Padme took a deep breath. This was it. She walked onto the pod. Bail had been able to sneak her into the Senate building without the other senators seeing. It was sad to walk these halls knowing the truth. Knowing that all of this was a front. The Senate no longer exist, yet even the Emperor could completely dissolve the Senate over night. So here she stood, in her normal Senatorial Pod. One last time. She wore all black as a sign of mourning. The dress she wore was tight crossed her torso, she wanted to be sure the Vader knew she was no longer pregnant. Her dress was not the traditional Naboo Senatorial garb but she didn't care anymore. She wore her hair in a braid so that the bruises on her neck could clearly be seen. She didn't care what the Senate thought. Let them talk. The meeting began. She sat for moment listening. They talked about the end of the war and more of the many changes the Galaxy now faced. In the center of the ring, The Emperor stood, evoking his power. Next to him Darth Vader stood quietly. He had some new wounds, she guessed from his fight with Obi-wan. It was strange, he looked the same but she knew that her Husband was no longer there.

"We will be sending out our Imperial fleet throughout the Galaxy to ensure that the changes are seen through and bring peace to our Empire. " The Emperor said as the rest of the room erupted in cheers. This was her chance.

"And what exactly are they going to do to ensure "peace'" She said. The room was suddenly still. Vader failed to hide the shock that had come across his face.

"Senator Amidala. You finally make an appearance. Rumor has it you fled the Senate." The Emperor said calmly

"I have heard the rumors too. Thankfully that is all they are, rumors. I had some personal business to attend to at home. I am sorry to have missed all the excitement this past week." She said looking down at him.

"Its good to have you back then." He said. He completely skipped over her question and went right back into his speech.

"This aught to be fun." Bail whispered

"Whatever happens, let them take me." She said. Bail only nodded. The Emperor went on for another hour. Padme stopped listening. She thought of her children and the lives they could have lived. She dreamed of them on Naboo, running around playing together. Padme singing to them. Raising them. When The Emperor finally finished, Bail and Padme stood up to leave. Outside their pod two Imperial guards stood waiting for them.

"Padme Amidala, come with us." One said

"Whats this about?" Bail asked

"None of your business." The other one said and roughly grabbed Padme's arm.

"Is that necessary." Bail tired to put himself between them.

"Bail, its ok. Ill come willingly." Padme said calmly. The Guard let her go. She knew where they were going. She fallowed them down the hall and to the elevator that lead to the Emperor's office. She stood there without saying a word. She quickly went over the script again, in her head. She took another deep breath as the doors opened.

"The Senator as you requested." The Guard said. The Emperor stood by his desk with his back to them. As far as she could tell it was just them in the room.

"Leave us." Was all he said. Padme just stood in the middle of the room waiting. "I was surprised to see you today. It was my understanding that you had been taken hostage by the Jedi." So Vader had lied.

"Once they realized they had no leverage they let me go. A Senator with no power isn't worth much. " She said

"Oh Padme, I thought we were friends. We can be honest with one another." He finally turned to meet her eyes. She gasped. His face had been severely scarred in the fight with Mace Windu. She had not been able to tell from the Pod but now, it was truly horrifying. She couldn't let that sway her though.

"We can be." She stuck to the story.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Obi-wan took me to Naboo after two days, I went into labor shortly after our arrival. The child didn't survive. You can check the medical files. I have been on Naboo the last few days."

"I will be sure to check on that." He said "Where are the Jedi?"

"I don't know." She said firmly.

"Liar! You honestly expect me to believe this story. That I don't know you have been off planning some pathetic attempt of a rebellion?" He spat.

"There is no rebellion and even if they was they, wouldn't want me. Those who believe in the ideals of the Republic blame me for this. They don't want me."

"Why did you foolishly come back here? Did you honestly think I'd allow you to live?" He got in her face. He was trying to shake her, trying to break her to get information before he killed her.

"I knew you wouldn't. However Anakin needed to know. To know what happened. To know that he killed our child."

"I am sorry?" The Emperor seemed surprised.

"That's what I'll tell him anyways. That it was his fault our daughter was born a still born." She looked him straight in the eyes. "That is what you want isn't it? For him to loose everything that he holds dear? To blame himself for loosing our child. For loosing me?"

"You came here to die?" He asked suddenly understanding

"Yes. I have lost everything." She said, coldly, doing her best to look broken. Making it seem as if she was already dead.

"As you wish." He said pulling up his hand as if to choke her.

"Wait." She said. "Please, You said we were friends. Let me have this. You have taken everything from me. Don't take this from me." The Emperor hesitated thinking it over. She could tell what he was thinking. If she willingly left Vader, he would blame himself for not being strong enough to save her again. He would fall farther into the Dark Side. It was the only flaw in her plan but Vader had tried to kill her. To kill their children. He was already gone and despite her begging he hadn't come back to her. He had chosen power over their family. She didn't care for Vader. Her only concern right now was her children.

" You have a week." He returned to his desk and sat down.

