A/N: ok previous chapter, I changed the preview so this is not the trip to Naboo…yet.
I wanted to make things a lot more complicated for our diva heroine.
Hope you like it!
Reviews after reading please thanks so much!
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Chapter 14
Palpatine was furious.
His last meeting with his apprentice did not go as planned. That disaster of a meeting was the cause of the Emperor's fury now.
She's exactly like Amidala!
By 'she', he meant Leia, the Princess, the newly-found daughter, the harlot of the once-renowned Opera Populaire. With all the rumors written about that so-called diva all those years ago, he definitely believed that bitch wasn't as pure as she presented herself to be.
Like mother, like daughter.
Oh, he hated her just like how he hated her mother! He certainly had no plans of taking her officially as the next apprentice. Leia was correct in pointing out that that destiny did not belong to her. He was determined to make Luke his next powerful apprentice at all costs, not his slut of a sister. He would never allow that to happen.
But at that time, he thought, perhaps with her new dark powers, she would've made a fine addition to his list of faithful and loyal Hands. She would've made a great asset now that she had been turned…
But then Vader had to come barging in his throne room, admitting that her lessons had not begun! That whore was deliberately dodging her lessons and that was the first test at her faith towards him in which she had failed terribly.
Palpatine had always hated Amidala, ever since she destroyed his Trade Federation all those years ago when she was Queen and alive. Now, the same could be said for her damned daughter.
If she was going to be the reason Vader would be going all-soft now, he swore would destroy her completely himself. Rip the hairs on her skin one by one, destroy that so-called purity she claimed to have, break her till she could be broken no more…
And that's exactly what he planned to do.
After all, he was very much successful with the mother, he was sure, stepping on the daughter would be as pleasing as the first.
Today he had arranged a meeting with the greatest scum and dirt he could pick up from the street. Well…more like what Vader could pick up from the street…
Oh, Palpatine could hardly keep himself from jumping with delight! This was just too good. She was about to meet her doom where the instruments for that certain doom carefully picked by her beloved father. Oh and Vader always does bring the finest of them all.
Of course, Vader didn't need to know anything.
He was puzzled at the order, of course, and the Emperor simply answered with an unquestionable, "I have some things I wish to personally take care of." and that was it. Order was successfully executed. And now for the next order…
"I want you to discretely take away the Princess Leia Organa. She is in the next building. Lock her up." He paused and his yellow eyes gleamed at his subordinates. "Then you may do what you wish with her. I assure you, you will find her…most pleasurable."
He felt their surprise swiftly turning to excitement and glee.
"But, she must not die. I will have your heads if you kill her. Just…have fun with her. And make sure that Lord Vader knows nothing of this. Remember to remain discreet or I will gut you both myself if you fail."
They bowed in obedience.
"Go. Now."
The 2 huge men with extremely muscular arms and legs, with the darkest and ugliest of faces got up from their knees and bowed once again before turning to leave, immediately setting up to do what was tasked to them.
Palpatine watched them leave.
Oh today was a very happy day indeed.
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"What?"
Vader jolted back to reality. He had been intensely staring at his daughter for the past minutes, observing every movement she made, memorized them and started thinking deeply again, droning himself out. He had just been thinking how much her movements were very similar with the ones Padme used to do when she was still alive and seeing them in his daughter now, he felt fascinated.
Fascinated that he wasn't feeling anger or sorrow at the obvious reminders of the past that was meant to be forgotten and fascinated that someone could make feel as at peace with himself as Padme had. Well, of course, like mother, like daughter… So similar…How come he had never noticed before?
"Hello?" His daughter was now idiotically waving her hands all over his lenses. "Earth to daddy-dearest?"
"Yes?" Vader rumbled.
"Where were you?" Leia asked. "I thought you had gone." She smiled. "Penny for your thoughts?"
Even in his mask, she could clearly see his reactions, maybe not exactly what he was feeling or thinking but she knew something one way or another. They haven't even been together for that long.
"I was thinking how much you look like your mother."
