Padme always woke up before Vader, she had noticed that when on the ship to Corellia when she would often be dressed, fed and brushed her teeth before he awoke. Yet, she was never quite sure if he really was asleep. He never snored, never moved and one night she had thrown a pillow annoyed at his laziness but he had caught it rather easily.

  Vader certainly looked asleep, he had his left leg hang off the couch with the blanket half on him as most of it had fallen to the floor exposing his bare chest.

  Slowly but surely his chest heaved in heavy controlled breathes. It really did annoy her that she couldn't tell if he was faking it. Honestly at this point she thought that he was half dolphin, always able to keep one half of his brain awake just so he can never be surprised by her. Well, not never. There was that one time on Grakkus ship when she awoke him and he greeted her by trying to kill her.

  Since that incident, there hadn't been a repeat; he always seemed to wake up the split second before she threw something at him.

  He looked, not peaceful per say, but rather emotionless. She suppose everyone on some level looked like that while asleep though. She had never really made a habit of watching people sleep before this. Were they suppose to be emotive? Scowling and smiling at every nightmare and dream, or was your face suppose to drag behind your half-asleep muscles?

  She couldn't help herself as she reached a hand towards him, a small touch. Just to satisfy her curiosity. She knew there was a small chance would lunge at her throat again, so as she reached over she was sure to keep her head low and more importantly, away from his hands or any position where he was in easy choking position.

  "Good morning, Princess." Her hand shot back as her heart leapt into her throat.

  "You're awake." She hissed.

  "Just woke up." She didn't believe him. Not that he tried that hard to lie.

  He threw the blanket off himself, exposing his scarred torso to the world before faking a yawn that was over-exaggerated. God she hated that, when he treated her like a child. Like she didn't know what he was doing, or maybe he was doing it purposely to infuriate her.

  "We have a Senate meeting this morning. The topic of the MCA will be brought up so please don't be," she struggled to properly find the word that could accurately describe Vader. Intentionally provocative, immoral argumentatist or maybe just difficult.

  "Vadery?" He raised a brow giving her a small smirk.

  "Yes, that."

  "I promise I'll be on my best behaviour."

  "I've seen your best behaviour, that's why I'm afraid."

  He didn't argue with that.

  Anakin followed a few steps behind Padme as she strutted through the Senate building. So young, so eager to prove herself to a bunch of old men that frankly didn't deserve her attention. Who praised her idealism in public but made lewd comments behind closed doors.

  "Are you excited for your first Senate meeting?" Padme asked, the excitement in her voice annoyingly apparent.

  "I can't wait." He groaned. Not once had he ever sat through a whole Senate meeting. In his infinite lives, he had never done something so suicidal as bore himself to death. And believe him, he had done plenty of suicidal things, more often then not actually succeeding in killing himself.

  This was suppose to be a break from his usual loops of constant war… but this? Sure it was different but in no way was it something he was looking fowards to. He had also never made out with a Rancour in his loops, doesn't mean he was ever going to.

  "This will be good for you. A little impulse control will go a long way."

  Anakin hummed in agreement but not really listening to what she was saying instead fishing out a small container of pills Anakin had dubbed his 'sanity mints' due to the small mint container he kept his pills in, and threw two in his mouth.

  They weren't enough to make him trip or hallucinate. They wouldn't even really influence his bodyguard duties too much either, not that anything would happen with the blue senate guard around. But still, they were microdoses that would at least keep him sane sitting through these boring meetings.

  It took some time, but the two did finally arrive at their own little gate in the corridor. They could have gone inside and stood on their little platform in the large open space but waiting in the corridor at least would mean they would be spared several awkward moments of silence with the other who entered early.

  Though as they waited Anakin bit his lip as he felt a familiar force present approach. A force presence that was painfully average, someone who would never amount to anything in the eyes of the force. Someone who would do no wrong but do no right. For all the Force was concerned, this person may as well not exist.

  "Senator Amidala, a pleasure." The old man bowed. Yet his eyes never lingered on Padme for more then a brief moment of recognition before they fell upon him.

  His eyes never left Anakin after that. The chosen one, or rather in the ultimate pet project. A final screw you to the Jedi as the once savior of the light was tortured into a monster to hunt it.

  "Chancellor." Padme bowed back a small, polite smile on her lips.

  "I heard what happened to you, absolutely dreadful stuff. I hope you are okay." A lie.

  "No," Padme laughed, yet the bruises Anakin had seen last night said otherwise. "A little bit of bed rest and I'm back in fighting form."

  Palpatine laughed. So natural and so perfect that even if he hadn't had a flawless disguise in the Force that Anakin still wouldn't have believe that the man before him could be the worst of the Sith. Had Palpatine not been the coming of the end of the Galaxy, Anakin supposed he could have been a famous actor.

