breathed, her voice holding a deep tremor, choking with emotion, "You're ok. You're alive!"

"What…"

He didn't even have a chance to finish his question when Amira's hands flew from his shoulders to his cheeks, tugging his head up as she leaned over…

And pressed a firm kiss to his lips.

Anakin's eyes widened for only a moment before they started to close, shifting his arms to push himself up on his elbows, returning the kiss just as hard, one of his hands moving to touch her cheek as well…

When the sound of their Masters calling for them echoed through the room.

And Amira pulled back, her hands snapping away from him as though burned to fly to her mouth as she stared at him in horror of what had just happened.

"Amira…" he reached out for her.

But she shook her head, almost frantically, her eyes wider than he'd ever seen them, before she scrambled to her feet and ran.

~8~

She knew she should have expected it eventually, but it still made Amira gasp when she opened the door to her room at the knock against it and saw Anakin standing on the other side, smiling at her. She hadn't seen him since Geonosis, having gone with her Master to return Senator Amidala back to Naboo, the woman had been distant with her, overly formal and polite, but eyed her oddly each time she thought she was unobserved. SHE hadn't paid it much mind, not that she could, her thoughts had been consumed with Anakin…with what she'd done and how bad it was, how wrong, how foolish it had been, how guilty she felt, how disappointed her Master would be if she knew. It had gotten to the point that she hadn't said a word nearly the entire trip, worrying her Master whenever she tried to make conversation and her Padawan merely gave her the shortest of answers it weighed so heavily on her mind.

She had managed to play it off as though a lingering stress from the battle, the start of the 'Clone War' as the other Jedi had taken to calling it. Apparently the white-clad warriors that had come to help were an army that had been cloned from the Bounty Hunter that had cornered her and Anakin. Her Master had understood, it was truly the largest battle she'd been a part of in her training and to see so many Jedi dying around her, their numbers cut down from 200 to 20 had been jarring and would leave anyone needing time to process.

It was why her Master had allowed her back to her room to rest once they returned, choosing to go give the Council her report of the Senator's return alone.

She had hoped to be alone as well, but she should have known, the moment that word went around that she and her Master were back that Anakin would seek her out. She'd run off at the sound of her Master's voice on Geonosis, directing them to where Anakin still was, remarking that he'd woken but that he had hit his head very hard, his Master going with him for the two of them to be treated for their injuries, her Master taking her to see to her injuries as well. Injuries she hadn't even been affected by with how numb and rigid and filled with fear she'd been at the time, not till it was being treated did it start to sting again.

"An…" she cleared her throat, cursing the way it had almost come out breathless, and schooled her voice to be more neutral, "Skywalker."

"How's your side?" he asked her, not greeting her back, but the concern in his voice made up for it.

"Fine," she answered shortly, before biting her lip, knowing it was rude that he should ask about her and not her for him, "Your head?"

"Fine," he mimicked, smirking slightly, "No side-effects," he added, "No lingering pains, nothing at all that the medics said I should watch out for. Including amnesia," he gave her a meaningful look, "I remember Geonosis," he told her after a moment of her silence, "I remember that we…"

"Made a mistake," she cut in.

If she had expected him to frown or grow angry at that, she was very surprised when he just smiled and nodded, "I thought you'd say something like that. So I meditated on what I should do about that."

She stared at him a moment, before silently cursing under her breath. She'd expected to come back, be confronted with this, tell him it was wrong, and have him blow up at her, just like he had when Obi-Wan had sent him back and prevented him from being on a mission with the Senator. She'd expected him to get angry, to yell, to…do anything except actually meditate on it, to stand before her so…calm. But this wasn't the same Anakin that she'd met in the training room that was raging like a petulant child that had been denied playing with his favorite toy. He had changed, in such little time, he'd started to change…SHE had started to change him.

And now she had to face the consequences of that.

Now she had to be confronted with a man that had taken time to think about what he wanted to say, to ponder it from a new perspective, to consider what her feelings would be and why she'd feel it instead of assuming things. This was all her fault that the petulant child wasn't raging about losing time with his toy but a man that was maturely facing someone he considered to be his equal.

