A/N: Thank you for the reviews and follows! This chapter will feature some content that will push the story line along immensely, so I hope you're prepared as it will take us on a path to when the story will eventually be completed. With that being said, please enjoy this next chapter!
"Are you sure you're ready for this?", Padmé asked Vader nervously as she clung to his side. Hell, she wasn't sure she was ready for this, it was a big step in their relationship, and with his tendencies to get a little aggressive she was a little intimidated.
"It'll be fine, Padmé", Vader replied. "I promise, I'll be nice and gentle." Promises of being nice and gentle from him were about as good as a kriffing promise of celibacy from a damned Stormtrooper, it wasn't going to likely happen.
"Okay, but if it gets too intense, we should probably stop", she warned. "Seriously, the last thing I want is for it to get painful."
"Oh, it won't get painful if you're relaxed", Vader said confidently as he wrapped his arm possessively around her trim waist.
"That's not very reassuring, Anakin", Padmé said. "Please, just promise me that you'll be gentle and actually mean it. I'm begging you."
Vader sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, Padmé. I promise to be gentle, and I actually mean it", he said. "Now can we get on with it? It's not going to do either of us any good if we wait too long."
Damn, he was right. They'd better just do it, but shit she was nervous about it. This would be one of the most intimate things that they had ever done, and she still wasn't certain about how she felt about it. Kriffing hell, maybe this was a mistake.
"Too late to change your mind now", Anakin said as he picked her up, causing her to squeal.
"Ani, calling my parents isn't something that can be rushed, I'm just so nervous!", Padmé pleaded. Seriously, she would rather be bent over and have him take her in the most unnatural of ways than to follow through with this.
"It's alright to be nervous, there hasn't been a good track record with us, but that can be broken", Vader replied with a calm to his voice that Padmé rarely heard. Maybe it would be alright.
"Very well, if you dial the frequency, I'll be on this blasted platform waiting for you", Padmé said as she tried to calm down the pit of dread that was forming in her stomach.
Vader dialed the frequency and then joined her on the platform. He placed a loving arm around her shoulders, and she smiled up at him for it. It took several minutes for the transmission to be answered and it was her mother.
"Hi mom, this is Anakin. Anakin, this is my mom, Jobal", Padmé said nervously.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Missus Naberrie", Vader said politely.
It took Jobal a moment to get over the initial shock of talking to none other than Darth Vader. Not that it wasn't understandable, the pause was just making Padmé feel incredibly more nervous than she had been feeling, which was saying something.
"It's… It's good to meet you, A-Anakin", Jobal stammered.
"Why don't you run and get dad, we'll be here waiting", Padmé recommended.
"Sure, I'll… I'll be right back", Jobal replied as she stepped away from the communications platform.
"She's upset, I can already tell", Padmé whispered to Vader.
"Shush, we just have to have a simple conversation and it'll be alright", Vader said as he squeezed her shoulders with her arm, bringing her closer to him. Damn, his presence was always comforting to the point where it could almost get annoying. Almost.
After another few minutes, Jobal stepped back on the platform with Padmé's father. "Dad, this is Anakin. Anakin, this is my father, Ruwee", Padmé said as she tried desperately to keep her voice from trembling.
"Mister Naberrie, glad to meet you", Vader said with a smile.
"Well, I guess we're glad to meet you as well, Milord", Ruwee replied.
"Dad, you don't have to call him that", Padmé gushed. "Anakin, tell him that he doesn't have to call you that."
"Padmé is right, please just call me Anakin", Vader said smoothly. "I know that this is a little intimidating for us all, but Padmé and I just wanted to have a brief chat to go over introductions and maybe answer any questions that you might have."
"Well, I guess we have the introductions down", Ruwee deadpanned. Oh hell, this was going to be worse than she thought it was going to be.
"Certainly, there must be questions", Vader said. "I am engaged to your daughter after all, and I'm aware that I may have a reputation about me."
A reputation? He had to jump in with that line. Of course, he had a bloody reputation, he's a fucking Sith Lord!
"Yes, Ani certainly does have a reputation, but I'm sure that we can all be put at ease if we just talk for a little bit", Padmé said, trying to get the ball rolling as desperately as she could.
"What are your intentions with my daughter, Anakin?", Ruwee asked boldly.
Padmé shot a look up at Vader and noticed that he raised an eyebrow at such a bold question, before smoothly transitioning into a smile.
"Mister Naberrie, I can assure you that my only intentions with Padmé are to love her and marry her", Vader said good naturedly. "There must be a lot of talk in the media, but she isn't a prisoner here at my estate, nor is she being forced into a marriage with me. It's a relationship that we both are quite willingly participating in."
"But what about the missing senators, Padmé was missing for a time and yet her name was left out of the missing senator list", Jobal said.
"Mom", Padmé began. "I wasn't missing, I was with Ani here at his estate. We were continuing a romance, a romance that had begun years ago on Kashyyyk. There's nothing nefarious going on here."
"Is that true, Anakin?", Ruwee demanded. "Were the two of you merely continuing a romance?"
Padmé could sense Vader becoming increasingly annoyed to the point where she was beginning to suspect that he would lash out at any moment.
