Disclaimer: Star Wars isn't mine.

Obi-Wan and Leia arrived on Dagobah a day later. Obi-Wan took the girl to Yoda's hut.

"Leia, this is Jedi Master Yoda," Obi-Wan told her.

She nodded, then said, "Pleased to meet you."

"Wish it under better circumstances, I do," he responded.

"Will I see my family again?" Leia asked.

Yoda didn't answer her. He led her into a small room. "Here stay, you will."

"Thank you," Leia answered politely. Yoda and Obi-Wan left her in the room. They walked outside to talk.

"The Emperor is desperate to find her. Leia felt Padme's pain. He must be torturing her," Obi-Wan stated.

Yoda nodded. He didn't respond.

"There must be a way to get her out of there," Obi-Wan insisted, "If she isn't there, then he has no hopes of finding Leia."

"The key, Luke is," Yoda told him, "Feel Leia, Luke can. Teach her shields, I will."

"We can free both."

Yoda shook his head sadly, "Close Sidous keeps the boy. Difficult to find him, it will be."

"What about Vader?"

"Time is near for him, I fear. Need him much longer, Sidous does not."
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"Where is he?" Padme demanded the instant Darth Vader entered her cell, "Where is my son?"

"My Master took him," Darth Vader answered.

"Where?"

"He did not say," Vader responded.

"And you let him? You let him take our son?" Padme retorted, fury burning in her eyes.

"I couldn't stop him," Vader said simply.

Padme threw her hands in the air. "I give up. You just don't get it, do you? Palpatine is evil! He has manipulated you into this horrible creature. I don't even recognize any of Anakin anymore. At one time, if anyone even mentioned hurting me, you would stop them. Now you watch as Palpatine tortures me. Leia is gone because of you! Luke is being warped into some horrible minion of your Master! You have lost everything, Vader, and for what? A Star Destroyer? Fear over everyone? Power? You have no power! You are just the Emperor's little slave!"

Darth Vader's blood boiled. How could she say that? He was no slave! He was the second most powerful being in the galaxy!

Padme stood in front of him. She lifted up the back of her shirt to show him the marks from her many torture sessions. "Tell me, Vader, is this worth it?"
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"What are we doing here?" Luke asked. He was standing with Palpatine on the bridge of his private shuttle.

"This, my boy, is the future of the Empire," Palpatine pointed out the viewport, "Behold, the Death Star."

"Whoa. What's it do?" Luke asked, intrigued.

Palpatine chuckled, "Destroys planets."

Luke's jaw dropped, "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Why would you want to blow up a planet?" he asked.

"That is your lesson today, my boy. To get rid of those who oppose the Empire."

"Isn't there a better way than killing everyone?" Luke asked. His mother had told him about a time when opinions mattered in the government. She also told him that other species were in power too. He had been amazed.

"Fear is a powerful tool, young Skywalker. Those who fear you will listen to you. They will do as you say," Palpatine explained.

Luke was quiet. He had spent three days with Palpatine. Palpatine had been encouraging anger and selfishness in him. Luke still wasn't sure why. He had been trying to remember his mother's teachings, but it was hard. Palpatine taught him to use the Force to get what he wanted. He had been enjoying it so far. He really didn't see how it was so bad, like his mother had said.

Palpatine could sense doubt in the boy. He was glad. It wouldn't take too long before Luke would be his new apprentice and he could kill Vader. Vader was too attached to his wife to be of any use anymore.

Everything was going according to plan.

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Darth Vader saw the marks on his wife. She was right! There had been a time when he would kill someone just for saying they were going to hurt her. What had he done?

He began to think back, and images of what he had done flickered through his anguished brain. All those murders. All that destruction. And it was all his fault. He had caused Leia to be sent away. He had caused his marriage to fail. Had he not turned, he imagined he and Padme would have been living happily somewhere - maybe they might have even had more children. Yet now here they were - their family and their lives in ruins. And his innocent son was being twisted into a slave of Sidious.

For the first time in years, Anakin Skywalker finally managed to overcome Darth Vader.

"You're right. I have destroyed us all," he rasped. "I am so sorry, Padme."

Padme blinked in surprise. She didn't really think that he would listen to her. Why would this time be any different than the others?

"I'm getting you out of here," Vader said, suddenly resolute.

"What about Luke?" Padme asked.

"He is with Palpatine, I'm afraid. Palpatine doesn't want me near him," Vader told her as he handcuffed her. "Here, we have to make this look real."

"I am not leaving without my son!" Padme snapped.

"Padme! He isn't here!"

"I can't leave him!"

Vader closed his eyes behind the mask. He had to get Padme out of here. He could take her away easily, but once Palpatine found out, he would never find Luke again. He couldn't devastate Padme again.

Then - a thought occurred to him. "You can get hold of Obi-Wan, can't you?"

Padme wasn't sure if she could trust him yet, but she knew that at the moment she didn't have the energy to lie. "Yes."

"Contact him. He can get you out of here. I will wait for Luke."

