A/N: This is from an AU in which a redeemed Anakin Skywalker survives the second Death Star. Thanks for reading.
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His footsteps made no noise. He managed to conceal himself in the Force. But when Leia spun around, saw him and screamed louder than she did on the Death Star, Anakin felt like a monster again.
"Leia?!" Han shouted from their bedroom, unable to move. "Leia?"
The infant whined softly in the nursery and just as quickly stopped. Leia stared, unblinking. "It's okay, Han," she yelled back. "I burnt my tongue."
She stood as rigid and strong as the marble statue of her mother in the Senate building. There wasn't much to Leia, but she'd always prided herself with a good left jab, and her fist made an awful sound as it collided with Anakin's chestplate. It did no damage; the thought of sudden bruising only made her angrier.
"Did- you- pick- our- locks?" she seethed, annunciating each word with a shove of his shoulder. Anakin did not attempt to fight her. Leia did not wait for an answer, and pushed him into the library where no one could hear.
"I simply mind-tricked the Noghri," Anakin stated plainly as the doors closed. "It was disturbingly easy. I worry for your safety, my sweetest one."
With that, her rage reached a boiling point and she attempted to pull down an entire shelf of datapads and recordings. Leia felt the spike of fear over the bond with her children and decided not to go through with it.
Fury depleted into bitter crying. Anakin wanted to reach out and hug her, but still never had.
"Get out of my home," she snapped. "You're not wanted here."
They heard only the sound of Anakin's breathing vocoder and Leia's sniffling. She vowed to never fear the ex-Sith, but right them, Leia wished that Han was not laid up with four crushed ribs.
"I have come to make amends," Anakin said with patronizing glee, as if Leia were a little girl and he was teasing her about where the Lifeday gifts were hidden.
Tears thickened her eyelashes. "You could have killed my husband. I didn't have you executed on the spot because Luke would never forgive me." She almost put a fist through the wall. "And as of right now, I'm not very concerned with pleasing Mr. High-and-Mighty."
Anakin felt his heart fall to his boots -- his beautiful, miraculous children were fueding. This could not stand.
"Solo disrespected your honor," he began calmly. If Leia was willing to share her frustrations with Luke, perhaps she was willing to listen to reason. "I apologize for harming him and alarming your family. However, I cannot forgive such filth to be uttered on your behalf."
She crossed her arms. The late Coruscant sun illuminated her hair like his wife's in Varykino. But Padme never rained fire unto him.
"You are a menace," Leia heaved. "You're a threat to my children--"
"I would never move even a hair on their heads out of place."
Leia shook her head. "And yet you nearly crushed Han's sternum only an hour after vowing to protect him like your own child."
If he could, Anakin would have blushed. "We were all cosuming copious amounts of alcohol when I proclaimed--"
"And the drinking," Leia growled, "Is why my husband made a single lewd comment to an old friend about my breasts." She rolled her eyes. "It was nothing which called for violence. I thought Luke was watching you. I trusted him."
Breathe in, breathe out.
"Perhaps," Anakin suggested optimistically, "You are right in these assertions. I shall stop drinking. You will speak to your brother. And all of these troubles will soon be behind us."
Leia said nothing. For a brief moment, he thought she had realized her gross overreaction.
"Get out of here," her voice was shaking. "Don't come near my family again until I tell you to, or I will use you for target practice."
Her birth father would never understand. Leia wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and let Han hold her, but the brace around his torso currently prevented that. Anakin hadn't used the Force to harm her husband. It was her only solace.
There was a faint knock at the door. Color drained from Leia's face. She motioned for Anakin to hide behind the desk.
"Mama?" The toddler banged his fist against the door without rhythm. "Mama."
Leia wiped her eyes and palmed open the door. "Come here, Jaysa." She pulled Jacen into her arms, her embrace becoming one of iron as she felt Anakin's shields slip. The mere sight of his oldest grandson had sparked a burst of emotion in the Force. Jacen's eyes went wide and he tilted his head. The floodgates opened.
Anakin plunged back into his cesspool of guilt. He wanted to give himself an anuerysm and never recover. He quickly slammed the walls back up.
I hate you, Leia mouthed to him. She softly cooed to Jacen over his wails.
The way the corners of Leia's mouth twitched upward when she saw Anakin in his white suit, not the black coffin. Her face on election day. Her testimony at his trial, without bias, but pleading for non-capital punishment. Her exasperated sigh when she announced Anakin Solo's name and the proud grandfather twirled Han in the air.
If the memories were all he would ever have again, he would not complain. They were fine times. Anakin stared at the floor tile and moved toward the door. Jacen's cries stifled as he watched. He was still scared -- he loved his grandfather, but he hurt his Daddy.
Anakin kept his footsteps as quiet as when he entered. Shimmering hair fell out of Leia's loose ponytail. The soft curve of her cheek rested on top of Jacen's head. She closed her eyes, humming an Alderaanian lullaby.
Anakin did not see his daughter. He only saw the countless frightened young mothers and their children he'd slaughtered. Coldness permeated his body. His steps toward the door became quick with purpose as memories flooded back. He had to get out of there now.
In his haste, he did not notice the tiny hand grabbing onto his ankle, not until walking became difficult. He peered down and looked into Jaina's eyes. He hadn't sensed her toddling toward him. His head whipped around; Leia was frozen.
"You got mad," Jaina whispered, gazing up at him. "You got really mad." She nodded strongly for emphasis. All of her universe seemed to be explained right there and then. As confident with her knowledge as she would always be, she added, "I get mad, too."
Leia quickly crossed the distance and grabbed Jaina's wrist. "Let's go see how your father's doing," she ordered calmly.
Jaina bit her lip. "No. Grampa's here," she declared.
Anakin shook his head. "Listen to your mother, dear heart." He was agreeing with Leia. Surely, this would reflect positively on him.
The tiny girl frowned. "You'll be back later?" Her voice held hope.
The silence made Anakin's breathing heavier.
"Yes." Leia's answer was like a pin dropping in the room. "He will, sweetheart." Her eyes were watery, her spirit strong. Anakin patted them both on the head -- Jacen was still upset -- and walked out the door. Leia kept her steely resolve as Anakin stared at her, almost daring him to ask if she truly meant it or if she was merely consoling her daughter.
But Leia would allow her birth father to visit the next week as always. She would make polite conversation about Anakin's rehabilitation, and pretend not to be proud of him. She knew, deep down, that neither of them could truly heal without the other.
And she would hide all of the booze in the Falcon's smuggling compartments.