Leia smiled wider, pleased at the compliment. "Yup, so everybody says. I'm glad I'm like her. She's always been my idol. Even in death, she has taught me a lot, guided me so much." She sighed blissfully. "It's as if she hasn't died. In my heart, she lives forever."
Vader just inclined his head to acknowledge her words. When he did that, it always indicated that he didn't know what to say in reply. He was glad his daughter saw things the way she did. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't think and feel things like that. A Sith was never allowed to welcome such thoughts.
"Are you alright, Father?" She suddenly asked concerned at his long and unusual silence.
In his mask, he smiled. Leia had always been a sweet child despite her hard façade.
I love you, Father.
Her words struck him at the Jedi Temple. A lot. It was impossible. How could she love her monster of a father who tortured and hurt her more than he would've liked. But he felt the genuine truth and love of her words as easily as he felt her strange yet powerful strength. It flowed smoothly like a quiet stream, its waters splashing with gentle currents as it passed. That was her presence then. That was her presence now. He reveled in it. Despite himself, he found comfort in her presence. It soothed the dull aching in his tormented soul. And that was from one child already.
What more if Luke had been here as well?
He felt a soft nudge against his hard metallic limbs. "Father?" Leia now looked at him with the same eyes Padme once had.
"Do not concern yourself over me, child."
She laughed, a sound so musical to his ears. Nobody laughed freely these days. Nobody laughed with mirth anymore. "Well that's sweet of you to say." She was now saying. "But I really think you should go on and rest."
He was about to protest when he caught her look. A look that warned that should he dare argue, he would surely lose. He shook his head. Like mother, like daughter…
Truthfully, he was awfully tired especially after the events in the Temple. What exactly happened in there? He wasn't too sure. But this would give him the opportunity to meditate on it and at the same time, rest his tired limbs.
"Alright. I am quite tired. You will be safe here by yourself?"
She scoffed at him playfully. "Please…I'll be fine. I can tie my sandals and everything! Don't worry." She laughed again. "You sound just like Luke."
Vader fought the urge to laugh himself. He was glad for the compliment. He rarely got any these days. "He is my son after all."
"Ok big guy. Go. Leave. Rest." She opened her doors and quickly ushered him out.
He turned to his daughter once again, a strange nagging feeling suddenly gnawing in his gut. He felt as if it would be the last time he would see her.
"I'll be fine Father. Wow. Can you believe my luck?" She smiled. "From an uncaring Sith Lord to an overprotective, nagging Father. Who would've thought right?"
"I am simply overseeing your injuries since the Temple." He covered.
She scoffed. "Is that what they call it these days? Well you sustained more injuries more than me, mind you."
"I did not break down and cry in the middle of the fight." He stated.
Leia feigned annoyance. "Oh bother! Will you just go?" She chuckled. "Ok here. You rest, I rest. We'll do it both at the same time. Force knows we both need it."
Vader nodded. "As you wish my daughter. Rest well."
He felt Leia's eyes watch his back as he walked on the opposite direction going to his chambers.
As he rounded a corner, the nagging feeling that suddenly developed within him earlier grew stronger with each step he took. It tempted him to turn back and guard Leia's doors himself but he restrained himself. It wouldn't help either of them if he showed too much emotion.
He sat down in his pressurized chamber and began meditating the strange feelings he had been getting recently.
Unbeknownst to the confused Dark Lord, the grave events that he was about to find out only moments too late were taking place right at that very instant.
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Rebel Base
Near Sullust
Luke breathed a sigh of relief.
He was just talking to his sister's almost-to-be love slash Phantom of the Opera, updating him about what had been happening to all of their lives, most especially Leia. The man had been shocked, more like dumbfounded, when he had mentioned that the evil man who kidnapped his beloved was actually her true, biological father. They even had a little argument a while back before Erik stormed out. Luke claimed that Sith Lord or not, he wouldn't do anything to hurt his children, in which Erik expressed his doubts more than Luke would have wanted to hear.
He doesn't know that she is his daughter! Erik's words rang through his head.
