Chapter 9

Stop Saying Cuddled

Obi-Wan flew into the cockpit.

"Take off. Over there, fly low."

Padme and Anakin had followed Obi-Wan, but before either one could help at all the Jedi was already rushing past them back towards the ramp which was being lowered.

Again, both were unsure as to how to help but obediently pursued Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan reached the ramp far sooner than them, the door to the entrance area sealing itself shut after him, for health and safety reasons of course.

He reached Qui-Gon fast enough to kick his master's attacker back onto Tatooine and off their craft.

However, Padme and Anakin were oblivious to this as they were trapped on the other side of the sealed door. They were banging on it, hoping to break it down, entering security codes, but nothing worked.

"It locks automatically if the ramp is open and we're in flight," Panaka stated as he joined them, his gun at the ready.

"I must advise that you go back to the Queen's chamber."

Padme shook her head. She would not leave this door until she knew that Obi-Wan was safe.

"The Queen?" Anakin half asked himself confused.

"I must advise it," Panaka emphasised more forcefully.

Padme looked up at him defiantly. That was not going to happen.

"Obi-Wan!" she yelled, banging the door, which miraculously opened on impact.

Qui-Gon was lying on the ground seemingly unscathed by the encounter with Obi-Wan crouching next to him.

"What was it master?" was all he had time to ask before the small group fell into the room.

"Are you all right?" Anakin was immediately by their side, looking from Jedi to Jedi.

"We're fine," Qui-Gon reassured the boy.

"You're wife was worried about you."

It took a moment for those words to penetrate Obi-Wan's consciousness.

Then a further moment for him to understand their meaning.

Obi-Wan looked down at the small boy who was staring at him intensely. He was at a loss for words.

He hoped that somehow no one else had heard the boy but a quick glance at his master and the quirked eyebrow thereupon proved otherwise.

"I don't think he was referring to my wife, padawan," Qui-Gon smirked at him.

Blushing and unsure of how to regain any kind of control over the situation he tried to let go of his emotions and expel them into the Force.

"I don't have a wife," he said firmly, hoping that would be the end of it.

"Well then whose she?" he quizzed pointing at Padme, who was taken back by the young boys assumption.

"I'm not his wife, I'm a handmaiden to the Queen."

Anakin turned back to Obi-Wan more confused and more determined than ever.

"If she's not your wife then why were you cuddling her this morning?"

That was it. Obi-Wan felt ready to become one with the Force. Right there. Right then. It was his time.

"Cuddling, Obi-Wan? Would you care to elaborate?" Qui-Gon was clearly taking some kind of perverse pleasure from his padawan's discomfort.

"Presumabley I only cuddled Padme in my sleep because it was cold."

"You cuddled me in my sleep?!" Padme pretended to look violated but could not defend her face from the ensuing laughter she felt at the pit of her stomach.

Somehow with Padme finding the entire "misinterpretation of innocent events" (which is what he would dub the incident later when discussing it with his master) so funny Obi-Wan was able to relax.

"You cuddled me back!"

"They cuddled," Qui-Gon restated to Anakin.

"There was a definite cuddle," the boy replied.

"Would everyone please stop saying 'cuddled'?" Obi-Wan pleaded, yet more lightheartedly than before.

"We'll talk later," Qui-Gon said to Anakin.

Panaka who had remained quiet and watchful throughout the developing scene finally spoke, "I think the Queen would appreciate her full report now." He spoke officially, not displaying any kind of reaction to the conversation, but there was something in his cool voice which implied Padme was in trouble.

She turned to him, the smile falling from her face, "Of course."

Obi-Wan rose to defend her from any reprimand she may be facing for her behaviour but Qui-Gon stopped him before he could say anything. So the padawan simply bowed to her offering a reassuring smile, which she mildly reciprocated before following Panaka.

He hoped he hadn't gotten her in trouble with the Queen.

"But if she isn't your wife why was she walking on your arm?"

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, it appeared his own inquisition was far from over.

* * *

"We're just friends Master."

"It's not like you to make a friend Obi-Wan. It's not like many Jedi."

"I didn't mean to Master, I-" Obi-Wan had no reason. It had just happened.

Qui-Gon's mirth was clear, even if slightly distorted beneath the beard.

"Perhaps I should be injured more often padawan, you could become very popular."

Obi-Wan smiled at his master's good nature. If only he knew whether Padme's berating was similarly lighthearted.

"Surely it's time to find out," Qui-Gon answered the small frown appearing on his padawan's brow.

"We should meet with the Queen before landing on Coruscant."

Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief, at last he would be able to find out if Padme was all right. All through his report to his master, their discussions about Anakin and the inevitable conversation regarding a certain handmaiden he had been worried about her.

Entering the Queen's chamber his eyes eagerly scanned for Padme's, which was no easy feat considering all of the Queen's handmaids looked practically identical and wore matching robes. But he couldn't even sense her presence in the room. Where was she?

"Padme was sent to help the Anakin boy in his repairs to the ship."

Obi-Wan's eyes snapped towards the Queen. Was that a smile he saw beneath her layers of make up?

"It seems you protected our young Padme with great care on Tatooine. We must thank you."

Obi-Wan bowed, unsure of what to say. They had only gone to the Queen's chamber to see Padme and she wasn't even there.

"You are dismissed Padawan," he heard Qui-Gon say to his right.

"Excuse me Master?"

"I wish to speak with the Queen alone, you are dismissed."

Obi-Wan bowed again to the Queen and then again to his master, so very thankful to both of them for allowing him to see Padme again.

On his way out he heard the Queen, "I hear they made quite the pair on Tatooine."

"As I have equally been informed your highness."

Padme was to be found in a seating area near the engine Anakin had been fixing. He had fallen asleep on the seat opposite hers once he was done. She was watching a message from the Governor of Naboo, over and over, repeatedly for a lengthy period of time.

"It's a trick," Obi-Wan said quietly, sitting down next to her.

"I know," she replied, unable to tear her eyes away from the ghostly figure of the man making his desperate plea.

Obi-Wan leaned forward, cutting the Governor off mid sentence. The cabin was very quiet without the man's voice cutting through it.

"You're worried about your family?" he spoke without looking at her. Following her lead of sitting back and looking straight ahead.

He felt her nodding, "Everyone." She slowly let her head fall onto his shoulder and sighed. "What help will the Republic be able to give us once we reach Coruscant?"

"I don't know," he said truthfully, letting his head fall on top of hers as they both continued to stare at nothing. "You know how I feel about politicians, would you be surprised if I wasn't familiar with all the complexities of politics itself?"

Padme giggled. "I think you'll meet a politician you really get along with one day."

"Is that so?"

"Yep," she nodded triumphantly, before sitting up straight and shoving him mischievously. "That's for cuddling me."

"I wish everyone would stop talking about cuddles."

From there the repartee flowed. Sitting in the cosy cabin, caught in the trap of decent conversation. Hours spent debating, teasing, mocking, neither one noticed the hours drift by until one of the Queen's handmaidens hesitantly interrupted them, "We'll be in Coruscant shortly."

They looked at each other, in awe of having conversed for so long so easily. Grinning they both knew the handmaid was not enough to break their spell.