Chapter 13: The Impossible Request

Keeping the lightsaber pointed at Padmé's throat, Vader stole a look over his shoulder to see a wide-eyed Leia standing in the doorway. A discarded blanket pooled at her feet while her young heart took in the horrible truth- the first time her true father had given her reason to trust him, Vader had turned around and ruthlessly deceived her.

"Daddy, why are you hurting Mommy?"

"Leia, go," Padmé rasped, holding back a sob as the beam drew nearer to her throat. Her eyes then found Vader's. "Kill me," she whispered. "Kill me, and I shall no longer be bound to the ghost of a man that once was."

For a moment, the saber licked against her skin, its blade dangerously warming that spot, but it then began to waver a little.

Out of the corner of her eye, Padmé saw Leia take a tentative step towards her. "Please, my child, leave while you still can," she cried out. "Remember that mommy loves you!"

"And I do not?" Vader sneered as he lunged out and harshly kicked Padmé in the side, causing her to gasp out in pain and clutch her thigh.

"It does not take love to create children, Chosen one," she gasped, wincing in pain. "Even the Galaxy's biggest…"

"Padmé…" he growled in warning.

"…can do that. It takes love to raise them, though."

She had gone too far.

His lightsaber suddenly pulled away from her as he whipped around to find Leia, who had been slowly walking towards Padmé previously unnoticed, kneeling down at her mother's side with her little hand on Padmé's forehead.

Before Vader had even moved, Padmé saw the deadly intent in his eyes.

In the mere second in which Vader moved away from her and raised his palm at the trembling Leia, Padmé, with what little strength remained in her, scooped the little girl into her arms and cradled her daughter against her heaving breast.

"End it now," she begged, burying her face into Leia's short curls as the little girl began to shake and sob. "I never asked you for anything- I never had something to ask you for- grant us the mercy of death."

At this, Leia shrilly screamed and clutched at Padmé's hair, her little fingers digging into her mother's scalp.

Suddenly, she felt something warm envelop her. Crying out as her eyes flashed open, Padmé found that it was Vader and that it was his arms that encircled her frail body.

He was crying.

Soon, his face was buried against the crook of her neck as he awkwardly pulled her against him in a movement that nearly stopped her pounding heart.

"Force, help me," he moaned, his gloved hands cupping her face as he placed his trembling lips against hers. "I just cannot do it." As a sob escaped him, Vader rested his forehead against hers, his tears rolling down Padmé's face to mingle with her own. "You are my only weakness, one that I can never be rid of. The Emperor…" he shuddered, his voice catching, "he must never know." With a determined look, he stood up, leaving her still trembling and weeping on the floor.

"Why?" she whispered brokenheartedly. "Why must you do this to us?"

"Do what?" Vader asked in confusion.

"Not let us go," she whispered, shakily standing up with the precious burden still in her protective arms. "Vader, Anakin- whoever you are- think about what is best for us, for Luke, and for the baby I might conceive."

Vader feverishly shook his blond head. "You are asking for the impossible, my love. You cannot possibly understand what I suffer."

"No, you do not understand what you do to us, and for that, you have deemed it impossible."