But he knows I am his son. And he knows she is my good friend. He would not hurt her for me…He owes me that. That last statement earned him a strange look that passed through the Phantom's masked face, Luke did leave out that tiny bit about Bespin. But he pretended he never noticed that look. Besides, Luke was more concerned about his own convictions about his father. The words he had just said, he seriously believed that. It was the only thing he could hold on to.
There's good in him…I know…
Everybody he told that to did not believe him. He had mentioned the same thing to Ben's spirit back in Dagobah and he had gotten the same doubtful response. Well really, he couldn't blame any of them. But Luke believed that, his faith surpassing any suffering he had encountered against the man that was once Anakin Skywalker. Still is…He corrected.
And besides, he had definitely noticed how both old Ben and Yoda kept repeating how much he shouldn't underestimate the Emperor, that the Emperor was this or that, that the Emperor, the Emperor, the Emperor…. It definitely meant something. Less Vader, more Emperor. In other words, it was the Emperor he should beware of, not Vader, not his father. Maybe deep down, they all really did believe that there was still good in the dark soul of his father.
A shrill cry through the Force made him collapse on the cold hard floor.
His body and soul racked with screams and pain as if it was he who was being brutally beaten up. He closed his eyes, concentrated on the Force, letting it the puzzle finish up, letting him see who is…
Leia!
She was in trouble.
Help me!
She was screaming, her already tiny frame being beaten into a bloody pulp…
…And he could feel all of it…
STOP!
Tears were falling from his eyes. He paid it no heed. All he could pay attention to was how much Leia was suffering now…
Poor, sweet Leia…my sister…Don't touch her!
Her screams from afar collided with his own. He too screamed, begging for the pain to stop. Begging for whoever was hurting her to stop it.
He let his mind open up more and he saw two gargantuan figures imposing themselves on his sister. He'd never seen them before. He only felt a slight relief when he realized it was not his father who been the source of his – her – brutal suffering. But the thought was only momentary for another hard jab of invisible pain struck his abdomen leaving him in another fit of screams that were not originally of his own.
Han and Chewie came rushing into the room where Luke laid screaming and gagging for air, trying their best to snap him out of his crazed possession. But Luke could not see them. All he could see was Leia. All he could feel was Leia. She and him were one and the same. They were born that way. They were made that way. No matter how far apart they were from each other, their connection blazed brightly like a flame that can never be burned out.
"Kid! Luke! Snap out of it!" Han's frantic voice registered in Luke's ears. But they soon turned into Leia's pleas and cries of mercy. Cries…crying…Leia was always crying…He cried with her right now. She was not alone in this.
Somebody needs to help her.
Where was their Father amongst all this? Where could he be? Luke desperately wondered. Ben! Ben! Stop this! Help! Where is Father? But the Force would not give him solace now. The Force would not give Leia solace now. Old Ben could not do anything about this either…
But their Father can. He was alive and well and in close range with Leia. Where was he? Didn't he know Leia was in trouble? Didn't he know that if she died, he would die along with her?
He forced his own screams down as another jab of pain was inflicted on him – on Leia – once more. He needed to do this right. He called all the Forces of the Light Side to help him now. He needed them to help him to deliver an urgent message from afar. He needed – no, SHE needed – it…
A gentle touch let him know that it was came, it had answered his urgent call and gathering up his last strength, he delivered his message through the Force.
Father! Help her! She needs you…Help…
And then, the Jedi Knight slipped into unconsciousness.
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Darkness shrouded her vision even as she came to light.
Ironic wasn't it?
Her life consisted a great many ironies.
Why was she brought here? How did this nightmare come to be?
One minute she was finally at peace with her father, basking in the light and then next minute she was being torn and beaten for God-knows what reason and being drowned in the darkness...
What happened?
Was it all a dream?
Was it all unreal?
And suddenly the devil's voice hissed in her ear…
"Your Father brought you here…"
No.
No! She couldn't believe that. She can't. She finally admitted she accepted and loved him. This can't be happening. How could he have deceived her? He couldn't.
"He doesn't care about you…"
No!
