Vader awoke, and immediately turned to look at Padme's sleeping form. He saw no signs of stress or tension. Her face was serene, her lips were parted. The corners of Vader's mouth turned up into a smile. He was relieved that the tea he gave her calmed her quickly. She needed sleep, she needed an escape. His breath caught a moment later, when he felt Padme snuggle closer to him."Good morning." He said when Padme opened her eyes.
"Is it morning?" She asked, groggily.
"Yes. How are you feeling?" Vader asked. He saw Padme's brown eyes become wide, as she came to the realization that she was snuggled up to him. She moved away, and sat up. "Do you remember where you are?" He asked, a moment later. He hated that she moved away, hated that she was out of reach now.
"I'm on your couch." Padme whispered.
"Yes, you're on the couch in my media room." Vader answered. Padme stood up, and walked away from the couch. She faced the wall, and stood still for a full minute.
"Padme?" Vader called, to get her attention.
She turned to face him. "We went to the market."
"Yes, and I gave you a calming tea. You were very upset."
"I remember." She said, softly.
"My mother used to give me that tea when I was little. I liked it, and it calmed me down." Vader said.
"Did you get upset often?"
"Yes, I did." He answered.
"I was such a happy child, until I was taken from my family. I cried everyday for months."
"You and I are not that different." Vader replied.
Padme walked back to the couch, and sat down beside Vader. "You keep saying that Vader? What happened in your life? How are we similar?" Padme asked, in almost a whisper.
"That's not important."
"It is important. Vader, I want to understand."
"Are you hungry?" Vader asked, quickly.
"I want to understand." Padme repeated." Please, talk to me."
"You don't want to know!" Vader yelled, getting up from the couch, and quickly exiting the media room.
He returned 10 minutes later, carrying food. He found Padme still sitting on the couch, stoic. Vader placed the food next to the tea, and ran to her. He sat down next to her, and turned his body to face her. "Padme, I'm sorry. I should not have yelled. You need to eat." Padme didn't respond. She rose from her seat. Vader followed her. He watched as she picked up one of the plates of food for herself, and took her seat on the black couch. Vader got his plate, and sat beside her. "Do you want more tea?" Vader asked, desperate to hear her voice. When she still didn't respond, he began to eat. A half an hour later, his plate was empty, only then did Padme begin to eat from her plate. An hour later, she was done with her almost full plate. "You need to eat more." Vader said. "Please, eat, more. Forgive me."
"I do forgive you, Vader."Padme said. She picked up her fork, and began to eat. She stopped after a moment, and spoke again. "Thank-you for taking me out of StarDust. I mean it, I know you have no reason to believe me, but I am grateful."
"I believe you." Vader said. "In truth, you are not required to be grateful to me. I want you to be happy... to be happy here."
"I am grateful to you, Vader. I don't know if I can be happy."
"I have this...this feeling that you can be."
"I don't want to live with a stranger." Padme replied.
"Then we won't be strangers." At his words, Vader saw Padme smile.
He felt a wave of despair hit him when her smile faded. and disappeared. "Thank-you for taking me out of the market." Padme whispered. "I couldn't have stayed there one more second. I don't know what would have happened to me if you weren't there."
"I was there." Vader said.
"And I don't know what I would be doing now if you hadn't calmed me. I don't completely understand how you did it."
"You just needed rest, you still do."
"That man with the black eyes, and the acid green hair hurt you, didn't he?"
This time, Vader received an answer. "Yes." Padme. said, nodding her head. "I don't want to live with a stranger, and you shouldn't either. I don't want to talk about this Vader, but in the interest of not being strangers, I will... I will confide in you."
"Thank-you, I am honored," Vader replied.
"His name is Abaddon. He wanted to buy me. I was escorted into a room by a man. The man stayed in the room with me. Abaddon was there, he stepped up to me. He touched my face, he touched my hair. He kept whispering. He tried to touch other places, but I flinched, I screamed. Then he lifted his hand, and hit me. I fell to the floor, and he kept hitting me. The man pulled Abaddon off of me, and got me out of the room. I couldn't work for 3 week, and Ptolemy would not allow Abaddon to buy me."
"Was Ptolemy upset?" Vader asked.
"Not with me." Padme answered. "He was upset that I couldn't work, and my food wasn't as good as usual." Padme answered., showing no emotion.
Vader saw red, but forced himself not to show it.
"I think you need some more sleep." He replied.
Padme yawned, and laid on the couch. "I think you're right, Vader." Padme whispered.