Vader's Angel
By: wertman25
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Star Wars…. Or Anakin Skywalker… Which is a pity…
Where was he? Where was he? Where was he? That was the only question that remained constant within Padme's mind. It has been hours since her little incident involving the Queen's communication from Naboo, but still Vader was no where to be found.
Vader had specifically told her that all forms of communication would be monitored and if she said anything about her predicament or even try to aid the Rebellion in any way, he would personally see to it that she regretted it. With his reputation, she hadn't doubted him… but now she was. Where was he? There was no way in Sith's Hell Vader would let her get away with this. She might be able to trick the Empire's troops into thinking the communication went dead, but not Vader.
When the communication ended, Padme had expected Vader to be the first one into her office, with his raging anger and outstretched murderous force grip. She expected him to torture her, make her spill her secrets, and then beg for mercy until he killed her…. but never did she expect this. Not only had he just not come, but he hadn't come for hours. At the time of the incident the troopers had stayed with her in her office, waiting for their commander to arrive like they had been told… but he never came. Some time later, a lone trooper had reported just to take her back to Darth Vader's establishments, and so they did. She was blindly led to a speeder and taken to Vader's establishments before handed over to Threepio, who escorted her to her room. And so she waited.
The anticipation was killing her. She knew she would never get away with this. Vader may ignore her in one of his moods, but something like this would just result in his anger…. And probably her death… just like the others. Padme tried to push away the thoughts of the people that had died aiding her, but the pain exploded inside her, and the guilt was maddening. She had to busy herself before the pain, guilt, anticipation, and anger overwhelmed her.
So, Padme pulled out a datapad and began skimming through various files as well as looking on the HoloNet. All of the HoloNet stories seemed to have the headline of the one person Padme was furious with… Darth Vader. The first story was about his glorious contribution to the Empire, the next about his extinguishing the traitors of the Empire within their own Senate. All lies followed by lies. Darth Vader was a monster, and the people's lives that he took were people that were anything but traitors. They were her colleagues and only did what they were told for her sake. The HoloNet had it all wrong, but people would know the truth, she would make sure of that. She would not let anyone die in vain.
She continued to skim, looking for any signs of clues or truth. There wasn't much. There was only one story Padme could even view as remotely true and that was the newest, an article on how the Grand Moff Tarkin had been rushed to a medical bay after receiving multiple injuries to and around his oral cavity. The reason was unknown, as well as who had inflicted the injury. But the time and place of injury were all Padme needed to know to figure out the true answer. Darth Vader. The injury to the Grand Moff had happened at the Imperial Senate building at the same time as her communication going dead. It seemed that Lord Vader had taken his anger out on someone… and more importantly someone that was not her… but why?
Turning off the HoloNet, Padme began looking further into files within the datapad itself. She knew that there had to be a reason for Dorme and the Queen to want her to have it. There had to be something she was missing.
There was.
It took more than an hour, but Padme finally found a secret file on the datapad, in a folder named so plainly that not even she cared to look into it until it was a last option. The first file within the folder that she pulled up was a list: the list of the people that had signed for her return to the Senate. There were more than a hundred people that had signed the paper, and Padme couldn't help the pain that she felt remembering the Queen's words. That Vader had made it a personal mission to kill all members on the list. Her heart ached as she read over the dozens of red names… the names of the people that had already lost their lives to Vader because of her. But the pain didn't even compare to what she felt when she came over her family's names. The thought of any of them dying because of her… She couldn't bare it. Her family was everything.
My family… if Vader…
The door to her room slid open, interrupting her train of thought. She quickly closed the file and shifted the datapad under her pillow, hiding it from whoever entered. It was him. Lord Vader stormed into the room, and immediately Padme's anger exploded. She acted quickly, knowing that if she didn't act with her anger, she wouldn't act at all. Instead of hiding or backing down to the dark lord, Padme jumped off her bed and met him half way.
"Get out, you monster!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, "Get out!"
"You have forgotten your place, Senator!" Vader roared.
Padme said nothing, as she paused in front of the Sith that towered over her. His height itself was beyond intimidating, but Padme didn't let it faze her. She acted as if she was the taller one and met his hidden gaze without mercy. She would not lose this time.
"Your place." Vader growled, closing the small gap between him and the Senator.
As their bodies came into nearly touching distance, Padme felt the coldness and darkness of his body surround her, trying to engulf her. She realized that this was his way of challenging her, as she had seen him do to various others. No one could stand to be this close to him. No one could handle being threatened by Lord Vader, himself. Everyone always quivered and surrendered to the Sith Lord, but not today.
