Chapter 11

Obi-Wan Kenobi made his way slowly through the dense swampland of Dagobah. He did his best to ignore the sounds of creatures all around him, his own illogical fear of snakes doing its best to make him lose his cool. But Obi-Wan pressed onward, using the Force to calm his rattled nerves, until at last he reached a small hut. The diminutive Jedi Master, Yoda, stood outside the hut, looking up at Obi-Wan with inquisitive eyes.

"Master Yoda, at last," Obi-Wan panted. "I was beginning to think I'd never find you."

"Found me you have, Obi-Wan," Yoda said. "Good to see you it is, though unexpected."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I know," he said. "But I had to see you, Master," he said. "There's so much I need to tell you. So much that has happened."

"Sensed it, I have," Yoda said. "Come in, Obi-Wan," he said, gesturing to the small abode. "Rest and eat, you will."

Obi-Wan followed Yoda into the small hut, ducking his head as he did so. He sat down by the fire, glad for its warmth for he felt chilled to the bone by the dampness of the planet. He watched as Yoda scooped a bowlful of an unusual looking stew into an earthenware bowl. "Eat," Yoda said, handing him the bowl.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan said. "This looks delicious," he lied with a smile.

"Now tell me, why are you here?" Yoda asked, not being one to beat around the bush.

"It's about Vader," Obi-Wan said.

Yoda's ears lifted. "Changes I have sensed in your old padawan," he said.

Obi-Wan nodded. "He has changed, Master Yoda," he said. "I'm sure of it. He killed Palpatine."

Yoda's eyes widened. "Sensed his death, I did," he said. "Unexpected this is," he said.

"Very," Obi-Wan said.

"What brought about these changes?" Yoda asked.

"He found Padmé and the twins, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said.

"Told you I did, that Naboo was the wrong place to hide," Yoda chided.

"Yes perhaps it was," Obi-Wan said. "But that's not the point, Master," he said. "Finding them has changed Vader. He has given control of the Empire back to the Senate, he has given command of his ship to me, Master. Does that sound like the actions of an unchanged man?"

Yoda considered his words. "Trust him not, Obi-Wan," he said. "Trick you he will. Too soft you always were where Skywalker was concerned."

"You're wrong, Yoda," said Qui-Gon as he appeared in their midst. "You never did see the boy's potential, and now you refuse to see that he's changed. He has changed. I guarantee it."

Yoda looked at Qui-Gon with tired eyes. It was not the first time they had argued this point over the past few weeks. "See for myself, I will," he said.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon looked at each other with a smile. "We were hoping you'd say that, Master," Obi-Wan said.

Padmé and Vader spent the day with their twins, simply enjoying time together. Padmé was encouraged by the changes she saw in her husband. No doubt the recent good news from his physician had given him a new lease on life, a new sense of hope for the future. She shared this hope, though she knew it was a long road ahead of them.

Night had fallen and Luke and Leia were finally sleeping in their cribs. Vader stood watching as she tucked them in and kissed them goodnight. He looked forward to doing so himself one day.

"They're amazing children, both of them," Vader said as they left the twins' room. "You've done an excellent job with them, Padmé."

"Thank you," Padmé said. "It hasn't been easy, though. They are both very precocious. Something I think they inherited from you," she said with a smile.

"I can't imagine why you'd think that," Vader replied, making Padmé laugh. "They're both very strong with the Force. Has Obi-Wan been teaching them?"
"Yes," Padmé said, unsure how he would react. "We both thought it was important to do so."

Vader nodded. "I'm sure Obi-Wan hoped that Luke and Leia would help him destroy the Sith one day," he said.

"I don't know if he was hoping that," Padmé said. "I think he was just doing his best to keep them hidden from Palpatine."

"And me," Vader said. "I still don't know why he thought I would ever harm you. You didn't think that did you, Padmé?"

"No," she said at once. "I didn't want to hide from you, but was afraid that Palpatine would find us through you."

"Understandable," Vader said.

"But tell me something," she said as they reached his chamber. "Did you honestly think that Obi-Wan would let anything happen to me? To the twins? How could you believe such a lie?"

"The Dark Side of the Force makes a person paranoid, Padmé," Vader said. "Suspicious of everyone. Palpatine did a masterful job of turning me against the Jedi, making me believe that they were evil. I would believe them capable of anything, Padmé, including killing you."

Padmé shook her head. "I'm so glad he's dead," she said. "I've never hated anyone like I hated him."

