After six weeks of separation, is it any wonder they've barely stopped touching one another since he stepped into the apartment yesterday? He's been Force knows where doing Gods only know what… No doubt being shot at, endangering his life at every turn and taking ridiculous, reckless risks. The kind that'll make both she and Obi-Wan's hair grey before their time. The strain of being so far away from him, with little to no word on his safety only grows worse with each day he is gone, Padme spends her days trying to gain even a snippet of information about his wellbeing while she is in the Senate, and her nights worrying herself sick if she can't. It's a painful cycle, one she won't be freed from until the war is over and she can keep him at home with her, safe and alive.

She gets to be his wife so little that she is beginning to romanticise catering to her husbands every whim…

Dorme has thankfully kept herself to herself and largely left them to it, though Padme has no doubts that the moment Anakin is gone, she is in for a world of teasing. It doesn't matter, feeling his lips dance across her neck makes her spirit soar, too high to be grounded by anything right now. They've spent all night making up for lost time, and it seems her husband's appetite for her is as insatiable as ever, and Padme welcomes his want this morning. She is not scheduled to be in the Senate until this evening, and unless he is called to the Temple, they are free for the morning, nothing threatening ruin this bliss they're sharing.

It's hot, almost uncomfortably so, but neither of them have the will to push away the blankets pulled high above their heads, shielding them from the outside world completely. She'll deal with the heat, if it means this bubble of privacy, this sensation of being the only two people in the Galaxy endures. Feeling bold, Padme's legs spread a little wider, nestling him between her thighs, exactly where they both want him to be, and the resulting groan is exactly what she wants to hear from him. There is nothing quite like the sounds he makes in bed, the growls, the groans… And the occasional grunt… The effect they can have on her is indescribable. Vocal confirmation that she's pleasing him is enough to drive her mad with arousal.

Padme can feel him pressed against her, hot, hard, and she can't help but lift her hips, straining for any kind of friction she can get, and this time she's met with a breathy laugh as he lifts his head to look at her. They're both panting, chests heaving and bodies aching for each other. Why he's so determined to draw it out this time, she can't understand… If this torment goes on much longer she cannot possibly be held responsible for her actions. Padme's eyes close for a second and she feels the familiar tickle of his hair falling against her face and smiles… It's strange, the things she misses about him when he's gone. This is always one of them. Deciding to tease him a little, she leans up, and kisses along the sharp line of his jaw, while her hand trails over the hard terrain of his stomach, feeling the muscles clench beneath her touch, if she goes just a little lower… He'll be the one going mad.

"Is that your lightsaber I feel, or are you particularly pleased to see me this morning?" She whispers against his neck, lifting her hips to move against him a little more, she is delighted with the hiss the action draws from her husband's lips, the sensation is not lost to Padme either as she moans, drawing her lip between her teeth. Anakin's prosthetic hand wraps itself around her wrist suddenly; the cold steel against her heated skin is striking, making her hand pause where it lingers just above the trail of fine blonde hairs leading below his waist.

"Touch it and find it out…" He murmurs, a moment before leaning down and sealing their lips together in yet another kiss. His response makes her smile into the kiss, and with his guidance, her hand slowly begins to move lower, deliberately teasing him, making him groan in his frustration. She wants to touch him, wants to pleasure him slowly and entirely too gently until he writhes beneath her touch, on the verge of losing control. Her fingers are about to reach him when a loud, shrill buzzing sound cuts through their moment, and startles them out of the kiss. There is only one device here that makes such a sound.

His communicator.

At once, Padme's hand falls away, as Anakin's head comes to rest on her shoulder. Of course this couldn't last forever… At the very least she'd hoped they could have the morning together. The disappointment is palpable between them, and while they attempt to catch their breaths, the communicator goes off again. Someone is clearly eager to make contact with him. When Anakin's teeth scrape across her pulse, too gently to leave a mark, but still enough to sting, she gasps, because he should be climbing out of bed to answer the call, not teasing her further.

"Ani, no… We can't, not now."

"Yes we can… Just ignore it. They'll give up eventually."

