He expected the senator to go on her way, a short greeting before official business. He also expected Anakin to hesitate a second too long, that boyish infatuation pulling his attention more than it should before his sense of duty returned. Instead, they stood there. A careful distance apart to be sure, but something was markedly different here. Not that long ago, Padmé had practically brushed Anakin aside when they'd arrived in her apartment following the assassination attempt... Yet here, though they held an air of formality between them, they clearly engaged with each other. [T]here they were, talking politely, smiling at each other. Padmé even took a quick glance around her, a subtle move that no one would notice up close, but it clearly stood out from above--especially because for the briefest of moments, her bodyguard looked off at something in the distance. She reached up, a quick touch at the spot behind his ear where his Padawan braid had been.
Mike Chen, Brotherhood














