"We're going on a date." Anakin announced removing her coat from the stand near the door.

Cassandra peered over the top of her book with an innocent expression that heated his blood. "Don't I get a say? What if I want to stay in and read?"

"Do you want to stay in and read?"

She thought about it and bookmarked her spot. "No. I guess not."

Since the banquet she'd been a homebody. Getting some fresh air would do her good. Cassandra slid her arms into the coat Anakin held out. "Where are we going?"

Ducking his head, Anakin kissed her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "It's a surprise."

Cassandra swept his hair back from his forehead, sliding her fingers along his temple and down his jaw. "I'm happy to go anywhere with you, sweetheart."

Porggy chirped his agreement from the sofa.

"No, you have to stay here." Anakin told the Porg, buttoning up Cassandra's coat.

Porggy looked crestfallen, his wings drooping sadly.

Anakin sighed. "I'll bring you back a treat."

The bird squawked in excitement.

Cassandra hid a smile with the back of her hand. Anakin would never admit it, but he loved Porggy. She was glad. Every person needed the unconditional love of an animal in their life.

"Cass, your surprise is twofold." Anakin turned slightly and a fiery portal spiraled into existence. "This is part one."

Her lips parted. "Anakin! You mastered the spell!"

He grinned smugly. "You were right. I kept practicing and things finally clicked!"

Cassandra's heart soared with joy at his success. "Oh, I'm so proud of you!" She launched herself at her husband. Flinging her arms around his neck, she balanced on her tiptoes and squeezed his shoulders fiercely. "I knew you could do it!"

Anakin handed her a pair of gloves and a hat. "What can I say? You inspire me to achieve great things, my love."

She flushed. "Always the flirtmeister."

*********************************************************************************************

The portal opened into a dingey alley. Anakin led Cassandra around the block to a towering stadium. "The second part of your surprise is this: I won tickets to the pod races!" He sounded excited.

"What's pod racing again?"

"Think of it as speeders racing on a track."

"Sounds intriguing."

"It's definitely an experience you won't forget." Anakin acknowledged as they joined the throng entering the building.

The stadium air crackled with excitement. Anakin tugged Cassandra up the crowded staircase to a mid-level box above the packed stands. There were about two dozen seats in three rows.

Red velvet curtains were tied back, rows of glittering bottles lining the shelves behind the polished bar top. All the stools at the bar were occupied by a variety of alien species: Rodians, Pantorans, and what looked to be a Big Foot.

Cassandra did a double take at the towering hairy sasquatch. So, they were real!

Holding her hand, Anakin waited for Cassandra to sit in the last chair in the middle row, then plopped down beside her. His Jedi robes garnered a few curious stares, but no one approached the couple.

They probably assumed he was guarding the sorceress.

Cassandra shrugged out of her coat, hat, and gloves. She wore a billowy, wine-colored tunic dress over leggings and boots. She was nicely dressed for a date with her husband but nothing over the top. "When's the race going to start?"

"Soon." Anakin rumbled, adjusting his sleeves so they draped over the armrests without spilling on the floor. A lock of sandy hair fell into his eyes. He brushed it aside impatiently.

His hair was getting long. Cassandra stroked the side of his forearm and smiled at him. "What can you tell me about pod racing?"

"The pilots fly custom built speeders around the track for several laps. It's a game of speed and cleverness. The first one across the finish line wins." Anakin's eyes lit up as he explained. "It's such a rush to ride neck and neck with an opponent, feeling the wind in your hair."

"I've seen racecar races on TV at home." Cassandra glanced at him sideways. "You really enjoy this."

A series of emotions passed over Anakin's face. A complicated mix of joy, excitement, and sadness. "Yeah, I do. Though, it's been years since I've been to a race."

"I guess being a Jedi doesn't leave room for extracurricular activities." Cassandra said.

He smiled crookedly. "In my free time, which isn't often as I'd like, I watch the races. I've always enjoyed the unfettered freedom of flying."

"Well," She began chuckling. "I don't know if I'll ever share the same level of appreciation for flying, but it is more efficient than driving a car."

