This is my first fan fiction. Please be gentle! I'm also new to the Star Wars genre, so there may be a few glaring mistakes in here. Please note: this is set to take place ashort while after ROTS.

Summary: Tormented by the loss of his wife and what was supposed to be her approaching due date, Darth Vader returns to Naboo to destroy the source of his most painful memories.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part or portion of Star Wars - that honor belongs to George Lucas. I'm just borrowing his characters for a little while, I promise to leave 'em as I found 'em!

NABOO, Lake Retreat.

Four months. It had been four agonizing months since his beloved wife had told him about their baby. Ah, Padme... The constant strain of pushing back his guilt and despair over his resulting actions had come close to sending him to his knees several times. And now, with what was supposed to be Padme's due date approaching, the distraction was becoming a nuisance.

Enough was enough.

The Emperor would not tolerate such weakness. It was time to destroy it once and for all.

He strode to the front of the house, ignoring the beautiful scenery that surrounded it. After all, what need did Darth Vader have for beauty?

He raised a black gloved hand and reached into the Force as the doors before him swung open forcefully. As he entered the foyer, memories of a time he had tried to forget washed over him like a fine mist.

"When I was in Level Three, we used to come here for school retreat. See that island? We used to swim there every day. I love the water," Padme's gaze turned wistful. "We used to lie on the sand and let the sun dry us... and try to guess the names of the birds singing..."

"Aggressive negotiations...? What's that?" Her peals of laughter that followed his response.

"Jedi aren't allowed to marry... You'd be expelled from the Order. I will not let you give up your future for me..."

"We'd be living a lie."

"It would destroy us."

The sound of a crystal vase shattering, hurtled to the floor by the force of his grief, brought him back to the present. He frowned, reaching into the Dark Side of the Force to settle into his usual cold demeanor. Satisfied, he briskly started towards the stairs; he knew which room Padme would have chosen. Despite hisefforts, the memories continued to dance through his mind:

"Ani, I want to have the baby back home on Naboo... We can go to the lake country, where no one would know and we would be safe. I can go early and fix up the baby's room. I know the perfect spot. Right by the gardens..."

His feet came to a stop in front of the closed door and he was disgusted to see the way his hand shook as he reached for the control panel. He paused for a moment, letting the cold wash over him once again before punching in the code.

The door opened to reveal a room fit for any baby's fantasyland.

Pastel blue paint seemed to reflect the unforgettable color of the lake. Shimmering fabric framed the floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing a breathtaking view of the gardens below. Mobiles of various Nubian creatures hung from the ceiling. He noted the finely carved furniture placed efficiently around the most beautiful crib he had ever seen.

Moving of their own volition, his hands pulled open a drawer and he found himself looking at some of the smallest clothes he had ever laid eyes on. The next drawer revealed bonnets and tiny socks; the next was filled with sleep suits, knit in the softest fabric imaginable.

And for the next few moments, he was Anakin once again.

Biting off a cry of despair, he stumbled back and bumped into a desk. As he turned, he came face to face with a holograph of one of the happiest days of his life. His wedding day. Gazing at the picture, he noted the joy and light in Padme's eyes, how her hair flowed over her shoulders as her head tilted towards him. His focus turned to the face next to her - his own face once upon a time. The passion and love in his own gaze was impossible to miss.

Gingerly, he returned the holograph to its resting place, taking note of a slip of parchment. Reverently, he opened the note and began to read:

My dearest Ani,

I've left you this note in case you arrive at our home before me. Surprise! I hope you don't mind that I've asked Nandi and Teckla to start decorating the baby's room. They understand that their discretion is of the utmost importance. And, our lives have been in such upheaval lately, I thought it best if we got an early start. Oh Ani, we are so fortunate! I know things are nearly unbearable right now, but the thought of standing in this room with you makes everything seem okay. I cannot wait for that moment to arrive, just as I cannot wait to meet our little son or daughter.

All my love,

Your Wife

P.S. Don't worry, I have saved the Ring of Roses for us to do together. I could never do something like that without you!

The Ring of Roses. His mind strayed to another time, four months ago. Padme was laying on her side next to him, her head propped up on her elbow. Her eyes slowly closed, as his fingers traced circles on her bare arm.

"Ani, I'm so happy. We're finally going to have a family of our own. Oh, there's so much to do! We have to decorate the baby's room, buy clothing, toys, design our ring of roses..." she trailed off, mentally creating a list.

He looked puzzled. "Ring of roses? What's that?"

"A Nubian custom. The new parents place a wreath covered with roses at the head of their baby's crib to signify the neverending cycle of a family's love. I still have mine," she explained, crossing the room to retrieve her keepsake box. She carefully pulled out a small dried circle of flowers. "See?"

Anakin smiled and pulled her to him, taking care not to crush the delicate flowers. "That sounds like a beautiful tradition - we'll do that first thing. I promise."

But they hadn't. Everything had gotten so out of control so fast that they had never had a chance.

Lifting his eyes, he surveyed the room once again. He could feel the rage surging in his chest for all he had lost. All he had ruined. Destroyed. "Good," he whispered, the word barely transmitting through the vocabulator in his mask. He reached into the Force, preparing to erase this room and all it stood for, when the disturbance caused faint musical notes to touch his ears. A music box placed next to the crib was playing strains of a children's lullaby - a lullaby he had heard Padme hum repeatedly upon learning she was pregnant.

For the first time in four months, Darth Vader allowed himself to sink to his knees.

NABOO,Outside Lake Retreat.

Timidly peeking out from her hiding place, Teckla peered at the black robed man - or was it machine? - as he strode away from the house, climbed aboard his speeder and roared off. Waiting for the hum of his engine to die away, she returned to the house.

In dismay, she noted the shattered crystal vase. That had been Senator Amidala's favorite. Her heart still ached at the loss of her Mistress. Keeping the house as it had been when she was alive seemed to be a fitting way to honor her. As her eyes lifted to the second floor, horror spread throughout her body - she knew what Vader had been after.

Taking the stairs two at a time, she raced to the nursery, bracing herself for the destruction she was sure to find. Gently, she pushed open the door, gasping at the sight before her.

Everything remained as it was. No, that wasn't entirely true, she saw upon closer inspection. A wreath, created with the most beautiful of roses, hung gently from the head of the empty crib.

FIN-