Hi luvs! I think you're going to enjoy this one. But please do tell me what you think!

Trigger warning: violence

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I woke up to the feeling of cold stone pressed against my face.

I slowly blinked my eyes open, and the world was sideways. Muffled sounds of unidentified voices began to pierce through my consciousness and I remained still as my gaze slowly followed different sets of legs walking past me.

It took me much longer that it should have to realize I was laying on the floor of a place I had never been before. The bright sunlight blinded me in my still woozy state, causing me to snap my eyes back shut and let out an involuntary groan. I felt a gentle breeze dance across my cheeks, blowing my hair into my face.

Outside. So, I was outside.

My brain was moving as if it were suspended in molasses. The panic didn't even kick in until I had been conscious for a full minute. And even then, I had to rack my brain to remind myself why I felt fear edging at my psyche.

That was until the face of Rayme Tarro appeared above, staring down at me with a vicious grin. I tried to scramble away on instinct, but my limbs felt heavy and disconnected. I pushed myself up only for my elbow to give out, causing my head to slam back into the stone floor. I hissed and saw white as the pain seared through my head.

"Careful Astrid, you may hurt yourself." Rayme purred, crouching down next to me.

"W-where-" I murmured; it was a feat to form words.

"Where are we?" Rayme asked my question for me. I just looked up at him, wobbling my head into a nod. "We are at my family's private lookout. It's quite the incredible view really."

He then roughly hooked his arm around my body. I felt like a ragdoll in his grasp and couldn't do anything but groan softly when he sat me up and spun me around. The movement hurt my head, and it took longer than usual for my vision to focus. However, when it eventually did, I yelped and grasped onto Rayme's arm.

Just inches away was a sheer, deadly drop down into the city below. I then realized we must be on the roof of the casino. I gulped, thinking about how I could have easily rolled over to my death.

The jolt of adrenaline to my system managed to cut through the haze in my brain and my senses slowly returned to me. "W-why are we here?" I asked, doing my best to create distance between myself and the ledge. But Rayme held me still. The fear buzzed through my veins. This crazy mother fucker was going to throw me over the edge. His soft chuckle in my ear did nothing to ease my concern. 

"Because you are going to tell us why a Jedi is snooping around." Rayme said, grabbing hold of my chin and turning my head towards a table with four large men watching us. I recognized them all from Rayme's box last night.

Suddenly, Rayme stood up and jerked me to my feet, dragging me towards the table. And although I was glad to be away from the edge of the roof, the sight of these men sparked a new alarm in my gut. One of them kicked out an empty chair towards me and Rayme shoved me into it as one of his men quickly tied my hands behind my back before returning to his spot at the table.

I watched Rayme then pull up a chair, he spun it around and straddled it so that he was now seated directly in front of me. He gave me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and he slowly rolled his sleeves up, revealing his long, tattooed arms.

"So, tell me Astrid, what is Anakin Skywalker doing here?" He asked me.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I replied in a raspy voice.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Rayme brought his hand across my face, hard. I felt a sting on my lip where one of his many rings made contact with the fragile skin. The metallic taste of blood danced across my tongue.

"Cut the bullshit." He growled, dropping the fake kind demeanor.

If I weren't so shocked, I'm sure the pain would be raging across my face. However, I just looked him straight in the eye, refusing to answer his question and instead opted to spit out a mouthful of blood at his feet. Setting my features into a determined expression, I wasn't going to tell him shit.

Rayme lurched forward and roughly pulled my head back by the roots of my hair. He was standing above me, and I had no choice but to look him in the eye.

"You do realize that if you do not tell me, I have no use for you." He said in a scary calm voice, gesturing towards the edge of the roof. I felt my face twitch in fear, but I held his gaze.

"Not so fast Rayme, I'd have use for her." One of Rayme's men quipped from behind him. I looked past Rayme at the man who just spoke, and the vulgarity behind his lustful expression made me feel sick.

