Padmè ran from the dining room chasing after her husband as he fled her parents' house. She reached the front door and saw him standing by the glistening red speeder.

"ANAKIN!" she cried gripping the wall of the porch.

The dark lord slowly turned his mask to face his wife at the top of the stairs. His black cape gently swaying in the breeze as he held the door open.

"Please don't go," she called out lifting the heavy skirt of her dress as she began to descend the stairs.

He didn't say a word.

He turned his head back towards the speeder and braced both gloved hands against the roof, looking down at his feet.

Padmè reached the cobblestone road at the foot of the stairs and ran over with tears trickling down her cheeks. She stood before her husband and wrapped her arms around her chest, staring up at him in despair.

Vader pulled back from the speeder and stood in front of his wife with his hands resting limply at his sides. A gentle gust of wind whipped at his cape as he stared through his mask into her sparkling hazel orbs.

Jobal, Ruwee and Obi wan all ran out onto the porch and stopped, watching the couple on the road. No one uttered a word as they stared at the dark lord and his wife by the small transport.

"Padmè..." Vader groaned in defeat. His posture was rigid, standing completely stiff as he struggled to stay composed.

"Ani, please don't leave me," Padmè whispered pulling her arms tight around her body trying to keep herself together.

The Sith dropped his head to stare at the floor. "I could never leave you Padmè," he replied as quietly as his modulator would allow.

The former senator reached out to her husband taking his massive gloved hands in hers as she stared up into his mask. "Come back to me Anakin. Don't do this," she whispered as another tear slid down her cheek.

Vader lifted his head and gently pulled his wife into his arms, wrapping his body around hers protectively. "I love you Padmè...I have always loved you," he rumbled.

Jobal watched her daughter embracing the dark lord with tears in her eyes. She turned her gaze to her husband, who came up from behind and wrapped his arms comfortingly around her. She turned in his embrace and dropped her face into his shoulder, sobbing.

Ruwee gently rubbed his wife's back as he looked to the Jedi for support.

Obi wan dragged his hand through his hair and rested his elbows onto the low wall of the porch. He sighed as he finally realised the severity of the situation.

Padmè lifted her head up to stare at her husband through the haze of tears. She shuddered in a shaky breath as he traced his fingers gently down the side of her face.

"Don't do that," he choked as he brushed the moisture from her cheek.

"Where are you going?" she whimpered lifting her hand up to cup his over her face.

"To the lake house, Angel...where we were married," he replied softly, intertwining his fingers of his other hand with hers by their side. A tear slipped down his cheek, causing the lenses in his mask to fog up. His respirator hitched as his breath caught in his throat.

She stuttered in a shallow breath, gripping his fingers tight. "I want to come with you," she whispered in despair.

The dark lord gently pulled her back against his body and lowered his mask down to her ear as he tried to steel his nerves.

"I know Angel," he choked, feeling her arms wrap around his waist beneath his cape, "but you need to stay here, with your family."

Padmè dropped her head onto his chest plate and burst into tears, afraid to let him go.

The couple stood in each other's arms by the speeder for what felt like hours as their family watched on from the porch.

Vader pried himself away from his wife and slowly turned back to the speeder, gradually releasing her hand as he moved to get in.

Tears streamed from Padmè's eyes as she watched her husband close the door, his mask not turning from her as he directed the chaperone.

The dark lord felt the transport move and saw his wife collapse to her knees on the road as he was taken away.

Padmè broke. She dropped to the floor in despair, unable to stay on her feet. She heard her mother cry out to her in the distance, but she couldn't respond.

It hurt too much.

She felt hands grab at her arms, gently lifting her up from the floor.

"Padmè, come here sweetheart," Jobal whispered pulling her daughter into her embrace, as her father helped her stand.

"No one understands," Padmè whimpered throwing her head onto her mother's shoulder.

"I do now my love, I do now," Jobal comforted holding her daughter tight.

Ruwee placed his arm around his daughter and helped them back up the stairs to the door.

