Everlasting Love

Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala, other star wars character.

Time: Post- Revenge of the Sith; republican civil wars

Scenario: Padme was never pregnant; After Anakin choked the life out of Padme, she struggled to stay alive (dying of a broken heart). Anakin lives on as Vader with Many regrets, believing he had killed his one true love. Vader believes there is no hope left for him and continues his life as the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Disclaimer: I do not own star wars. All belong to the wonderful George Lucas

Chapter 8 - Underneath it all

Darth Vader walked down the corridor of the Star Destroyer. He was thinking, wondering what the rebels were doing on board. He wasn't sure if it was an attack or not, there had seemed to be so few of them. "Ahh yes." He remembered. "The prisoners." He thought. His thoughts then returned to Padme. How beautiful she was, is too him. After all these years she was still alive. What was her purpose here, Vader thought. "What does she mean by 'saving me'? He was thinking.

Vader reached the Command room. "Commander, the Rebels have escaped and I believe the prisoners were their purpose of coming here. I am sure there is another reason as well" Vader said wondering. "Have a full check on our system to see if anything was tampered with and keep me informed." Vader commanded. "Yes, my Lord" the commander acknowledged.

Vader stood staring out the ships window. Again he began to think of Padme. He could not get her out of his mind. Even from where he was he could sense her presence. He did not know what to think, to be happy or upset. He hasn't been happy since he had lost her, and he suppressed those feelings. Vader looked down in sadness. The commander noticed his gesture. "My Lord. Are you alright?"

Vader lifted his head. He began to grow angry again. One thing he did not like is how weak she made him feel and he did not know why, or did not want to admit the reason why. He looked at the commander. "We have captured a Rebellion." Vader said off topic. "Would you like me to send someone to interrogate…" "No" Vader said clearly before the commander can finish his sentence. "I will take of it" "Alright, Lord Vader" The commander said backing away.

Vader left the command room and head down one of the corridors. He was trying to stay focused on the things he had to do for the empire but he could not think straight. Padme was on his mind. He stopped walking. "Arrragh" Vader grunted as he punched the wall. "I hate this feeling inside." He thought. "Why is this happening, why did she come here?" He asked himself. Vader was disgusted of himself for feeling this way. He headed down to the Cell Padme was put in.

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Padme stood in the room of the Independent cell. She looked around the room, It was small but it had a wall bed, desk, mini chair and a window view. "What is this. a holding cell or a boarding room!" Padme said to humor herself. In this situation, Padme would try to find a way to escape, but was not thinking about that, her main focus was Anakin.

She remembered when Vader said Anakin is dead. She doesn't believe that, she still senses the good in Anakin, hiding away in Vader gloominess waiting to be free. I just have dig further to reach for him. Padme thought. "I won't give up him." She said out loud.

"Give up on who?" Vader asked standing at the front of the cells. Padme turned around and looked up. The cell was a bit lower then the Destroyer's main level. "I won't give up on you Anakin." She said clearly and with hope. Vader shook his head. "Give up My lady, there is no hope left in this body." Vader said. "That is why I am here ," Padme said sternly, "I am your hope. Just like you are mine." Vader looked at the women he once loved and beneath his mask he began to smile slight. Padme couldn't see it but sensed it. She felt him trying to suppress this feeling. "Don't fight it Anakin. Give in to you feelings, remember the good times. Remember the times when you were happy Anakin." Padme said softly getting closer to the force shield of the cell.

She noticed how he felt as she got closer to him. It was almost like Taboo to be near her, Anakin thought, her energy force was strong. "Anakin…" she said. " I told you not to call me that. You will call me Darth Vader, Anakin is dead." Vader Demand.

"No…I will never call you by that name…never. And Anakin is alive." Padme said standing he ground. Vader tried not to get angry. "You are very brave my Lady…how could you have ever care for someone who was so weak?" Vader asked. Padme wanted to say because she loves him, but was actually afraid to, "Because Anakin is not weak, weak is what you are." Padme said directing to Vader.

