Featured song:
"I Won't Say I'm in Love" from Hercules
______________
The sun was shining as Padme walked with her Jedi protectors to a lovely house in the city.

"We're here." Padme declared.
Neither Kara nor Anakin were sure what this place was, but being that Naboo was Padme's home. They respected her decision in the place they would stay for a while.

"This is my house," said Padme.

And out from the house came two little girls, one with straight brown hair and the other with curly lighter hair. Their names were Ryoo and Pooja. Gabby looked excited to see them, so Kara took her out of the stroller so she could play with them and R2.

"Play nice, girls." Padme said.

Kara stayed outside to keep an eye on Gabby as she played.
______________
Meanwhile, Padme and Anakin entered the house, Padme entering a lovely dining room where she met with a woman a bit older than her.
The two women happily shared a big hug. And then Anakin entered the room.

Padme introduced Anakin to the other woman as her older sister Sola. And soon they weren't alone. They were met by an older man and an older woman. Padme and Sola's father Ruwee Naberrie, and their mother, Jobal.

"You're just in time for dinner. I hope you're hungry, Anakin."

"A little," said Anakin.

"He's just being modest, Mom," chuckled Padme, taking a seat. "We're starving."

"Well, you've come to the right place at the right time," said Ruwee.

Jobal served Padme some food as she expressed her gratitude for seeing her younger daughter safe.

"We were so worried."

"Dear..." Ruwee scolded.

"I know, I know. But I had to say it. Now it's done. What about Gabriella?"

"She's fine. She's outside with the girls." Padme said. "And she's grown since you last saw her."

Then, Sola had something to say.

"Did you know, Anakin, you're the first boyfriend my sister's ever brought home?" Sola teased.

"He's not my boyfriend." Padme insisted. "Anakin's my friend. We've known each other for years."

"Isn't he also your baby daddy?"

You can probably imagine Padme's family was a bit freaked out by the news that she was pregnant when she learned she was expecting, and her father especially wanted to know who the baby daddy was so he knew if he needed to intimidate anyone for impregnating his daughter. So, Padme made them keep it secret that Anakin was Gabby's father too.

"Yes, but he is also a Jedi assigned to protect me."

"A bodyguard?" Jobal gasped. "Oh, Padme, they didn't tell us it was that serious."

"It's not. I promise. I'm not in any danger, Mom, and neither is Gabby."

But Padme's parents weren't sure they believed that.

"Are they?" Ruwee asked Anakin.

Anakin couldn't tell a lie to Padme's father.

"Yes. They are."
______________
After dinner, Anakin took a walk with Padme's father in the backyard. They had a good talk about Anakin's involvement in Gabby's life. When people thought of fathers, many thought them as the figure to teach a son how to be a man, which to some extent was correct, however a fatherly figure was just as important to a daughter's life. A father held the role of teaching his son how to be a good husband to his future wife, and his daughter what to look for in her future husband, as well as be a beacon of wisdom and guidance.

Anakin reassured Ruwee he was very involved in Gabby's life, and Kara was very helpful in teaching him to be a parent despite not being one herself.

"I sometimes wish that I'd travel more," said Ruwee. "But I must say that I'm, uh, very happy here."

"Padme tells me you teach at the university." Anakin said.

"Yeah, yeah. Before that, I was a builder."

"That explains Gabby's love of building blocks. Except she seems to like building them only to play Monster and knock them down."

Ruwee laughed at that.

"I also worked for a freedom relief movement, but I was very young then."
______________
While the men were talking and the children were playing, Padme began helping her mother and sister in the kitchen.

"Why don't you ever talk about him, Padme?" Sola asked.

"What's there to talk about? He's just a boy."

"A boy? Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"Sola, stop it. We're not getting together just because we have a baby."

"But it's obvious he has feelings for you."

Padme looked outside as her father and Anakin were still talking. She couldn't deny it was kind of obvious Anakin was crushing majorly on her, but she dismissed it as Anakin just being a teenager.
______________
"Tell me, son." Ruwee said. "How serious is this thing? How much danger are my daughter and granddaughter really in?"

Anakin wouldn't even try to sugarcoat it.

"There have been two attempts on Padme's life. None yet on Gabriella." Anakin said. "Chances are they'll try again with Padme, and for Gabriella, it appears either they want her alive or she's not of any importance to them at all. Either way, my master's tracking down the assassins, and I'm sure he'll find out who they are. The situation won't last long."

Still, Ruwee was worried.

"I don't want anything to happen to either of them." He said.

"Neither do I."
______________
Padme insisted to her sister that she and Anakin were not a couple, nor were they likely to be.

"Anakin and I are... friends. Our... our relationship is strictly professional." Padme said.