"Partly", Vader said. "She was initially remanded to my estate for being a rebel operative, but she didn't exactly know who I was at first. Once she did know, our romance began." His tone was flat and Padmé sensed his irritation turn into aggravation.
"So, she was a prisoner!", Ruwee said.
"She was a guest", Vader replied. "A guest at my home while I tried to figure out how to explain to her who I really was, and I wanted to protect her from a cold prison cell that anyone else would've been subjugated to."
Padmé felt her knees tremble slightly. Vader was being completely honest, and she supposed that he couldn't lie, even to make her parents placated. Maybe the truth was better than trying to protect her parents as they didn't seem to want to be protected.
"Mom, dad, Anakin is telling you both the truth", Padmé interjected. "It didn't take me very long to figure out who he was, but once I did, the dynamic completely changed. He wanted to tell me who he was right off the bat, he was just afraid of what my reaction would be, just as I'm afraid of what your reactions will be, except Anakin was surprised that my reaction was one of love, not hate."
She calmed down some as Vader squeezed her into himself again. It was divine the way he could sooth her anxiety with just a mere embrace. She loved him for it, amongst many different things.
Both her parents were silent, obviously trying to process the information. Vader felt calmer, more relaxed now that the truth was out. She figured he probably thought that as long a he was truthful, then to hell with whoever was trying to make him feel anything else, which wasn't a terrible way of going about it, she supposed.
"Maybe there's more questions than we initially thought we would have", Ruwee capitulated. "Is it true you were a rebel operative, Padmé?"
Sith spit, why the hell were they asking questions about that? "Yes, dad it is true. It didn't last long, Ani found out very quickly what I was doing and warned me no less than three times not to do it before he took matters into his own hands. But if I did listen to those warnings, he may not have revealed himself to me and thus we wouldn't have been able to develop a solid relationship, one that has been built out of trust and love for one another", she said. "There isn't a man that I would rather be with than Ani. He's the reason why I am alive more times than I can count. He's my savior, my protector. Please, just give him a chance."
Her parents looked at one another for a few moments and Padmé wished that she could figure out what was going through their minds at that very moment, but it was of course impossible.
"I guess we just have to accept it", Jobal said. Padmé wanted to tear up because her mother's tone sounded like she was just told that her daughter had just been diagnosed with an incurable disease.
"I would hope that you could do more than accept it", Vader said. "I hope that you would bless it and be happy for us." There was a slight bit of an authoritarian tone in his voice, but he probably picked up on her sadness and was trying to fix it.
"Son, that's not something that's going to come easy for us. You're a very violent man", Ruwee said. "You killed Senator Clovis of all people, tortured him too."
Padmé felt Vader stiffen like a board.
"That was regrettable", Vader said. "I was merely upset that my engagement to Padmé was being jeopardized by outside influence." There was regret to his tone, but also defensiveness. She couldn't blame him for either emotions. Her parents had tried to steal her away to another man.
"Ani has also had a violent history in war, wars where the enemy utilized very dishonorable tactics. I'm certain you watched the latest coverage on Mimban. Ani had attempted to disarm the fission bomb, and while he wasn't entirely successful, he saved the lives of thousands. He put himself in direct danger to save lives. To save himself and come back home to me", Padmé said as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Dammit, they were making her go there. A place she didn't want to have to go. "I wouldn't have known what to do if he had been killed. And I don't know what I'll do if the two of you can't get behind this relationship. Obviously, I'll have to pick a side, and I believe you know which side I'll choose."
"Padmé, let's not go there yet", Vader said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Mister and Missus Naberrie, I don't want your daughter to be put in that position. I don't want her to be kept from either of you. What I do want is for us to meet and figure out a way to move forward with this relationship."
"We heard about what you did on Mimban, that was actually very heroic of you", Ruwee said as he looked down.
"I was just doing my job", Vader replied with a bit of harshness. "Padmé isn't my job, but I would do just as much if not more for her."
Padmé looked back up at Vader and gave him a smile before she buried her face into his side, wrapping her other arm across his chest in a hug. No other man, especially Rush Clovis, could have provided the same dedication to her. No other man.
"Padmé, darling, are you alright?", Jobal asked worried.
"I'm alright mom", Padmé said as she turned her face towards her mother. "I'm just so lucky to have a man like Ani in my life." She sniffled a couple of times and Vader crushed her to him with his left arm and wiped tears from her left cheek with his right hand.
"I'm so lucky to have you, Padmé", Vader said in a low voice.
"I guess the only thing that we can do is meet with you both", Jobal said emotionally. "Anakin, you seem very sincere with our daughter."
"That's because I am", Vader said softly.
"We'll be in touch to work something out", Padmé said as she batted a few tears from her eyes. She did her best attempt to smile but found it difficult given the emotions that she was currently feeling. Fear, anger, but some hope. Some.
"Sounds good", Ruwee said.
The communication was cut, and Vader turned himself to face her and wrapped her up with both arms into a tender embrace.
"It'll be alright, Angel", he whispered.
"I hope you're right, Ani", Padmé said as she choked back a sob. "I hope you're right.
…
Under their usual guard, Padmé, Dormé, and Vader went to the Senate for another day of tedious work. There was much to do, especially since the Emperor had commanded that they set a date for the wedding. It would be a blitz of planning that was sure to leave Padmé's head spinning, but at least Vader and she decided it would in fact be a private ceremony, which would make things incredibly easier. They just had to decide when and where.