"I haven't forgotten!" Padme yelled, pushing up on her tiptoes to get closer to his height, "How could I?"
"Could have fooled me, Senator." Vader breathed, allowing his breath to hit Padme straight in the face; and for a moment, Padme was stunned. Actually feeling Vader's breath across her skin. The breath that had his scent, the smell she loved. The smell that made her insides – Stop. He is tricking you. Even if Padme's body betrayed her, her mind was straight. Vader was smart, cunning, and did not like to lose. Vader had switched his tactics; he knew that she would not back down by force, so he had tried another way, by using one of her weaknesses.
The bastard.
Padme turned her head away from his gaze incase any of her emotions leaked through her mask. "Get out." She growled, allowing all of her conflicting emotions to be heard within the small sentence. "Now."
Vader made no attempt to leave, but instead seemed to move closer to the girl before him. "I'm warning you, Senator.' Vader's voice boomed, "It would be best not to push me, as you know, I tend to get a bit violent."
Padme immediately felt Vader's invisible grasp tighten around her throat.
"It would be a pity, don't you agree?" Vader mocked arrogantly.
Padme was floored. What was this? Just his little game? Her friends were dead, people that protected her were dead, and so many more were to follow, but all he did was tease her? Remind her that she was his prisoner? Remind her of her weaknesses? Remind her that she too would be dead soon?
Padme turned back to the Sith Lord, not caring what emotions showed on her face, "If you're going to kill me," She screamed, "then just go ahead and do it. Stop playing around with me, Vader! Just do it! Kill me and no one else! Don't kill others in my place, just me!"
Vader was quiet for a moment, as if surveying the woman in front of him. When he seemed satisfied he took a step back as if he was bored and done with the conversation.
"If I haven't made it clear, Senator, I would be enthused to dispose of you, but you still are some use to my Master. As for your friends, they were stupid enough to stand up against the Emperor. They paid their price."
"A life isn't just something you can take away from someone!" Padme cried, taking a step forward and closing the gap between them once again.
"It is very easy to take away someone's life" Vader replied uncaringly, as he turned away from Padme, and began walking towards the door.
"That's not what I mean!" Padme cried as she chased after his fleeing figure, "What happened to you? What caused you to become like this?"
To Padme's surprise, Vader paused, but did not speak. They both stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Vader spoke again.
"Because my life was taken from me." He growled, before disappearing into the hallway and leaving Padme alone with her thoughts.
Vader walked through the twists and turns of the halls, making his way towards his chambers, and away from the annoyance of the senator behind him. He had had every intention of making the Senator pay for what had happened today, but he had misjudged his own strength. His rage that was giving him strength was all but depleting, and he knew that in a matter of time before the pain would catch up to him. It always did.
But the crash came all too soon. One moment his anger and rage had upheld him, but now it was all too much. He paused suddenly, gasping for air as his body began to take in the inflictions that had been brought upon it.
Vader was in pain, terrible, terrible pain. He couldn't move. He couldn't breath. He couldn't think. The pain was almost unbearable, and every movement was pure agony. The punishment he endured from his Master was everything he had expected; it was a punishment to remind him of his true place. The wounds that Vader felt aching on his body were similar to the ones he received multiple times as a child. Their purpose, to remind him that he was only a slave to the real Master… but the pain reminded him of so much more besides that fact.
It reminded him of every reason why he wanted to become his own Master, of why he wanted to kill Palpatine, and of why he would become Emperor… but only if he could last that long. Even with Vader's own stubbornness, he had to admit that this pain was nothing like the others he had experienced, and as he began to force himself to move, with each step he felt closer towards death than he did his chambers.
As he reached the main living area, the pain rippled through his body, causing his legs to give out, and his body to slam into the ground. He groaned inwardly, the weakness burned him even deeper than the wounds on his body did. Vader was not weak; he was not supposed to feel pain, only inflict it.
Slowly peeling himself off the ground, Vader pushed himself onto the nearest couch as he moved into a sitting position.
Just heal yourself. Come on. Get this kriffing over with. I don't have time for this.
Vader tried to reach into the Force, he tried to heal himself, but each of his efforts resulted in the same outcome, failure. Again, Vader's anger and annoyance began to boil at that word. Failure. Vader and failure were two words that should never be associated together, but yet he continued to fail.
Pain.
Weakness.
Failure.
Pain.
Weakness.
Failure.
