Requiem For A Dream

Percussion Gun

Percussion Gun

–

Chapter 8 

–

It's been a while
So I'll just beg, borrow and steal all your time
We'll call it dignified
Well now it all seems to be cut and dry
So I know which way to run
You're tired, my love
I feel the same

–

Padme couldn't quite digest the news. After hearing the haunting voice echo the sentiments her husband once uttered – you're in me and I'm in you – she realized exactly who the man behind the mask was. And she couldn't handle it.

Her heart began to ache. She could feel a violent pain shooting out of her chest. She began to feel dizzy like her legs couldn't hold her up any longer.

Suddenly she collapsed, caught by Vader before her body fell to the floor.

Her children ran out, worrying for their mother's safety after a dreadful silence followed the gunshots she fired moments before.

Vader placed a fainted Padme on the couch – still trying to wrap his head around how she could be alive.

"Mum!" Leia screamed at the top of her lungs as her and Luke ran out into the living room. A perplexed Vader turned to face them.

His eyes locked with Leia's, realizing the terrible truth – the girl Obi-Wan was protecting was Padme's kid.

He could sense her fear. She was traumatized by the sight of the man who had captured her. Vader then glanced at Luke and he could sense the same familiar feelings. These were Padme's children.

No – his children.

"She's. . .not dead." He assured – although it hardly sounded comforting.

For a moment, Vader was frozen in his spot, trying to process all the information at once. The twins were also frozen in fear as they stared at their unconscious mother. Eventually, Vader made a judgment call, and began to pick Padme up, and take her aboard his ship.

"Let her go!" Luke cried, running after him, tugging at Vader's cape to stop him before he got onto the ship. Vader turned back to the twins once Padme was inside the ship.

"Get on the ship." Vader drawled.

After a moment's hesitation, Luke obliged.

"Luke!" Leia grabbed his arm before he could take his first step, refusing to let him go.

"I'm not leaving mum!" He yelled, retracting his hand from Leia's grasp, shoving her off him.

She quivered, watching her brother enter the ship willingly. Vader then turned to face her. That same frightful mask was back in her eyeline, reminding her of the torture she endured at his hands.

Vader gestured for her to follow Luke.

"No!" She snapped.

"Get on the ship." Vader's tone sounded more impatient this time. He reached out to grab her but a resistant Leia scurried backwards.

"You can't do this." She spat, shaking as Vader walked towards her. "Obi-Wan'll be back!"

Vader took a deep breath, releasing his frustration. He then picked up the screaming child and carried her to the ship.

–

"You." Vader's mechanical hiss bounced off the walls of a small hall inside the inquisitors' headquarters.