A Path Less Taken

Chapter 26 - Getting Things Straight

He was already gone when she woke up. There was a note lying on his side of the bed saying that it was better he got out before someone started knocking at the door. It made sense from a logical standpoint. But it didn't feel like the right answer for her. Or the real reason he left so quickly. Normally she was up really early. Her job was part of that reason. But the sex completely wiped her out, and really messed with that. It wasn't common for her to wake five hours after she normally did.

"Certainly didn't act like it a few weeks ago," Padme thought, and she growled audibly at her traitorous thoughts. It was a mistake. She wasn't going to do it again. It was solved. They were going to fix things.

"Except you didn't tell Anakin about it. You completely avoided telling him. You expect to repair things while you're keeping this under wraps?"

Padme wasn't used to feeling guilty. It wasn't a common feeling that came with being a politician. If you made the decisions you made, there was no reason to feel guilty cause you committed to that decision. This was different. She completely cheated on him, and to her knowledge, he had never messed around with anyone while he was away at war.

Nothing changed about Anakin the few times they were able to meet during the war except the look in his eyes. They got more and more grim as the war went on, but the light that shone in his eyes when he saw her was consistent. He loved her, and anyone who could look like that at anyone and go around cheat on that same person had to have been an outstanding liar. And he never could seem to pull off a half decent lie on her.

Things only really changed when he left the Jedi Order. He was different in so many ways. His morality was different. He made decisions that completely changed the board he was playing on. Like leaving the Jedi Order in favor of traveling with his apprentice.

"He really cares about her," Padme thought.

She could see why. They were the only friends they had in the middle of the war, aside from Obi-Wan. Even if the relationship started as one having superiority over the other. Which means she's the one who knows what's been in his head the entire time the war's been going on.

"Maybe I should've had a talk with her. Maybe I could better understand why this was happening," Padme thought as she sat up and stretched her body. She shivered from the cold air that hit her bare chest as she got up and put a robe on. Shortly after, there was a knock at the door that made her groan in exasperation.

"I'm tempted to just tell the person to go away," she thought, tightening the tie around her waist.

"Padme? You awake in there?" Clovis' voice sounded through the door. She could just keep quiet. Then she shook her head at the thought. No. She already skipped out on one discussion too many.

"Yeah. Give me a second to get ready," Padme said, rushing to get to the shower. She was already late. Then again, nothing important was really going on. She should be fine. Should being the relative word.

"I saw you were late. Everything going alright?" Clovis asked once Padme exited her room twenty minutes later. The expression on her face did not bear good tidings.

"I'll explain it to you on the way," Padme said while quickly adjusting her clothes. "I'm already late as it is."

Clovis nodded, and that apprehensive feeling in his gut only increased with the sideways look she gave him.

Anakin was tapping his foot restlessly on the floor while in hyperspace. His continuous focus on the endless blue void as he started pulling up to Alderaan did little to calm his thoughts.