The words played over and over in Vader's mind. He let out a loud groan, for the sake of his wounds and thoughts. Reaching up, he pulled the hood farther over his face and closed his eyes.
I just need rest.
Down the hall, Padme was mad– No. Furious. She didn't know what Vader had meant by his final comment, but right now, she couldn't give a damn. How dare he. How dare he kill her friends and colleagues. How dare he try to use a weakness against her. How dare he. After everything he has done, try to play victim? After everything she has done, just let her off the hook? What was happening?
The man… or monster… that was in her room was not the powerful Sith Lord, Darth Vader. The real Vader would have done his worse. He would have been angry, murderous even; but yet, she was untouched. He had entered her room, and left without a single interrogation question. What was wrong with him?
"Are you alright, Mistress Amidala?"
Padme looked up from her place in the room, slightly confused of how she could have missed 3PO enter. But as soon as her eyes came upon the golden droid, a plan inside her mind clicked.
"I want to speak to Lord Vader." She said quickly, crossing the room towards the droid.
"Mistress Amidala," 3PO shuffled nervously, "I have been instructed –"
"I don't care about your orders, Threepio!" Padme interrupted loudly, "I want to see him. Now!"
Again the droid shuffled back, uncomfortable with the situation that was being brought down upon him. "Mistress," 3PO began, "I'm afraid I'm not even sure if my Master–."
At the sound of his voice, Padme instantly regretted her sudden burst. 3PO had been nothing but kind to her, and it was unfair to take her ragging emotions out upon him. "I'm sorry, Threepio." She said quietly as she approached him once more, "Please, could you go get him? I must speak to him urgently."
Due to her sudden change and soft request, 3PO nodded, "I will try, Mistress."
He returned a few minutes later, shuffling through the door slowly. Padme had expected the worse and was quite surprised to hear 3PO say, "My Master has given me permission to bring you to him."
Hesitantly, she followed 3PO out of the door and into the unknown. She had expected him to hide her eyes or try to confuse her, but he said and did nothing of the sort. 3PO just walked quietly along the long corridors making no attempt to hide anything from her. A small chill ran up Padme's spine as she remembered that this was the first time leaving her room since she had tried to run away. When she had escaped her room, Vader had been furious… and so it made no sense to why he was fine with it now. Why was this okay? Why had he let her live without punishment? Why was he allowing her out of her room? Why was he showing her the way to him? Why? Why? Why?
Moments later, the twists of hallways ended and Padme followed 3PO through a doorway into a large room. The room was dark, quiet, and Vader laid motionless against the back of the couch as if no one had entered. It was a state that Padme never imagined she would see Vader in, and it momentarily shocked her.
"Can't sleep, Senator?"
It was only after Vader spoke that Padme realized she had been frozen in place staring at him. Shaking her head, she crossed the room towards him. "No, this isn't because I can't sleep!" She shouted angrily, "Our conversation was not over!"
"I believe it was." Vader said unfazed, "And not so loud, Senator. You'll wake the dead."
The flame of Padme's anger reignited at his word choice. "How can you be so cruel?" Padme cried, "To make jokes at a time like this?!"
"Master, do you wish me to stay?" 3PO asked, taking a step in between the two before the conversation could explode.
"No, Threepio." Vader said waving him off, "That will be all. I can deal with her."
"Deal with her?" Padme hissed, "Just like you dealt with them, I'm sure."
"Yes, Master." 3PO nodded, before nearly running out of the room.
As soon as 3PO left the room, Padme closed more distance between herself and Vader. Before she could stop herself, she began to scream everything that was on her mind. The anger seemed to just flow out of her, and it seemed like it was never going to stop. She had so much to say and she had every intention of making Vader hear it.
Darth Vader on the other hand, had other things in mind.
Vader tightened his fists underneath his sleeves. Why did I allow her out of her room? He didn't know, nor did he care. He had made a quick decision in hopes that he could return to his form of solitude. He should have known, however, that a simple task and solitude were impossible when it came to Senator Amidala. She continued to scream at him, for reasons he could no longer understand. His head hurt, body hurt, everything hurt… and she was making it worse. He no longer had the energy to fight back against the small girl; she was far too close to him, and screaming far too loudly. The louder and closer she got, the more his head ached. Without thinking of the consequences, Vader used his remaining energy to call upon the Force, and within seconds, Senator Amidala became unconscious. Her body fell forward, falling into a lying position on the couch beside him, while her head nearly fell directly on his lap.
Kriffing Hell.
