Disclaimer: I own nothing

Author's Note: This story is a bit "radical" I suppose.

Ghosts of the Past

They sat there, staring at one another. Like they did every day. Every day for as long as they had been there. There was no entrainment of any sort. Some talked, others did not. Some had been there since the beginning of the Empire and some had come in its later days. They had entrusted newer prisoners to give them information of the outside world.

But no one new had come in for fifteen years. Supplies were running thin. They were all rationing out their food as best they could but even then it wasn't enough. Some hadn't eaten for days, others for weeks.

No one left the prison. Not a soul. Not even to re-supply. No one knew how long they had been there. Even the guards kept track of the days anymore. They were pressured to visit the outside world but refused for fear of punishment.

But they all knew that one day the guards would have to leave. Prisoners were dying of starvation. The Empire didn't like it when prisoner's died without their consent. Not one bit.

Leia Organa Solo sat alongside her husband, Han Solo, on his personal ship, The Millennium Falcon. Their family was trying for some quiet time. Their children, Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin, had recently been rescued from their kidnapper Lord Hethrir. Chewbacca, loyal friend and guardian of their family, wrestled with the children. Leia knew that his injuries from the explosion a few months ago still bothered him but that Chewie was just as thankful to have the children back as their parents were.

Han touched her knee, "Are you all right?"

Leia turned to her husband and gave him a weak smile, "Yes."

Han leaned in, "Even without the Force I can still tell you are lying."

Leia sighed. That was the thing about Han. He could read her better then anyone. Even her twin Luke Skywalker, "I'm worried about Luke. Waru did quite a number on him."

Han leaned back and thought about her words. Waru, a mysterious alien who had come from the beyond, had indeed done "quite a number on him." Luke was still recovering but he was getting stronger ever day. Han told her just that.

"I know he's getting stronger but I just wish he had come with us. Made it a complete family vacation."

Han saw the worry lines on her forehead and knew it wasn't just concern for her brother that was bothering her. "Your not only worried about Luke." He stated, "Your worried this is going to be the traditional Solo family vacation."

Leia smiled as his private joke. "Blasters blaring, Lightsabers hissing, Imperial scouts ruining our trip."

Han reached over and squeezed her hand affectionately, "Not this time. We're not going to let anything ruing this trip. Not even goldenrod."

Leia tilted her head at him, "Threepio? Ruin a trip? Never!"

Han shook his laughter. Artoo had insisted on staying by Luke's side while he recovered at his Jedi Academy on Yavin IV and Han had forced Threepio to stay behind with Artoo. Threepio was much too happy to oblige.

Han checked the clock and announced they were reaching their destination. Han and Chewie headed for the cockpit while Leia forced her kids down in their seats and crash webbing. "Aw Mom." Jaina groaned, "Can't we watch from the cockpit?"

Leia strapped her eldest, and only, daughter in her seat, "No Jaina. Your father and Chewie need to work."

"But why do we have to get buckled in?" She asked in the common whiny tone of a normal six-year-old child. "Dad's not gonna do anything bad."

Leia gritted her teeth. Back only a few months and things were mostly back to normal. Leia muttered, "Knowing your father I wouldn't doubt it."

Jacen laughed and Leia reached over and secured her oldest son in. Leia turned to see Anakin all ready strapped in. Leia gave an affectionate squeeze on her youngest son's shoulder. Leia sat down with them and strapped herself in.

Of all her kids, Anakin was the most responsible. Despite being younger then his siblings he was wiser then them both. He was all ready a skilled mechanic and Luke pointed out that he had great Jedi potential. Leia had often warned Luke not to place a great burden on his son or say things like that in front of him at such a young age. While named after his grandfather Anakin was very different but Leia wasn't taking a chance of any of her children following in their grandfather's evil footsteps.

