Washed Away

AUTHOR: Abigail

SUMMARY: What if Padme was so worried about Anakin that she went looking for him at the Jedi Temple? The night of Anakin's turn to the Dark Side?

TIMELINE: During RotS, alternate universe.

CHAPTER 9: The Room

RATING: T

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything that was created by George Lucas.

NOTE: Ok, I realize I haven't update in a million days, and I'm so terribly sorry. Things have just been crazy and I'm trying to get back to my regular school routine. You'll be disappointed that this chapter is so small, but I want to get back into the swing of this story again without getting to far ahead of myself. I will update soon though, so you aren't going crazy over this subtle cliffhanger. Again, I'm sorry. Also, I think I updated this wrong the first time, so hopefully all of you read the right version.

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The room lay at the very end of a long, abandoned corridor. Ever since the construction of the Imperial Star Destroyer, the hallway had been rarely walked upon, let alone any of its rooms penetrated by a human soul. Despite the smallness of the room, it had the qualities of a vastly empty and abandoned store room...literally full of nothing. It's circular walls curved around the room and spiraled upward until the met the precipice of the ceiling, which dropped off when they met the small, spherical window that looked down upon the room. It's diminutive size only allowed a small shred of light enter the room, but it was certainly enough to illuminate the shadow of the dark figure who silently sat upon the chair that lay in the middle of the room. The room itself held a unique solitude and comfort for that certain person...a person who simply stumbled upon the room without realizing it. For them, this room acted like a vacuum...mindlessly sucking every emotion and feeling from their body upon entering the room. It lacked the common accessories of the other rooms, such as lighting and heating, but this was what appealed to Darth Vader so much. His still grieving body was able to seek solace in the lonely room that lay dormant at the end of the hallway where no one would dare venture. But what Vader did not know was that the room was not empty and that he was not alone...he was merely being watched, ever so carefully by the scrutinizing eyes of his master.

For Darth Siddious was never entirely convinced that night when Anakin Skywalker pledged his body, mind, and soul to the ways of the Sith. And if his suspicions were correct, Darth Siddious knew that an entirely different plan would have to take action...a plan that could very easily reveal Vader's clouded future to his eyes and expose his shrouded soul to his manipulative hands...and this plan took had rapidly taken shape of the room that Darth Vader found himself retreating to during the idle hours when sleep would not come to him...

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Once again, Vader felt the anger swelling in him as he sat motionlessly in the room. His gloved hands clenched the chair tightly, dutifully suppressing his urges to burst from the anger inside of him. His fiery eyes narrowed as his body tensed from self-control. The solitary room continued to mock him with its surroundings, constantly revealing to him how alone he really was. It's hissing voice taunted him, causing his anger to flare even more. And then he was reminded of Padme...his beautiful angel filling his soul with a cold sorrow that extinguished his feelings of anger. The conflict and confusion returned, as he struggled to balance between the hurricane of emotion that attacked his insides. The cold and skeleton like hands of sorrow slowly reached towards him, slinking quietly around until they began to enter him. His hands slowly released their grip on the chair and fell to his side in defeat. Vader's head lowered, his eyes regaining their sky blue color. But just as easily at they were washed out, the hiss of the room returned, now with soft words of comfort.

Ignore the pain...don't look back, they told him. And just like a lost child, he listened, allowing the grip of fear on his heart vanish back into the cold recesses of the room. And suddenly, a new hope emerged as the coaxing whispers continued to ease his pain, replacing it with a power and strength.

And then, he felt a slight pressure against his hip. Mindlessly, his hand wandered down the length of his body until it met the cold metal of a light saber.

Your light saber...take it... Vader slowly pulled it from its place in his belt, bringing it up to the cerulean sheen of the starlight that silhouetted the room. It's metallic glow cast a sparkle into Anakin's curious eyes. He was unable to control himself as he activated it, immediately ignited the room with a supernova of brilliant crimson light.

Death...you want death...

Robotically, Vader's hand swished the flaming blade through the still air, as the voice of the room enticed him, their persuasions gradually increasing until they created a crescendo of beautiful harmony, synchronized to the rhythm of Vader's rapidly beating heart and swishing hand as he propelled the Sith weapon through air. But the voices ended abruptly, as the quickly cascaded into nothing, causing his ministrations to stop in midair, the blaring saber held erect in front of his animated face.

His breathing slowed and so did the beating of his pulse. But the sudden burning desire and conviction in his heart to kill did not...and his overwhelming flow of anger poured outward over his feverish body as he slumped into the chair, letting the saber drop from his hands at the sudden realization of what he had just done. In only a matter of seconds, Vader had lost complete control of his actions...his thoughts...everything. And although it had happened to quickly for him to respond, he was suddenly fearful at the power of the Dark Side...and what it could do to his already broken soul...

You should be afraid...you should fear me... Darth Vader silently listened, and felt himself agreeing with a calm reverence. He bowed his head in meditation, letting his emotions slowly drain from him like a sieve, until every thought trickled out of his weakened body...once again leaving behind nothing but an empty space.