You and Anakin walked onto the transporter that was heading to Naboo. One of the workers kindly took the bags from you and Anakin before you both entered. Artoo silently followed behind as you glanced over at Anakin. He was rubbing his eyes in a tired manner and you were worried if he was getting enough rest.

Anakin pushed you in front of him as you both walked through the crowd of travelers and refugees. You found a less crowded spot and walked over to it. It had a makeshift bed and a small makeshift table and two stools. Perfect for you three. You looked over at Anakin.

"You should get some rest, Anakin. You look very exhausted. Have you even been sleeping?" you asked worriedly. Anakin looked a little uncomfortable about the topic and you didn't want to pry. But you were very worried about his health.

"I haven't been sleeping well.." Anakin trailed off, not wanting to get into his nightmares. He didn't want to appear weak or make you worry even more, Especially when it's your life that is in danger and he was just having nightmares.

"It's okay, Ani." you said as you placed a comforting hand on his arm. "You don't have to talk about it. But please rest now."

"But if-" Anakin started to argue, but stopped when you gave him a look. Anakin knew there was no point in arguing with you. He moved his hands up and fixed your hood that had slightly fallen back. "Okay, I will. But promise me that you'll wake me up if anything happens or if you need me?"

"I promise." you said as Anakin gave you a small smile. You returned the smile as he walked over to the bed and laid down. You kept a watchful eye on him as he got comfortable and closed his eyes.

~

"If you want food, please line up here." a droid announced. You all have been traveling for quite some time. Anakin was peacefully sleeping, which you thank the Force for. You had been watching over Anakin and had small conversations with Artoo throughout the time. You turned to said droid.

"Artoo, can you get some food for me and Anakin?" you asked politely and he beeped happily in response. "Thank you." you said as the droid hurried off to fall in line. You watched Artoo disappear into the crowd. Suddenly, you felt fear bubble within Anakin through your connection. You quickly looked at Anakin. His face contorted with pain and sadness as his peaceful slumber turned into a restless one.

"No, no. Mom. No." Anakin mumbled in his sleep as his body moved in his sleep. You rushed to his side and carefully sat on the edge of the bed. You gently placed a hand on his shoulder and sent a calming feeling to him, wanting to ease his fear and pain from the nightmare he was having. Anakin immediately woke up from your touch and looked over at you. His eyes were wide as he slowly realized where he was. Artoo had come back and beeped worriedly.

"You seemed to be having a nightmare." you told him, worry lanced in your voice. Anakin sat up and rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"Yeah.." Anakin said quietly.

Did I..? Does she know..?

You heard Anakin's thoughts.

What do you mean?

You asked him, your voice echoed in Anakin's mind. He let out a sigh as he stood up and turned away from you. Although you were calming him, he was still worried as you were too. "You were dreaming about your mother, weren't you?" you asked. Anakin took a deep breath as he leaned on a wall and looked over at you.

"I left Tatooine so long ago that my memory of her is fading.." Anakin slowly opened up to you. "And I don't want to lose it." his voice breaking. You didn't say anything as Anakin let out another sigh before continuing.

"Recently, I've been seeing her in my dreams. Scary dreams. I worry about her." Anakin said as he walked away from the wall and saw Artoo holding some bread and bowls of food. Before you even had a chance to reply, Anakin quickly changed the subject. "Artoo got food?"

"Oh, yeah. He did." you answered, hurt that Anakin didn't seem to want help but understood that he wasn't comfortable talking about it. So you went along with the topic change. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." Anakin answered as you both made your way to the table. You sat across Anakin and took the food from Artoo. You place a piece of bread in front of you both as Artoo put a mush of some sort into the bowls. You then placed the bowl in front of Anakin. "Thank you."

You hummed in response as you took your own bowl in your hands. "We went to lightspeed a while ago." you informed him as you looked up and met Anakin's intense stare. He was thinking about the kiss that almost happened and how beautiful you looked sitting across him. You shifted uncomfortably, catching Anakin's attention and breaking him away from his thoughts.

"So that means we will be at Naboo soon." Anakin said as you both dug into your food. "I look forward to seeing Naboo again. I've thought about it every day since I left. It's by far the most beautiful place I've ever seen."

"It may not be as you remember it. Time changes perception." you replied as you took a bite of bread.

"Sometimes it does... Sometimes for the better..." Anakin said. You knew he was referring to you and your friendship with him. But you ignored this comment as you changed the subject.

"Do you ever think it's difficult?" you asked him. Anakin gave you a questioning look as he took a bite of mush. "You know, having sworn our lives to the Jedi. Not being able to visit the places we'd like to see or do things we'd wish to do.."

"Or be with the people I love." Anakin added.

