Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, Moulin Rouge, Down With Love, Shallow Grave, or Big Fish...I basically don't own anything with Ewan McGregor. Oh the humanity of it all!

Author's Note: What do you think of the name? It's pretty obvious how I came up with it, isn't it?

Desrucion

"Master." Palpatine was greeted on the other end of the line by his last hope – his only hope. Palpatine returned the greeting. "Desrucion, we need to talk. It's urgent." Desrucion looked at his master and tried to decode his master's words. He had no luck.

Sighing in frustration, he stared at his master and asked the question that was often lethal for someone somewhere in the galaxy. "Can I do something for you, my master?" Desrucion was greeted with a smile which told of cruel intentions and sweet satisfaction at his obedience. It was enough to send chills down his spine.

"Come to my office, immediately – if not sooner." The image of the master flashed out of existence. While heading for his speeder, Desrucion wondered what his next assignment would be. He wondered how many people he would have to kill mercilessly in order to please his master. But herein lies the beauty of being a Sith – he didn't even need to stop to think of the consequences or possible guilt of the future killings. He shrugged it off and tallied it up as another day of work.

Within no time at all, Desrucion was kneeling in front of his master and waiting for orders to stand, talk, or go on a mission. He would do whatever was requested without hesitation, even if he was asked to turn his lightsaber on himself. "Arise." The Sith apprentice stood in front of the Emperor. The Emperor spoke without emotion, though his cool demeanor was more frightening than if he had been in a blind rage.

"I have called you here because I need you help. As you know, my true apprentice is Darth Vader…." The words burned, but Desrucion kept silent. It was better to be second than it was not to be an apprentice at all. "He is currently in danger of losing sight of what is important. He is beginning to think that his wife and children are of greater value than the Sith and our ways. I have decided that the best way of dealing with this problem is by simply getting rid of those distracting him. In short, I want his wife and daughter dead–"

Desrucion could not help but interrupt. "What of his son?"

The Sith apprentice was rewarded with a menacing glare. "Do think that I would have overlooked something? Do you find me incompetent? No, don't answer that. For once in your miserable life, just listen. I realize that his son would still be in the picture. We need Luke Skywalker. Without any of his family, Vader would become lost in his sorrow and self-pity. Besides, Luke is to be his father's future apprentice. He will be of value some day. I have decided that you are to take on the task of killing Padmé and Leia Skywalker, but you are not to leave any clues that you did it. I don't want Vader to be able to trace it back to me."

Desrucion nodded at this but kept his mouth shut as his master continued. "I will be meeting with Padmé this evening. I want you to wait an hour after I have left before making any attempt on her life. If it is too soon after I leave, it would be painfully obvious. Don't you think so? Of course you do. Now I don't care how you do it or if it's messy or not; just see that it gets done. Understand?"

"Yes, master."

"Good."

"My second store of faith for you.

You won't even believe it's true,

But I've got a second chance for you.

It's hidden in the back of my mind.

It's an extra care for you,

For when I can't be there for you.

I've got this second hope for you.

It's hidden in the back of my mind.

I keep it under lock and key.

It's only there for you and me.

My second store of faith, you see…

It's a one of a kind.

It's a hope for when you need.

It's made up of the air I breathe.

And when you're losing faith in me,

Take it from the place where it now hides.

My second store of faith for you.

You won't even believe it's true,

But I've got a second chance for you.

It's hidden in the back of my mind."

Anakin went over the words that Padmé had written over and over again. He had not known that she had started writing poetry. While she had been in the shower, he had gone to find something in their room – what that something was, he could no longer remember – and instead found a stack of papers that had Padmé's neat hand-writing on it. He thought it odd that she would not want to put all the work and information into a data pad. Why not just save the files and make sure that they were safe somewhere?

Without truly realizing what he was doing, Anakin sat down and began to read through the stack. A lot of the papers were simple journal entries about the twins. There was also an assortment of poems. Anakin found several that he knew were about what Padmé thought of him. It bothered him, because only one or two of them were at all comforting. A lot of the poetry that was about him was about anger and pain.

He was so engrossed in her poetry and what it meant that he did not notice when she came out of shower. He was still oblivious when she walked up towards him. Only when she bent down to give him a quick kiss on the cheek did he notice her presence. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked over his shoulder to see what he was reading.

"Oh." Her voice dropped as she said the simple word, but she did not move away from him.

He turned his head to look back at her. "I don't understand this."

Padmé saw the confused expression on his face and laughed. He was never one for poetry or literature. "What don't you understand?"

"The line that says, 'It's made up of the air I breathe.' I don't understand what you're talking about there. It just doesn't seem to work."

"Well, it's about Luke. He is just like you. I was writing about how he was a sort of second chance for you. He's also our 'hope.' He's my second store of faith sometimes. But that one line you were wondering about is because I gave him life….We gave him life. I still don't like the lines that say, 'I keep it under lock and key. It's only there for you and me,' though. I don't know if I'll change them or not."

"I like it, Padmé. Are you going to write one about our 'little angel' too?"

"I am writing one about her now, but it's very rough. I haven't even bothered to put it down on paper. That's how rough it is."

Grinning, Anakin stood up and hugged her tightly. He whispered into her ear, "I can't wait to read it."

The couple stood in silence for a moment, just enjoying the company of one another. Unfortunately, Anakin was so caught up in the moment that he let his guard down. If he had been fully aware of his surroundings, he might have realized that two people were watching over the apartment at that moment. Neither person would let the couple stay content for much longer.