The moment her body made contact with his own, his whole body hardened. It was reaction he had never felt before, or not until recently. It was like a shock every time she made contact with him… and it felt… He didn't know. And he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
He shifted slightly, causing more friction between their bodies, and he couldn't stop the small groan that escaped his lips. Force, he wanted to touch her. He had been itching to touch her since that moment; the moment that his skin had touched her own. He should have never healed her. It was a moment of weakness that would not happen again. Or so he told himself, but somehow he knew it was a lie. He seemed to being lying more and more because of her.
Senator Amidala.
Force, he knew he should just kill her. That he should just get it over with regardless of the consequences. She was causing too many complications in his life. She was becoming too much of a problem. He hated her, in every definition of the word, but he also hated himself more because of her.
But he didn't even know what that meant.
Again, frustration overtook Vader as well as the pain. Everything was just too much and soon everything around him began to fade into utter blackness.
Sometime later, Padme opened her eyes and was completely consumed by confusion. She knew she was not in her bed, for there was hardness beneath her, one unlike her soft mattress… but she had to admit she was beyond comfortable, as if she had been sleeping on a cloud. Ignoring her confusion, she closed her eyes, and tried to snuggle deeper into her hard pillow, breathing in the sweet scent around her.
His scent.
Instantly, Padme's eyes snapped open as she inhaled again. It was his scent. Darth Vader's scent. Kriff. Slowly, she peeled her face away from her hard pillow and realized she was literally lying on his lap.
Acting quickly, she jumped away, putting as much space between her and the Sith Lord as she possibly could. She turned back to him, about to question him of how they had gotten into such predicament, but paused when she realized that Vader had not moved.
A frown formed itself over her features as the confusion worsened in her head. She was losing it, she was sure of it. How else would have any of this happened? Padme was about to speak, when she felt a strange, cold wetness on her face. Without thinking, she reached up and stroked her face, before looking at her fingers.
Blood.
Padme froze. Blood. She was covered in blood. Quickly, she felt over her body, not feeling any pain or injuries. She was fine. But how… who…? Her head snap towards the motionless figure lying back across the couch before turning back to the blood on her hand. No… No, that's not possible… It just couldn't be Vader's blood. It just couldn't be. The Sith Lord, Darth Vader didn't bleed. He didn't get injured. He wasn't "living." But yet, there he sat motionless… and it was the only explanation she had. Moving slowly back towards the couch, Padme kept her eyes locked on Vader. Even as she neared him, he continued not to move or speak, looking more like a dead body than a man. As Padme's eyes adjusted to the dark lighting, she looked between herself and Vader, and saw more wetness that had been absorbed by the dark fabric of the couch.
It was Vader's blood. It had to be.
"Vader?" Padme said lightly, almost timidly, still not sure what to believe.
He did not move or reply.
"Vader." She said a bit louder.
No response.
"Vader!" She yelled as she moved closer towards the Sith.
Nothing.
The thought of Vader dead should have been a comforting thought, but immediately Padme began to panic. She jumped towards the lifeless Sith and put her hands directly onto his solid stomach. The feeling of wetness again greeted her touch and when she pulled her hands away, she saw nothing but dark red. Blood. Blood was everywhere. Vader was drenched; blood was covering what seemed to be every inch of his body.
"Lord Vader." Padme cried, a mix of emotions screaming inside of her.
Padme desperately tried to feel for the rise and fall of his chest, for any sign of breathing, but could not find any movement. Next, she tried to feel for a heartbeat, an action that would have normally made her laugh, as if Darth Vader could actually have a heart… But right now, she prayed that he actually did. Attempt after attempt, Padme continued to fail, but she did not quit. She blamed the lack of breathing and heartbeat on the numerous amounts of black layers the Sith was wearing, thinking it would be impossible to feel anything beneath them. Running out of options, Padme grabbed each side of his cloak and tried to give him a slight shake. He hardly moved due to the major size different between the two, and soon Padme was forced to quit.
She reached towards his hood instinctively, about to look for any signs of life, but paused just before reaching the material. Did she really want to solve one of the biggest mysteries in the galaxy? Did she really want to see him? Did she really want to know what he would look like underneath the hood in which he hid from the universe?
Padme never got her answer.
"Mistress Amidala?"
Thank the Force.
Padme looked up from her spot and towards the voice that had come from the doorway. "Threepio!" She exclaimed, jumping up from her spot next to Vader.
The droid paused before her, as if taking in the situation. "Mistress Amidala?" He said slowly, before looking back and forth between the Senator and his Master. After a moment, the situation seemed to click within the droids mind, and he scrambled towards his Master, "Master Vader!"
