He held her face lovingly in his hands as he spoke softly. The words that came from his mouth was a promise.A promise to her."We won't be apart for much longer, I will find you soon. I promise."Dark brown eyes opened with a soft gasp. He was always there, in the back of her mind.

Ever since she was a little girl. Sometimes, whenever she was practicing with her lightsaber in her padwan days, it was almost as if he was there with her, sparring with her, making her a better swordswoman.

She never saw his face, not properly at least. But she did often hear his voice. Just little phrases from his thoughts, either way, he was there.

That made sense to her. But what didn't make sense was the terrible feeling she felt.

People were in pain.

But why?

After taking a view breaths to collect herself, she sat up and looked out at the sun that was just beginning to peak over the buildings that made up Coruscant. Sunrises reminded her of being reborn, and in times such as the Clone Wars, rebirth was desperately needed.

She unfolded the bed sheets from her body and stood up before taking hold of her lightsaber and igniting it. Megara admired the pearly glow of her saber, and thought back to her Kyber Crystal harvesting. At first, she was confused why her saber was white while the rest of the younglings in her age group had either a green or blue. But she quickly learned that the color of her saber meant she could choose her own fate, follow the path she wanted to follow, all while still serving the Force.

Taking a deep breath, Megara closed her eyes and began practicing with her saber, going through the moves that she thought needed improving, and every other move in between.

About two hours later, when the sun had finally rose over the rooftops of Coruscant, Megara concluded her practice and stepped into the fresher to clean herself up and get dressed.

After cleaning herself up and changing into her now normal wear - which consisted of the usual tunic and pants Jedi wear. Only difference being the grey color and the lack of sleeves - she slipped on the guantlets her worn by her people. The metal in which the gauntlets were made from were resistant to even a lightsaber. Megara knows this because she used them to defend herself from foes that wielded lightsabers.

Shaking her head, the Grey Jedi covered herself in the cloak that Jedi commonly dress themselves in and clasped her japor snippet around her neck. She remembered when she received it when she was a little girl. And she remembered the woman who gave it to her.

No time to think of the past now. Megara had to relieve the security team that have been standing guard all night, and she was nothing if not punctual.

-Time Skip-

"Meg?"

The Grey Jedi looked up as her cousin and best friend, Senator Padmé Amidala, walk into the room, followed by R-2 D-2 and C3-P0, her loyal droids. Although technically, R-2 was Megara's since Padmé gave the little droid to her as a gift once the Clone Wars started.

Padmè's mother was Megara's mother's sister. The two grew up together up until the point Megara was sent to train at the temple, and were very close. "Good morning Padmé, sleep well?"

The senator cringed and sat next to her cousin. "Define 'well'."

C3-P0 took the opportunity to speak. "I'm afraid Mistress Padmé didn't sleep much at all last night."

R-2 beeped in the protocol droid's direction, causing him to look at the smaller droid. "What do you mean 'it's because I kept talking'?"

Ignoring the droids bickering, Padmé frowned. "With Bail unable to speak at the Senate, Burtoni has the upper hand."

Megara took the senator's hand in her own. "Don't think like that. You're very respected Padmé."

"As a Partisan. I've been against this bill since day one! If they didn't listen to me before, why would they listen now?"

Teckla, Padmé's aid, stepped forward with the senator's chosen headdress. "Because you do listen. You understand what the people are going through."

She held the headdress up. "Please, you're people are waiting for you."

Smiling, the Grey Jedi squeezed Padmé's hand. "Teckla's right. Now get dressed, you have a bill to defeat."

-Time Skip-

"I will speak on his behalf."

Megara and Teckla watched as Padmè stepped onto her platform and as it gravitated towards the center of the room close to Chancellor Palpatine.

"Senator Amidala will be permitted to speak."

Megara watched as Padmè took a deep breath before she began to talk.

"Teckla Minnau."

Padmè paused for a moment as the other senators muttered in confusion before she began talking again. "Teckla is one of my aids. Like so many of the people that we tell ourselves we're here to serve, Teckla lives in a district that rarely has electricity and running water as a result of the war."

Megara could feel some of the senators interest perk up, and took that as a good sign.

"Her children can now only bathe every two weeks, and they have no light in which to read or study at night. The Republic has always funded these basic services, but now there are those who would divert the money to the war with no thought for what the people need to survive! If not for people like Teckla and her children, who are we fighting for? My people, your people, all of our people! This war is meant to save them from suffering, not increase it."

