INTERIOR: NABOO LAKE RETREAT, LODGE, FIREPLACE ALCOVE – TWILIGHT
A fire blazes in the open hearth. PADMÉ and ANAKIN are sitting in front of it, gazing into the flames.
ANAKIN:
From the moment I met you, all those years ago, not a day has gone by when I haven’t thought of you. And now that I’m with you again, I’m in agony. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you- I can’t breathe. I’m haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me. My heart is beating, hoping that kiss will not become a scar. You are in my very soul, tormenting me. What can I do? I will do anything that you ask…
Silence. The logs flame in the hearth. PADMÉ meets his eye, then looks away.
ANAKIN:
If you are suffering as much as I am, please, tell me.
PADMÉ:
…I can’t. We can’t. It’s just not possible.
ANAKIN:
Anything is possible, Padmé, listen to me…
PADMÉ:
No, you listen! We live in a real world. Come back to it. You’re studying to become a Jedi. I’m – I’m a Senator. If you follow your thoughts through to conclusion, it will take us to a place we cannot go…regardless of the way we feel about each other.
ANAKIN:
Then you do feel something!
PADMÉ:
I will not let you give up your future for me.
ANAKIN:
You’re asking me to be rational. That is something I know I cannot do. Believe me, I wish that I could just wish away my feelings…but I can’t.
PADMÉ:
I will not give in to this.
There is silence as they stare at the fire. ANAKIN is thinking.
ANAKIN:
Well, you know it – it wouldn’t have to be that way…we could keep it a secret.
PADMÉ:
We’d be living a lie – one we couldn’t keep even if we wanted to. I couldn’t do that. Could you, Anakin? Could you live like that?
ANAKIN:
No. You’re right. It would destroy us.