  The smiles, the waves, the way he ran though the lines and directed conversation was nothing less then an art he had perfected.

  "And this must be the boy who saved you? I heard rumors that you got yourself a Jedi. Quite an exotic find."

  Padme looked over to him, no doubt expecting him to claim that he was no Jedi. But it never came, nor did anything else as Anakin gazed into the eyes of his eternal enemy remembering every single encounter they have had over an eternity.

  Everytime his nerves burnt from electrocution, everytime he felt the heat of their sabers colliding, everytime he broke under torture.

  'Please don't make me do this. I love you Vader, be mine forever.' And for quite some time he had, then he hadn't, then he had again.

  He wanted to try rip open Sidious' throat right then and there. End this accursed loop once and for all. Another part of him screamed to cry and throw up, to hide and let Anakin Skywalker die with the memory of his cowardice being the last remnant of his life. One last part of him, a piece he had buried down deep inside him told him to tell Palpatine everything. Reveal the loop and join Palpatine at his side once more and strike out against the Galaxy that had tormented him, use the darkside to break free of the loop and murder those Whills that chained him to this hell.

  "Vader, don't be rude, my apologies Chancellor."

  "Nonsense! I understand he must be new to all this. Aren't you Vader?" He laughed. He laughed not due to his fake cheery persona but rather he laughed when she said Vader. He knew, of course he did. His spy empire was well established long before his birth and thus Anakin could do nothing to prevent Palpatine's knowing ears from hearing anything he wanted.

  The Republic, the CIS, no doubt his own personal spies as well. This man single-handedly controlled the Galaxy in his palm all before Anakin could even walk. By the time the loop started Anakin was already starting off with nothing against the most powerful man in the Galaxy.

  "I'm sorry." Anakin swallowed the vomit that had threaten to rise up his throat.

  "It's alright son," Palpatine hand fell on his shoulder. His fingers were warm and his touch was sickeningly soothing. He remembered how Palpatine would make him kneel and then cup his cheek like a king would do to his favourite prince. In those times when he was nothing more than scars and wires Palpatine's warmth was addicting.

  "I best be heading to my own gate. This place is too large for an old man like myself, by the time I get to where I'm suppose to I need a five minute break just to catch my breathe." He laughed again. His jokes were never funny but he was so charismatic that Padme couldn't help but join in.

  "Goodbye Channeclor." Padme waved, her smile genuine and sickening to Anakin. She and Palpatine may have butted heads but as of now she thought he was still a genuine man, if slightly politically wrong.

  "Are you okay?"

  "I'm going to the bathroom." Anakin scowled, the taste of his breakfast nauseating and overpowering. Shit, he was going to throw up.

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  "Fine, but be quick. And no sneaking out!"

  He wanted to, just not for the reasons she thought he did.

  Vader rejoined nearly thirty minutes after, his eyes were slightly red as if he had been crying and his breathe reeked of mint gum which could only meant one thing.

  He had been getting high in the bathroom. Unbelievable! Why did she expect him to be civilized for just once? Clearly that was too much for Vader who had to stay perpetually drunk or high.

  She sighed into her palm when he sat behind her. Never next to her, always behind. At least he somewhat did his security duty, or pretended too. Though so far he had been capable so maybe not a complete loss.

  The usual business took place, general agenda was being taken care off. Some planets argued while some sat and took full advantage of the wait staff asking for exotic drinks or snacks. The Republic being so large meant some of these planet's senators literally had zero opinion on these matters as besides taxing they wouldn't be affected too much. She even saw one Twi'lek flip a coin, looked down, shrug and then cast their vote on some Core policy that would never effect her.

  Unfortunately it seemed the mindset of sit back and watch was becoming uncomfortably more and more common.

  Her eyes fell to the Corellian seat. One that was much larger and closer to the centre to show how much more important as one of the main core worlds they were. Yet, it sat empty and its power it held wasted.

  She brought a subtle hand to her chest to try physically grab the pain in her heart and throw it away but to no avail. Corellia had been one of her true allies, not one that simple agreed with her but did nothing like she found many other planets doing. But they actually tried, and now she was ironicallly alone in a crowded room.

  "Now onto the next topic. What threat does the CIS pose to us, and should we pass the Military Creation Act?"

  There was a grieving silence as usually, Garm would interject. He was the pillar of the anti-act group and a powerful one at that. Yet now the room was met with silence as there was no boisterous voice, no argument, no righteousness. No other planet could do what Garm did, they lacked the importance that Corellia had. Garm could stand up, insult everyone in the room one by one and make out with Palpatine and yet no one would dare bat an eye as Corellia was just that important. Core world Ship production and key trade routes went through them, being against them was a death sentence unless you yourself was a major planet.