It's tempting, so sweetly tempting that she considers it for a moment, especially after those lips reach the swell of her breasts but she can't… They can't… He isn't even supposed to be outside of the Temple, yet he spent the night here. Someone might be suspicious, or it could be an emergency of some kind… Or, he may be being shipped off once more…

Anakin clearly senses her thoughts and pauses his attentions to lean his forehead against her chest, sighing disappointedly. At once, she brushes her fingers through his hair, closing her eyes to listen to his panting, trying to calm down even a little. After a moment, the communicator goes off for a third time and he growls, frustrated, lifts his head and pulls the blankets off of their heated bodies. The sudden exposure to the cool air of the bedroom after being trapped within the warmth they created is refreshing, and it cools her warm skin quickly. He rises from the bed, reaching for the robe left discarded on the floor last night in his haste and pulls out the dammed device, and she watches him, rolling so she lays on her stomach instead, lifting her legs from below the knees to cross her ankles above her. Padme is a blessed woman… Her husband is nothing short of marvellous. He's beautiful in every way… All hard muscle yet still maintaining his lean frame somehow. It's remarkable, how much he has changed since they were married, the boy she fell for is gone, replaced by the man before her now.

"Skywalker." He barks, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice. When his gaze falls upon her once more, Padme sees his jaw tighten and smiles playfully in response, resting her chin on her hand, elbow leaning against the mattress. After how he's teased her this morning, payback is fair play…

"Anakin why in the name of the Force haven't you been answering?! Actually, never mind that, the council wish to see us immediately." Just as she thought, they're sending him off again, and only the Gods know when they'll be reunited this time. Fighting back a sigh, Padme looks away from him, instead staring down at the bed. It's pointless really, she is sure he can feel exactly what's going through her mind right now, but pretending otherwise makes her feel better.

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"One more thing Anakin, the council have asked that you go to Senator Amidala and bring her along. We need her help." At once, their eyes meet, and she's nervous suddenly. Whenever the council need her help, it usually leads to something terrible… The ordeal with Clovis is proof enough of that.

"Need her help with what exactly Master?" Anakin's gaze doesn't leave her; she feels it even when she isn't looking at him. He's nervous too, she can tell. Padme just hopes he isn't thinking back to what happened with Clovis too, she wants those memories banished from his mind forever.

"Just get here Anakin, the council will explain everything. Kenobi out."

The conversation is over and her gaze slowly moves back to meet his, taking her time to once more admire her love's wonderful form as she does so. Whatever the council are going to ask of her this time, at least she's learned her lesson from before. They are a team. If one suspects something is wrong, the other will trust them no matter the consequences. And he'll be with her in the council chambers, they've both been called for this, she hopes it's something they'll be working on together, whatever it may be.

"I suppose we should get to the Temple." He sighs, tossing the communicator onto the small table at the end of the bed. But Padme doesn't move, instead she only looks up at him for a long moment, her playful smile returning to her lips once more as an idea strikes her.

"We could… Or, you could tell the council I was so very reluctant to leave my work this morning that it took you a while to convince me to come with you… And I can use the extra time to ride you until you see stars…"

At once he is on her, making her turn to face him before kissing her so deeply that he steals the breath from her lungs. They both laugh into their next kiss as they move so he's the one whose back is pressed into the bed this time.

They find Obi-Wan outside of the temple, waiting for them. He shakes his head and grumbles about keeping the council waiting when there are important matters to discuss. She's tempted to share a look with Anakin, but instead merely smiles apologetically at the irritated Jedi and takes his hands into hers. After all, it is her fault they weren't here sooner… Not that Anakin has complained once about the delay.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault. I have important work to be completed and gave poor Anakin here a tough challenge in convincing me to come along." At once, Obi-Wan relaxes somewhat, and returns her smile with one of his own. He seems to believe her lie easily enough and Padme wonders for a moment when she began to find lying to people she cares about so easy. The thought doesn't last very long however, as the older Jedi turns to Anakin, raising his eyebrows curiously. "Anakin what in the name of the Force has happened to your hair?" Immediately her husband reaches up, clawing at his wayward curls in an attempt to look somewhat presentable. Padme tries not to smirk, she truly does… But the task is much too difficult for her to accomplish. His hair always does this if she's the one on top, she finds it adorable, but perhaps to anyone who is not celibate, the mess of his hair would speak volumes of exactly how he has spent his morning…

"Nothing Master, I must have slept oddly last night." Obi-Wan doesn't look completely convinced, so she avoids his eyes by looking up at the pillars of the Temple instead. Gods forbid she meets her husband's gaze…

She's quickly guided by the two Jedi inside after that. This is not her first time inside of the Temple, yet still, she is in awe of its beauty. Every inch of the building radiates with history and she longs to explore every corner of it and hear every story. Every time she can convince Anakin to share some of the Jedi lore he learned as a youngling, she's always transfixed. The stories are remarkable.

