Title: Breathe into me
Summary: "There are things you don't need to know," He said sharply, pressing her against the wall. "Things you shouldn't accept. I am a monster, a murderer. Nothing more." She brought her hands up to cup his face as she stared into his azure eyes. "You're wrong," She whispered softly before pressing her lips to his. {Vader/Padmé AU}
Authors note 1: I am so sorry for not writing or updating or anything in about 3 months. I feel awful about neglecting this story and my other ones but recently I have been having medical problems and everything has taken a back seat while I try and sort this out. BUT I am back and I will hopefully be updating my stories and not having a 3 month gap in the middle of chapters so that's great!
Chapter 1
"Senator Amidala, Senator Amidala! What is your response to the accusations that you are a founding member of the Rebellion?" A young reporter shouted amongst the uproar of reporters calls and flashing holo cameras. She said no response as she inched closer to her bodyguard. She lifted her hand to shield her face from the onslaught of flashes. A yelp escaped her lips when she was suddenly yanked backwards by a reporter. The other reports started yelling louder, if that was possible. She felt an arm wrap around her and she turned to see her handmaiden help her steady herself. She was then rushed into the Senate building with little regard for the reporters for they were pushed out of the way quite forcefully by her bodyguard.
"Milady, are you alright?" Dormé, her handmaiden asked as she fussed over her.
"Yes, I'm fine," She replied, prying Dormé's hands away from her face. "I'm fine." She repeated, more firmer when Dormé gave her a look of disbelief. Padmé took a step away from her handmaiden and her bodyguard who was also giving her the same look. "It wasn't the first time that I have been harassed by the media and I'm sure that it will not be the last." She said, straightening her back and looking them both in the eye. "I must get ready and prepare for my meeting." She told them brushing past them and walking down the corridor, leaving them slightly dumbstruck before they snapped out of the confusion and rushed after her.
She sighed as she stepped into her office and closed the door. She rubbed her temple as she walked to her desk and sat down. She rested her head in her hands and stared at her lap. Of course she was far from fine, especially now. The media were vultures, never missing a chance to harass her. It was all a part of being a public servent she was told by her old friend, Bail Organa. She would never let it be known, even to those closest to her, that she hated the way she was treated by them. She put on a brave face and continued her life as though it had no effect on her. But, of course, it did.
She heard her door open and she glanced up, fully expecting it to be Dormé, but it was her fellow Senator, Bail Organa. "Are you alright?" He asked walking into her office and sitting on the chair in front of her desk.
She forced a smile and nodded. "I...got your message last night," She said, changing the subject.
His eyes widened slightly and he glanced around the room suspiciously before speaking. "And was everything acceptable?" He asked quietly.
"Perfectly so." She briefly looked over his shoulder to see if the door was shut before whispering, "The room isn't bugged," She told him. "I had Captain Typho check it over only two days ago."
"Still," He replied, looking cautious. "I would rather continue this conversation in a more...secure area."
"I understand," She said, glancing up a the clock that was on a close wall and then standing up and collecting a holo pad from her desk. "I do believe that I'm free later today if you wish to accompany me to lunch."
Bail smiled and stood up also. "I would be delighted." He said as they both walked out of her office.
They walked side by side down the long corridor, both keeping to themselves as almost every pair of eyes were set on them. "You would think that they would have enough things to worry about the rumors that are going around." Padme whispered as they stepped into an empty turbolift.
"You would think," He said, wearing a tired smile. "But I suppose it would be different when the whole galaxy is whispering about them."
Padmé opened her mouth to reply when the lift doors snapped open and they were met with a dozen other Senators. They all stared at the pair warily, as if they were scared to go near them. After a few moments Padmé let out a huff and pushed past them, not caring about manners. She heard Bail apologise for her and the mumbles of "How rude." Or "Well that was uncalled for."
"Pad - Senator Amidala!" Bail called, rushing to catch up with her quick steps.
She suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned her head towards Bail. "What?" She asked when he had caught up with her.
"That was a bit...rude, don't you think?" He asked carefully.
"What was rude was their stares," She replied, or snapped. "I don't appreciate being looked at and avoided like I am some kind of...freak." She sighed and looked down at the floor for a moment before looking back up at Bail. "Sorry, I shouldn't snap at you." Bail said nothing but gave her a small smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. She gave him a small smile before turning away and continuing down the corridor.
She stopped when she reach two large doors. She pressed the control panel on the wall beside the door and stepped into the room after they had slid open. All head shifted to face her and she carefully lifted her chin and continued into the room until she had reached her seat. She glanced down at her holo pad that was now resting on the table in front of her and noticed that she was a few seconds late. She heard Bail step into the room and make some sort of excuse for them and then take his own seat on the other side of the table.
