"Noooooooo!" The denial screamed from her lips as if ripped from her very soul.

For one gut-wrenching second, she froze, her feet skidding to a halt, and Padme was certain her heart actually stopped beating for a moment before a wave of panic rose to engulf her, forcing her to charge ahead.

"Ani! Ani! Ani Ani Ani Ani Ani...ANI!"

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Her heart pounded in her ears, her breathing became labored, a high pitched ringing drowning anything and everything else out. Her entire body felt numb as she moved. She didn't realize she was scrambling until she almost tripped trying to get down the stairs. She caught herself at the last second, shaking hands clutching the rail for balance, and continued skipping two stairs at a time to get down to the hangar bay landing dock.

Or what was left of it.

Her eyes remained glued to the flaming wreckage that was Anakin's ship. She didn't know what she was intending to do once she reached it. All she knew was she would get him out of there. Alive. And if he was dead, well, she'd bring him back from it, too.

The fact that, in her mind, she wasn't thinking of him as Vader totally escaped her as she dashed across the deck to try and reach him.

Nevermind that she was pretty useless in this circumstance. After all, her uniform was only slightly flame retardant. The inferno that currently devoured Anakin's ship would be much too intense for her to take.

She didn't give a damn.

But, as she sprinted headlong towards the mangled remains of the ship, the wreckage suddenly heaved, and she barely had time to slide to a stop when the smoking mass of twisted durasteel and flames split down the middle with a bone-shaking screech, belching out a pyroclastic wave of melting heat and debris, heat that she could feel on her face even from where she stood.

"ANI!"

She didn't even realize she was yelling. More importantly, the line between Anakin and Vader had, in that moment, blurred at last. It didn't erase the fact that Vader existed, and that he'd done terrible, horrible, unspeakable things to the galaxy and, more importantly, to their family, but he was still her husband. Somewhere inside there anyway. The fact that they were presently under attack by the Empire made that rather obvious. She didn't think even the Emperor would go so far as to threaten the life of an apprentice as powerful as Vader unless he'd betrayed him.

Obviously, Vader had at least attempted to assassinate Sidious, which was a good thing. Maybe? Maybe not? Truthfully, she wasn't entirely sure what to think about that, but, in all honesty, she didn't have the time to contemplate it. Not right now. She just needed him to live. They could figure out specifics later if he would just live.

Sure enough, as the dust began to settle and the smoke began to clear, the heat died down and a black figure emerged from the wreckage, stumbling and hunched over, but moving, breathing, alive. For now.

Thank the Force.

She was vaguely aware that her mouth moved, soundlessly, as she attempted to go to him...but suddenly found herself unable to move, as if blocked by an invisible shield. She was startled for a moment, but she'd been around enough Jedi and Sith to recognize the Force being used to hold her back from moving forward to help him. She wasn't completely immobile, because she stumbled back a step easily as he continued to stalk toward her in his hulking armor, but anytime she tried to move forward to meet him halfway, her body seized up.

Protecting her, as usual. When she didn't want it. Figured.

Sith or Jedi, Dark Side or Light, there were just some things about her husband that would never change.

"Stop that!" She demanded, frustration finally breaking through the hold of absolute terror that had gripped her, now that she knew he was alive. "I'm just trying to help!"

He didn't answer for a moment, and her eyes narrowed as she realized he was moving erratically. He stumbled and swayed, his armor still smoking-clearly much more fire retardant than her own uniform-and she realized the mechanical breathing of his suit sounded...labored.

The frustration and anxiety instantly increased. He was injured. But, where?

Her eyes scanned him from helmet to heel, looking for any signs of injury. It was a nasty crash-even his suit would have had a hard time protecting him from sustaining internal injuries. Perhaps she wouldn't be able to see it…

No. There. Lodged in his side, a long, thin, black piece of shrapnel poked out from the folds of his armor, almost obscured by the now tattered cloak (which, apparently, had not been flame retardant).

