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❝  but i don't know you, no matter
how much i thought i did. ❞

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CARINA STARED UP AT the white ceiling, her hands folded while splayed across her abdomen. Soft breaths escaped her tainted lips, blinking slowly before tipping her head up slightly to gaze out the window.

Her eyes roamed over the glimmering stars and planets lingering in the distance. Her gaze lingered there for a second too long before she reached into the hidden pocket of her jacket, unzipping it to pull something out.

The mothers eyes went to ring in her hand, twirling it in between fingers as the gem shone in the light. Her wedding ring. Something that possessed such a great piece of her heart. No matter how many times she'd attempted to part with it— she simply couldn't.

She blinked at the jewelry, ignoring the way her heart tightened in her chest. The brunette swallowed thickly before reaching over to place the ring upon her nightstand.

Carina ran her hands over her tired face, her head falling backwards into the pillows.

Algora exhaled heavily before her eyelids began to grow heavy, darkness consuming her.

Carina cut her ember lit saber through the vacant atmosphere, her heavy pants echoing through the training room whilst she focused on perfecting her form. She moved her feet, having half a mind to keep her foot work in check as she went into a defensive stance.

The brunette hadn't even noticed her husband having halted in his steps just as he had been walking by. His blue eyes trailing over her form whilst she trained.

Carina sliced her weapon upwards, spinning on her heel before twirling it in her hand to stab it backwards.

Anakin couldn't stop the smile that decorated his lips as he leaned against the beam. He could stay watching her for hours and never for a second get bored.

Algora panted heavily, her movements slowing down before turning her head to see her husband gazing at her intently.

A small smile immediately tugged on the brunette's lips. She shut off her saber before taking off in a slight run, watching the blondes arms open to receive her. The two held each other tightly, engulfing the other.

Carina nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck, "You're back early."

Anakin tightened his grip on her waist, pressing a chaste kiss to the crown of her head. "Our mission was cut short."

Algora pulled back, looking up into the blondes eyes, "You come back and I leave." Anakin couldn't help the frown that pulled at his lips, "You're leaving?"

Carina reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, flashing a look at the closed doors behind them to make sure they were alone before setting her attention on the male before her.

"I have to go negotiate terms with a senator." Carina spoke, feeling her husband pull her in closer. "How long?"

The Jedi knight gave him a soft shrug as a response, "I'm not sure." Anakin didn't bother hiding his saddened expression, leaning in abruptly to press a needed kiss to his wife's lips.

Carina closed her eyes, tangling her hand into his blonde locks before pushing herself up slightly. Anakin reached a hand to cup the side of her face, quickly deepening the kiss with urgency.

Algora reluctantly pulled away from him, their lips still barely brushing against each other with their breaths mingling together. "What's wrong?"

Anakin brushed the pad of his gloved thumb over the brunettes cheekbone, resting their foreheads together softly. "I've missed you, my love."

Carina smiled upon hearing that, her fingers playing with his hair before replying, "And I you, but I have no choice here."

Anakin let out a frustrated sigh, "Ashoka's been wanting to train with you." The girls eyes brightened up slightly upon the mention of her husbands padawan, "I'll make sure to leave time for her once I get back."

The blonde Skywalker licked his lips, "I don't like how we've been getting split up recently." Carina raised her brows slightly, "It's only been two missions."

"Two long missions." Anakin corrected before pulling his wife flush against him again. A laugh escaped the Jedi as she felt his lips leave featherlight kisses upon the exposed part of her neck.

The sweet moment between the wed couple was cut short by the sound of Carina's comlink beeping. She was being called.

Anakin pulled back, a frown embedded onto his lips, "I hate that thing." Carina gave her lover a small smile, reaching up to place one last kiss on his lips before pulling out of his grasp entirely— hating the cold that welcomed her.

"I have to get going." Carina made sure her save was at her side before watching her husband who nodded, "Be safe, my love."

Algora slipped her hands into her pockets, "Always."

Carina peeled open her eyes, groaning before rubbing her tired eyes. The mother glanced around to find the lights had been turned off and she was now under the covers.

The brunette blinked a few times, suppressing a yawn before throwing the duvet off of her to swing her legs over the edge of the bed. Carina cleared her throat before rolling her shoulders back when she noticed she was still wearing her brown leather jacket.

The mother shrugged the clothing off, leaving her in her white tank top when a knock on the door caught her attention.

Algora rolled her eyes at the fact that he was knocking, as if she'd appreciate him for it. "I don't understand the point of you knocking."

The door clicked open and the sound of boots hitting the hard ground suddenly filled the room, "Would you prefer it if I stopped then?" His mechanic voice questioned. Carina narrowed her eyes at him, her irritation displayed on her features but she stayed silent, but she would not prefer it if he didn't knock in all honesty.

