By Kari Raines @ TrekGirl2000@netscape.net
All feedback appreciated.
Disclaimer: They belong to George Lucas, & not me. Please don't sue.
~~~~~~~~~~
She sat alone in the solace of the darkness, listening to the sounds of nighttime on Endor. She picked out the different sounds of certain insects, comparing them to the ones she remembered from her home on Alderaan.
Leia Organa closed her eyes, remembering the nights she and her father sat on the balconies and rooftops of the palace in the capital, listening to the sounds of the night, and gazing at the stars. She remembered how her father would point to them and tell her the names of each star or planet. Leia had sat quietly, enthralled by her father's voice. He had seemed so wise to Leia's young mind.
But he wasn't really your father.
Leia instinctively shrank away from the voice in the back of her head as she remembered the news that Luke had given her--that she was Vader's biological daughter.
Leia opened her eyes to look at her precious stars. She knew that millions of cultures across the galaxy--on those very stars--were celebrating at this very moment. And they had great reason to, for today, the Rebel Alliance had achieved their greatest victory: the defeat of the Emperor. Without his leadership, the Empire would inevitably crumble. Well, with time, of course.
The war wasn't over yet. There were yet battles to be fought, and factions to secure. But this day would be the day that went down in history as the victory that destroyed the Empire. Children everywhere would read about the great Battle of Endor.
Leia sighed as she leaned her head against a tree. In the distance, she could make out the sounds of a victory celebration in the direction of the Ewok village. The bonfires still burned bright. The sounds of laughter and singing where still present. Leia had stayed awhile, and rightly so. After all, this was the victory that she had worked for all her life. But it's hard to be happy when you've just learned that you're the daughter of one of your greatest enemies.
Leia shuddered as she hugged her arms around her chest.
That's why she had to get away--away from Luke, away from Han--Gods, how was she going to tell Han? Would he even understand? She had already had to explain to him how she and Luke found out that they were twins separated at birth.
She smiled at the look Han had given her. In his most serious voice, he had asked if that meant Luke was a prince. Both she and Luke had broken into a fit of laughter.
Han might not have understood completely, but at least he wasn't jealous of Luke anymore. Next would come the kicker. "Oh, by the way, dear, did I mention that Luke and I are the children of Darth Vader, and that the reason we were separated at birth was to protect us from him? So how do you like your coffee?"
Leia laughed in spite of herself as she watched the last of the fireworks explode overhead, shattering colorful light across her face. She froze, suddenly, at the sound of footsteps behind her.
But relaxed when she realized it was only Luke. Luke had an unmistakable presence--warm, sincere, kind. "Hello, Luke," she said softly as he set down next to her on the ground.
He put his arm around her comfortingly, and she relaxed into it. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.
Leia shrugged slightly, unable to meet his gaze. "As good as can be expected, you know, all things considered."
A comfortable silence passed between them as they watched the stars together. So much time to make up. She and Luke had been good friends since they first met, but if she'd only known that he was her brother, she would have made their time together count. My brother.
She glanced at him, smiling softly. She'd always wondered what it would be like to have a brother. Better late than never, right?
"He'll understand."
She looked at Luke, startled, but his eyes remained transfixed on the night sky. "Han cares for you a great deal," Luke continued gently. "You're the same person you were two days ago. You're still the person he cares about."
She studied him carefully, a slight frown creasing her face. How much, exactly, did he know about her relationship with Han Solo? She'd thought that they had done a fairly good job of keeping their relationship a secret.
Luke looked at her with a wry grin, as if reading her thoughts. Perhaps he was, she realized with a shock. "Leia, the whole Alliance knows about you and Han. Everyone has known since way back before Hoth--"
She stared at him open-mouthed. "But Han and I never--"
Luke laughed--the first time she'd seen him laugh in months. "Leia, the bickering you two did constantly . . . well . . . it was pretty obvious that you two did that because you were attracted to each other. Actually, the guys in Rogue Squadron had a bet going on to see how long it would take you two to 'jump in the saddle,' as Wedge put it."
Leia's face was burning crimson--though from anger or embarrassment, she wasn't even sure. Finally, she looked at him, eyebrows raised. "That obvious?" she asked weakly.
Luke nodded. "Trust me--it didn't take a Jedi to see it. Leia, to be honest, the man loves you. Just tell him. The longer you wait, the harder it will be."
She grasped Luke's hands firmly, squeezing his fists in her own. "Thank you, Luke." She planted a kiss on his cheek before standing up. "Are you coming?" she asked when he made no move to follow her.
"You go ahead. It's my turn to be alone for a while." She watched him by the light of the moon. She knew he was thinking of Vader, or Anakin, or whatever you wanted to call him. She had told him about the funeral pyre, and had even asked her if she would like to see it.