"Don't test me or I'll let Franco over there have his way with you." Rayme said, a sinister smirk appearing on his face as he jerked his thumb towards the sickening man. I felt my stomach drop and my entire body began to vibrate with dread. But I'd accept my fate, no matter how horrible, before betraying Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. And beyond that, I would not allow the details of the mission to tip off the corrupt banking faction.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I repeated, locking eyes with Rayme again. He shoved my head back as he released my hair from his grasp. He paced back and forth a couple times in front of me, his finger stroking his chin as he seemed to be restraining his own anger.

"Rayme, get her to talk or I'm getting your father involved." Another man then said. He was clearly the oldest in the group with silver streaking his jet-black hair. He was looking at me with an uninterested expression.

"Do not-" Rayme exploded, turning to face the man before he took a deep breath to compose himself. "Do not involve him." 

Then it hit me. Rayme needed me. Clearly others had caught wind of his loose-lipped behavior. I'm sure they weren't pleased Rayme was cozying up to a Jedi operative and demanded answers. Answers only I can provide. A heavy laugh escaped through my lips. Rayme spun to face me, confusion and rage clear in his features.

"You won't kill me. Not without knowing what I know." I taunted him. Which admittedly, wasn't the smartest decision given my current predicament. But it felt good.

However, I paid the price because again, Rayme slammed a hand across my face. The sheer force of it caused the edges of my vision to go black and pain cracked through my skull. I had to grit my teeth to keep from crying out. 

"That is where you're wrong, beautiful. I will kill you." He sneered.

"Then do it." I called his bluff in a choked voice.

He then pulled out a blaster he had hidden in his waistband and pressed it straight to my forehead and I swear my heart stopped beating at the feeling of the cool metal on my skin. But I wouldn't let him see my fear, so instead I stared right at him with a straight face.

He held the blaster there for a few moments, his face twisting with frustration until he eventually lowered the weapon and stepped away, angrily running his hand over his buzzed head. I let out a shaky breath, relief flooding through my body. However, my full body shakes had only intensified and the pain in my face was becoming overwhelming. I looked down briefly to see my white dress blotted with bright red bloodstains, blood surely seeping from more than one place on my face.

"You know what?" Rayme then broke the silence, stepping back to raise his arms for effect. "I can wait." I looked up at him as his usual arrogance began to work its way back into his features. When I didn't reply, he continued. "I can wait for your precious Jedi to come save you, which I know he will. And I will take him back to Crete myself after throwing you off the fucking roof."

The idea of Rayme thinking he could capture Anakin was laughable, but his four fully armed companions caused concern. And truth be told, I wasn't entirely confident Anakin would come for me...even if he wanted to. I am on a volunteer mission. He may be required to stand down and avoid conflict with the crime families. The thought made me shiver.

I had to prepare myself for the worst.

However, a voice broke through the tension in the air.

"I'd like to see you try." The voice called out from behind me. I had to choke down a sob as I recognized it. Strong, cocky and way too calm given the current situation. Anakin.

"Right on time, Skywalker." Rayme snarled.

I heard his footsteps approach from behind but didn't dare to look. I wasn't sure I'd be able to maintain the waning hold on my composure if I saw his face. But I could feel him. Despite his casual tone, he was beyond furious. I had never felt such murderous emotions.

When he eventually came into view in my peripheral vision, tears of sheer relief began to pool in my eyes. He was here. He had come. I had to fight against the urge to reach out to him. Instead, I remained still, waiting to see what would happen next.

"Kels, are you okay?" Anakin asked in a low voice, not taking his eyes off Rayme as he continued taking controlled steps towards him.

"I'm okay." I replied in a strained voice. And despite the fear and pain wracking my body, I was okay now that he was here. All things considered; I was okay.