A few senators began mumbling in agreement, and Megara allowed a rare - well, rare when she's in the presence of other senators besides Padmè - smile settle on her lips before disappearing.

"I support our brave soldiers, whether they come from clone factories, or from any of the thousands of systems loyal to The Republic. But if we continue to impoverish our people, it is not in the battlefield where Dooku will beat us, but in our own homes!"

Megara's hand tightened around the lightsaber at her hip at the mention of the Sith Lord's name. Yoda had rarely talked of him when she was under his tutorship, but after the battle of Geonosis, and locking lightsabers many times while protecting Padmè, the Grey Jedi knew Dooku was evil.

"Therefore it is our duty and our responsibility to preserve the lives of those around us... By defeating this bill!"

The crowd roared in agreement and applauded Padmè. Megara's eyes narrowed when she felt contempt from somewhere in the crowd, most likely from Senator Burtoni and anyone else who was in support of the bill, but replaced it with a smile when Padmè looked in her and Teckla's direction.

She did it.

Padmè did it!

I knew you could do it Padmè!I knew it!

-On Mustafar-

I knew it!

Blue eyes the color of the ocean after a storm opened from their meditation as the voice of his beloved angel flew through his head, only to close again in ecstasy as her elation flowed through their bond.

I wonder if she saw me. I wonder if she knew it was me.

That ecstasy quickly turned bitter when he realized that his angel was feeling elated for someone that wasn't him.

Darth Vader quickly stood up with a growl before stalking from his meditation room to the training room to release a bit of his frustration, keyword being a bit. It has been five years since he's had a vision of his angel, and it was only her voice and her emotions he sometimes felt along their bond that kept him from going more insane than he already was.

He snorted as he set the sparring droids to their highest level, If this goes on any longer, not even her voice and emotions are going to keep me sane enough to not hunt her down and bring her back here.

A maniacal grin possessed his lips at the delicious thought of tracking his angel down and dragging her back to Mustafar as he ignited his blood red lighsaber and began destroying droids left and right, all while ducking and deflecting blaster beams that were shot at him.

And after I bring her back, I'll keep her away from the Jedi Scum and here with me, forever and ever...

With a single swipe of his lightsaber, he destroyed an entire line of practice droids. Gazing at his handiwork, a crazed chuckle escaped his lips. Soon, that chuckle became full fledged, insane laughter.

And ever.

-Back on Coruscant-

And ever.

Megara frowned as she walked with Padmé and Teckla as they made their way through the Senate building after the Senate session. Even though she's heard his voice throughout the years, she rarely felt his emotions. But this time she did, and they, along with the tone in his voice, seemed to contain a lot of passion along with a scoop of madness. And this made her curious beyond belief.

"I believe a congratulations are in order Senator Amidala."

The three women turned around to see Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his padwan, Ahsoka Tano, walking in their direction.

Megara smiled. From the time she was a youngling to the time she became a padwan to Master Yoda, even the time when she completed her training, Obi-Wan had looked out for her ever since he found her curled up in a windowsill during a sleepless, homesick night two days after she came to the Jedi Temple when he was still Qui-Gon Jin's padwan. After that, he helped her with her studies and became her older brother in everything but blood.

Padmé bowed her head gratefully. "Thank you General Kenobi."

Ahsoka grinned in the Grey Jedi's direction. "Hey Meg!"

Megara smiled back. She was very fond of the young Togruta, and could sense much potential in her. "Hello Ahsoka."

She looked in Obi-Wan's direction. "I'm guessing that this isn't a social call."

The pleasant expression on the Jedi Master's face turned serious. "I'm afraid so. The Jedi Council has sent us to summon you."

Megara's eyes narrowed. This wouldn't be the first time she has been summoned before the Council, usually it's because they have a mission for her or they ask her to teach a class of younglings.

Based on the look on Obi-Wan's face, it was neither.

Her mind flitted to the feeling of pain she felt this morning as she looked at Padmé.

The senator nodded. "Captain Typho and the rest of the security team are outside waiting. I'll see you when you get back."

-Time Skip-

The doors opened as Megara, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka stepped in before the Jedi Council. Familiar faces greeted her as she and her companions walked into the room, but it only took four steps in to feel it.

Mourning.

Tenseness.

Fear.

Something was very wrong.

