Boundless as the Sea

Chapter Twenty-Three

Pain.

That's the first thing that registered in Padmé's increasingly awakening mind.

Hesitantly, she cracked her eyes open to whatever was beyond the darkness that she saw now. When she did, all she could see was blinding light. She quickly shut her eyes again, and white spots danced across her vision.

She slowly opened her eyes again, and saw that she was in a sort of medical room. There was an IV in her arm, and an oxygen mask over her face. What could have happened?

As she lay still, staring at the ceiling, Padmé's memories started coming back. Going to meet Bail. Getting knocked out by Cad Bane. Getting shot.

Padmé tried to gasp, but her throat was so raw and dry that it only came out as a raspy series of coughs. She had been shot! A medical droid came to her side and gave her some water.

"Anakin..." Her voice was barely a whisper. She needed her husband, immediately.

"What was that, madam?" asked the droid.

"Where is the Jedi Knight who was with me before I was brought here?Anakin Skywalker." Padmé kept her voice steady.

"I am sorry. I do not know of this person. If you wish me to contact-"

"Padmé!"

♦️

Anakin didn't want to believe his eyes. The sight before him made him want to murder Bane all over again. And again. On a white medcenter bed lay his wife, bandaged and with an oxygen mask on her face. She was struggling to sit up, and was starting to take the oxygen mask off her face.

He ran over to her and helped her up. She seemed to be breathing fine without the mask, and the med droid didn't say anything, so he let her take it off. Anakin turned to the med droid. "Could you give us a minute?" His voice nearly cracked from the tears threatening to escape, but he held himself together. "It's alright, I'll watch her."

When the droid left, Padmé began to cry and she reached out for him. He couldn't embrace her for fear of injuring her further, so he simply cupped her face in his hands and kissed her fiercely. He could taste her salty tears and could feel her shoulders shaking.

"Padmé, oh Force, Padmé. I can't believe I let this happen. It's my fault."

Padmé spoke. "It's not your fault, Ani." She sounded exhausted.

"Yes, it is! If I hadn't been so stupid, I would have seen this coming! I would have sensed you were in danger!" He was shouting now, guilt and frustration evident in his voice.

"You found me, didn't you? You got me here, didn't you? Anakin, if you hadn't been there, I'm afraid I would have died."

"But Bane said-"

"Anakin, please. Let's not talk about him." She touched the fading bruise on her forehead and winced. Anakin clenched his fist and imagined ripping Bane apart limb by limb.

"Anakin, don't worry about what could have happened. Please. Just- just be with me right here, right now. I'm alive, Ani, thanks to you."

Anakin took a deep breath. His wife was truly amazing. After kissing her again, he helped her lay down again to try and get some sleep. She grabbed his hand and looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Stay?"

He answered her by force-pulling a chair over to the head of the bed and sitting down. With Padmé's fingers still intertwined in his, Anakin watched her close her eyes and finally fall asleep. He noticed that each breath looked painful. He drew her medical chart over to him with the force, his hand never leaving hers. When he read it, he closed his eyes and did his best to stay calm. Apparently the blaster bolt had hit her in the lung.

He sent soothing thoughts to her through the Force, and her breathing became more steady. When he saw her smile in her sleep, Anakin swore to himself that he would never lose her. He couldn't. He wouldn't.