AN:

Mercenary29: So happy to see you back! I'll do my best to update as often as possible xoxo

Guest: ... :D

Searth05: Thank you for your review! That's true Vader is full of hate at this time and his dreams are violent. And I agree, poor Leia! :( Don't worry though, Padme hasn't forgiven him, they haven't really met yet. But they do now in this chapter :D

Percussion Gun

It's been a while
So I'll just beg, borrow and steal all your time
We'll call it dignified
Well now it all seems to be cut and dry
So I know which way to run
You're tired, my love
I feel the same

Padme couldn't quite digest the news. After hearing the haunting voice echo the sentiments her husband once uttered – you're in me and I'm in you – she realized exactly who the man behind the mask was. And she couldn't handle it.

Her heart began to ache. She could feel a violent pain shooting out of her chest. She began to feel dizzy like her legs couldn't hold her up any longer.

Suddenly she collapsed, caught by Vader before her body fell to the floor.

Her children ran out, worrying for their mother's safety after a dreadful silence followed the gunshots she fired moments before.

Vader placed a fainted Padme on the couch – still trying to wrap his head around how she could be alive.

"Mum!" Leia screamed at the top of her lungs as her and Luke ran out into the living room. A perplexed Vader turned to face them.

His eyes locked with Leia's, realizing the terrible truth – the girl Obi-Wan was protecting was Padme's kid.

He could sense her fear. She was traumatized by the sight of the man who had captured her. Vader then glanced at Luke and he could sense the same familiar feelings. These were Padme's children.

No – his children.

"She's. . .not dead." He assured – although it hardly sounded comforting.

For a moment, Vader was frozen in his spot, trying to process all the information at once. The twins were also frozen in fear as they stared at their unconscious mother. Eventually, Vader made a judgment call, and began to pick Padme up, and take her aboard his ship.

"Let her go!" Luke cried, running after him, tugging at Vader's cape to stop him before he got onto the ship. Vader turned back to the twins once Padme was inside the ship.

"Get on the ship." Vader drawled.

After a moment's hesitation, Luke obliged.

"Luke!" Leia grabbed his arm before he could take his first step, refusing to let him go.

"I'm not leaving mum!" He yelled, retracting his hand from Leia's grasp, shoving her off him.

She quivered, watching her brother enter the ship willingly. Vader then turned to face her. That same frightful mask was back in her eyeline, reminding her of the torture she endured at his hands.

Vader gestured for her to follow Luke.

"No!" She snapped.

"Get on the ship." Vader's tone sounded more impatient this time. He reached out to grab her but a resistant Leia scurried backwards.

"You can't do this." She spat, shaking as Vader walked towards her. "Obi-Wan'll be back!"

Vader took a deep breath, releasing his frustration. He then picked up the screaming child and carried her to the ship.

"You." Vader's mechanical hiss bounced off the walls of a small hall inside the inquisitors' headquarters.

An anxious Taul glanced up at the dark Lord, furtively – almost afraid to look right into his red lenses.

"My Lord." He acknowledged with an awkward bow.

"I remember you." Vader paused. "Useless at combat. . .although you had potential – as a brothel watchdog."

Taul didn't know whether Vader sounded amused or utterly derisive.

"Come with me to Mustafar." Vader decided. "I've got a job for you."

A disoriented Padme woke up on a mattress on the floor beside her children in a small unit with no furniture other than a wonky wooden table.

Her eyes scanned her children who were terrified, cold and confused.

"Are you okay?!" She searched each of them urgently, making sure they weren't hurt before pulling them in for a hug.

"He brought us here." Luke told, hopelessly.

And Padme's memory flashed back to Coruscant and the realization that her late husband was alive.

She worriedly looked around, trying to gauge what this place was – a dark room with no windows.

"I'm gonna get us out of here." She nodded nervously. She then got up and approached the door.

"Open up!" She shouted, banging on the door relentlessly.

Her knocks were finally answered as the door creaked open.

"Hello, milady."

Padme's eyes skimmed over the imperial employee. "Let me out." She warned

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I've been instructed to guard you under the orders of Lord Vader." Taul announced.

"Vader. . ." Padme repeated, sneeringly.

"Yes. He's the Supreme Commander – who brought you here... "

Padme stood there, putting two and two together.

"I'm Taul," The young man continued. "–and I'm available if you need anything. You simply press this button," He pointed over to the controls on the wall beside the door. "And I'll be alerted."

