Proposal

A/N: I've seen this done many times, and this is my take on it. A challenge to making a boring place seem romantic. There might be a Part II, but I haven't figured it out yet. Be patient?

A/N 2: I have become a beta reader on this website, and my information is there. I am an easy, quick beta and would be glad to be yours! x

"Escort the Senator back to Naboo. She'll be safe there."

Those were words that should never have been spoken. It was an order that never should have been given. And truthfully, Anakin Skywalker thought so too.

It was hard for him to--be himself around Padmé again, all though he was never really 'himself' when around her. To him, every time he breathed in the soft scent of her perfume and gazed into her big, brown eyes, he couldn't think of any more reason to live his life if it wasn't with her.

He pressed his head to the cold window of the transport cruiser, feeling the cold of space through the glass. Brushing his padawan braid out of his eye, his head fell into his hands, the awkwardness of the situation finally setting in.

He was supposed to be protecting her, escorting her back to her beautiful homeworld that Anakin would kill to call his own homeworld, like Padmé does.

On Naboo, Anakin always felt alive, and felt as if he belonged there, all of his life. When the birds sand and the lake's shallow tide drifted in and out he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life there, outside of the Jedi Temple.

But he could never do that. He could never find the correct balance of love and duty.

Because he did love Padmé.

He loved her!

Shocked when she had confessed her love for him, of all the people who would adore her from their HoloNet screens, she chose him, and he couldn't believe the words were coming from her lips--all this time on Naboo, she loved him.

But that had just been an act of desperation.

People start saying crazy things, preforming insane gestures, right before they meet their death. It was obviously an act of insanity, because she wasn't there, sitting next to him, on that six hour transport to Naboo.

There was this man, sitting across from Anakin; he was a humanoid, starring at Anakin from underneath his black, formal top hat. His short, greased black hair and nicely cut pin suit gave it away that he was well off, and lived in a nice home with his family outside of Theed. The briefcase and the excessive documents aligned next to him were a giveaway that he was a lawyer.

Anakin studied him, suddenly fascinated with this man, who was studying him back.

It was late, and he should be asleep. No, instead, on the midnight flight to Naboo, he was starring Anakin Skywalker down.

"She's back there, you know."

Blue eyes widened in shock and his muscles tensed up.

Maybe he was a detective.

"Uh, thanks," was all Anakin could respond. "How did you--" He stopped, finding his legs, and making his way over to a sleeping Padmé, all the way in the back of the transport.

Padmé was seemingly sleeping, but when Anakin sat down softly next to her and gave her a light shove she woke immediately. Either she was a light sleeper (he wouldn't know) or they had been sharing the same thoughts through the night, keeping both of them awake.

"Anakin?"

She wasn't surprised to see him, obviously, and she sat up. "Are you okay?" She looked him up and down, trying to find the reason--other than the reason--why he was here, sitting next to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, sighing. He paused, looked down at his hands, and then met her brown eyes again, "I want to talk about what happened... on... Geonosis."

He heard her gulp.

Bad sign...!

"Oh--kay," she said, trying to look away, but Anakin's eyes, for some weird reason, kept her to stare into them. She took a deep breath, "Look, Anakin--"

"You lied."

Brown eyes widened. Her cold, soft hand hit Anakin's cheek, a quick slap. His mouth formed an 'o' as he rubbed his cheek, the spot where she had hit him. "Ow," he said under his breath.

She pouted, her eyebrows scrunching downwards, and her hands collecting in her lap and formed fists, trying to control her anger. "Anakin Skywalker," she started, "I did not lie to you, not then, not now."

"You mean..."

She gave a mocking chuckle, and her eyes looked up to the ceiling, then back at Anakin. "Yeah, I wasn't lying," her lips formed a small smile, "I'm sorry I hit you," her hand found his cheek, and she gently stroked it, "I love you, Anakin."

She smiled softly, loving the feeling of her touch against his cheek. He closed his eyes, taking it in, only for a split second.

She loves me.

"But you know that it--"

doesn't mean anything. Anakin knew what she was going to say before it even left her lips. He put his hand over hers, and said,

"Marry me."

Once again her brown eyes widened. "Wha--?"

His teeth gritted, "Marry. Me."

There was so many things that should could say, 'We can't.' 'What about our jobs? Our duties?' 'You're a Jedi.' 'I'm a Senator.' 'Where is this going to go...' 'We'll never see each other!' 'Anakin, no.'

But there was only one thing that she would say.

"Yes."