Oh my gosh I am so so so so so so sorry that this took so long!
First it was writers block...
and then my brain decided it wanted to take a whole new direction with this story than I originally intended!
I am sooooo sorry, but I'm back on it now, i swear, no more dissapearing acts!
PLEASE FORGIVE ME!
Okay, so there's a big chunk in here that is read off of an article that I found, i highly suggest it: Padme didn't die of a broken heart. Aria cuts off a few lines and changes names and such, so I suggest reading the entire article, it's really good and I now believe that is what happened to Padme it's so convincing!
Please! Read! Review! Forgive me for how long this took!
Enjoy!
Padme was surprised at the tension she could see in Anakin's shoulders after Aria and Obi-Wan went outside. He wouldn't meet her gaze—which was a first after all of his flirtatious attempts on her—and he seemed lost in thought over something that Padme had the sneaking suspicion was from the conversation he'd had with Aria. Still, she could tell that the matter was private, and she had the sneaking suspicion that if whatever was bothering him was truly about her, than Aria would tell her when Padme's turn came.
At least she hoped the young girl would tell her.
The two had not really talked as much as Aria had talked to the two Jedi. Padme could tell at times that Aria was going out of her way to talk to her and include her, but other times Padme could tell that in the excitement of things she often forgot that Padme was there.
She tried not to let it bother her though. She just set it aside and tried to focus on other things.
Like trying to figure out the things that Aria was keeping secret from them.
The three of them hadn't said anything out loud, but Obi-Wan had noted when it was just Anakin and Padme to hear that he had heard the name Boba Fett before, and it had been the name of the son of Jango Fett, the bounty hunter Obi-Wan believed was trying to kill Padme. Now whether the Boba Fett in the video of this Luke Skywalker was the same one or not, that was still speculation. But Padme wasn't about to discard such a thought. With all the half-truths and missing facts that Padme could tell was in the stories Aria told, it was obvious that whatever it was about the trio she was trying to hide it was important.
It would be a relief to get some answers, no matter how few or small.
Padme heard the door to the porch open, and both Anakin and herself looked up to see Obi-Wan emerge from his conversation with Aria, with Aria close behind him. Obi-Wan looked solemn, pensive, and even a little...nervous, if that was even a possible emotion when it came to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Aria was tucking a paper into her back pocket as she entered the house. The young girl's eyes fell on Padme and Anakin, standing silently side by side in the kitchen without having a conversation for once. Padme could have sworn that she saw a flicker of guilt in Aria's eyes, but the teenager simply murmured something to Obi-Wan before she made her way towards Padme.
"I guess I'm ready to have your conversation now," Aria told her.
"Are you going to tell her about..." Anakin suddenly said, his voice trailing off as he looked at Aria with an expression of worry. Aria's own expression softened as she gave him a short nod.
"Yes, I am," she said sympathetically before she turned back to Padme. "I've spent...too long in the cold, it's time to retreat somewhere else. My bedroom would be the second best place to go for privacy."
She gestured for Padme to follow before she paused and turned back to Anakin. "I'll show you that...clip...after I'm done talking to her," she told him. Padme and Obi-Wan both gave Anakin a confused look, but Anakin wouldn't meet their eyes and simply nodded in acceptance. Aria smiled somewhat sadly before she turned back to Padme. "Come on, let's go. Let's let the boys have their manly time."
Anakin rolled his eyes but didn't say anything as Padme and Aria had already left the kitchen and were already making their way upstairs to Aria's bedroom. As they climbed up the steep staircase, Aria turned her head back to address Padme. "I'm sorry I haven't really talked to you that much, I feel like a crappy host because of it."
Padme waved her hand in dismissal. "It's all right; I can tell that whatever it is that you're worried about centers around those two."
Aria hesitated slightly. "Actually…It involves you as well; just they make several important, deciding choices along the way, and theirs is the more complicated, tangled issue that's hard to fix."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Padme said with a small, half-smile.
"I guess you could," Aria said quietly, though Padme had the distinct impression that she said it more to herself than to Padme. The two came to the top of the stairs and took the few steps to Aria's room with Aria running her hand nervously through her hair, smoothing it down repeatedly every time after she ran her hands through her hair. "So...do you want me to address the private part of your life first or the professional part of your life first, to sum up what I'm going to be telling you."
Padme frowned slightly, pursing her lips a little as Aria took a seat on her bed. "Let's play it safe...professional."