The hallways are quiet, all but abandoned save for a Padawan or two, who immediately stop and greet her husband and Obi-Wan with wide, excited eyes. It's very sweet… The boys clearly idolise them and Padme doesn't blame them. Who better to look up to than, "The Hero Without Fear" and the Master who tries desperately to keep him in check? The sight only makes her wish to slip her hand into Anakin's and share a smile with him. Pushing such thoughts from her mind, lest Obi-Wan senses them, she thinks instead of what the council may ask of her this time. To spy on a fellow Senator again? Or perhaps peace talks alongside Anakin and Obi-Wan? Whatever it is, she prays they send Anakin with her…

They reach the council chambers quickly enough, and it's only now she realises the two men have been speaking this whole time… Oh. Oh well. Obi-Wan enters first, and Anakin boldly brushes his fingers against hers before stepping in ahead of her. Such a small act could easily be passed off as an accident, but Padme feels the affection behind it and it helps soothe her nerves a little.

As they enter the chambers, Obi-Wan joins his fellow masters and sits down, leaving only she and Anakin to stand in the centre of the room together, yet still maintaining a respectful distance from one another. She bows respectfully feeling every pair of eyes watching her closely as she does so. "Masters."

"Senator Amidala, you again, it is good to see." Master Yoda nods in return to her bow and smiles warmly before his attention shifts to Anakin who stands a step or two behind her. "General Skywalker, good things I have heard of your recent work in Kashyyyk. Pleased the Council is." It's a struggle to keep the smile that wishes to cross her lips at bay. She knows how he feels the council underappreciates him; how he feels overlooked, so hearing him praised like this makes her proud.

"Thank you, Master Yoda."

At once the green eyes of the Master are upon her again, watching her for a moment before he speaks again, and for one horrifying second, Padme fears her feelings have given them away. Mercifully, it passes quickly enough, and she pushes such thoughts as far from her mind as she can. "Been attacked Senator Tardun has. Thankfully, he escaped. However threats been made, against his son and his son's wife, there have. Very concerning this is." Senator Tardun… Yes, she knows of him, the Senator of Axxila… She hasn't heard anything of an attack! Surely such things should have been reported to the Senate before the council?

"A bounty hunter carried out the attack and warned of the growing strength of the Dark Side. This is not something we can take lightly. Our first instinct is to send the Senator and his family away, to keep them hidden until the threat has been dealt with. However his son, Anto and his wife, Larena are set to make a public appearance at a Republican week long gathering in Alderaan. It is integral that these two are seen to attend, to show the strength of the Republic. However, we cannot risk the safety of the Senator's family." Master Windu speaks next, leaning forward as he does. Padme's head swims with all this information and she's struggling to make sense of exactly what they are telling her. The gathering, yes… She is supposed to leave Coruscant for Alderaan in two days…

"Forgive me, but I don't understand what any of this has to do with me…" Was this a warning that she too, may be targeted? After the attempts on her life, it wouldn't be surprising… Yet to bring her before the council just to warn her of a threat seems like a little overkill. No, it must be something else.

"We need your help Padme. The Jedi have promised Senator Tardun and his family our protection, much like we did with you after the attempt on your life. I'm taking them somewhere safe, where we'll remain until the threat is eliminated. However Anto and Larena must be seen to be attending this gathering. If they don't it'll give away what we're doing. We want you to attend as Larena." Obi-Wan explains, and Padme frowns, attempting to understand… The council wish her to pretend to be Larena Tardun? At a Republican gathering, for a week?

