Been some time since I've updated this story. I'm trying to get myself to finish some of the things I haven't touched in some time and so far I've had a lot of luck... hopefully that continues. I'm done with all my lectures this year so I'm hoping I'll have more time to write now. Hope you all enjoy this update!

Happy Reading!

Chapter 6

Pain. The first thing he became aware of was the distinct pain he felt radiating through his body. Anakin was used to pain. The burns from that horrible crash had ensured that he lived in near constant pain all the time. He did have topical medications that would ease the pain temporarily and he regularly received treatment in a bacta tank to ensure that the harsh desert conditions didn't cause infection or develop some kind of cancer, but everything still hurt. And yet, this time was distinctly different. For the pain he felt, was dull. Perhaps that was simply the medication because he was still a bit drowsy, but deep down he knew it was something else. "Anakin?" He heard his name echo in his head as he felt his eyes twitch. "Anakin," The voice called again, this time more clearly. And then he felt it. A light touch to his shoulder, and slowly he pried his eyes open. White blinded his vision for a moment as he blinked rapidly to regain focus. Laying on a medical bed, he could make out the silvery face of the Kaminoan doctor who he had met what felt like moments ago, but from the different clothes he was wearing, he assumed it must have been much longer than that. At his side, was the Jedi. Obi-Wan smiled at him as he shook his head in disbelief. "I can hardly believe it," He whispered, reaching behind him and passing him a mirror.

Anakin took the mirror and for the first time noticed the smooth and clear flesh that reached out for the mirror. Gone were his prothesis, replaced by real, warm and feeling human hands— his hands. They shook as they gripped the handle of the mirror and slowly turned it around to face him. For a moment he was afraid that he would see the same scared face he had grown accustomed to seeing everyday. And if that were the case, how would he feel? The hope he had felt for living a normal life, faded as doubt seeped in. Obi-Wan squeezed his shoulder once more and nodded for him to look. Anakin let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and turned it around, gasping at the face that looked back. The scars were gone, and atop his head a fresh crop of blond hair had already started to grow, only a small dusting, but enough to bring an amused laugh when he reached up and actually felt each individual sprout scratch along his palm. A dream. This is what he had dreamed of for so long, and he had the Jedi to thank for it.

"Let's try and sit you up," The Kaminoan said, moving around to help gently ease him up into a sitting position. Under the thin medical sheet he felt his toes scrape along the blanket, and unable to resist, he threw it off to look down at his toes. Anakin grinned widely as he wiggled his toes, holding his arms out as if to make sure his hands were still there.

"I can't believe it," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded, but his expression dropped as he glanced over his shoulder. As he turned back, his face seemed more grim. "You… you look exactly like your brother," He murmured.

"Yeah…" He said, his smile dropping as well. His brother. His twin… he was still getting used the the idea. Add to that, from what he knew of him, their lives were polar opposites. Where he had grown up to be a prince, and trained to be a vicious enforcer of the Empire, Anakin had been a slave and then a simple farmer's son. The very idea that they shared the same blood seemed impossible.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat beside him, and clasped his hands in front of him. "You must know, it wasn't my intention to rush this," He said, looking to the doctor, "But we've been left little choice."

His brow furrowed at the Jedi, "What are you talking about?"

The Kaminoan doctor stepped into his line of sight, speaking with a slow and clear articulation, "It was my hope to keep you under sedation while you recovered," He answered, "Waking you up this early was not advisable. But, it appears our timeline has advanced much sooner than anticipated."

Obi-Wan handed him a tablet open to a news article from four days ago. "Vader is now the Emperor," He said. "Time is not a luxury we have any longer."

The tablet fell from his grip as he gripped the fabric of his medical gown. The Emperor is dead. His father… surprisingly, part of Anakin is sad to know that he will never know his father. But another, larger part is relieved. It means he has one less person to trick, and from what he understood about the Emperor, he would have been one of the hardest to fool. And yet, that still left Vader. His twin had spent his entire life training, fighting, making a name for himself… how was he supposed to face a skilled warrior like that? What did the Jedi expect him to do? Ask nicely? No, it was clear they wanted him to fight him. But, would he even stand a chance?

"We need an answer now," Obi-Wan said. "We need to know if you're willing to bring an end to the Empire for good."

Anakin swallowed and shook his head, "I don't know…" He murmured, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Destroy from the inside, you will," Yoda slowly entered the room, his Gimer stick tapping along the floor as he walked. "Convince the galaxy you will, that Vader, you are."

"And what of the real Vader?" He asked.

"Leave him to us," Obi-Wan said. "We will teach you all you need to know about court life. And when the time comes, we will switch you with Vader."

He didn't know what to say. It all seemed so risky, so dangerous. One misstep, and he would be arrested or worse. The one benefit there was, was that The Emperor was already dead and so he wouldn't have to face him at least. But everything else was still daunting on its own. And yet, if he was successful, then the Empire would be no more… Anakin sighed as he gave one barely noticeable nod. He wasn't sure if he could do any of this. But he was willing to try. "Alright."