Leia had long since forgiven her father for his crimes but they always remained in the back of her mind and a part of her would never truly forgive him. But she partially loved the man he had once been. The hero Anakin Skywalker. She knew little of his past but knew that if she had known him as Anakin and not as Vader she would have liked him and even loved him.

They touched down on the small planet a few moments later and her kids unbuckled and they set out. "This planet is beautiful Han!" Leia cried mere minutes after stepping of the Falcon's ramp.

Han squeezed her shoulders, "It was once a very powerful planet of the Old Republic but its people were driven down during the Clone Wars."

"What's its name again, Daddy?" Jaina asked tugging on her father's leg.

"Naboo."

Naboo. Leia thought. Such a nice sounding name and one very familiar. Leia shrugged off the thought and her and her children set off for a small cottage that Han had rented for their two weeks vacation. Personally Leia doubted they'd make it three days before some crisis erupted. The Solo/Skywalker family never got any peace. Even though they very much deserved it.

Several hours later Leia was standing out on the balcony of the "cottage" Han had rented. The "cottage" as it had been advertised was really a large estate. Han came out and stood next her. Silence stretched out as Leia and Han watched the sun set. They had put the kids to bed a few hours ago. By Corscant time it was all ready dawning and despite her kid's objections that they were tired they went right to sleep.

"This is some cottage." Leia remarked after a few moments.

Han shrugged, "That's what it called it. And I paid for a cottage too. There must be larger establishments then this on this planet."

Leia shook her head, "This is one of the few."

"You looked it up when Chewie and I took the kids to the beach didn't you?"

Leia nodded, "It has such a past of pain."

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't find much in the Republic records and even in the old Imperial records but I did find a few things."

"Such as?"

"This was Emperor Palpatine's home planet."

Han looked at Leia with a stunned look, "Seriously?"

Leia laughed, "Seriously."

Han wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her neck as they watched the sun go down. "I'm sorry Sweetheart."

"Don't be. This is just what I needed to relax."

It was growing dark out. This they could all see. Prisoner's banged on their bars. They wanted food. They were hungry. They all were. Guards pushed them back, shouted orders, but it wouldn't work. They were hungry and the guards knew that time was running short.

Leia, Han, the kids, and Chewie ventured out into the swamps of Naboo the following afternoon. Chewie was concerned but Leia assured him that if there was any danger she would know. Chewie still didn't like the idea but the children enjoyed themselves and Leia knew there was nothing to fear out here.

"Hello, whosa are yousa?" A high-pitched voice asked.

Leia and Han jumped and spun around to come face to face with an odd looking creature. Chewie and the kids also turned to see what was going on.

Leia spoke up first, "I'm Leia Solo, and this is my husband Han."

The creature offered up a hand, "Roos Tarpals. Known by most as simply Tarpals."

Leia shook his hand, "You live here?"

Tarpals nodded, "I've lived here many years."

Han tilted his head, "If you don't mind my asking what species are you?"

"Gungan."

"Gungan." Leia was taken back, "But Palpatine wiped them out years ago. Some personal vendetta."

Tarpals merely shrugged, "There were a few who survived. I am the last. My dearest friend Jar Jar recently passed on a few months back."

Leia offered her condolences and Tarpals again shrugged, "He was old. I am old. My time is nearing its end."

Han shook Tarpal's hand and beckoned the other's forward, "This is our friend Chewbacca and our children Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin."

When Tarpal's both looked at Anakin and heard his name he paled, "Dear lord!"

Han looked at Tarpal's with a stunned look. "That mean something to you?" Han's hand hovered over his blaster, which he had refused to part with. Leia rested her hand on Han's to stop him.

Tarpal's shook, "He wouldn't happen to me named after someone would he?"

"That depends on who you mean." Leia replied.

Tarpals looked from Leia to Anakin and back again. He murmured something the others didn't make out. "Did you by chance know an Anakin Skywalker?"

Leia trembled slightly and Han dropped his hand from his blaster to steady his shaky wife. Leia shakily replied, "He was my father."