Aria grimaced. "Either way what I have to say won't be good, but I think that's a wise choice," she murmured. Before Padme could say anything, she continued. "I'm sure by now you've gathered that the type of government ruling the galaxy changed at some point into an Empire."
Padme took a seat beside the young girl. "Yes, yes I gathered as much."
Aria sighed. "Well, I'm afraid that it's going to happen in your lifetime."
Padme looked horrified. "What! How? Is it because of the Confederacy?" Padme asked, her voice dripping with the need to know more.
Aria sighed. "Yes and no. It's more because of a Sith that's pulling the strings of the war that both sides are being shepherded towards. If the Republic isn't careful, it's one day going to find itself as the Galactic Empire that Luke's generation was raised in."
Padme frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"
Aria, to Padme's immense surprise, smiled at her. "Because you would be the thorn in the side of the one trying to manipulate everything politically speaking. You change many outcomes and slow down the Sith's progress on several occasions. What I wanted to tell you is to stick to your morals and stand up for them without fear; you'd be surprised how much of a difference you alone will make doing just that."
Padme sighed. "I do want to change the Republic for the better…"
Aria nodded in agreement. "The Republic has definitely accumulated quite a number of things wrong with it, and the corruption hasn't gotten better, but worse, even if the damage can't quite be seen right now." Aria hesitated for a moment and then very carefully said, "And I wouldn't put so much trust in Palpatine…that will get you nowhere."
Padme looked at the young girl curiously, surprised by the young girl's words and the fact that her tone strongly suggested that she would not give any more information on the matter. Padme raised an eyebrow at her. "Is that all, politically speaking?"
Aria grinned sheepishly. "Yes, pretty much. I've never been big on politics, and it's really hard for me to understand, but that much is obvious to anyone who has followed the Star Wars series and delved as deep into it as I have."
Padme smiled slightly at her. "So...what did you have to tell me on a...personal level?"
Aria shifted uncomfortably. "Well...see...it's the same thing I told Anakin, actually."
Once again, Padme was surprised. "Really? What did you tell him? I noticed he was acting...different..."
Aria sighed. "Yeah, about that...I know that you've developed...feelings for him, don't try denying it," she added with a small smile and a shake of her head when Padme opened her mouth to object. Slightly miffed, Padme snapped her mouth shut so that Aria could continue. Aria gave her a small smile of understanding before she continued. "You are wise, however, to avoid a relationship with him. It's not that he's a bad person, he's a wonderful young man, it's just...there's going to be a large target on him...and anyone close to him...and if you were to pursue a relationship, it wouldn't end well."
Padme watched her every movement closely, analytically, like only a well-seasoned politician could. "I have the feeling our reasons for it not ending well are different."
Aria chuckled softly. "Oh yes. You're talking to someone who does not believe in the social class separation or anything standing between true love. You're talking to a die-hard romantic here who's read and watched your Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, Gone with the Wind, Titanic, The Phantom of the Opera..."
At the blank look that Padme was giving her, Aria trailed off. "Sorry, I realize those titles mean nothing to you...back to what I was saying..." she muttered with a blush. "When I say it wouldn't end well...I mean that it would end very tragically, and neither of you would come out unscathed."
Padme's eyes narrowed slightly as she thought of the way Anakin had been acting since they came back. "I'm guessing you told Anakin exactly what that tragedy was?" When Aria didn't deny it, she pressed on. "Would you mind sharing that small detail?"
Aria sighed. "It ended in a figurative and a literal death," she said reluctantly. "You died and Anakin...wasn't the same after that, to put it lightly..."
Padme felt the blood drain from her face at her words, but Aria startled her by suddenly standing up and starting to speak in a passionate rush. "But I didn't tell Anakin the part that I'm about to tell you because I'm not sure he would take it so well. I did tell him that it was you that died, but I didn't tell him how..."
Padme perked up slightly, catching that the how was a rather important detail. "And just how did...do...I die?"
How strange of a question to ask.
Aria sighed. "There's several conspiracy theories; some people say it was this, some say it was that, though I believe a...well, what I think is a lesser known theory that has sort of floated around. I'm in the middle of nowhere, so how would I know if it's a popular theory or not?"
"You're getting off track," Padme told her gently. Aria gave her a sheepish look.
"Sorry, I guess I'm just nervous about telling you, especially if I'm wrong, but I don't think that I am..." Aria trailed off, thinking for a few moments and chewing on her lip before she suddenly spoke in a rush like she was trying to get it all out before she could possibly change her mind. "The theory that I read and agree to is that P—Sidious...the Sith that's pulling everyone's strings...killed you. It's a very complicated theory that would take some explaining to do, and it's all explaining that I can't exactly tell you considering the more sensitive details that I'm trying to keep under wraps for that event I would love to divert."