"Nervous about something, Angel?", Vader asked as they walked into the Senate building.
"Just everything. The wedding, Obi-Wan, my parents. All of it", Padmé said.
"Try not to stress over it too much, especially your parents and Obi-Wan. We'll deal with those things as they come", Vader promised. "I want you to feel as free as a flower on Naboo, not being bogged down with things that will make you wilt. You need to shine and spread."
Oh, gods dammit, now that was incredibly sweet. Padmé successfully fought back tears, not wanting to stain her makeup. She leaned up and kissed Vader.
"Thank you for being you", she whispered.
"It's my pleasure", Vader whispered in return. "Now, go have a good day. I'll check in with you when I get a free moment."
"Alright, Ani", Padmé said as she gave him another kiss goodbye. Gods dammit, he was so perfect for her, other things didn't matter to her anymore. He was the one, the only one.
Padmé and Dormé got settled in their office, ready for a long day of work. When Padmé logged into her terminal she saw a strange message. It was from someone she didn't know, and the sender was marked as Naboo Friend. She clicked it and it was encoded. Running it through her decoder, she gasped. It was from Obi-Wan!
Her mind whirled as she read it. He was asking if she was alright, if she truly was in love with Vader, but most importantly, he was asking for details so he could extract her.
Groaning, Padmé placed her head in her hands. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? This wasn't something she wanted or needed, and it would end in a confrontation between Obi-Wan and Vader with one of them either being mortally wounded or simply dead. She wanted neither of those outcomes. None of them at all.
Making a decision, she forwarded the contact to Vader as usual, but also replied to Obi-Wan with a blind copy to Vader. She wrote that she was fine, that she really was in love with Vader, and there was no need for an extraction as she was perfectly content with her new life. She warned him to leave the planet or there would be a confrontation between him and Vader, which was something she didn't want. She elaborated that under no circumstances would she share any information with him, that she was done with people requesting information from her and begged him to stop contacting her, to not go to the estate again. After she read through the message, she sent it, feeling at peace with her decision. She just hooped that Vader would agree with it.
Putting her head in her hands again, she chuckled darkly. Why did the galaxy have to be so complicated? She made her choice, and her choice was Vader. Everyone else, including her old friend, needed to fuck off and either be happy for her or leave her alone entirely. This was her new life, and she was happy.
Setting her mind to her other work, she began going through various reports again, signing off on requests for funding for the new fleet of Star Destroyers. Just getting the work off her desk so she could go home with her fiancé and be happy. That begged a question. Did she want to be a senator anymore? Yes, she still felt indebted to her people on Naboo, but she wasn't really representing them a much as she could. Yes, she replied to concerns and requested new trade agreements with other worlds, but that was about it. Another representative could do the very same thing, but what would she do with her time? Toil around at Vader's estate endlessly?
No, she supposed she couldn't abandon her post at the Senate. There were too many things to do and she knew that she would care for her people maybe more than another representative would. Kriffing hell, she wished she had a stiff drink right about now. Vader was such a bad influence in that regard, but she understood why he did it now. He was too fucking stressed and so was she.
Maybe things would settle after their wedding where she would don the title of Lady Vader. The Emperor had promised that she would have greater influence subject to his approval. Maybe that was her way to affect more chance in the galaxy. Maybe.
…
Vader sat down at his terminal after his first meeting. He again had to reem out a Captain for not having all the facts before the information. He had come perilously close to strangling him with the Force he had been so angered by the incompetence, but he knew if he started doing that, there would be no coming back from it. He needed his soldiers, he needed them all. The incompetent ones would either change or be washed out.
Pulling up his messages he found the first one Padmé had been sent and seethed in anger when he saw Obi-Wan's request. The bastard was still planet side, he wanted to kill him so badly, but remembered his confession to Padmé, that it would be out of pure jealousy.
Clicking on the response he was blind copied to, he read Padmé's message to Obi-Wan. He felt a smile tug at his lip, his Angel had effectively told Obi-Wan off. That washed away his anger, and he felt an immense satisfaction of her show of love to him, even if she was breaking a relationship with an old friend. Any other time, it would have actually saddened him to see her do this, but not with Obi-Wan or any other Rebel. They needed to know that she was his, not vice versa.
"Lord Vader", his comms chirped.
"Vader", he barked.
"Milord, this is Captain Rigard, there's a bit of intelligence that you need to see."
"Can this not be sent to my office for my review?", Vader asked impatiently.
"It could be, Milord, but I would have figured you would want to discuss it in person."
"Fine, I'll be there in a few minutes", Vader grumbled. Gods fucking dammit, why in the hell was today getting o complicated. He had half the mind to go hoist Padmé into his arms and take her to a planet where they wouldn't be bothered by anyone. A gods damned vacation is what they needed, separate to their eventual honeymoon.
Vader stalked down the halls to intelligence.
Upon entering the room, he walked up to Rigard. "Well, Captain, what the fuck is so damned important that I had to come all the way down here?", Vader demanded.
"Milord", Rigard said calmly. "We have information that a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi is attempting to contact you. We received this general message; you can read it if you like." Rigard handed Vader a pad and Vader snatched it out of his hand, skimming over it briefly.