"We cannot do anything about it, Skywalker," Amira stated, her voice taking on the firm but formal quality that she so often associated with speaking to her Master or other Jedi or those that she was meant to help leave a good impression of the Order with, "We both made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not to be broken, a commitment that means sacrifice."

"Love should never be sacrificed," Anakin countered.

"Love?" she wanted to scoff at it, wanted so badly to make it sound like a scoff, but she couldn't muster more than a quiet question at it.

Because it couldn't be love, it couldn't be, not so soon, not so quickly, not at all.

But Anakin just nodded.

"No," she shook her head, "It is not love. We are forbidden to love…"

"We are forbidden to form attachment," Anakin corrected, smiling even more, truly sounding as though he'd thought of all her counters to this, "Possession is forbidden. Many things are forbidden, but compassion? The unconditional love that entails? That is central to our way life."

"Attachment," she reminded him, "Possession. They are both qualities of love. This…this attachment between us…"

"So you do admit there is one between us," he almost sounded like he was about to laugh in joy at that unwitting admission, "I know there's certainly passion, that kiss…"

"Anakin!" she shouted, cutting in, "It is forbidden. All of it. And that is ALL that matters!"

"YOU matter," Anakin countered quietly, "You matter to me, Amira."

"Well I shouldn't."

"And I know I matter to you," he continued as though she hadn't said anything, "Attachment is forbidden, yet we are expected to form a loyalty to each other, to the Order, to our Padawans and Masters, to life in general. We would not fight so hard to defend it, we would not uphold our Codes to the extent we do, if there were no attachment to it. Passion…is that not also dedication? We dedicate our lives, everything we have to the Order, to our training, to those we protect. That is passion. Our Code is a paradox, but love is not. It is simple."

"It is complicated," she shook her head, "It makes everything complicated. It makes everything dangerous, especially for a Jedi!"

"My love for you is simple," Anakin told her, reaching out and curling a finger around her Padawan braid a moment, letting it sift out of his fingers with a smile, "It is anything but dangerous."

This time she did scoff, "You don't love me, Anakin."

"I do."

"No, you don't."

"I really do."

"You've only known me…"

"Long enough," he cut in, "Not a second goes by that you aren't in my thoughts. Not a moment that you're away from me do I not want you back beside me, in my sight. And when I see you, when I think of you, my stomach flutters, my mouth goes dry, my hands sweat, my tongue gets tied, my mind goes blank and I feel like the world is spinning around me and the only thing in focus, the only thing still and grounding me, is you. Your smile leaves me breathless, your touch," he reached out and took her hand, "Makes my heart race," he shifted his hold so that his fingers were just barely at her wrist, feeling how fast her own heart was racing at his words, as though it were proof that she felt the exact same way, "And just thinking of your lips, of the kiss we shared, these last few days has driven me to the point of madness."

Amira swallowed hard, forcing herself to lightly tug her hand away from him, he was too close, his presence too consuming, everything he was saying…she had felt it, and if that was truly what love felt like, all those things that she too had felt for him…no, she looked away from him, it wasn't love, it couldn't be.

"It will pass," she insisted, needing it to be true, needing it to be a phase. It had to be. This could NOT happen.

"I don't think it will," he shrugged, as though he were helpless to stop it, "I thought myself in love with Senator Amidala," Amira felt a faint niggle in the back of her mind that he'd taking to calling the woman Senator Amidala instead of Padmé now, "For 10 years of my life, from the briefest of meetings as a child, barely knowing a thing about her," he smiled, his eyes so soft that Amira's breath caught in her throat at the full effect of it directed on her, the care, the genuine emotion and dedication in his eyes, all for her, "I know YOU, Amira, better than I have ever known another," he gave a soft laugh, "I know you more in 10 days than I know my own Master," he jokingly twisted his words from earlier, for how he trusted her because she just knew him, "I know your mind, your heart, your spirit, and I will love you many times more than 10 years for it. I know you're not ready to accept what you feel…"

"I don't feel anything," she tried to insist, but the smile that grew on his face told her all she needed to know, he'd seen right through her lie.

