Title: Ray of Light .
Timeframe: a different ending to ROTS
Characters: Anakin/Padmé
Disclaimer: GL owns SW, not me.
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I'm not an English native, so any spelling/grammar mistakes are on me.
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"Come away with me. Help me raise our child. Leave everything behind while we still can".
Padmé looked into the eyes of her husband as they stood on the large landing platform.
The heat from the lava that made its way under their feet's was nothing compared to the pain she felt building up inside of her for each second that past.
She silently pleaded to Anakin, asking him to trust her but his next words was enough for her to understand that he didn't listened.
"Don't you see, we don't have to run anymore. I've bought peace to the Republic.
He smiled at her, the same way that he always had, the way that she always loved but now it only sent shivers down her spine but before she could do or say anything ells, Anakin continued.
"I'm more powerful then the Chancellor. I can overthrow him. And together, you and I can rule the Galaxy, make things the way we want them to bee".
Padmé only stared at him and prayed to the force that this only was a bad dream but she knew that it wasn't, it was reality and it hurts more than the smoky air that filled her lungs.
Tears started to fall down her cheeks and she backed away slowly.
Her mind told her to run, for her sake but mostly for her child's, but her heart wanted to stay, to believe that there still was good in him.
"I don't be what I am hearing, Obi-Wan was right, you've change".
The mere mentioning of Obi-Wan got Anakins eyes to burn even more.
"I don't want to hear more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me, don't you turn against me!"
The anger in Anakins eyes was pointed toward her and Padmé cried freely now.
"I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart. You are going down a path I cannot follow".
With that she turned around, doing her best to ignore the pain in her heart and ran toward the landing ramp of her ship.
A part of her whished that Anakin would do something, anything to prove that her love still was in there somewhere but not a sound was heard from behind her. What did you expect? Her mind asked her but she ignored it.
It felt like it had taken forever when she finally reached the safety of the ship or so she thought.
Padmé froze in her steps as the landing ramp closed in front of her.
"You will not leave me", cold as ice came Anakins voice from behind her.
"I told you, I will not join you", Padmé answered with a tone that sounded stronger then she felt.
A strong hand landed hard on her shoulder and forced her around.
"Is this because of Obi- Wan?" Anakin asked as his eyes bored into her own.
Padmé only looked at him; she had hard to believe that even during a time like this, her husband had to show his jealousy.
"No, it is because of what you've done, what you are planning to do". Padmé put her own hands on Anakins upper arms and pleaded. "Stop, stop now, come back! I love you".
Anakin looked down at her hands then back up at her.
"You liar", he spat and used the force to lift her up and throw her across the landing platform and toward one of the metal walls.
Padmé winched in pain as she hit the hard wall and she fell to the ground. Her hand moved to her abdomen but she sighed deeply when she felt her child move.
A blue light brought her eyes up and she saw that Anakin walked toward her with his lightsaber ignited, ready to strike her down.
Padmé closed her eyes; she knew that this was it.
Her thought went to her unborn baby, I'm so sorry, and to her husband, I'm so sorry. I've failed you both and now you are both going to be the ones that have to pay for it.
Padmé heard Anakins footsteps come closer and she wanted to look away, anywhere but at him but she knew that she didn't deserve it so she turned her gaze toward him.
His eyes were dead, that much she could tell. They didn't show any emotion, not for her and not for their child.
Vader looked down at his wife and more hate build up inside of him.
She had betrayed him, tried to run away, after everything he had done for her, she still tried to run away. But not any more, he was going to get rid of her.
He looked her in the eyes; he was going to make sure that she watched him as he did it.
He raised his blade over his head ready to bring it down upon her when he heard her whisper.
"I'm sorry, I've failed you, but I do love you!"
Vader froze in his move.
He no longer stood next to a pit of lava but in a small junk shop. He saw a nine year old boy talking to Padmé. Vader couldn't here what they were saying but he didn't have to, he remembers every word in his mind.
The image changed and he now stood in what looked like a flat apartment and in front of him was twenty year old Anakin Skywalker, again talking to Padmé.
Then he found himself by a huge lake. Mine, no Skywalkers, wedding.
Padmé stood in front of Anakin talking quietly in a forest of huge pillars and for the first time Vader heard what they said.
"I'm pregnant".
"That's…that's wonderful".
"What are we going to do?"
Vader blinked and ones again he found himself on the Mustafar landing platform.
He looked down at Padmé who now had a puzzled look in her face.
His eyes went to the lightsaber in his hand and then back to Padmé.
The fear in her face was the last drop for Vader and he dropped the lightsaber in the ground where it rolled away from his reach
Both Vader and Padmé looked at it, just to have something ells to look at then each other.
Tears fell down his face as he finally looked at Padmé again; he reached toward her but stopped as pain struck him with a force that only could bee match by lightning.
He fell to his knees and put his head in his hands as he screamed.
Vader could feel the battle inside of him, a battle between himself and the man his body truly belonged to.
And he knew that he was losing but he didn't care anymore.
Vader took a deep breath as he let go, let go of himself and let Anakin come back.
Anakin had seen what he had done as Vader, and he hated himself for it, but it was the look in Padmés face when he, he was going to kill her.
He could see her pain, suffering and love for him, a love he didn't deserve, but the thing that had hurt the most was the guilt he felt from her.
No, this isn't her fault, it is mine, only mine and I can't let her believe that, ever. And he fought back.
Anakin blinked several times and he looked down on his hands, it was him, he was back, but he was still confused, why hadn't Vader fought back.
Anakin shook his head, it doesn't matter.
Two arms wrapped lightly around him and he looked into the eyes of his Padmé.
He felt the forgiveness and love that shone from her through their bond and he brooked down into tears, he had done nothing to deserve her and yet she sat next to him, holding him like only a person that truly loved him would do…
-The End-