Padme looked up from her paperwork at the knock on her door, then walked over to answer it.

Anakin was standing in the hallway, hands clasped behind his back, looking appropriately penitent.

She smiled. "Care to sit on the verandah to watch the sunset?"

"Are you gonna hit me this time?"

"Do I need to?"

"Well, in all fairness, I didn't think you needed to last time." He stuck his tongue out at her and walked over to the verandah.

She followed, winding her arms around him from behind and standing on tiptoe to rest her chin on his shoulder. They stood there in companionable silence for a moment, then he turned in her embrace.

"So, I haven't really said I'm sorry ... " he said, and bent to kiss her.

[Our two main players disappear off-screen]

[Three hours and many loud crashings and such pass. Any more than that and we'll have to change the rating, folks.]

Later on, Anakin was laying in bed, hands interlaced behind his head, listening as Padme bustled around in the kitchen.

"So, do your neighbors ever complain?"

"About what?"

"You know. All the noise."

Padme walked back into the bedroom, carrying a tray with two glasses set on a piece of paper. She had a strange look on her face. "I don't know, but they might after this."

"After what?"

She narrowed her eyes. "So, see anyone we know when you were at Flux Infinity last night?"

His eyes opened wide and he sat up in bed. "Wh-what?"

"Studying. That's where you said you were going. But here, once again splashed all over damn page 2 of the tabs - and there's a picture of you on the COVER - is your trip to Flux Infinity!"

"Padme, I'm not going to rise to the bait this time. Actually," and he got up then snatched the paper away from her, "it says right in here that I ignored the females, does it not?"

"Well ... "

"But that doesn't matter, because you seem determined to yell at me for something every day these days. I'm doing everything that I can to make this work, and you're getting more and more angry because some stupid girl can't quit running her mouth. What did you expect? You hit me, then threw me out. I went, had a few drinks, and went to the Temple."

"So, you went down to Flux Infinity."

Anakin's jaw dropped. "And Obi-Wan says I never listen!" He turned to pick up his tunic.

"Oh yeah? Listen to this!" She tossed the entire contents of one glass at him. It hit him full on the side of the head, and she snickered at the look on his face. But before she realized what was happening, he'd snatched the other glass and thrown it on her.

"Gaaaahh! That's it! Out! Go! Now!" She wiped fruit juice and liquor out of her eyes and pointed at the door.

"The really entertaining part about all this," he said as he gathered his stuff, "is that people say I'm the hotheaded one." He reassembled his clothing, then walked to her closet. After perusing the contents, he pulled out a billowy sea green dress. "I think you should wear this to the hyperball match this weekend." He tossed it on her bed and strode out of the room.

"What makes you think I'm going to go with you?" she yelled as he picked his comlink up off the table where it had gotten thrown earlier.

"You mean you don't want to go with me?" he called back.

"I didn't say that," she said, coming up behind him.

He called a speeder taxi, then walked out onto the verandah. She was close on his heels.

"So, do you want to come with me or not?"

"What if I say no?"

He leaned forward. "Then I'm going to find one of those willing girls that Gossip Girl was talking about, because I sure don't remember seeing any last night. But maybe if I take Obi-Wan with me, one of them will settle for me," he whispered conspiratorially.

"You'll what?!"

He swept her into his arms and bent her backward over his arm for a deep kiss. "But that's only if you don't go with me."

"I ... uh ... I mean ... "

He smiled.

"So the green dress. Got it. And we're having the party that night?"

"Yes, ma'am." The speeder pulled up. "Til then, M'Lady." Anakin jumped in and the speeder zipped away, leaving Padme standing on her verandah weak-kneed and starry-eyed.

Episode Three