11

AN/ Well chapter 12 is with my beta and I'm writing chapter 13 so there is no reason why I shouldn't post this chapter, right?

11

Vader long ago learned that having Palpatine as a friend and mentor or being his Sith apprentice were two completely different things.

When he was a youngling and then later when he progressed to Padawan and then a Knight, Palpatine was always supporting and kind to him. Always offering advice, not a lecture like the Jedi Council or Obi-Wan did; but real advice as well as trust and support.

For the first two years of his Sith training, Palpatine was kind to him, but punishment for failure was severe. Palpatine explained that the punishment was meant to make him stronger and to make sure that the Sith apprentice didn't fail again.

Palpatine had this habit of dragging him to the opera and then at the ball …

He hated dealing with politics. But that was nothing new, though it helped that most people got out of his way quickly and didn't try to talk to him.

Vader had a suspicion that Palpatine dragged him on these functions only to amuse himself when Vader got bored.

But this time he was not as bored as he usually was. He developed a pastime while sitting there. He didn't watch the opera; he watched Buffy.

Not that anyone would notice … Sometimes the mask had many uses.

****

Buffy was fidgeting in her seat for two different reasons.

First, being mind blowing boredom…. Honestly how long can floaty bubbles and some singing thingies that jump in and out of bubbles be interesting?

The Emperor seemed to like it; he was in good spirits for some reason. Not that she cared at the moment. Tam enjoyed the spectacle, and she was using the word spectacle very loosely, cuz bubbles…?

She could make bubbles; nothing special there.

The second reason was that she could feel Vader watching her like a hawk from the moment they sat down. This made her fidget on her seat and fight down a very childish urge to make a face at him. But she was supposed to ignore him, which she would, until he apologized.

And the Emperor chuckled again…whats up with that; bubbles are not that funny.

***

The Emperor left early leaving Vader to stand in his stead. Which he did, but the guests were avoiding him more then usual, probably because he was in such a bad mood.

This was all Buffy's fault. She acted like he didn't exist; dancing away & laughing with Tam Ballaris, … No one had ever done that in his entire life. How dare she.

****

Ball was way better. At least in Buffy's opinion. She had a good time dancing and talking. She met some people that she liked and some that brought the evil Cordy-like cheerleader out of her…

Mostly three young women with big, big hair (what is with that anyway, she was the only one who had let her hair lose, and she looked good.). And get this, one of them looked like Darla; behaved like that to. The other two were more like Harmony, comment about their make up or hair and they run to the toilet to repair it. Darla look a like she wasn't so easy.

Currently she was sending death glares at Buffy, who was dancing with Tam. And she wanted to snag Tam. Never mind that he avoided her like a plague.

But funny thing she noticed that Tam eyes often wandered to the side. Curiously she followed a couple of her friends wandering looks and each and every time she saw a pretty brunette girl, with surprise, suprise big hair.

Sheesh.

Smirking, she turned her attention back to Tam. "Someone has a crush," she sing-songed.

Tam looked at her.

"No I don't!" he denied quickly. But his face started to redden and Buffy's smile winded.

"Me thinks you have a sacred honey."

Then she got serious.

"So go ask her to dance. Nothing will happen if you just dance with me, ya know."

"I can't."

"And why is that?"

"Because whenever I want to talk with any lady or pay attention to her …" with that he looked at the Darla look alike. "We never stay alone for long."

"Well we were alone, despite some attempts by some."

"Well you were…"

"Truthful."

Tam chuckled when he twirled Buffy around.

"I was going to say, rude."

Buffy look at him with an indignant expression.

"Rude? I was so not rude. I was just honest. Her hair does look like something crawled in there and made a nest, a flock of sparrows…or, or maybe vultures. Besides she started this, it's not my fault that I finished it."

Looking at a still chuckling Tam, she continued, voice dropping low.

"Now, stop being master evasive and listen. I have a plan. We'll dance right to your honey and then you'll go to her. Ask her to join you at the refreshment table over there. And don't worry; I'll take care of everything else."

Tam did what Buffy asked. They danced right by the girl and then Tam went to her, while Buffy prepared an ambush for certain person.

The woman didn't disappoint. As soon as she saw her approach ,Buffy grasped her arm, pulled her behind the curtain where she was hiding. Next she threw her though hidden door, locking the woman in.

