Chapter 16: Patience is a Virtue

After the initial impact, Vader just laid there, completely confused. This was all for a very good reason- Padmé had not once lifted so much as a finger against him.

His silence was alright for her- Padmé had all the time in the world. Literally. When it would come time for Vader to find out her secret, she would have unprecedented control over him.

But, moments later, the young woman found that this might not be so. With a snarl that send shivers down her spine, Vader flung her onto her back and pinned her against the bed, his furious face mere inches from hers.

"What are you going to do to me?" she choked out, only too aware of the pressure he was placing on her womb. "Kill me? Do so, and you will lose not only me but your heir. Who will raise Leia for you? What about Luke- when you and your pathetic search team find him, that is," Padmé spat.

Blue eyes penetrated through her into her mind and heart. Shuddering, she looked away but still felt Vader's heated gaze on her.

And, as suddenly as his temper flared, the Sith moved off of her. Only then did she dare to open her eyes and let out the breath Padmé had unknowingly been holding. "How can I carry this child for nine months when you've already tried to harm it in the mere hours it's existed?"

As usual, Vader silently regarded her with pursed lips.

"And how are we to make our life together work if you'll never speak to me?"

"Oh, I'll speak to you," he spat, Vader's eyes mocking her as he slowly rubbed her stomach albeit not gently. "That 'pathetic' team you just spoke of has traced your son to the Lars' homestead on Tatooine." His sadistic grin widened as he saw her fear and realization of whom their child had been raised by. "Unfortunately, "he paused with a slight smirk, "I have more important things to tend to."

"They say… family should take first priority and then your job…"

"As of now, you do not figure into my list of priorities."

Though she knew that this harsh reality had been coming, Padmé was hurt in ways that could not be described. "That is… to bad," she said slowly, painfully choking on he words, "for you and our little family certainly rank high on mine."

"Once again, my love, we differ."

"We weren't always that way."

"So, I suppose your comment just a few minutes ago was supposed to make me ask 'What do you mean'?" he replied blandly.

A sly but not necessarily friendly smile spread across Padmé's lips. "Three years- three years I waited in agony to find out whether our little ones lived or perished in my womb before taking breath. For this, I consider it to be sufficient revenge for you to have to be patient, Lord Vader."

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