She gasped, and this time when she tried to go to him, he let her. Evidently, he'd decided he was well enough away from the wreckage to allow her to approach him, and she reached him this time. She reached out with both hands to touch him, then stopped, drawing away instead. She honestly had no idea what she could do to help him. She wasn't a doctor or a medic. She only had basic first aid knowledge, and this was way beyond that. "You need a medical droid." She finally rasped through her mask.

Anakin...Vader...whoever he was, reached up slowly and began to unfasten the mask. It must be suffocating in there, she realized as he managed to pull it off, and he gasped painfully. Again, she was struck by just how pale he was now, and by how much weight he had lost since he'd been her Jedi, her Anakin. Frankly, he looked like he was almost at death's door. "There are more important things to worry about," he finally managed to gasp out, one hand going to his side.

"Don't touch it, you'll only make it worse!" She snapped at him, her voice sounding harsher than she'd meant it to, but...well, could he blame her? The last two years couldn't exactly disappear in an instant, even if she was scared to death.

The ship shuddered and shook around them, and vaguely she recalled they were still in the midst of a fierce battle that they would very likely lose. "I'm aware of that," he replied dryly, one eyebrow arching, his lips twisting as he looked at her. He was much calmer than she was currently feeling-at least outwardly.

Sure enough, now that she really looked at him, she was surprised - and maybe even delighted? - to see that his eyes had lost that Sith gold color. Now, just like Sola had claimed, they were the same cerulean blue that haunted her dreams nightly...albeit filled with pain and exhaustion right now instead of the love and passion she remembered. "But, we're in the middle of an impossible battle, if you haven't noticed. I need to get back out there and help my men to try and increase our odds of surviving."

Padme's jaw dropped open, and she reached up to pull off her own mask so he could not only feel her disbelief and disagreement in the Force, but actually see it as well. "By the Force! You are in no state to be fighting in any battles! Are you out of your mind? Kriff! Anakin, you can barely stand upright, in case you haven't noticed!"

Instead of rebuking her, the corners of his lips twitched upwards in obvious amusement. "Anakin, huh?" His voice was strained in an attempt at teasing her, but it didn't quite sound believable.

She simply glared back at him, choosing, for the moment, to ignore the very real significance of the use of his given name instead of his Sith title. "Don't change the subject."

"Oh, but I do intend to have that conversation with you, My Love. Whether you like it or not."

"Only if we survive this debacle because otherwise, it seems a moot point."

"Yes, well, to survive, I need to get back out there. I'm the best pilot in the galaxy. You can be assured that Sidious will be sending more ships. So, the best place for me to be is outside this ship in the thick of battle." He motioned with a gloved hand towards the hangar bay entrance.

She stared at him, dumbfounded. "You literally have shrapnel sticking in your side."

"It looks worse than it is. My suit protected me from the worst of it." He waved a hand dismissively. She didn't know how true that actually was. Honestly, could she really say she trusted him at all? She once did. Then, she didn't at all. Now...she had no idea what to think.

But he had a valid point. They were under attack.

The odds were completely stacked against them. It suddenly occurred to her that once upon a time, it would have been Anakin trying to stop her from doing her duty for her people in the name of protecting her. Now, the roles were reversed, and here she was, fighting her instincts to ignore his protestations and call a medical droid anyway, while he was the one focusing on the goal of making sure everyone on board survived. Including her.

For the first time in their marriage, she began to understand him. She thought she had back in the days of the Republic, but thinking back on it, she realized now it had only been intellectual understanding and sympathy. She hadn't truly understood him. She had always been so focused on her own duty, that she hadn't understood his true motivation when Anakin had wanted to abandon duty to 'play around,' as she'd once viewed it. Because of that, she hadn't truly comprehended at all how he could turn against everything he'd once claimed to believe in all in the name of saving her.

