(Star Wars) Gangsta #TheRiseAwards

Chapter Thirty-Two

     Vader carried Padmé into their bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him. She was drowsy against his shoulder but still clung to consciousness because she knew what came next. "Easy now..." She took a deep breath at the sound of his voice, fighting her heavy lids. "That's my girl." Vader sat beside her, gently removing her hospital garb. "Do you want me to go get something from your closet?"

     "I want your shirt," Padmé mumbled, rolling onto her side. "Can I have the one you wore to bed last night?"

     "Absolutely." The Sith quickly stood, heading into the fresher. He grabbed the dark slate shirt in question from the hamper, shaking it out and making sure it hadn't gotten wet. Once satisfied, he brought it straight to his love's side. "Thank you, V." Padmé gratefully put on the comforting garment, readjusting her messy hair. Vader slipped in behind her, leaning back against the pillows. "Here, let me." The singer felt her back muscles relax as he began brushing through her now semi-straight hair with a brush from his nightstand. "You've been through more than enough tonight... Let Daddy take care of you." He had studied how she would brush through her hair many nights before bed. "You're gonna stop the bad people, right?" Padmé turned around, taking her hair away from his focus. She caught his gaze, seeing how worn out he already looked. "Maybe you should stay here with me and rest tonight... The bad guys can wait." As her hand met his face, Vader cradled her grip with his own. "I cannot rest knowing that someone out there wants you hurt." He held her gaze, unable to break the spell between them. "How do you know that they after me?" She leaned in, scooting closer in his lap. "How do you know that they didn't randomly-"

     "Because I've been tracking the gunmen since I hired you." Vader decided that enough was enough. "There was a trio of men on my radar since the night we met. You remember the cyborg that performed before you?" He caught her chin in his free hand, holding it between a finger and thumb. "He was one of them." Her face dropped, eyes widening as the tears started to form. "They... They've been watching me that long?" She slumped against him, limp as her mind raced. "I'm afraid they were after both you and your mother." The gangster pulled her into his arms fully, her head beneath his chin. "The cyborg and one of his accomplices were the ones who started the fire. They took a random hostage and took him down with them... The cause of all this is a bounty hunter named Rako Hardeen." He looked down at her, comforting his heart in his hands. "Daddy's not gonna let anything happen to you, believe that."

     "I believe you." Padmé met his gaze, the tip of her cold nose brushing over his chin. She nuzzled closer, the memories replaying once more. "I was so scared when it happened..." Her brown eyes remained wide open as her mind replayed the night of events. "Cortez saved me... Goddesses, he was praying when he faded away. He kept asking for his baby girl to wait for him, welcome him home..." Vader shushed her, halting her words as he held her through the sobs wracking her body.

     "That should've been me... I should've-"

     "That's enough, Padmé." He growled, his heart aching at the mere idea that she would've rather been in harm's way, "Royce did his job, he will be remembered for the hero he was - on and off his turntables." Vader kissed her head, feeling the sobs begin to weaken. "We will memorialize him and give him the best arrangements the Sith can offer. I am great full to whatever gods or goddesses may be listening that I'm not making arrangements for you." He held her a little tighter, relieved that she wasn't in the morgue unit. "I am going to make sure this bastard pays for every drop of blood he's spilled. I'm going to figure out what his thought process was when it came to targeting you and your mother, then I'm going to kill him as slow and as painfully as I can."

     "Stop, please." Padmé whimpered, snuggling into his embrace to get impossibly closer. "I don't wanna think about violence, I just want you here... with me." The tears kept falling. "I'm right here, baby... I'm here with you." Vader pulled back enough to guide her lips to his, cradling her in his arms as tight as he could manage. "I'll never let anything happen to you again... You're my everything, Tweety Bird." She chuckled through her tears, leaning in for another kiss. "I love you." He pets her head soothingly, letting his queen find peace in his arms. "I love you more than the entire galaxy." The Sith reclined back, causing them to slump down the pillows. "In fact, for right now, your contract and position are going to be on hold until we make sure you're comfortable and ready to get up there again." He continued to stroke her messy hair, trying to soothe her to sleep as he usually did. "How would you feel about talking to someone?"