However, Jobal gave a silent knowing look to her daughter.

Just then, Kara entered the room after placing Gabby down for a nap, and she asked what was going on.

"Padme's denying her feelings for a certain Jedi." Sola sang.

"Anakin?" Kara gasped. She looked out the window. "If I weren't related to him, I guess I couldn't blame her. He is a handsome fellow."

"Not you too." Padme groaned.

Kara smiled and teased.

"No shame in having a crush, Padme."

"You three are terrible."

No matter what the three women said, Padme kept denying she was in love with Anakin. Sure Anakin was handsome. Anakin had a beautiful smile, nice hair, beautiful eyes, and he was rather muscular too. And he was also very sensitive and a great dad, very admirable traits in a man.

What am I thinking?! Padme scolded herself.
Believe it or not, but Padme had been in relationships before. Actually, it probably wasn't that surprising. Padme was beautiful, wealthy, and highly influential. She could get any guy she wanted. However, the last few relationships Padme endured... didn't really work out.
Padme felt pretty sure she was not ready to have a new relationship, even if Anakin's status as a Jedi would allow it.

Padme:
If there's a prize for rotten judgment
I guess I've already won that
No man is worth the aggravation
That's ancient history, been there, done that

But Padme could swear she heard every female's voice in her head, urging her to come clean about her rising feelings.

Kara & Sola:
Who d'you think you're kiddin'?
He's the earth and heaven to you
Try to keep it hidden
Honey, we can see right through you (Padme: Oh, no)
Girl, you can't conceal it
We know how you're feelin'
Who you're thinkin' of
(Padme: Oh)
(Shoo, shoo-doo, doo-doo)

Padme took some time to herself in her old childhood room.

Padme:
No chance, no way
I won't say it, no, no (Chorus: Doo-doo)
Chorus:
You swoon, you sigh
Why deny it? Uh-oh

But Anakin and Padme? A man and woman in two worlds? A forbidden love? Gee, why haven't I heard that before? Padme thought sarcastically. That kind of romance was in nearly every love story. Been there, done that, Padme thought.

Padme:
It's too cliché (Chorus: Ah-ah-ah-ah)
I won't say I'm in love
Chorus:
Shoo-doo, shoo-doo, ooh

Padme could only think about the disasters she'd faced in the past regarding her love life. After a few, but it felt like many to her, relationships gone wrong, Padme started to think, maybe searching for a man was a waste of time and she should simply be married to her career.

Padme:
I thought my heart had learned its lesson
It feels so good when you start out
(Chorus: Ah) My head is screaming, "Get a grip, girl"
"Unless you're dyin' to cry your heart out"
Chorus:
(Oh) You keep on denyin'
Who you are and how you're feelin'
Baby, we're not buyin'
Hon, we saw you hit the ceilin' (Padme: Oh, no)
Face it like a grown-up
When ya gonna own up
That you got, got, got it bad?
(Woah)

Padme looked outside again and saw Anakin laying in the grass, looking relaxed before he started to roll around in it. Though it appeared childish, Padme couldn't help giggling. Anakin never really got to roll around in the grass before... not since the first time he'd been to Naboo. And who could blame him for loving the feel of the lush green grass. Gabby did the same thing whenever she got to play anywhere with grass.

Chorus:
(Shoo, shoo-doo, doo-doo)
Padme:
No chance, no way
I won't say it, no, no
Chorus:
Give up, give in
Check the grin, you're in love
This scene won't play
I won't say I'm in love
You're doin' flips (Ooh-ooh)
Read our lips, you're in love

As hard as she fought, Padme found herself less and less able to deny that she was developing feelings for Anakin. How could they be together? She couldn't ask him to leave the Jedi Order for her. Could she?

Padme shook that thought out of her mind. She wasn't going to do something selfish like that; at least, she thought it sounded selfish.

Padme:
You're way off base (Chorus: Shoo-doo, shoo-doo)
I won't say it (She won't say it, no)
Get off my case (Sha-da, sha-da)
I won't say it (Ooh-ooh-ooh)
Chorus:
Girl, don't be proud
It's okay, you're in love

But then, Padme started to imagine what it might be like if she and Anakin did come together in love. Him holding her in his strong arms the way he had when they first danced together all those years ago.

Padme:
Oh
At least out loud
I won't say I'm in love
Chorus:
Shoo-doo, shoo-doo, shoo-doo, shoo-doo
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, ah
______________
Those of you who've read some of my other stories, I bet you were wondering when I was going to slip a musical number in, huh?
I thought this song would be perfect with the deleted scene where Padme's family can clearly see she loves Anakin, but she denies it.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review if you did.