He may pretend to not care but that wasn't real…was it?
"He was the one who chose these men for you…All for you…"
Tears prickled in her eyes.
The truth hurt. The truth always hurt.
Why was it like that?
Every time she thought he had changed, he becomes worse…This was the worst he had ever done to her…
Damn you Vader…
Damn you Christine…you're so gullible…so childish…
'You're far too trusting.' Tarkin had once said. It hung true at that instant.
He had turned and left her and that was when she had been knocked out and dragged to this hell. They never even asked her questions. They just tortured her…for the fun of it…
It was 'break time ' for them now…
Dear God, she wanted to die right this moment.
The water droplets that fell from the ceiling seemed to have made a puddle by her side and she stared at her reflection…
She forced down her scream.
She could've very well contest Erik with who was the ugliest of them all…Her once clear and beautiful face now reeked of dirt and horrible scars and large bruises.
Can you even bear to look or dare to think of me?... Erik's anguished voice rang through her head once more.
She almost laughed.
Ever since she had left him, she had been going through exactly what he had gone through…only her situation was worse…It always was.
"No one can save you now, Little Lotte…"
She closed her eyes and let her tears fall…
This was too much…
This betrayal…Is this how her mother died?
Poor mother…Poor me…
She started singing softly even though it pained her to do so. She thought her voice was destroyed by now…they did a good job at that…Very good job indeed…She might never sing anymore...What would Erik think of that? He'd be so disappointed…
So she sang now ever so slowly…thinking it would be her last…
She sang now, hoping to all the gods and spirits that once comforted her already broken soul that they would give her solace and salvation…
She could only sing…
"Lord, have mercy on my soul…for I have walked a sinful road…"
The metal doors reopened once again and as it opened, 2 large and frightening silhouettes stood before her as she lay helpless and broken.
The doors clanged shut, it's echo resounding in her ears over and over…
She had stopped singing long before they entered.
They advanced towards her, leering smiles pushing her to insanity.
And then, she could only pray…
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Mara Jade had one determined destination as she stalked through the cold halls: Leia Organa…Skywalker. She added after a mental pause.
Their last meeting had been quite…sour. And now that she was fully done crying and moping like some weak lapdog that she was, she wanted to make things right with the sister she always thought Leia to be. If she wanted to make things right again, she'd have to start now.
So she now waited outside Leia's doors, wondering what exactly she was going to say to the Luke's twin. Sorry definitely doesn't cut it, but it's a start…She thought, trying to ease her frantic nerves. Despite her love for Leia because of her kindness and down to earth spirit, when she was upset with someone, it was hard to get back on track with her. Especially now with their Luke situation, things have gone from bad to worse.
But after several long moments of standing outside her doors and not having a single word back at all, Mara had begun to become suspicious. Something was definitely wrong. Leia was never one to leave people waiting out, no matter how much she hated them.
Mara beeped in the comm. unit waiting for Leia to receive her presence, but strangely no response had come. And so Mara decided to do the forbidden.
Go in without permission.
She encoded the security passwords for Leia's chambers and surprisingly, the doors were not shut from the inside.
That's weird. Mara thought, Leia always, always locked her doors, no matter what.
She was a private person and regardless of the situation, Leia always locked her doors…
Especially now…
…When she was no where in sight…
Where could she be? Mara wondered; worry starting to creep through her spine. It wasn't like Leia take off like this without a note and especially without her doors being locked, at least. Leia wasn't careless, not like this.
Mara's eyes flitted to Leia's shrine of pictures. She caught sight of solo picture of Luke and despite the strange circumstance; her heart doubled its pace. She slowly moved towards the wall of pictures and her pale hands tenderly reached out to the photograph, as if it was the real person standing right in front of her with that oh-so dazzling smile…
…She crashed painfully to the ground as an unexpected vision penetrated Mara's mind.
…Luke was screaming and gagging on the floor as if the devil himself had come in and possessed the Jedi Knight. Han and the Wookiee hovered over Luke's possessed figure, trying their best to quell their friend's screams…
"Kid! Luke! Snap out of it!" Han yelled, desperate.