Suddenly, the door slammed open again and two hooded figures stepped into the room. All murmurs ceased and all eyes went wide as one of the beings took a seat at the head of the table, not to far from where Padmé was seated. She felt her stomach churn as her eyes followed who she knew to the the Emperor. Not a person made a sound, all fearful of the Emperor's wrath, or more precisely, his guards. Her eyes roamed over the hooded figure as he stood rooted to the Emperor's side. She frowned as the Emperor began to address them all. She, however, was not fooled by his pleasantries. She knew exactly how manipulative he was, being tricked by him when she was queen of Naboo.
"And Senator Amidala," She pulled her eyes away from the hooded guard and forced herself to look at Palpatine. "I have missed your presence." He said, making her skin crawl. "Your beauty has been missed during your absence."
Her lips pulled into a tight smile. "Your majesty is too kind," She replied, making sure her discomfort was not to be shown. Nothing was said after that for a few painful minutes, and she could feel everyone's stare upon her.
"I trust you all know why we are here." The Emperor said, drawing everyone attention to him.
Padmé soon felt her attention being drawn away from the rambling Senators around her and to the window panels that were directly in her view. The traffic raced past the building, filling the air with the distinct smell of oil. She couldn't help but stare in slight wonder at the buildings that were before her. The light hitting them in all the right places so that they shimmered in morning sun. She saw this sight everyday but it never ceased to amaze her. It reminded her of her home world of Naboo, of the lake country, how the beams of light would make the lake glisten.
At the thought of her home she pulled her tired eyes away from the sight before her and back to the meeting at hand. "-I for one think that would destroy all that we have tried so hard to build over the past two years." Padmé frowned, listening to the argument on the other side of the room.
What was said next shocked Padmé, and everyone else in the room, for not a word was uttered but all eyes shifted towards the Emperor and back to the Senator who had spoken out of turn. "Lord Vader," Palpatine said, his eyes locked onto the Senator who dared oppose him. Padme's eyes snapped up to the figure standing beside the Emperor and widened in horror as he lifted his gloved hand up and brought his index finger and thumb slightly closer. The sound of the young Senator spluttering uncontrollably filled the air. No one made a sound, for the were all too horrified by the sight before them.
Clawing at his throat, the Senator begged to be released, but his pleas were ignored as Vader's fingers inched closer and closer. "Stop it!" Padme cried, turning around to face Vader. "Can't you see you're killing him? Stop it!" Her voice was more like a shrill scream as she looked back at Vader's victim. "Please!"
Palpatine spared her a glance before giving her a sick smile, showing off his yellow, rotting teeth. The sound of spluttering ceased and the room was silence once more, all eyes were wide in sheer fright as they stared at the now dead Senator who was sprawled across the table. Padme covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to muffle the sob that threatened to escape. "Now you see the punishment for defiance," Palpitine said, standing up from his seat. "This meeting is over." He snarled before leaving the room with Vader at his side.
No one moved or spoke for what seemed like hours but was only minutes, the only sound that was heard was the legs of the chairs grinding against as the Senators got up from their seats and left the room. Padmé, however, was unable to move. She wanted nothing more than to run out of the room, but her body would not allow it. "Padme..." She heard Bail whisper. Her eyes stayed locked onto the lifeless body laying carelessly across the table. "Padme, come..."
"He...he enjoyed it," She whispered, tears blurring her vision. "He...enjoyed watching him suffer...watching him die." She was visibly shaking now, her tears running freely down her cheeks. "He enjoyed it!" She practically screamed.
"Padmé, come.." He repeated, laying a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't the best place for you to be right now."
"No one even said anything," She whispered, pulling her eyes away from the body and looking at Bail. "No one begged him to stop. No one even tried to help him."
"There was nothing anyone could have done."
"Is this what we have been reduced to? Do we not have a voice?" She cried. "Someone could have saved him..." Bail had no response for her and she heard him sigh and walk out of the room. She sat still, staring forward out the window like she was during the meeting. Only, it didn't look as beautiful as before. It didn't amaze her, if anything it made her feel empty inside. Her eyes slid shut and she brushed a stray tear away with her fingertips. She mustered all her strength and pushed her chair away from the table and stood up on shaky legs. She took a final glance at the dead Senator before walking out of the room, forcing her tears back.
Authors note 2: I think it's quite obvious what I've done. I was reading it back because I was writing chapter 5 of this story and just randomly got little ideas that I couldn't use because I had already written the chapters but then decided that I hated what I had written and thought it was best to start over. I've noticed that in some of the Vader/Padmé stories that I've read, she never actually sees him kill someone and I think her actually seeing him killing someone is kind of important. Or it is for this story.
They don't really interact in this chapter but I wanted to give a small show of what Padmé's life is because that will actually play an important part later on in the story. Also, in my last attempt of this story I didn't like the way I had written Padmé. So in this version she will be more straight forward and vocal and more like the Padmé in the films, but I will put my own twist on her. I was going to do the next chapter in Vader pov but I don't think it would be a particularly long chapter so I may push that back to a later chapter.
Anyway, thanks for reading and if you could leave a review that would be brilliant. :)