Till Death Do We Not Part
Chapter 4
Thanks you guys for all your reviews again. Chap 5 might take a little while to come cause we are both busy this month. But we promise to write it and upload it as soon as possible. Now to answer some quick questions.
? We usually update once a month which is usually when we write the next chapter.
Rainy - Sorry about the scene change being choppy, we didn't realize and guess trying to change the time line like that didn't work very well.
(Padme's POV)
"Look at me Amidala!" I shiver and stare up into a familiar pair of baby blue eyes. Those eyes are so familiar….where have I…. I gasp sharply. Oh my Goodness! It can't be… It can't be him! As I realize who this man is before me, tears escape my eyes and pour down my face.
"Ani, my dear Ani, you've come back to me," I cry. I stumble backwards and fall onto the bed as it hits my knees. Pain seizes my body and I sob not only for Ani, but from the throbbing pain.
(Darth Vader's POV)
"Ani, my dear Ani, you've come back to me."
Ani? She stumbled to the bed and sat down. The urge to comfort her grows in me, but I turn away. Who is this Ani she talks of? The name rings a bell…. where have I heard it before?
I clasp the pendant that I had taken away from her. Glancing down at it, I discern its simple looks. It is a snippet of some sort of stone. The feel of its smooth surface calms my mind. I close my eyes and focus on its vibrations. This pendant was created out of love; a strong love. Focusing on this "bond", images of two young children fill my mind….
"I carved it my self, it's a japer necklace." He smiles proudly.
'It's beautiful.' The girl exclaimed as she placed it over her head. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you." He blushed and stared at her.
"What is it?" She questioned
He stated, out of the blue, "One day I'm going to marry you. That I promise"
"I can't wait," She laughed, as she fingered the pendent.
Anger boils inside of me. This 'Ani' loved Amidala as a child! He promised her marriage, a family…. Somehow Amidala senses my anger; she sends waves of reassurance through the force. Perspiration slithers down my face, and I wipe it away. This room is too hot, so I do away with the amour. Underneath, I'm wearing a basic black tunic. After releasing myself from the amour, my mind wanders back to who this 'Ani' is. That boy reminds me of someone long ago; someone lost….
It comes to me through the force. Your name is Anakin, Ani was your nickname. I turn to stare at Amidala. She nods to me and suddenly I feel more memories rush through me.
I was the boy on Tatooine… the slave boy who played with the little brown-haired girl. Is Amidala…..? NO! She can't be that girl from Tatooine all those years ago! No it can't be! The proof however is in my hands. She is Padme Naberrie, my childhood playmate. I shake my head as my childhood sweeps into my broken mind. I cannot hide from them anymore…. . Another figure forms in my memories, another woman who called me Ani….
Your mother
My mother…. Her affectionate eyes appear in my mind. Unexpectedly the memories of her death are there too. An unspeakable rage surges through me. I cannot control it. The pain I buried is resurfacing and tearing my insides apart. Padme places her hand on my shoulder, reassuring me with her comforting gaze.
Do not withhold your grief, free yourself from it. Surprisingly, I wrap my arms around her, collapsing into her chest, sobbing uncontrollably. She embraces me back and says nothing.
(Padme's POV)
I couldn't believe it at first. Anakin, he had been right in front of me for the past three years! I cannot believe he is Darth Vader! No, that can't be right. I refuse to believe it! He cannot be my hero; Vader is a cold blooded murder!
Silence filled the room as he stared at my pendant. Does he know who I am? He ran his hand through his hair, deep in thought. I could feel his confusion through the force. Memories flew through his mind, until he remembered his mother.
How could he forget about her? He adored his mother. I pushed the answer to his mind and he froze. I felt a huge wave of anger and uncontrollable grief. Something awful must have happened to her. Not being able to stand it, I go up to him and hold him. Do not withhold your grief, free yourself from it. He wrapped me in a tight embrace and sobbed into my nightgown.
I stumble on my feet, and lead him to the bed, where I can just lay next to him. He clings to me and I brush back his long blond-hair, whispering comforting words to him. He gazes up at me like a small lost child. Is this really the feared ruthless murderer Darth Vader?
"Ani?" I whisper tentatively, "What happened to your mother?"
He cuddles closer to me, and takes a deep breath before replying, "She was kidnapped a-a long time ago. W-w-hile I was with the Jedi. They refused to help me rescue her!"
His eyes seem distant as I ask, "By whom?"
