As the Naboo Royal Starship touched down on the sandy world of Tatooine, a smile split my face. Finally, I was going to visit Anakin's home planet. Padme, noticing my exuberant expression, arched one eyebrow and smiled over at me.

"What are you so happy about?" she asked, lifting her arms so that I could slip the baby blue dress over her head.

Having not brought a handmaiden with her, I had taken it upon myself to help the Senator. In part out of friendship and partly just because I loved to raid Padme's expansive closet. However, this time, she had chosen a less ostentatious gown - something a bit more low-key in order to blend in with the crowd. It was still lovely, though, the dress itself split in two parts to showcase her midriff, the train of it ending in a cape dusted with light silver sparkles and the rest falling across her feet.

"Tatooine has been on my bucket-list for a long time now. I love hot climates," I replied before standing back to admire the beautiful gown, sending her a smile, "Lovely as always, Padme,"

"You're too kind to me, Jetta," Padme returned with a smile of her own before tilting her head slightly, "But what about you? You can still borrow one of my gowns if you like,"

Shrugging, I remembered Anakin's reaction to her other dress and internalized a sigh before replying, "I don't know...I don't think dresses are for me. They have...adverse consequences..."

Padme shot me a wondering look but before she could ask, I continued, "Of course, I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about since you had your own adverse reaction from a certain Senator,"

This last was said pointedly and Padme blushed scarlet and shook her head with a laugh.

"I don't think the gown had anything to do with that incident,"

"Oh yeah? So Vas usually knocks over his Ruby Bliel when another senator walks in the room? Or stumbles over every word in his known vocabulary to lavish compliments on said fellow senator?"

Padme hit me on the arm slightly and I ducked away, laughing to myself as I left her to locate her cloak. Soon, after I had slipped my own worn brown cloak over my head, the three of us convened at the door. The smothering heat hit my face as soon as we stepped outside and I allowed my dark eyes to adjust to the dim docking bay. Quickly, Anakin found us a rickshaw that seated three and helped Padme and myself aboard as R2 rolled along behind. Anakin's leg was pressed against my own, making me feel more than a little uncomfortable. It was unfortunate I hadn't asked Padme to change seats with me.

As the silver droid up ahead drove us over the dusty streets, I surveyed the arid landscape surrounding me. Admittedly, it wasn't much to look at. Sand stretched out as far as the eye could see, the air so hot it created a mirage of water in the distance. Dotting every available space was market stalls, shops, and houses. In the distance, I could just make out a towering apartment complex I could only assume were slave quarters. I blanched at the sight, a part of me still unable to comprehend that some planets still held onto the barbaric practice of slavery. With all the Senate had been able to accomplish, you'd think they would put more time and funds into helping those in the Outer Rim.

Glancing to my left, I could see the expression of revulsion mixed with resignation on Anakin's face. Clearly, this was the last place he truly wanted to be. In fact, if it wasn't for his mother still living here, he probably would never have returned at all. The thought of his mother sent a pang to my chest then, my heart aching for Anakin. I truly hoped we would find her safe and sound. Attachments may be against the Jedi Code but this was entirely different - she was his family.

After several minutes, Anakin signalled for the droid to stop, evidently seeing a landmark familiar to him. Jumping down from the rickshaw, he turned back with his hand held out to assist me.

I arched an eyebrow at him with an incredulous look plastered to my face as I stepped past him, ignoring the gesture entirely, "Ani, it's literally two feet off the ground. Pretty sure I won't break my neck getting off,"

Padme, behind me, however took his awaiting hand gratefully with a friendly smile, "Well, I appreciate the chivalry."

Rolling my eyes at the comment, the Senator and I wandered in the direction of a few small shops up ahead while Anakin gave orders to the droid. There were food stalls set up in between those shops and my mouth watered at the delicious smells of cooking. Everything looked appetizing - squill liver salad, jerked dewback meat, bantha cheese hoagies - but what really caught my eye was the steaming Eopie cream pies. Fresh baked and oozing white cream from the beige crust, I knew I had to have a slice!