But now, standing there with his declared duty warring with her desire to keep him safe, to make sure his life was saved, she began to truly understand his thought processes. Ok, maybe not fully, and it still didn't excuse anything he'd done to the detriment of the galaxy and to their family, but...she finally began to see how he would do anything to save her.

Still. He wouldn't last out there by himself. Being the most powerful Force wielder aside, he was clearly struggling just to stay upright. The Force would only help him so much. In that moment, she saw her chance to be useful.

So, she took it.

"Ok. Fine. But, I'll be your gunner."

Anakin/Vader blinked, startled for a moment before his eyes and his expression hardened. "Absolutely not. I literally rushed here - in a damaged ship, no less - just to make sure I could protect you. I'm not about to turn around and drag you out there into a dogfight with me…"

Rolling her eyes, she arched her eyebrows at him, crossed her arms over her chest and essentially dared him to refute her next statement. "But, I'm in this battle whether you like it or not. Besides...You're way too injured to be out there in an intense dogfight on your own. And, you know it."

He pointed a finger at her, giving her an intense look, "You don't know the power of the…"

"Yes, yes, I'm aware," she cut him off, reaching out and pushing his finger away from her face. She doubted any of his men would dare do that to him, and secretly it pleased her to see the scowl on his face as he likely thought that, too. Being his wife obviously afforded her such a privilege, and she knew her smirk told him so, making him huff in irritation...but he said nothing, a silent acknowledgment that she was right, which she couldn't deny she found amusing, even in such dire circumstances. "But, you are also notorious for ignoring the needs of your body. So, I'm going with you, and I'll be your gunner since you are, as you correctly stated, a better pilot than anyone else in the galaxy, even in this state."

His expression darkened. "We might not make it out of this alive, Padme. The twins need you."

This was true. "But if we fail, I'll die whether I'm with you out there or not. I would rather be doing something to improve our chances and change our fate than to simply stand here and watch from the sidelines and let fate make the decision for me."

Though he still hesitated, she could see the pain was overwhelming him, reminding him that she was right. Again. He couldn't do this alone if he truly planned on going out there. He was silent so long that, when another shudder rocked the ship, she opened her mouth to insist again, but he held up a gloved hand, stopping her.

"Fine." His voice was clipped, irritated, worried, but he was already moving (slowly) towards one of the still intact TIE fighters sitting in the hangar bay. "I guess if we die, we do it together this time."

She had no intention of either of them dying. He was right-Luke and Leia needed her. No. Needed them. But, she didn't voice that. Now wasn't the time to discuss his potential role, if any, in their children's lives. "Let's go then, shall we?"

She followed after him, determination flooding her veins, a part of her secretly thrilled to be taking on the Emperor's minions with her husband at her side instead of Obi-Wan. It was just like old times, Anakin and Padme, the Skywalkers fighting together against all the odds.

"May the Force be with us, Ani," she whispered after they climbed into the TIE and got buckled in, as he prepped the fighter for launch.

After a momentary pause, his reply came just as soft, "Indeed, Angel. May the Force be with us."

With that, they lifted off from the deck, he engaged the thrusters, and they shot out of the hangar bay, barreling straight into the fray.


"E chu ta!" He swore in Huttese, adding a string of vile comments after it he knew Padme wouldn't know.

Not that it mattered. His wife knew the score.

And, the fact was...they were totally screwed. He knew it. She knew it, and blast it all, he was a kriffing fool for letting her come with him on what was basically a suicide run. Because, though he hated to admit it, his wife was correct.

He was in absolutely no condition to fight.

He'd known that the moment the ship had crashed and exploded upon hitting the wall, and he'd felt the blinding, shooting pain pierce his side upon impact. Another happy landing, Obi-Wan might have called it. But, he wasn't about to tell Padme that. He wasn't about to tell her how much it hurt, or how his vision frequently went blurry as he weaved their way through the battle, and he had to rely on the Force to guide him. It wasn't exactly a good state to command anything in, much less fly in battle in.

He had no choice though.