"T-tusken Raiders. I found her close to death… T-t-they whipped her, Padme….and raped her. Dammit! If the Jedi hadn't refused to help her, she would still be alive!" His anger surges through him. He attempts to get out of the bed and pace but, I hold onto him tighter.
"Calm down Ani," I reply, stroking his face. He nuzzles my hand. My heart goes out to him. He has really had a hard life. I wish I could make him feel better…. I reach for my pendant, and hand it to him.
"Here, take this, It will help ease the pain," I murmur, handing him the pendant.
"Thank you," He whispers against my hand.
A small grin forms on my lips and I answer, "Welcome, it is worth the payback since you're the one who helped me through all these years of pain."
"I have?" He asks keeping his eyes lowered.
"Of course, every thought of you kept me going, knowing there was another day and I could survive because your love kept me going," I whisper, running my hands in his soft golden hair. His fury has settled and he brushes his lips against my palm. Then he trails the kisses from my neck up to my cheek and stares into my eyes. His smouldering gaze blazes though my soul, igniting the fire within me. I shiver underneath his stare and wait for the sky to fall. He whispers, "I've waited so long for this moment."
I nod silently, awaiting fate to claim me. His fingers trace my lips and then the world comes undone. His lips brush mine, and I run my hands through his hair. His tongue glides along mine and I respond easily. Keeping my eyes closed, I feel his hand travel down my body and gently reach under my skirt. I moan softly and murmur into his ear, "Make love to me Anakin."
He says nothing in response, only claiming my lips once more in a passionate and fiery kiss as we both battle for control.
Our minds are not changed, instead we are urged on. We dive into these pleasures for one night, forgetting the world, forgetting the past and the future. Leaving, behind the hardships and just being with each other. Two souls merging into one….
(The Morning After)
I roll over onto my back and slap my arm into something soft. I hear a moan and leap three feet in the air. Spinning around, Anakin's arm grabs mine. "Padme' it's just me,"
I look relieved as I turn around to see Anakin behind me. I cuddle closer to him. "Last night was amazing Ani." He grins happily at me too.
"Yes it was," He says nodding, gently drawing patterns on my bare stomach.
"Hey that tickles," and he laughs at me. The man had the nerve to laugh at me. It is however infectious and I too am laughing hard.
Suddenly, he is silent, a sudden change from 5 minutes earlier. I stare questioningly at him but he does not respond. I try a new tactic; probing his mind with the force.
No Padme ….Answer me then, I push back to him through the force.
I'm busy.
What? Are you receiving instructions from my father and what is he telling you to do?
As you are my wife I will give you the privilege to know. Your father has discovered a rebel base and is asking us personally to overview the destruction of it. It will be a great honour for us and will make us more famous in the galaxy.
He gets out of bed wrapping a sheet around his waist as he makes his way to the closet.
"What!" I scream as he gets out the bed. "You are willing to kill innocent people just for publicity. What about their families? They are only doing what is good for the galaxy and the Republic!"
He calls out from the closet, "Padme, we have already been through this!"
"No we have not!" I shriek back at him.
He walks out of the closet, sheet dropped on the floor and only wearing a pair of black trousers. His long blond hair still tussled from last night. He comes to the bed and sits near it. "Look Padme, for the sake of the Empire, we have to destroy these rebels. I know some of them were good friends of yours but that is the price of being a rebel."
"H-h-how did you know about my friendship with the Rebels?"
"I read your mind last night." He shrugged.
"W-what? H-h-how could you do that to me?" I stammer, enfolding my arms around myself and the sheet covering me.
"Padme we are now married, it's the husband's right to know everything about his wife."
As soon as I heard that I got annoyed and dropped the sheet that covered me and attempted to slap him. However, using the force he caught my hand and shoved me back on the bed. He leans over me, holding my hands above my head. He stares into my face. His eyes have turned yellow thanks to the force.
"Don't you dare slap me again Padme. Got that? Or you will regret it." I glare back at him and challenge him with my eyes. He immediately gets off my body, his eyes still yellow. I watch from my bed as he gets dressed angrily, shoving his armour on before placing the terrible mask on his head.
He stomps out of the room, and I watch the door shut. Wrapping myself in the sheet on the bed again, I cry as I think about my friends and the monster my poor Ani has turned into. Is there any hope of turning Vader back to Anakin? I know it is possible! He showed me Anakin last night. I have to just find a way to keep him there. With that thought in mind, I head to the refresher to get ready for the day, picking up the precious pendant that had fallen on the floor after last night's revelations.
To Be Continued