Obi wan sighed looking once more down the laneway before turning to follow Padmè and her family back inside. His guilt overwhelmed him as he drifted aimlessly into the dining room, leaning against the wall.

The dark lord's wife slumped into her chair and dropped her head into her arms on the table, crying.

Jobal and Ruwee stood in the kitchen deep in thought as Obi wan sauntered in.

Padmè's mother looked up at the Jedi, her deep brown eyes shimmering with tears. "He really does love her...doesn't he?" she whispered.

Obi wan nodded, folding his arms over his chest.

"Do you actually see them having a future together?" Ruwee asked angrily, walking over to the window and staring out into the garden.

The Jedi looked back at the dining room before answering. "I believe that he would sacrifice his life in order to protect both Padmè and their children," he replied quietly staring at the floor.

The father turned his frustrated face to stare at Obi wan, his expression a mix of confusion and concern. "But who will protect them from him?" he asked gruffly.

The Jedi met his accusing gaze and swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat. "I will," he whispered.

Ruwee's eyes hardened as he contemplated the Jedi's response. He turned back to the window as Jobal moved in behind him, putting her arms around his waist. He took a deep breath watching the trees sway in the late afternoon breeze. "Do you think he would harm his own family?" he asked.

Obi wan went silent as the images of Anakin force choking his pregnant wife at Mustafar flashed before his eyes.

"Year's ago I would have said yes, but...considering recent events," he said distantly stroking his beard, "no, I don't believe so. He is changing."


LAKE VARYKINO: THE LAKE HOUSE

The dark lord took a deep shaky breath as he ascended the stairs to the balcony over looking the shimmering lake. The gentle wind rustled through the leaves on the vines and trees around him.

He staggered over to the weathered duracrete railing and grasped it with both hands, staring out at the water as the afternoon sun sparkled on its' surface. His cape danced in the breeze, casting a long flickering shadow across the sacred ground.

He sighed as he closed his eyes behind the black mask. Memories of their first days together flooding into his mind.

Padmè's soft ivory skin under his fingers as he caressed her arm.

The sparkle in her hazel eyes capturing his soul as he moved in to kiss her.

The way his heart hammered in his chest as she returned his kiss, sealing his fate.

A tear slipped down over his cheek as he shuddered, seeing her standing before him in her white wedding gown.

Something inside the dark lord snapped and he dropped to his knees by the railing. He grabbed his helmet and pulled it from his head, dropping it unceremoniously onto the floor. He pried the mask gently from his face, laying it down beside his helmet.

He didn't care if he could breathe without it or not at this point, he needed to feel the wind on his face. He needed to feel something real, anything to shake him from this pain.

The diminishing sunlight burned his eyes and he squeezed them shut.

His chest heaved as he gasped for air, his damaged lungs clearly struggling without his respirator.

He dropped his face into his black gloved hands and broke down, his armoured body shaking under the onslaught.

"I'm...so...sorry...Angel," he choked as tears rained down from his eyes. "Please...forgive...me."

He knelt by the railing until the sun receded into the mountains, blanketing the landscape in darkness.

Don't cry daddy.

His face shot up from his hands and he stared up at the moon in despair. His breathing raspy and shallow.

Where are you, my son?

I'm at Nan and Granddad's, with Mummy, Uncle Obi wan, Aunty Sola and Leia. Why aren't you here?

I'm not welcome there Luke.

Mummy is still crying, Dad. She has been since we got back.

His heart shattered and his chest felt like it had been torn back open.

Please...give your mother a hug...tell her it's from me.

Okay Dad I will.

Thank you Luke.

When are you coming back?

I'm not sure my son...soon I hope.

I hope so too...we miss you.

Vader dropped his head back into his hands and wept, feeling lost and alone. He scooped up his mask and helmet and gradually rose to his feet, grabbing hold of the railing to steady himself. He staggered over to the ornate doors and entered into the empty house, closing them softly behind him.


EVENING: NABERRIE RESIDENCE

Obi wan sat in the living room, listening to the force as it whispered to him.