" I wont need that long." She turned without bowing and left. She went down to her office. She had to set a few affairs in order before she went back to her apartment at 500 Republica, where she knew Darth Vader would come find her.

Darth Vader was annoyed. The Emperor had sent him on a bogus task to the lower levels today. He knew why. The Emperor didn't want him to go see her. His Angel. She was alive. He had done it. He had saved her. She must have seen that. That is why she had come back. He could tell from where she stood in the Senate room that she was no longer carrying their child. That could mean one thing. That the reason why it had taken her a week to come back to him was because she was having their child. Something must have happened that prevented her from calling him. Part of him was very angry with her for not telling him. He wanted to be angry at her, for her betrayal but for the moment he couldn't. She was alive. She was here. She had turned her back on Obi-wan and come to home, to him. It was almost night time by the time he had finished. He quickly rushed to her apartment. Cursing The Emperor for delaying their reunion but he had completed his task and now Emperor couldn't stop him. He landed quickly on the dock, not bothering to park the speeder. He rushed in.

"My Angel?" He called out. He got no response. The apartment was oddly quiet. Usually he was greeted by C3-PO or Dorme, or even Padme but this time there was nothing. "Padme?" He called out again. Something was wrong. He could sense her presence so he knew she was there. He walked down the hall. The nursery room door was opened. He walked in to find it empty with only Padme standing in the middle of the room. He was confused. Together they had set up the spare room as a nursery, just in case the couldn't make it back to Naboo. He had been so worried about the nightmares he hadn't enjoyed decorating. Padme had though. She had decorated it to look like the lake country back home. She had even had a mural painted. But it was now all gone. Even the mural.

"My love?" He asked Padme turned to him. Her eyes where swollen from crying. "Whats going on?" He inched closer to her but she pulled away. He could see the bruises on her neck. He suddenly felt guilty, he wanted nothing more to pull her in. To beg for her forgiveness but she wouldn't let him.

"Did he tell you?" She said accusingly

"Did who tell me?" He said

"The Emporer. Your almighty master! The man with all the answers! The one who you said would save me! DID HE TELL YOU!" She yelled. This wasn't his angel. Her words rang with pain and anger. The woman who stood before him looked like his wife but something wasn't right.

"Tell me what?"

"That in order to save a life you must take another?" She sobbed

"What are you talking about?" He was so confused. Where was their child. Why had she cleaned out the room.

"Our Daughter! She's dead!" She cried. Our Daughter? Dead? What? No? He has sensed it on Mustafa. They both had been alive, he had felt it. Obi-wan must have done something, taken his daughter to get back at him.

"What happened? What did Obi-wan do to you after you left?"

"Obi-wan did nothing. He saw me to Naboo then left."

"Then what happened?"

"The Emperor!" She spat with anger. "Your dream was true. I went into labor on the way to Naboo. I had started to fade. I was almost gone but then something... I don't know what happened. Her heart beat began to lower. She started to get weaker, but as she grew weaker, I grew stronger. The Doctors didn't know what what going on. They couldn't help us. I tired to stop it, but I couldn't. She was born a stillborn. Our beautiful daughter." Padme lost it. She sank to her knees, sobbing. Muttering their daughter over and over.

"I, No. That not what happened. NO, That can't be. I would never."

"Never what? Kill a innocent child to save me?!" She yelled "This is all your fault! You did this! You killed our child!"

"NO! It wasn't me."

"YES! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING! YOU DESTROYED HER FOR WHAT!? BECAUSE YOU WERE SO POWER HUNGRY! SO UNWILLING TO LET ME GO!" She was screaming between sobs. She was so upset she didn't try to push him off when he reached down to pull her close. No. He hadn't killed their child the Emperor did. This wasn't him. He wanted them both alive. Here now but it was OK. He could fix this. All he had to do was kill the Emperor. Then they could be together. They could rule together and try again.

"Shh, its ok. I will fix this. We dont' have to hide anymore. We can try again for another, one that the Emperor can't touch." He tired to calm her. She suddenly stopped crying and pulled away.

"What?" She asked

"We will try again. Have another." He said

"Do you really think that what I want? Do you really think that's why I came back?" She pushed him off, stumbling to her feet. "That we could start over? That I could just ignore everything you have done? I can't even stand to look at you! I HATE YO..." Before she could Finnish she suddenly stopped. She started to choke. She fell to the ground unable to breath.

"Padme!" He ran catching her before she hit the ground. "Padme?" She began to convulse in his arms but only for a second. Her eyes then went blank. He shook her. No! No, He pleaded. In her hand was a bottle with some sort of pills. NO! No she couldn't leave him! She was his angel! NO!

"Padme, please. Don't leave me." He begged her. But he was too late. She was gone. She had left him, again. He felt his soul break. Hate and anger sank in. Whatever was left of Anakin Skywalker had died in his arm. The whole apartment began to shake.

"NOOOOOOOO!" He cried out.