Disclaimer: Although I hate to admit it I don't own Star Wars, damn it. Otherwise I'd be sitting in a dream house on my own personal island having afternoon tea with people like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.....................but you know, I'M SITTING IN MY LIVING ROOM WRITING THIS FIC AND..............in short I don't own it, OK?

Darklighter

Luke Skywalker stared, unseeingly at the stone pillar while the party carried on around him.

He turned the medal he'd just been presented with over and over in his fingers, as he read each one of the familiar names that were carved into the black marble.

At the top, huge writing proclaimed, THE HEROS OF YAVIN FOUR, and below it the names of the twenty seven people that had lost their lives that day.

Although Luke had only met most of them a hour before they had gone into battle, their loss had been a bitter blow to him. He scanned the names until he found the one he was looking for:

Darklighter, Biggs

Luke sighed and looked down at his medal that he was still holding.

"Hey Kid!" Han Solo, immerged from the crowd of rebels and walked slowly over to him, "There is definitely something wrong with you," when Luke didn't answer he continued, "A perfect excuse for a party, and what do you do? Stand by this pillar and do nothing!"

Then he saw the expression on Luke's face and looked down at his feet, "I was being insensitive again wasn't I?"

Luke managed a grinned and nodded, "Yep."

"So what's up."

Luke finally looked up into his face, and when he spoke there was a touch of anger in his voice, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that one of my best friends just got blasted into a million pieces."

Han put up his hands defensively, "Hey, I'm only trying to help!"

Luke felt his anger subside and he returned to staring at Biggs's name.

Han followed his gaze, and then said uncertainly, "So, how long did you know him for?"

Luke took his time in replying, "Since we were kids on Tatooine." he smiled as a load of memories came rushing back, "We used to fly our T 16s down beggars canyon, blasting womp rat mounds. Called ourselves 'The Shooting Stars'. And then one day we were caught flying a tiny bit too fast by my uncle Owen and he banned me from going to the canyon with Biggs anymore."

"I can't really imagine our goody two shoes little farm-boy getting into trouble like that!" said Han starting to laugh, "Doesn't seem like you."

"Yeah well we did," Luke was beginning to feel better already. Being able to talk to someone about Biggs, instead of bottling it up, turned out to be the best medicine.

"I remember the day he left Tatooine for the Imperial academy. He told me that if I carried on the way I was going I'd be stuck on the farm forever and never get out of there."

Han looked up surprised, "He was going to be an Imperial?"

Luke nodded, "And so was I. Well I would have been if my uncle had let me go. But whenever I asked him, the answer was always 'one more season,' or 'After the harvest.' I think I knew deep down he would never let me go. And in a way, I'm glad he didn't."

"Umm," said Han thoughtfully, remembering his own past experiences.

"When he was training to be an Imperial he met Derek Klivian, you know, Hobbie?"

"Yeah," said Han coming back to the present, "Yeah I met him recently. Seems like a nice guy."

"He is. Well, Biggs, Hobbie and a couple of other guys left the academy together and Biggs came back to Tatooine for a while. He had changed a lot over the time he'd been away. Told me about the real empire and tried to convince me not to go to the academy. Then he left to find the rebels," Luke turned around again and faced Han, "I learned a lot from Hobbie after we came back from the attack on the Death Star, because I didn't really have time to talk to Biggs before....." he trailed off and an awkward silence fell between them.

"Garven wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle and X Wing." said Luke slowly, "Biggs stood up for me, just before we left."

Han looked down the list until we found the name:

Dreis, Garven

Red Leader. When he had been killed, Luke had been put in charge of his run down the trench in an attempt to destroy the Death Star. Biggs and Wedge had gone with him, their job being to hold off the TIEs. Wedge had got shot on his right wing and had to pull out, leaving Luke and Biggs behind. They had been so close, but right at the last minute, Biggs had been hit by on of the Imperial fighter's shots, causing his X Wing to explode and ending Biggs's short life.

And then only Luke was left to destroy this enormous battle station. And, miraculously, he had succeeded, with Han's help of course.

The smuggler had come just at the right time and blasted the remaining fighters leaving Luke all the room he needed.

They had both returned to a hero's welcome. But soon after, the reality of what had happened to Biggs finally sank in.

"I had so much to tell Biggs," said Luke, "So many stories to tell, I just didn't have the time. He said they would never stop us. He was wrong."

Han sighed deeply, "People die Kid, it's just the way of the universe. No one could have saved him."

"But I might have been able to!" Luke said desperately, "I'd saved him before. When he was attacked by a Tusken Raider, on Tatooine. If I had been that little bit quicker in the trench then I might have-"

"Don't you dare blame yourself for his death!" Han half shouted, "It was that bastard behind the controls of that TIE! You went as quickly as you could, And without you no one would have made it back! We're lucky that at least some of us came home."

"Out of the thirty people that went out that day, only three of us returned, not including you and Chewie," Luke said, "Me, Wedge and Hobbie. And we didn't survive because of me. We survived because of you!"

Then Luke realised something. Han had been awarded a medal too, but he wasn't wearing his.

"Where's your medal got too?" he asked curiously, thankful for the chance to change the subject, "You had it a minute ago."

Han nodded, his lopsided grin firmly in place, "I gave it to Chewie. He liked it 'cause it was shiny. He was kind of disappointed that he didn't get one. "

Luke almost laughed, "You should keep it. You disserve it after coming back. Have you decided if you're going to stay yet?"

The grin on Han's face was replaced by a look of mock annoyance, "I wish people would stop asking me that! I'll decide in my own time and I don't want to hear anything about it now. Especially not today!"

"Well you can't leave, I won't let you."

"Really. You and the Princess going to start a petition to make me stay?"

"Well we would, but no one apart from us would sign it."

Han laughed, and turned his head to look into the crowd. Luke followed suit and spotted what had drawn Han's attention.

Leia was standing not to far away, looking her best in a flowing white dress with complicated looking hair style.

Luke nudged Han hard, "Close your mouth, you're catching flies."

"Shut up," Han shook his head a bit then remarked, "You know, I think that girl has more hair than Chewie. He's quite jealous."

Luke smiled and turned back to the memorial, "You're right though, three is better than nothing. Wedge and Hobbie are good men, we'll be able to use them in the future."

Han put his hand on Luke's shoulder, "You'll be fine. You just need time and a lot of alcohol."

Luke turned his back to the marble column, "For once you might be right, Han."

"Biggs would be proud of you, I'm sure, and I didn't even know him. In fact," he looked quickly around the hall, "Everyone in this place is proud of you and it's likely we won't have a party for a long while to come. So c'mon," he seized Luke's arm and started to drag him away from the pillar, "Let's go talk to Leia, I need to ask her something."

"And what would that be?" Luke said suspiciously.

"Chewie wants to know what kind of conditioner she uses on her hair."

They glanced at each other and then burst into laughter. As Han continued to pull him away, Luke considered. Yes, he did just need time. He looked back at the marble pillar and silently, said his final goodbye to Biggs Darklighter.

A.N This story is dedicated to sweetdeath04 for all the caramel squares she's bought me over the years!

Ok, I have come to the conclusion that I'm no good at humour without my mate Sweetdeath to help me but I reckon this is acceptable.

It is my first Star Wars fan fic that I've written on my own and I am determined to show Sweetdeath THAT I CAN DO IT!!!!

I wrote this because when I first watched the Star Wars trilogy, Biggs's death made me cry for ages and I NEVER CRY! Often......

Please read and review and don't be a stranger!

Thorney