AN: Sorry for the late update. Spring is my favorite time of the year so I was feeling too cheerful to get back here, though I really couldn't wait to write again.

Almost finished this at 13 chapters but that would've been bad luck… especially with a horror story… if I were superstitious—which I am not, but yeah… Please review :)

Chapter 13

Professor Rush Clovis paced around his apartment, now and then laughing, now and then frowning.

Since Padmé left, he had been wondering a lot of things. She had seemed nervous about something, he noticed her pretty face was looking unusually pale; her beautiful brown eyes were narrower somehow—he could tell she had been weeping.

He knew there was some dangerous psychopath targeting her sorority house; that alone was enough to keep one in a state of fear. But there seemed to be something more… He remembered the way she acted on the last class he gave. Her odd curiosity at multiple personality disorders. The questions she asked. Her famous boyfriend. The brutal rage he experienced from Anakin.

He sat on the chair in front of his desk and went through some papers, he had a lot to catch on— but then there was a knock on his door.

He smiled cockishly and walked to open it. "Did you forget something, my dear Miss Amidala?" he asked as he turned on the doorknob. But his arrogance was immediately tumbled. It wasn't Padmé.

"Mr. Skywalker," he said, breathing deeply, pretending he wasn't suddenly unnerved. "This is a surprise, not a very pleasant one, I'll admit."

"Clovis," Anakin said, his voice slow and dark. "What's the deal between you and Padmé?"

Clovis kept the door open. "I'm afraid I don't understand, young man."

"Cut the bullshit, I know she was here just before me."

His tall form was intimidating even for a large man such as Clovis.

The professor cleared his throat. "She just wanted to make sure I didn't tell on you…Which wasn't necessary. Like I told your dear lady, I'm taking that secret to the grave."

"I don't care if you go to the police, Clovis. I just want you to stay away from her!"

"Listen Skywalker, I could promise you to never go to her… But if she comes to my apartment," he grinned, "there's not much I can do, now is there?"

"If you know what's best for you," Anakin threatened. "Stay. Away. From. Her."

There was a knock on the door. Clovis hastened to open it, clearly afraid of being alone with Anakin. It was officers Piett and Ozzel.

"Professor Clovis," Piett looked from the bruised face and to Anakin's tanned one alternatively. "Skywalker, wasn't it?"

"I was just leaving," Anakin dryly said.

"Not so fast," Ozzel said.

Anakin paid them no attention, he pushed passed them and fled. The policemen went after him, Clovis followed, laughing evilly.

Anakin was standing in the sidewalk, the three older men coming closer. He crossed the street and disappeared as if he had never been there at all.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Clovis demanded with fury. "Go on! Get, him! Arrest him!"

"On what charges?" Piett asked tiredly. "Leave the work to us, Professor."

"So you will just let him go?" Clovis was livid. "Typical! You Americans always talk about freedom, yet you fail to recognize the importance of justice! Murderers walking free and…"

Officer Ozzel put his hands on Clovis's throat, looking like he would murder him for his insolence.

"Ozzel," Piett tried to warn him.

"Fuck this prick," Ozzel screamed. "Who does he think he is? If in your country people are persecuted simply because they don't like each other, that's fine… But here we can't just arrest people based on speculation!"

"Speculation?" Clovis tried to free himself from the officer's grasp. "That fool is insane, and I can prove it! You just got to look at those blue eyes, crazy all over them."

"Nice, really." Ozzel went on mockingly. "So now we judge character based on eye color!"

"No, sir! What if I tell you there is a legit reason to at least detain the Skywalker boy?"

Ozzel and Piett interchanged looks.

"That guy has psycho written all over… why just a few days ago he—"

Ozzel and Piett jumped backwards, they fell with loud thuds on the concreted sidewalk, when they looked at each other again, they gasped because each one was covered in splashed blood.

Ozzel was too shocked to even curse for a few seconds; a minute passed and Piett got up, recovered from the shock, to help his partner stand up. "Good lord," Piett muttered, staring at Clovis's corpse.

"Sky—skywalker!" Ozzel cried.

