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❝ i can't trust you. ❞

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FITS WERE CLENCHED, darkness enveloping him as a blanket would, yet it lacked the comfort. An ache grew in his chest every time he found his thoughts drifting towards his wife's distant and hostile eyes.

Vader's chest heaved noticeably as he recalled a time he never thought he'd ever drive Algora to such a point. Anakin who defied the council themselves for his wife, but he was no longer that person. The Sith Lord often had to remind himself of that, he killed that piece of himself when he thought he'd lost Carina by his own hand.

Darth didn't understand the slight conflict that was starting to rise within him, he'd never once doubted his acts. Yet, seeing how Carina looked at him— the soft voices he heard in her mind about how much he'd changed and what he'd became had all sorts of thoughts clouding his judgement.

"Lord Vader." An uncertain voice spoke beside him.

The male reopened his eyes, his mechanic breath reaching his ears. He only turned his head slightly, signaling he'd heard the trooper speaking.

"It's Algora."

The Sith didn't need to be told anything more as he sprung up from his seat, his boots leaving a trail of echos as he rushed towards the room his wife was in.

The man heard grunting along with commotion coming from the cell and his legs moved faster.

Vader's eyes fell upon the open room and peered inside to see Carina bashing a storm troopers head into the wall while another before her was about to pull the trigger to the blaster in their hold.

Darth was quick send the weapon flying out of the troopers grasp, the gun clattering onto the ground  with a thud.

Carina glanced up at the Sith Lord to see his attention set on his own trooper standing before her. Vader's mechanic voice cut through the air, clear anger visible in his tone, "Never point your blaster at her again."

"Lord Vader, she began attacking—"

Carina snapped her head over at the solider, "After your little friend touched me." She spat out, poison lacing her tone with her eyes narrowed into slits.

Darth took the moment to survey the room, seeing three troopers laying limp on the cold ground. The male lifted his head to face the storm trooper, "What happened?"

The trooper shrunk under the tone used, swallowing thickly as he sputtered out, "FE-3465 came in to set down her meal when she—"

Carina scoffed out, "I wasn't hungry and shoved the tray a little when your prick of a trooper went to grab my arm. Last thing I'll have is anyone putting their hands on me."

Darth Vader pulled his gaze back towards the trooper who was still in his place, "Any from your squadron touch Algora again, and it's me you will deal with."

The soldier went rigid, "Yes, Lord Vader." He swiftly turned before seeing himself out of the room. Carina brushed her arm, fixing her chestnut jacket, "I don't need you to defend me."

"I know."

Carina looked up, her irritation growing by the second the longer he watched her. The mother licked her chapped lips, deafening silence falling over the married pair. Algora didn't appreciate the swell of emotions surging through her, most of them being confusion. The male just a few feet before her infuriated the mother to no end.

She didn't understand him— understand the tender feelings she received from him. Why did the Sith have to be so annoyingly difficult? Nothing in her mind made sense anymore, and everything she thought she knew was wearing away quickly.

She felt like a teenager again— frustrated with everything she couldn't understand. Carina huffed under her breath, her hand twitching slightly before she tucked them into her pockets. She could easily pull herself from her current situation, send the Sith flying into the wall before making a run for it. She knew where the main hangar was so she could smoothly board an aircraft and put planets between herself at the empire.

Yet, a nagging voice in her head kept the brunette from doing so. Instead, the mother made her way over to the bed, plopping down on the comforter before muttering at the man, "Close the door on your way out." The less time he was in her presence, the better.

Darth pulled his brows together slightly before looking back at the storm trooper trembling slightly at his post by the cell door. The soldier glanced back at the ground where the three laid and quickly realized what was being asked of her.

The Sith Lord stepped out of the room once more, ignoring the foreign feeling he'd thought he'd rid himself of.

Carina let out a heavy sigh as the door to her chambers clicked shut, leaving her to bask in her loneliness once more.

"I think you gave him a concussion."

Carina rolled her eyes as the voice of her brother purged the air. She was slow to sit back up, her eyes landing on Obi-Wan's force ghost.

Kenobi quirked you a brow, "And your days here elongate."

"Do you just come here to remind me of my situation?" Algora slightly snapped back at him, feeling her frustration only grow with his unneeded comment.

Obi-Wan sighed softly, "My point is, you are still here." Carina blinked at the Jedi, "Yes, that's the whole point of prisoner, I believe."

Kenobi shook his head in disagreement, "No, you are still here by your own free will." Algora swallowed thickly before giving the man an incredulous look, "Perhaps dying did take a toll on your aging mind."

Obi-Wan gave the mother a knowing look, "You know I am right." Carina huffed in annoyance before turning away from Kenobi, "Just go."

The Jedi Master gave the brunette a saddened gaze, feeling the amount of denial and resentment clouding her mind. Obi-Wan sighed softly, closing his eyes as he respected her wishes.

A long quiet moment passed over the mother, the sudden urge to glance back controlling her as she looked to see the place where the Jedi had stood, was indeed vacant.

Ignoring the frown that tugged on her lips before shuffling on her bed, her eyes closing as she decided to fall into a heavy slumber.

—

"Luke."

The blonde Skywalker twirled his lightsaber in his grasp before slipping it into his hilt. Leia groaned in frustration before reaching out to grab the boys arm, forcing him to face her, "Are you insane?"

"I'm going." Luke's stern voice caught the princess slightly off guard. Leia narrowed her eyes at him, "And you'll get killed while doing so. You have to wait until we come up with something. You can't just waltz in there and expect to come out."

The teen boy purses his lips, "She's already been in there for too long— I have to—"

"You have to wait. Carina is being used to lure you in, Luke. How can you not see that?" A hint of desperation could be detected in her tone. Leia wishes for nothing more than for Luke to realize what he was trying to do was reckless and idiotic.

"So? Who knows what they're doing to her in there." Luke retorted, he'd be willing to go alone for Carina. She was in the empires clutches because of him, it was only right he saved her.

Leia scoffed, shaking her head, "Do you think Carina gave herself for you just so you could willingly walk in and risk your own exposure? The empire wants both of you, you can't hand yourself over this way."

Luke's expression faltered, he knew she had a point. A tugging feeling in his chest made his shoulder sag, his eyes blanking as a heavy breath escaped him.

Leia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "We'll get her back." Luke licked his tainted lips, an uneasy sensation filling his gut, "What if we don't?"

Organa hummed softly, "You know we will." Leia had to suppress her own worry for Algora, knowing nothing good would come from it. She had to be patient and work out a way to get the brunette back without risking lives, she only hoped Luke come to understand that.

A tender glint filled the princess' expressive eyes as she watched Luke attempt to console himself. The young Skywalker blinked slowly, gathering his thoughts before straightening up once more, "You're right, I can't do this."

Leia offered the blonde a soft smile, "We'll get Carina back first, then we'll go after Han. Okay?"

Luke stilled for a short moment, the sound of droids and mechanics clattering around them filled his ears. Skywalker thought of his mother, clenching his hands slightly before nodding in agreement.

"Okay."

—

AUTHORS NOTE,
it's official, this is the worst chapter i've ever written.