Hi everyone! Thank you for the kind feedback you've given me for my last two stories. I am new to this fan fiction thing and you are making it so easy to feel right at home.

I had another short story pop in my head today, so please read and review. I hope to try my hand at a lighter story sometime soon. I promise I'm not all doom and gloom, honest! Anyway, on with the 'show' - enjoy!

Summary: Floating in and out of consciousness, Anakin witnesses bits and pieces of the last moments of Padme's life.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to George Lucas. I will put them back when I'm finished, I promise!

CORUSCANT - IMPERIAL REHAB CENTER

Pain. Heat. Burning. His nerves fairly shrieked with it.

He cried out reflexively, not truly aware of the physical pain. His eyes rolled side to side, seeing another scene entirely as flashes of his love flew through his mind.

She was hurt. Unbidden, an image sprang to his mind.

"Anakin!" she cried. Tears streamed down her face, but no one wiped them away. Why wasn't anyone wiping them away? Padme hated to cry, didn't they know that?

His body arched off the medical table as the droids made contact with his scorched flesh. A new arm was quickly attached.

"Ani, I'm-" her words were cut off as another scream ripped through the air. "I'm sorry, so sorry..." What was going on? Why wasn't anyone doing anything to help her? Padme! Oh, please... He strained to see beyond her face, to see who was there with her, what they were doing for her, but his vision would not budge.

Anakin's body seized as the droids constructed his new legs. His eyes flew open, but they weren't seeing the actions taking place around him. His mind relentlessly drove him back -

"Anakin - help me," her voice was getting weaker now. "Where are you?" I'm here, he wanted to shout! Can't you feel me?

But she couldn't. Not any more.

He gradually became aware of his physical surroundings as the droids went to work on his face. Panic washed over him as they inserted nose plugs and a mask of darkness descended over him, locking into place. He wanted to struggle, to tear off that horrible thing, but he couldn't move. Moments later, another vision blazed its way into his brain.

"Ani, I love you," she whispered. "I love you... Oh, oh no..." her voice became ragged and her gaze started to focus on a faraway place he couldn't follow. "Obi-wan, there is good in him... I know there is... Still..." She fell silent. Padme! he cried. No! Please!

His body jerked as he came back into his consciousness, a feeling of claustrophobia taking hold. His eyes adjusted and he became aware of the mechanical suit that now encompassed his entire body. What is this? Where---?

"Lord Vader," his Master commanded. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, My Master," a deep voice responded automatically. It took him a moment to realize it was his own voice speaking. He shoved the discomfort aside. "Where is Padme? Is she all right?" His mind spun with a memory just out of his reach. He struggled to bring it forth without success.

"I'm afraid she died," Sidious replied calmly. "It seems in your anger, you killed her."

"What! How could I-? I would never..." the agony rushed through his entire soul as he realized the absence of her presence in the Force. "No! It's not possible!" But he knew it was true. He had failed her and she had died alone. Without him.

Yet in the years that followed, he realized he knew how she had spent her last moments. He had been there with her... And that was both his blessing… and his curse.

FIN-