Vader stood in silence. He couldn't help to admit that he was weak. "Weakened by this woman who speaks so highly of who I use to be. But why, why does she make me, Darth Vader, feel weak?" He thought. Vader knew why but he did not want to admit it, admit that he loved her, more than anything in this universe.

Vader turned off the cell force field and walked down the steps into the cell. Padme backed up a bit unsure of what he was going to do. Vader looked at her, "She is beautiful, intelligent, brave and a leader." Vader thought, "Is that why I love her? Do I love her?…Yes… I do" He admitted to himself. "I loved her since the first time I met her on Tattooine." "Does she still love me? How can she? After what I did her, the pain I caused her. I can never forgive myself." He remembered on Mustafar after Padme found out of his true intentions, "even after all that she told me she still loved me and all I did was call her a liar and strangled her. I need to know, to know why she has come here for me, if she still loves me." Padme can see Anakin was deep in thought, and thought not to interrupt him this time, hoping he will find his way back to her.

"Why?" Vader asked, "Why do you feel you have to save me, why are you risking your life for me?" "Because you did." Padme began to say. "You did anything and everything to save me from your vision." Padme eyes began to fill with water. "But I am alive…" Vader began but was cut off by Padme.

"No.Anakin.." She said angry and crying. "You did risk your life for me, you sold your body and soul to the devil to protect me. And I blame myself for what you have become. Your vision of my pain made you suffer and I can never forgive myself for that." Padme turned away, not wanting to cry in front of Vader. She went to the corner hoping he would leave.

Vader looked at her with sad eyes. He realized they both had guilty feelings; what she feels she had done to him and what he did to her. He so much wanted to comfort her but he couldn't. He looked down at his hands, the hands that tried to kill her so long ago. What I have become?" Vader remembering Padme's words. "What have I become?" Vader asked himself almost scared.

Darth Vader left the cell to leave Padme alone. He too had a lot to think about.

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Flashback

Padme was dreaming of Anakin, she is holding so tightly yet he seems to be pushing away, not by his own hands but by a force, a dark force. It is calling to him. "No Anakin…do go that way, stay here…with me" Padme said. "Don't let go" But the dark side is too strong and Anakin's suffering only brings him closer to it. He is pulled away from Padme. "No…Anakin!" She yells, "Take my hand," She tells him. Anakin reaches for her hand but the dark side is to strong. "All you have to do is reach for it" She assures him. He tries to reach, he is so close, but he is pulled away. "NO, no please Anakin, you've got to try." Padme begins to cry, but Anakin has already given up because he knows it is already to late for him. "Anakin…Anakin…I still love you" Padme cries. All Anakin can do is look into hers big, beautiful, sad eyes as he is pulled away and say… "I know."

Anakin too was having the same dream, He felt her, her life force slipping away, she is hurt, not only external but Internally and he was the cause of that. He can feel her suffering, she is dying and it is all his fault. Her light is fading, the one thing he knew he could hold on too…her light it is growing dark…she is becoming a faded image…nothing, all that is left is nothing. She is dead. "Padme...my sweet Padme…what have I done."

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Vader had spent long hours in his quarter on the Star Destroyer. He was thinking. He hates the thing he has become, a monster. He was angry at himself, but angry is what fueled his dark energy and that is not what he wanted, not anymore. He got up to see Padme.

Padme woke up. She had managed to get some sleep after her talk with Vader. She sensed someone coming down the corridor to the cell. The masked Anakin approached the cell. "I see that you have learned ways of the force," Vader said holding her lightsaber in his hand. Padme was somewhat confused as to why he was holding. "I've learned many things in these past few years." Padme responded

"Did you sleep well?" Vader asked "Not really" Padme answered back confused as to why Vader was acting this way. Maybe he was trying to open up she thought. "Did you have a good sleep?" She asked trying to keep the conversation going.

"I don't sleep anymore. Actually the last time I slept was when I was unconscious after my body was mangled by…Obi-Wan." He said with ease. "I actually had a dream, it it was the last dream I had ever had, and it is something I have held on to everyday."