The gardens of the Imperial Palace were the most beautiful in all the capital. The massive area was landscaped perfectly, with exotic plants from across the Empire. It was a popular spot for honored guests to peruse when state visits or balls were held. Everyone who visited said it was the most beautiful spot of green on the entire planet, though Vader didn't see the appeal. He seldom set foot in the gardens, his duties often keeping him far from the capital and his appreciation for natural beauty non-existent. But, Padme seemed to like them. Her home world of Naboo was hailed as one of the most beautiful of the Mid-Rim worlds and so it seemed fitting that she would be drawn to the part of the garden which hosted some of the natural plants native to her lush green of tall grass was accompanied by the bright yellows of wildflowers that grew in the lake country. Along side a carefully curated arrangement of rare breeds of roses and daffodils found only in the gardens of Theed.

Vader had watched her from the balcony overlooking the gardens only just the other day. His guards had informed him that this was where she was most likely found when she would return from the Senate. He watched her as she stepped off the stone path to sit on one of the stone benches, her head craned back as she seemed to be smelling the air. A smile tugged at his lips as he trailed his eyes down her elegant neck before trailing up to watch as the light breeze tugged at her loosened hair. The past few days had been stressful for everyone. With the death of his father, and the rush to seize power from those who would try to take what was rightfully his, he'd had little time to think of much else. He imagined the same must be true for her as the Senate wrapped itself in the chaos of reestablishing and forming new alliances in the wake of the power shift. He imagined little else filled her mind as it did with him. But for him, late at night, he found small moments between all of his appointments and official duties that had to take place before the official coronation, moments where other plans started to form.

He smiled, feeling the presence of the small velvet box in his pocket which bore the seeds of those plans which he knew in time would grow to bear the fruit of everything he envisioned for the future. A dynasty, resplendent and magnificent. A new Sith Empire far grander and more powerful than his father could have ever dreamed of. And he knew Padme had a role to play in that vision. He checked the chrono on his wrist once more as he counted down the time it would take for Padme to return to the Palace. His calculations put the Senate at a ten minute speeder ride— five if he was flying— and then another ten minutes to walk to the gardens and through them to the Naboo section. It had been fifteen minutes and so he knew it would not be much longer. No sooner had his made his calculations did he sense her presence as she entered the gardens. Three minutes. He smiled as he tracked her and the guards with the Force as they slowly made their way to him. Turning around, he clasped his hands in front of him as he waited on the path for him. He could hear them. His lips curled into a smile as he saw them round the corner.

With a wave of his hand, the guards turned and left them. Padme wore the deep maroon dress he had purchased for her. The time of mourning had passed, and many now wore the colors of the Empire in celebration of the previous Emperor's legacy and the hope for a bright future for the Empire. The lace fabric of the dress gave only small hints to what lay beneath, while not diminishing the strong and commanding way she carried herself. The fabric gracefully led from her shoulders into a cape made of a denser fabric encrusted with the emblem of the Empire.

"You look lovely," Vader said, nod hiding the way his eyes trailed over her figure.

"Your Majesty," She greeted, bowing her head in a courtly manner to show her respect. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you my condolences for your father," She said as she raised her head. "He was… a trusted mentor. And well-respected."

Vader waved off her comment, "My father was a tyrant," He said, watching her eyes widen in surprise. Had anyone else said it, it would be grounds for treason. "Everything he did, he did for his own benefit. He may have been my father, and he may have been my Emperor, but that doesn't mean he was good at being either." Padme opened her mouth, seeming to want to understand why he said what he said, but that was not why he had asked her here. "I didn't bring you here to talk politics," He said, beckoning her to walk with him. She didn't seem too happy about the sudden change of topics, but there would be other times where they could talk about work. This was not one of them and he had more interesting things he wanted to discuss with her. He held his hands behind his back, pretending to look at the garden, but keeping his senses tuned in to her. "I have no plans to be like my father," He said, deciding to add a little to his previous comment. "I want my Empire to flourish in the ways Palpatine failed to do. Many in the Senate doubt I am capable though."

"I'm sure in time they will learn," Padme said. "Once they know who you are and what you want, they will quickly find their place within the new order."

He smiled as he nodded in agreement. They were now close to where the wildflowers from the lake country were planted, he planned his next words carefully as he slowed his pace to make sure they did not pass beyond the wildflowers. "Yes, I'm sure they will. It will take time, but, they will soon learn to see who I am beyond my service record… Like you have." Padme stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowed in confusion as he turned to face her. He could sense her confusion, but he merely smiled at her. "I think it's well known what happens with the women who normally stay with me in the Imperial Palace," He started. "I never take time to… do much with them beyond… the obvious," He chuckled. "But, that's not what it is with you. You're… special." He swallowed as he casually tucked his hand into his pocket, hoping she missed the movement and felt the small box he stored there, his fingers wrapping around it. "I've had visions. Visions of the future. And in them, I see you. I see you on an ebony throne with a crown on your head. I know what that means." Pulling his hand from his pocket, he held up the small box for her to see. With his thumb, he flicked open the top to reveal a ring with a black diamond mounted in the middle flanked by two dark rubies. "Marry me," He said. "An Emperor needs an Empress. Marry me, and together we will rule this galaxy."