Author's Note: Apologies for the long wait on the Jedi's Rejection, I've just had a tough time coming up with an interesting idea and unfortunately, I'm still a little stumped on what to do or where to take the story. In the meantime, however I have had this story in mind for a while and have been intrigued by the idea of double agent Vader/Anakin lately and I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring at the concept. The schedule for updates is random though so don't expect daily or even weekly updates because it honestly depends on my mood and ideas but enough of that, enjoy!

Prologue, Star Destroyer Exactor, one week after Mustafar

Darth Vader sat in his meditation chamber, crying, sniffling and brooding over the events that had transpired in the past week and a half, I'm responsible for the death of my little one and wife, what hope is there now? He thought solemnly and cynically. After sitting down and thinking about it he knew full well he was in the wrongin his thoughts that Padmé, his angel, the woman he damned the galaxy for could betray him in such a manner by bringing Obi Wan like that on her ship, his old master's name didn't bring as much anger as he thought it would though and the chances of potential reconciliation in Vader's mind (he had no way of suspecting Obi Wan's thoughts on such a topic) were surprisingly high. A chime on his chamber door brought him out of his thoughts and he put his damn mask back on.

"Come," he called gruffly, he still wasn't used to his new voice yet and made it abundantly clear to Sidious he didn't like his suit's machinery very much at all, all Sidious did was wave him off dismissively as if he didn't matter and Vader didn't like that eerily familiar feeling of worthlessness for his own life slowly easing into his thoughts again. The door slid open and a Lieutenant walked in, he was fairly tall at around 6'4, Master Qui Gon's height Vader thought, his dark brown hair was slightly greyed out evidence of his older age, but he seemed comfortable around Vader and that was good enough for Vader.

"Lord Vader, this is a message sent specifically for you, we tried opening it ourselves, but it would only open for you we feel, care to have a look?" Lieutenant Erv Leakuf asked tentatively, Vader glanced at him and Leakuf could picture the man's eyebrows raise in suspicion.

"Very curious," he answered at last but then a thought struck him, and he looked at the Lieutenant again, "Where this message come from Lieutenant?" Vader asked curiously. Leakuf looked slightly confused.

"It was sent from Naboo sir, but why? Why would someone send a message from there? Did you know someone from there?" he asked curiously, Vader closed the door with the force and Leakuf paled slightly at being alone with Vader, but all the Dark Lord did was look down in (shame?) and back up suddenly understanding.

"My wife was from there, this maybe her family calling to damn me for not keeping her safe," Vader replied as softly as his mask allowed him to. Leakuf smiled knowingly and shook his head.

"In-laws, even the most powerful men in the galaxy cannot get away from them," he joked.

"You have experience Lieutenant Leakuf?" Vader asked, Leakuf groaned.

"My wife's family are pains to be blunt, and they disapprove of their great grandson Jory because I spend the most time with him and have influenced him the most meaning he and I are very alike in the way we act and think, my wife and I love our grandson though and we think they are being unreasonable," Leakuf explained, Vader snorted in amusement but decided to bring the conversation back to the topic at hand, the damn message.

"May I listen to the recording in private Lieutenant?" Vader asked, Leakuf nodded and walked over to Vader's chamber and gave him the small holo projection device similar to ones he, Ahsoka and Obi Wan used during the recently departed Clone Wars.

"That will be all, dismissed Lieutenant," Vader commanded, Leakuf left Vader alone and he began to listen to the message, the mystery person was hooded at first and this instantly made Vader inwardly suspicious but the person almost immediately removed the hood and Vader gasped in disbelief, it was Padmé Amidala Skywalker, his supposedly late wife and he eagerly began listening to what she was saying.