She had refused, of course. As far as she was concerned, she was the daughter of Bail Organa of Alderaan. Luke said that Vader had turned before his death, but that did not make up for years of tyranny or the destruction of countless innocent lives. "Are you sure?" she asked him softly.
He nodded. "I'll catch up with you later. Tell Han I said goodnight."
"I will," she promised. She turned to go, but suddenly stopped in her tracks, turning back to look at Luke's still form. "Oh, and Luke--I love you."
He looked up and smiled warmly at his new-found sister. "I love you, too, Leia."
Without another word, Leia was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~
She found him sitting in the place she had left him the night Luke had gone off to confront Vader. It was one of the many bridges that connected the village to the massive trees on this jungle moon. This bridge was relatively isolated from the celebration that was still raging. Han's hair was attractively tousled, long legs dangling unceremoniously off the side of the bridge.
His head suddenly snapped up as he heard footsteps in his direction. "Leia!" he gasped, immediately jumping up. She noticed that he had to grab a hold of the railing to keep from falling over. She knew that he'd had a bit to drink tonight. "Jeez, sweetheart, I've been looking all over for you. I sent the kid to find you when I couldn't. Thought you'd fallen from the trees or somethin'. So did he find you?"
Leia stepped up to him and silenced him with a warm, lingering kiss. Immediately, he was speechless. He gazed at her in awe as her lips left his. She smiled slightly at the desire and love she saw in his eyes.
"What did I do to deserve that, Your Worship?" He smiled at her wickedly now, his lips twisting into the infamous Han Solo lopsided grin.
She reached up to touch his cheek affectionately. He was definitely in the need of a shaving. "Looking scruffier than usual, nerf-herder."
This time, he was the one to smile at her, his face turning serious. "Who would have thought? Me, you, all that's happened . . . just a few years ago we wanted to murder each other."
She gave him a mock-defensive look. "Hey, flyboy, it's not my fault you were a selfish scoundrel."
Han reached out, capturing her hands in his as he inched his lips closer to hers. "And it's not my fault you were a spoiled princess," he said breathlessly as his mouth descended on hers. They stayed like that several minutes, simply enjoying the feel of one another, and all the sensations that went along with a passionate kiss of lovers.
"Han," she said, breaking the spell as she pulled away from his embrace, "there is something else I have to tell you. You have to know this."
His forehead creased in a slight frown. "You can tell me anything, sweetheart. That's what I'm here for."
She looked out over the treetops, into the distant forest as she tried to put it together in her head. She thought she heard the sound of some sort of owl. It seemed to be encouraging her.
Just tell him, Leia, it seemed to say.
"Okay," she said after a moment to regain her composure. She turned back to her lover, who gazed at her with a worried expression plastered on his handsome face. He had no idea what she was about to reveal to him, but he placed a loving hand on her arm in an attempt to reassure her.
"Han, I never really explained about why Luke and I were separated at birth. It was to protect us from our father."
Han seemed to get even more confused. "Your father--"
Leia took a deep breath"--was not Bail Organa. At least not biologically. You see, I was adopted by him when I was very young. My real father . . . " Leia stopped, frowning at her own words. "My biological father was a Jedi Knight who turned to the Dark Side. His name was Anakin Skywalker. After our birth, we were separated to hide us from him. I was taken to Alderaan, and Luke was taken to Tatooine."
She stopped, searching Han's face. He was waiting for her to continue, unsure of where she was going with this little narrative, but fascinated all the same. "Han . . . Anakin Skywalker, when he turned, he became Darth Vader." Leia's words nearly croaked in her throat as she tried to get them out.
She cringed, waiting for Han's reaction. Under any other circumstances, the rapid change of expressions on Han's face might have been considered comedic. At first, he looked at her blankly, unsure of what to make of her words. But then, just as quickly, his eyes widened to the point where Leia thought they might bug out of his head. There was a long, terrible pause as Leia waited for him to say something. Anything.
"Well?" she persisted.
Han shook his head, wiping his hands across his face, as if trying to decide if he were awake or dreaming. "Gods, Leia, I'm . . . I'm sorry. Your father? How did you find out? How long have you known?"
She stared at him ,unsure of how to answer his questions. She could only think, "Maybe Luke was wrong. Maybe he'll hate me for this."
But then his arms were around her, enveloping her in their warmth and strength. He nuzzled her ear as he whispered, "Leia, you know I love you. It doesn't matter."
Leia closed her eyes, feeling the sting of tears beneath her eyelids. How could she have ever doubted Han's sincerity; his love? She pulled closer into Han's embrace, pressing every inch of her body against his as she pressed her eyes into the soft fabric of his shirt. She breathed in his scent in an effort to memorize every aspect of this incredible man.
Han pulled away slightly, reaching down to wipe the tears from her eyes. He smiled at her before placing a tender kiss on the center of her forehead. She smiled back as he pulled her back into the security in his arms. And as he did, she could only think, "Never again." Never again would she doubt this smuggler with the heart of gold.