"Kels?" Rayme asked as he heard my real name for the first time, he swiveled his head to look at me with a maniacal expression. "What a-"

"You are finished speaking to her." Anakin cut him off in a threatening voice, suddenly stepping between me and Rayme. The sight of his broad back shielding me from Rayme and his men made it so I could finally let out a long, shaky breath.

"Oh, is that so?" Rayme asked Anakin with scoff.  Anakin rolled his shoulder back, looking even taller. It was then that I noticed his lightsaber was still missing from his hip. I swallowed, remembering Obi-Wan took it for safe keeping.

"I am leaving here with her, and you'd be wise not to stop me." Anakin said, again using a scarily casual tone. I noticed a few of the men at the table shift to gain easier access to the weapons strapped to their bodies. And although I'm sure he noticed; Anakin didn't flinch.

"So arrogant, you Jedi." Rayme spat, his grip tightening on the blaster still in his hand. Anakin tilted his head to the side, sizing up Rayme and his men. Then with a chuckle, he twisted around to face me, completely dismissing Rayme. I saw his eyebrows momentarily pull together in concern when he finally got a good view of my battered face. Again, I felt a wave of fury roll off him.

"Come on, Kels let's go." He said, taking one step towards me before he spun back around with impossible speed the same time a blaster shot rang through the air. I was able to see the glowing red dart from my position, however instead of swiftly hitting its target, it was vibrating in midair. Anakin had halted the fatal shot with the force.

"Wrong move." Anakin taunted in a foreboding tone as he took a menacing step forward so that the suspended shot was inches from his chest. Then seconds later the blaster shot was redirected up into the sky. Anakin thrusted his arm out, at the same time Rayme began to claw at his neck, dropping his blaster to the floor in the process. Anakin was choking him. I couldn't help but feel a flicker of satisfaction watching Rayme struggle.

However, Rayme's companions were quick to jump into action.

"Anakin! Watch out!" I called out just as Anakin threw his arm to the side which sent Rayme crashing into the hard floor. He laid unmoving in a crumpled heap.

Seconds later, the sound of multiple blaster shots filled the air, all directed towards the Jedi in front of me. I watched in horror, as Anakin dodged each one with expert ease, managing to close the gap between himself and Rayme's men. He brought up his elbow sharply into the face of one of the men while using his other hand to twist the barrel of one of the blasters pointed at him with the force. As the man he elbowed cried out, Anakin grabbed him roughly, using him as a shield to block another incoming shot. The man fell to the floor, but Anakin was already stepping away, dodging the next shot and kicking out the shooter's feet from beneath him.

I felt so useless sitting here strapped to this chair. I wanted to help Anakin, but first I had to get out of my restraints. I pulled as hard as I could, twisting my wrists as I watched Anakin tear through these men with ease and precision. It was incredible to see him in action. Although watching him being shot at made it hard to breathe.

Suddenly, my was chair being jerked to the side. I tried to maintain my balance but found myself slumped against a hard body. I realized Rayme had made his way over to me without me noticing. He held a knife, and I felt my eyes widen in fear. Before I could call out to Anakin, he roughly covered my mouth with one hand while he brought the other behind me and used the knife to cut my restraints. I hardly had any time to react before he pulled me to my feet and pressed my back into his chest. He kept one hand on my mouth, roughly holding me in place against him and when I felt cool metal prick the skin on my neck, I knew he was keeping me at knifepoint.

"Thought I'd let you just walk away?" He hissed into my ear and began pulling me away from Anakin and towards the edge of the roof.

Despite the knife pressed to my neck, I knew I couldn't just go quietly. So, I began to thrash in his hold, causing him to let out a dark laugh and increase his pressure. I tried to bring my legs up and stomp back into him, hoping to hit his knee at an awkward angle and cause damage. However, it had little impact and he did not stop his approach to the ledge. By this point I felt the knife pierce the tender skin at my neck and the sting radiated down my spine.