It was Tarpal's turn to shake, "I think we need to talk."

Back at the Palace Leia and Han and sent Chewie to the beach with the kids, despite the Wookiee's protests. "You look like you've seen this place before." Han commented.

Tarpals shook his head, "No. But I know who once owned it."

Leia felt this nagging urge to ask, "Who."

"A very influential family. The Naberrie family, if I remember correctly."

"Naberrie?" Han asked, "Doesn't seem familiar."

"It shouldn't." Tarpals simply replied, "The family was very influential as much as their daughter, Amidala, was." When Leia and Han didn't say anything in return Tarpals said, "She was the Queen who ended the long standing feud between Gungans and the Naboo. She later became a powerful Senator. When Palpatine couldn't get his hands on her he murdered her family instead."

Leia clucked her tongue "Wouldn't surprise me. Down to business. How do you know my father?"

"I never knew him personally but I did meet him twice. Once when he was a ten-year-old boy he accompanied her highness Queen Amidala and her Jedi bodyguards back here from Corscant and once more ten years later when he accompanied her back here again when her life was once more placed in danger."

Leia felt her heart begin to race. Could this Amidala possibly be her mother? Han voiced her silent question.

Tarpal's eyes widened as if he hadn't even thought of that but disagreed, "Jedi Padawans were forbidden to marry and I was there when Senator Amidala died in a great battle. Before you could ever have been born."

The disappointment showed on Leia's face, "Do you have any idea who it could have been?"

Once more the Gungan shook his head, "I'm afraid not. I never knew him personally." He wavered and bit and Leia suggested he rest and they could talk later. Tarpals told them he had much he could tell them that might help them pursue Anakin's past.

They never got the chance to ask him. Only mere minutes later Tarpal's died in his sleep.

They buried him out in the swamps next to where Tarpal's had said he had laid his dear friend, Jar Jar. Leia couldn't rest the entire night.

The next morning Leia went out for any early walk when she discovered something startling. A huge complex far from the watchful eye of anyone. It was difficult to see and merely looked like a tangled mess of planets. It was only with her force skills that she had been able to tell it was a complex. The amount of pain that came washing through her was almost unbearable.

Leia walked up to the complex and pushed open what she had assumed to be a door. "Halt!" a voice cried.

Leia found herself staring at a man dressed in an Imperial guard uniform. Leia nearly burst out laughing, "What are you doing?"

"My job, ma'am. Who are you?"

Leia was jolted. How isolated was this planet? She was by far one of the most famous people in the galaxy and twice in two days had she been asked who she was. "My name is Leia Organa Solo. Chief of State of the New Republic."

The guard's eyebrows raised, "Organa? New Republic?"

Leia seriously considered for a moment that the guy was crazy. "Yes."

"Don't be ridiculous." The guard snapped, "Leia Organa must be dead and there is no Republic."

Leia swallowed. How long had they been out of contact with the rest of the galaxy? "The Empire is dead. It was defeated a decade ago."

"A decade!?" The man cried, "You lie!"

Leia slowly shook her head and used the Force to calm the man, "No. It ended when the Emperor and Darth Vader died at the Battle of the Endor. When we- the Rebel Alliance, destroyed the Second Death Star." Leia manipulated him a little bit more. "Are you the only one here?"

While she could feel others nearby Leia wanted to know how many times she would have to make an Imperial guard take a nap. "Are you the only Imperial guard?"

The man nodded, "Last one left. The other died of starvation, illness, or age."

Leia wanted to ask him a million questions but merely forced him into a deep sleep. She wasn't as good at it with Luke but close enough. She called Han and made him come down. It was still early and the others were still, thankfully, sleeping. She was standing outside the compound when Han arrived.

"This is impressive." Han said when he entered.

"I need you to help me free the prisoners."

"Prisoners?" Han asked. "You mean dangerous people?"