"Aren't you a little short to be named Taul?" Leia's eyes squinted. Taul glanced at the little girl in quiet amusement.

"I want to speak with him." Padme insisted. Her facial expression stressed her dourness

"I'm sorry. He's not free at the moment. But he has requested your presence for dinner."

"I wasn't asking." Padme said bluntly, folding her arms.

"Milady, a word of advice. . .if the Lord agrees to meet with you, you patiently wait for your window. Not many get that opportunity... "

Taul's eyes browsed the room, glancing at the children on the mattress – remembering his first encounter with the dark lord: the night his friend was murdered – before settling back on Padme. "Not many make it out alive."

Well take it from me
What else could you do?
Where do you get off?
And how can I get there too?

You'll never come back
I know which way to run
You're tired, my love
I feel the same

Taul entered the unit hours later. Padme, Luke and Leia were still restlessly sitting on the wide mattress, twiddling their thumbs.

"Lord Vader is ready for you." Taul proclaimed.

Padme gestured for her kids to stand up.

"–No." Taul interjected. "Just you."

Padme's eyes widened and daggers shot back at him.

"I'm not leaving my children."

"I will watch them."

And Padme scoffed at his response. "Over my dead body."

"I can assure you, Miss, you have nothing to worry about. I'm good with kids – I have a little sister."

Padme's bottom lip stiffened, unable to accept Taul's offer.

Taul leaned in, keeping his voice low. "If you want to plead your case for your freedom, I suggest you go."

Padme was handcuffed by guards and led to another room, a larger room with a long dining table, set up for two with only one plate serving food – hers – and sitting at the head of it was Darth Vader.

"Let go of her." Vader spoke calmly as the guards forced her to sit on a dining chair. Padme shoved them off with a twitch of her shoulder, as they unlocked her handcuffs.

Vader stared intently at a despondent and defiant Padme. She looked as beautiful as he remembered – just sad.

After taking a deep breath, Padme turned to look at him in the metal suit.

She couldn't look for long. It was a devastating sight to try and piece the puzzle together. She knew of the fire that she believed killed her husband but she had no idea of the extent of his injuries now that he survived.

Her eyes were now downcast, tormented by the picture that was painted in her head.

"What happened to you?" Her voice was a brittle whisper.

"Obi-Wan didn't tell you?" He asked with a sneer.

Padme remained silent, sensing his burgeoning disdain for Obi-Wan.

She looked around the room. The walls were black. Everything about the room felt dark and evil.

"So he's the reason you did all this," She shook her head, disappointed "–caused all this destruction and terror... "

Her eyes finally returned to him. "Is this the future you had in mind?"

She heard a tense inhale come from Vader.

"I'm sensing a little resentment, Padme." He said tightly.

She scoffed. "A little?"

Now leaning forward in her chair, "I thought you were dead. Then you show up at my door and kidnap me and my children?"

"Your children?" Vader cut in, surprising Padme.

Suddenly she felt sick to her stomach, sucking in a small, nervous breath.

"Don't do that." She quietly and cautiously warned.

"Do what?" It was now his turn to lean in.

And she failed to swallow down her anger. Her voice hoarse with emotion. "Don't think for one second that you should have any say in their lives."

"You and those children are mine." Vader calmly growled, jaw clenched under the mask. His temper sparked.

Aghast, Padme snapped at him. "You have no right–"

"–No you have no right." He glared. Breathless with anger, he stood up. The sounds of clinking cutlery ensued as he knocked the table.

His rage flowing through him like the lava surrounding his castle. "Allowing Obi-Wan to watch over my kids. The lack of respect you show me–"

"respect?" She scolded. "You want to talk about respect? You left me."

"You left first." He breathed out.

"No." She concluded, standing up. "You abandoned us. . .for this." She gestured to his surroundings. The cold, intimidating walls exemplifying the man he became.

"You chose you, remember?" She folded her arms, refusing to shed a tear. "Your power, your Empire. And I hope you're happy with that. Because now that's all you've got."

Staring him down, she was adamant about holding her ground, hiding her fear as she stood before this stranger.

Vader smoldered with resentment for her words. He ushered in the guards. "Take her away!"

Well everyone's saying rise and shine
It might not be true and that's just fine
'Cause I know which way to run
You're tired, my love
I feel the same

Now even rats will jump this ship
Oh just give me some piece of mind
'Cause I...

White Rabbits - Percussion Gun