𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐎 || 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫

Chapter 21 - Ruminations

We were halfway to Coruscant by the time the med droids finished their work and the visitors scattered, leaving me standing there in an empty hallway. Taking a breath as I made sure the coast was clear, I slid inside quietly and shrugged off my cloak.

Anakin lie there propped up in one of the infirmary cots, a thick white blanket pulled just to his waist. His chest was bare, his right arm resting atop the covers while his left lie still beside him. Where a human arm once resided was now completely replaced with a mechanical limb from the elbow up, a tangle of black and gold wires. The sight would have horrified others. But as always, I could only see my Ani.

Our eyes met then and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Rushing to the bed, I threw myself into his awaiting arms, careful not to jostle him due to his injuries. But Anakin didn't mind as he held me tightly in his arms. Tilting my head back gently, he captured my lips in a sweet kiss that left me breathless. Resting my forehead against his, I couldn't help the sigh of relief that emitted from my mouth. He was alright!

"How are you feeling?" I asked immediately, cupping his face tenderly.

He shot me a rueful smile, "Like a droid,"

I rolled my eyes at his self-depreciating humor and kissed him once more before replying, "But at least you're alive. Not every Jedi can say they dueled a Sith Lord and lived to tell the tale. You know that,"

Gently, he pulled my hands away from his face to grasp them in his own and sighed, "I know. I just hate he got away...but I won't let that happen again,"

His perfect cerulean gaze had hardened at this last and I nestled in closer to him, his prosthetic arm wrapping around my curvy frame.

"Just like I won't let you go," he whispered into my hair, his mood lightening at the change in subject.

I breathed a soft chuckle at this, a smile splitting my face as he pressed feathery kisses to my hairline. His velvet lips moved down the curve of my jawline before colliding with my own again and I lost myself in him. Threading my fingers through his blond hair, I pulled myself flush against him as our lips pressed together over and over. I reveled in the taste of him, feeling his heart beating with mine in a rhythm all our own.

As the kisses became more heated, I broke away reluctantly and put a hand against his chest before whispering, "Not here, Ani,"

He leaned in closer, "If not here, where?"

"Anakin..." I breathed as I fought the desire rising up inside of me, "This is a dangerous game we're playing..."

But the next words to fall from those soft lips that drove me mad were not at all what I had expected him to say.

His lips were on mine, hot breath fanning my face as he looked back at me with an intense gaze, "Then marry me."

My brown eyes widened in shock as I abruptly broke free of his embrace, stunned beyond speech. I took a deep breath - two breaths, three now - before responding.

"Ani, what...what are you...no, we can't - you know it's not possible,"

A soft laugh bubbled up from his lips as he watched me in my flustered state, my caramel skin likely flushed crimson by this point. Reaching up with his fingertips, he pushed back a strand of dark hair from my face.

"Marry me, Jetta Aroo,"

I sent him an exasperated look as I vehemently shook my head, my fingers threading through the hair at the nape of his neck, "Anakin, I love you. And that's pushing a boundary as it is... Can't we just be happy being with each other like this without complicating things further? If the Jedi found out, the punishment we would endure..."

"No one's going to find out, Jet," Anakin replied, his voice gentle and persuasive as he caressed my cheek, "And even if they did, do you really think I would let them harm you in any way?"

Chewing my bottom lip, I answered quietly, "It's not about physical harm... Ani, they would throw us out of the Jedi Order for this. Exile us perhaps,"

"We'll be careful, keep the secret... No one will ever know, Jet..."

A sigh escaped my mouth and I shook my head again.

"I just...I don't know, Ani..."

Closing the distance between us, Anakin gazed back at me with a look of pure love shining in his eyes.

"I can't live without you, Jetta. Just...marry me...please..."

I wanted nothing more in that moment than to give into him as I fell deeper and deeper in love with every beautiful word that fell from his lips. And if Jedi had been free of the restrictions placed upon us, I would have said 'yes' without a second thought. But the galaxy didn't work that way. The Jedi Order's laws had been set in stone well before Anakin and I were even born. What right did we have to break them?

Yet the hopeful expression written all over my lover's face was hard to crush. He had just lost his mother and I knew that I was one of the last things he had left...

"Look, I...I'll give it some thought, okay?" I promised before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

Just as we broke apart, Obi-Wan stepped into the entryway.

His blue eyes flickered between the two of us for just a moment before he spoke, "We'll be entering Coruscant's atmosphere soon."

I nodded to this with a small smile before he ducked back out again wordlessly. Glancing out the expansive window then, I could see the familiar dark blue planet beginning to swirl into shape on the horizon ahead. Furrowing my eyebrows, I couldn't help but purse my lips in thought.

Anakin, sensing the change in my mood, watched me, "What is it?"

The appearance of Obi-Wan had suddenly brought something back to mind...something he had said not long ago. The thought had been tugging at the edges of my mind for a while now but I'd been too preoccupied at the time. But now that we had a semblance of peace...I couldn't leave it any longer.

Turning to Anakin, I sent him a reassuring smile, "It's alright. There's just something I need to do. I'll be back before you know it."

Leaning in, I captured his lips in a brief kiss before grabbing my cloak and racing out the door much to the bewilderment of Anakin.

I had to do this. I had to discover the truth for once. I just hoped that I didn't regret it later...