Padmè stared out the window silently with tears gently trailing down from her weary eyes.

Leia was laying on the rug, watching cartoons on the holonet while playing with her new dolls.

"Mum," Luke called out quietly as he trudged into the room.

Padmè turned from the window to gaze at her son, wiping her tears away with the long sleeve of her dress. "Yes, my love," she replied huskily.

The young Skywalker ran his hand through his soft sandy hair as he walked up to her, seeing the pain in his mother's eyes. He silently wrapped his arms around her dropping his head into her shoulder.

Padmè held him tight as she drew in a shallow breath, fighting the tears threatening to return.

He opened his eyes and stared out the window behind his mother and whispered, "this is from Dad, he asked me to give it to you since he can't be here."

She gasped in agony and squeezed her child tight, sobbing. "Thank you, Luke," she breathed stroking his hair, "you have no idea what that means to me."

The boy looked back up into his mother's eyes with a confused look on his face. "Daddy is really upset, how come he's not welcome here?" he asked seriously.

Padmè sighed, looking into his crystal blue eyes.

His father's eyes.

"Its a long story Luke," she whispered pushing his shaggy hair back behind his ear as he sat on her lap.

"Mum, I know who Dad is...and...what he has done," he said furrowing his brow, "but he's changed...he's not like that anymore."

"Luke, your father has come a very long way, but he is still like that. He's just getting better at hiding it," she replied sadly.

Luke jumped up from his mother's lap and stormed into the centre of the room, glaring at his Uncle sitting in the recliner in the corner. "You know that's not true!" he cried, "you only say that because that's what Uncle Obi wan tells you!"

Padmè folded her arms over her chest defensively , "Obi wan knows your father better than anyone Luke," she stated flatly.

The Jedi's ears pricked at hearing his name and he gazed at the mother and son debating his brother's state of mind.

"Uncle Obi wan is a Jedi! How could he possibly understand?" Luke yelled throwing his tiny hands in the air, "Dad is a Sith, not a Jedi! They're not the same!"

"That's enough Luke. Do you think he would be pleased with the way you are speaking to your mother?" Obi wan scolded looking up from his datapad.

"Like you care!" Luke snapped with his little hands balled into fists as his eyes went ice cold, "you never cared! You just wanted to make sure that he couldn't find us, so that when Leia and I were old enough you could use us to kill him! I saw it myself, in a dream!"

"Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong young one," Obi wan quipped folding his leg up on his knee and staring at the boy in concern.

"LIAR!" Luke yelled pointing his finger at his Uncle. "I hate you! I miss my Dad! I want to see my Dad!" he screamed running from the sitting room and up the stairs.

Padmè stared in shock at the Jedi and he turned his head away, knowing she had seen and heard the same thing he did.

"Only Anakin can help him Padmè," Obi wan muttered looking back down at his datapad. "Luke is following in his father's footsteps and nothing I can say or do will stop that now."

Always two there are; no more, no less. A master and an apprentice.

Master Yoda.

Hear you I can, Obi wan.

Please...I need your help, Anakin is teetering on the edge of darkness and now I'm losing Luke. I don't know what to do anymore.

Destroy the Sith we must Obi wan.

There has to be a way Master. He's already changed so much. You must have felt it.

Felt a shift I have Obi wan, strong enough I fear he is not.

Please just come here to Naboo, he has isolated himself at the lake house. Perhaps we can try together.

Come there I will, see for myself this change in him.

Thank you Master.

Padmè glanced up at the Jedi in the corner of the room with her eyebrow cocked. "Who were you talking to?" she asked in concern.

Obi wan met her gaze and sighed. "I was talking to Yoda, Padmè. He has agreed to come here and help Anakin," he replied.

Padmè shot up from her seat folding her arms over her chest. "How could you?" she cried, "you know damn well how Anakin will react to this! He hates Yoda!"

The Jedi stood from his seat and closed the distance between them. "Padmè, I have to do something. We are now losing Luke to the dark side. Is that what you want? For your son to become a Sith?"

