Chapter Thirty-Six - The Lies Aren't White Anymore

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Atzin Foster scrolled through his holopad as he looked at Padme's readings on the medical monitors. "Well Lady Vader, where should I begin with you? Let me first off-"

"Please Atzin..." Padme cut him off with a soft wave of her hand. "Just cut to the chase. What's wrong with me? Vader told me that you said I was doing a lot better."

She glanced out into the hall to see Anakin leaning back on a bench across from her door. Leia was curled up next to his side, covered up with part of his cloak. Luke laid on his other side, sprawled out with his head on Anakin's thigh. One of the officials must have covered him up because there was a black blanket over the small boy.

All three of them slept soundly.

Atzin gulped, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Milady, I respect his highness but I'm afraid he deceived you. That was not the report I gave you..."

Padme's eyebrows shot up at this. "Then what was my actual report? Why didn't he tell me?"

Foster once again began fidgeting with his glasses. "Milady, it wasn't a good report. It appears that the vaccines haven't been working as well as the have been in the past few weeks. I'm afraid you're life expectancy has shortened..."

"How long do I have Doctor?"

Atzin looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "Roughly a month but I do want you to know that the cure is underway to creation but it's taking a lot longer because our medical machines keep breaking down."

Padme sat up slightly, holding herself up by her elbows. "How old are the machines?"

"I'd say they're roughly ten years old."

"My husband and I will have them replaced then, even if replacing them still doesn't save my life. It's the least we can do for all of your help, Doctor."

Atzin beamed at her kindness, never before had any imperial said something like that. "Milady, if I am not stepping out of line when I say this, I'm so glad you're the Emperor's wife. You truly have a warm heart and I am truly honored to be your primary physician. I hope I have not overstepped my bounds with you, Milady..."

She looked back at him with unshed tears in her eyes. "Trust me, you're far from it... Thank you, Atzin. I needed to hear that..."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Anakin came in shortly after Foster had left to head back down to the chem lab. He was pleasantly surprised to find Padme awake and writing in a journal. "Whatcha writing?"

She glanced at him sideways, slightly glaring at her husband. When she didn't respond, Anakin held his hands up in surrender. "What did I do this time?"

"You lied to me."

"That's a lie in itself; when have I ever-"

"You told me that Foster said I was getting better, that they were close to a cure." She set down her journal on the bedside table. "Foster told me the real report not too long ago... Why would you fill me with such false hope, Love? I thought you promised that there would be no secrets. How long is it going to take for us to be honest with each other?" By the time she finished, a few tears had streamed down her flushed cheeks.

Anakin sat down on the edge of her bed, gently wrapping his arms around her. "Shhh, Angel... Don't cry... I just..." He sighed in frustration, unsure of what to say next.

"I just didn't wanna believe it myself."

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