"The vehicles with tires, right?"

"Right."

"Hmm." Anakin's gaze turned thoughtful. He seemed genuinely interested. "What's it like driving a car?"

"The closest example I can think of is a land speeder that moves on the actual ground." Cassandra answered.

"Can they go fast?"

"We have speed limits."

Anakin made a disgusted face.

She laughed. "Don't worry. I doubt you'll ever have to drive anywhere on my planet, Anakin. If you do, you'll probably wind up with a big fat speeding ticket."

"Thanks a lot." He said dryly.

Cassandra raised her hands in surrender. "Just speaking the truth."

"Viewing the races in person is much better." He replied. "I hope you enjoy it."

"I'll take your word for it, sweetheart."

Twi'lek waitresses bustled around with trays of refreshments for the viewers. When it was Cassandra and Anakin's turn to be served a blue female bent over to give the Jedi a premium view of her cleavage.

Her husband wisely contemplated the hors d'oeuvres instead of the twi'lek's breasts. Anakin plucked two cheese puffs, offering one to Cassandra, ignoring the flirting waitress.

The twi'lek's brows furrowed, flummoxed her assets went unadmired.

Cassandra shot her a wary look. 'The woman has audacity flirting with a married man.'

The twi'lek's dark eyes flashed with anger when Anakin continued to ignore her. She snapped something coldly in an unfamiliar language.

Judging by Anakin's shocked expression, the twi'lek wasn't complimenting Cassandra.

A fat man wolf-whistled from across the room. The twi'lek's seductive smile returned. She sashayed over to her admirer and perched on his lap, swinging her long curvy legs over his knees.

"What did she say?" Cassandra demanded.

"I'd...rather not say." Her Jedi stuttered nervously, sweat beading his forehead.

Cassandra waited him out.

"She...called you a two-credit tramp with no breasts who doesn't know how to satisfy a man." Anakin answered reluctantly, mouth twisting in distaste.

Anger spiked in her gut. Cassandra glared daggers at the twi'lek, who was too busy flirting with her customer to notice. The woman cooed and petted the man's double chins. A handful of credits were slipped into her manicured hand.

Oh, my God. The lady twi'leks were prostitutes just like the prostitutes she accidentally ordered for the Jedi banquet!

Ironic to be called a tramp by a prostitute!

Cassandra scanned the box with fresh eyes where other similar transactions were taking place in every corner. The blue twi'lek led her John out the door with a coy smile.

Cassandra glanced at Anakin for an explanation. He better have a good one because if he knew what went on here and brought her to the track, there would be hell to pay! "Coruscant has hookers at the racetrack? This place is really full service."

Anakin choked on his cheese puff.

Not completely heartless, she patted his back until he could breathe again.

"Generally, such things aren't addressed out in the open." He muttered with flushed cheeks.

Cassandra wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily. "I suppose there are all sorts of ways to get laid in this galaxy. What surprises me, is that you thought this was an appropriate place to take me on a date."

"I wasn't aware those services were offered here." He bit out, embarrassed.

"Well, now you do." She drawled, lazily.

"We can leave if you want."

Lounging in her chair, Cassandra crossed her legs. "Nah, we came to see the races, so we'll stay."

It was hilarious to watch Anakin sweat but she also knew he was looking forward to the races. She'd had her fun.

To show there weren't any hard feelings, Cassandra discreetly laced their hands together between their bodies. She threaded her fingers through his prosthetic ones, squeezing tight.

Anakin squeezed back, smiling faintly as he gazed out the window to the track. He rested their joined hands on his thigh.

The emcee's platform floated over the center of the arena, hovering level with the scoreboard. The Rodian's beaming smile projected across the jumbo holoscreen. "Welcome to the Annual Winter Race!"

The patrons cheered. Steel bleachers rattled beneath hundreds of stomping feet creating a thunderous clamor. Anakin whooped with the others in the box. A bulbous headed alien in flowing robes clapped him on the shoulder his booming laughter cutting through the din. "This'll be somethin' to see young Jedi!"