What in the name of all hells? Obi-Wan was challenging him to a duel. A gods damned lightsaber duel. This was something that was so fucking tempting, but he knew it was something that Padmé would be upset by.
"What shall we do with the message, Milord?", Rigard asked.
"Track the location it was sent from, but take no further action, Captain. I need to think on this myself. I'll take the pad with me", Vader said.
"Of course, Milord", Rigard said.
Vader spun on his heel and exited the intelligence room. He had to go show this to Padmé and let her know exactly what her friend was proposing.
…
The young Senator was knee deep in a pile of reports she was clearing as quickly as possible when she heard the door to her office open. Her head snapped up and Vader was walking right towards her, ignoring Dormé's greeting.
Oh, gods. Was he upset for her responding to Obi-Wan? She really had considered it to be the right thing to do.
"Ani", she blurted out. "I know I wasn't supposed to respond to Obi-Wan but I just thought –"
"Padmé, you did nothing wrong there. I'm actually proud of what you did, but that's not why I'm here. I'm here because intelligence gave me a message that Obi-Wan sent. Read it", Vader said as he handed her the pad.
Padmé quickly took the pad and scanned over the message. Her face went from shock, to horror, to anger in the span of a couple of seconds.
"He has no right to demand this", she hissed. "This goes against everything I sent to him in my original message. It goes against everything he saw when he invaded our home and saw that you and I were living together happily. What gives him the right to do this?"
"I don't know, Padmé. I don't want to duel him, I know your thoughts on the matter, but this needs to stop", Vader said. "I can't have a Jedi running amuck on Coruscant making demands from you and threats to me. It will attract the attention of the Emperor and that won't go over very well for either of us if we do nothing about it."
Padmé sat in her chair and folded her arms, thinking of a way to cease this activity. An idea popped into her head, one that she knew her fiancé wouldn't like, but it was the only one that she could think of at the moment.
"What if we met Obi-Wan", Padmé suggested. "Not for you to duel him, but for me to tell him to leave us alone. That we're happy and that you're not the man he believes you to be. Would that work?"
Vader's face contorted into shock at the suggestion, then he breathed in deeply to presumably calm himself. "That might not actually be a bad idea, Padmé. I would defend myself if I needed to, but I will try and not let it get that far if possible."
Padmé smiled at him and wanted to take him right there on the desk for listening to her so well and controlling her temper. Had they made it through a true breakthrough in his violent personality? Maybe, but only time would tell, she shouldn't get her hopes up.
"I think it would work", Padmé said. Maybe you should reply to him and refuse a duel but state that you wish to speak to him under an agreement that there will be no hostilities unless you are threatened. I would be there as a surprise, a mediator of sorts. That way he's caught off guard and I can keep tempers calm if things get out of hand, but you have to promise that you'll listen to me."
She saw Vader chewing on the inside of his mouth for a moment, considering her idea.
"That would be acceptable", he said. "Maybe it would be better if you acted as a mediator. He would be more prone to listening to you as would I. I would just hope that you wouldn't change your mind at the last second and go with him."
Padmé shot to her feet and angrily grabbed Vader's robes, pulling his face closer to hers. "Don't you ever think that!", she hissed. "I love you and I'm not going anywhere, even with Obi-Wan. Don't you dare utter those words again." She pulled him down even further and kissed him roughly. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him.
When they broke, they were both breathless. "I'm sorry, Padmé", Vader said. "I became insecure for a moment, its's a bad habit, I know. I'll work on my jealousy issues."
"Good", Padmé said in a softer tone. "Now, let's reply to Obi-Wan right now. The sooner we get this over with, the better. Invite him to our estate and tell him that he won't be harmed by the guards, that we'll meet in the courtyard for the discussion."
Vader nodded and furiously began typing out the message. He showed it to Padmé who nodded in agreement.
Vader sent the message and sighed. "Now we just have to wait, Angel", he said.
"Agreed", Padmé replied. "Now let's finish this kriffing day so we can go home, my love."
"Of course, my love", Vader said as he bent down and kissed her tenderly.
…
The group arrived at Vader's estate earlier than usual. Obi-Wan had immediately responded agreeing for a meeting and Vader wanted to be ready for the discussion. Obi-Wan would be escorted inside of the courtyard garden and Padmé would remain hidden and step out once Obi-Wan came in. She wanted to surprise him, catch him off guard. It would be a dirty trick, but so was his message challenging Vader to a duel.
They got in place with Vader standing in front of the fountain, waiting patiently. Padmé secluded herself behind a tree, and Vader said he would cloak her presence with the Force so Obi-Wan wouldn't be able to detect her. Her knees felt weak, and she just wanted to get the kriffing thing over with without any bloodshed. Especially Vader's bloodshed.
Maybe her concerns would be unfounded, maybe there would be a meeting of the minds and Obi-Wan would leave without causing violence. Or maybe this was the most moronic idea she ever had, thinking that she could successfully mediate between a Sith Lord and a Jedi Master. Two powerful beings looking to fight if it came to it. Dammit, she felt foolish to agree to such a meeting, but what was done was done.
After a solid forty five minutes of waiting, the glass arched doors opened and Obi-Wan stepped through. A Death Trooper, presumably Sergeant Alexander, closed the door behind him.