Padme quietly processed the information for a moment, asking her question softly. "Why is it that you won't just...show us what happens? That way we can work ourselves to avoid it."
Aria sighed. "I thought of that, but I think that it would have rather tragic consequences. Bad things tend to happen when people find out what happens to them. On top of that...I would like to avert the tragedy without ever having to burden any of you with what could have happened. It would be better if that was never dumped on your shoulders in my opinion."
Padme nodded. "Fair enough...I see your point...is that ah...is that all you wanted to tell me?"
She was trying really, really hard not to let her voice shake and keep her political mask firmly in place so that she could process all the information she had given her when she was alone and not under anyone's watchful eye.
Aria seemed to somehow realize that was what Padme planned to do, because she gave Padme a sympathetic look. "Yes, that's all I have right now," she said gently. "I do need to follow up on something with Anakin though, and it's one that's just for him..."
Padme nodded. "I'll send him up then...thank you for...telling me what you did..."
"Of course, of course," Aria said with a small wave of her hand before she shoved both hands into her pockets with a sigh. An awkward silence could have followed, but Padme stood gracefully from her seat on the bed.
"I'll go get Anakin," Padme said softly as she glided out the door.
Aria sighed as she watched Padme leave the room, shuffling over to one of her drawers where she kept her complete Star Wars the Clone Wars collection from her brother's sticky fingers. Her mind was racing over everything she had told the three Star Wars characters, wondering if one of the facts she shared could possibly be a mistake.
The Anakin and Padme one was the only one she was worried about, the only one she was obsessing over. She wanted to get Padme out of harm's way in case something went wrong, as she had been a victim in the process of Anakin's fall. She didn't have to die.
Aria shook her head, running her hand through her hair nervously as she set her collection on the bed and snagged her laptop off the desk, stepping around the three mattresses on the floor along the way. She had found an article that had pointed out—and backed up the argument with some pretty convincing proof—that Padme had not died of a broken heart, not from the strain of giving birth, or from Anakin's Force Choke. They had pointed out several different things that basically said that Palpatine had killed Padme...
...In fact she was sure that she'd printed off some of that article today...
Anakin entered the room as she was shuffling through the papers that had landed in the mud, hoping that by some chance the one she was looking for had not been ruined. She glanced up at him as he entered and set the paper down. "Oh good, you're here."
Anakin had a small frown on his face. "Padme seemed upset..."
Aria grimaced. "Yeah that...I expected that...I did tell her the same thing I told you though. You two can talk about it when you're ready and figure out what you want to do, because in the end it's entirely up to you two what you do."
Anakin sighed. "I was told you want me?"
Aria nodded, gesturing to the box set on the bed. "Yeah, I said I would show you that episode, didn't I?"
Anakin hesitated slightly, but nodded. "All right...I guess let's get this over with." He glanced at the paper in her hand. "What's that? Never mind, you probably can't share it," he grumbled.
Aria glanced at the article she had recovered, hesitating for just a moment before she said, "It's a theory on how Darth Vader's wife died."
Anakin's head snapped up at the mention of the Sith—a fact that Aria didn't miss. She wasn't oblivious to Anakin's attraction to the subject, and it made her rather uncomfortable. Still, she pretended that she didn't notice and she kept talking. "There's several different theories about how she died, but this is the one that I think is right; it makes sense and it fits in perfectly."
Anakin moved towards her, the episode he was supposed to be watching forgotten. "Can you share?" he asked eagerly, trying to peer at the article. Aria angled the paper away from him considering there were several pictures on it of Padme, Anakin, and Palpatine.
"I'll read some of the finer points out, instead of the entire article," she compromised, taking mental note to switch out Anakin with Vader, Padme with Vader's wife, and Palpatine and Sidious with The Emperor. She cleared her throat, rifling back to the first page as she began to read little bits and pieces of the article.