"Ani won't turn Luke, not when he sees it happening in front of him. I know he won't!"

"You don't know that Padmè! No one does, not even Anakin knows who he is right now!"

Jobal, Sola and Ruwee walked into the room hearing the raised voices.

"What is going on Padmè?" Ruwee asked as he stared at his daughter glaring at the Jedi with her arms crossed.

"Nothing Dad," she snapped dismissively, "I don't suppose someone could take me to the lake house? I need to speak with my husband."

"Padmè maybe you should think about leaving him," Sola said, "this is unhealthy, and there are so many normal men back here on Naboo. I hear Palo is still single."

Padmè glared at her sister in contempt. "I can't believe you would say that!" she scolded.

"Well, I just think the two of you could be happy together," Sola replied shrugging her shoulders.

Leia jumped up from the floor and ran over to her mother's side tugging on her dress. She looked up at her with her big soulful eyes as a tear slipped down her delicate cheek. "Please don't leave daddy, mummy," she cried.

Padmè dropped down to her daughter resting her hands on both tiny shoulders. "Its alright sweetheart, I have no intention of leaving daddy. Your Aunty is just being silly," she comforted shooting her sister a hard glare.

Ruwee walked out to the kitchen to call his driver.

Sola followed her father to the kitchen, leaving her sister in the living room.

Jobal looked at her daughter apologetically and moved closer to put her arm around her. "Don't worry dear, she just wants you to be happy like the rest of us. You may love your husband, but surely you can see how dangerous he is," she said sadly.

"I know he is dangerous mum, but he wasn't always like this. I won't give up on him," Padmè replied determinedly.

Ruwee walked back into the sitting room with a solemn look on his face. "Your transport is ready Padmè, they are waiting for you down at the dock," he stated standing by the doorway.

Padmè retrieved her black cloak from her bedroom and walked to the front door, stopping in the doorway to glance back at her family. "I shouldn't be gone long, I have my comm unit on me just in case," she stated before walking through the door and closing it behind her.


LAKE HOUSE: FORMAL SITTING ROOM

The flames in the fireplace danced across the smouldering logs, covering the otherwise dark room in a deep red glow. The Sith, back in his mask, stood with his legs apart and his hands clasped together behind his back, facing the fire deep in meditation.

The crackling of the open fireplace mingled with the slow rhythmic hiss of his breathing, filling the silence of the empty room.

Padmè pulled her black cloak tight, feeling the cool night air breaching her hood as she approached the ornate door. She took a deep breath as she turned the handle, slowly pushing it open. The warmth of the fire hit her face as the door creaked, revealing her dark clad husband standing in the center of the room.

She stepped inside and pulled it softly closed behind her trying not to disturb him.

"I wasn't expecting to see you tonight," Vader rumbled, the deep baritone of his voice echoing in the silence.

He hadn't moved from his stance, reminding her of when he stood out on the balcony the morning after they had first arrived, just before the clone wars.

"I had to come, I'm sorry," she whispered fumbling with the ties on her cloak.

He took a deep breath and turned to face his wife, the lights on his chest panel blinking vibrantly in the dark room. "Why are you apologising, Angel?" he asked curiously.

Her husband looked truly menacing in the deep red glow of the fire and she fought the wave of fear that tried to overthrow her.

"I see," the dark lord muttered as he turned back to face the fire, folding his arms across his chest.

"Ani, are you alright?" she asked as she edged closer to him.

He sighed, allowing his shoulders to relax as he heard the concern for him in her voice. "Not particularly Padmè," he replied keeping his arms folded tight.

She closed the distance between them, gently placing her hand on his upper arm. "I'm deeply sorry for putting you through all of that, I didn't think," she whispered staring up at him.

He turned his mask to face her, admiring the way the light from the fire lit up her face. "Don't worry about it," he rumbled, disappointed with the sound of his voice. He turned his head back to the fire taking a careful deep breath.

"Are you able to take your mask off yet?" she asked hopefully, desperately needing to see his face.

