[ She takes his hand and closes her eyes. It takes her a moment, but she conjures up an image of Tatooine. She's walking behind Qui-Gon, trying to match his long stride and not quite succeeding. She notes his expression-- calm and unsurprised in the way one is when they've seen this scene before. She, in her youth, absorbs their surroundings with intense fascination. That's where her memory of him blurs slightly in favor of her assessment of Mos Espa. Qui-Gon points out an out-of-the-way shop that Padme is clearly wary of. Watto greets them. Qui-Gon leaves to talk business with a parting admonition not to touch anything. Anakin sits on the counter, watching.
"Are you an a--?"
Padme pushes the memory forward with a graceless lurch. Not out of distrust, but because Anakin's right-- some things are better when they're the only two who know it. Well. Jar-Jar wasn't paying attention, so he doesn't count.
Then there's an image of Qui-Gon's thoughtful frown and slightly faster pace when they leave. Qui-Gon assures them that a solution will present itself. (Obi-Wan need not be able to see her face to imagine the frustration written on Padme's face.) Then Anakin saves Jar-Jar from Sebulba and gives them a tour of Mos Espa. Then shelter from the sandstorm. Shmi greets them with surprise and thinly-veiled exasperation. C3PO. Dinner. ('You must have Jedi reflexes,' he'd said. Padme didn't realize how clearly she remembered that until now.) A gamble she'd hated. The resignation on Shmi's face. The rest of her memories are just a blur of fixing up Anakin's speeder (that looks like it shouldn't work but, shockingly, does). Here there are only faint memories of Qui-Gon, glances she'd given him or movement out of the corner of her eye. But each time, he's watching them work. Particularly Anakin.
Then there's the Boonta Eve race. ('The Queen wouldn't approve.' 'The Queen need not know.' 'Well I don't approve.') She'd watched Qui-Gon help Anakin prepare for the race, picking him up and putting him in the speeder and giving him (she assumes) a pep talk. Maybe advice. She hadn't been within earshot. Then the race begins and Padme's memory shifts away from Qui-Gon. But there's a memory of his hands resting on hers and Shmi's shoulders, brief glimpses of his expression. While Shmi looked terrified, Qui-Gon looked intense in a different way. Calm, confident. Perhaps even fascinated. Then there's the memory of the celebration after Anakin wins. After that, her memory winds down as they return to the ship. Obi-Wan knows the story from there. And that's the end of everything she remembers that he doesn't. ]
no subject
"Are you an a--?"
Padme pushes the memory forward with a graceless lurch. Not out of distrust, but because Anakin's right-- some things are better when they're the only two who know it. Well. Jar-Jar wasn't paying attention, so he doesn't count.
Then there's an image of Qui-Gon's thoughtful frown and slightly faster pace when they leave. Qui-Gon assures them that a solution will present itself. (Obi-Wan need not be able to see her face to imagine the frustration written on Padme's face.) Then Anakin saves Jar-Jar from Sebulba and gives them a tour of Mos Espa. Then shelter from the sandstorm. Shmi greets them with surprise and thinly-veiled exasperation. C3PO. Dinner. ('You must have Jedi reflexes,' he'd said. Padme didn't realize how clearly she remembered that until now.) A gamble she'd hated. The resignation on Shmi's face. The rest of her memories are just a blur of fixing up Anakin's speeder (that looks like it shouldn't work but, shockingly, does). Here there are only faint memories of Qui-Gon, glances she'd given him or movement out of the corner of her eye. But each time, he's watching them work. Particularly Anakin.
Then there's the Boonta Eve race. ('The Queen wouldn't approve.' 'The Queen need not know.' 'Well I don't approve.') She'd watched Qui-Gon help Anakin prepare for the race, picking him up and putting him in the speeder and giving him (she assumes) a pep talk. Maybe advice. She hadn't been within earshot. Then the race begins and Padme's memory shifts away from Qui-Gon. But there's a memory of his hands resting on hers and Shmi's shoulders, brief glimpses of his expression. While Shmi looked terrified, Qui-Gon looked intense in a different way. Calm, confident. Perhaps even fascinated. Then there's the memory of the celebration after Anakin wins. After that, her memory winds down as they return to the ship. Obi-Wan knows the story from there. And that's the end of everything she remembers that he doesn't. ]