  "I oppose the MCA." Her voice rang through the microphone over the silence.

  She cringed when she saw her friends shaking their heads at her. How many times have they told her to keep her down, to wait till she had a few more years before making splashes?

  At least her friends' cringing wasn't the worst reaction. Many of the pro-MCA Senators outright laughed at her and noticed a particular Twi'Lek sighing before taking out a coin, getting ready to vote. Betting the future of the Republic with a coin toss, it would have been such a revolting sight if it wasn't for the fact she was used to it.

  "The CIS don't have an army, they are just fed up with the Republic! An interstellar army is a waste of resources that could go to health care or bolster our economy. Creating an army on the scale that could defend the whole Republic will do nothing but create debt for no other reason than fear. You want to promote a war that might not even happen!"

  She noticed a few heads nod at her. Mostly non-human or perhaps those who were considering leaving the Republic themselves. Still it was something she supposed.

  "A valid concern Miss Amidala." It was Palpatine who spoke. His voice dripping with kindness and nonjudgment. "But your reasoning is flawed, an army will create jobs and weapons trade is quite profitable."

  "You can build hospitals instead of warships!"

  "It is not doctors who need jobs, though, is It Amidala? The majority of the military is made up of those from lower economic groups. It isn't Doctors who are homeless, it's those who can't afford schooling in the first place. A large-scale military will employ those who need them, people who couldn't afford school, who can't meet requirements for jobs that will pay them a livable salary."

  "Then build schools, create support programs with the mountains of credits it would cost to build this army. You argue that education is the problem, yet you want to arm the uneducated instead of teaching them."

  "And what of the CIS? Do you think they build schools?" Padme bit her lip at his questioning. She could debate economics, she had spent several sleepless nights looking through census data and statistics to argue about money. But fear? She couldn't use logic to beat fear, it was purely emotional.

  "You yourself experienced CIS occupation. They blockaded your planet and tried to steal it from you. Out of everyone here you should know that the CIS do have an army."

  "I remember, I remember also how the Republic didn't come to Naboo's aid, nor do I forget the droids descending upon my palace and executing my friends and family." At least a few people had the decency to wince. "But the Trade Federation is not all of the CIS and their army was wiped out by Naboo's garrison. We do not need a galaxy-wide army, our own planetary garrisons are enough. All this Act will do is scare the CIS, what do you think they will do when they see us building an army big enough invasion force? They will build their own, you don't want conflict? Then stop pointing a gun and walk away."

  "The CIS are not peaceful, nor are they children. They are the worst of the Republic, splintered off and created their own Empire. You do not turn your back away against thieves and murderers, when you point your gun away they take out theirs." Padme watched as they nodded more to Palpatine's words than they had her. Fear, unfortunately, was a powerful motivator. "An army is a necessary deterrent. One I would rather have, than not."

  "Of course, the core worlds would think that!" To her surprise, the argument didn't come from her. A Togrutian Senator who sat quite far away said, most likely a Senator from the further regions of the Galaxy, much like herself. "The Core worlds aren't on the battlefront. It won't be your citizens being killed and exploited."

  "Please," A human from the Core of course scoffed. "It will be The Core paying for the army. We are doing this for your protection."

  It didn't take long for more and more people to get involved and soon the debate become nothing more than a screaming match. The sheer sound of the yells and screams was overpowering and rather nauseating, causing Padme to fall back into her chair. She may have started this but she was a person of progress, these mindless screaming matches was even worse then Palpatine's argueing with her. At least he was productive with his arguments, they did make sense on a certain level. But this? The yelling and screaming? Nothing about that was productive.

  The Chancellor himself looked irritated. She supposed they were the same in that regard, both two sides of the same coin. They both wanted progress, something to keep moving. Yet, neither of them would ever give ground, their need for progress causing a stalemate and preventing them both from achieving anything.

  At least Vader should be enjoying this. Having people things yell at eachother was something he loved. She turned to him expects a satisfied smile on his face, instead his eyes were hardened and his jaw tight.

  Was this even Vader? His eyes held such hatred. Such emotion. This couldn't be the same man who shrugged at wearing a slave colour. Who was laughed at constantly by my Senators on Grakkus' ship and mocked, yet only shrugged when insulting jeers were thrown in his face.

  It was easy to follow his eyes, with such disgust, it was like following a laser pointer. Following his gaze was the easy part, the hard part was figuring out why such a venomous look was pointed at the Chancellor. Sure she often argued with him but not even she hated the old man. If anything he just frustrated her, but hate? Never.

