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APOLLA KEPT PACING Which freaked out Padmé.

"If Obi-Wan is coming back that means so is Anakin, what if Anakin thinks I'm ugly, even though I saw him a year ago..." She kept rambling.

Padmé grabbed her shoulders "Apolla, calm down.."

She nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"I know there's that whole thing with the Jedi code, but he loves you and you love him, it's romantic." Padmé said, holding Apolla's hands in hers.

She smiled softly "Hopefully, you're right."

Padmé kissed her hands, smirking "I am, trust me."

They then heard Jar Jar yelling "Obi!"

"Oh, boy..." Apolla muttered, causing the former queen of Naboo to giggle.

Padmé nudged her arm, still giggling "Oh, stop it..."

Apolla giggled.

"Senator Padmé, Master Apolla, mesa palos here! Lookie, lookie, senator and master, desa jedi arriven." Jar Jar told them.

They walked over to Anakin and Obi-Wan. Once Anakin saw Apolla, he hugged her.

"Ani.." Apolla smiled softly against his robe.

"Hi, Pollie." Anakin mumbled, kissing her head.

She pulled away from him, holding onto his right hand as she smiled softly at Obi-Wan.

"Master Kenobi." She bowed.

"Master Jinn. It's a great pleasure to see you again, milady." He bowed in return then bowed at Padmé.

"It's been far too long, Master Kenobi." Padmé said, shaking his hand.

Apolla noticed Padmé did a double-take when she saw Anakin.

"Ani? My goodness you've grown, and Apolla was right you are very handsome." Padmé smirked.

Apolla blushed, as she knew Padmé was trying to set them up.

"So have you both, grown more beautiful I mean. Well, for a senator and a master, I mean..." Anakin blushing, looking down at Apolla.

She giggled, smacking his arm "Oh, stop! But, you'll always be that little boy we knew on Tatooine."

"Friendzoned." Obi-Wan mumbled.

Apolla rolled her eyes, playfully as they all walked over to the couches to talk.

"Our presence here will be invisible, milady. I can assure you." Obi-Wan told Padmé as they all sat down.

"I'm Captain Typho of Her Majesty's security service. Queen Jamillia has been informed of your assignment. I am grateful you are here, Master Kenobi, you as well, Master Jinn." Captain Typho told Obi-Wan then Apolla.

Apolla smiled softly and gave him a firm nod as Captain Typho continued "The situation is more dangerous than the senator will admit."

"I don't need more security, I need answers. I want to know, who's trying to kill me." Padmé told them all.

"We are here to protect you, Senator, not to start an investigation." Obi-Wan told Padmé.

Anakin spoke up "We will find out who's trying to kill you Padmé. I promise you."

"We will not exceed our mandate, my young Padawan learner." Obi-Wan told him.

The brunette Jedi looked over at Anakin then at Padmé "Ani, we have our jobs to do, let's stick to protecting her, and if Obi-Wan wants to find the killer, he's more than welcome to do so."

Anakin turned to Apolla and Obi-Wan "I meant that in the interest of protecting her, Masters, of course."

"Apolla, shut up. We will not go through this exercise again, Anakin, and you will pay attention to my lead." Obi-Wan told Anakin.

"Why?" Anakin questioned him.

Oh force..

"What?" Obi-Wan asked, clearly annoyed.

"Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find the killer?" Anakin asked.

"Or maybe it's because Obi-Wan has feelings for Padmé..." Apolla mumbled to myself, causing Obi-Wan to nudge her and Anakin to laugh.

Anakin continued "Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate."

"We will do exactly as the council has instructed. And you will learn your place, young one." Obi-Wan told him.

Everyone was silent till Padmé spoke up.

"Perhaps with merely your presence the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will retire." Padmé said as she walked away with Dormé.

Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Apolla walked over to Captain Typho.

"I know I'll feel better having you here. I'll have an officer stationed at every floor, and I'll be in the control center downstairs." Captain Typho told Obi-Wan as they walked away.

Apolla stayed behind with Anakin and Jar Jar as she noticed Obi-Wan walked back over to them.

"Mesa busten wit happiness seein yousa again, Ani." Jar Jar told him.

Anakin sighed as he looked over at me then at Padmé, who was still walking away. "Padmé hardly even recognized me, Jar Jar. I mean Apolla and I saw each other a year ago and she keeps telling me I'm still that little boy from Tatooine..."

Anakin frowned.

Apolla sighed "I meant it as a cute thing, like I'll always remember you as that little boy from Tatooine who gave me a rose necklace...which I still wear, and Ani she was happy to see us."

"Apolla right, shesa happy. Happier den mesa seein her in a longo time." Jar Jar assured him.

"You're focusing on the negative, Anakin. Be mindful of your thoughts. Apolla is right, she is pleased to see us." Obi-Wan blushed.

"Well, more you than Anakin, because she has a crush on you." Apolla smirked. Anakin started laughing.

"What?!" Obi-Wan asked Anakin, offended.

"Nothing, nothing you're just old." Anakin smirked, causing Apolla to laugh.