"So, we finally meet, Darth Vader", Obi-Wan said. "I had always been suspicious of you during the war with the CIS, even though you gave the Republic which you betrayed a swift victory." He strode up to Vader, stopping twenty feet from him.
"I had heard of you in passing, Obi-Wan Kenobi", Vader said, waiving off Obi-Wan's provoking comments. "But we're here to talk, not fight."
"That's surprising given you're a cold blooded murderer", Obi-Wan said. Padmé saw his hand inching towards his lightsaber and decided now was the time.
She stepped out from behind the tree. "Gentlemen, I think we can come to an agreement here today."
Obi-Wan looked at her sharply, surprised to see her.
"Padmé", he said, startled. "I'm glad to see that you're alright."
Padmé immediately felt jealousy flash through Vader's mind so she turned her head to him and gave him a small, but reassuring smile.
She turned back to Obi-Wan. "As I said in my response to you, I am alright. Better than alright. I'm in love with Vader, nothing will change that. I do not need an extraction or to be saved. I'm not under mind control or whatever you're thinking. I'm with him of my own volition", she said. "What are your thoughts on that?" She stepped in between the two giants in their own regard, keeping both her sides pointed towards each man.
"Padmé, I can't accept that. When you were on your way to the Hutts, I felt Vader probing your mind, entering it and bending it to your will", Obi-Wan said.
Vader chuckled. "We were making love, Obi-Wan", he hissed. "We've been bonded for some time now and that's part of the experience."
That seemed to enrage Obi-Wan. "Such use of the Force is forbidden! It can certainly cause the other person's mind to become bent towards the other person!", he yelled. His hand was perilously close to his lightsaber.
"Enough!", Padmé commanded. "The idea for us to be bonded was not Vader's. It was mine. In fact, I met Vader years before. He was the Force user that I told you about on Kashyyyk. He wasn't Vader then; he was Anakin Skywalker. He was bent by the Emperor since he was a boy, and you do not have the right to cast judgment on him. I see your hand moving towards your lightsaber, and I ask that you move it away, Obi-Wan. We aren't here to fight; we're hear to talk."
Obi-Wan was shocked by Padmé's tirade and capitulated.
"Now, what exactly do you want, Obi-Wan? Aside from me leaving Vader, or Anakin I should say as that is certainly off the table as is a duel between the both of you", she inquired.
"All that I wanted was to make sure that you were safe, Padmé. I just can't believe that you would willingly enter a relationship with a man like Vader, I don't care what his former name used to be, but I cannot believe it. You had principles about the Republic. You even spied on the Empire for the Rebellion. You can't tell me that all changed because of your feelings towards a man you once knew, a man that probably fooled you into believing that he cared about you", Obi-Wan said heatedly.
"My love for Padmé isn't under question here, Kenobi", Vader shouted. "I care for her in ways that you cannot imagine. Ways that your arcane Jedi Code would never allow. I am one with her and she is one with me. We see each other's memories, develop understandings between one another in a way that you cannot fathom. She is to be my wife and that fills me with joy that you'll never know."
Obi-Wan took a step back at Vader's outburst. If Padmé could feel Vader's sincerity through their bond, then Obi-Wan could certainly feel it. At least she hoped that he would.
The Jedi Master was silent for a moment and the tension seemed to rise.
"Alright", Obi-Wan said. "Maybe I can believe that, but what I cannot stand for is that she will be given even more of a role with the Emperor who I imagine is eviler than you are, Vader."
"Of that, we can agree", Vader said.
"Then what will be done about it?", Obi-Wan asked.
"I don't know and neither does Padmé", Vader admitted. "It isn't an easy thing to think of and is eve one that we haven't spent much time deliberating."
"Then it should be deliberated here and now", Obi-Wan said forcefully. "I'm not going to leave until I know that Padmé will be safe."
"Obi-Wan, that isn't a reasonable demand", Padmé said. "There are things that you aren't aware of, things that you cannot be aware of at this point. There can be a second meeting, but the purpose of this one was to get you to understand that I am happy here. That Anakin is not a threat to my safety and that I love him more than anyone else. Damn you for not believing that, even after I told you in my message. I'm a gods damned grown woman and can make my own decisions without them being questioned, or the man I love being threatened. Don't you see that?"
Again, Obi-Wan was surprised by Padmé's words. He stood in shock for a moment, just gazing at her.
Vader to his credit, remained still and unwavering, but Padmé could sense a combination of adoration towards her and distrust towards Obi-Wan, which she couldn't blame him for.
"Fine", Obi-Wan said. "We'll have a second meeting. I'll message you again, Vader. But there needs to be neutral ground, so I'm not threatened by the troopers in your compound."
"That's a nonstarter, Obi-Wan", Padmé said. "Those guards are ensuring that there will be peace between the two of you and this location is more secure than you know. There are no prying ears that will be listening to whatever discussion that we are making."
Obi-Wan hunched his shoulders and Padmé could feel the defeat from him. Good, he needed to feel the defeat. It was something that would prevent him from doing something absolutely moronic.
"Very well", Obi-Wan said. "Message me when the time is right and we'll discuss the Emperor, but I request that the two of you give it some thought before the meeting."