"I…I ca–can't get him to wake up." Padme cried as she allowed 3PO to pass by her, "He's bleeding!"
"Oh dear!" 3PO exclaimed, "Where is the wound?"
"I –I don't know!" Padme answered frazzled, "There is just blood all over."
Padme backed away and let the droid get closer to his Master. She watched as he began tapping over Vader and start mumbling various concerns.
While 3PO continued to look over his Master, Padme tried to calm her mind. She had to do something to help, even if it was just piece together the pieces of the puzzle that had escaped her. She knew it hadn't been that long since he had been awake, perhaps a few hours. It was still dark in the room, so it had to still be night. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember what had happened before she had fallen asleep that had resulted in her nearly on Vader's lap, but the panic her mind was experiencing forced her to ignore that particular question of the time being.
"He was just up a few minutes ago." She said, trying to give 3PO at least a small amount of information.
"Did he say anything about the pain?" The droid asked, as he continued his work.
"No." Padme said quickly, "He didn't saying anything. I'm afraid I was the one doing most of the talking."
Threepio paused, turning away from his unconscious Master and towards the senator that stood behind him. "When was this, Mistress Amidala?"
Padme frowned, slightly confused at the droid's question. "Like I said, a few minutes ago." She answered, before adding, "When he told you that he could deal with me."
The droid was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. "Mistress Amidala," He said slowly, "that was hours ago."
"Hours ago?" Padme repeated shocked.
"Yes," 3PO replied with a small nod, "I left you last night with my Master. I assumed he would be taking you back to your room."
"Last night?" Padme again repeated shocked. She couldn't believe it. It couldn't have been hours. She had just spoken to Vader moments ago, hadn't she? She hadn't been asleep that long. "It's morning?" She asked as she observed the room around her again, "Why isn't it light out?"
"It is." 3PO answered quickly as he turned back to his Master.
"It's dark." Padme said simply, "There is no sun."
"Being underground does have its disadvantages…" 3PO replied with a small noise that sounded like a sigh.
Padme's eyes bulged as she picked up on the information she was sure she was not supposed to know. "Underground?" She asked, and immediately 3PO noticed his mistake.
"Oh dear!" He exclaimed worried, "I've said too much... "
Padme said nothing, but turned away from the droid as he too turned back to his Master. She fell back onto the couch, not caring about the blood that had already begun to drench and ruin her own clothes as well. She slowly took in all the new information that was unfolding before her. Underground. She was underground. Where was she?
Hell.
Slowly, she turned back to the droid that was fussing over the motionless Sith. Seeing Vader so still, so unresponsive gave Padme chills. She had to be in Hell, but so was Vader. She couldn't imagine him not waking up. She told herself it was because she couldn't imagine anything killing Vader… but if she was being truthful, she knew there was something more.
"What is wrong with him, Threepio?" She asked quietly.
"He has multiple open wounds, large ones at that." Threepio answered, as he pulled his own bloody hands away from Vader's body, "I will go fetch a medical droid, and my Master must be awakened so that he can recover properl–"
"Recover?" Padme repeated in disbelief, "Do you see the amount of blood, Threepio. He's lucky that he is still breathing. A droid will do nothing, we have to get him to a medical bay or –"
"Threepio…" A low voice wheezed, "Haku bu kanway apoya?"
Padme's head snapped towards the motionless figure. Vader had not moved from his position, and Padme questioned herself whether he had said something or not. The language she had heard was not one she knew or had heard Vader use before. As well as the voice that had resonated from the body had sounded nothing like Vader, but almost like a sleeping dying child.
But unlike Padme, Threepio remained unfazed. "Uba cot doptkee doi mee ninia, bengaha." Threepio answered quickly, shifting towards Vader.
What the Sith.
As the conversation continued, Padme looked back and forth between the droid and the Sith, confusion overtaking all of her senses. She didn't understand what they were saying, nor did she understand what was completely happening. But before she could ask any questions, 3PO backed away from Vader and turned toward her, "Stay here, Mistress Amidala."
He didn't have to tell Padme twice. She remained frozen in her spot, her eyes glued to the Sith beside her. When 3PO returned a few moments later, a small medical droid hovered behind him.
"He hasn't spoken." Padme reported, as both droids surrounded Vader.
"I don't believe he was fully conscious before, Mistress Amidala." 3PO admitted quietly, and although Padme did not understand, she remained quiet.