Leia shook her head. "For the last quarter of an hour I've been going through the profiles. They don't have names just numbers and their mostly imperial traitors, supporters of the Alliance."

Han sighed, "I'm only doing this for you."

Leia grinned, "Good. I'll buzz Chewie and tell him to pick up food and other supplies. There aren't many prisoners and most that were here died a long time ago. There's room for them at the Palace.'

Han kissed, "So much for a vacation. You start on the bottom. I'll do the top."

Leia hugged him and then pulled back, "They're going to have a lot of the questions. The last prisoner to arrive arrived just before the Battle of Yavin."

Han swore and Leia swatted him. He kissed her one more time and they set off.

Leia stared at the back of the compound. There were only three in the first area she started at. A human, Wookiee, and Sullustan. They quickly introduced themselves and she herself. She quickly told them, as the followed her through the compound, that supplies were being gathered and they could soon clean up and eat. She freed three more humans, a Toydarian, and a Mon Calamari. She took them outside and explained that she was Chief of State Leia Organa, she didn't use Solo in the off chance that one of them might have a personal vendetta against her husband, of the New Republic. She quickly informed them that the Emperor was dead. She learned that theToydarian was named Callia, the Wookiee was named Vayacorsadiabuda (Vaya for short) and that the four humans were named Siya, Nira, Tora, and Bria.

Han Solo mumbled silently to himself as he freed the only two humans in the upstairs of the compound. It had taken forever to find the only living creatures among the rotting corpses.

"Who are you?" The woman asked. She was an older woman, in her late sixties Han guessed.

"I'm Han-" Han thought for a moment. Leia wanted titles "General Han Solo of the New Republic."

"New Republic?" The older the man cried.

Han nodded, "The Empire's gone buddy. Who are you anyway?"

"I'm Padme Naberrie and my companion here is Bail Organa."

Han choked. Bail slapped him hard on the back with his frail hand. "You all right?"

Han's eyes were as big as saucers as he looked at the older man. He silently prayed that Leia wouldn't drop dead at the sight of him. "Come on. My wife's waiting. She's collecting fresh supplies for you all."

Han lead them downstairs and picked up the sleeping guard and laid him the large speeder that pulled up. Several of the weaker prisoners also climbed on board. "Where's Leia?" Han hissed to the large Wookiee.

Chewie told Han that Leia had all ready led some of the stronger ones back to the palace. Han nodded and told the others to climb on board since there was room. Han also climbed on board and when they reached the place the woman Han and freed cried, "My parent's home!"

Chewie roared a surprised comment and Han slapped his old friend on the arm, "That's not half of it pal."

They poured into the palace and Chewie found them all rooms with freshers and food. There were only a few so it didn't set them back any. Little Anakin came tearing out of the kitchen with his sister and brother on his heals. Han swept up his youngest son, "Whoa! Space cowboy where do you think your going?"

Chewie swept up the other two in each arm.

Padme and Bail hadn't moved and they doubted if any of them noticed them, for they purposely remained hidden.

"Daddy!" Anakin cried, "Lemme go!"

"I don't think so, Anakin!" He said as he ticked his son. Anakin squealed and Han laughed.

Padme turned stark white and Bail put a reassuring arm around her shoulders to keep her from crying out. Hearing her husband's name was a knife wound to the heart.

Leia swept into the room and planted a kiss on her husband's lips. Anakin cried out, "Ewww!!"

Leia laughed, "Lemme see how you like it!" She was about to tackle her son when she noticed the two shadowy figures in the background. Leia curiously tilted her head, "Hello? Don't be afraid."

Bail and Padme emerged from the shadows at the same time and Han quickly grabbed Anakin from his mother's arms. Daddy?" Leia breathed, chocking on her question.

Bail stumbled for words, "My little girl." He hugged her tightly and tears poured down Leia's face.

Chewie set Jacen and Jaina down. Jaina tugged on her father's pants, "Dad?" She whispered.

Han leaned down, "What is it, Princess?"