"How? We just saw the kid go," Piett said with a frown. "He couldn't have done it… No one is that fast." He said as he wiped the blood from his face.

A car had suddenly passed, just as Clovis was about to break the promise he made to Padmé, as well as share a few of his suspicions…

Ozzel and Piett walked with legs almost trembling, Piett trying to gather the remains of the Professor… Ozzel grabbing the radio in his car to report what just happened.

Few girls remained in Kappa Kappa Delta. Padmé got to the house, already exhausted from more than just her classes, but the previous conversations to Clovis and Anakin, and she discovered that apart from her and Dormé, only Eirtaé and Moteé were left—though she shouldn't smile at seeing them. They were packing to go that very night.

"And I can't believe you're planning to stay!" Eirtaé exclaimed worriedly. "You can stay with me, if you want—"

"No," Padmé simply said. The girls looked at each other and climbed the stairs to get their bags. Padmé likewise went up, but to her room, to find a depressed Dormé lying in bed.

"How're you doing?" Padmé sighed. Dormé only flipped her off. "That well, uh?"

"Is anybody left?" Dormé asked, a pillow over her head.

"After tonight it's just going to be you and me."

"Yay," Dormé said with the least energy possible. "What's that noise then?"

"Eirtaé and Moteé are still getting ready to leave."

"Dumb bitches. Can't say I'll miss them."

"I know you will."

Dormé stood up to face her, her eyes large and slightly red; at first Padmé thought maybe she had been crying, but the smell of the room told a different story…

"Please don't smoke in here." Padmé asked.

"You want one?"

Padmé shook her head and left the bedroom, as she was walking, she heard a loud noise from her own room. Music. Hard and angry. Padmé, in the year 1972, still had trouble letting go of the sweet rock n' roll of the sixties. She was a formal and smart girl, but a part of her was still a hippie at heart. She hated heavy metal! And it creeped her out. She wasn't sure what song was playing, she recognized it was one of Dormé's favorite albums, it was called PARANOID, by a relatively new band called BLACK SABBATH. Cheerful, Padmé thought with the bitterest sarcasm. Highly appropriate…

"Dormé!" she screamed under the loud music. "Please stop! At least tone it down…"

"Fuck off!" was Dormé's response.

The other girls met Padmé in the staircase. "Can't you turn that off?" Moteé exclaimed though Padmé could only read her lips, the noise was unbearably loud.

"Ugh," Eirtaé moaned and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Hate that bitch!" just then, the song had ended, giving a few moments of silence. They heard Dormé's laughter loud and clear, then the next song started, creepier than the last, and the girls couldn't communicate again.

The girls stood by the front door, waiting for their cab, till at last it arrived. "Bye Padmé! LOVE YOU! CALL US!" They tried really hard to say a proper goodbye, though Padmé understood nothing as Dormé put the same album on again.

"FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Mrs. Luminara appeared from the kitchen, bottle of liquor in hand. "STOP THAT NOW! I AM STILL IN CHARGE, YOU WICKED GIRLS!"

Padmé again climbed the stairway, running angrily to her room. "Dormé!" she screamed, the song playing was called Hand of Doom. Padmé knocked on her own door. "You're going to give Luminara and me a heart attack! Seriously stop that now!" Padmé stomped her foot on the floor, running to the kitchen, deciding that she couldn't take another second of life without a drink. She was grunting and still shouting angrily at every step, unable to recognize that, apart from the noises she made and the loud music, screams were covering the house.

Dormé had been lying in her bed, her eyes to the ceiling, smoking non-stop, listening to the loud music, unlike the other women in the house finding it very soothing, it understood and relate to her anger at life. She knew she was annoying everyone else with her record, she just couldn't care less of a damn really.

She was coughing like an old lady, aware that her many smokes a day were getting out of hand—though who could blame her, after all that had been happening? She stood up, feeling dizzy and slightly high. She walked to her closet… she hadn't done laundry in a while and so there wasn't much there… She thought of checking Cordé's closet—that would've been emotional suicide. So she tried Padmé's closet, knowing it was always filled with a great collection of clothes…

And something unexpected.

