(Star Wars) To Love A Slave

Chapter Twelve - Too Perfect to be Real

Vader slipped through the crowd with Padme on his tail, his desired destination a small balcony. As soon as they were outside, two waiters shut the doors behind them for privacy purposes.

"Vader, what's wrong?" She stood behind him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned around with a weak smile on his face, reaching out and cupping her cheek. "Nothing, my sweet; go back inside and enjoy yourself, I'll only be a moment."

Padme held the hand on her face with both of her own, looking back up at him with watery doe eyes. "Vader..."

"It's Anakin."

"Who?"

"My name," He clarified, pulling her to his chest. "It's actually Anakin, Anakin Skywalker..." Just as he leaned down to kiss her, Padme suddenly collapsed in his arms. "Padme!"

A set of rocket boosters ignited, growing more distant as the assailant flew away. Vader turned around just in time to get a glimpse before turning his attention back to her. He pulled a dart from her neck, nearly dropping her in the process.

Two guards rushed out of the ballroom with Rex and Cody right behind them. Rex surveyed the area while Cody went straight up to assist the sith lord situate Padme in his arms. "Lord Vader, is everything alright?"

"No, a bounty hunter shot her with some sort of dart. Get a doctor and a medical unit down to my chambers; something's wrong with her and we need an antidote fast."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Outside of their chambers, Vader paced anxiously back and forth. A doctor along with two medical droids were inside getting Padme checked out. All of the official couples were waiting with him, except for the Tarkins.

Just after Vader thought he'd begin making a trench in the floor, the Doctor came out and summoned him in.

"Foster, tell me what's going on." He got straight to the point. "I want to know what's going-"

As soon as he saw her, Vader became speechless. She laid there in their bed with an IV-drip in her right arm. Padme no longer wore the pale pink gown but instead a soft, blue dress the droids changed her into. She appeared to be asleep though Vader couldn't help but think she looked a little too peaceful for his liking...

"It was a poison dart. She is not dead yet but the poison is slowly taking down her immune and respiratory system."

"What kind of poison? Surely, there's got to be an antidote!" Vader wanted to shake the old man but refrained from doing so.

"The amount was very small so she has some time but not much. It's a case of severe Blue Shadow Virus, a disease that kills Nabocians." Foster watched as the young man walked over to the open side of the bed and sit down.

"How long, Atzin?"

"A week, maybe a few days more but in ten days, I'm afraid she will be out of time. I'm so sorry, my lord." With that, he left the room along with the medical droids, Vader laid alone with his Angel.

"I'm sorry too..."