He'd spoken the truth to her earlier. He was the best pilot in the galaxy, even in his growing incapacitated state. The Force would guide him through the stars, through the litany of fighters streaming all around them. It always had, and it always would. He was a Skywalker, after all.

The name clanged through his mind over and over again as he maneuvered the ship through the ever increasing debris field,dodging cannon fire and laser shots. Skywalker. His old name. His birth name. The name he shared with his mother. A name he had once been so proud of. Yet...it somehow seemed foreign to him now. Not quite his own. But, Padme had called him Anakin again. Ani, even. His old nickname bestowed upon him by his beloved mother. His wife had made it crystal clear to him she wouldn't call him that ever again. She had, in fact, considered that part of him long dead. So, if she was suddenly calling him by that old endearment again, perhaps she saw something in him that he himself didn't fully see just yet.

Maybe. But, now wasn't the time to consider such matters.

No. Now, it was just about staying alive.

His vision blurred again as the Force trilled a warning, and he pulled the ship into a fast spiral. "Oh Force, I forgot what that felt like…" Padme grumbled when he straightened out and dove back into battle. Despite the dire situation, he grinned. Though he didn't really want her anywhere near the gunner's seat, he was actually glad she was there. Her presence, even now as his body was rocked with painful shudders around the shrapnel still sticking from his side, soothed him. It calmed the raging fury that was directed at the man who had tricked him, had lied to him, and had destroyed everything he'd once cared about. It soothed his whirling, distracted thoughts about what it meant that she'd come to him, whether or not she'd brought Obi-Wan was immaterial, what he would say to her if they survived this.

Padme was soothing, like she always had been.

Even as she was effortlessly destroying enemy TIE fighters with the ship's advanced blasters. Smirking, he had to admit his wife's aim was dead on...and together, they made a lethal combination.

The comm on the control panel suddenly lit up. Using the Force, for he dared not release the iron grip he held on the ship's controls, he turned it on-voice only. He wasn't quite ready to give the guise of Lord Vader up just yet. "This had better be important."

The moment he spoke, he winced. His voice, without his helmet, sounded less intimidating. No less commanding, but...it wasn't the deep booming mechanized voice of Vader.

It was the smooth baritone voice of General Skywalker.

"Ah." He instantly recognized the voice as Piett's, and he winced. "L-Lord Vader?"

Clearly, the new voice threw Piett off.

"Yes, Admiral, get on with what you're calling about. I'm in the middle of trying to help save the fleet." On queue, he dove under another enemy TIE fighter, and behind him he heard Padme go for the trigger and the little red dot on his scopes disappeared. He felt the enemy pilot's life blink out and disintegrate into the Force. Truly, his wife was an amazing shot. Another hesitation. No doubt Piett was considering whether or not to believe him. Rolling his eyes, Vader opened his mouth to give the code phrase that only Piett would know, should his identity ever come into question. He'd never thought he'd ever have to use it, but it seemed now was the time. "The Angel is at Varykino."

From behind him, he sensed Padme tense, heard her quick inhale of breath, and he realized she'd know exactly why he chose that phrase. He told himself his face had gone hot due to the injury in his side - and not from the surge of desire for his Angel he felt flood his veins, which he chose to ignore - as Piett cleared his throat. "Yes, My Lord. Sorry. While we have destroyed the majority of the cruisers, there are incoming signals headed for the starboard side of the ship. The shields have dropped to fifteen percent. While the ship is holding together, I don't think…"

Vader inwardly cursed Sidious and his own stupidity for falling into this damn trap. Options were thin. If he was honest with himself, he didn't know how they would, or could, get themselves out of this one. It surely looked like the end. "Leave the last of these starships to me." He didn't know what he planned to do exactly. He'd think of something. His wife wasn't the only one who had mastered improvisation in this family. Perhaps he'd board and take the ship down from within. The problem with that plan was that boarding was risky at best and always had a higher chance of him going down with the ship, and this time he had Padme with him. So, that wasn't such a good idea, he had to admit, discarding the thought immediately.