"It's forbidden for a Jedi to love." you reminded him. Anakin gave you a half smile as he looked down at his food for a moment before meeting your eyes again. Anakin's half smile made your heart flutter and you couldn't help but give a small smile back.

"Attachment is forbidden." Anakin reminded you this time. "Possession is forbidden. Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is central to a Jedi's life. So you might say we're encouraged to love."

You stopped your heart from melting and fluttering at his words. You felt his love for you as he watched your reaction carefully. You bottled up those forbidden feelings and locked them away before Anakin could ever feel them. You put up a mental block on it, so he could never feel them through the Force Connection.

"You've changed so much." you commented as you looked away your food. You felt Anakin's slight disappointment at your answer.

"You haven't changed a bit." Anakin said, trying to pry a little more to see if you felt the same as he did. You looked at him as he continued. "You're exactly the way I remember you in my dreams."

Anakin waited for you to say something or any emotion to appear. He waited to feel something through the connection. But he was met with silence and nothingness as he felt the block you put up. Anakin bit his lip and slowly nodded his head as you just quietly ate your food. An awkwardness taking over.

~

"____, we are here." Anakin said as he gently shook your shoulder. You and Anakin ate in silence for the rest of your meal. After the meal, he had suggested you rest for the remainder of the journey and you didn't argue. He watched over you just like you had for him.

Your eyes fluttered open as you sat up. Anakin moved out of the way so you could stand. You stretched as you smiled at him. "Thank you for letting me rest." you said to him, dropping the awkwardness that had occurred earlier. '

"You need rest as much as I do." Anakin smiled back. "Come on, we must go now."

You nodded your head as you followed Anakin out of the transporter.

~

You, Anakin, and Artoo took another transporter to the palace of Naboo. It dropped you three off just outside the palace. Anakin and you grabbed the luggage and started to walk through the palace grounds. It felt good to be back on your home planet.

"If I grew up here, I don't think I'd ever leave." Anakin commented. It was his first time actually walking through the palace courtyard without worrying about being hit with a blaster shot. It was full of nature and there was a built river running through it. There were at least five foundations placed all around the courtyard.

"I doubt that." you laughed.

"No, really." Anakin replied. "When I started my training, I was very homesick and very lonely. This city and my mom were the only pleasant things I had to think about."

Anakin wanted to mention you, because you never left his mind. But he didn't want to make things awkward again or you uncomfortable, so he decided not to mention it.

"The problem was the more I thought about my mom, the worse I felt. But I would feel better if I thought about the palace. The way it shimmers in the sunlight or the way the air always smells of flowers."

"And the soft sound of the distant waterfalls. The first time I remember seeing the Capital, I was very young. I'd never seen a waterfall before. I thought they were so beautiful. I never dreamed one day I'd live in the palace."

"Well, tell me, did you dream of power and politics when you were a little girl? Or becoming a Jedi Knight?"

"No!" you laughed as a gentle breeze came. "Both were the last things I would have thought of! But I spent so much time with Padmè, I would follow her around everywhere. I would study history with her and we both realized how much good politicians could do. After school and as soon as I was old enough to join Padmè, I became a Senatorial Advisor. I was so passionate about what I did and loved working alongside my older sister, whom I looked up to so much, I was appointed Princess when she was elected as Queen. And I was supposed to take over once Padmè served her two terms. I wasn't the youngest appointed Princess, but looking back, I'm not sure I was old enough or ready."

"The people you served thought you did a good job." Anakin assured you. "I heard they even tried to convince you to stop your Jedi training so you could take office."

"It may have been what they wanted, but not what they needed. Truthfully, I was relieved when the Jedi Council took me on as a youngling and told me I was the Force Chosen. As much as I liked the work I did as a politician, it doesn't compare to the work I have done so far as a Jedi. I wish I could say the same for my parents and Padmè. I think they much rather have had me become the Queen of Naboo than the Force Chosen. I believed they hoped I would have served my two terms as Queen, do some more work as a politician, then eventually settle down and have a family. Our oldest sister has the two most amazing, wonderful kids." you explained to Anakin, happily opening up more about your more personal life to him.

"You and Padmè have an older sister." Anakin asked as you nodded. Anakin was happy you were telling him more about yourself. That you trusted him this much.

"But I will admit, I did start to miss my work as a politician at some point. So when the Queen, Padmè, the senate, and the Jedi Council asked me to serve as Jedi Senator, I couldn't refuse." you added.

"I agree with them." Anakin said. "I think the Republic needs you and you do amazing work as the bridge between the senate and council. I'm glad you chose to become the Jedi Senator. I feel like things are going to happen in our generation that will change the galaxy in profound ways."

"I think so too." you and Anakin shared a smile as you agreed with him.