  "Va-"

  "Argueing, pointless it is." A voice, not particularly loud but drowned out the others.

  "War, terrible it is. Unavoidable it is not."

  Everyone looked up to where the voice came from. So far away, so far from the centre that such a position belonged to Planets that barely registered on the senate's radar. Yet, the strange voice had a calming inflection, capable of drawing everyone's attention.

  A small old green alien whom she had never seen at these meetings stood alongside another man in robes. The fact that he could even walk was impressive to her, he belonged in a retirement home not in this hell.

  "Grandmaster Yoda?" Palpatine looked genuinely shocked. He wasn't the only one, the Jedi never came to these meetings unless they were acting as a bodyguard. "What brings you here?"

  "Rumours of a Jedi reached our ears in the temple, concerns of this individual brought us here. Yet, we can only sit in silence for so long. Our opinions heard they should be."

  It wasn't surprising that everyone had heard the rumours, it had been reported on the news nonstop with all sorts of headlines.

  'Jedi slaughter protestors.'

  'Jedi saves Senator from violent riots.'

  Whatever agenda the news tried to push, they did. Some made Vader to be a violent psychopath while others made him a guardian angel. Whatever the news wanted him to be, they portrayed him as. He was nothing but a medium to push their own agendas.

  If they were with the MCA then suddenly it was Vader murdering peaceful protesting while those against it he was a saviour from angry war hungry savages. Thankfully in the eyes of the law, Vader was innocent, if slightly ruthless. It was a toss-up of whether he should be arrested for excessive violence, but a few testimonials from police, other nearby victims and her own injuries was enough for the Judge to rule in favour of Vader. It certainly didn't hurt his chances that he was her security, and while she certainly didn't like the silent bias she held as a Senator, in this instance, it was helpful.

  "The Jedi? The Jedi have no voting power, they do not hold a seat in the Senate." One rather heated-up Senator growled to much agreement from both sides of the argument.

  "The Jedi act as the policing force in the eyes of the Republic. It is us who fight your wars and defend your space from pirates. As far as Galactic Military goes we are the Republic's primary force and Grandmaster Yoda's opinions on this matter should be considered." Padme didn't recognise the Jedi who stood besides the green one but he was much younger. He looked awful, though, as if he had not slept for the past couple of days.

  There were quite a few arguments but with a press of a button by the Chancellor their mics were muted.

  "My apologies, Master Jedi. Of course, the Senate would love to hear your opinions of the matter." Despite the Chancellor's words the small twitch of his lips gave away his irritation. The Jedi had no voting power, yet, they still held influence. Essecially among the Core Senators who often housed Jedi for their own personal whims. The Core was Palpatine's strongest supporters, to have the Jedi against him could ruin him.

  A small smile tugged at her own lips. Without Garm this was supposed to be one of the worst Senate meetings to date, yet now, she could actually win.

  "Armies, nothing but war do they create," the small-statured Jedi spoke. Yoda, she believed. His calming, wise voice carrying over the room.

  "But necessary they are too. The CIS, innocent they are in all this, being manipulated they are. A shadow of the darkside. Count Dooku suspect he is no longer the Jedi he was, we do. The Sith have created a new army and war, avoidable it is not. Having an army, required it might be."

  Padme felt her stomach drop and Palpatine looked like a kid in a candy shop. Possibly the only people who could possibly rival or even surpass Coreilla in pull were the Jedi. Without their protection, the Republic would be helpless.

  "The Sith?" A senator scoffed. "Keep your stupid religious cults out of the Senate. These are real issues. The CIS are not some puppet state, they are thinking individuals."

  "Underestimate the Sith you do. Young you are, not seen nor understand the forces at play." She heard Vader give a quite small bitter laugh.

  "Why you little toa-"

  The angry Senator never got to finish his sentence as once again the mics cut by Palpatine's finger.

  "This is a place of discussion not petty insults. Thank you Master Jedi, we will take your opinion into consideration."

  "An honour it is, though not one that will happen regularly. Interfere with Senate the Jedi mustn't."

  "Still, you're insight is valuable." More like the political power they possess is important.

  "I wish you luck on your endeavour to find your Jedi."

  "Thank you, Chancellor." The green alien turned away from Palpatine and instead moved to her. No, not her. He was looking past her, just barely.

  "Anakin Skywalker, see us at the temple, you will."

  Anakin Skywalker? That was… that was the name of the Tatooine boy. But the only other Jedi here was Vader?

  "Anakin Skywalker? No… you couldn't."

  She turned to him hoping for a confused look on his face. Something, anything that would tell her that this was wrong, that somehow this was a lie.

  "Surprised?" Vad- Anakin asked, she could tell he was hoping she wouldn't be mad.

  She was furious.