The interior of the Naberrie household was luxurious to say the least.

Yellowish stone walls ran throughout the whole house with polished marble floors below them. From the dining room, you could see the rich green bushes of the courtyard with blossoming scarlet roses. All the furniture was stylish, yet purposeful with mahogany tables and leather cushioned chairs. The living room was wide open with towering windows that let evening sunlight flood into the space. With winding quarters that lead to various guest rooms to each wing of the mansion, it was hard to imagine that Jobal and Ruwee lived alone.

Anakin watched the sunset dip behind distant mountains from the living room. Dinner had gone without much excitement as Anakin ate left handed and the conversations were filled with Jobal fussing over her daughter and Ruwee sharing his own opinion about the Trade Federation...

"They ought to be liquidated! That kind of power is why they can squeeze past laws and take advantage of the rest of the galaxy!"

"Dad, that's what we're trying to do. But we can't pass any extreme motions like that until the war ends," Padme rebuked. Ruwee turned to Anakin. "What do you think of it, Anakin?"

"Oh, I'm afraid politics is not one of my best categories, Sir."

"Please, son, call me Ruwee."

"Dad! Please!"

After dinner, Padme had gone to her room to settle in, leaving Anakin on his own until a knock at the door.

"Sola! What a surprise!" Jobal exclaimed from the front entrance. Sola, Padme's sister, hugged her mother tightly as two small figures popped their heads in the doorway. Before Anakin could turn around, the two little girls had spotted him and immediately darted into the living room. "ANAKIN! ANAKIN!" they squealed as they grabbed his legs.

Anakin had met Pooja and Ryoo, Padme's young nieces, during the first trip and was automatically fond of them. Their innocent, round faces were full of joy and curiosity as they giggled with delight at his return.

"What happened to your fingers?" Pooja, the younger of the two asked. Anakin glanced down at the metal arm that hung limply at his side. "Are you turning into a robot?" Ryoo asked before Anakin could answer. He smiled. "Not that I know of."

Pooja jumped up and giggled. "Anakin! Mommy says you are gonna marry Auntie Padme!" Ryoo joined in her sister's laughter. "She did! She said Auntie Padme loves you!" Anakin chuckled as the little girls sang together, "Auntie loves Anakin! Auntie loves Anakin!"

Sola stood in the doorway laughing. "They're highly impressionable," she noted. Anakin blushed as Pooja and Ryoo continued their chant. Sola winked at Anakin. "But who knows? Maybe they're right..." Anakin felt his cheeks grow even redder. Ryoo took notice of this. "Mommy! Anakin looks very handsome when he blushes!"

While the girls were still giggling over Anakin, Padme appeared in the entrance from the kitchen. "Sola!" she cried, pulling her sister into a hug. Anakin could see a resemblance between the sisters, though Padme's face was rounder than Sola's. "Glad you're alright, Sis. The girls were missing you already."

Padme pulled away from her sister. "The girls?" she repeated questionably. Sola gave a funny expression. "Yeah, Pooja and Ryoo." Padme frowned as she turned to Anakin and the two girls hanging onto his legs.

"What are you talking about?"

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

There was a lot of crying.

"Why can't I remember them?" Padme sobbed into her sister's shoulder. Sola rubbed Padme's back gently as she comforted her. Ruwee and Jobal had mournful faces that watched their distressed daughter. They held each other's hands, not knowing what to do.

Anakin offered to take Pooja and Ryoo outside until Padme calmed down. Sola smiled sadly at him with Padme's face buried into her neck. "Thank you, Anakin," she said wearily.

The girls followed Anakin into the courtyard, not sure what all the excitement was about. "Why is Auntie Padme crying?" Ryoo asked innocently. Anakin bent down to a squat so he was eye to eye with the little girl. He took a breath. "Auntie Padme is having a little trouble remembering some things right now."

"Doesn't she still like us anymore?" Pooja asked, tugging at Anakin's sleeve. He lifted Pooja up onto his hip. "I guarantee you, there is nothing in the galaxy that could make your Aunt not like you," he promised. Pooja's eyes sparkled as she smiled. "Nothing?" she asked again. Anakin laughed.

"Nothing."

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

Pooja and Ryoo fell asleep a little after dusk took over the Naboo skies. Anakin scooped them up in his arms carefully, and carried them inside. The house was silent.

He entered the living room where Sola was still seated on the couch with Padme asleep beside her. Sola forced another weak smile as she stroaked Padme's mess of curls. "Long day," she concluded softly. Anakin stood awkwardly with the two girls in his arms. It had definitely been long. All he wanted to do was crash in his room. To forget the day's events.

"I hope the girls weren't too much trouble," Sola added, nodding to the heads that rested on Anakin's shoulders. Anakin looked down at Pooja and smiled. "No trouble at all." He was enjoying the warmth of their sleeping bodies against his own.

Sola looked down at Padme. "She's angry with herself," she said softly. Anakin frowned. "It's good that you came, though. I mean, I think she needs you." Sola looked at him with Padme's same brown eyes. "I think she needs you too. You've been with her for the last few weeks. You're the closest thing she has to her memory." Anakin suddenly felt cold. He didn't say anything. He was too tired to speak.

Sola paused a moment and then stood up. She took the girls into her own arms. "We'll be here for a few days. Being here for her is all any of us can do. You should get some sleep." Anakin yawned as he nodded. He watched Sola disappear down hall and then looked down at Padme's sleeping figure.

She was on her stomach across the seat of the couch. A few curls hung around her face but he could still see faded tear stains down her cheeks. Why did this have to happen to you?

Sitting down beside her, Anakin could hear the calm rhythm of her sleeping breaths. He remembered seeing her in the medical bay the day before. He remembered how she had fallen on Geonosis. He remembered falling in love with her on the balcony on Varykino.

But she didn't remember that part.

I'm not gonna lose you again.