Stepping up to the stall, I smiled over at the Gran selling them, "Excuse me, how much for one of your Eopie cream pies?"

"Ah, that is one of our best sellers! Comes straight from the Kingal bakery in Mos Taike. That will be 30 wupiupis," he replied in a business-like formality, a slight smile on his lips.

My eyebrows hit my hairline,"30 wupiupis?! Have you lost your mind? I'm not paying that! Two years ago, this would have been worth at least 12 wupiupis!"

The Gran frowned at this and began to make the usual excuses of shortages, supply chain issues and crop failures before two hands clamped onto my shoulders and drew me away from my inevitable haggling. I scowled at Padme who let me go and laughed, shaking her head.

"It's not funny! I miss life before inflation." I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest just as Anakin made his way over to us.

As we walked by the other market stalls, a Klatooinian seller sent me a few covert flirty glances. Not covert enough though as Anakin, noticing this, put his arm across my shoulders protectively before leading me away.

"Da wanga!" an older blue Toydarian snapped at a pit droid from a store front just ahead of us as he worked in frustration on a rusted piece of machinery.

Slowly Anakin walked over to him, Padme and I following suit before he greeted the Toydarian in Huttese.

The alien glanced up, saying nothing as Anakin reached for the broken piece of metal, "Ding me chasa hopa."

Padme leaned in towards me and whispered conspiratorially, "Isn't it so attractive when a guy can speak more than one language? Huttese is one of the romance languages of the galaxy, you know..."

I elbowed her in the ribs, ignoring the Carrier butterflies erupting in my stomach at what I knew already to be true, and she smothered a giggle, clearly pleased with herself for returning the tease about crushes from earlier.

"Kee booda? Yo bana pee hota?" the Toydarian inquired as Anakin's long fingers expertly twisted and prodded the rusted knobs, "Anjenda! Un Jedi! No bata...no tutu!"

The tool the alien held flew out of his hands then, effectively falling on one of his feet to which he grimaced in pain.

Lifting the last piece to screw on, Anakin's cerulean gaze locked on the much smaller Toydarian, "Me boshka de Shmi Skywalker."

The alien sent him a suspicious glance, his amber eyes flicking to myself and Padme before landing on Anakin once more, "Ani? Little Ani? Nah..."

Finally, Anakin set the piece back onto the table he had retrieved it from and the Toydarian, seeing it was fixed once again, flit his wings in surprise.

"You are Ani! It is you!" he said in Basic with a laugh, "You sure sprouted, huh? Weehoo! A Jedi! Waddya know?"

I arched an eyebrow, "Wait, this is Watto? Huh. I always thought he'd be taller."

Watto sent me a glare at this to which I only shrugged in response before he continued, "Hey, maybe you could help wit some deadbeats who owe me a lotta money-"

"My mother..." Anakin said more forcefully.

"Oh, yeah. Shmi... " he hesitated, scratching the back of his neck with three long fingers, "Uh, she's not mine no more. I sold her,"

My heart caught in my throat at the look on Anakin's face as he took an involuntary step back, "You sold her?"

"Years ago. Sorry, Ani, but you know, business is business, huh?" he barked out a laugh before continuing, "Yeah, I sold her to a moisture farmer named, uh, Lars. Least I think it was Lars. Believe it or not, I heard he freed her and married her. Can ya beat that, eh?"

This influx of information seemed to catch Anakin off guard. Clearly, he hadn't ever envisioned the possibility of his mother's sudden marriage...or the inevitable step-family members that came with it. I shared a look with Padme at this.

"Do you know where they are now?"

"Ooh...long way from here... someplace over on the other side of Mos Eisley, I think...hmm..."

"I'd like to know." Anakin replied grimly, his eyes like chips of ice.

"Yeah...sure...absolutely! Let's go look in my records, huh?" Watto put a hand on his former slave's shoulder as he led the four of us into his tiny shop.

But before we entered, I threw over my shoulder, "R2, remind me never to get on Anakin's bad side."