PART 22

"If you are not here to be with me, then you will be destroyed."

"You didn't kill me on Mustafar and I don't believe you will do so now."

"You're wrong Padme, I sense something is close to your heart, and I don't sense Obi-Wan……..I sense a life growing inside you."

"Yes there is" she said.

"You should not have come here Padme."

"I came to ask you……to give me peace."

"Peace? Our marriage is over, we lost our child, you are married to my former master and you want me to give you peace?"

"I know there is still good in you."

"There is no turning back for me Padme."

And he led her out of the cell and summoned the guards.

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"I hope Miss Padme knows what she's doing with this plan." Threepio said to R2 as they sat in the cell.

R2 beeped in response.

"Well if you are so sure her plan will work why haven't the guards come in for us."

The door opened soon afterwards, an imperial trooper came in and said, "You two, follow me."

The trooper led the droids out to the main landing dock where Padme's ship was, standing not very far from it was Padme and a tall man in a black suit and helmet.

"R2 look, I think that may be Master Anakin, it's a shame what has happened to him."

The droid beeped in agreement.

"I will enjoy sending the droids back to Obi-Wan with your corpse" Vader said coldly.

"You don't mean that, that's the emperor talking not you" Padme said with a single tear coming down her cheek.

"I have become more powerful than any Jedi thanks to my master."

"That master took my husband away, but not fully."

"This is the end for you Padme, take her away."

"NOW R2" Padme shouted.

Suddenly a small blaster came out of R2 aimed right at Padme, she wasn't sure how she did it, either with the help of tiny life inside her or unconsciously through the force; but she was able to reach out and catch the blaster while dodging Vader's outstretched arm to grab her.

She aimed and shot the guards quickly as they were taken by surprise. She turned around and saw Vader with a red lightsaber in his hand.

"Very clever, but it will do no good." He used the force to bring the blaster to his other hand.

"You know I won't go down without a fight."

He turned off his lightsaber and came closer to her. "This is your last chance Padme, join me or die."

"Never, I will never join you in darkness."

Suddenly she felt herself being lifted into the air and thrown towards her ship. Her body hit the side of it hard before landing on the ground. As she tried to get up she felt her body being lifted up again in a force choke. Gasping for breath she tried to say, "Anakin, please" suddenly she was let go and fell to the ground hard.

When she looked up she saw Vader towering above her while she laid there too hurt to get up.

"Anakin, please, I'm pregnant, this is an innocent life, please don't do this. PLEASE!"

"The Jedi took our child away from us! Why should Obi-Wan father this baby and not I?"

"Because you love me and I know you want me to be happy, I have a second chance at having a family."

She felt herself being lifted up again by the force, unable to breathe, she stared into her former husband's eyes now hidden under a mask. Her eyes pleading with him to let her go. She began to lose consciousness, her vision fading then suddenly she hit the ground hard and heard Vader's voice,

"It was supposed to be MY family, not Obi-Wan's! If I ever see Obi-Wan again I will kill him, he better stay in hiding for your sake."

He then turned to Threepio and R2 and said, "Get her on the ship."

"Anakin" Padme said as she tried to focus but her vision was blurry.

He turned and walked away without saying a word. The look in her eyes as he used the force to kill her broke his heart once more. The darkness consumed him, but his love for Padme made him release his grip. He would not kill the only thing that mattered to him. He walked away with his love behind him, never seeing Padme's outstretched arm reaching for him to come back. The man she loved so deeply walking away from her forever, and yet she still wanted him to come to her and hold her.

"Anakin" she whispered as she lost consciousness.

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She awoke with a severe pain to her abdomen just as the ship was landing on Dagobah. She screamed for Threepio as she tried to stand up.

The droid helped her walk off the ship just as she saw Obi-Wan running towards them.

"Padme what's happened?" she heard him say.

"Obi-Wan, the baby……." and it went dark once again.

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She awoke in a small room laying on a table. She turned and saw Obi-Wan sitting beside her holding her hand with a deep sadness in his eyes.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Polis Massa, it was the closet place I could find with a medical droid."

"Is the baby alright?"

"You were beginning to go into labor as a result of your injuries, but the droids were able to stabilize you. The baby is alright for now, they have to run more tests soon."

"Obi-Wan I don't want to lose this baby."

"Neither do I" he said as he bent down and hugged her. They sat there and cried not knowing the future of their unborn child.