Anakin laughed along with his new friend, happiness bursting out of him like sunshine. "The lineup looks great this year. Its sure to be an interesting race."

Cassandra clapped politely, feeling awkward as people jumped to their feet and thrust their fists into the air. She'd never been to a sporting event before. Nibbling her cheese puff, she watched the pod racers line up at the starting line.

The custom-made speeders floated a few feet off the ground, engines revving to the get crowd further riled. A deafening wave of noise drowned everything out. The emcee shot a blaster bolt into the air and the speeders rocketed forward on the track.

Anakin finally broke off his conversation and returned his attention to her. "Li Wes says the tracks are making good money this year despite the war."

"Well, people need a distraction." Cassandra spoke against his ear, having to raise her voice to be heard over the cheering crowd. "This seems like a good one, as any."

Anakin turned his head slightly, their noses brushing. "The real fun comes from the sabotage on the circuit."

Alarmed, Cassandra pulled her head back. "You mean, people die?"

"There are risks." Anakin admitted. "However, pilots are well-paid to compensate for the danger."

Cassandra watched the race silently, horrified. Suddenly she recalled how Anakin once told her he raced in a pod race to win his freedom on Tatooine.

Speeders zoomed around the track at breakneck speeds. No one paid the couple any attention. A pilot slammed into another speeder, forcing it off the track. The speeder flipped over and tumbled across the sand in a fiery crash.

She hesitated. "You...were you ever hurt flying?"

Broaching the topic was risky, Anakin hated talking about his past.

"Like I said there are risks and the pods I had access to, weren't the best quality." He played with her hand in his lap, stroking the sensitive skin of her knuckles. "There was one bad crash where both my legs were broken."

Tears stung Cassandra's eyes. Anakin had been through so much in his life yet managed to maintain his light. She blinked and a few tears slid down her cheeks. 'God, he's so amazing. I'm married to such an amazing man.'

"Don't be sad, Cass." Anakin took a deep breath and donned his usual remote mask. They were in public after all. "I didn't bring you here to talk about that. Let's enjoy the race."

Enjoy the race? There's little chance now.

Cassandra was unable to brush aside his story so easily. She was not a violent person. In fact, she made every effort to be good and kind because the universe needed the light.

However, she was human and had her limits. If she ever met the person who owned Anakin, she might just burn him alive Dany-style.

Anakin groaned as his favorite pilot's engine burned up in a cloud of smoke. The Rodian pilot gestured crudely from the edge of the track.

Suspense mounted when the final five rounded the final bend. Cassandra's rage gradually faded as she was drawn into the excitement.

On the edge of her seat, she gasped involuntarily when the pilot in the back suddenly sped by the leader over the finish line. The winner did a victory lap, the spectators showering the pilot with flowers and gifts from the bleachers.

Anakin sagged against the backrest as if physically drained from the fervor. "That was a wild ride."

"Sure was."

He stared at her expectantly. "Did you like it?"

His unabashed enthusiasm was infectious. Her husband was even more fetching when he was happy.

Cassandra smiled warmly. "You know, towards the end I had fun. I'm not sure I'd ever want to try it though. Regardless, pod racing is exhilarating."

"So, you'd come again?" He asked eagerly.

This clearly meant a lot to him. Cassandra nodded resolutely. "I'm open to the possibility."

"Let's go." Ever the gentleman, Anakin helped Cassandra stand. "We'll swing by Dex's on the way home for cake."

"Hmm, I'm surprised you'd want cake after swallowing a gallon at the banquet." She bumped her shoulder playfully against his.

"Hey!"

Cassandra giggled and tugged him down the stairs. "Come on, slowpoke. We'll share a slice and bring one home for Porggy. Thanks for suggesting we go out, I guess I needed this."

"Me too."

They smiled at each other.

A/N: Anakin and Cass went on a date! Yay! This chapter was finished quicker than I anticipated. Hope you all loved it. Thanks so much for reading as always!