Part Two

by dreamingofani

Vader ran to her. He fell to his knees and scooped her up in his arms.

"Oh, Padmé..." he breathed, pressing her body close to him.

"Anakin?" she asked in disbelief.

He just nodded. He couldn't speak. He could feel her blood on his hands. He stared into her eyes desperately, tears filling his own. In all the years he had known her, Padmé had always been the strong one. He had never seen her give up. Never. But at this moment, he clearly saw a look of defeat in her eyes. It broke a heart that Vader had thought he no longer had.

"I'm sorry, Anakin..." she whispered. She still believed she'd failed him... somehow, she had.

As though reading her thoughts, he pulled her in closer. "No Padmé," he choked. "It wasn't your fault." He bit his lip in silent pain.

"Well, at least I was right about you, Ani. I knew you were in there somewhere..." She smiled a weak smile.

"Oh angel...I have always loved you..." he said through his tears.

"I love you too...Anakin?"

"Yes?" he whispered desperately.

"I have something to tell you, Ani..."

"I'm listening, Padmé..."

"You're a daddy, Ani..." she breathed.

"A...a daddy?" he asked incredulously.

She merely nodded, smiling a little.

"Goodbye, Ani..." she whispered.

"No, Padmé, you can make it.... no...don't leave me..."

"Goodbye..." she said again. A memory arose from the back of her mind and flashed before her eyes.

You must be an angel! You just don't know it...

She had one last thought:

What if I really am?

And her chocolate brown eyes slid shut for all eternity.

He sat there, unmoving.

No...she can't be gone...

His tear-filled eyes looked up over Padmé's still body.

I wasn't there for you...I wasn't there. But I wasn't there for you. You are gone. I wasn't there.

The anger began to take hold.

"Kenobi..." he growled, igniting his lightsaber over his head.

I want, oh want to take his eyes out just for looking at you. Yes I do. And I want, oh want to take his hands off just for touching you. Yes I do. And I want, oh want to rip his heart out just for hurting you. And I want to break his spine now. Yes I do.

He sprang at the man in a fit of blind rage, attacking him with all his might.

Thrust, parry, slash.

"Kenobi! Why couldn't you save her?" he yelled.

"Anakin..."

"Vader!"

Back off! I'll take you on. Headstrong to take on anyone. I know that you are wrong. Headstrong, oh headstrong.

"Anakin, there was nothing that either of us could have done. She's gone," he said sadly.

"You're wrong!" he yelled back. "This was your fault."

Stab, parry, parry.

"And you were always holding me back!" he continued. "Keeping me from discovering my true potential." He was fuming.

"That's not true, Anakin," he said calmly, parrying another attack.

"Yes it is."

The fight was intense, but neither one of them could touch the other, as well as they knew each other's fighting style.

"Anakin, stop. I don't want to hurt you."

"No. I've been waiting to do this since I was ten years old."

Vader's face was illuminated by the red and blue of the lightsabers clicking above his head.

Blue versus red.

Light versus dark.

Jedi versus Sith.

Master versus Padawan.

"Why didn't you tell me about the child?" he started again.

He knew he couldn't get out of this one. Kenobi was about to speak, but a thought crossed his mind.

He thinks there's only one...

"His name is Luke."

"Where is he?" Anakin said in a chilling voice.

"I can't tell you that."

"Tell me! Tell me now!"

"No."

They kept fighting, and Vader continued his ranting and raving. But in his blind fury, he couldn't sense some very important things.

That his daughter was hiding in a closet.

That Bail Organa was sneaking in to rescue her.

That he was backing in to a window.

There was a crash of breaking glass, and Vader fell out the window. He managed to grab hold of a passing speeder, but the boosters ignited, severly burning his entire body. He lost his grip and fell, finally landing on the pavement below him.

Obi-Wan stared down at the unconscious form. He could feel his presence in the Force, as weak as it was, and he knew that the man was still alive. But Anakin...

Anakin had died with Padmé.

A/N: The first lyrics are from Streamline by System of a Down. The second lyrics are from Insert Title here by Nickelback. The third are from Headstrong by Trapt.

Okay, that concludes my reign here in fanfiction kingdom. : (

If you want more, check out my originals.