"How could this possibly work? I cannot be in two places at once." She is scheduled to attend this event too, how is she supposed to be herself and play Larena at the same time? Does she even look like this woman? Surely, there will be people there who know what she looks like! Padme is no shapeshifter… There must be someone else better suited for such a job?

"You are correct Senator. Send your decoy home, to Naboo, have her take your place, and claim you are unwell, thus unable to attend the event." Master Windu explains and she feels exhausted suddenly… Why her? This get together promised to be complicated enough without… All of this! There are so many factors that could tear this plot of theirs to shreds… She more than likely looks nothing like Larena, and she knows nothing about her.

"What if someone attempts to speak to me about Axxila? I have almost no knowledge of the planet; I doubt I could convincingly play the part of the daughter-in-law of its Senator." Truly she knew… Nothing about it. Perhaps she could study before she leaves but there isn't nearly enough time to gain an extensive knowledge, or even enough to fool fellow Senators.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that… Larena Tardun is known more for her… Social life than anything else. You'll be playing the part of a socialite, not a senator Padme. Think of it as… A break. Try to have a little fun with it." Obi-Wan tries and Padme narrows her eyes at her old friend. He's just barely hiding his smirk beneath his hand, he knows this is the last thing she wants to do, yet he finds this funny! He is forgotten about, however, as she hears Anakin laugh behind her and barely resists the urge to stare him down too. Why are they enjoying this?! Padme feels as if she's aged six years just listening to it all, much less having to do it!

"General Skywalker, you'll accompany the Senator, should she accept this task. You will portray Anto Tardun, and at the same time work as her protector, should the bounty hunter attack again." Master Windu's words almost – almost make her jaw slacken… This is not happening… The irony of it is almost too much to resist! The council want Anakin to play her husband… For a moment she's speechless, and doesn't dare look back at him over her shoulder. If she does, she won't be able to contain her smile. Or her laughter.

If only they knew…

"You're using us as bait? To draw the bounty hunter out?" Comes Anakin's response, somehow he sounds perfectly calm and collected, yet she's standing here, heart pounding and using every fibre of will power in her body to not smile. It's all down to years of discipline training he's had she supposes. She should be thinking of the risks involved with undertaking this task… Because there are many. If she goes along with this, there is a high chance they will be attacked, and yet, knowing Anakin will be by her side prevents that from being frightening. While he is there, nobody will touch her. Yes, there are risks, but the prospect of spending a whole week with her husband, publicly, even disguised as someone else is so alluring it makes her giddy. She'll be able to hold his hand in the presence of other people… To kiss him, touch him… Act like his wife.

They could have fun… Nobody will know who they truly are; the freedom it will offer them is exactly what they've wanted since the day they were wed. Now they have a chance, even for a little while, to leave the secrecy behind and simply enjoy being together. How could she possibly refuse such an opportunity, no matter the risks?

"I'll do it. However I don't understand how we're supposed to make people believe we are Larena and Anto Tardun? It isn't as if people don't know our faces…" Especially Anakin, he is the Republic's hero, its poster boy… Nobody will believe he is somebody else. Not to mention she is a high profile Senator! If they walk into that gathering, they'll be recognised on sight.

"Ah, we've already thought of this." Obi-Wan begins, producing a small green velvet box from one of the holders of his belt, and Padme watches Anakin step forward to take it. Carefully, he prizes the box open to reveal two silver rings, each with what looks like a single small ruby attached to the front… No… Are those buttons? She's never seen anything like these before, and can't resist stepping closer to Anakin to get a better look. These are supposed to make people believe they're the Tardun's? "They're HoloRings. Designed specifically to project the image of who you wish to appear as – we've already programmed Anto and Larena into them. When you wear them, everybody around shall see the Tardun's, however, you two will see your true forms. The technology is rather fantastic…"

As she listens to Obi-Wan speak, Padme eyes the rings and purses her lips. Technology like this while useful, could prove dangerous in the wrong hands. What if the likes of Dooku got one? He could appear as anyone, even Master Yoda! Or even a common criminal on the run could assume an entirely new identity with of these and never be caught. Padme doesn't like this at all…

"Go then… Research your new identities you must. Clothes from Anto and Larena we shall send to you so your disguise, complete it will be." With one final nod from Master Yoda they are dismissed from the chambers, and she follows Anakin out, through hallway after hallway, not truly paying attention to where they are going. Part of her is excited, this new mission promises fun, alone time with her husband and the possibility of capturing a bounty hunter somewhere in the middle of it all. However it's dangerous… They'll have to be careful. One misstep and they'll give the game away, revealing everything the Jedi are trying to hide about Anto and Larena. It's only when she feels Anakin's strong hand on the small of her back, that Padme realises she's in a part of the Temple she's never seen before. A darkened corridor littered with doors here and there, and it is completely silent.