"Of course", Padmé said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm exhausted and so is my fiancé. We would like some peace before the end of the day, so if you could please excuse yourself, it would be much appreciated. I apologize if I seem harsh, Obi-Wan, you and I were friends for a long time, and if you want any form of that friendship to ever continue in the future, you'll respect our wishes."
"Fine", Obi-Wan replied. "I'll see myself out."
He walked to the arched doors where a Death Trooper opened the door. Padmé went to Vader and embraced him.
"That was hard", she said as her voice shook.
"I know, Angel. But you did an amazing job", Vader said. "I am very proud of you."
"Thank you, Ani", Padmé whispered. "Now, let's go relax so I don't have a fit."
Vader chuckled. "We wouldn't want that, now would we", he said.
…
After a lovely dinner, Padmé and Vader retired to their bedchambers. Padmé sat back on the couch while Vader poured and handed her a drink, which she accepted graciously.
"What will we do about the Emperor?", she asked nervously.
"Kill him", Vader said flippantly. "It's something I've been wanting to do for a very long time, but I know that I'm not powerful enough for it."
"That doesn't surprise me", Padmé said softly. "What does surprise me is that you would entertain discussing it with Obi-Wan. Would you consider enlisting his help in the matter?"
Vader growled. "Accepting help from a Jedi for a task so sacred goes against my very nature, Angel", he said. "But I wouldn't be opposed to the idea."
That made Padmé smile. "I think I would like it if you did. I can't lose you to the Emperor, even if you're barely successful. I can't lose you in general. You're my life, my soul, my everything."
"Likewise, Angel", Vader said as he reached behind Padmé's neck and began massaging it.
"Oh, Ani", she whispered. "You always know what to do to get me relaxed."
"That's because I know your needs, Angel", he replied. "I know all of them, and I'm here to fulfill all of them."
That brought a huge smile from Padmé.
"I love you", she whispered.
"I love you too", he replied. He bent down and kissed her slowly, and Padmé enjoyed the taste of his lips, of his tongue. It was always something that made her weak with desire, especially after such a tense day. She needed him, she had to have him.
She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away slightly, breaking the kiss. "I want you, I need you", she whispered. "All of you, even the dark pieces that you carry."
Vader paused, looking at her with curiosity. "I can give you that", he replied. "I can give you everything you need."
"Then do it", Padmé said with parted lips.
Vader chuckled and picked up their bourbon glasses, setting them on the table. He wrapped Padmé up in his arms and began slowly making out with her. Padmé slowly felt like she was succumbing to a fever, her body temperature heating rapidly. The tension from the day was slowly evaporating with each move of his lips, each caress of his tongue. She moaned and wrapped her arms around him tighter.
She sensed the longingness in his heart increase as the tempo of his kisses rose rapidly, almost to the point where her lips couldn't keep up. She was still learning how to be his lover, still leaning how to keep up with him, but she knew that her lack of experience at least on his level would turn him on even further.
Padmé nearly squealed when he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He set her down and they began methodically removing each other's clothing, being rough and impatient. Once they were nude, Padmé felt herself be hoisted onto the bed. Instead of him climbing on top of her to take her mercilessly, he kissed her slowly, causing her to moan again. She felt his kisses travel down her jawline to her neck. Down to her shoulder and then to her breasts where he took his time, greedily latching onto each nipple.
The erotic nature of his gleeful kisses was nearly too much for Padmé and she squirmed as he moved his lips from her breast down to her stomach, continuing to take his time as he gently kissed her sensitive flesh. She wondered what he was doing, this was something he had never done before.
She nearly cried out at the loss of his kisses as he repositioned his body between her legs, and she had a nagging suspicion of what he was about to do, but it couldn't be, he had never performed that act on her before, nor had any man. She gasped as his kisses traveled lower to her pubic bone and trembled with desire. He was going to do this.
When Vader finally moved his lips to her most sensitive area, she cried out. Enjoying the beautiful expression of love that he was performing on her. Her hips bucked slightly as his lips and tongue worked on her sensitive area, making her eyes roll back into her head. Her hands clutched his hair, encouraging him not to stop, but he didn't need the encouragement. She knew that he was doing exactly as he intended.
After a few moments under his expert kisses to her core, Padmé felt her legs begin to shake. Oh, gods, he was going to bring her to her peak. "Ani!", she cried out. It was nearly too much, so she grabbed the bedspread and held on as her hips began to buck almost uncontrollably, but he kept his lips and tongue firmly in place. Then, stars in her eyes exploded as she was taken all the way by him. Oh Force, he was good at that. She couldn't think straight, she laid there twitching and unable to comprehend what was going on.
She felt him move her to her side, further down the bed and she felt his member at her lips. Without thinking, she greedily took him into her mouth, using her hand and lips to pleasure him in a way that she was still learning how to do, but she was determined to show him the same love and pleasure that he showed to her.
After a while, he began bucking his own hips, thrusting himself into her mouth as she kept bringing him closer to his peak. She could feel his strong hand at the back of her head, encouraging her to do more, which she did. She would do anything for him.
Padmé felt him tighten and braced herself for what was to come. Almost immediately, he began to pulse into her mouth, and she swallowed all that she could, continuing to work on him with her lips and her hand. She heard him moan loudly as he became overstimulated, but she needed him to be hard and ready again.
