Feel it coming in the air

And the screams from everywhere

I'm addicted to the thrill

It's a dangerous love affair…

The world was blurred around her as she ran, panting, sweating, every inch of her body burning and aching from the strain of it. They were close… Too close! She was long out of practice at running in a full sprint and the consequences were showing now in her slower than usual pace. What was she going to do? Think! Think! There had to be something up ahead, a corner she could take, an alley to duck down behind… Anything! They were gaining on her fast and if she didn't think of something soon, she was done for.

Padme dared to look back over her shoulder and winced. Their thunderous footsteps and shouts were loud enough to know they were right behind her. The gunshots were also a good reminder. Keep going. Keep going. She had to keep going! If she was caught, she was dead. Keep going! A corner came up she could duck around but just as Padme thanked her lucky stars, a loud shout came from behind her. "She's over here!"

Not brave enough to look back, she pushed on toward the corner where the sound of a busy road promised a potential getaway. Then it happened. A horrifying burst of gunshots cracked from behind her just as the corner was within reach. Padme threw herself around it for cover but was too slow. An agonising burn exploded through her left thigh making her cry out. She wanted to stop, to fall down and take the weight off her now injured leg but she was in for far worse than a gunshot wound if they caught her.

With that in mind, Padme braced herself against the pain and the warm gush of blood running down her leg and ran. She threw herself onwards and toward the road, desperately searching for someone, anyone to help. The road had quietened itself and the street was deserted no doubt on the account of the sound of gunshots. Most people around here didn't want anything to do with the criminals who ran around the area. Everyone knew almost everything that went on was the work of with the rival Hutts and Clovis gangs.

No one wanted to witness anything.

A pair of headlights appeared in the distance and came down the road fast. Over the speed limit fast. It was Padme's one hope as twilight fell upon the streets; the light in the distance was her only chance at survival. The bright red car sped closer and she took a breath. Do or die. Gathering her courage, the ran toward the road as quickly as her injured leg would permit and without allowing herself another moment to think about it, threw herself in front of it.

Anakin's hands tapped against the steering wheel as his favourite song played on. The drum solo was always the best part. His mind was miles away from the road which was empty anyway, so he took advantage and put his foot down a little. What was the harm in speeding if no one was around to see? Lost in the music, he didn't take notice of the men dressed in black running down the street at first, not until one of them produced a gun and aimed at a limping woman a little further down.

What the fuck…?

His eyes were locked onto the three men as they raced down the quiet sidewalk so he didn't notice her as she launched herself at his car until she practically landed on his hood. Anakin gave a cry and crashed his foot down onto the brake, making the car screech a few meters down the road before coming to a full stop. The woman glanced beyond the car, where he'd seen her pursuers racing toward her, before meeting his eyes desperately. "Please, help me!"

Anakin watched her climb off the hood of his car and felt his mind speed off with a million thoughts a second. What the hell was going on here? Time seemed to still for a second as he took her in. Her bottom lip was split and almost every part of her he could see was littered in cuts and bruises and he was willing to bet there were more beneath her clothes… She wasn't in a good state and it was probably because of the goons on her tail.

It would be easy to drive off and pretend he hadn't seen anything. It wasn't his responsibility to help random women on the street… But he couldn't. He shouldn't be getting himself caught up in whatever this was, but Anakin knew that if he drove away now, he'd never be able to look himself in the mirror without shame again. God only knew what would happen to her if those guys got their hands on her. He gave a frustrated sigh and reached across the passenger seat to open the door.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"Get in!"

She didn't have to be told twice. The women practically threw herself inside and slammed the door shut behind her. The moment she was inside, Anakin put his foot down again and took off, speeding faster than before, urgently. Behind the car, there was incoherent shouting and gunshots aimed at his windows. The shattering of glass behind him told Anakin that at least one of the goons had good aim. He raced further down the street, no destination in mind, and took every corner he came across, just in case they were behind followed.

After thirty minutes of mindless driving, finally, Anakin backed his car into a dark alleyway and turned toward the woman. Her face was ashen and sickly, she was sweating and only now things were slightly calmer did he realise she was bleeding. Damn… She'd been hit…

Take her to a hospital, part of him whispered, drop her off and then it's out of your hands.

But he couldn't do that. Anakin watched her eyes roll backwards and cursed. She was going to bleed out right here in his passenger seat if they stayed here, but if he took her to a hospital, whoever was after her would have a much easier time finding her. There were only so many people in the city sporting gunshot wounds to the thigh. He'd taken her in and now it was his responsibility to make sure she stayed alive. He groaned and hauled himself out of the car. There was a little convenience store two minutes from here, he'd pick up a first aid kit and see what he could do. He was no expert, but he knew about basic bullet wound recovery. If necessary he could pull it out of her… That didn't mean he was happy about this.

While in the store, Anakin stole a moment to take a calming breath. It was going to be alright. There was a wanted woman bleeding out in his car, but everything was going to be fine. He'd patch her up best he could, let her sleep off the pain and send her on her way. He didn't need any extra attention brought his way. He leant a hand on the medical supply shelf and closed his eyes tightly. It was going to be fine. The moment passed and he grabbed the first medical kit he saw, a large green plastic box with images of its contents, without looking at the price.

The sales assistant didn't give him a second glance as she rung him up, which he was grateful for. He thought back to the unconscious girl in his car. What kind of trouble was she in? It had to be bad. Worse than bad, judging by the three armed guys chasing her through the streets, someone wanted her dead or alive. That kind of stuff was usually traced back to the city gangs… Did she owe money to someone? No, Anakin doubted anyone would send armed goons after someone for money. He knew what the head honchos did to people who owed them money… He almost shuddered.

So who was after her? And more importantly, why?

He quickly paid for the first aid kit and walked briskly back toward the car before climbing in. His apartment was just a few minutes from here if he took a shortcut or two… It would be safer dealing with her wounds there, where no one could see. Because, if she was in the kind of trouble he thought she was in, Anakin couldn't afford to be seen with her.

If it's the Clovis' that's after her and someone sees me helping? Jabba will be the least of my worries.

He'd been working with the criminal gangster clan the Hutts for five years now; he couldn't risk getting involved in another crew's shit. His loyalty to the Hutts couldn't be seen to be compromised. But fuck his life, here he was.

Anakin quickly restarted the car and made his way toward his apartment as quickly as he could without crashing into the other cars on the road. Whatever the consequences, the girl in the passenger seat needed his help and he was going to give it to her.