Vader returned to his quarters late in the morning. He seethed in frustrated anger, because he could not decipher the rebels whereabouts from the intelligence reports. He went to get something to eat before he attempted to question Padmé about them again. However, as he stepped into the doorway of the kitchen, he ran into a small figure.
Padmé had awoken from a restless sleep and went to get herself some breakfast. She had suffered from nightmares, but she could not recall what they were about. All during breakfast she had tried to remember her dreams. Her musings continued as she walked out of the kitchen after breakfast. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she ran into Vader as she tried to exit the kitchen.
She glanced up at him momentarily before dropping her gaze to the floor and took a step back to let him through. However, Vader did not move and remained standing in the doorway.
Padmé looked up into his face, and was met by the cold stare of a pair of yellow eyes. Vader's eyes seemed to bore right through her as silence filled the kitchen. Padmé could tell that the Sith Lord was angry, but was not sure what was the problem.
"Is there something you want, Lord Vader?" Padmé asked calmly.
The yellow in Vader's eyes intensified as he snarled, "Yes! You can tell me where your rebel friends are now!"
Padmé's eyes narrowed and she shouted, "No, never!"
"Tell me!" Vader roared.
Maintaining her defiance, Padmé said, "No!"
Vader clenched the fist of his human hand and growled in frustration. Then taking a deep breath, he looked into Padmé's eyes and spoke. "I see through your lies, you traitorous rebel. You have been trying to turn me against my master since the day I met you. That is why you kissed me. It was a last ditch effort to complete your mission."
Padmé balked at Vader's accusation, "I kissed you!" Padmé shouted. "If I'm not mistaken, it was you who kissed me, you arrogant Sith!"
"Don't try to deny it, I can see past your rebel lies. Now tell me where the rebels are!" Vader barked.
"I don't know where you get your delusions, but if you think I'm going to betray my friends you are much mistaken." Padmé replied.
"Tell me now, or you are of no further use to me!"
"Why would I want to be of use to you?" Padmé responded sarcastically.
Vader raised his metal arm in the air in a familiar gesture. Padmé could feel the invisible hand clenching around her throat again, and knew that she would die this time. Vader had said that the next time he Force choked her he would not let go, and she could see the rage in his eyes and knew he would fulfill that promise.
As her air supply was cut off, Padmé felt proud that during her entire time as Vader's slave she had never betrayed the rebels, even when her emotions warred within her. She reflexively brought her hands up to her neck, and thought back to the kiss she had recently shared with the man before her. However, she realized that the man choking her was not the same one who kissed her.
As Padmé began to blackout from oxygen deprivation, her last thoughts dwelled on that kiss. She had not been in the arms of Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith. She did not yearn for her enemy, but for the warm caress of "Anakin."
Vader released his chokehold at the sound of Padmé's last spoken word. She had said his real name, and his heart would not let him destroy her. She might be his enemy, but when she used his real name he could not bear to harm her.
Padmé fell to the ground hard after Vader released her. A tear fell down his cheek as he knelt down on the ground beside her. He feared that he had held on too long, and that he may have actually killed her.
Tears continued to well in his eyes as he gently placed his right hand on her forehead and used his left hand to search for a pulse. He was relieved when he felt a pulse, but he remained concerned that it was very weak. Luckily, she was still breathing as evident by the slight rise and fall of her chest.
He gingerly lifted her into his arms, carried her out of the kitchen and into his bedroom. Once there he laid her out on the bed. Tears fell from his eyes as he gazed at Padmé's unconscious form. "I'm sorry." He said as ran a hand across her forehead and through her hair.
He kept checking her pulse periodically, and grew more and more concerned as it got weaker. There was nothing he could do, but hope and pray that he had not killed her. He could not believe that he had actually lashed out at the beautiful woman before him. His twisted logic from earlier had been forgotten. For the time being he was not Darth Vader, he was Anakin Skywalker and tending to the woman he loved.
He grabbed her right hand and held it between his own as he maintained a vigil on her. Every few minutes he checked her pulse again. He was always relieved that she still had one, but he was concerned that it remained weak.
Anakin let out an anguished sigh as he gazed up at her face. He tried to manipulate the Force to heal her, but nothing helped. If she was going to live, she would have to fight for life on her own.
Still clutching her right hand with both of his, Anakin brought it up to his lips and gently kissed her fingertips all the while murmuring, "Please, I'm sorry. I did not mean to. Forgive me."
Fifteen minutes went by and Padmé's condition did not get any better. Anakin's pleas became more insistent with each passing moment as he remained by her side. He leaned in to check her pulse again, expecting the worse, but was surprised and pleased to feel that it was finally getting stronger.
He smiled at this and brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead whispering, "Rest, my angel." All was silent and peaceful as Anakin continued to gaze at Padmé. However this silence was interrupted by the sound of his comlink.
"What is it?" Anakin spoke into the comm. with irritation. He was annoyed that somebody was bothering him at this critical time.
"My lord, we believe we have found a lead on the rebel location." Vader's admiral said.
Anakin did not say anything, but turned his attention back to Padmé.
With Vader's silence, the admiral continued, "We have intercepted a holo transmission. It appears that a large number of rebels including the rebel leaders are massing near Sullust. What are your orders, my lord?"
Anakin remained silent, his attention fixed on Padmé.
"My lord?" The admiral questioned. However, he received no reply. "My lord?" The admiral repeated a little louder.
This broke Anakin out of his reverie and he replied, "Set our course, and do not bother me again unless it is important." Anakin ended the transmission as he finished speaking, but growled in frustration as the comm. rang again.
"What?" Anakin barked into the device.
The admiral stuttered as he explained, "Mm…mm…my lord, the Emperor wishes to speak with you."
"Fine, I will be in the communications room in a few minutes." Anakin replied, trying to hide the annoyance and frustration in his voice. He ended the transmission a second time and looked back at Padmé. His transmission should not take long, but he did not want to leave her alone in her current state.
Time was of the essence, he could not keep his master waiting too long, but he could not think of one person to entrust with Padmé. However, he could hear C3P0 bickering with R2D2 outside the door and an idea formed in his mind.
Anakin lightly caressed Padmé's cheek before he quickly left her side and opened the bedroom door. C3P0 jumped in surprise as the door opened as R2 beeped indignantly at his last comment.
"3P0, R2, get in here immediately." Anakin said tensely as he returned to Padmé's side.
C3P0 and R2 entered the room. "Is there something you need Mas…" C3P0 spoke but was interrupted by Anakin.
"Yes, I need to leave for a little bit. I need you both to look after Padmé. She is not feeling well, and I do not want her left alone. If her condition worsens contact me on this." Anakin threw a comlink to 3P0 who dropped it, but R2 quickly retrieved it.
"Don't worry master, we know what to do." C3P0 replied cheerily.
Anakin smiled and then turned back to Padmé. He leaned in and kissed her forehead again and softly whispered, "I'll return shortly." Before he turned and left the bedroom to meet with his master.