After he was as solid as could be, she crawled up to him and gave him a kiss. "That was fun", she said huskily. "Now, show me what you really can do. Don't hold back on me, I know if you are going to old back on me, Ani."
She grinned as she saw Vader smirk. "If you're sure, I'll show you exactly what you need, Angel", he said.
"I'm sure", she whispered.
In a flash, he had her flipped over on her stomach and he roughly entered her from behind. He took her in the roughest way possible, her cries spilling out of her uncontrollably. His hips smacking against her firm ass, filling the room with erotic noises.
When he placed his hand at the back of her skull, grabbing a fistful of her hair, she bit her lip and smiled, knowing what was to come. He yanked back on her hair and she cried out in a painful pleasure that only women who had undergone the same experience would ever know. His thrusts increased as he pulled her further close to him to the point where her arched back was nearly touching his. Only her knees were touching the bed as her hands were too far off to be able to support herself.
Padmé's cries turned into screams from the roughness of the encounter, forcing her to reach behind her to grasp his hips as he continued to pound her into oblivion.
"Oh, gods, Ani", she cried. "What else do you have up your sleeve. Don't hold back on anything." Her voice was pleading, begging, wanting.
She heard Vader grunt humorously and his other hand reached around to grab her throat, squeezing tightly. She felt her blood become cut off from her brain and knew that he was going to make her cum from that alone. It was driving her crazy with lust, with love. She was giving all of herself freely to her man, to her lover to do with her as he pleased.
The lack of blood from her brain was causing her to convulse and she felt some relief when he loosened his grip, but as soon as she felt that relief, her body began to convulse uncontrollably, and she knew that her peak was seconds away. She cried out forcefully and her voice felt hoarse from the massive pleasure that she was feeling. Dammit, this was one of the best orgasms she had ever received.
With her body still quivering, she fell to her hands and knees, completely spent. She didn't know if Vader reached his peak or not, but when he lifted her hips and began thrusting into her again, she knew that he did not.
"Ani!", she cried out. "It's so much! I can't take it!"
"Yes, you can, and you will", he growled as he mercilessly tore into her.
Padmé didn't know how. She was completely over stimulated from finishing two times in a row, her body felt limp, and her core felt like it was on fire, especially with his continued attack.
She felt her hips be raised even further and then something unexpected happened. Oh, gods, no, she thought as she felt his fingers go to her most sensitive area. He intended to finish her off for a third time in a row. She didn't even know if that was possible. Surely, there were limits to what the body could withstand. His touch was hot against her sensitive flesh as he thrusted and rubbed at a furious pace.
"I can't do it", she shouted.
"You can and you will", he replied hoarsely, signaling that he was approaching his own peak. She could hear the desperation in his voice, he wanted to give her an experience that would last her for the longest time. Filling her with the deepest pleasure that would never be able to be replicated by another man, not that she wanted another man.
A curious sensation began to overwhelm her. It was her third peak approaching rapidly, but this time it was going to be more intense. Rawer. She bit her lip in anticipation to the point where she nearly drew blood. Her arms and legs began to tremble, and she felt her core begin to spasm hard, clenching down around his member as if her body was desperately trying to make him finish so the onslaught would be stopped. So she could be given a respite no matter how wonderful this felt.
Suddenly, she gripped the sheets and threw her head back and screamed a shrill scream that was surely heard throughout the estate and even outside on the perimeter gardens. She didn't notice that his hips were slamming into her even faster, that his rubs were continuing, she was becoming numb, completely numb.
Her screams were so loud that she didn't hear his own bellow of pleasure, but she could strangely feel him pulse deep inside of her. It was amazing, a way for them both to climax in a way that she never thought was possible. A way that she knew that could never be replicated unless he ever attacked her so voraciously again.
Padmé felt him collapse on top of her, pressing her firmly into the mattress. She was nearly catatonic, unable to move, barely able to breathe. Flashes of light continued to pulse into her vision, and she was completely spent. Unable to think. The oxytocin was filling her brain to the point of complete intoxication.
"Was that good enough for you?", Vader asked roughly as he kissed the back of her neck.
Could she respond? She didn't know, but she might as well try. "It was", she slurred. "I'm spent."
She could hear Vader chuckling. "Of course, you are, Angel. So am I", he whispered into her ear. His hot breath burning her to the point where it was nearly unbearable. But she loved it, she loved every bit of it.
When he rolled off of her, she sucked in a deep breath, but cried out at the loss of his brawny muscles pinning her to the bed. She felt him pull her onto her side, embracing her as his searing lips descended upon her own. Kissing her with an unbridled passion that she couldn't keep up with.
After they broke, her oxygen deprived brain was finally beginning to become saturated again. She looked into his eyes, his beautiful azure eyes and felt weak all over again.
"That was so intense, so raw, but so incredible", she breathed.
"It was for me too", he admitted. "Are you alright?"
She moaned and nodded her head. "I'm better than alright, I'm completely satisfied."
"Good, that's exactly what I wanted to hear", Vader said softly as he kissed her head.
When he got on his knees, her mind nearly panicked that he was about to take her again, but she was slightly disappointed when he tucked her under the covers. She laid there with stars in her vision, trying to cope with the wonderful trauma that had been inflicted upon her so sensually.