As the medical droid continued to work, C-3PO chirped concerns that both Padme and the medical droid ignored. The only time the medical droid seemed to even pay any attention to 3PO was when the golden protocol droid prohibited him from removing any large part of Vader's clothing. It seemed that instead of removing her from the scene, it would be easier just to make the poor little medical droid's job harder. Not that Padme complained. The decision by 3PO seemed silly, but due to 3PO's panicked state of mind, the droid could not think of anything but his Master's wishes and wellbeing. Removing Padme from Vader's side would result in 3PO leaving his side as well. Something the droid obviously would not due while the medical droid worked on his Master.
After sometime of taking samples and figuring out the problem, Padme watched with eager anticipation as the droid began to remove one of Vader's gloves; an action that 3PO deemed fit. Padme watched as the dark leather slid from the Sith's arm, down his fingers, until a human hand was exposed. Vader had a hand. A hand! A human hand with flesh and blood; Vader was human!
Padme felt her heart begin to beat harder within her chest and her breathing become compressed.
She thought perhaps she was in shock, but nevertheless, kept her eyes glued to the medical droid's work. She wanted – needed to know more. She wanted to see more of him. She watched as the droid began sniping parts of material away from his sleeves, allowing various tubes and needles to be pressed into the Sith.
What seemed like an eternity later, the medical droid completed his work, reporting on how low Vader's chances were, but there was nothing more he could do. She felt a harsh pain within her chest and a sort of sadness way on her soul, she couldn't explain it, but it hurt. She turned towards 3PO, knowing that if she hated him and felt like this, he must be terrible. 3PO, however, stood quite calmly, and was taking the terrible news quite well, almost as if he hasn't heard the droid's report at all.
Tuning back into the two droids' conversation, Padme heard 3PO say, "Very well, you may switch into monitoring mode until further directed." The medical droid did as it was told and switched into monitoring mode before getting a well centered kick by 3PO himself.
Padme couldn't help but giggle through swelling tears.
"Idiot." 3PO complained, "All of the medical droids. I am programmed to understand human behavior. Master –."
Before Padme could speak, a loud noise resonated from somewhere down the hall, causing an "Oh dear!" from C-3PO as he rushed towards the doorway. He paused for a moment looking back at the Senator before saying, "I'll be right back, Mistress. Stay here."
Padme nodded. She wouldn't try to run, not right now. She didn't think she could even if she tried.
3PO, believing her answer to be truthful, turned and scurried into the hall after the loud-pitched noise.
And then, she was alone with Vader… and immediately she felt it.
The moment that she was alone with him, she felt it. The pull. The push. The force. The everything. She just wanted to touch him. She felt a force, like THE Force was drawing her closer to him. Telling her. Controlling her. Closer and closer. She felt it. Closer and closer. She had to answer. She had to get closer. Without thinking about her actions she reached out and touched his flesh hand…. and when she did, she felt–
"…Senator?"
Kriff.
"Lord Vader!" Padme screamed shocked, as she pulled her hand away from his skin and jumped as far as couches would allow away from him.
He lifted his head slowly, as if it was the hardest action in the world. His head turned towards her and paused before his mind seemed to wrap itself around the situation. Almost instantly the droid that had been monitoring his health shattered, causing small bits of metal and flames to fall to the establishment's floor. Vader shifted his limbs against his new restraints for a moment, before he began ripping the various tubes and needles out of his arms.
Padme was horrified. "Stop!" She screamed as she witnessed more blood ooze out of the Sith's skin. "You need–"
Padme paused as she watched the Sith raise his flesh hand to his opposite arm and after a moment's pause the blood stopped and the wounds healed.
"H–How…" Padme hesitated, before she stopped completely allowing the facts to begin to piece themselves together in her mind. She frowned as Vader turned to look at her as well, knowing what she had just pieced together. "You." Padme stated, "You healed me. That's how you did it, right? The bruise? You made it go away."
They remained silent, starring at each other, before Vader spoke, "Threepio!" He called viciously, turning his hooded face away from her gaze, Padme didn't care, she knew his answer because of his silence; he had healed her that night, just like she had suspected. He had helped her.
"Master!" Threepio exclaimed happily as he shuffled into the room, "You're awake! I can't tell you how worry I was –"
"Take the Senator to her room." Vader's voice boomed as he pushed himself off of the couch, cutting of the happy droid.
"Oh, yes." 3PO said as he paused, noting Vader's mood, "I will do anything you desi–"
"Now!" Vader screamed as he stalked his way around the droid and out of the room.