"Where are we?"

"I am taking you to my quarters here. I doubt the Masters will mind, given the circumstances. We have a lot to talk through." He pauses outside of a dark door, looking at her almost sheepishly, so she smiles in return, excited to see where he sleeps when he's not with her on Coruscant. Is this his room? She's always wondered what it's like, to live here. Jedi are not supposed to have possessions, so Padme imagines their bedchambers are devoid of personality… Bare, filled with only the essentials.

"I've always wondered if you're as messy here as you are at home…" Without her and Threepio to constantly pick up after him, she wonders how in the name of the Force he manages to be tidy here. Especially if he's confined to a single bedroom and a small fresher as he's told her. Logically, the room should have piles of his discarded clothing as high as the ceiling!

The door opens with a quiet whoosh sound, and he gestures for her to step inside, which she does. It's… All but empty. There is a small cot bed, a desk and by the window and a door she assumes leads to the fresher. On the walls he has plastered a poster or two of Pod-racing and ships surrounded by words of languages she doesn't understand. It's exactly what she pictured and somehow… Less. The only signs of her husband's personality in here are the posters, tools and the little model ships dotted around the room. This doesn't feel like a home, it's a place to sleep, nothing more.

The bed is tiny, and Padme has no idea how he manages to fit in it… It can't possibly be a comfortable night's sleep for him when he uses it. Are all the bedrooms like this? Or are Masters afforded something more… Comfortable? Now, she can see why he loves their bed so much… Why he likes stretching out and taking up every inch of space on it that he can. She'll never begrudge him that again. Seeing this is like discovering a whole new part of him, the Jedi… It's a part of him she knows far too little of.

"I know it's not much…" He lifts a hand to touch the back of his neck, wincing as she looks over the small room and the nervous habit of his makes her smile. She sees it so rarely these days, now he's more confident in himself, in his skills and with her… Seeing it now makes her think of the boy she married, so nervous and infatuated with her that he'd stumble over his words. How has he grown into the man she sees now?

"I'm telling Threepio… Apparently you are more than capable of keeping something tidy. He'll expect nothing less from now on." Anakin gives her a short bark of laugher, lowers his arm, and steps closer to her as the door closes behind him, freeing them from the possibility of somebody walking past. It's this freedom that leads her to pressing her hands to his chest, feeling the coarse material of his robes beneath her fingers. There is something calming about the feeling; the scrape of material against her skin only makes her think of him. At once his arms wind around her waist, and there is peace for a moment between them. One they can find too rarely these days. "I can't believe what they're asking us to do…"

"Hmm…" His chin comes to rest atop her head as she leans it against his chest, feeling the thud of his heartbeat against her. She swears to the Gods, there is no sound more calming, more reassuring than this. "I don't know, it's a clever plot. It might just work… And if not, I at least get to see you act like a party loving socialite." His words make her laugh though she considers groaning too… How is she supposed to play this convincingly? Padme is the furthest thing from a socialite in the Galaxy. What do they do? Other than appear at popular events that is.

"They're asking us to pretend we're married… While we pretend we aren't married…" Padme can't decide if it's pure irony or a cruel joke by the Gods. Either way she can't believe this is happening… She wants to laugh and cry at the same time. For one week they can be husband and wife together, not the Senator and Jedi, they can be open with their affections and not hide away in the shadows… However they'll be pretending to be other people, living a life that doesn't belong to them.

A life they may truly never get to have together.

"If it means I get to treat you like my wife, then I'll do anything the council asks." Lifting head, Padme looks up at him, grinning as their eyes meet and she lifts a hand to touch his cheek softly as he speaks. He's right… This may be the living embodiment of irony, but she will enjoy every moment of it.

