TO LOVE A SITH
Chapter Eighteen
Padme's eyes fluttered open. She yawned, still tired from the previous day's exertions. When she looked around the room, her eyes focused on a touching sight. On the chair next to her bed sat her husband, who at that moment, was whispering to their children. She strained to hear what he was saying to them, but sighed when she realized her efforts where in vain.
Vader looked up when he heard Padme sigh. He whispered one last thing to each of his children before setting them back in their cribs. He walked over to where Padme sat and placed a hand on top of hers.
"Did you sleep well?"
She nodded and he smiled as she yawned again.
"I don't think I'll ever feel normal again." She laughed lightly.
He nodded and wrapped her in a comforting embrace.
"I think it just takes time. Once you can get out of bed, I'm sure everything will slowly go back to normal."
"What where you saying to them just now?"
He grinned slyly and replied: "That is between me and my children. If you want to find out, you'll have to ask them yourself."
She punched him in the shoulder lightly and pouted.
"Alright, alright! I was just asking them what they wanted their names to be."
She smiled brightly and added: "I've been thinking about that too."
"And?"
" My grandmother had the most beautiful name. I've always loved it and it really suited her. Delicate yet strong."
"What?"
"Leia."
He smiled and looked down at his daughter. "Well, what do you think?" He looked back at Padme as he continued: "I think she likes it."
"Then I think Leia it is." She smiled back.
He nodded his agreement and turned his attention to their son.
"So what about him?"
"Well I named our daughter, you can name our son."
He smiled softly and looked back down at his son, deeply concentrating on the task at hand.
"Luke."
Their eyes met and they both nodded at the same time.
"Luke and Leia. It's perfect." Padme reached out to her husband and motioned for him to place a child in her arms. He obliged her and placed Luke in her arms, then he picked up Leia.
"You know, I think we have the most beautiful children in the world." Padme said softly as she lightly kissed Luke's forehead. Her husband nodded and carefully placed Leia back in her crib. He gently took his sleeping son from his wife's arms and put him next to his sister.
"Padme, we really need to talk, especially now that they're sleeping."
Padme's face immediately changed from peaceful to afraid as he took her hand and sat on the bed next to her.
"We need to talk about what you almost did."
"I didn't do anything."
"But you were going to. Do you still plan on taking my children away from me?"
"No, no, no. I'm not going to do that."
"But you were going to."
"I didn't think you would find me before I gave birth."
"Still, you were going to separate them and keep them as far away from me as possible. Why?"
"I already told you. I didn't want them to be trained as Siths. I still don't."
"What are you planning then?"
"I don't know. But I can't let what happened to you, happen to our children."
"Now, Padme…"
"No, I don't care. It can't happen. They will be better off if they never came near the Emperor. I don't care what happens to me, you can kill me for all I care, but they can never fall into his hands. Obi-Wan was right, you know. He was. He said that they wouldn't be innocent anymore once the Emperor gets his hands on them. I want to keep my children innocent."
"Padme, this is very serious. You can't do that. How can you? We're on our way back to Corusant now. It's not possible for you to hide them away."
Padme gazed at him sadly, trying to think of the best way to say what was on her mind.
"I know that."
"So you won't try anything?"
"No, you have my word."
He nodded and squeezed her hand.
"That's what I thought, Padme. I had to ask, though."
She nodded back to him and quickly brushed the stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the forehead, then got up to take one last look at his children.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"I have to attend to business on the trip. I am in charge after all." He chuckled to himself.
She smiled back then a hand came to her throat. "What are you going to do with Bail?"
He turned a grim gaze to her: "I couldn't let him live, Padme."
Her face contorted in both pain and shock and tears began to form in her eyes. "You didn't…"
"No, I didn't. I ordered it."
Her lower lip trembled and he reached out to brush away her tears. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.
"I'll be back later to check on you."
"Ok."
He turned and started to walk out the door. Just as he put his hand on the door, she spoke again.
"You know, everything that happens after this moment is entirely up to you."
He turned back to face her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that what happens to me, what happens to our children, that's up to you. Our children and I aren't being given any choices here. But you do have choices. You can send them to a horrible fate with the Emperor, or you can let them go somewhere where they can really have a life that's worth living."
"Padme, you know I can't do that."
"Yes you can. The ability to do make your own choices is there, it's just buried deep inside you. You've been under the Emperor's control for too long and you need to do something about it. You can't go on living like this. And neither can I. You know how unhappy we'll all be if you surrender us to this fate."
"Padme, I…"
"No, don't say anything. Just think about what I said."
His brow furrowed in frustration at his predicament and abruptly left the room. He practically ran to his chambers and threw himself onto his bed. His chest heaved and his entire body trembled. He couldn't believe what Padme had just uttered. The nerve…the audacity…how could she do that to him? Actually suggest that he betray his Master and runaway with her and their children? He couldn't do that…there was no way they would ever be safe he could somehow. And who was to say that his family wouldn't be happy? Maybe Padme was overreacting and everything would work itself out.
He sighed and ran a hand absentmindedly through his unruly hair. He was just kidding himself. Something inside of him was telling him what he needed to…as his wife's words echoed in his head.