"This message is for Lord Darth Vader, I repeat this message is for Lord Darth Vader. Ani, the funeral was staged and faked meaning I am not pregnant nor dead and neither are our twins Luke and Leia, they are separated though because of what has happened and I am aware of your injured state, Obi Wan Kenobi might be a little more bruised than you remember and there is a blaster wound in his right leg as part of his debt paid in limbs. Anyway, our children were taken by Obi Wan and Bail Organa meaning our boy Luke is on Tatooine and our little girl Leia is on Alderaan being raised as an Organa. I want to see you again though and gauge what you're thinking is like after hearing message and I want to have my Anakin back, I will try to find locations to potentially heal you and I'd be glad to give my family more grandchildren, they deserve it and they know about us and where you are, my parents were horrified at first but that has ceased and my sister was in shock though she thinks of you as a little brother and Darred won't make a judgement yet because he hardly knows you. Come to the lake retreat sweetheart and my forgiveness awaits you." Padmé's hologram ended and Vader sat there gaping in shock. His actions were thought to have led to his angel's death but there she was alive and well on Naboo with her family and waiting, waiting for him, he stood up and strode powerfully to find the Admiral of the ship on the bridge.

"Admiral Jayden Solo?" Vader called, an older man that had similar pains to Vader himself looked up, his wife Jenna had been killed by pirates and his son Han he had learned from private musings in the Admiral's head was kidnapped by smugglers and dumped in Corellia's slums, he was quite clearly Corellian much like Bel Iblis is but his dark hair was greying as evidence of his age, he was a fighter in the Corellian military at one point and had only left because of his wife and son pleading with him that they'd want him by their side and nothing more.

"Yes sir?" Admiral Solo asked, trembling slightly as Vader approached.

"I am taking a personal excursion to Naboo and I need you to command the Exactor, can you do that?" Vader asked, the Admiral nodded.

"Yes, sir I can, how long is this excursion for?" he asked, Vader shrugged.

"I'd say at least a week or so, at most a month," Vader replied, Solo nodded.

"The Exactor will be in good hands milord," he assured Vader, while the Dark Lord looked wearily at him.

"I hope so," he replied quietly as he strode off to the hangar, he still hasn't constructed a new lightsaber yet because he refused the red synthetic crystals Sidious had provided him as he didn't feel right about wielding a red blade, a silly reason as Sidious pointed out but Vader had countered that any remaining Jedi might be less hostile towards him if he wields a colour they use and he could learn more from them under the guise of rebelling, Sidious agreed, pleased by Vader's cunning and deception against his old allies, his new crystal had been recovered from Illum like the first two he'd used for his Jedi weapons, it was still being made unfortunately but Vader was confident it would be a fine weapon once completed, he got into an Imperial shuttle and set course for Naboo.

Naboo Lake Retreat

Padmé Skywalker paced furiously in the living area waiting for her husband, she knew he looked different than she remembered but it was still the same man underneath the no doubt rough exterior he's built up around the Emperor, Emperor Palpatine she thought bitterly. She had always been against the new Emperor when he was the Chancellor of the Republic and the fact the Senate always supported him in almost everything aggravated Padmé to no end and as she thought about what happened, she knew it was Anakin and Palpatine who were to blame for the fall of the Jedi but the fall of democracy was both the Senate itself and Palpatine as his skilled manipulation tactics no doubt played many Senators to his cause and all he had to do was make the announcement of an autocratic government for whatever reason and it would be passed through. The door opened interrupting her thoughts as did simulated breathing and a soft but deep baritone voice.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, milady."

Padmé turned, seeing her husband leaning on the doorframe, arms folded across his chest and she felt bad for him, she slowly walked up to him and placed her hands where his face should have been silently vowing to help heal Anakin in the coming years.

"Who am I looking at? Darth Vader, servant and right hand of Palpatine or Anakin Skywalker, loving husband and good man fighting for what's right?" Padmé asked frankly.

For his part, Vader was taken aback by her bluntness and thought on her question, if it was much later it would be the former, but now I'm not sure he thought feverishly as he turned around thinking about it and the force sung with joy at his current thoughts, he turned back to her and Vader – no Anakin took his wife's hands in his own and his gaze bore into her own.

"Anakin Skywalker," he replied without hesitation, Padmé had tears of joy in her eyes. Her Ani was back as he pulled her into an embrace and she wholeheartedly returned it silently noting a few changes in him physically not mentally thankfully she thought as she noted his taller height, broader shoulders and of course, his simulated breathing that never seemed to shut up and distinguished him from everyone and everything else, it mattered not though as Anakin and Padmé Skywalker would take down the Empire, Anakin from within and Padmé when the time is right.