"But I am NOT going to give up," he promised her, "Not on anything, not on you. I will still see you to your Trials, I won't turn back on that. I will always be there to catch you when you fall, that will never change. And whether or not you admit it, whether or not the day comes where we are ever allowed to be…I will never give up on you."

"That day will never come," she told him, forcing her voice hard, "We will never be. I do not love you."

"Maybe not," he spoke, his own voice taking on a harder tone, but one that spoke of determination than harshness, "And maybe it will. I know what I feel, Amira, and I know how you feel as well," he looked right in her eyes, "I see it in your eyes, I sense it in your touch, I felt it in your kiss. One day...one day I will prove it to you."

Amira could say nothing else to that, to the promise in his eyes and voice, could hardly breathe as he stood before her, so she just shook her head and slowly stepped back from her door, allowing it to shut, cutting off Anakin's determined face from her view as she let her head fall against the cold metal, listening as she heard him walk away and closed her eyes. She had been so foolish, so incredibly foolish, to think that what was happening between Anakin and herself had been what she'd tried to convince herself it was. She had been wrong to try and think it was merely companionship, being fellow Padawans. Her actions on Geonosis had proven everything completely wrong.

She slammed a curled fist against her door in agitation, frustration with herself. What had she been thinking!? Kissing Anakin? She hadn't, she knew she hadn't been thinking at all. She'd reacted to seeing him on the ground, to knowing he'd come so close to being harmed or even killed by Count Dooku. She'd seen him lying there, unmoving, not even sure if he was breathing and…when he'd started to wake, when she saw his eyes shining up at her…she hadn't even thought, hadn't hesitated. And it was wrong, it was so wrong, she had broken so many of the Jedi teachings in doing that, she had jeopardized not only her own chances of becoming a Jedi Knight or even a Master one day but…she'd jeopardized Anakin's as well. She clearly had jeopardized his future, because she knew him, knew what he'd do if he had even a glimmer of hope that something existed between them, she had seen the small signs as they grew closer, how he felt for her. In the end, she had seen the look in his eyes as he gazed at her, the very same look he often got when he spoke of the Senator but much deeper, more profound than it had ever been.

She knew what her actions would do to him, what they'd make him feel, and she'd done it anyway. She hadn't been able to stop herself and now this? He had made a promise to her, he was not going to give up on her, on them, not on her chances at the Trials, nor on his hopes that, somehow, they might be together one day or even that she would admit there was something between them.

She brought her curled fist to her face, wiping at a traitorous tear that fell. She shouldn't be weeping over this, she shouldn't be affected. She should feel glad that she had put her foot down, that she was denying this chance between them. She should feel relieved that she was protecting Anakin from the pull the Dark Side could use against him if he let this attachment grow and something happened to her by refusing his proclamations of love. She should feel proud of herself for sticking to the Code and following everything her Master had taught her in refusing to allow something to happen between them, proud that she had told him she did not love him, that she was determined to make him believe that. She should feel all of that!

…then why was her heart breaking inside of her?

No, she KNEW why it was.

As much as she tried to fool herself, she knew it wasn't friendship she felt for Anakin, not at all, and it had the potential to destroy them both if she let it. Already she felt like she was being torn in two, there was this...pull...towards Anakin, but at the same time everything inside her was pushing her towards what she'd spent her life dedicated to, the Code, the Order, becoming a Jedi, something she knew Anakin felt as well so she couldn't understand how he could still think it was possible for them to be when everything they were trying to become was against it!

She let out a breath at that, shaking her head against the door as the weight of it fully fell on her because she couldn't let it happen, she couldn't let anything happen, she had to do her best to stop it, to deny it, to crush it...for Anakin, to protect him, to keep him from the Dark Side, she couldn't let this move any farther than it was, grow any stronger than it was despite his claims.

She had to find someway to stop it, she was just...she was afraid it was already too late if Anakin's promise was anything to go on.

Slowly she sank down to the floor on her knees, her mind replaying the kiss over and over, because it was her fault, all of it, even reaching out to Anakin and just talking to him had been on her, but the kiss...oh that kiss the catalyst of this entire mess.

What had she done?

To be continued...in...Rise of the Chosen One!

