"For the last time, Chancellor, I'm sure I do not need protection," I pushed, trying to convince my higher-up that I didn't need troopers to protect me. He wouldn't budge though. I had already denied being protected by a Jedi escort, my persuasion hardly working even then.

Palpatine shook his head, "My girl, I insist. The Jedi have gathered the best troopers to protect you. They were supposed to be taking a break for a while, but they insisted to be put on a mission. You will be in the best of hands, I assure you."

I sighed, averting my gaze to Mace Windu, my favorite Jedi Master and my almost Jedi protector. He stared back down at me, "Would you like to meet them now or later tonight?"

I sighed in defeat, accepting the fact that I would have to let this happen. "It is getting awfully late," I thought out loud, "Bring them to my apartment, I'll ready the spare rooms."

"Of course, Senator, I'll see you there," he said, bowing to me. I returned the gesture before making my way out of the Chancellor's Suit.

•--•

I had finished my mug of caf, setting it down on the coffee table in front of me. I had underdressed for meeting the clones, only wearing a loose white-silk dress with a thick cream cardigan wrapped around me. White flats were slipped onto my feet and my hair was tied up into a neat bun. It was late, I was sure they'd understand why I looked as if I were ready to sleep.

As soon as I was about to decide that placing my mug into the sink and going to sleep was my best bet, I heard the elevator to my apartment play a high "ding". I rushed over to the door, my index finger gently pressing a button next to it. The metal door slid open, revealing a group of men. Mace Windu stood as the leader in front of them, a smile gracing his lips as he saw me.

"Senator Y/l/n, I do apologize, a fight broke out in the mess hall so the boys were a bit late to getting ready," the Jedi Master stated.

I returned the smile, "Everything is alright, you really did not need to bring any of your men, I've told you once already that I am fine."

"We insisted Senator," one of the men spoke up. He was tanner than the rest, dark brown hair falling slightly longer than to the nape of his neck, a red bandana with a white skull was tied tightly around his head, only small wisps of bangs waterfalling out of the cloth. Not only did the armor complement his hazel eyes, but so did the tattoo that covered his face, black filled into half a of his face, outlining his skull.

My brain melted when hearing his deep voice, accented with something I'd only ever heard from Concord Dawn and the other clones in the Jedi Temple. I took a deep breath, trying to return to my mindset of convincing them I would be fine on my own.

"I appreciate that you want to help so badly but I assure you that I'll be fine on my own. The threat is minor."

The clone tilted his head, readjusting the helmet that was rested on his hip. "An attempted assassination is not 'minor'. Senator, I promise you are in the best of hands," he concluded, flashing me a smile that could not be ignored.

My heart fluttered, giving in. I huffed out a sigh, looking away from him before speaking as I tried to regain the confidence that he'd just snatched from me in one swift movement. "Alright, just no fighting unless it's absolutely necessary."

The Sergeant looked back at his men, giving them a stern look before turning back to me.

"You may come in," I said, "I'll show you your rooms."

Turning around, I led them inside, leaving Master Windu to get back to his Jedi duties somewhere else. One we'd stepped inside, I turned around once again. "I never caught any of your names."

Th Sergeant nodded, "I'm Sergeant Hunter, this is Tech," he used his thumb to motion in the direction of the man entrapped in his datapad, light brown hair shaped in a widow's peak hairline and glasses perched on his face. He was lighter and skinnier than his brother, engrossed in some sort of blueprint as I could see reflecting on the lenses.

"That's Crosshair," he motioned towards as man with a light grey mullet and a toothpick held between his teeth. he stared at me like he wanted my head served to him on a platter. He had a tattoo also around his right eye, the shape of a sniper's lense. He was slightly taller than Tech, but not as tall as Hunter, the man who made my heart quiver on command.

"And that's Wrecker," I didn't even need to follow where his thumb was pointing to, I was surprised I hadn't noticed the giant beforehand. He towered high above me, a smug smirk on his face that was in between friendly and predator-like. One of his eyes were full white, a prosthetic one. the left side of his face was littered with a splat of scars, almost like a painting of broken skin. He was large, his hand maybe larger than my head and muscles big enough to tear me in half.

I smiled at all of them, still afraid of Crosshair and Wrecker more than I'd like to admit. I started to walk them around my apartment, showing the guest rooms they'd be sleeping in and around the place. I told them they had basically free reign - except with cooking, I didn't want them to cook with heat while I wasn't awake or present.

The most unlucky thing was - I only had 3 guest bedrooms. So, I did what any kindhearted person would and I allowed Hunter my bed. He gave me an odd look when he saw that "his" room was more decorated and just full in general but the other men didn't seem to notice while they were only paying attention to a video that Tech was showing them.

•--•

The other men went to the living room, Tech deciding that he'd keep them busy with the HoloTV so I could talk to his Sergeant in private. I was nervous being around him, something about his assertive nature turning me into a teenage girl with a crush. I worried he knew I felt like this, that he knew I was admiring his features earlier.

"Where's you room?" he asked first after we were finally alone. It was the question I had honestly been dreading him to ask me as I knew that he might fight against me allowing him privilege to my room.

I looked at him and cocked my head, "Why do you ask that?"

"Your apartment isn't that huge and I only saw 5 rooms in that hallway, and one of them was a bathroom. Where's your room? What if you're threatened while you sleep?"

I looked up at him through my lashes, knowing as soon as I said he took my room I was going to get some sort of refusal from him. One of his fingers pressed under my chin, lifting my head up so I could look at him better. A blush spread across my face like wildfire, gaining a smirk from him.

"If you wanted me to sleep in your room with you, you could've just asked my lovely Senator," he flirted, caramel eyes roaming my face to watch as I melted from his words, turning into a puddle. His thumb moved over my chin so he could hold it and control my movements. My heart raced a million miles a minute, beating out of my chest for the large brunette man. He chuckled, "Don't worry, you can have your bed, I'll sleep in the couch."

My lip unintentionally pouted, making his eyebrow raise. "So you do want me to sleep with you, huh? Your request is my command then," he said cockily, planting a kiss on my nose with a large smile before slipping away to see what his men were up to.

I stood there, touching my chin as I already missed his fingers there, toying with my head. I bit my lip, smiling widely and concealing a squeal of joy, something I'd only ever done when I was a little girl. And it was all for some clone Sergeant.

•--•