The Other Half • Anakin Skywalker

Chapter 9

WARNING: this chapter contains materials dealing with and discussing sexual assault. If you are uncomfortable with this material, you may want to skip this chapter.

Hate to see you like a monster, so I run and hide.

Hate to ask what it's like to leave me behind?

I won't be, no I won't be like you.

Fighting back, I'm fighting back the truth.

Eyes like yours can't look away,

But you can't stop DNA.

Arkeahs POV

Seeing Anakins face disappear behind my door breaks my heart. I wish I could let him in, let him see how I really am, who I really am. I am Arkeah Skybrah Neberrie, sister to Padme Amidala Neberrie. Daughter of Ruwee and Eliseah Neberrie, sister-in-law to Anakin Skywalker. I am the leader of the starkiller regime, sector 21. I am a survivor, of life, assault, betrayal, and everything under the sun that Snoke is capable of.

I can't stand to think about my parents, especially my father. What he did was horrible, but what my mother did was far worse. She didn't believe me, didn't believe that her husband would ever touch her daughter in a drunken manner. Didn't believe that her husband would ever abuse her youngest daughter, just for telling her sister that she was assaulted. Didn't believe that her husband would ever cause her youngest daughter to think that she was worth nothing, that she was to blame, that she couldn't do anything about being raped.

As I came out of my thoughts, I noticed the cold feeling of a tear, slipping down my face, falling on to my lap, exactly where he had been, those 10 years ago. My sobbing intensified, growing louder and louder. I hated to hear myself cry, hated to feel the tears sliming down my face, falling on my cold, bony legs. I hear a loud banging on my door, shaking me out of my thoughts.

"Arkeah! Arkeah! Are you okay? Arkeah!"

I slid off the bed, and slowly walked to the door. My saline pole drug against the carpet behind me, creating those little lines in the carpet from me pushing down on it so hard, trying to make it support me and my heavy mind. I opened the door, and there was Anakin, sweating and red-faced, his little baby hairs sticking to his forehead. My eyes were puffy, and my hands were cold and shaking.

"Arkeah?"

I gave him no response.

"Arkeah? Are you okay?"

I lost it. I broke down, and sobbed, dropping to the floor. I stopped caring about Anakin seeing me cry, stopped caring about any passing stormtroopers thinking I was weak. Anakin scooped me up under the arms, standing me up, and then carrying me over to my king sized bed. I was still sobbing, still cold and shaking. I couldn't stop clinging to Anakin's robes, taking his strength and making it my own. I couldn't handle the thought that Anakin would inevitably ask me why I was crying.

"Arkeah, breathe."

I couldn't breathe.

"Arkeah, you need to breathe."

What doesn't he understand about I can't breathe!

Then I realized, I wasn't saying anything. I was only hyperventilating. I wasn't breathing, I wasn't allowing oxygen to get to my brain. I took a deep breathe, finally giving in to my brains wishes for oxygen.

"Anakin, I need to tell you something. But you have to promise me not to tell anyone! Not anyone Anakin. Ever."

"Okay Arkeah, I promise I won't tell anyone, I'll believe you, I'll help you. Whatever you need, I'm here."

So I told him. I told him I was raped, that I was abused and called so many names by my family. That I was forced to leave my own home at the age of 8 to go live in the city sanctuary. I told him that I couldn't shake the thought that it was my fault.

"Arkeah, I'm so sorry. I can't believe that your mother wouldn't believe you. I'm sorry that your father did that to you, that he could even fathom hurting and abusing you, much less doing it."

"Thank you Anakin."

That is all I say, and lay my head back on the pillows. He stands up to exit the room, and goes to the door.

"Once again, I'm so sorry Arkeah, I know sorry won't fix it, but just know that I am."

"Anakin? Will you do something for me?"

"Yeah, Arkeah. What is it?"

"Stay?"

"Yeah, I'll stay."

He says, smiling, coming back over to the other side of my bed, and laying down with me.