Darkness clouded Mara's vision from Luke's deafening screams and she seriously thought the vision was over, until…
Leia!
Luke screamed through the Force, Mara could almost feel his pain.
Help me!
That wasn't Luke anymore.
It was Leia. Mara thought with screeching alarm. She slowly got up from her fallen position, her hands grabbing the nearest dresser to support her trembling figure. She clenched the dresser tightly and shut her eyes, feeling another painful vision collide with her brain.
Father! Help her! She needs you…Help…
That was Luke. And he needed help. No. Leia needed help. Those twins…their connection with each other was strong, powerful…They could sense each other's pain even if they were galaxies apart. Their bond would never be broken no matter what happened. Not even death could keep those siblings from finding communication with each other. What one felt, the other felt also, even though it was unwanted. Together they were strong…but if one dies, the other will die…
No…
Mara flew out of Leia's chambers as soon as the thought escaped her mind. She was going to have a change of destinations now. She could not –would not- let any of the Skywalker twins die. She loved them both too much to let anything happen to them.
This was certainly a matter of life and death.
Once, she had been strictly instructed never to disturb or barge through doors unless she had been caught in a situation between life and death. This will have to be it.
If one dies, the other will die…
Vader would just have to understand as the redhead jammed through his security codes that force his doors open.
Vader just had to help her in this.
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Oh my God, help me.
She prayed.
Desperately. Fervently.
She prayed for salvation to come.
She prayed for help to come and save her.
She prayed for her life and dignity.
The metallic doors clanged shut and she felt the nausea reaching up her throat, felt the bile almost splatter out of her cherry mouth. The gloomy grey walls that seemed to taunt and sneer at her by their mere appearance made her sick, nearing claustrophobia. Her sweat mixed with her salty tears, her hair completely in a web of tangles that would never be brushed away.
Not unless she got out of that cell.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...
But there was no escape.
Cruel sneers could be heard echoing around the tiny, dingy cell, tainting the purity of the Princess even further. It mixed with her panicked and pleading prayers, as if Satan himself had become omnipresent around her...
She was bound to hell...
...Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses...
"Your God cannot save you now, Princess." The gruesome, dirt-filled devil now proclaimed. She shut her eyes tightly and desperately ignored it.
"Let's take her now!" Exclaimed the other devil impatiently. "Let's take her now when she's fresh and pure...I like 'em tremblin'...Makes me feel as if I have more power..."
...As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation...
"Let's take her now. Just to make this nun shut up."
She abruptly stopped praying when the men with the yellow eyes advanced towards her and began grabbing each and every part of her they saw.
The moment they touched her, she screamed.
She was slapped. Hard. "Shut the bitch up!"
Heavy, disgusting hands covered her pure and sweet mouth. She couldn't breathe.
They ripped her clothes. And they laughed.
She felt like dying...
She wanted to die...She willed herself to die, willed for her soul to leave her now impure body...
She screamed inside. She screamed through the hand covering her mouth...
And at last...
Father! HELP ME!
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Father! HELP ME!
He heard it.
She was screaming for him to help her. He heard it so clearly, it deafened him.
It was almost like the nightmares he had all those years ago, where his dear wife, Padme was the one screaming for him to help her.
Anakin! Help me!
He had failed her that time. He could not –would not- fail a second time around with his daughter.
And there was a slight difference to all of this. He wasn't dreaming. He was very much wide awake. It made matters all the more worse.
Father! HELP ME!
I'm coming…Vader desperately answered. He prayed she would hold on. It was merely hours ago when they had finally been at peace and content with each other. She had proclaimed that she loved him. He, a Sith Lord, who murdered countless younglings and Jedi and destroyed planets without a care, was loved by his daughter. The daughter he never knew but who always knew him…
His children were the gifts Padme had left him and he could not lose them like how he lost her. He couldn't.