For the first time the song Hand of Doom actually scared her. The whole thing happened to fast, she could only gasp and try and scream for help as a hand, hard as metal wrapped around her throat. He took her to the bed as he continued to strangle. Her head was rising and falling again and again as he seemed undecided of his actions. She felt it was a man on top of her. Her eyes, blurry and red couldn't tell who it was, though.

She could feel the blood falling down her thighs, as well as the scream-worthy pain of her flesh being cut opened. Her own tears which she hadn't shed in years contributed to dim her vision, and the little she could see was black, black, all around.

She could hear the strange grunts and moans of the man that attacked her—but only because there was no distance between them.

She wanted to fight back, and curse and kill the strange creature above her, but an awful voice in the back of her mind told her desperately that she didn't have limbs anymore…

No part of her body was dearer to her than her breasts, the ultimate symbol of femininity, and her greatest attribute to get what she wanted. It is for that that the most blood-curling, chilling and terrifying scream erupted from her as she felt the blade of an already wet with blood knife on her chest. She felt how it slashed till it found her racing heart—till it made it stop.

Padmé drank a second glass of wine, hoping it would calm her nerves. She and Luminara were sitting in the kitchen table, they both breathed out in relief when the loud music finally stopped.

"About time," Luminara growled. "I think I will hear a buzzing in my ears till Christmas, though."

Padmé rubbed her forehead, unsure of why she suddenly felt the silence was worse.

Night had fallen once again in LA. Luminara glanced at the window with an angry frown. "Why haven't they come?" she mumbled, cursing the policemen; Padmé just shrugged.

"I can't say I miss them. They hardly do anything to help us."

"They at least make us feel safer. Oh to hell with them I am calling the police station! Come with me, dear, if you please."

They entered the living room and Luminara picked up the telephone. "Yes, hi," she said. "I'm sorry but I have I complain to make. I am the House Mother of Kappa Kappa Delta," at this Padmé frowned thinking of Mothma. "Well, the policemen that you assigned to patrol outside have not arrived… Oh I see. That you. Yes, good night."

"Well?" Padmé asked.

"Officers Ozzel and Piett are occupied with something right now, so they're going to be a little late. They offered, well, he himself offered to come just in case."

"Who?"

"Remember that handsome officer? Kenobi?"

"Ah, yes of course." Padmé nodded, the name Kenobi bringing the image of a dead Sabé to her eyes…

About fifteen minutes later, he knocked on the door. Padmé welcomed him to join her and Luminara into the living room.

"Good evening," he greeted politely.

"Why, how nice of you to come and check on us…" Luminara went on and on giving him compliments, to which he only shrugged and nodded along.

"Are you two the only remaining tenants?" he asked, a bit more gravely than he surely intended.

Padmé shook her head. "And another girl. I don't know if you remember my friend Dormé…"

"Ah yes, of course. Where is she? Probably it be best if you all just stick together."

"Oh she's been locked inside her room all day. She's in a rather bad mood. When that happens it's best to not bother her."

"I see," officer Kenobi regarded Padmé for some time. "And how are you adjusting to all these… changes."

Padmé cleared her throat; she felt the threat of tears prickling her eyes. She didn't want to talk about it. And she didn't. Because just then, the phone started ringing.

The three of them stood up with a violent movement, Padmé ran to pick up the phone; she fought for it, but Kenobi insisted on getting the call himself. Quite unwilling, she let him, yet she still remained close, peaking at the not-exactly-conversation.

"Hello?" Officer Kenobi asked at once

No response. Kenobi got to meet Vader's strange breathing sound.

"Who's there?"

"Hang up," Padmé begged in a whisper so low it wasn't heard.

"I…"Kenobi's eyes lighted as the other line finally spoke. "Killed them… They're all dead! I killed them!"

"What do you want?" Obi-Wan demanded. "Why won't you leave them alone?!"

"When a heart is broken…" the voice hissed. "It must find another… Even if you have to rip it from a living chest!"

