Vader didn't know how long he sat like that, with her unconscious in his arms. In the silence that was broken only by their breathing, he whispered a promise. "I will never let anyone hurt you again."
After a while, her blue eyes fluttered open. When she had focused, she saw him above her and lurched forward, attempting to stand. Her legs were still shaky, and she collapse back into his arms. "Get away from me!" she shouted – or she tried to, it came out as more of a strangled shriek. She pushed herself away from him, stumbling to the far wall and leaning against it, breathing heavily.
She stood like this for a few minutes, trying to calm herself down. Vader stood and watched her, waiting for her to speak. He could sense her confusion, her mind whirling with conflicting emotions.
"Is it you?" she asked finally. Her tone suggested that she already knew the answer. She knew who he used to be. She knew what he'd done.
He nodded slowly, wondering what she would say next. She seemed lost in thought. Did she hate him? Should she? He couldn't think of a single reason why she wouldn't. He probably would in her position.
Her eyes clouded over, and she asked the one question he had been dreading. "Why Anakin?" She didn't call him master, he noticed. She'd outgrown that. She wasn't the same girl she had been when she left him, she didn't need him anymore. But he couldn't let her go. She didn't call him Vader either though. Perhaps it was difficult for both of them to let go of the people they used to be.
"I…the Jedi were traitors and-" he began. It came out weak and unconvinced and he knew it. She cut him off.
"You know that's not what I meant. Don't lie to me, Anakin. Why?" she asked with more force this time. Vader didn't know what to say.
"I…Padme…My master…"
She laughed humourlessly, sneering. "Your master" she spat. "He's manipulating you Anakin. He's using you for your power, and when you're of no more use to him, he'll kill you, just like all the other Jedi." Vader sighed, she was trying to reason with him, trying to see the good in him, stubborn as always. She was just like he remembered her.
"I am no Jedi," said Vader slowly "And neither are you. They betrayed you, remember?"
"They didn't betray me. I left."
"But they didn't trust you, did they? They didn't trust me either. They wouldn't make me a master, even though I was on the council, they were holding me back because they feared my power." He slammed his fist into the wall.
"They weren't holding you back Anakin, they-" again, she attempted to reason with him, but she was getting frustrated now, just like she used to, though she had gotten better at containing her anger.
He was no longer listening to her; a plan was quickly forming inside his head. "Join me" he said suddenly.
"What?" she asked, confused. "Join me," He repeated, "I know that the emperor is trying to manipulate me, but I have become more powerful than even him, I can overthrow him. Join me and we will defeat him, you will rule by my side and no one will stand in our way. We will bring peace and order to the galaxy."
She was stunned into silence for a few seconds, before regaining her wits "Are you crazy?" she shouted at him, with tears in her eyes. "Have you not been listening to anything I've just been saying? Do you even know me at all? I will never join the dark side, and the Anakin Skywalker I knew never would have either!"
This pushed Vader too far, and something snapped "I AM NOT ANAKIN" he roared "ANAKIN SKYWALKER WAS KILLED DURING THE JEDI PURGE. HE IS GONE!" she glared at him defiantly, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Something in her face, so familiar, so open and honest, immediately calmed Vader down. He took a deep breath. "Hey, Snips" he tried, using his old nickname for her "I…I'm sorry for…what I said. I didn't mean it I-"
She folded her arms. "Maybe you were right" she growled, her eyes cold and stony "maybe Anakin Skywalker is dead. I don't know you."
Vader was in a foul mood. He stormed down the corridors like a tempest. No one dared cross him. Stormtroopers and imperial officers alike hurried out of his path. Nobody knew why he was so furious; they just knew that they didn't want to be anywhere near him. He went to his quarters, slamming the door behind him.
About an hour later, there was a timid tapping on the door.
"What is it?" snapped Vader "I said that I was not to be disturbed."
The officer stuttered, "I know and I…I…I wouldn't have, sir, it's just that…I…um…"
"GET ON WITH IT" Vader roared.
The poor man replied quickly "The emperor demands your presence in the throne room immediately sir" and, with that, he scurried out of the room as fast as he could, deciding that he would request to be re-assigned as soon as possible, promising career or no. Anywhere was better than where Vader was.
A/N
Thanks for all the support, especially to Sakuralovelight, SassyAhsoka and Isabelle Ashmore for your reviews. As you can see, I did decide to continue with the story, rather than leaving it as a one shot. Please review and let me know whether you like this chapter, I would love to know what you thought. I have an idea for a third chapter in mind and I might or might not continue it after that, we will see. Thanks for reading my story.