Chapter 3

Padme sat down on her bed and stared into space. It was all too much. She fainted, and fell into a haunted sleep. Full of dreams about swirling black and footsteps, clanking, clanking.

She sat up with a jolt. The clanking footsteps were real. There was a tiny pause and the door slid open. Dressed in it's uniform was a clone officer. In its arms was a bundle. Luke? Padme felt a twinge of anger. None of these monsters should be allowed near her son. But then she reminded herself that one of these monsters was his father.

Her hair had tumbled out of its headdress and her dress was crumpled. She crossed the room and grabbed her son out of the clone's arms. "Your presence is required by my master." It told her in its almost electronic voice. Padme sighed. She wasn't really in the mood for having Palpatine make witty comments at her or Anakin glare at her.

 "I'm coming." She said grumpily. Patting her hair back into some vague kind of order and smoothing down her dress. Precariously, balancing Luke at the same time. He was fast asleep and didn't seem to notice.

"Which master, Lord Vader by any chance?" She asked, already having guessed the answer. "Yes." The clone barked at her. She sighed again; talking to Anakin was not high on her list of "Fun activities".

The clone led her further down the same corridor and pressed another red button. The door slid open and the clone pushed her inside. The door slid shut behind her.

The room she was stood in was very large, and quite dark. Several lights were dotted around the room, making gentle humming noises. This was evidently some kind of office; a large silver desk primarily occupied the room. Stood in front of it, unmasked was Anakin. Padme stared determinably at her shoes. Luke tightly clasped in her arms.

"Let me take him." Said Anakin, in his strange cold voice.

"I'd rather not," she replied coldly "your so cold you'd probably freeze him."

Anakin sighed. Padme couldn't help it, she felt sorry for him. She crossed the room to him and deposited Luke carefully in his arms. She noticed that he had removed his black gloves and was cradling Luke normally. She was still unsure what to think of him. It was a strange mixture of love and complete hatred. Feeling unsure of herself, she stood awkwardly in the centre of the room. Starring half-heartedly at the right hand wall.

"Sit down." Said Anakin in a completely normal voice. Padme starred at him in disbelief and took a seat at the side of the room. Watching Anakin cooing at Luke. She felt very strange; this was how she had imagined her and Anakin's future. Although with Leia and without the blackness. There was a very awkward silence.

"Anakin why?" Asked Padme in a strange shock. "I don't know anymore." He said starring determinedly at Luke.

"But senator, you do not know the true power of the Dark Side."