The telephone shook in Kenobi's hands, yet he didn't hang up.

"What's your name? Who are you?"

The caller hang up. Officer Kenobi stared at Padmé.

"Do you really not recognize that voice?"

She shook her head.

"I was just thinking…" Kenobi seemed to be speaking to himself. "I've suspected for a while… Those phone calls appear to be related to the disappearances."

"I don't think…" Padmé couldn't finish her sentence. The sound of a car parking outside caught their attention. It was Ozzel and Piett.

"Well, I will leave then," Officer Kenobi said, looking like he wished to stay and investigate some more. "But," he grabbed Padmé's shoulder, brought her to a corner so Luminara wouldn't hear. "Miss, may I ask something from you?"

Padmé stared at him, confused.

"I would prefer if you don't mention it to the other policemen… You see, they're good people, good officers. But they're too mature, to not say old," he smirked for a second. "They do everything like they did twenty years ago. I believe technology should be used…"

"Sir," Padmé interrupted. "Forgive me, I don't mean to be rude: but what the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, if my theory is correct, and the creepy calls are related to the murde—to the disappearances, then we might be able to catch him/her/whatever."

Padmé was genuinely curious. "H—how?"

"If you promise me that if and when he calls again you can hold him in the line for a full minute at least, I'll catch him."

"What?"

"I'll be checking the line all night, I promise. So when he calls, I can track it, finding out from where exactly he's calling."

"You c—can do that?"

"I had suggested it. But my peers didn't think it necessary. They thought I was reading too into the lines. So do you agree? I know it might be a stretch… But think about it: we could put a stop to all this terror! What do you say?"

Padmé considered it for some moments.

An end to all of it… No more death! No more pain! Oh it was only fair…

She felt as though a knife had ripped through her heart, a guilty sense of treachery, as she said, "Yes, sir. I promise."

Kenobi gave a faint smile, nodded to both women, and left.

Luminara said something about how rude it was to whisper in front of other people, but Padmé didn't listen, she was peering through the curtained window, watching with hate the police car, and the two men out to get the love of her life. Then she shuddered… Hadn't she just done that? Sold him out?

Oh Anakin! Where could he be at the moment?

"Poor, good men," Luminara's voice sounded somewhere in the room. Padmé barely acknowledged it. "Waiting all night, without a chance of sleep." Padmé thought of Officer Kenobi, alert in the station waiting patiently to track down the caller. "I'm going to give them a drink." Luminara said and prepared two glasses.

Padmé kept staring out of the window. She watched as the plump lady came into view, walking over the grass with the alcohol and smile. Luminara finally reached the police car; the phone rang that awful loud noise. Padmé picked it up mechanically, almost unaware that she had done it. The unnatural respiration covered her aching ears at once. Padmé heard Luminara scream. "They're dead! They're dead!" at first Padmé thought the words came from the phone, but they were shrilly pronounced by Luminara. "Oh dear God!" Luminara was screaming.

The breathing sound. Luminara's screams for the dead Piett and Ozzel. Then her screams for help.

Padmé was frozen, like a statue, unable of moving a single muscle. She was sure that, despite all the horrifying things she had seen and experienced in her life, she had never been more scared. Her own breathing was heard, as unnatural and loud as Vader's.

What's going on? Her mind shouted from within.

She saw as a black figure appeared and took Luminara. Taking her to the ground and most definitely asphyxiating her. The shadow disappeared. Just then, the caller finally spoke. "Deaathh…" it hissed disgustingly. "DEATH! You will be—"

She couldn't take it anymore. She hung up and then kicked the phone, wishing to disconnect it… when it goddamn rang again!

Feeling her back flooded with sweat, her shallow breathing disturbing even to herself, she dared picked it up. "Leave me alone!" she screamed, her voice completely broken and almost unhuman. "Please, leave me alone!"

"Padmé!" she heard Officer Kenobi's voice, instead of the calm tone she remembered, a fast and unsteady cry. "I've done it. I've traced the call! It's coming from inside the house! You have to get out of there! Now! The caller is calling from inside the house!"