"Oh, I believe you treated you like your wife rather thoroughly this morning Master Jedi…"

As Padme opens the large suitcase filled to the brim with Larena's clothing, Dorme lounges on the bed, watching her every move, eyes light and lips curved into that smirk of hers… The one that tells her she's in for her friend's unique brand of teasing. Well, she can't say she hasn't known it was coming eventually. "I hope the council knows nobody in Alderaan will see you at all during this trip." At this, she frowns; pulling a small mirrored box from the suitcase that she can only assume contains the Lady Tardun's jewellery. She must be especially careful with this…

"What are you talking about?" Exasperated already, Padme places the box on the bed, and pauses what she is doing to look at her friend, who seems on the verge of laughing at her. Wonderful… As if she hasn't had quite enough of that today.

"You and Anakin… They're giving you both a bedroom to share. For a week! I've seen what you two are like – there is no way either of you will leave the bedchamber even once." At once, Padme flushes, rolling her eyes and looks away. That is not true… Well, not completely. "And you're sending me home to Naboo, just to stay inside the lake house all week with Sabe while she's pretending to be you, while also pretending to be ill… Meanwhile, you're off romping with your husband and attending Republican parties. Somehow this doesn't strike me as being particularly fair." At this, Padme laughs with her friend, shaking her head… Perhaps it isn't very fair, but she will make it up to her… Some way or another.

"Alright, what do you want in return for your incredible sacrifice?"

"Hm…" Dorme tips her head as if truly considering what to ask of her and Padme rolls her eyes playfully. Perhaps she'll ask for a million credits as a joke, or an entire year off or something else along those lines. Her bodyguard is quite the jokester, one she could never live without. Life would grow terribly dull if both her husband and friend were gone for long stretches of time. Besides, Dorme keeps her grounded, even while Padme was a Queen. She tried the, "I am the Queen, and you are my subject" line on her friend once. Once only. Thank the Gods Dorme knocked that out of her before it could take root. Quite literally.

"You know, I think I would rather enjoy a night with a certain Jedi Knight… From what I heard last night and this morning, it sounds like he's quite satisfying in the sack."

"Dorme!" Throwing a bundled up lace shawl at her friend, Padme can't believe her ears! Jokingly or not, she is asking for a night with her husband! Shocked laughter falls from her lips as Dorme throws the shawl right back at her. Of course she'd say something like that… Really, she should have been expecting it. Oh, thank the Force Anakin isn't here… That ego of his does not need any more inflation.

"What? Why should you be the only one who gets to bed a younger man?"

"Because, that younger man is my husband!" Honestly... She can't believe what she's hearing… Actually, she can. This is not surprising in the least. Leave it to Dorme to make her want to laugh and shudder all at once.

"We both know he was not your husband when you slept with him the first time!" Oh Gods have mercy on her, this woman is insufferable. Brilliantly so. Raising her eyes to the ceiling for a moment, Padme sighs loudly, only making Dorme laugh even louder. Why does she put up with these things?

"It was the night before we were married! It's not as if we were swept up in an affair long before our vows were exchanged."

"And the morning of…"

"Yes, alright, and the morning of too, are you satisfied now?"

"What age was he when you were married?" Oh dear… This is becoming dangerous territory and Padme already knows exactly what is coming… She's about to be teased mercilessly. Just what she needs at the moment… She should be researching this Larena Tardun, and making Dorme sort through the things she must bring along, but instead she is allowing said woman to lounge around making fun of her all evening.

"Nineteen." She forces the word out through clenched teeth, tense and waiting for the inevitable retort. It comes firstly, as a fit of laughter, and Padme pulls out the first dress to distract herself. Thankfully, she and this woman are the same size. That should certainly make things easier.

"So, you make the boy fall in love you when he's still a child, then wed and bed him at nineteen…You know what this means? You are a cradle robber my lady!"

Gods have mercy indeed.

It takes longer to set out the dresses than she originally plans, Dorme is half of the problem, and the other half is the amount that has been packed. Padme thought she travelled heavily for these events but Lady Tardun has quite simply blown her out of the water. She could fill her entire wardrobe with all these gowns! That is if these even count as gowns. Each one looks almost skin tight; absurdly revealing and make her blush just by looking at them… How in the name of the Force is she supposed to actually put them on?