For a moment, it sounded like Piett was talking to someone in the background. Then, Piett returned, his voice clearly uncomfortable as he said, "My Lord, I have a message for you from Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Rage flashed through Vader so hard and so fast, his vision went red and the control under his right hand crushed with the strength of his grip. He took in deep breaths, multiple nasty responses springing to his lips….responses he struggled to bury as he reminded himself that he was the one who had allowed the man onto his ship. He hadn't been with Padme though, so where….?

"He says that he knows Nightblade is with you, and not to do anything...insane. She has others who depend on her." Piett continued, almost oblivious to his commander's rising anger.

Vader opened his mouth to bite out a scathing retort, but Padme beat him to it. "Tell him to stop fussing. I'm safer out here than anywhere else on that Force forsaken star ship. Focus on bringing down the incoming ships."

"Wait, why….? Kriff, he's not on the bridge, is he?!" Vader practically roared.

"Of course he is. You weren't here. He has experience leading battles on Star Destroyers. And, he has the Force. It only made sense for him to help. Cut the whining, will you!" Padme was completely unapologetic and unconcerned that she was in close quarters with an increasingly angry Sith Lord.

Vader spluttered, "I said he could come with you, not take command of my men and my ship! Piett…"

"Kriff! Will you just shut up?! For Force's sake, you know he's not going to stage a mutiny aboard your ship!" Padme interrupted furiously.

"No, I don't know that, and no, I won't shut up! He's a Jedi! He already took everything from me once before, why in the hell wouldn't he take my ship, too….?"

"Er...My Lord, would you like me to, um, order him off the bridge?" Piett interrupted somewhat sheepishly, obviously rather surprised at the heated exchange taking place over the open comm channel between husband and wife - and that Vader had allowed his wife to speak to him in such a manner...and live.

"Yes!" Vader snarled through clenched teeth.

At the same time, Padme hotly demanded, "NO! Don't you dare, Admiral! Like it or not, we're in this fight together, and we need Master Kenobi there on the bridge. He stays, dammit!"

Vader let out a roar of frustration at his wife's tenacity, cursing in Huttese again. Clearly, they weren't exactly seeing completely eye to eye just yet.

But, they didn't have time to continue arguing the point further, because just as Piett had warned, another six cruisers jumped out of hyperspace at the Executor's starboard side. Despite having faced grim odds before, Vader's stomach tightened. He didn't have to be experienced in battle to know the end when he saw it. "Fine. Let him help if he insists, Piett. The moment we're out of this situation, however, escort him back to a secure holding area. I will deal with him later." He ignored the grunt of disbelief and the hotly spewed expletives behind him.

Already, he was trying to figure out an alternative to keeping his wife alive. He didn't like running from battle. He should die beside his men. It was what Anakin Skywalker would do, had he been the only one leading this mission. But, he wasn't exactly Skywalker anymore. And, more to the point, he wasn't alone. Padme needed to survive, not only for him, but most importantly for their children, who even now were waiting back home on Gandle Ott for their mother's return. He'd modified all of his TIEs with both shielding and hyperspace capabilities. If he was quick enough, he could escape, jump into hyperspace and take her somewhere safe, leaving her there before returning to the Executor.

By then, it would likely be too late.

At least, that's what he assumed, until Piett's voice came over the comm again. "My Lord...they're hailing us."

Vader frowned. What?! This didn't add up. If they were sent by Sidious, they should have just started firing. Why contact them? "Put them through," Vader commanded, and a moment later another voice joined the call.

"Lord Vader, this is Admiral Donovan Kon. We are here to assist in your cause, My Lord." The voice was unfamiliar. Vader frowned in disbelief as he dodged yet another TIE that was instantly blown to bits by his trigger happy wife.

"You would betray your Emperor, Admiral?" Vader pressed with disbelief in his tone, not believing his ears. He didn't have to. The six ships cruised past the Executor, entering into attack formation as it closed in on the remaining, badly damaged cruiser.

"With all due respect, My Lord," The Admiral sniffed, "We recognize who truly holds the reins of power in this Empire."

With that, all six ships began to open fire. Within moments, the last enemy ship disintegrated before their very eyes, lighting up the sky with explosion after explosion. He felt the deaths of all onboard through the Force, felt their terror at the betrayal of their own before the end. The last of the enemy TIE fighters scattered in panic, especially as more TIEs from the newly arrived six ships began to pour out and move in towards their location. From here, Vader could feel the intense determination of the TIE pilots who recognized that what they were doing was treason against their Emperor…

But not their Empire. To them, Vader was their Empire.

"We are yours to command, Lord Vader."

Vader sat there in stunned silence, watching as the last of the enemy TIEs began to be shot down one by one, until there were none left. He'd known there were many in the Empire who thought he had more power and control than Sidious did, but he'd never imagined they'd actually defect to his side, should the time come. Sure, some few under his direct command had already made that choice, but not six entire cruisers. Darth Vader didn't exactly inspire confidence and leadership in his men.

But, Anakin Skywalker did.

"Piett." Vader commanded.

"Yes, My Lord?" Piett asked, his voice just barely controlling the awe he too must have been feeling.

"Send the ships the coordinates to our rendezvous point. Admiral Kon, you will wait there with your fleet until I join you, upon which time I will impart further orders." He hesitated. "Are….others coming?"

He expected a no, but again, the Admiral surprised him. "Many others will likely join us, My Lord. We only arrived because the Emperor instructed us to destroy you and your ship. We decided to help you instead. We've sent messengers out to our other contacts, but we're still awaiting responses."

From behind him, he heard Padme whisper, "Holy Stars…" in utter disbelief. Not that he blamed her.

Holy Stars was right.

"Good." His voice was tight. "Make note of those who intend on joining, but do not give away the rendezvous point just yet. I'd like my own spies to make sure they aren't working for the Emperor."

"Yes, My Lord." Admiral Kon replied, and Vader cut the transmission.

For a moment, they sat there in stunned silence. "You've...Do you, uh, know what this means, Ani?" Padme whispered, her tone incredulous.

Vader nodded, too stunned to speak. He'd unwittingly staged a mutiny within the ranks of the Imperial Navy. If the Admiral was indeed correct, it was possible a sizable number of troops would pledge their loyalty to Lord Vader.

He'd suddenly become a leader in his very own Rebellion. The irony wasn't lost on him.

Already, the other TIEs were beginning to turn back for the Executor or their other respective cruisers. Numbly, Vader followed suit.

"I think we have a lot to talk about." Padme said softly. "Not just...us...but….this."

Vader gulped, his vision going dangerously blurry again as the pain threatened to overwhelm him. "You're right" he said just as softly, as he guided the ship towards the hangar bay. Suddenly, everything seemed like too much. He never thought he'd say that. He was….he had been...a Sith Lord. Sith Lords didn't get overwhelmed. Yet, here he was, his vision beginning to darken as pain shot through his body in ever increasing waves of agony. The...sudden developments with his own little Rebellion was enough to add a headache that pounded in his head, on top of the throbbing shrapnel wound in his side. "Just...after I rest a bit, Angel."

"Ani?" Padme's voice suddenly sounded far away, as if in a tunnel. It was all he could do to guide his TIE back to the hangar. "Ani!"

But he didn't hear her screaming. He couldn't hear anything; everything sounded garbled and distorted, his vision blurry and unfocused.

As he somehow managed to land the ship safely back in the hangar, he slumped forward over the controls before the engines had even shut down, his whole world going black…


Hey everyone, sorry for the late update again. I'm actually out of the country right now for a few months, so I'm kind of writing when I have the time (and energy) to do so. Anyway, it's a slight cliffhanger, but I will do my best to update soon. Enjoy and Review!

Love,

Sarah