Megara looked at Master Yoda. "What's happened?"

Her former master's voice was grim. "Alarming news, we have received. Terrible news."

Mace Windu's face was stone. "There was a mass murdering on Takodona."

Megara's eyes widened as the shades were drawn and a hologram began playing. Her hands turned into fists in shock as a figure, who's face was hidden by the cloak he was wearing, cut down every innocent life in his path with a lightsaber.

He's a monster.

When the hologram stopped, Megara's voice was shaky. "A new Sith?"

"Another assasin, he may be."

Megara's eyebrows furrowed "Where is he now?"

"As of now, his location is unknown."

The Grey Jedi's heart sank to her feet. If a creature at this level of savagery is running around the galaxy, the scales in this war is going to tip.

And it's not going to be in their favor.

Megara blinked as the blinders on the windows lifted and the hologram disappeared. Her heart was heavy in her chest now that she knew that the terrible feeling she had felt this morning was the feeling of hundreds of lives being extinguished by the lightsaber of a Sith. What truly scared her was the fact the the new Sith Assassin felt familiar. Like she knew him, from a vision or a dream.

The Grey Jedi's voice was once again shaky as she spoke. "W-What are we to do with this new threat?"

"Continue as we have before, we will."

He then looked to Mace Windu. "Inform all Jedi, we must, of this new threat."

"What about the Senate?"

"Stop news of the attack, we cannot."

Obi-Wan's lips were a firm line. "So the Chancellor will be informed then?"

Mace Windu answered this time. "The Chancellor will have to be told. He's the only one who would be able to insist on extra security for senators leaving the planet for negotiations."

Yoda eyes closed with the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. "Be on our guard, we must, while off planet. Keep your padwan close, be sure. Engage the new Sith Assassin, do not."

The age wizened master's voice turned grim. "Coming, dark times are. Very dark times."

Megara pursed her lips as she looked out the window. Master Yoda's right. And when those dark times come... Gods of Olympus help us all.

-Time Skip-

By the time she got back to Padme's apartment, Megara was half-dead on her feet. R-2 beeped in concern at his mistress's exhausted state, and the Grey Jedi smiled reassuringly before kneeling down and patted the little droid's head. "I'm alright R-2, just tired that's all."

As R-2 beeped comfortingly, Padmé's voice flowed from her room.

"Meg?"

Megara stood up from her kneeling position and made her way to the senator's room, finding her stepping out of the fresher.

Padmé's eyebrows furrowed as she took in her cousin's exhausted state. "Are you alright?"

The Grey Jedi gave Padmé a shaky smile. "I'm fine, just tired."

The senator raised an eyebrow. "I've seen you lie better than that Meg. What happened with the council?"

Megara pursed her lips, contemplating her next move when Padmè spoke again.

"And I expect the truth."

The Themyscira born Jedi pursed her lips. "Padmè, I promise I will tell you everything tomorrow. Right now, the only thing I want to do is sleep."

The senator but her lip, at a crossroads with herself. But looking at Megara's exhausted state, the love she had for her cousin won out.

"Alright. Get some sleep Meg, we'll talk in the morning."

The Grey Jedi smiled gratefully before squeezing the senator's hand in thanks. "Good night Padmè."

In hindsight, Megara wished that she stayed up with her cousin.

-Dream-

The world was on fire.Nothing nor no one could could escape the inferno.Megara's head whipped around left and right, watching as Jedi she knew were slaughtered like animals. It wasn't hard to find the cause of all the carnage.A figure - no, a creature - cloaked in black murdered Jedi left and right with it's blood red lightsaber, clearly not caring if it was a man, woman, or child in it's pathSuddenly, as if it heard her thoughts, the creature's head snapped in her direction. No, not her direction, someone else's direction. It stalked past her before lifting Obi-Wan by his throat via the Force. As her surrogate brother struggled in the air, Megara hand shot for her lightsaber, but it wasn't there.Thinking quickly, she picked up a piece of rubbel and lobbed it at the creature's head. Without even turning around, a black gloved hand came up and stopped the rock mid-flight. Keeping it's hold on Obi-Wan, the creature turned around and peered at her with it's terrible eyes. When it's poisoned yellow eyes met her chocolate brown ones, the creature's eyes widened in recognition.The Grey Jedi didn't take any chances before turning on her heel and sprinting into the ruins of the Jedi Temple. She could faintly hear him following her through the halls and away from the others. Unfortunately, they didn't escape the fire, because as the chase continued, Megara columns of fire and leaped with a heavy heart over fallen Jedi.The smoke didn't exactly help matters either.She wasn't paying enough attention to her feet, because as soon as she victoriously dodged yet another burning piece of rubble, something caused her to stumble and fall to the ground.She looked up in time to see the Sith creature, as well as the fire around them descend upon her.