"The term broken-heart is not the droid's diagnosis. The only time anyone mentions anything about a broken heart is when Vader's wife is pleading to Vader to stop being off-the-wall crazy. It's an obvious reaction to what she's hearing...Of course she would be heartbroken! But it didn't kill her. Would that news kill you? Nope. It didn't kill her. Move along. It wasn't Vader's Force Choke either. In a truly despicable move, Vader physically hurts his pregnant wife because he thinks she has sided with his once-friend to kill him. He uses the dark side to choke her. After a few very intense seconds, he lets her go, and she collapses to the ground. The film makes great efforts to show you she is CLEARLY alive... Such a consequence is completely plausible (not saying it isn't) but the film makes sure to let you know many times that this did not contribute to her death. Droids don't know squat about the Force. Let's get one thing straight for all time: droids cannot feel the Force; droids cannot interact with the Force; droids do not understand anything about the Force unless it is programmed data provided by organics. Clearly, what is going on with Vader's wife in this scene has to do with the Force. Because Star Wars. With that in mind, let's review the exact words the droid said to Vader's once-friend: Droid 'Medically, she's completely healthy. For reasons we can't explain, we're losing her.' Vader's once friend: 'She's dying?' Droid 'We don't know why. She's lost the will to live...' For reasons we can't explain, we're losing her. That reason is the Force! We don't know why. She's lost the will to live. As if her connection to the Living Force was severed? Of course the droids would not be able to pick this up! No broken hearts here. Look at her face. Does this look like a person who does not want to live? She struggled to keep conscious and talk until the very bitter end. She does not want to go. Her will to live is strong. So, why does it seem like the Living Force is being ripped away from her, stealing her life force in a vampiric manner? That sounds like a power one would have if they were able to cheat death. Wait. I've heard that phrase before! Yep. By his own admission, The Emperor learned everything his master knew, and killed him only after he could acquire nothing more. The Emperor already knew how to influence the midichlorians to create life and save people from dying. So, as Vader was dying from his wounds on Mustafar, the Emperor siphoned the Living Force from Vader's wife and brought it to Vader. Thus, she died as he was reborn as Darth Vader. But how can The Emperor affect Vader's wife when she's all the way on Polis Massa? Even while battling the Jedi Grandmaster, The Emperor can feel something is wrong with Vader all the way out on Mustafar. On this day, the Emperor is at the height of his power. The dark side is strongest, completely blinding the Jedi, who are effectively fighting against a rising tide. The Emperor is having the best day of his entire life. If he is aware of Vader on Mustafar, he is completely capable to affecting Vader's wife on Polis Massa. Darth Vader rises disoriented from the excruciating ordeal he has just been through. He was set aflame, only to be reconstructed in a torturous procedure. The only thing keeping him alive, surely, was the influx of Living Force from his wife by way of the Emperor's dark arts. It is no mere coincidence she died at the precise time the procedure was over. The first thing Vader does is to inquire about his wife. It's not that he was unconscious...it's that he could feel her in the Force, and once the procedure was over he could not. He knew all along that his choke didn't kill her. He is worried about this person he means to possess, and fears the worst. The evidence is there. Vader felt that she was alive, and then could not. The Emperor smiles in satisfaction. There's no other way the Emperor would know what's happening to Vader's wife. Vader's wife was taken to a secret location, hidden from the Emperor and Vader. The Emperor was pretty busy in the events following his duel: he picked up Vader and rebuilt him. If he wasn't killing Vader's wife from afar, why oh why would he be aware of her death? There would be no news of it so suddenly; it had only happened seconds before he told the news to Vader. This is the lynch-pin of the Emperor's whole plan, the part that would enslave Vader forever in his despair. She had to die–right then–or else Vader would never truly be committed to the Emperor. The fact that the Emperor knew about Vader's wife's death is the one big, huge giveaway that he was involved and that she did not die of a broken heart!"
Anakin leaned against the wall, staring at the floor, pensive and lost in his thoughts as he mulled over the information. It pained Aria immensely that he was absolutely ignorant that she had just read off one of the worst events of his entire life, and he was utterly clueless.
Still, maybe, in the future, it would come in handy.
"That's horrid," Anakin finally said. His voice was low, quiet, and even somewhat emotional. Aria nodded in agreement.
"Darth Vader went through every crippling pain imaginable in his life," she said with a sigh before she shook her head. "Anyway...we should get to that episode so that we don't keep Obi-Wan and Padme excluded for too long."
Anakin glanced half-heartedly at the paper before he turned his full attention to the Clone Wars Special Edition box set on the bed. "Right...let's get this over with..."
Aria smiled slightly at him. "Don't worry, after this I plan on doing something to take our minds off of everything. Just...get ready for a shock, all right?"
Anakin groaned. "Why do I not like the sound of that?"
Aria's smile turned sad. "You'll see."
