A few minutes had passed since my discussion with Obi-Wan, and I was still in utter confusion.

I cursed to myself a few times in my thought, wondering what I should be doing and whose side I should take. So I just decided to live with the thought for a few more days or until I had to make an important decision. It didn't work out well.

Every second it seemed to be eating away at me.

I was still standing in the same spot, just overlooking the buildings as usual.

"Could it be?" - "No way, Master Amidala?"

I turned around, looking at my young Padawan, a smile spreading across my lips as Zander stood before me. He seemed to be just as excited as I was.

"Back from aggressive negotiations, I presume?" he chuckled, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into a hug.

"You know you can call me by my name," I shook my head playfully.

"Yeah, but what's the fun in that? Besides, you're still my Master even if you aren't."

Though it was great to see Zander, I couldn't help but feel like a failure. I left him without a Master, but I'm sure the Council just found him a new one. Maybe one who knew what they were doing.

"So, how's the sucker going?" he asked; his hand finally left my shoulder, and his body swayed right in front of mine. His eyes quickly connected to my stomach.

"Oh, just great; besides continuous nausea, I feel all day; I'd say the baby is doing just fine," I mumbled, and a humorless laugh escaped my mouth as I touched my stomach.

That's when I noticed a slight injury on his forearm hidden behind what seemed to be a healing tape.

"What happened?" I asked as my finger pointed to his bleeding bandages.

"Oh, nothing," he shrugged, a smirk spread across his face. "Master Pong Krell gave me a few lessons, and things ended up...messy," he explained casually. However, he wasn't much of a good liar.

"Gave you a lesson?" I huffed, shaking my head. "Seems like he taught you a lesson," I added.

I hated seeing Zander getting tossed around. He deserved better, and Master Krell was one of his worst teachers.

This was just another reason added to the list of why I didn't want to be a Senator.

"It could be worse," he weakly chuckled, though we both know he got the worst of the worst.

"Why dont you come around later, and I'll teach you some more lessons?" I suggested.

"Will there be barfing?" he joked, another smirk forming across his face. "

I tilted my head, my mouth slowly opening. He was making fun of me.

"No, there won't be any barfing," I answered, hitting his shoulder slightly.

And dramatically, his hand went over his shoulder.

"Ouch, but count me in." He smiled.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

I sat at home waiting for my Padawan to arrive, but the minutes seemed to pass by, and there was no sign of him. My mind began to divert into two pieces.

I was so lost in my mind I hadn't noticed Anakin had sat right beside me.

He didn't look like he was doing well also. His hair was messier than it usually is, and his eyes didn't seem to glimmer like they used to. He was too preoccupied with his thoughts.

His skin was pale, and his cheeks seemed hollow. His breathing was unusual and rough.

He sighed heavily, my brows furrowed, worried about what he was about to say.

"Sometimes I wonder what's happening to the Jedi order. I think this war is destroying the principles of the Republic." He let out.

I hesitated before letting my true feelings out. Should I tell Anakin about the Council's request?

But instead, my mind went to other things.

"Have you ever considered that we may be on the wrong side?" I let out slowly. Anakin's eyes moved quickly onto mine. As If he was offended by the thought. "What do you mean?" he asked; my mouth let out a gasp.

"What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists, and the Republic has become the very evil we've been fighting to destroy?" I blurted out.

He let his head fall back onto the couch, and a loud sigh escaped his lips.

"I dont believe that. And you sound like a separatist." He responded harshly, his head snapping back into my direction. His eyes pierced into my own.

"Anakin, this war represents a failure to listen. You've known the Chancellor more than I have; please, ask him to stop the fighting and let diplomacy resume." I voiced out again. My words were overlapping one another.

"Dont." - "Dont ask me to do that." He snapped; his pointer finger got close to my face before he rolled his eyes. He immediately got up from the couch, taking a few steps away from my body.

"Make a motion in the Senate, where that kind of a request belongs," he added.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned, ignoring the attitude he had just given me.

I was still sitting on our couch. Watching Anakin's back, he slowly turned to face me.

"Nothing," he mumbled.

I didn't want to beg; I wanted to know what was happening. Anakin hasn't been the same ever since his nightmare. And I didn't want to try and puzzle the pieces together.

"Don't do this." I got up, heading towards his tall body. "Don't shut me out. Let me help you." I continued.

I touched his shoulder, making his body naturally face towards mine. My eyes examined his whole body; he was tense. His breathing was faster.

But he didn't say anything. Instead, his eyes locked onto mine. I closed my eyes, moving my hands and wrapping them around his torso. I could hear the sound of his heartbeat relaxing.

"Hold me." I voiced. His hands moved a tiny bit, wrapping themselves around my body eventually.

"Hold me, like you did by the lake on Naboo. So long ago, when there was nothing but our love." I pleaded.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into my ear, his right hand following to playing with the strands of hair stuck between our bodies.

"Master Amidala?"

My head snapped in the direction of Zanders's voice.