Padmé barely noticed when Vader used the Force to call their bourbon glasses to their hands, using the decanter in mid air to top off their drinks while he sat it down on his nightstand. She greedily drank the liquid, needing to feel some continued intoxication from the wonderful love making she had just experienced.
After a period of time that she was unaware of, she began to regain control of her body and her mind. She looked over at him and smirked. "You really know what I need, don't you, you bastard", she said with a smirk.
"I most certainly do", Vader chuckled darkly. "Your body is like a temple that is just craving to be violated in the most wonderful ways. Your purity is something that begs to be corrupted, at least temporarily."
Those words made Padmé blush and shiver. "Thank you for knowing me so well, Ani", she said. "Thank you for relaxing me."
"Thank you for relaxing me, Angel", he replied.
Padmé took another long drink, draining her glass. She had the foresight to place it onto her nightstand as she began to feel incredibly exhausted, needing the comforting embrace of sleep.
Vader set down his own glass and flicked off the lights with a waive of his hand. She felt him snuggle close to her and wrap her up in an embrace, not too tight, but just right.
"Goodnight, my love", he whispered.
"Goodnight, my love, my everything", she whispered back as her eyes grew heavy and sleep overcame her.
…
Padmé opened her eyes and found herself in a strange place. It was light outside and it was a crowded marketplace on some unknown world. Was this another dream of Vader's memories? Which version was she about to see? The teenager, the brashly charming man, or the Sith Lord?
She walked around, searching for her quarry, desperate to find him in this place. Finally, she saw him in all his glory. It was the brashly charming man.
Walking quickly to catch up to him, she was mere paces from him as she followed him into a back alley way. He was certain to notice her, certain to sense her through the Force, but she couldn't stop now. She had to find out why he was here, what he was doing.
Suddenly, he froze and slowly turned around to see her. His face morphed into a surprised smile.
"I see you found me, Angel", he said as he walked up to her. "How in the hell did you find me?"
"Tenacity", she replied. "Tenacity and love."
That made his smile grow wider for a moment before it disappeared. "You know, as much as I enjoy seeing you here, I'm about to go to a place that you can't follow me to", he said.
"Which place is that?", she asked, partly knowing the answer and partly praying that she was wrong.
She easily spotted his grimace. "It's a place where I'll become someone that I don't believe that you'll be fond of me once I'm finished there", Anakin said.
"Oh, my sweet Ani", Padmé replied as she closed the distance between them, wrapping him up in a hug and placing her cheek firmly against his chest. "Whatever you're about to go through, I promise that one day when we do meet again, I will still love you in ways that you never thought possible."
"How do you know?", Anakin asked dumbfounded.
"Because I just know. Wherever you're going, and I suspect it'll be a place of hell, just keep me in your heart. Keep me there, love, and you'll make it to the other side. You'll make it back to me eventually", she said as she tried to control her emotions. It was difficult, it was hard. She knew he was about to be tortured relentlessly for an unknown period of time until he finally broke, until he finally became Darth Vader. A man that she would love forever, but still a man that would carry agony around with him for the rest of time.
"It will be hell", he choked out. "But I have every intention of keeping you in my heart."
"That's all I ask, Ani", she whispered.
Padmé pulled back and braced herself. "Now, you go do whatever it is that you have to do, but know that I'll be waiting for you. Know that I will love you, even if you think you'll become someone that I'll hate.
Anakin froze, not knowing what to say. Almost as if he didn't want the moment to end, the spell to be broken.
"Angel, I will pray that you're right. I promise I'll keep you in my heart, just keep me in yours. I'll need your love, even if we're far apart from one another", he said.
"I promise", she whispered.
In the blink of an eye, Anakin raced towards her and crushed his lips to her. Showing her that the emotions that he felt for her on Kashyyyk were real. Of course, Padmé knew they were real, but even in this memory, this memory so close to when he had said goodbye to her, it was still raw passion. Longingness for her.
When he pulled away, she could tell that he was sad and afraid.
"Go on, love", Padmé encouraged. "I'll be waiting for you."
"Alright, love", Anakin replied as he turned away from her and kept walking down the alley way as stoically as possible, not looking back.
Padmé felt tears streaming down her face, knowing all to well what he was about to face, what he was about to endure. But she was also comforted that she would still be in her heart, that he would hold onto the memory of her to make it through.
…
Padmé opened her eyes and felt the soreness from the night's activities set on full. She turned her head and saw Vader sleeping peacefully as he held her. She did as she normally did, she turned towards him and buried her face into his chest.
The memories that he was subconsciously sharing with her gave her such an insight into the man that she loved. He was a good man, who unfortunately was raised under evilness that she was just beginning to comprehend. But there was still good in him, she saw it more and more, even through his touches with the darkness.
Her breathing slowed as she felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest on her face. This was the man that she would gladly marry, the one that she would protect at all cost. From Obi-Wan, the Emperor, the Rebellion, everyone. Even if that meant hat she would have to suffer, as he had suffered enough in his life.
She loved him deeply and that would never change.
A/N: Things are starting to heat up with Obi-Wan now in the picture and the eventual discussion on how to get rid of Sidious. I hope you don't mind the smut, it's fun to write and I feel that it bonds the characters more than omitting it would be.
Anyway, as usual, if you liked the chapter, please consider showing some support by dropping a review and following!