Hours before...
He couldn't sleep any more. All he did was spend each night staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning in his bed. When sleep did come, he was haunted by nightmares of Padmé. She was always in pain, screaming at him for help.
He'd reach out for her, but he could never help her. He was chained to a post, forced to watch her get tortured by a monster who cared about power more then the people around him.
Before he woke, he'd see her blood splattered across the white floor.
Being awake wasn't much better, he saw her everywhere. When he looked at his bed, he thought of how lonely it was without her. When he saw fire, he thought of his confession to her years before in Naboo. When he admired the stars he thought of the hopeful gleam she always had in her eye.
Some days he missed Anakin. He missed the Jedi he once was, but people feared Darth Vader, they did exactly what he told them to do. If he wanted a planet destroyed, a group of people captured, or a thousand new droids, it would be given to him with just the snap of fingers.
The power made him thirst for more. He had the clones and control of almost the entire galaxy, but something was missing. No matter how many planets he claimed or people he executed, there was always a void inside of him.
He wanted it full, it was why he killed Palpatine days after coming back to apprentice him, despite their battle. The title of Sith still could not fill the emptiness he felt. He needed more, but what?
As he crossed the hallway towards the command room, his torso began to aggravate him. The blaster wound from Padmé bothered him a month later, even after he'd healed. Along with the irritation, the scar that formed on his skin served as reminders of what had happened.
The hatred that had formed between Anakin and Padmé.
But he didn't hate her. He only wanted what was best for her and the children.
The children.
Oh how stupid it was and how stupid he felt for using his children, for threatening his children to manipulate Padmé. This wasn't who he was. This wasn't who he wanted to be.
He screamed.
What had he done.
He had killed so many, and for what? He killed younglings, children only a few years older then his own. He started to cry.
A wave of realization crashed upon his chest. He felt the guilt and the weight of what he had done.
He pictured her, her bouncy brown hair, her soft features, her passion for caring for those around her.
He was done. He couldn't do this anymore. The void he felt, he had been going about it all wrong. He didn't need power, control, or a legacy. He didn't need status. He needed Padmé. It took him so long to see it, but his eyes were finally clear. The yellow veil that laid upon his blue eyes lifted.
He only ever wanted Padmé. All he'd ever wanted was to create a world where they could live together freely.
Where they could live in love and not fear.
He'd done the exact opposite of that. Instead of creating a world where Padmé was happy He'd killed her spirit. He'd created a space so great between them they had begun to hurt each other.
He'd crushed the woman he loved. He'd dug wounds so deep no droid could fix. He'd done the thing he'd vowed never to do... go against her.
He was supposed to be her protector, her rock, her happiness. Instead, he'd taken any sanity and hope she'd had left in the universe and attacked her.
Guilt washed over him. He hated himself. What kind of monster could do the things he had done? What kind of man was he? How could he intentionally hurt the woman he'd vowed his entire life to? How had he let himself become so obsessed with having more that he left his wife in the dark?
He felt sick, ashamed of what he had become.
Padmé was right, he'd become the very thing he'd sought to destroy.
Anakin threw his lightsaber to the ground. He entered the command room.
After clicking a few buttons and sending a voice command, Anakin sat in a chair. He fiddled with his fingers, waiting.
He'd paged his entire fleet. From his command, they'd set up in attack formation, as close to his ship as possible. He'd be sorrounded.
It felt like hours as he waited for the clones. All he could see, feel, and hear was Padmé. He felt trapped, only her on his mind. He wanted to be set free. He felt like blood was spilling from his ears, but it wasn't.
Eventually, the intercom was filled with a new voice. One of his commanders reported that all fleets were present, at wait for his command.
Anakin stood. He was alone in the room, no one would be able to stop him. The man took the controls and began to aim. Missiles flew rapidly at the fleet.
Fire and metal exploded across the glass. He watched as the dark universe erupted in colour.
Red and yellow streaked his sorroundings.
One by one, star and TIE fighters were obliterated. Many began to flee, yet Anakin's quick reflexes were able to bring them down in seconds. The sight was both horrifying and thrilling.
He was the Sith, the leader of the Galactic Empire, yet he was blowing it to pieces.
Rustling came from behind him. He heard as clones ran throughout the hallways, confused as to what was happening. Anakin knew he had to act fast.
Rotating the cannons around was difficult, but not impossible. It took him several attempts. He grunted as he shoved the control lever backwards, awaiting a click. When it came, Anakin began clutching the triggers roughly.
From below, a deep boom shook the star destroyer. He imagined the chaos that the clones would experience as pieces of their own ship broke apart. He continued to pound the controls.
The ground vibrated as the missiles hit the inner mechanics of the ship. Anakin held tightly for balance.
Suddenly, the command room door flew open.
Multiple armed clones pointed their guns at Anakin.
"Stand down," he commanded.
They didn't listen. Instead, one answered,
"You've betrayed us."
Before Anakin could respond, the clones and himself were sent flying across the floor. The once white hallway exploded in all directions, hitting the ceiling and walls. The clones were sucked away in fire, swallowed whole by the deadly flames.
Anakin screamed. He clenched his teeth as his body was thrown against the glass window. He shuddered after hearing a crack.
The glass shattered, and with it the galactic empire.