Darth felt his eyes darting over to the brunette's nightstand, knowing the wedding ring was there. His heart still thudded faster upon seeing it, just as it had a few hours ago he'd come to find his wife asleep.

He'd seen her sleeping figure and had been going to leave when he'd caught sight of the jewelry he'd once slipped onto her finger. Everything around him seemed to stop in that small moment, a sense of shock filling him that Algora had even kept it after all these years and all the pain.

The male hadn't even known what had possessed him as he'd slowly taken him mask off, setting it on the desk while feeling his blonde locks frame his face. Standing beside the bed Carina was sleeping in, he'd reached to take ahold of the ring, grasping it in his gloved hands while his eyes shone with vulnerability.

Vader had carefully set the jewel back in its place looking over at his wife to find her shivering slightly, so he carefully pulled the white covers over her body, watching her nuzzle herself further into the pillows.

The male pulled back, stepping away from the brunette to click on his mask once more, making sure to shut the lights off on his way out.

Carina tilted her head to the side, having noticed the way the Sith lord had stilled and gone silent, as if he was in a daze. Knitting her brows together she shook her head before reaching down to slip her boots back on.

Vader blinked, pulling himself out of his mind upon the woman's sudden movement. He licked his lips, watching Carina finish tying her shoes before chiming up, "You kept it."

Algora sat back up, turning her head to look at Darth with a confusion glint caressing her honey eyes, "What?"

The male gestured over to the small nightstand at her side, making Carina's eyes wander over to slowly realize what he was referring it. The mother clenched her jaw harshly, slightly cursing herself for having placed it back into her jacket.

Vader watched her figure tense, imagining her mind beginning to spin at the thought that he'd seen it.

Carina swallowed thickly, her hands clenching at her sides before guarding her eyes to speak, "Yeah, so what?"

Darth tipped his head at her slightly, "I figured you would've burned it." Carina scoffed harshly, "Oh, believe me, I would've loved nothing more than to have done that."

The man hummed softly at her, intently watching her rigid form, "Then why is it still here?"

Algora's shoulders slouched slightly, her eyes staring into the floor beneath her while the true answer circled her mind endlessly. Because it's a piece of me. No, she wouldn't tell him that. She would not let him know she still somewhat cared, she couldn't.

"What is it you're trying to do?" Carina questioned, deciding to pull the conversation away from the ring, "Break down my walls? Manipulate your way into my mind so I can join you? Like Palpatine did with you?"

Vader remained with his stoic expression under his mask, "So we're deflecting now." Carina shook her head, an incredulous look settling onto her features as she stood from her place on the bed, "What does it matter? The ring that has no meaning means that much to you? Color me shocked."

Darth straightened up, his eyes narrowing slightly, "Has no meaning? Is that how far you're willing to go to lie to yourself?"

Carina huffed out an unamused laugh, "Would you stop talking as if what we had meant anything to you. It's truly irritating to my ears." The Sith took a step towards her, his voice now baring an edge to it, "What we had meant everything to me, do not try and—" He'd attempted to argue but the brunette had cut him off abruptly.

"No. You can't say it meant something when you were so quick to throw it all to the fire. You wouldn't have done the things you did if I ever meant anything to you— especially if you knew me as well as I once thought you did."

Vader shook his head quickly, "I did it all because I thought I was going to lose you."

"And despite it all, you still did." Carina spat at him, eyes now wide with emotions running through her. Darth physically flinched before taking a step back, watching his wife grit her teeth at him, "Everything you claimed you did for me is the exact reason we stand here right now. I begged you to step down, to leave with me and forget all that happened. But at that point you loved power more than you did me."

Darth could feel his hands beginning to tremble at his sides, "I never loved or wanted anything more than I did you." His voice whispered, watching the way Carina's anger slowly turned into hurt, "Yet you still chose the Sith over me."

"I thought it was the only way to save you."

Carina shook her head at him, "You don't believe that, somewhere deep in that mind you don't truly believe that. You were just made to think so." The brunette watched the Sith fall silent, no longer retorting what she was saying.

Algora pulled her eyes away from him, no longer able to gaze at the mask for another second. She turned towards the nightstand, taking ahold of the ring. A lump grew in her throat the longer she gazed at it for when a door clicking shut behind her caught her attention.

Carina closed her eyes, her hands tightly clutching the jewel before pressing it to her chest. A strangled sigh slipped out of her parted lips, a million thoughts whirling through her crowded mind.

Yet she couldn't fully grasp how they'd fallen so quickly. The day constantly repeating in Carina's head, everything had been fine. Until it suddenly wasn't.

The brunette peeled open her eyes to glance back down at the ring that was at the center of her palm, they truly had died that day.

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