Vader release the force shield and went into the cell. He stood at the window and continued. "The dream I am having is of you and me, and you are struggling to keep me from going to the dark side, but my burden is to heavy and I have already given up so I am pulled away. You said 'take my hand Anakin…all you have to do is reach for it.' But it is already too late for me and all I can hear you say is that….you still love me."

It was quiet in the cell for a moment.

Vader continues. "My dream now turns to you, where I see that you are in pain and that it is my fault you are in pain. I felt that you had no will to live and I saw you die, in my dreams."

Padme went to stand by the wall. She wasn't sure but she felt new hope within Anakin and she wanted to tell him that she still loved him. "I too had the same dreams and I did loose my will to live but I gained it back." Padme said. "How?" Vader asked. "You gave it to me, You gave me the will to live again." Padme said.

Vader turned and looked at Padme. He got a warm feeling inside him just by being in the same room with her. This time he didn't suppress the feeling, he let it enlighten him. All he could think about is how much he loved Padme but he didn't really know how she felt. "I sense that she still cares for me, but was she doing all this because she felt guilty for believing that she caused me to go to the dark side? Or was she doing this because she loves me still?" Vader thought. But that did not matter to him, her being here was proof enough that she still cared.

His heart burned for hers more then ever, Vader had forgotten why he fell in love with Padme. And just looking at her made him want to be a better man, for her and for himself.

"I want to go back, back to the way things use to be, when I was happy. Happy fighting for good and happy when I was with you." Vader said turning around. "I don't want to be this monster anymore."

Vader looked at Padme. "Padme…I love you, I will always love. I know now you may not love me the way you did in past, but I understand why. I just need you to know that I still care and that I want to be a better person. Vader began to walk toward to cell entrance.

"But I am afraid. I want to change but I am afraid of myself, what I am capable of doing. How will I find my way to be the person I once was?" He asked her. "You have already made the first step. And don't be afraid, trust in yourself…and you can also trust in me." Padme assured him.

As much as he wanted to be with her and to hold her again, he couldn't bring himself to touch her. He had so much power within him, he didn't know ho to deal with it now. The thought of hurting Padme again is what Anakin feared.

"Anakin, I still love you, I never stopped loving you and I never will." Padme said crying. She so much herself wanted to hold him but she could tell he was nervous to touch her again.

Behind his mask tears began to fall. Anakin did not have anything to give to Padme in exchange for bring him back to his senses. All he could do was set her free. "You are free to go."

Anakin stood at the bottom of the stair. Padme looked at him and walked up the 4 steps. She looked down on him. He reached up to give her her lightsaber. Padme wasn't sure what to do. Where will he go and what will he do, she thought. He maybe back to himself, but will happen to him. He needs some one to guide him, to show him why he is worth it.

"Anakin…" Padme began to say. "Padme, I am sorry for everything I put you through. I do want to be a good person. Thank you for showing me that I still can be, for showing me the Anakin I am. Thank you for caring" he said.

"Anakin, come with me, let me show you how much more of a good person you are and can be." Padme said stretching out her hand towards him. Again Anakin, couldn't bear the thought of touching Padme, not that he did not want to, he just couldn't. "What of the Rebellion, I know I must face what I have done…" He began to say.

"Do not worry about that now, right now, it is about what you want to do…Anakin don't be afraid." Padme continued to stretch her hand for him. " All you have to do is reach for it." Padme said, uttering the same words as she said in their dreams.

"I will come. But I think I need to make the first step." Anakin said. Padme understood and let Anakin come out of the cell. Anakin lead her to the flight pods. "Where will we go." He asked. "To Naboo, but do not worry, I know a place where you can stay, safe and un-noticed." Padme assured him. The first thing she wanted to do was get him out of the Empire environment so he can focus on himself.

Anakin and Padme left in Vader's customized starfighter pod. Anakin didn't bother to inform the Commander of his leave. Padme felt Anakin had good intentions on starting over. Although, she did worry of how his guilt on, not only her but to the republic, would make him feel. He is a sad young man that carries a heavy burden.

To be Continued

Believe it or not, the story does not end here. I have one more chapter to go before I move on to Part 2 of this epic tale of Everlasting Love. Details, next chapter. Ciao yall!