A/N: :) I can't believe the story's over! O.O But we'll be getting the next story in only a few hours ;) I can't say just yet whether the Chosen One will rise on the Light or Dark side of the Force though. Amira is very determined not to be with Anakin despite his own determination to be with her...it may or may not drive him to the Dark Side...we'll have to read that story to find out ;) I can say we haven't seen the last of Padmé or Neeva either ;)

I hope Anakin's moment with Amira at the end was believable and realistic. I see him as being both rash but also thoughtful, he's fully convinced he loves Amira and he's actually considered what her reaction would be (we'll see more on both their thoughts on that in the next story), he's done exactly what she taught him to do and is even using her own advice on how to deal with Obi-Wan against her. He also struck me as the sort to feel things very powerfully and wholly, once the love has formed, it's a powerful feeling to him and, maybe, he gets a bit ahead of himself with how he declares himself lol. Instead of getting offended she keeps denying it, he's just determined to wait for her to come around, because he knows she does feel the same but won't admit it. It's sort of come full circle, that he reacted so harshly to being denied the chance to be with Padmé and now the same thing is happening, worse because Amira is a fellow Padawan he can see any time he wants within reason, and he's taken all Amira's taught him and made him think of and put it towards a new method of winning someone's love :)

I just want to take a minute to say thank you, to all of you, to anyone that read/reviewed/favorited/followed/anything this story. I was really SO nervous to post not just a Star Wars story but an Anakin/OC one because I know how passionate the fans of Star Wars are and I was truly nervous to post and feel like I'd ruined something that so many people held dear to them. All of you and your encouragement and gentle pointers about the story have been so wonderful and I am SO happy that you've enjoyed this first story so far :') It really means a lot that what I set out to do, to put a little spin on the movies but still remain true to the overall spirit of it, has worked out so far, and I hope that I can continue to do so in the next story and do you all proud :)

Some notes on reviews...

We'll see more of their Masters noticing something going on in the next story ;) There'll be quite a bit of debate and comment on the two ;)

I can't say if Anakin will still become Vader just yet, I can't quite imagine Episodes 4-6 without him either, but then, at the same time, it might be an interesting challenge to see what happens if Anakin was there against the Dark Side :)

I can say Anakin's very determined to see the relationship develop, whether Amira will let it or be able to hold out is another story ;)

I try to post in the first A/N how many chapters a story will be, this one is 10 and so will the next one :) I tend to, for some reason, make my movie-stories 10 chapters :)

Yup, it'll still be 10 chapters, with the chaos of the battle, it sort of ended up being a blur to Amira and a bit shorter to describe to add to the chaotic feel of it :)

Anakin finally told her :) His reaction to Padmé was a bit dimmed here due to the battle, but I hope his little 'Senator' instead of 'Padmé' moment helped, we'll see them interacting more in the next story, might even have a bit of a reversed situation with who's pining after who ;)

I think Mace only told Anakin to stay where he was because Padmé was with him and their priority was to protect her and keep her safe, not take her into danger or leave her unattended or protected :) Here, the Council was more focused on getting a rescue attempt together and Anakin wasn't guarding a Senator :) Oh Neeva was NOT pleased with Padmé, she essentially started to steal a ship to go after Obi-Wan to help and Neeva just barely managed to get on the ship before it left and, as she was assigned to not really interfere with Padmé's life but just step in if danger appeared, she was in a tricky spot for how to stop her :)

I think it's possible Amira could become a Sith Lord if the situation or events go the right (or wrong) way. I think, just my opinion, that a good amount of Jedi could be tempted or turn to the Dark if the right trap was set, if the right losses and tragedies were made, if they were pushed and manipulated in the right way :(

The reunion definitely pushed their relationship on, but also caused it a major set back }:) We'll see more of Padmé in the next story, but as for what she'll be doing, trying to get closer to Anakin or merely being a friend is yet to be seen ;) Obi-Wan will definitely be more involved in the Padawans and observing them ;)

Padme got there by overhearing Obi-Wan's message and wanting to help him and negotiate with his captors. She has her own starship and she felt guilty he got caught trying to keep her safe (and also a little because he's Anakin's Master) :).