(a/n): Slight TW, there will be vomiting in this chapter. That's all, enjoy otherwise <3

(y/n) POV:

As soon as we got back, I told the Council my made up version of what happened and they surprisingly believed it. It must've been believable because of my injuries, but Anakin and Obi-Wan were the only ones that thought it was weird that Elliot and I were supposedly able to escape Count Dooku's ship so easily. But it was the best story I came up with, and nobody asked any follow-up questions. I also told them that Dooku just left the planet after that, which he actually might have since he and Elliot pretty much got what they needed from me.

Now it's been a week since we returned to Coruscant. During that whole time, I've barely talked to Anakin. At first he gave me some space because he thought that I still needed some time to recover, but any time he tried to get alone time with me I made up an excuse to be somewhere else.

At this point I knew he was confused with me practically ghosting him, but I planned to keep it that way.

I sulked to my quarters after eating lunch, and was ready to take a nap. I woke up early this morning to meditate on that vision of Anakin and I when we were kids, but I still didn't learn anything. I tried focusing on when he said that we were best friends, or that he would always be there to help me, but the force didn't give me any indication of if my thoughts were going in the right direction. I was worried it had something to do with the fact that our attachment was forbidden, but I'm still at square one and don't have a clue.

I sighed and entered my room, taking out my braid to let my (h/c) waves loosely fall down my back. I went to my washroom to take some more medicine, before curiously eyeing one of the herb bottles on my sink from the nurses office back on Corellia. The nurse suggested that I take it to ease the pain of the headaches, and I did but I haven't tried it yet.

I grabbed the bottle and smelled the inside of it. I wrinkled my nose at the strong scent.

I don't think I've ever seen this before.

I shrugged and gulped some of it down, the taste sending a spasm of disgust through my body.

"Wow, that's lovely." I said sarcastically and coughed. I grabbed some water to try and wash the odd taste out.

I threw myself in bed and took off my comlink, putting it on my nightstand next to my lightsaber, and got under the covers. Just as I was about to drift into a peaceful sleep, my comlink went off and my tiredness was replaced with irritation.

I groaned around reached my arm around to grab it, "What?" I asked annoyed, not caring if it was someone I should be respectful to. Whoever it was interrupted a great siesta I was having.

"It's time for your first assignment." Elliots stupid voice said.

I coughed and rubbed my eyes, "Seriously? It's barely been a week."

"Exactly. We need to start as soon as possible. This first task should be simple, I need you to bring me a few bowcasters. I've heard that they are created on the planet Kashyyyk, so find a way to obtain them and bring them to me back on Corellia."

Unbelievable. He calls that simple? "How is that simple? You realize the Wookiees aren't exactly welcoming to random strangers, right?"

He sighed in annoyance, "Oh please, you'll make it work. Just get it done as soon as possible. Dooku isn't very patient, and I wanna stay on his good side."

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see, "Fine, whatever. It'll be done."

I turned off my comlink before he could say anything else and stared up at my plain beige ceiling. Should I still do this? How was I even going to explain why I needed to go to Kashyyyk?

I considered contacting Elliot back and calling it quits, but then I thought of Anakin. The entire reason I'm doing this is for him and for the Jedi as a whole. Maybe I'll say that I got a distress call from Elliot or something. Even though it wouldn't make sense as to why he's all the way over there.

I sighed and pulled the covers off when suddenly I felt hot acid burning through my chest, making me cough some more. I thought it was just heartburn at first but the burning went up higher and higher until it got to my throat, and that's when it started to taste metallic. I sprang out of bed and made a beeline to my washroom, heaving what felt like all of my insides into the toilet. I lifted my head and panted, wiping the red liquid from my chin.

"What is happening?" I groaned and coughed some more, which made my throat hurt. The water in the toilet was stained dark red with my blood, and my esophagus felt like it was being slowly ripped apart.

At first I thought something I ate at lunch might have made me sick, but then I remembered the herb that I took before getting in bed. I scrambled over to my counter and grabbed the half empty bottle, looking over it for any sort of side effects.

My heart stopped when I looked at the bottom, and found a note attached to it.

It read: Remember that I have eyes and ears everywhere. That nurse was one of my spies, and she saw your little boyfriend enter your room alone. Consider this another warning to stay away from him, because I will gladly ruin your lives otherwise.

That damn nurse. She purposely gave me this herb just because she saw Anakin walk in the room. Does this mean that he and I can't be alone at all? That's a whole other level of outrageous, in my opinion. I'm convinced that Elliot is deliberately making this whole process harder for me, because I don't understand why he doesn't want me near Anakin. It doesn't help with his master plan to take over the world so it must be for his twisted entertainment.

I felt anger bubbling inside of me just like back on Corellia. What makes him think that he can just do whatever he wants to people? I clenched my fists and tried to take deep breaths, but I still kept getting angrier with each second. I wanted to vent my frustrations somehow, but the fact that I couldn't confide in anyone made me even more stressed. Everything in my room started to shake and tremble from my emotions, and random objects started to float in the air. I would've kept going further, but my throat started to burn again so I had another coughing fit. Everything stopped shaking and all the objects dropped at once.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes, considering what to do next. It's not like I can go back to sleep now, so I might as well get ready for the 'mission' and inform the Council.

Neither the note nor the bottle said anything about how long these effects would last, so I assumed it was going to be a one time thing and go away on its own.