I searched frantically for Anakin who has his back turned to me, finishing up the two remaining men. With a quick twist of his wrist, the man who I knew to be Franco fell to the floor with his neck at an unnatural angle and no life behind his eyes.

Rayme then spun so that I couldn't see Anakin and I was facing the steep drop off at the end of the roof. The sight made my stomach drop, this high up a fall would surely be fatal and messy. I did my best to lean back into Rayme, away from the edge, but he kept pushing me forward. In a last-ditch effort, I whipped my head to the side. The movement allowed me to catch one of Rayme's fingers in between my teeth and I bit down, hard.

"Bitch" Rayme seethed, yanking his hand from my teeth.

"Anakin!" I screamed, now that my mouth was free. At this point my toes were now hanging over the ledge, any closer and I'd fall to my death.

I heard Rayme laugh viciously from behind me and with a cruelly gentle nudge, he pushed me over the edge. Terror ignited every nerve in body; I was falling. I heard Anakin yell my name in the background and just as I thought this might be the last time, I'd ever hear him, I stopped falling. My heels just barely making contact with the sharp ledge and a hand anchoring me in place with a painful grip around my bicep.

I looked over my shoulder breathlessly and saw Rayme had caught me just at the last millisecond, leaving me suspended between falling and safety, and completely at his mercy. He wasn't looking at me though, he had his head turned, staring Anakin down.

For the first time, Anakin allowed his true emotions to momentarily crack through his military stoicism. His eyes were locked on me, dilated wide with fear and he had his arm reached out as if he could grab me himself. But he was too far away, Rayme could let go and I'd be halfway to my death by the time Anakin made it to us, despite how quick I know he can be.

"I will fucking drop her." Rayme said in a threatening voice.

I noticed the four men were scattered behind Anakin, laying deathly still on the floor. I realized that I was Rayme's last shot at getting out of this alive. My life was his last bargaining chip.

Anakin was still, not making any sudden moves that would provoke the maniac dangling me over the edge. My heart was absolutely hammering in my chest, I wouldn't be surprised if my ribs were bruised.

"Rayme, please." I begged in a voice that shook with fear. I tried to reach back to grab his arm, just to gain a hold of something. But he stepped away, causing me to tip forward even more. I couldn't keep the panicked yelp from escaping my throat.

"Feeling a little more compliant now are we, Kels?" He asked me, narrowing his eyes when he emphasized my real name. He then turned his attention back to Anakin. "Here is how this is going to work. You agree to come with me to Crete without issue, and I will let your precious Kels live."

"Done" Anakin said quickly, lifting his hands slowly in surrender. Rayme hesitated for a second, as if he didn't expect Anakin to agree to his terms so quickly. And a Jedi never breaks their agreements. Anakin kept his eyes on me the entire time, the muscle in his jaw working.

"See? That wasn't too difficult, was it?" Rayme said with an arrogant snicker. His grip around my bicep tightened painfully, and I was sure his bony fingers would leave a mark. But mercifully, he began pulling me back towards him and allowed me to regain stability on the flat roof surface. I exhaled in relief and felt as though I could kiss the solid ground beneath me.

When Rayme finally released me from his grasp, I stumbled forward a few steps, eager to create more distance between him and myself. And my only instinct was to get to Anakin.

When I looked up at him, he was still staring at Rayme. And suddenly the edge of his frown twitched up into a smirk and the fear in his eyes completely dissolved, replaced by pure malice that morphed his deep blue eyes into a shade I didn't recognize.

"I don't negotiate with fucking terrorists." He then said in a chilling tone as he held his hand out, quickly summoning a blaster from one of the fallen dead bodies. And without hesitating, he fired it, shooting Rayme right in between the eyes.

Surprise was frozen onto Rayme's face as he stumbled backwards, blood tricking from his new wound. He brought his hand up to his forehead and looked up at Anakin with eyes full of betrayal as he fell backwards, and over the ledge to his sure demise.

