Adrift Through Time

Chapter 4 - And You Will Never Be Forgotten

Author's Note: There's one chapter left. ^-^

~ Amina Gila

Sidious calls only hours after the rebels safely escape Bespin, demanding an update. Vader is hard-pressed to keep his mask fully in place, knowing how likely it is that Sidious was the one who ordered Shmi's near assassination. He was going to have his mother killed again, and for that alone, Vader is going to end him.

But he can't let himself think about that in Sidious' presence, no matter how angry he is.

He's certain his master is suspicious, though he doesn't outright say it. Sidious has always been prepared for everything, so that's hardly a surprise. He probably sees far more than he's saying. It... scares Vader as much as it's making him angry right now.

They need to start with a proper disguise for Shmi. The simplest way is having her wear officer clothing, to somewhat hide her appearance and most won't risk stopping to even look twice at her.

The attire is strange on her, but well... at least she'll be alive.

Vader's mind keeps jumping back to Mustafar now, wondering what happened to Padme – considering she apparently lived long enough to have twins.

"Are you alright?" Shmi inquires, lingering near him.

"I do not understand how – how Padme could have survived," he replies, haltingly. He doesn't want Shmi to know anything more about Mustafar, even if he already knows she wouldn't... judge him for it. That almost makes it worse.

"What happened to her?"

"Sidious told me that I – that she died on Mustafar."

"He is a master. We can't trust his word for it. Is there a way we could look into it further?"

Is there? It's a risk really, because Vader doesn't know if Sidious will hear wind of it and demand answers, but... "There is."

It's something he really wants to take the time to look into – there's no critical battle calling away his attention, so maybe it's worth a try.

Shmi insists on coming, so Vader brings her, along with an Imperial forensics droid, and they go to Coruscant. He really hopes that bringing her there isn't a mistake.

It's been so long since he last walked through these specific familiar halls of 500 Republica, heading to Padme's apartment. It was a lifetime ago when he thought he could have a family beyond the Order. (When he thought he could have a family at all.) When the only family he could have beyond the Order after Shmi's death was Padme, and now... the reverse is true. He still doesn't know why Padme turned on him, and that stinging betrayal can never truly fade when he remembers her, as much as he misses the times she was here.

A statue of her seals off the door to Padme's old apartment. It's been closed since her death, and somehow, that only drives the sharp pain in his heart deeper.

The only way to get inside is breaking the statute, which he... does, though it could attract attention he doesn't want. He'll have to be out of here fast.

Stepping into the apartment is almost like stepping into the past, remembering the day he reunited with Padme. The last days he was a padawan, and the... years afterwards.

The war.

Ahsoka. Rex.

(Obi-Wan.)

Shmi shifts closer, her mere presence offering comfort he could get from nowhere else, but it's still nearly gutting to be standing in here. Because of how closed-off it's been, he can still feel the lingering traces of Padme's Force presence on the walls, almost as though she were just here. He can feel traces of his own formerly light Force presence. He hasn't been here since that night he told her to wait, before leaving for Mustafar.