"For short periods of time Padmè," he replied watching the flames flicker, "why do you ask?"

She moved closer to him trailing her finger down the side of his breather. "I want to see you...even if it is for just a moment," she whispered.

The dark lord turned his body around to face his wife and slowly lowered himself down onto one knee before her. His cape splayed out onto the floor around him like a waterfall as he dropped his head towards the floor. "I will do anything that you ask," he replied submissively.

A lump grew in Padmè's throat at hearing him use the same words he had spoken in this very room eight years earlier. She laid her hands on the glossy helmet and gently pulled until she felt the vacuum release. She handed it to her husband and watched as he placed it on the floor beside him.

Vader guided his wife's hands around the back of his mask- helping her to release the clasps -before gently prying the armour from his face.

Padmè laid his mask down next to the helmet and closed her eyes taking a nervous breath. She was afraid of what she was going to see when she opened them again. She knelt down in front of him, listening to the sound of his raspy breathing wishing she could take away his pain.

She opened her eyes to see that he too had kept his face down, looking at the floor. Hesitantly lifting her hand, she placed her fingers under his taught jaw and gently lifted his head up to meet hers, waiting for him to open his eyes.

His face tightened and his brow furrowed as his eyes slowly opened, revealing the smouldering amber orbs threatening to devour her soul. She gasped before she could stop herself and felt him shudder beneath her touch.

"Don't fear me Padmè," he choked as he stared into her glistening eyes.

She reached up to tuck his loosened sandy waves behind his ears cupping his head with her hands. His eyes bored into her, watching every tiny move that she made. His breathing was still laboured and raspy as he submitted into her touch, gradually closing his eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Padmè leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, feeling him shudder once again. She pulled back and stared at him as he looked at her in a daze.

"Is this what you want Padmè?" he asked sadly, the desperation evident in his voice.

She cocked her brow and looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, is this what I want?" she breathed.

He rocked back moving his legs from beneath him, shifting into a sitting position. He drew in a shaky breath and closed his eyes trying to gather his nerve. Turning back to face her, he felt a tear slip down over his cheek, as he stared into her expectant eyes.

"You could have had any man that you wanted, Padmè," he choked, "and lived a normal, happy life."

His cerulean blue eyes were glistening with tears and she could hear his fear underlying each word he said. "I didn't want any man, Anakin," she whispered reaching up to touch his face, "I loved you."

He turned his face away from her touch, looking back into the fire. "We knew this would destroy us," he growled watching the flames dance in the hearth.

"We couldn't fight it, we were being pulled to each other," she whispered, starting to finally understand what was going on inside his head.

Vader ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face as he pulled his knee up to rest his elbow on it. "I never thought I would end up like this," he choked as the tears slowly started to fall.

She leaned forward and grabbed his gloved forearm, trying to break him from his melancholy. "No one did Anakin, your actions shocked everyone," she breathed staring up into his face, "especially me."

He shuddered in a breath as he snapped his face around to glare at his wife in despair. "I slaughtered children Padmè!" he cried out in agony as he pulled himself up and stormed to the other side of the room.

"Younglings...no older than Luke and Leia!" he shrieked in terror as he dropped his head into his hands, trembling.

"Stay with me Ani," she sobbed, worried he was going to transform into the merciless Sith right before her eyes.

He started to pace around the room shaking his head violently. He spun to face his wife, the sudden movement making his cape drift weightlessly into the air before settling back down at his boots. "How can you still love me after that?!" he screamed in confusion.

She started to bawl dropping her head into her hands in despair. "I...don't know Anakin," she sobbed.

"I AM A MONSTER PADMÈ!" he bellowed with his chest heaving, balling his hands into fists.

"Ani please stop this," she choked staring back up at him with tears running down her face.

"BUT I AM, YOU KNOW THIS...AND STILL YOU INSIST THAT I CAN CHANGE!" he yelled throwing his hands into the air in despair.

His pacing became erratic as his breathing grew short and ragged. He couldn't calm down, his mind was spiralling out of control, consumed by guilt. He suddenly stopped and glared at his wife as she stared back up at him.