"How do I know I can trust you again? How do I know you won't kill Obi-Wan?" Padme asked.

"Padme," Vader said, voice still gruff due to the helmet. "I know how hard it is. Just know this - I love you and I am sorry. Please, believe me."

Padme studied him - this man she had known and loved - and hated. Finally she nodded.

"Here." Vader handed her a small blaster. "Kill me if I do anything to mislead you."

Padme hid the gun in a cloak Vader had handed her, and nodded again. "I'm ready."
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Obi-Wan was both shocked and relieved when he saw Padme's face. "Padme! Where are you?"

Hurriedly, Padme explained the situation. Obi-Wan listened attentively, wondering if it were really true. He glanced at Yoda, who nodded. He could sense that Darth Vader was gone.

"Mommy?" Leia screeched as she ran into the room and rushed over to the comm. "Mommy!"

"Leia! Oh Leia, I've missed you!" Padme said.

"Can I go home now?" Leia asked with her usual directness.

Padme shook her head, "No, you can't. Leia, why aren't you with Bail?"

Leia shrugged, "I don't know."

"Honey, I really have to talk to Obi-Wan and Yoda. It's very important. I love you."

"Love you too, mommy. Can you tell Daddy?"

"I will," Padme promised and Leia disappeared from view, "Anakin says he can get me out. He said he will take care of Luke."

"He can't do it alone," Obi-Wan stated, "We can't risk it."

"Come to Coruscant, I will," Yoda stated. "Protect Leia, Obi-Wan will."

The plan was in motion. Soon, Padme and her children would be free.
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Padme's escape was achieved easily. Anakin had found a small shuttle and helped her leave quietly. Padme did not tell him where she was going. Yoda would take her and he would bring Luke to her once Palpatine was gone. Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Padme were all a little weary of Anakin. He could go back to the Dark Side. As Yoda had said often, once started down the dark path, forever would it dominate his destiny. Anakin had fallen once. He could fall again. For now, they would have trust him.

Palpatine arrived on Coruscant a day after Padme's escape. He was furious as he still had to find Leia!

He still managed to make the situation work to his advantage, however. He told Luke that his mother had been killed making the boy so angry that he killed a guard with a Force choke.

Palpatine felt Vader enter the throne room in the Imperial Palace.

"Where is my son?" Vader asked.

"He is not your son, Lord Vader. He, like you, is mine," Palpatine answered.

Vader dipped his head, pausing for a moment before speaking. "Padme has escaped."

"I heard. Tell me, Lord Vader, when you allowed her to leave, was that before or after you decided to betray me?" Palpatine snarled, and then turned to his guards. "Leave us."

The guards left, leaving only Vader and Palpatine.

"You pathetic scum! Throw all your power away for some women? I thought you were the most powerful of all Jedi. You are weak!" Palpatine stated.

Palpatine began to shoot Force lightning at Vader.

"You have failed me for the last time, Vader," Sidious cackled. "I should have killed the woman at the beginning. Now you will die."

Sidious ceased his strikes. Vader was dying, he could feel it. He also knew Sidous wanted him to wallow in his shame a few moments longer.

Suddenly he heard the light thud of someone landing behind him, and he realised they must have descended a ceiling shaft.

Sidous turned around, and his amusement rippled throughout the room. "Master Yoda, what a surprise. I thought you were dead."

"So certain, are you," Yoda responded.

Sidious didn't wait a second longer. Sparks flew from his hands to the small Jedi Master. Yoda caught them easily with his hand.

"I will kill you," Sidious ground out as he shot more.

"Not if anything to say about it, I have."

"Your Highness!" an Imperial officer entered the room, "The boy is escaping!"

"What?" Sidious roared, "Stop him!"

Yoda took advantage of Sidious's distraction to pull out his lightsaber. He jumped to attack. Sidous blocked him. Yoda spun around him in an intricate dance, lightsaber twisting ever which way. Sidous was tiring out. He knew he had to get out of there or he was going to die. Yoda sprung up from behind to behead him, but Sidious noticed at the last moment and twisted out of the way, but not before losing his left arm to the shoulder.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR! You pay for that and you will not take my new apprentice from me!" Sidious screamed. The Imperial officer had called in guards. Yoda was forced to take his attention from Sidious and to the guards. In those few precious seconds, Sidious fled from the chamber to find Luke.

Grimly Yoda fought on, and one by one destroyed all the guards. He hurried over to Anakin, and breathed a sigh of relief to find he was still alive. Just. Yoda flipped a switch on the comlink attached to his belt, and shortly after a transport appeared in the window. The pilot blasted the window in and brought it along side.

Yoda used the Force to bring Anakin up the ramp and into the ship. He knew there was nothing he could do to save Luke.
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Sidious found Luke running down a corridor. He motioned for a guard to stun the boy, and then walked over to him, "I can see I will have to hide you well, young Skywalker. For no matter what happens, you will succeed where your father has failed. It is your destiny."
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