Author's Note: Today at work I had a revelation about the plot of this story and now I know exactly how I want it to end. I was a little bit hesitant about my other ideas, and then suddenly a new one hit me. I hope to be adding more chapters soon because we are nearing the end of our story. I hope you guy's have been enjoying it and I want to thank you all for the review's you have been leaving me. You guys are great!

P.S.: Just in case I didn't make this clear, Padme hasn't slept with any of her clients at the Outlander. Anakin is the only person she had slept with recently, so she has no doubt in her mind that it's his child and not anyone else.

Anakin finished up his sparring session with Obi-Wan and left to go find Padme. He ran into a padawan who explained to him what had transpired between Padme and Barriss and that she hadn't been seen since. No one was sent to go find her, but there were enough padawans serving as Council messengers that someone would have ran into her eventually. However, Anakin didn't need anyone's help finding her because he knew exactly where she went. Traversing the same hallways that he used to sneak around in as a padawan, Anakin headed to his favorite room in the Temple. There was only one being inside and she seemed very deep in thought. Anakin walked over to Padme and sat down next to her and stared up into the same synthetic starry sky. The Holomap Room that Padme had found was one of the smaller, more secluded rooms that provided Jedi with holographic maps of the galaxy. Most of these rooms were used for instruction or preparation for missions, but sometimes Jedi came just to silently admire the stars. One could spend their whole life admiring the projected images the way that one could do from space, but it was never the same. But for someone like Padme who had probably never been out of the city let alone out in space, the sight was amazing. Anakin used to spend his time as a Padawan dreaming of the day when he would see these places from inside a starfighter or transport ship. Whichever it was, he just wanted to see the stars up close. Suddenly Anakin yearned for the day that he could show Padme what he had seen. The idea brought a smile to his face.

Padme sat staring up at the stars feeling completely hopeless. The galaxy was so large, and there was so much beyond just her, and yet it seemed like it all threatened to crash down upon her before her days were over. It wasn't until Barriss had confronted her that Padme realized the true gravity of her situation. No matter what she chose, it felt as though she was stuck. Using the computer console remote she had found, Padme jumped from planet to planet throughout the galaxy, pausing on the exceptionally beautiful ones. She couldn't help but wonder how her life would have been different had she been born on one of the many planets she saw. Maybe she wouldn't have ended up in love with a Jedi and pregnant with his child. Or maybe everything would have happened exactly the same. Whatever it would have been, it seemed as though this path was inescapable. But there was nothing she could really do to change it. She was already in too far. Padme sighed as she continued to shuffle through the planets. She looked over to Anakin who had a smile on his face. Whatever could he have been thinking that would elicit such a response? He seemed so at peace with himself and Padme wished for just a taste of whatever he was feeling right now.

Anakin leaned over to look at Padme as the smile slowly faded from his lips.

"I heard your interaction with Master Offee didn't go well."

Padme couldn't help but scowl, "Why didn't you tell me that we'd have to give up our child?"

Anakin frowned, "That wasn't the direction that conversation was supposed to go."

"So you knew she had been sent to talk to me?"

"Of course I did. Being a member of the Jedi Council has its perks."

Padme threw him a deathly glare before looking back up to the stars while Anakin continued to glance at her.

"If what you said the day you left was true, then why are you here, Padme?"

"Because I lied."

Her response was so nonchalant, as if she felt no remorse for the pain she had caused him. However, he knew there had to have been something deeper.

"Why did you lie to me?" he prodded.

"I was just doing what I thought was best at the time."

"What might that have been?"

"I was trying to protect you," Padme admitted.

Anakin's face scrunched up as a frown appeared on his face again, "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

Padme wanted to hit him, how dare he judge her so quickly?

"If you're so much smarter, than tell me: What would you have done in my situation?"

"I would have let me leave the Order so we could put all of this behind us."

"And sacrifice everything you have accomplished? I couldn't ask you that. You know I couldn't ask you that."

"I don't need your permission to love you, Padme Amidala."

The tone in his voice was so commanding it was almost insulting. Before Padme had time to react, Anakin leaned over and captured her lips in a fervent kiss. She wanted to be angry at him, and yet his lips felt so good against hers. They were hot and demanding and her body couldn't help but respond. She had missed him so much it had killed her every day they were apart, and by the intensity of his kiss, Padme knew he had missed her just as much. She almost whimpered in protest as he started to pull away from her but the fire in his eyes swayed her otherwise.

"I want you, Padme. And there is nothing you can say to me that will change my mind. I'm going to talk to the council and when I am done, I will have you. Do you understand me?"

All Padme could do is nod. She had no idea where this sudden attitude had come from, but it only made her want him more. She wrapped her arms around him as he brought her into a fierce hug. She had never felt so loved in her life. He adored her so much that he was willing to give up everything for her without hesitation. It was as if she was flying amongst the stars over their heads and she prayed this feeling would never go away. Anakin broke off his embrace only to stand up and reach his hand out to her.

"Do you trust me?"

Padme looked up at Anakin, then down to his hand. After a brief moment of hesitation, Padme grabbed his hand and looked straight into his eyes.

"With every fiber of my being."