Denial: "What-if" for The Trial of Darth Vader

Epilogue: Reunion

Perplexed by its beauty, he stared at the alluring figure.

Could it be her?

Yes... it is her, indeed.

She was facing away from him, towards the sun and the heavenly skies. Lavish brown hair dangled down, softly swishing in the breeze. From the back, she looked just as gorgeous as when he last saw her...

When he killed her.

Remorse cut across his chest, zapping into the flesh heart, leaving an anguish that stung like Palpatine's Sith Lightning whenever Vader was subject to torture.

Conceal your anguish.

The old man marveled at the ethereal form, the undying sunlight casting a halo around her radiant body.

Tears gathered at the corners of his still-healing eyes. Tears of shame, tears of regret, tears of misery... Tears of love. At the sight of her, his heart pounded as if it was brand new and had never beat before. He sniffled, his hands trembling a little. His muscles were tense and stiff, unsure what her reaction would be...

Would she be mad? Would she curse me, condemn me to the Corellian Hells?

He would not feel agitation if she were to do such things; after all, he had committed such atrocities in his lifetime. For half of his entire physical existence, he wrongly served as the bane against all things she ever stood for: peace, freedom, and justice.

Or would I, though I do not deserve it, be forgiven?

Mustering every ounce of courage he held inside, he swallowed and gave a long inhale before stepping closer to her. What... what should I say...? What... yes... yes.

He tried his best to make a decent impression, but his voice only came out as a hoarse, ancient-sounding croak, thick with emotion.

"Are you an angel?"

She did not turn around, but the old man heard her voice nonetheless:

"What?" There was great warmness and affection, and perhaps even a bit of a giggle to her reply, yet the old man could not ignore the tinge of sadness that came with it.

His tears dripping out uncontrollably and his voice coming in quiet, wavering whispers, he carried on:

"An angel." He paused, a cough searing through his body. Did he... Did he feel a wave of concern pass from her? Oh, how unworthy, how undeserving was he to her care. He gathered his breath, wheezing a little, but continued rasping:

"When I was a naïve boy on Tattooine, I heard the deep space pilots talk about them." His voice crackled, broke, disintegrated. Out of necessity, he took a moment to recover his air and regain his pitiful voice. "When I was a young... yes, a young but more sophisticated man fighting in the Clone Wars, I had the pleasure of one appearing in my sight. They live on the moons of Iego, and they're the most beautiful creatures in the universe."

The old man paused, contemplating for a moment, realizing those words did not fully express what he wished to say.

"Darling, please forgive me, for I have misspoken... You are not an angel from the moons of Iego. You are a being that is far more lovely and precious, so much that I have no words to describe you."

The old man held his breath.

Padmé Amidala turned around. A jubilant smile displayed her straight rows of pearly teeth, so vastly different from the crooked ones inside the old man's hideous mouth. Her smile offered comfort without words. Tears were cascading down her shimmering face as she murmured with her soothing, tranquil voice,

"Oh, my dear Anakin... I am not an angel, at least not one from the moons of Iego. I do not wish to be an angel. I just want to be your wife.

I just want us to be with each other again. For eternity."

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A/N.

-I'm fully aware that Ani's not actually that old, but he describes himself as old earlier in the fic

-Also, I know Vader did not kill Amidala (he only choked her), but it felt more fitting for him to be unaware that he was not the one who ended her life, and still be wallowing in remorse over it.