Chapter 1:
Feelings Exposed
Luke could barely feel his face, as the medical droid slowly removed the bacta mask from his face. "Stay still, Commander Skywalker," it ordered, as Luke's full face came into view. Feeling as though five kilograms had been lifted off his face, Luke opened his eyes and saw the brightly lit room he had been moved to.
While he glanced around his surroundings, the medical droid moved towards the door. Once it exited the room, another figure entered. "Luke," a familiar voice called out.
Luke felt a flutter in his stomach, as Princess Leia started to approach him. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but for the life of him, he couldn't find the right words to say. Smiling, he managed to say hello.
Leia immediately sat next to him, and began stroking his hair. "The bacta's growing really well. The scars ought to be gone in a day or so. Does it hurt?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
"No, I'm fine," Luke replied, smiling. "Leia… when I was out in that storm, I…"
"I was really worried."
"You were worried?" Luke questioned, jokingly, causing Leia to smile. "It's just that, it got me thinking, you know. I thought I would never get the chance to…" he stopped, sighing, heavily. Angry that he couldn't find the courage to tell her what he really felt.
"What?" Leia questioned, curiously.
Luke opened his mouth, but the words still wouldn't come out.
"Tell me," Leia spoke, encouragingly.
Their faces were now only centimeters apart. Luke could feel his heart skipping. Seeing her this close somehow made him less nervous. He looked up and their eyes met. Luke began inching towards her. Leia complied, and began inching towards him. Their lips barely brushed, when the door to the room slid open and C-3PO and R2-D2 entered.
"Master Luke, it's so good to see you fully functional again!" Threepio beamed, as he and R2 walked straight up to them.
"Thanks, Threepio," Luke blurted, as Leia immediately drew herself back.
"Rest now. I'll be back later," she reassured, as she turned and headed towards the door.
"Leia!" Luke called out, causing her to turn. "I have to go away for a while."
"What?!" Leia snapped, her demeanor instantly changing. "Where are you going?"
Luke was taken aback by the sharpness in her tone. "The Dagobah system. It's not far from here."
"That's great!" Leia huffed. "That's just great. Why doesn't everybody just take off."
Everybody? Luke puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
"First Han, now you!" Leia stammered, as she crouched against the wall. "When am I going to learn not to count on anybody but myself?!"
"I didn't know he was leaving."
"You know, I was getting along fine, before I met you two moon jockey's!"
"Calm down," Luke started. "Tell me about Han."
"Oh, he has to pay that gangster he's in hock to," Leia exclaimed, waving her arm in the air.
"Jabba the Hutt."
"You know I could get more loyalty, if I went down the hall and recruited some of those ice creatures.
"Ice creatures? Here?!" