Hi all! This chap references an AOTC deleted scene from Padmé's bedroom (the photo projections). I suggest you watch it on youtube if you haven't already. I hope you enjoy this chap!
Also I fixed some errors here, sorry if you noticed anything funny with the original upload of this chapter. I sincerely apologise. Enjoy!

ooooo

There had never been a meeting she'd dreaded more. Through all her years of being a junior legislator, leading as royalty and serving as senator, she had endured some arduous talks with unpleasant individuals and organisations - but this was on another level.

Reluctantly leaving Luke and Leia to watch the Holo, Vader had 'invited' her to speak with him in the room next door which was an identical apartment, just devoid of children and all evidence of being lived in. It was the morning after they had been returned to her, and she had to suppress her strong maternal instinct to keep them within sight constantly. Being apart made her anxious. But being apart to speak with Vader alone made her downright petrified.

But ultimately, no matter how much she feared and hated him, she had no choice but to comply with his will because of the risk of harm to her unborn child, Obi-Wan and or even the twins if she caused trouble.

Out of sight under her dark top, her japor snippet felt warm against her breastbone alongside her and Obi-Wan's wedding necklace. She had worn the snippet the day they landed on the ship to rescue Luke and Leia, hoping it would serve as good luck charm, the way young Anakin had intended. Foolishly she had decided to give it another chance, as if it could protect her in some way. It felt childish, but she felt safer with it on even though Vader wouldn't be able to see it. Its warmth against her skin only reminded her of the difference between the sweet boy who'd carved it for her, and this cold and calculating man. They were as different as anything could ever be.

Though she wanted to run with every fibre of her being, she stepped through the threshold into the dark apartment as the guards moved aside, her heart hammering against her ribs and her palms beginning to sweat. Over and over in her head she reminded herself she had to be strong for her family, she needed to keep them safe however she could. Duty was at the core of her being, it's all she knew. Before it had been duty to her people and now it was duty to her family.

With a regal elevation of her chin, she straightened up, squared her shoulders and moved further into the room, determined to push her emotions aside and don the unreadable facade of Queen Amidala. Her years served her well and she surprised herself with her outward calm despite her inner anguish, though she was long out of practise.

By the window, a tall cloaked figure stood, his helmet reflecting the light of the stars. She approached quietly, stopping a few paces away. Padmé was hyperaware of the vulnerable child she was carrying in her stomach, and placed a protective hand over him or her, as if the evil that stood before her would contaminate them both with his presence alone.

"I didn't think you'd agree to speak with me," he said through his voice modulator, still staring out the window.

"What do you want to talk about?" she replied curtly, keeping her mouth shut from the reply she wanted to give: It's not like you give me any choice.

He breathed slowly and continued to stare out at the stars, and she took the opportunity to study the side profile of his helmet and mask. She wondered why he wore it and why he didn't show his face, not even to her in a private audience.

"I…have some questions. And I expect you have some of your own too. I think we should try to…understand one another."

She shot him a calculating look, wondering if there was a threat in that sentence. Was he going to use this opportunity to extract information about Obi-Wan? She knew her words would have to be carefully guarded. "What are your questions?"

Again, he breathed a few times, appearing to gather his thoughts. Then turned to face her, the starlight illuminating one side of him, leaving the other in shadow. "How is it that you live? I saw…on Theed. I was there that day. I detected no sign of life."

She swallowed, not allowing herself to be tripped up by any guilt he was trying to throw her way. Padmé had processed that grief long ago; he wouldn't be ripping open scars today. She had to stay strong.

"I used a vital suppressant," she replied matter-of-factly.

He made a sound that almost sounded like a laugh, but it was bitter. "I see, like the one Obi-Wan used to fool Anakin during the clone wars. It appears he passed on that little trick."

"Any other questions?" she asked, not rising to the bait.

"Yes…what were they like? When they were small?"

She hadn't been expecting that question and before she could guard her mouth her anger rose up instinctively to protect them. "You don't deserve to know anything about them."

He looked at her sharply. "Tell me."

"No."

"Padmé, need I remind you of the precarious situation you are in? No one is coming to your rescue. You are at my mercy," he looked down at her and she resisted the urge to tremble, though whether it was from fear or protectiveness she didn't know. "Co-operate. Now."

Closing her eyes, she took a deep steadying breath. This monster who killed her beloved Anakin didn't deserve to hear anything about them. He wasn't even their father, not truly. It felt like if she shared any memories with him, he would be there, in their childhood. He would have access. But what could she do? She couldn't deny him.

"They were…" she shook her head, trying to find the words that would dispel his curiosity whilst protecting their privacy. "They were typical children. Making mess, being loud, running about. Everything you'd expect."

"Tell me more."

She was glad at that moment that Obi-Wan had all of their belongings. In her pack she had hastily gathered their collection of photo projections as they'd left the cottage. Similar to the framed projections she had in her family home on Naboo, the memories were precious moving snippets in time when Luke and Leia had been small. Her favourite photo projection was one of them all at the town's river where they would swim on hot summer days. If Vader had searched her belongings upon her arrest, he would have access to those happy memories and the thought made her skin crawl.

"They… loved playing together, running through the grass, catching bugs. They climbed trees, fell out of them," a tug of the tiniest smile played on her lips before she could stop it. Her face sobered. "You can imagine the rest, just a regular rural childhood, nothing like what either of us had."

Vader seemed to be satisfied for now, moving back to look out of the window, placing two large gloved hands on the sill. "You are confusing me with someone else. I had no childhood."

Her heart thudded. "I guess I am."

"And what of their education?"

"They attended a small school in our village."

"Are they bright?"

"Yes."

"Leia told me she broke a boy's arm. It sounded as if this boy had harassed her."

"She always stands up to bullies," she gave him a pointed look. "She cannot stand by when there is injustice, especially against those she loves."

"I see you in her and in him."

Padmé made no comment. She didn't want to let down her guard, not even for a moment. Not for a second could she forget who she was talking with. He was probably trying to gather information to use against her, to manipulate them. Brevity was her only way to keep him at arm's length.

"Tell me…" he said after some time, his voice low and rumbling. "Why didn't you reveal to them who their real father was?"

"Because there was no need."

"No need?" he looked back at her, his voice sounded flat and emotionless but she knew underneath that modulator that was not the answer he wanted to hear. She needed to lie, and she did so well, her eyes and body language betraying nothing to him.

"They were too young. They wouldn't have understood."

"Well, now they know."

"Yes, they do."

He pushed off from the window and walked slowly around the darkened room, blending into the shadows. She stayed rooted to the spot.

"Well, don't you have anything to ask me?" he said as he walked past the sofas, grazing them with his hand.

"I don't have any questions," she lied again, her flat tone rivalling his own.

Vader sighed. "You may speak freely to me Padmé. I am not going to hurt you despite what you may think."

She was silent, unable to work out if it was safe to ask the one question she did want to ask. Battling internally with the consequences of knowing, he seemed to sense her thoughts.

"I know there is something you want to ask," he said, coming to a halt by the caf table.

"…Why do you wear that mask and outfit?" she asked after a brief hesitation, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.

His helmet tilted to the side. "You don't know?"

"No."

"Obi-Wan didn't tell you what happened after our duel on Mustafar?" he came closer.

"I didn't want to know," she shook her head slowly. "I didn't want to remember that day, ever."

Vader stopped before her, looming over her head from his great height, then turned to look out of the window again. When he spoke he sounded far away. "I was injured after our duel. I had been…overconfident with my new abilities and Obi-Wan took full advantage of an error. He cut off the bottom of my legs and left me on a hill to die." Vader spoke with no emotion, but Padmé could see the tension in his frame and his hands were clenched in fists. "In his weakness he couldn't deal the final blow himself. I caught fire in the lava and soon my whole body was eaten alive by the flames. The Emperor found me and rescued me, giving me this suit and helmet to keep me alive."

"So underneath the mask you're…" she couldn't finish the sentence.

Anakin's physical body as well as his soul had been destroyed that day…she couldn't bear to think of it. Her Ani being burnt alive at her current husband's hand, it was unbearable to imagine…but she had to remember that by the time they had landed on Mustafar he was already beyond either of their reach. Anakin had left them before then, his life dwindling and disappearing with the Coruscant sun set.

"Damaged, yes."

He continued to stare at the stars and she processed what he had told her. Hearing Vader's point of view made her aware that she had been unconscious during the event, lying with a crushed throat on the landing pad floor. Obi-Wan had picked her up and taken her away from that awful place, all the while he'd been burning alive. She shut her eyes, not wanting to picture it. She wanted Obi-Wan to come and rescue her again, to deliver her from this darkness, but it was impossible to infiltrate such a huge ship with his injuries. Vader was right, no one was coming to rescue her.

"Why didn't you get prosthetic work done?" she asked, opening her eyes and looking up at him, her voice quiet. "I'm sure you can afford the best in the galaxy."

"My master said by burns were too severe, that there was a limit to what could be replaced. Almost my whole body was," he took a breath. "Unrecoverable."

Sounds like he wants to keep you in there to make you suffer, she said internally, biting back the urge to voice this to him. How she wanted him to see the error of his ways, but she knew it would be like reasoning with a brick wall. She gave no reply, looking down at her hands and wishing she could leave.

An uncomfortable silence stretched on between them and the atmosphere became suffocating.

"Do you…require anything?" he asked at length.

"No…but the children will need some more space. You can't keep them cooped up in there for weeks."

"How much space do they require?"

She shrugged; she'd never had to think about it before. They had endless forests and fields to play in on Bakura. "I don't know, but more than that apartment."

"They have my permission to roam the ship. No one will harm them."

"But it's too dangerous," Padmé shook her head.

"I shall escort them."

No, no! She didn't want him anywhere near them, let alone giving them a tour. They wouldn't understand who they were with. They'd see it all as a game. Children were able to cry one minute, laugh the next. She couldn't let them be alone in his company, but nor could she go with them. The whole idea was morbid. Anakin's murderer showing them his ship…it made her sick.

"No."

But it appeared his mind was set. When he spoke, his tone offered no refusal, no rebuttal. It was cold and emotionless and it made her want to rally against its unyielding finality.

"They will be shown around by me Padmé."

"Anakin please…" she pleaded, trying to appeal to some minuscule part of him that would listen to her.

"Do not use that name with me!" he snapped at her and she took a step back instinctively, covering her stomach, afraid that he would raise his hand as he did on Mustafar. At seeing her sudden fear, he immediately seemed to cool down, his anger dissipating. "You will address me as Lord Vader. There is no need to be afraid. I will protect you and the children from now on."

Protect. The irony of that statement was hard to miss. They were the ones that needed protecting from him. But to keep on his good side she simply nodded as her heart rate slowed back down. Lie, deflect, do whatever necessary to keep him away.

"Are there any other questions?" she asked.

"No. You are dismissed."

Grating her teeth at being sent away like a member of staff, she inclined her head politely. One thing she remembered well from her years as queen was the importance of good manners, no matter how unpleasant the company. She thanked him for his time with all due politeness for meeting with a Lord, though her expression certainly didn't match her gracious words, and left briskly, waiting until she was back with Luke and Leia to let out the breath she had been holding. Whilst they hugged her and began to bombard her with questions, her mind kept replaying the conversation over and over, analysing every detail. Part of her still didn't really believe that they were here, stuck on this ship with him. How had this happened?

Sometime later the twins were getting restless from sitting around all day and she helped them move the sofas back so they could build an arena to play one of their wrestling matches in. Whilst they enjoyed themselves and let off some steam, she went to have a bath, hoping it would calm her agitation and her aching back and feet. She definitely didn't miss the final stages of being pregnant.

Sinking into the hot bubbles she let out a long sigh, the water igniting a flurry of tingles up her spine. Pouring water over her large stomach, she felt her baby kick, the skin visibly moving with the motion as a tiny foot pressed against her skin. Placing a hand there, she wondered how long it would be now. Vader hadn't talked of what would happen and it made her ache with worry.

Rubbing soap into a lather across her skin, she tried to enjoy the feeling of the water despite the upset that existed beyond the four walls of their apartment. The water reminded her of the favourite photo projection, the one that Obi-Wan had with him.

The moving photo appeared clearly in her mind's eye. In the shallows of the river, they had posed for the photo, the sun shining on their backs, illuminating their wet hair and their glistening skin. She had been lifting Leia up by her hands, swinging her in the water so her little feet kicked and splashed. Leia's face in the projection was scrunched up with joy, her infectious laughter bringing out Padmé's own smile. She remembered how she appeared in the moving image, a young mother living through the happiness of her young ones. Beside her Obi-Wan stood tall in the knee-deep water, holding little Luke up against his bare chest with strong forearm, a boyish grin on his face. Luke was turning around to look at the camera, showing off a toy boat with a toothy smile. The water in the background sparkled. At this moment she would give anything to be back in that photo projection. But thinking of it was only a self-torment.

Wearily she tried to focus on the here and now, holding onto hope. Through the wall she heard yelps of laughter and smiled at her children's antics, wishing she could be as carefree as they were. But her smile was bittersweet. Who knew what would happen to her family now. There was no chance of rescue and no safety for any of them, especially her unborn child.…it was hard to remain hopeful even though she was trying her best.