"If one dies, the other will die as well…" Mara exclaimed frantically behind him. It urged him on to go faster. He realized her words to be true. They were twins, they shared each other's souls, whether they liked it or not. Just like Padme and him, they were bound together forever, dead or alive, whether they liked it or not, whether he liked it or not.
Father! HELP ME!
Father! Help her! She needs you…Help…
He heard it.
Luke's fading pleas that finally took away his consciousness.
He heard it as clear as he could hear his own respirator breathing for him. With that final cry of urgency, he was finally able to trace exactly where his daughter was…
In the lowest cells of the detention block.
How dare they?!
He seethed in anger as he thought of his daughter being hurt. Now, my son as well...What could they have done to her? What could be happening right now to Luke? He didn't want to imagine. But it urged him further and faster to his destination, Mara had to run just to keep up with him.
A little earlier, she had barged through his doors, catching him completely off guard but before she could even utter a word, he knew right then and there that Leia was in trouble. He cursed himself for not listening carefully to his instincts, that gut feeling that kept on nagging him. He usually wasn't so careless this way. And now, his daughter was paying the price.
He had to get there in time.
It couldn't be too late…
He could only pray that nothing terrible had occurred to her…yet.
And if something terrible did occur to her already, well then, there'd just be hell to pay for.
The Dark Lord and the red head Emperor's Hand quickly descended to the bowels of the detention blocks, a place that reeked with nothing but slime and dirt and dripping water that came from the pipes above. Vader detested the place more than he would have bargained for.
He could sense her daughter's presence was very close and she was fading…That was not a good thing. She was fading fast. If she is fading then Luke is fading too…That thought triggered another wave of anger and urgency bounding to his soul. He let it cling to him and grow. He would need this anger to deal with her captors.
Mara ran ahead of him first, already knowing exactly what cell Leia had been trashed in. She furiously kicked the metal doors open, her anger and rage almost leveling that with the Dark Lord.
The sight that now befell upon their eyes was a sight they had never wished to see.
Two very large, very disgusting excuses of men now turned to them, tattoos covering all their heavy and hideously muscular arms, each man covered with dirt and blood on their faces, their yellow eyes completing their menacing look. What disgusted Vader even more than Mara was the fact that he knew these men. He was the one who specifically picked them out under the direct orders of his Master.
No... Vader felt sick. He didn't even want to consider it…He couldn't…His Master…could he really have done that?
Yes. He could have. It was just like Palpatine.
When he had said, 'I have some things I wish to personally take care of.', Vader had thought it would be some subordinate that defied or angered him but never had Vader thought it would be led to this. Never.
He was deceived by a lie, we all were! A past voice whispered in his ear.
How right was Obi-Wan. He was always right.
Both Mara and Vader heard the small whimper that echoed around the dingy cell block.
They glanced down; let their eyes linger behind the gargantuan men.
Mara had to stifle her gasp at the sight of Leia.
There, on the disgusting and slimy floors lay Leia, broken and battered. It almost didn't look like Leia! Her bruises and scars that now covered most of her once beautiful face made her completely unrecognizable.
Her tears mixed with her blood, her blood mixed with the puddles of water around her, created by the leak above them.
Her clothes were torn, so shredded was her clothing, it indicated how her disgusting captors spared her no mercy whatsoever. It revealed more than Vader would've like to have seen but the blood that now dripped from all over cloaked the parts that were supposed to be meant for privacy. It angered him even further, how her fragile body had been not been spared from their brutality. It was like they literally ripped her skin, ripping it until they could rip it no more. A glance at his side, Vader confirmed his worst thoughts.
Mara had shred her cloak and begun to move forward to the broken Leia when the two sons of bitches stopped her from taking any step further.
"Step away, bitch." The man to her right warned menacingly.
Mara could only feel disgust and hatred to both men that stood before her.
"No. I suggest you step away if you know what's good for you."
"Feisty." The man leered at her. "I like that in women." And he placed his hands on her hips and harshly pulled her to him.
Mara thought she was going to be sick. "Get your hands off me, you bastard!" She slapped him as hard as she could. Vader silently cheered behind her.