Padme and C-3PO watched the Sith's retreating figure, still not entirely sure what had happened. But both were smart enough not to ask. Silently they both walked back to the Senator's room without another word for the rest of the day.
That night, Padme knew he wasn't coming and part of her rejoiced, while another part died. She hated him for what he had done, but thinking he had almost died himself… Don't think like that. It just the nightmares. He keeps away the nightmares. Vader is nothing. Your savior is something. That's it.
Looking for a little comfort, Padme walked into her closet and pulled out the large black cloak and wrapped it around herself. She knew that it no longer kept the nightmare away, but she still needed something if he would not come. She silently thanked the Force that it had reappeared back in her closet when it did, or else she would have nothing.
She laid in her bed for hours, tossing and turning. Too afraid to sleep, too exhausted to close her eyes. She hated to admit it, but she needed him. Just the thought of her nightmare returning scared her half to death. She needed him to chase them away. She needed him to protect her. She needed him so she could sleep.
But he wouldn't come. But I could make him come. The thought seemed to make itself known in Padme's mind, but it was true. How had she made him come the first time, by thinking too loudly, by annoying him? It sounded silly, but Padme would try anything. She closed her eyes tightly, keeping the same thought in her head, and thinking it louder each time.
Darth Vader.
Darth Vader.
Darth Vader.
Darth Vader.
Darth Vader.
Darth Vader.
Darth Vader.
Darth Vader.
And just when she was about to quit… the door to her room opened.
"You called, Senator?" Vader's voice echoed into the room, filled with high amounts of bitterness and annoyance.
Padme quickly uncovered and pushed herself up as she looked towards the spot she thought he stood in the room. "I'm sorry, just listen." She began, "I know you're angry with me, and you know I'm angry with you. And I know neither of us is in the forgiving mood, but we are both tired."
"I don't–"
"Yeah. Yeah." Padme said, not caring if she interrupted him, she knew what he was going to say, but she also knew it was a lie. "I know, apparently you're never tired, but I am –"
"Perhaps because it is such an earlier hour of the morning," Vader growled annoyed, "and you have yet to go to sleep."
Padme ignored his interruption and continued on as if he had said nothing. "We are both tired. We are both pissed" She continued, "but can we just both have this night to rest?"
No reply.
"Look." Padme growled, becoming more serious. "I know you felt something too "
"I do not feel, Senator." Vader replied coldly, making sure to pronounce every word like a threat.
"Then let me feel," Padme responded quickly, "but I know if the Force is screaming to me then it is doing a whole hell of a lot worse to you. So in that way… the Force way… you do feel. "
Vader was silent for a long moment; so long that Padme believed she had lost him. That was until he sighed, "What do you want me to feel?"
Padme took in a deep breath, preparing herself. "Do you trust me?" She asked quietly.
"Not at all." Vader responded flatly.
At his response, Padme groaned loudly and threw herself back into the mattress like a spoiled teenager. She didn't care how silly she looked, she was tired, and she knew he was lying. Or so she hoped. If she couldn't make a connection with him, then she just wanted him to stay for her sake. She needed some rest and it seemed he was the only way she was going to get it.
Without warning, the mattress dropped, signaling that Vader was now on his side or her bed. An action that both confused and excited her, still she tried not to move as she starred at the darkness of a ceiling.
"I didn't ask you to stay." Padme finally said, when she was unable to think of any thing else to say.
"You didn't have to." Vader replied with the same amount of annoyance and arrogance in this voice.
Padme couldn't help but roll her eyes. Vader, arrogant as always, and even though it annoyed her, she was just glad he stayed, even if she planned on ignoring him. Without another word, she turned herself completely away from him and pulled the hood of the black cloak over her head in further ignorance.
It took a few minutes, but Padme finally found a comfortable position and began to drift off to sleep when she heard, "Why do you wear that?"
"W-What?" She asked confused.
"My cloak." Vader pointed out, "Why do you wear it?"
Sith.
Padme blushed and even though she was turned away from Vader, she knew he would know. She had completely forgotten that she had put the article of clothing on in the first place. "Oh… I didn't… I don't–" She tired to explain, tripping over her words as embarrassment overtook her.
"You want me to have some trust?" Vader said simply, "Tell me the truth."
"Couldn't you just read my mind or something?" Padme asked annoyed.
"Perhaps…" Vader replied quietly, "but I asked you."
Padme was silent, unsure of whether to ignore him or respond, to lie or tell the truth? But she knew if she wanted trust, she had to tell the truth. "It used to keep the nightmares away…" Padme admitted quietly, "but now it's just sort of comforting."