I drank more water and brushed my teeth to wash out the burning metal taste, then got dressed and put my hair in two french braids. I also grabbed my lightsaber and backpack, and stuffed whatever I might need in it in case I had to stay over night.

I stood in front of my door and took one last deep breath, hoping that I wouldn't vomit more blood in front of anyone.

"Here goes nothing."

I fast-walked down every hall, hoping no one would try to talk to me. There weren't very many people out though, since today was a slower day and there weren't any new missions given yet.

I spotted Obi-Wan at the other end of the hall and waved him over, "Obi-Wan, I got a distress call from Elliot Dalton who says he's all the way in Kashyyyk. I'm planning to head over there to rescue him."

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, "How in the blazes did he manage to get himself into trouble again?"

I shrugged and threw together a lie on the spot, "I have no idea. But there's a small Separatist fleet guarding him, so I should go as soon as possible."

I tried to scurry away before he could ask anything else but he grabbed my arm and turned me back towards him.

"(y/n), I'm not letting you go alone again. I'll inform the Council, but I want you to find Anakin and take him with you."

Of course he wants me to take Anakin.

This is the exact thing I didn't want to happen. If he goes with me then he'll realize eventually that Elliot and the Separatist fleet won't actually be there. I bit back a response as to why I didn't want to go with Anakin, because then Obi-Wan would be confused and I can't have him asking any questions.

I faked a smile and nodded, "Sure thing."

Anakin POV:

(y/n) and I walked side by side to our ship that we would be taking to Kashyyyk. I was happy to finally get alone time with her, but she's barely said anything to me this week and I didn't really know how to get her to talk to me. Anytime I tried starting a conversation, she would always answer with one word and just ended it there. I didn't think anything of it at first since she was still recovering from last week, but now I'm worried that she's having second thoughts about continuing our new relationship.

It also didn't help that we had to save Elliot again. The memory of him constantly flirting with (y/n) made me feel so possessive. A week ago I wouldn't be so worried about him, but maybe she's being so distant from me because she likes him?

No, that can't be it. We only just started this relationship and I know she would be honest with me about any doubts or concerns. We're still best friends, and I have faith it'll always stay that way.

I glanced at her for a few seconds, noticing how stiff and uncomfortable she looked.

"So, uh..." I started, "What do you think happened to the 'damsel in distress' this time?" I offered, hoping to make (y/n) laugh.

But she whipped her head towards me with wide eyes as if she just saw a ghost, "Anakin, don't say things like that!"

I also widened my eyes at her reaction, "Woah, what's the big deal?"

She sighed and shook her head, "It's nothing. I just....think we should take this seriously, is all."

I laughed at that and playfully elbowed her arm, "Since when did you become a goody two shoes?"

She smiled and rolled her eyes, walking ahead of me to get to the ship faster. I slowed down and watched her braids bounce as she jogged up the ships ramp. I sighed in annoyance and confusion. Why is she being so weird? I don't wanna be too pushy about it but it's pretty cruel if your girlfriend is purposely not talking to you. I ran up after her and closed the ramp once I was inside.

"(y/n)." I called to her from the other side of the ship. She was at the back kneeling beside a table and sorting through her backpack.

"Can't talk right now, you can start the ship." She said without looking at me.

I narrowed my eyes and ignored her, walking over to her kneeling figure. She didn't hear me come over so when she stood up and turned around, she bumped straight into my chest and backed up into the table behind her, placing her palms on the edges of it.

"What—"

"(y/n)." I said more sternly, cutting her off. As I towered over her, I could sense her heart racing with stress and conflict. She looked to the side to avoid eye contact and tried backing up farther against the table. I grabbed her chin in my hand and forced her to look up at me. I felt horrible that I was backing her into a corner like this but I don't know how else to get her to talk to me. I softened my gaze when her eyes met mine, but she still looked distraught which hurt me to see.

"What's wrong, baby?" I mumbled.

She opened her mouth to say something but then stopped, and shook her head in my grip.

She sighed, "It's nothing, Ani."

Why is she lying to me? Did I do something wrong? I can't think of anything I've done that's upset her, but I also don't know what else could be the reason that she's not acting like herself.

I tightened my grip on her chin and moved her head up a little higher. "Don't lie to me. Please just tell me what's wrong. As your boyfriend and your best friend, I want to be here for you."

(y/n) winced when I said 'boyfriend'. Does she not like labels or something? If that's the problem then that's fine, but it's no reason to completely shut me out like she's done this whole week.

She sighed and nodded, still looking lost and conflicted. "I promise I'll tell you soon. Not now, but soon. And you just have to trust me on this."

I had a feeling she only said that to get me away from her. I tried searching through her mind but she still had her walls up, blocking me from reading her thoughts or feeling her emotions. It hurt that she didn't want me to share her pain with her, but I can't force it out of her. I nodded and grabbed both of her hands in mine.

"I'll be ready to listen whenever you want to talk." I took a step back to give her more room.

She smiled genuinely at me for the first time this week, and then gently moved past me to get to the co-pilot seat. I watched her go with a hint of sadness weighing on my heart. I wish she would communicate with me like she always used to, and it makes me wonder what could be so bad that she won't even talk to me. But now I was determined to get answers from her, no matter what I would have to do.

(a/n): Done with chapter 11! I rewrote this a bunch of times haha, but now I think I know where I want it to go. Also I don't know if anyone thinks this is moving too fast, but just remember that (y/n) and Anakin have been close their whole lives, and they finally admitted their feelings now