Across The Stars

I Loved You

Vader now sat uncomfortably on one of the the medi-room's cold metal chairs.

Luke had fallen asleep on him quite a few hours ago, but the Dark Lord had taken his young son to his bedroom, the one he shared with his sister.

Vader marveled at the two young twins because even in sleep, they instinctively reached for the other.

His wounded heart melted at the sight of them together.

And as he walked back to the waiting room, his thoughts lingered on his children.

His children.

Words he thought he had lost the right to say twelve long years ago.

His wife.

Another thing he thought he had lost.

But she, his sweet Angel, might still be lost.

For she hated him, and Vader knew it. He would have to be blind not to see her burning hatred for him and all the things he had done to her.

Even now, a tumor in her head placed there because of him was slowly killing her. Still his stupid choices risked her life.

Now she lay under the scalpel of a surgeon, who was trying to undo the wrongs he had done in the first place.

She could lose her life now, because of his foolishness.

And even if she survived this surgery, she would still hate him.

But she had reason to. Vader hated himself. So why wouldn't she?

But even if she hated him so, he could never do the same to her.

Even on Mustafar he didn't feel hatred for her, only betrayal and anguish.

He loved her.

He still loved her.

He never stopped loving her, even when he thought that he had sent her to her grave, along with their child, or rather, children.

But even love can't erase the past.

Vader was broken out of his trance when a medi-droid came into the waiting room.

He quickly stood from his seat and took a step towards the droid before it began to speak.

"Lord Vader, your wife has successfully survived the procedure and is currently resting. Everything went according to plan and she should wake up in the next five hours or so."

Vader let out a sigh of relief that sounded even worse than his normal laboured breathing.

She would live.

"I would like to see her." Vader stated bluntly.

The droid, even with it's small area of programmed expertise, knew not to deny nor challenge the Dark Lord's request.

"As you wish, Lord Vader."

The droid then proceeded to lead the Sith into the medi-room's where his wife lay unconscious.

What Vader saw when he entered the room, hurt him both physically and emotionally.

But before he fell victim to his emotions, he turned to the droid.

"Leave us." Came his strict command.

The droid wasted no time obeying the Dark Lord and swiftly left the room.

Once the droid had left, Vader made his way to a small metal chair located right beside Padmè's bed and sat next to his Angel.

He took one of her small, pale hands in his, and gently caressed it with his thumb.

"Mè, I know you most likely can't hear what I'm about to tell you, but I need to say this. Padmè, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry for... for everything. I was so desperate to save you, that I ended up losing sight on what I was trying to save in the first place. I never meant to hurt you, or our children. I should've never trusted Palpatine, I should've trusted in the Force and those who cared for me. I was young and stupid, and too blind to realize what road I was going down. I would rather have died then see you go through the hell of what I made you go through. And when I thought I had killed you, part of me died with you. And now that you're alive and here," The Sith Lord struggled to contain a sob that threatened to break out.

"And I can't imagine life without you. Padmè, I love you. All I ever wanted was to love you. I know you hate me now, I don't blame you for doing so. But I won't ever stop loving you, even if you never feel the same for me again. I only wish that love could erase the past twelve years from existence."

Vader lowered his head onto Padmè's stomach as his tears overcame him.

He still held her limp hand in his as he cried, and he swore he could've felt her fingers slowly begin to curl around his hand.

But the sudden sound of monitors beeping alerting caused Vader to lift his head quickly.

Before he knew what was happening, Vader was pushed to the back of the room while doctors, nurses, and all kinds of medi-droid went to work to stop what was happening to his wife.

Three droids and a nurse had to escort the Sith out, for he was still partly in denial and shock from what was occurring.

As he was being let out and back into the waiting room, he heard a voice cry out for a name he hadn't heard in over a decade.

"ANAKIN!"

The doors shut suddenly before he could hear anymore.

He slouched in the same cold, metal chair as before. And try as he might to get some rest that night, none came to him.

For his dreams where riddled with the pain filled screams of his wife.

<><><>

The next morning, Vader still sat, waiting to hear something, anything, about his wife's condition.

Luckily, the children had slept through the traumatic events of the previous night and still continued to sleep.

That was at least one thing Vader could take rest in through all of this.

However, he was startled from his thoughts when a nurse stumbled out of the doors that lead to where his Angel lay.

Vader glanced up quickly, hoping that this nurse had come to permit him to see his wife.

He had assumed correctly.

"Lord Vader. The patient is stable and conscious. She is requesting someone named Anakin. Do you have any idea who that may be?" The nurse asked confused.

Vader nodded"Yes. I do. But allow me to go and speak with her first. It will clear a few things up."

The nurse wordlessly motioned for Vader to follow her into the room.

When they arrived, Vader was greeted by a welcomed sight.

The nurse walked over to a very alert Padmè, who was currently sitting up in bed and examining her surroundings.

"Miss, there is someone here to see you." The nurse told Padmè quietly. "He says he may know of this Anakin you keep speaking of."

The nurse left soon after introducing them, sensing the importance of the situation.

Padmè looked up as Vader cautiously walked towards her.

Padmè gazed up, a puzzled expression written on her face.

"Who are you?"

Vader knew the doctor had warned them about the memory loss, he knew it was likely to be expected. But this much memory loss? It scared him.

"Padmè, this is going to be hard to explain, but I'm—I was, Anakin."

Padmè's eyes went as big as saucers.

"What!?"