Hey all, just wanted to do a quick update. First off thank you so much for reading, and the new follows :) means so much to me. I had intended to have this be a weekly updated story, but for the time being I'm going to have to push that off to monthly- Hopefully I can go back to weekly updates soon! I've had some family things come up and wont be able to dedicate the time I want to the story for a bit. Hope you all can understand, THAT SAID when I do have extra time I fully intend to be writing and editing as much as possible.
And now to the story.
It had felt like drowning, if the experience could be considered a pleasant one. If you could enjoy total detachment from the world. He felt so heavy, so deep under the cool waters of his mind. Moving? He was still moving right? He needed to move, yet he was so heavy, so slow, and infinitely tired. With a sigh he thought for a moment he could rest, could almost slip away entirely into the calm lull of the ocean of his mind. It was so quiet there, and safe. Gently he started to close his eyes giving into the serenity that surrounded him. Flashing light shining behind his heavy lids caught his attention. Why was there light here? Why was it so bright? It was growing uncomfortable now, he felt too heavy. It was too dark, making the blinding flash only more painful. Wasn't there something important he was doing? He should be somewhere else! His lungs burned, at the intense pain as he tried in vain to thrash, but his limbs didn't belong to him. He felt fire lick through his body, running molten through his veins. Sudden burst of light pulsed in front of him. Images flooding his brain so fast he could hardly comprehend.
Blue light glowed around his hands as he gently wrapped Padme in its aura. Hands, his hands? He had watched there hypnotic movements as they tirelessly worked over her body, keeping her stable until he could reach the med bay.
Wild blind running. Running breathless with ferocious speed that left everything behind him in a blur.
Looking down at her face, so hollow, her cheekbones raised, harsh dark circles under her closed eyes. Eyes he had wished were open to him, dried blood covering her battered body. The blue aura casting dancing shadows across her bone stretched skin.
People yelling, startled as he dashed to his ship. His body was violently shaking.
Finally he reached the sterile white walls of the medical bay. Those hands. he watched as they gently placed his wife onto the clinic bed. He put her on the bed didn't he?
Medical droid units flooding into the room, pushing past him as they quickly surrounded the unconscious woman. Immediately they started working over her frail body.
The shaking wouldn't stop. And with a sudden drop everything burst into color, sounds became crystal clear. He could smell the sterile scent of the medical room, taste the metallic tang in the air. He could see Padme unconscious on the bed as droid after droid attended to her. The light that had covered her like an ethereal veil vanished.
Suddenly Vader had felt a vicious wave wash over his body, as he hastily pulled off his dark helmet and emptied the contents of his stomach into the small waste bin in the corner of the room. His body felt heavy and spent, as he collapsed onto the floor. He carefully flexed his fingers in a pathetic attempt to stop them from shaking. Closing his eyes he concentrated on breathing. Slowly he forced air into his lungs, and back out. The sick rot feeling in his veins would not subside. Beads of cold sweat rolled down his face. His eyes pointlessly rolled around in his skull. He took another deep breath, steadying the thundering pace of his heart.
Thankfully he did feel the tremors that had rocked through his body start to slowly subside. "It's ok, you're going to be okay." Anakin hushed "More importantly will she?" the Jedi choked out. Vaders eyes Snapped open scanning over his wifes body as the droids continued their work. Is she in pain? Vader asked. A long silent pause followed by a grave sigh, Anakin responded hoarsely "Yes." His stomach instantly tightened, heaving into the bin beside him again. Breathless he sat there on the floor of the medical room a whirlwind of questions and concerns tearing through his mind, his eyes never leaving her. How long had he sat there he could not recall. Time seemed to almost slow to a stop at one point when the heart monitor flat lined. His eyes widened and with a trembling body he tried to stand, desperation flashing in his tortured eyes as he watched the monitor. The droids doubling their efforts returned her heart to a weakened rhythm.
The only solace the young Sith had in these hours of torment was the knowledge that he was not alone in this. With every complication on that medical table, with every doubt he possessed he could feel Anakins worry as well. They were together in this, both holding their breath desperate that she would be okay. That they were for once not too late.
At some point many of the droids had left the room, leaving only a few to watch over the unconscious woman. A 2-1B surgical droid approached the sunken Sith.
"She is stable. And will be unconscious for some time." The monotonous mechanical voice spoke. "She will remain in a medically induced coma and be moved to a Bacta tank for multiple bouts of intensive treatments. Once she is cleared from intensive care she will require much assistance during her healing process." The surgical droid continued on detailing the damages that had been inflicted upon his wife. As the droid continued to list atrocity after atrocity, the Dark Lord wished he could feel anger, wished desperately for something to take away this pain, to replace it with a determined ferocity that he had grown accustomed too. But try as he might he felt weak, and so very frightened. In his powerful hands he held the life of the most fragile bird, and it terrified him.
Broken ribs, fractured skull, malnourishment, shattered femur, internal bleeding, liver damage, ulcers of the stomach, severe blood loss, punctured lung, were listed from the surgical droid. The droid when on to describe the necessary rehabilitation that would be required for a decent recovery, along with the potential for psychiatric review. Vader was confused by this for a moment, "psychiatric review?" In a new wave of grief he remembered how she came by these injuries. This was no flight crash, this was slow intentional harm. And as deep and painful as bodily harm can be, nothing is as painful and haunting as psychological torture. He roughly swallowed down the bile that rose up his throat.
Any doubts that had filled his mind were shattered as he slowly made his way to her bedside. Looking down at this fragile creature his worry was re-written and replaced with a warm glow in his chest, as he felt air push into his lungs, and felt the familiar surge of emotion whip through his body. Strength slowly returning to him, she was here, she was alive. The glow burned hotter still as his eyes bright amber looked down at her fading to a slate grey. This was his wife, his love, and his purpose. He would do anything necessary for his angel. His eyes, not yet the azure blue they once were, slowly closed, focusing on his breathing. Moments later his eyes snapped open, his stare flashing dangerously like a storm. With another deep breath one thing was for certain, there would be retribution.