After a very long moment, the man didn't do anything, his shock as great as the slap he had just received. And then…
He slapped her back harder, sending the redhead smashing to the wall.
"Son of a bitch." Mara whispered hoarsely as she helped herself up to a steady position, letting the wall support her weight.
Both men just laughed cruelly as if it were the best prank they had ever played upon another human soul. This was the moment Vader decided to step in.
"Gentlemen, I don't quite see what is so funny."
Both men turned to him, laughter instantly dying at the sight of the menacing Dark Lord that seemed to have grown taller in his rage.
"My Lord –"
They were cold dead on the floor before they could even utter anything else.
Vader had wanted to make them suffer a little more just like how they had done to his daughter, wanted to kill them very slowly just like how they did his daughter, wanted to rip their skin just like how they did his daughter.
But he had instantly sensed Leia's fading light and knew there was no time to waste. He quickly moved towards her, took off his dark velvet cloak and placed it on top of her shivering and bloody body and took her in his arms.
She was light as a feather as if he really wasn't carrying anything at all. She was extremely malnourished more than Vader would've liked to admit.
Mara watched the scene unfold before her eyes silently. Could it be? The machine that slaughtered countless lives had a heart? Could it that he really cared for his children?
But deep in her heart, she already knew the answer. She saw it in the way he cared for her, how gentle he would hold his daughter as if she were a fragile porcelain figurine. Perhaps through his children he could be redeemed…
Her presence was forgotten as Vader briskly stepped out of the cell block, shattered Leia in his arms, ready to lead her back to light…
She heaved a huge sigh of relief.
Leia was saved, they made it in time, which also meant that Luke was saved too, wherever he may be.
She'll be alright. Leia was always strong. She'll be okay…
They both will be…
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Well...there you go...Review please!.
Chapter 15: Walk to the Light
Vader had always hated the Med Center.
No matter how polished or clean it was, he had always hated it. Unwanted and slow death echoed among its walls, most of it not done by his hand. Lord Vader was officially reborn here, the Med Center. Padme had officially died somewhere out there, in a Med Center. Even when he was just a small boy, he had hated it the first time he stepped through its doors. He hated it with a passion now.
Yet he was there now, standing in the ward of the Med Center, standing behind transparent glass windows.
He was watching how the med droids were slowly reviving his tortured daughter.
Mara Jade stood a good distance at his side, watching too...And waiting...Possibly praying? Vader wasn't too sure. He didn't bother to ask anymore. He didn't want to interrupt her troubled thoughts.
In that particular area of the Med Center, people and med droids and Healers were buzzing in and out, pacing and walking and running, all busy desperately trying to save the life of his daughter. It all seemed like such a blur to the Dark Lord...
She would be alright...Vader kept thinking. She has to be...
Leia lay on the bed, connected to a set of complicated machines, broken and defeated. A breather was also connected to her, one that desperately put on her mouth to give her oxygen...It reminded Vader painfully of his own respirator. He imagined Leia breathing through the same thing for the rest of her life...He clenched his fists to prevent himself from completely breaking down.
Even in her typical hospital gown dress, she looked like an angel ready to soar to the heavens...
Just like her mother...
He stopped. He couldn't help but think that was exactly how Padme had died, how the line had fit perfectly for her.
He could hear the continuous beeping of the heart monitor, could see the faint lines that were indicating his daughter was still alive...Barely but still alive...
If there is God, please...help your faithful servant now...save my daughter, I beg of You...Vader prayed. For the first time in his whole life, Anakin Skywalker prayed.
He wasn't there the first time a similar setting such as this had happened. He hadn't been there for Padme. Maybe if he had been there 20 years ago, she wouldn't have died the way she did. But the past could never be changed. He could only be in the present and look forward for the future. He was there for her daughter now...It had to make a difference.
And then, to the great astonishment to all those around in that area...
...the continous beeping of Leia's heart monitor stilled...
Vader couldn't believe it. He couldn't...
...But there it was...The loud, alarming beeping, the single line that now filled the heart monitor...
That was the moment Leia Organa Skywalker died.