There is one in particular, dangerously low cut at the front, so much so that it will easily reveal the sides of her breasts and the small valley between them! How can she be expected to wear such a thing? Not her… Larena Tardun.

The corsets packed too, look tiny, and terribly tight… Padme feels her breath leave her at the mere thought of being tied into one of them. This woman certainly has an… Interesting sense of style. She can't lie and say she doesn't wonder if they'll flatter her figure… They'll certainly show every curve she has – or lack thereof really.

Dorme takes one look at the dresses and laughs, holding up the white one with cut-outs at the waist and an open back. "Like I said, you'll never leave the bedchamber!"

Padme tries to smile, but it falls flat… The longer she looks at the backless dress, the worse she begins to feel. She once had such an affinity for such gowns, especially while in Naboo, however these days… She avoids them at all cost. The three large, white lines across her back saw to that. It's silly; to be so vein, but Padme can't help it. Everybody knows the story of what happened in Geonosis, the scars are hardly something she should be ashamed of, but deep down… She is. "Perhaps I won't bring that one along."

At once, Dorme's gaze shifts to her, eyes narrowing for a moment before she sighs, dropping the dress to the bed, atop all the others. "Is this about your back?"

"It's nothing! I simply don't like it… That's all." It's a terrible lie, one she knows Dorme will see through immediately, yet still Padme hopes she'll drop it. Whatever flaws she may have, isn't what she wishes to discuss right now. There are much more important matters that she should be thinking about, and she intends to do just that. Moving from the bedroom, she walks down into the living area close to the open veranda and reaches for the HoloPad on the table.

"You know I can see right through you. A few scars are nothing to be ashamed of my lady!"

"I'm perfectly aware of that Dorme…" Settling down onto the couch, Padme focusses her attention on the HoloPad, scanning through her messages quickly. Anything to push her friend's voice away and to keep her mind from really taking in her words. She's heard it all before, over and over again. She doesn't need to hear it again now. Thankfully, Dorme doesn't speak again, however moments later it becomes clear why she has suddenly fallen silent… Anakin's ship pulls up in its usual spot and Padme smiles brightly at the sight of her husband climbing out. She's seen him more today than she has in weeks...

"Ah, Anakin! Please, come here and remind your wife she is nothing short of perfection." Dorme speaks and Padme scowls at her. She cannot get him involved in this too; if Dorme is unrelenting then they have not yet invented the word to describe her husband. He'll never let it drop.

Anakin approaches them, raising an eyebrow as he shrugs off the large cloak and for once doesn't simply drop it to the floor; he actually folds it over a chair… Perhaps she's finally put the fear of Threepio into him. At last! Maybe now, when he is home there won't be a trail of mechanics manuals, Jedi robes and tools wherever he has been. Really, it leaves some rather awkward questions for her to answer if something slips her eye and she has company. Explaining to Bail Organa why exactly she owns a manual detailing the innards of star cruisers was perhaps, the least enjoyable experience of her life.

Give or take one or two others she supposes…

"Gladly. Am I permitted to know why exactly she needs to be reminded?" He laughs, expecting this to be some form of a joke between them, and oh she wishes it was… Perhaps then, it would have died out and been forgotten long before now. Well, maybe she can catch his attention with something else?

"Ignore her my love, she's just being silly." It's useless, she can tell by his face, but she tries to end this before it begins anyway, however it is much too late for that. Damn Dorme… "Come, you must be hungry. I can have Threepio prepare-"

"I see she's never told you… Your wife is horrendously self-conscious about the scars on her back. So much so, she won't wear a pretty, backless number even though you'll be the only one who actually sees what her back looks like." Dammit. Well, the issue certainly isn't going to end here. She sends Dorme another glare and returns her attention to the HoloPad in her hands. A childish way of dealing with things perhaps, but it is how she wishes to do it.