-End of Dream-

Megara shot up screaming. With tears streaming down her face, sobs wracked though her as R-2 sped into the room beeping wildly while having his taser out ready to attack the perpetrator who attacked his mistress while Padmè followed closely behind with her blaster in hand.

"Meg what's-"

The senator looked at Megara in shock. The Grey Jedi from Themyscira was never one to show emotions such as sadness, much less crying. Shaking away the unpleasant after affects of the surprise, Padmè quickly deposited her blaster on the nightstand before enveloping her cousin in her arms.

"Shh, deep breaths Meg."

Megara clung to Padmè's shoulders as the senator gently rocked her back and forth soothingly, the latter wondering who or what in the galaxy made her beloved cousin, one of the strongest people she knows, weep as heavily as she is now.

-On Mustafar-

Darth Vader clutched at the side of his head as his angel's cries echoed through their bond. Her terror, her sadness... he felt it all.

He tried to send soothing feelings through her bond, but the pain didn't diminish. If you had asked Vader right then and there what Hell would be like for him, he would have replied that Hell for him was being planets away from the woman who held his heart in her hands and not being able to help take away his lady's pain.

I hate this!!!!

I hate that you're hurting and I can't hunt the thing that's causing you pain. I hate that you're even in pain!!!

I hate that you're not in my arms right now!!!!!

-Back on Coruscant-

I hate that you're not in my arms right now!!!!!

Megara stiffened. Of all the times he had to be in her head, it had to be now.

Padmé pulled back to look the Grey Jedi in the eye. "Are you alright?"

Her cousin/bodyguard took a few deep breaths before speaking. "It was a nightmare."

Megara's eyebrows furrowed as she kept thinking about it. "Or it was a vision."

"Did your nightmare/vision have something to do with what the Jedi Council told you?"

The Themyscira born woman thought back to the tall frame cloaked in black and the monster in her nightmare before nodding. "Yes, it was."

Padmé said nothing, silently waiting for her cousin to talk to her. Megara took another deep breath before talking.

By the time the Grey Jedi was finished telling her about the new Sith Assassin as well as the nightmare she had, the senator's eyebrows were furrowed grimly.

"Is the assassin the creature in your dream?"

"He has to be. He was slaughtering the Jedi the same way he slaughtered those people on Takodona. Ruthless, mindless, and with utter insanity."

Padmé voice turned into what Megara had dubbed her 'senator voice'. "The Senate needs to know about this!"

"You're right, they do. The Council decided that the Chancellor will be told if he hadn't been already. He's the only one who would be able to insist on extra security for senators leaving the planet for negotiations."

The senator went to speak again, but the words froze in her mouth when she saw how shaken her cousin really was.

"Do you want me to stay with you?"

Megara looked at Padmé as a small smile tugged at her lips and nodded. When they were children, whenever Padmé and her family stayed with Megara or vice versa, the two would always sneak into each others rooms, especially if either of them had a nightmare.

And like that time from so long ago, senator climbed into bed with her cousin, and when Coruscant's sun finally peaked over it's buildings, it found Megara and Padmé curled up with each other like two cats, fast asleep.

-Time Skip-

Three days later, after the Chancellor had released new security detail requirements for each and every senator, Megara found herself standing before the Jedi Council again, this time receiving a mission.

"The bounty hunter Cad Bane has stolen information of Force sensitive children and sold it to an unknown buyer."

Megara's hand tightened around her lightsaber. Jedi numbers have been dwindling since the Clone Wars have begun. Children were the lifeblood of the temple.

"Do we know where the information is?"

"Tracked Bane's ship, we have. To Mustafar, the information is. Leave immediately, you must."

Author's Note: Oh Vader you sin-amon/sith-amon roll you!So who do you think the woman you gave Megara the Japor Snippet is? And what do you think of Vader and the bond he and Megara have with each other? Let me know in the comments here!Also Megara is going to meet Vader in the next chapter...

Oh Lordy.