"I wish that Obi wan had killed me that night," he snarled lowly, "I deserve to die."

Padmè shot to her feet and ran over to him, grabbing both of his arms in desperation. "Stop this Ani please, I'm begging you," she cried staring up into his crystal blue eyes streaming with tears.

The dark lord stood before his wife with his chest heaving, gasping for air. He could see her hazel eyes staring up at him, searching for the man he used to be and it broke him. The room started to spin wildly and he couldn't focus on anything. He grabbed at her arms as he felt the pounding in his chest accelerate out of control. His vision blurred and he started to hyperventilate.

The flames in the fire suddenly roared as if they had been dosed with fuel and the mantle above it rattled violently. The walls shook around the couple as the Sith struggled to deal with his inner turmoil. It felt like fireworks were going off inside his head, blinding him with each burst.

Breathe Anakin, just breathe.

"QUI GON!" the dark lord rasped as he held onto his wife in desperation.

You are MINE!

"No! I killed you!" he screamed throwing his head into his hands as he staggered back against the wall.

The doors burst open as Obi wan ran into the room. "ANAKIN!" he cried staring at the broken man.

Vader glanced up at his former mentor, his crystal blue eyes completely glazed over. He couldn't see anything except for the blinding sparks in his mind. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body suddenly went limp.

"NO!" the Jedi wailed as he ran over.

"ANAKIN!" Padmè screamed as she tried to catch him.

The Sith fell forward into his wife's arms, completely lifeless. The force of his collapse combined with the sheer weight of his armoured body pushing her down to the floor breaking his fall.

Obi wan dropped to his knees and rolled his brother off of his wife with tears raining down from his stormy grey eyes. "Don't leave me Anakin," he cried in desperation.

Padmè scrambled up onto her knees stroking her husband's blonde hair, crying. "Please stay with me Ani," she sobbed.

The Jedi turned his troubled eyes to the former senator kneeling beside him, "where is his mask?" he cried.

"Over there," Padmè choked pointing across the room, unable to bring herself to leave her husband's side.

Obi wan scrambled across the floor, grabbing the head gear from the rug and returned to his fallen brother.

The pair struggled through their heartache, reattaching the Sith's breather mask and helmet and listened to the hiss as the vacuum engaged.

They both waited for his breathing to begin, watching the green and red lights on his chest panel blinking furiously.

Vader was lost, one minute he was back in the room where laid his soul out before his Angel and the next he was thrust into darkness. An empty nothingness. Lightning crackled across the black sky followed by roaring thunder that rumbled all around him.

"Come on Anakin, you are stronger than this," Qui gon comforted as he appeared beside him.

"I can't do this Qui gon, I'm being slowly ripped apart from the inside," Anakin cried wrapping his arms around the late Jedi.

"Yes you can...fight it," the Jedi encouraged.

Anakin, don't leave me!

"Padmè! Where are you?" he cried looking frantically around him in desperation.

A loud cackling filled the air causing every hair on his body to prickle in fear. Another fork of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the menacing figure approaching him in the distance.

"You will never escape your destiny my apprentice," the sinister voice called out.

"I KILLED YOU! I WATCHED YOU DIE IN MY OWN HANDS!" he screamed at the shadow.

The cackling intensified shaking him to the core as he shot a pained glare at the late Jedi master beside him.

"Just breathe Anakin," Qui gon said comfortingly, "listen to my voice and just breathe, you must keep fighting you're not ready yet."

The respirator engaged, hissing in and out loudly in the dark room. Vader's fingers twitched at his sides as he started to regain consciousness.

"I'm...tired...of...fighting," he groaned subconsciously.

"Anakin!" Padmè cried as she threw her arms around his neck sobbing into his shoulder armour.

Obi wan rocked back to the floor trying to regain his composure as he heard his brother's robotic voice resonate from his mask.

Don't give up Anakin.

I will never be free of him, Obi wan. What the dark side takes...it never gives back.