At once she feels the couch dip as he sits beside her, but her eyes don't leave the HoloPad, focussing on the small letters until they're blurred and unreadable. Unexpectedly, there's silence for several long moments, and eventually it dawns on her that he's waiting. Waiting for her to look at him… She stubbornly continues staring at the small screen for another second or two before sighing and leaning forward to place the device on the table and finally meets his eyes. Now she is the one waiting. Waiting for his inevitable speech praising her beauty, calling her his Angel, his love…

"Why are you self-conscious about them?"

It's not what she expects to hear him say, and so for a second, she's too shocked to say anything. She could have sworn he'd launch into a beautifully poetic speech praising every inch of her until she can't take the pretty words anymore. Turning her head to glance over her shoulder, she notices Dorme has gone, leaving them to it… Well, at the very least she can speak with him without her in the room. However, without her in the room, Padme has to speak to him about this.

"It's nothing!" She tries to laugh it off as if this is just a silly misunderstanding, but it dies quickly… He doesn't need to speak to tell her that won't be believed. Alright… Fine, if he wants her talk about it, then she'll talk about it. "I just… Don't like the way they look. That's all. They aren't particularly pleasing to the eye, so I tend to avoid backless gowns. There's nothing more to it than that, I promise. Dorme makes it sound like it's a big deal… I'm sorry if she worried you."

Anakin's flesh hand comes up to touch her cheek, cupping her face gently while he listens to what she says. A gesture that is usually very soothing, however right now she fears he's pitying her. Treating her like she's a fragile piece of glass, but nothing could be further from the truth. "Padme… Why didn't you tell me you felt like this?"

"Because it isn't important. In the midst of a war, and countless other issues in the Senate, how I feel about a few scars on my back is nothing." They've both had so many more important issues to worry about than the way she feels about something as pathetic as a few scars!

"How you feel is important. It's important to me. You've never seemed to worry about them before, not that I can think of at least…" He's searching his mind for any scrap of proof that she feels this way, anything he may have missed, so she sighs, shaking her head. No, she can't let him torture himself that way. Carefully, she shifts closer to him, and he reaches out to play with a strand of her hair while she searches for the correct words. She will not have him blame himself for not noticing this before now.

"That's because, when I'm undressed, they doesn't bother me… I barely remember that they're there. But when I'm dressed, if they're visible, it makes me uncomfortable." Looking down at the floor, Padme avoids his gaze as she speaks. It's just easier this way. It means she doesn't have to look into his eyes and feel ridiculous for never confiding in him, or see the disappointment there because she never did.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of them Padme… And not just because you're beautiful – which you are, stunningly so my love." His fingers leave her hair and come to tip her chin so she meets his eyes. She can't help but smile slightly when she hears him… He is so sweet sometimes. She just doesn't know how he manages to make her heart flutter every time he speaks like this. "You shouldn't be ashamed of them because they make you strong. They're proof that you are a fighter, a survivor. To be ashamed of them is to be ashamed of who you are and I know you enough to know you're stronger than that."

For several long moments, Padme merely looks at her husband, in awe of him. He is a wonderful, brilliant man and she doesn't deserve him. He often gives her speeches about his unworthiness of her but the truth of it is – and always has been – that is she who does not deserve his love. She's prone to placing her duty to the Republic before him, or growing spiteful if he's called away before she's ready to say goodbye and perhaps worst of all, sometimes she takes for granted how strong his love for her is. But she loves him. She loves every part of him, even the darkness staining his soul, the part of himself she knows he battles with, every breath he takes, every sound from his lips, she loves. If either of them should be grateful to the Gods for their love, it is her, one thousand times over.

"I…I've never thought about it that way before… Thank you…" This doesn't mean she'll be immediately comfortable with showing the scars, but his words have gone a long way toward her becoming comfortable with it. Especially if it's him who sees them. She wishes she told him sooner now… Perhaps, after all, Dorme was right. However Padme isn't completely mad, she isn't going to admit that to the woman. "Maybe… Maybe I should bring that dress after all."

A/N: What's this? A multi-chapter story? From me?! Wow… Miracles do happen! I've been dying to do this idea forever, and now I'm finally doing it. Besides the hilarity of what they have to do will amuse me for the rest of my days, I swear it.

Please review and let me know what you think so far! Your reviews always inspire me to write faster and produce more stories. I know I don't reply to all of you, which is something I'm working on, but rest assured, I read them all, and they make me so very happy.