"Is that Mom and Uncle Luke's dad?"

Han shook his head, "No. That's your mother's foster father, Bail Organa."

Jaina's lips formed an "O" and the little girl fell silent.

"You're alive!?" Leia cried, "But how?"

"Just before Alderaan was destroyed I went to see Mon Mothma. I was captured and thrown in prison. And this man here," Bail gestured to Han, "Rescued us and told us that," Bail's voice faltered as he took in Han, "Tells us that the New Republic is alive."

Leia sighed, "This is my husband, Han Solo." Leia gestured to Chewie and her kids, "This is Chewbacca, their caretaker, protector, and great friend of our family. And these are our kids, Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin."

Padme shook, "Anakin? For whom was he named?"

Leia looked at Bail. "For my biological father. Anakin Skywalker."

Two tears poured from the woman's eyes, "May ask how you know that Anakin Skywalker is your father?"

Leia looked at Bail with a bizarre look upon her face. Bail gave her a small nod. Leia, utterly confused, said, "Well... he was also widely known as Darth Vader. He confessed who he really was to my brother, Luke Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi later told Luke that I was his twin sister."

Padme gave a small smile, "Older sister."

Leia exchanged a look of confusion with Han. Han shrugged. "How do you know?" Leia asked.

Padme gestured to her surroundings, "I use to live here and I used to meet my husband here. We were secretly married, for Jedi were forbidden to marry."

Leia's mouth dropped. Bail nodded, "She is your mother."

Leia was stunned, "Mom!?"

Padme embraced Leia, "My little girl. Well I suppose you're not so little anymore."

Leia couldn't move, she felt as though every thought, pain, every memory had just been jolted out of her. She simply couldn't react and she wasn't' the only one.

Han was far to stunned to even move. He set Anakin back down on the floor before receiving a second jolt, "Bria!?"

Bria looked at Han over Bail Organa's shoulders, "hi."

Han closed his eyes and opened them again, "This is insane!"

Leia detangled herself from her mother and reached over and squeezed her husband's arm. She then looked over at Bria, "So you are Bria Tharen."

Bria cleared her throat, "You've heard of me."

Han glared at her, "Yeah and I can tell you that they weren't very nice things."

Bria looked at the three kids standing beside Han and then to Han and Leia and back to the kids. She had a stunned look upon her face, "Your children."

"OUR children." Leia said.

Bria bowed her head, "Of course. I'm sorry if I offended you your highness."

Leia rolled her eyes, "No titles please."

Bria swallowed thickly, "Of course."

Han sucked in a deep breath, "Perhaps we should all take a seat."

Leia nodded, "I agree. Chewie, could you please message Luke and tell him to meet us out here?"

Chewie growled in response and left the room. Leia sat next to her husband, and held a tight grip on her hand as they listened to each in turn. Leia felt exhausted by the end of the evening and managed to finally crawl to bed around dawn.

Two days later, Luke arrived. Tears were exchanged when he met their mother.

"Is it really you?" Luke asked, shocked and surprised.

Padme embraced him tightly, "Yes, my son. How long I have waited to look up on your face."

Leia glanced around at her family. "We're together again."

"Not to mention we freed many prisoners of the old Empire," Han quipped.

Leia smiled, "They will have a hard time adjusting to the new era."

"Oh not so hard," Bail commented.

Leia's smile grew. "Yes. A new era is being born."

Han cast a side long glance Bria. He would not let her presence here destroy this wonderful time with Leia's returned family.

"A new era," Luke agreed. They held hands, tight in a circle, and never again would they be separated.

THE END

Final author's Note: I know the ending is a bit strange, but I've had this story sitting on the self for over a year and decided there really wasn't much more I wanted to do with it and so here it is. If I ever get the inspiration to "flesh it out" I will update it. My sister liked the end though and she's picky so maybe it'll stay. Who knows. Anything can happen. Thanks for reading.