The one thing Vader hated more than the Jedi was waiting. Waiting for his student to be ready. Waiting for painkillers. Waiting to get the FUCK out of this GODDAMN bed. He had never been so irritable in his entire life. The pain coupled with the loneliness was bad enough, but the fact that he wasn't able to move without feeling mindnumbing pain was the worst. His language had gotten much more colorful with each passing day, and the troopers were beginning to avoid him at all costs, making him even more angry. There was a knock on the door, and Tsubaki was at the door with his tube feeder.

"Heya, Grumy-pants. I have lunch for you."

"Fuck lunch."

"Oh, don't be that way. It comes with some painkillers."

"Painkillers?" He asked turning to look.

"Yupp. Sounds good?"

"Gimmie." She giggled at him and came in the room, taking the needle filled with the painkiller from the feeding machine. She undid the cap from it and stuck it into his arm, shooting it into his system. "How long until it kicks in?"

"About a minute or so. You still want lunch to fuck itself?" His stomach growled, and he looked away, blushing lightly. "I guess not." She said with a smile, covering up her laugh. She set up the feeding tube and moved his respirator over slightly, sticking the tube in his mouth and carefully sliding it down his esophagus and into his stomach.

"Fucking uncomfortable..." he said carefully as the feeder started up.

"Is it? It looks like it is, actually..." She said. "Hoew long have you had it?"

"God... about 20 or so years. I still havent gotten used to it."

"How old are you?"

"Old." He replied, a smile creeping onto his face as he felt his irritability slip away. For some reason, his heart felt lighter when he was around Tsubaki. He could never hold onto his anger about anything when she was around. Her smile always brightened his mood, even when his leg ached and there was an annoying feeding tube shoved down his throat. She reminded him of Padme somewhat, but at the same time, she was her own person. No matter how much he wanted to keep the hole that arrived after Padme's death empty, he realized that his student was able to fill the lonley void in his soul. She knew exactly how to calm him down witout even trying, and was always there when he truly needed her.

Tracing his thought process over the past few months, Vader realized he had thought more about Tsubaki than anyone else. It was almost like a throwback to his days as a jedi, when all he could think about was Padme and the unborn children she carried. He couldn't acknowledge it just yet, but he was most certainly falling for his student. A love just as forbidden as the one with Padme.

Said student waved a hand in front of his face, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Hello? Anyone home?" She said, looking slightly worried.

"Is there a sleeping drug mixed into the painkiller?"

"It's one of the side effects, yeah. You falling asleep om me, Lord Vader?"

"Anakin."

"Huh?"

"Call me by my name. Its Anakin. Just in private though. Around the troopers you should call me Lord Vader."

"Alright then. Annie." She said and smiled her beautiful smile.

"I haven't heard that nickname in years..." He said his smile growing.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile before."

"I don't have many reasons to smile nowadays."

"What's your reason today?"

"You." She blushed dark, looking surprised. She looked away, shaking her head.

"Me? Why me? I'm not that special." Hearing this, Vader had a strong urge to list all the reasons she made him feel better. All the reasons he fell for her. But since he refused to admit he was in love, he held back.

"Everyone has their own special talent. Yours is making people happy." He said instead.

"I like seeing peopke smile. Thats why i think I'm not very good at using the Dark Side."

"The Dark Side is surrounded by passion and several negative emotions. The Jedi beleive that things like love and marraige can lead to joining the Dark Side."

"Does it?"

"Sometimes. For me it did." She nodded and checked the feeder, turning it off and carefully pulling it out. Vader begain to drift off soon afterwards, while vaguely registeringTsubaki singing to him. Within minutes he was out cold.