"The nightmares about the man from the club?" Vader asked, revealing another secret.
She ignored the fact that he admitted he knew. He seemed to have forgotten the act of not remembering her, but she would bring that up another time. "Yes," Padme nodded, "the one you killed…."
"Ah." Vader replied almost uncaringly, "Well, it looks better on you than me anyways."
That was not the response she was expecting. She was expecting him to make a sly comment, perhaps hold it over her head, but not a phrase that just threw her confession into a closet. He had completely bypassed her confession, almost as if he had not heard it… and she was beyond thankful.
"Was that a compliment, Lord Vader?" She teased.
"No." Vader replied coldly, cutting off any happy mood she was trying to create.
Padme rolled her eyes and snuggled farther into the cloak around her smiling slightly.
They laid there in silence for a while, not facing each other, but both knowing they were each awake.
"Put your blindfold on." He said breaking the silence.
Padme did not question him, as she felt the cloth appear within her grasp. She just did as instructed, something telling her that whatever he had planned was well worth it.
When the blindfold was securely in place across her eyes, Vader spoke again. "Turn around." He commanded softly, and Padme did as she was told.
When she was comfortably facing him, there was a long pause. And in the silence Padme was sure she could hear her own heart beating loudly against her chest.
"Now," Vader said quietly, "what are you going to do now that I have given my temporary trust to you, Senator."
Padme took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She knew Vader could hear the changes in her body, but she tried to ignore that fact.
"You trust me?" She asked softly.
"No." Vader snapped, "But I will trust you for the short time-being."
"So trust?" Padme said with a smile.
"Senator." Vader scolded and Padme's smile deepened.
She took a long deep breath, gaining her strength, "Are you facing me?"
She felt Vader shift as if turning from lying on his back to his side.
"Good." Padme breathed nervously.
Was she actually going to do this?
"Reach out your hand." Padme said reaching her hands into the "No Man's Land" between their bodies on the large bed.
There was a long pause; so long that Padme thought she had lost his trust. That he would quit their little game. That he would leave her alone.
"I assume you want a particular one?"
"Yes." Padme breathed relieved, "And I think you know which."
She heard Vader take a long breath before she left warm leather glide across her fingertips. She took his hand into her own, and although it felt good… it was not the same. She craved the skin-to-skin contact from him. With shaky fingers she glided one hand up his hand, under his sleeve, to the edge of the glove. She had just begun to pull down when she felt her hands freeze, frozen by the Force.
"Senator." Vader's voice warned.
Oh no, you don't. He was not stopping her now.
"No talking." Padme scolded quickly, "Remember? Feel."
Instantly she felt her hands become free of their invisible bonds and she continued with her work, pulling the glove slowly down until it was off his hand completely. Slowly, her hands returned to his, and as soon as her fingers touched his skin, she felt the sparks fly through her.
He remained quiet and motionless, allowing her hands to move around his. Padme took note of both the softness and hardness of parts of his skin. The hardness due to years of wielding his lightsaber and other terrible deeds, no doubt. His hand should have felt dirty, evil, but they didn't. Never did she ever imagine Lord Vader, the murder of millions, to have hands like this. Never did she ever think she would crave such a man's touch, but she did. She craved him.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed in their silence, just her feeling the way her hands fit within his one. She loved the feeling of her hands within his, and with each passing second Padme was afraid he would snatch his hand away, but to Padme's surprise Vader did not pull away. He just remained silent and allowed her to do as she wished.
As Padme continued, she wondered if he craved her touch like she craved his. She knew he had touched her; he had to if it was truly him that healed her. She had to know. She needed to know. "Do you feel it?" Padme asked sheepishly as she locked his hand within her two. A place that she felt created the best explosion of sparks.
He said nothing… and by his silence, Padme knew he didn't feel the same.
Embarrassment and hurt overtook her as the truth began to set in. How could she be such a fool? To think Darth Vader, a Sith Lord could actually feel something? She was crazy. Painfully, she attempted to pull her hand away, but Vader tightened his grip, not allowing her to unlace her hand from around his. Not believing the action was true, she gave another small tug to her hand, but Vader tighten his grip again. At that, a small smile formed itself onto Padme's lips knowing what Vader was trying to say without actually saying it. She had been wrong; she knew now what he was trying to say. That night, Padme fell asleep with her fingers interlocked with the devil, but she had never been so happy in her entire life.
Author's Note: Drop a review!