(Star Wars) ~ The Chaos of Redemption (To Be Rewritten)

Chapter Sixteen

"Daddy!"

Anakin ran down to the platform where Padme's ship landed, kneeling down as Melanie ran towards him.

"Princess," He smiled as she crashed into his chest, breathing heavily as she sobbed. "It's okay, Daddy's here; everything's gonna be alright..."

"Anakin!"

He looked over at the ship, hugging Melanie close to one his hips after getting to his feet. "Padme," He caught her with one arm, squishing her tight against his free side. "I saw your ship. What are you doing here?"

"Obi-Wan told us terrible things, Daddy," Melanie raised her arms up towards him. He scooped her up in his arms like a baby, tucking the crown of her head beneath his chin. "What kind of things, baby?"

Padme cut in, her emotions getting the better of her. "That you turned to the dark side," Her throat began to feel full, her sight starting to blur with unshed tears. "That you...killed younglings..."

"Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me, my loves," He gently caressed his wife's cheek with his free hand. "He is merely jealous of my new powers..."

"What powers, Daddy?" Melanie looked up at her father, her soft innocent features twisting into a confused expression. He smiles at her, feeling a fatherly pride swell within him as he looked at her.

"Chancellor Palpatine died, sweetheart, which means that Daddy," His azure eyes shifted to lock gazes with his wife. "Well really our family now holds the galaxy in the palm of our hand. We an make things how we want them to be, isn't that great!"

"What?" Padme took a step back, a few of Obi-Wan's words echoing in her head.

I'm worried about him! He has done terrible things, things he can not take back...

"No," Padme whispered, her brown eyes widening in realization. "No, No, No, No..."

"Mommy?" Melanie tilted her head, her attention solely focused on her mother.

"No, it can't be true..."

"Angel?" Anakin was now on high alert, his wife beginning to really worry him. He reached out to her, "Padme, love, what's-"

"NO!" Padme screamed, her outburst causing Melanie to squeal out of surprise and bury her face in the crook of Anakin's neck while crying.

"No one makes my little girl cry," Anakin hugged Melanie close, giving Padme a slight glare. "What is your problem, Padme?"

"Anakin, this path that you've taken..." Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. "...We cannot follow you..." She made a move towards him, reaching her arms out to take Melanie when he did the unthinkable.

He began choking her.

"Anakin..." She gasped, trying to draw air into her lungs. "St...Stop...Plea...Please!" Her feet began kicking off the ground, her elegant hands clutching her throat in pure fear.

"Daddy, stop!"

His grip tightened on his wife's throat, "Stay out of this, Princess..."

"Daddy, you're hurting Mommy!"

"Enough Melanie..." He was too focused on the task at hand to even notice his daughter was no longer on his side.

"Daddy, stop it!"

"Melanie, that's enough!"

"DADDY, YOU'RE KILLING MOMMY!"

His Vader instincts disintegrated almost immediately, leaving Anakin to look upon his unconscious wife. "Oh no... What have I done?!"

He dropped to his knees, pulling Padme's body into his arms. "No," He whispered, running his hand over her cheek. "Padme, I'm so sorry..."

Rex and his men came marching onto the platform, their blasters raised and ready to shoot. Melanie squealed, "Daddy!" She ran over to him, noticing tears coming out of his eyes. "Daddy, Mommy will be okay; we have company, Daddy, get up!"

He shut his eyes, letting Vader flow into his voice. "Rex, get me a stretcher and set our ship's nava-computer for the nearest hospital. The rest of you, stand guard..."

Melanie looked up at her father, scooting into his side. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Princess," His voice was still deep like Vader's though his eyes weren't tinted yellow in the slightest. "I take it you've seen Mommy being okay?"

"Yes Daddy," Melanie nodded. "You'd never hurt me, would you Daddy?"

Anakin laid Padme down on the platform silently before getting to his feet and reaching to pick up his tiny little girl. "I could never hurt my princess," He looked back down at his wife, guilt and worry overcoming his senses. "I can't believe I hurt my queen..."

Suddenly an engine could be heard from the platform, fast approaching from what Anakin could tell. "Look alive boys," He slipped his hood up with a little help from Melanie, kissed her cheek as a silent thanks. "We have an uninvited guest making an appearance; get to your positions!"

As the squadron marched into their formation behind him, Rex ran back over with a hover stretcher. Setting Melanie down for just a moment, Anakin knelt down and picked up his wife bridal style and carefully laid her on it. As the stretcher was carefully pushed away from the platform, Melanie was once again in her father's arms.

A few short moments later, a rust-colored jedi cruiser landed on the platform in front of them.

"Finally," Anakin chuckled darkly. "Obi-Wan has come to die."