I stood there in shock. However, after a few moments, and I was convinced Rayme wouldn't somehow crawl his way back up onto the roof, I gasped softly. It was as if now that the threat had been eliminated, my brain was no longer blocking the wave of overwhelming panic and pain. Bringing my hand to my chest, I tried to steady my erratic breathing. My knees began to wobble, and I felt like my legs would give out below me.

However, before I fell Anakin was by my side. His arms around me, gently guiding me down to the floor, allowing me to crumple in his hold as he kneeled next to me. The pain in my face surged white hot through my skull and I couldn't stop the tears from spilling down my cheeks.

"It's okay. You're okay, love. I've got you." Anakin murmured into the top of my head as he held me gently, but close. He stroked along my bare arm with his thumb, and pressed gentle kisses into the side of my head. His hold was so soft and careful, as If I were made of glass and would completely shatter at any given moment. And to be honest, I felt like I might.

Between being drugged, abducted, beaten, and almost murdered, this was by far the most traumatic day I have ever experienced. I felt slightly embarrassed for coming completely undone in front of Anakin seeing as this was probably just another day at the office for him. But this was all so terrifyingly new to me.

"I'm sorry." He whispered softly, pulling me even closer and gently rocking back and forth. "I'm so sorry, Kels." He held me like that for a few moments, and I leaned into the comfort his arms always provide, allowing it to soothe my body and mind.

I wanted to tell him that he didn't need to be sorry, he didn't need to feel guilty for the situation I willingly put myself in. He tried to stop me. However, I couldn't get the words out.

So instead, I raised my head which had been buried in his chest. Looking up at him, his face still held remnants of anger, but was largely occupied by guilt and sorrow as he took in my injuries. His face was only inches from mine.

And perhaps it was the shock, or the impulse that only comes from a near death experience, but I couldn't wait a single second longer.

I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips onto his.

Without hesitation, he brought his hand up to cup my cheek and kissed me back with such tenderness, it caused my heart to ache. A delicate warmth surged through my body, quieting any pain or panic I had felt just moments before. 

I lifted a shaking arm and snaked it behind his neck, pulling him even closer as his lips moved against mine. His kiss was so soft, yet so commanding, so Anakin. And in that moment, nothing else mattered, not the mission, not Rayme and his cronies, not my battered face. All that mattered was that he came for me, and I am safe back in his arms.

When he eventually pulled away, gently breaking the kiss, I bit my lip, the taste of him lingering. He remained close but scanned my face with a gaze full of questions as he gently brushed his thumb along my cheek bone.

A slight smile then graced his handsome face as he looked down at me. "You scared the shit out of me." He admitted in a quiet voice.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, now feeling like it was my turn to apologize.

"Shhh," he hushed me before leaning down to press his lips back onto mine. I could tell he was taking extra care to not apply pressure to the area of my bottom lip that had been split open. This kiss was even softer, but much quicker. When he pulled away, resting his forehead against mine, I already missed him. My eyebrows and lips pulled into a subtle pout without even realizing. He chuckled softly and pecked the corner of my lips one last time before drawing his head back completely.

He brought a finger up to trace the cuts on my face with a feather-light touch. My eyes fluttered shut at the sensation. "It's not as bad as it looks," I muttered, wanting to ease him of any further concern or guilt.

"It looks pretty fucking bad, Kels." Anakin replied. I opened my eyes and saw him eyeing the gash just above my eyebrow with concern. Our eyes locked again, and his gaze softened ever so slightly.

I was about to open my mouth to say something before I was cut off by a loud whirring and a strong gust of wind. Both Anakin and I looked in the direction of the noise. A smile broke out across my face as a familiar ship rose just above the ledge of the roof, ramp open to reveal Ahsoka waving at us.

"Looks like we missed the action." She yelled out to us over the roaring engine.

Anakin just scoffed and shook his head at his padawan."Let's get the fuck out of here."