Smiling, Buffy turned and intended to walk back to the dace floor, when an arm wrapped itself around her waist, hauling her outside onto the garden path.

Whirling around, she glared up at the expressionless black mask.

"What in the hell do you think you are doing?" she hissed, stepping out of Vader's hold and glaring at him.

Vader shrugged.

"Well if that is the case," Buffy huffed and turned away, "I'll just go back and ignore y…eep!"

Her last words were cut off when she was lifted off the ground by two inches. Blushing with embarrassment at her squeak, she squirmed a little hoping to break free. It didn't work. Then she directed her most expressive glare at Vader.

"Put me down, you…you thin can, opener you!"

"No," he said calmly. She got an annoying impression that he was amused at her predicament…and probably by that squeak; how embarrassing.

"Why not?"

"You didn't say please."

"Fine." she grunted out. "Put me down, you walking thin can opener, please. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic," Vader replied and slowly lowered her to the ground.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

Buffy gaped at him incredulously.

"Ohh that is rich," she said scowling up at him.

"You slammed me into the wall when I brought you a present. You, my Lord, owe me an apology."

She finished and crossed her arms, eyebrow raised, looking at Vader expectantly.

"I'm not apologizing," Vader muttered petulantly. Really wasn't it she who barged in during his private time? She should know better.

"Well if that is the case…bye your ruddiness!"

But before she could make another step, she was up in the air again.

"You know," she hissed while she turned about, making Vader bite back a smile. She really reminded him of mucki when it didn't want to be picked up, but was. Not to mention that she looked cute riled up like that.

"This is getting really annoying. What do you want?"

"Thank you."

"Huh'"

"Thank you for your gift."

"Oh. You welcome," she sniffled. "But you still own me an apology for behaving like an ass hat."

"You won't let this go, will you?" Vader demanded angrily.

"Nope."

"Right. Blasted…I'm sorry."

She beamed a wide smile at him. "See. It wasn't so hard, but next time you should really unclench you teeth. It will be even better."

"Unclench…"

Buffy surprised Vader when she suddenly grabbed his arm and quickly dragged him off the garden path, behind some low, bushy trees that covered them in their shadows.

"What..?"

"Shush." She shushed him them motioned at a couple that came in to view. It was Tam with a young woman that looked familiar to Vader.

"Love birds," whispered Buffy, smiling at the couple.

"Didn't you and him…" muttered Vader quietly. Buffy give him an irritated look.

"You know," she whispered crossly, "it is possible for a girl to have boy friends, ya know."

"That is not what I meant." Vader quickly said.

"Really?" she drawled a raised skeptical eyebrow.

"I thought if he asked you to the ball, he should stay with you. Not leave." He grumbled.

"He didn't ask me, I asked him. And he's had a crush on this girl for a while…Oh no you don't."

Buffy's eyes narrowed when she spotted something further on the path.

"What is going on?"

"Somebody let the harpy out."

"Isn't that the woman whom you locked out?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Cuz she always hanging over Tam. So can you be useful and hover that water can over her head and dump it on her?"

***

Simi Badrawa was looking for Tam; he was avoiding her again. In fact he'd been avoiding her for years, ever since she made it clear that they would make a good match.

Today she decided that she would have another conversation with him that night. But her plans were dashed by a small blond. She had the nerve to comment about her hair after she herself told her that she was embarrassing herself. Honestly, lose hair! But what really bothered Simi was that, that little interloper managed to draw the attention of many important people.

She even heard that "Lady" Buffy was seen in The Emperors' personal box at the opera.

Spotting Tam with Sache she hurried her steps, not noticing the danger of the hovering bucket of water.

She noticed though when said contents of the bucket spilled all over her. She froze, let out a piercing screech, turned around on her heel and ran.

Vader pulled a giggling Buffy deeper into the shadows when Tam and Sache came to investigate.

"What was that?" asked Sache.

"Maybe a bird of some kind."

"It made an a foul sound."

"That it was…" said Tam smiling. Truths was that he wasn't sure that it was a bird at all.

Buffy and Vader put some distance from the couple so that they wouldn't be over heard.

"Now that was fun."

Buffy was still snickering at the memory of all that drenched hair. Even Vader was quietly chuckling at that particular memory; Simi looked like a drawn wampa.

"So now what? Party is dead…Hey how about we go and you show me around…like a true native to the Coruscant?"

"Why not."