TO LOVE A SITH

Chapter Nine

"Daddy, Daddy! You're home!" cried the tiny girl with brown curls.

Padme laughed as her daughter sprinted the distance between herself and her father. Her smiled brightened as her son followed suit and both of her children pounced on their father, all three laughing hysterically.

"Alright, alright! Are you trying to kill me? Ok, jeez, I'm happy to see you too." Anakin set his children back down and ruffled their hair.

"Did you win, Daddy?" the boy asked excitedly.

"Yes, we did." Anakin replied, a huge smile on his face.

"Yea!" The boy pounced on him again, almost knocking his father over. They laughed and wrestled for a few moments. Anakin looked up to his daughter's pouting eyes directly in front of him.

"Do you want to wrestle with us?"

The girl nodded eagerly and Anakin scooped her up. The boy jumped on him again and the wrestling started again.

Padme's eyes glistened with tears as she watched her family, the most important people in her entire world. Suddenly, her family's play stopped and Anakin rose to greet her.

"Hello." He smiled and softly stroked her cheek.

"Hello."

"I didn't think it was possible, but I do believe you've gotten more beautiful than when I saw you last. I've missed you so much."

She smiled and stood up on her toes to kiss his lips softly.

"I've missed you too."

"I love you, Padme Skywalker."

"And I love you, Anakin Skywalker."

His strong arms drew her closer to him and they kissed softly at first, then with hungry passion.

"Daddy! Would you stop kissing Mommy? I'm hungry!"

Anakin and Padme laughed at the children who tugged on their legs.

"It just never stops, does it love?"

"No," she smiled. "But that's the best part, isn't it?"

His laughter rang in her ears as they each picked up a child and walked in the house together.

Padme shot up in bed breathlessly. Her hands ran nervously through her long, curly hair as she remembered the strange dream she had just had. Anakin and their children. Her and Anakin, together and happy with two beautiful children. It was nothing short of disturbing, considering she was married to Anakin, from a certain point of view. But dreaming of children with him? It was too much. She wasn't ready for that yet, especially with the Anakin that was her husband.

Dejectedly, she laid back down and fell back into a restless, troubled sleep.

The next morning, she woke up in a cold sweat. Something didn't feel right and for the first time in two weeks, she wished her husband was there to comfort and hold her or at least was just there. But he hadn't returned from his mission of murder and duty yet. She sighed as she started to get out of bed. She certainly was pathetic, hating her husband one moment and wishing he was there the next. What was she going to do?

Suddenly, her stomach lurched and she lost control of her body as she ran to the refresher and emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. When her stomach had settled, she slid down to the floor and began to shake. No…not now…this wasn't happening. No, no, maybe she didn't have anything to worry about. Maybe it was just something she ate. That was it. She wasn't…well, she didn't want to think about it. There was nothing to worry about.


Vader sat at the controls of the Imperial starship that would bring him back to Corusant, his mission complete. He sighed, dreading having to be anywhere near his wife. It wasn't that he was afraid to face, he told himself, he just didn't want to have to deal with her. He already had enough to deal with. His thoughts drifted back to the conversation he had had with his Master a few hours before.

"You wasted a whole day with her family?" his Master had sneered in mock disgust. "A whole day spent with the wife and company? She's making you weak, Lord Vader, I can feel it."

"No, Master," he had replied earnestly. "I'm just as strong as ever. And soon I will produce an heir."

"Yes, but until that time comes, you must only allow her in your presence for the sole purpose of producing an heir. I can't have my second in command weakened by the company of a woman, especially that of a former Senator."

"Master, I assure you…"

"You've said enough, Lord Vader."

Vader ran his hands through his hair in frustration. It was longer than he normally kept it, but that was the least of his concerns. First the situation with his wife, then with his Master. What was next?

His thoughts drifted back to the events that had taken place the prior two weeks. She had been furious. And she had had every right to be. He shouldn't have made her watch, she should've stayed on the ship. Knowing what he was going to do would have been enough for her to realize that he had to do his duty. But he had been reckless, and had broken his promise to her. She had been hurt by his heartless actions, but then again, when did he ever have a heart? But these last few weeks, something was happening to him. Being in her presence again after all that time was…well, absolutely intoxicating. Maybe his Master was right, she was making him weak. Pathetic and weak. Yet he found himself liking that weakness and wanting more.

Despite everything that happened between them, despite their bitter arguing, despite the horrible things she had said to him, he couldn't stop himself from daydreaming of her soft lips against his. The way her body had felt against his on their wedding night. The way her eyes, so soft and tender, seemed to look into his very soul.

Vader sighed and stretched his arms over his head. He still had yet to decide how he was going to approach her once he returned to Corusant. True, his Master had instructed him to keep his distance, but they had to be on better terms if they were ever going…no, Padme was more than just a means to produce an heir. She deserved to be treated better than that. What was he going to do to get in her good graces again? Nothing he thought of seemed to be good enough, nothing seemed to be worthy of her. Perhaps the best approach was to attempt conversation and to attempt to apologize. That is, if she ever let him near her again.

"Lord Vader? We've landed on Corusant."

"Very good."

Vader sighed again. It was going to be a very interesting and long day.


Padme sat nervously at the edge of her bed. Over the last two hours, she had vomited four times and was anticipating a fifth any time now. Morning sickness, a tiny voice whispered to her. Even still, she tried to stay hopeful that it wasn't that all. Maybe she was just coming down with some illness that would go away in a few days. Or maybe eight or nine months.

She wasn't ready for this. She certainly didn't feel ready to be a mother, let alone the mother of the heir to the Empire. If she was pregnant, could she really raise the child of Lord Vader? Could she really allow her child to be trained as a Sith? Sighing sadly, she knew that if she was indeed pregnant, she wouldn't be given a choice.

Her thoughts drifted back to her disturbing dream the previous night. All four of them had been so happy and her and Anakin had seemed so in love. It unnerved her to think of loving the man that looked like Anakin Skywalker. She knew she did, but it was so painful to admit. Sometimes, she truly believed that her husband was Anakin, but then he changed split seconds later and was Vader again. The truth was, she was ready to be a mother. She was ready to be the mother of the child of Anakin Skywalker, not the child of Lord Vader. But her fate lied with the latter, and Anakin Skywalker, the man she loved, was dead.