"He's back in the Hell he came from," Vader said. "And will never threaten our family again."

Padmé smiled. "Thank God," she said. "I'm going to bed," she said. "Luke and Leia are early risers."

"Very well, goodnight then," Vader said.

"Sleep well, Ani," she said.

Padmé watched him turn away, wishing they didn't need to sleep apart. "Ani," she said.

Vader turned back to him. "Yes?"

"You told me that you can take your mask off in your chamber, is that right?" she asked.

Vader nodded. "Yes, that's right," he said. "Why?"
Padmé hesitated before responding. "I...I want to see your face," she told him.

"No you don't," Vader told her. "Believe me, you don't."

Padmé frowned. "Ani, I don't care what you look like," she said. "I want to see you, touch you...don't you understand?"

Vader did not reply. In truth he wanted the same thing, he wanted to kiss her again, smell the scent of her skin. But the thought of her seeing the way he looked now gave him pause. "

"I understand," he said. "But I'm not ready for you to see me, Padmé," he said. "Not yet."

Padmé sighed. "Very well," she said. "But I hope that you will change your mind," she said. "Like I said, I don't care what you look like. I just miss seeing your smile, your eyes..." she stopped as her eyes welled up. "I'm sorry," she said, "I won't pressure you."

Vader's heart wrenched at the sight of her tears, and he took her hand as she turned away from him. "Wait," he said. "If you're sure you can handle this, then I will show you. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Padmé nodded. "I'm sure," she said.

"Very well," he said. "Come with me."

Padmé allowed him to lead her into the room where his chamber sat. He walked over to it and sat down, holding his hand out to her. "I can't keep it open," he told her. "So you'll have to sit down with me."

Padmé stepped into the pod, looking around at the sophisticated technology. She sat down on his lap, and braced herself as the pod closed on them. She watched as a mechanical device lowered onto Vader's head and removed his helmet. Vader reached around and unclasped the back of his helmet, and pulled it from his face. And finally, he looked up at her with his own eyes.

Padmé tried hard to hide how horrified she was, but it was almost impossible. The beautiful face that she remembered was pale, covered in scars, and bald. But his eyes were the same, and she focused on them and smiled.

"I told you it was terrible," he told her.

Padmé shook her head, taking his face gently in her hands. "It's not that bad," she told him.

"Liar," Vader said with a small smile.

"I've missed your smile," she told him.

"I haven't had much to smile about until you came back into my life," he said.

"I know," she said. Gently she planted a soft kiss on his mouth. "That's all going to change, Anakin," she told him.

Vader nodded. "It's not going to be easy," he told her. "We'll have to be patient."

"I can be patient," she said. "Can you?" she asked him with a smile.

"I'm not sure I can," he said, looking at her mouth. "It's been a long time since I've been able to touch you," he said.

Padmé nodded. "It has," she said.

Vader moved towards her, capturing her mouth with his. "I've missed you so much," he told her between kisses. "When I thought you were dead, I wanted to die myself," he said, nuzzling her neck next.

Padmé closed her eyes, losing herself in the moment. For now it was so easy to forget that he was Darth Vader, that he had committed unspeakable acts, that he had betrayed the Jedi...for now he was simply her Anakin, her lover, her soul mate. But he did commit those unspeakable acts, a voice at the back of her mind reminded her. He did betray the Jedi...

"I think I should let you sleep now," she said. "I'm sure this isn't good for you."

"It's very good for me," Vader said with a smile.

Padmé laughed. "You know what I mean," she said. She stroked his cheek softly. "Thank you for letting me see your face," she said. "I know you didn't want to."

"Thank you for not hating what I've become," he told her. "You could easily have done so."

Padmé frowned. "I would never hate you," she said. "We will get through this together, Anakin. I'm not giving up on you. I never will."

Vader smiled. "I'm not sure I deserve you," he said. "But know that I love you, Padmé, with every fiber of my being."
"I love you too," she said, kissing him softly. "Goodnight, Anakin."

"Sweet dreams, Angel."

It took Padmé a long time to fall asleep that night. While the physical chemistry was still electric between she and her husband, Padmé could not ignore the reality of their situation. Yes, he had killed Palpatine, yes he had given control of the Empire back to the Senate; both of those actions made her believe that he was truly on his way back to the light. But it did not erase what he had done. And it was that thought, the thought of the innocents that had died at his hand, that took up residence at the back of her mind as she fought for sleep.