"You two are such children...now let's go check the security" Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

Anakin and Apolla both followed him. Let's catch themselves a murderer. Apolla stood next to Anakin as he paced around in front of Padmé's room.

❀ ❀ ❀

ANAKIN LOOKED OVER At her "Pollie?"

She blushed at the nickname "Yes, Anakin?"

He sighed and held onto her hands "Do you think Obi-Wan is upset about what happened last year?"

The brunette Jedi kissed his hands, gently and said "Ani, he only wanted us to be careful.."

"I am careful." Anakin cupped her face then kissed her forehead.

Apolla smiled, softly and stroked his hands.

"Captain Typho has more than enough men downstairs. No assassin would try that way. Any activity up here?" Obi-Wan told the Jedi Master and his Padawan.

Anakin stroked Apolla's cheeks then they pulled apart.

Apolla walked closer to Obi-Wan "Great, and they'll get to miss all the action."

"Apolla! Quiet as a tomb." Anakin said.

Apolla sighed, crossing her arms "I don't like just waiting for something to happen to her."

Anakin nodded "Agreed."

Obi-Wan took out his camera asking "What's going on?"

"Ah, she covered the cameras." Apolla started.

Anakin stood next to Apolla "I don't think she liked us watching her. Maybe she'd prefer if you watched her."

Apolla giggled as Anakin was teasing Obi-Wan about his apparent crush on Padmé.

"Both of you knock it off." Obi-Wan snapped, glaring at them both.

"She programmed R2 to warn us if there is an intruder." Apolla said, watching Obi-Wan walk to the camera.

"There are many other ways to kill a senator." Obi-Wan told them.

Apolla looked at Anakin then Obi-Wan "We know, Obi.."

Anakin stood next to her and continued "But, we also want to catch this assassin don't we master?"

Obi-Wan walked over to Anakin "You're using her as bait? Apolla, why did you let him rope you into this? You know better..."

She sighed "How else will we find them?"

"Master, I'm with Apolla on this one, but, it was all Padmé's idea.." Anakin said, looking down.

She smirked as she told Obi-Wan "Don't worry no harm will come to your future wife."

He rolled his eyes at her as Anakin laughed.

"Besides, we can sense everything going on in that room. Trust us." Anakin finished.

Obi-Wan turned to Padmé's room "It's too risky...besides your senses are as attuned as Apolla's, my young apprentice."

Apolla winked at Anakin.

"And yours are, even better than Apolla's?" Anakin asked him unimpressed.

"Possibly." Obi-Wan smirked.

Apolla stood next to Obi-Wan as Anakin was at the balcony.

"You look tired." Obi-Wan commented about Anakin's tired look on his face.

"I don't sleep well anymore." Anakin told him.

"Because of your mother?" Obi-Wan asked.

He nodded "I don't know why I keep dreaming about her."

Apolla hugged Anakin. He hugged back kissing the top of her head.

"Dreams pass in time." Obi-Wan told him.

Anakin looked down at her then Obi-Wan "I'd much rather dream about Apolla, I mean you said it yourself, Master. We're forcebound soulmates, and being with Apolla now is soothing."

She smiled up at him "Aw, Ani."

He winked at her as they all walked back inside.

"Be mindful of your thoughts, you two. They betray you. You've made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not easily broken. And don't forget that Apolla's a master, and you're still a padawan learner." Obi-Wan said looking at Apolla then Anakin.

Anakin looked down at her "She's not like the other masters, Master. Apolla's different, and that's what I love about her. She's smart, funny, beautiful, fierce, she won't back down from a fight and she'll protect anyone she loves..."

She blushed and bit her lip as he said that.

Obi-Wan sighed "Master Windu was her master and you know how he is when it comes to Apolla, her father couldn't train her, because we all know Master Qui-Gon always went easy on his daughter."

"How did he not get in trouble for Apolla's birth?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan looked at Apolla.

She sighed and said "Because, my mother was expelled for the pregnancy. My mother couldn't keep it a secret that she was dating my father. My father on the other hand was very good at not telling anyone his business. When the council found out about the pregnancy, my father was suspended for a month or two and my mother was expelled."

"Wow." Anakin said, his mouth hung open in shock.

Obi-Wan nodded "Yeah, it was messy.."

Anakin sighed "No more lectures, I just can't handle it at the moment..besides the chancellor doesn't appear to be corrupt. Palpatine is a politician."

"I have observed that he is very clever in following the passions and prejudices of the senators." Obi-Wan said, crossing his arms.

Apolla kissed Anakin's cheek and said "Just be mindful of your thoughts, Ani, or else.."

"Well, you may be right, but I think he's a good man, my-" Anakin started as they all felt like something was wrong.

"We sense it, too.." She told him as they all ran into Padmé's room.

Obi-Wan jumped on her bed and killed the slugs that were near her, which startled her and she woke up.

Apolla looked at the window seeing a machine that probably launched the slugs.

"Obi-Wan.." Apolla looked at him.

He nodded then ran over to the window, jumped out then caught it. She grabbed Anakin's wrist as they ran to get a speeder. Anakin got in the driver's side, Apolla sat next to him.

"GO!" She yelled as he finally started it and they were off to find Obi-Wan.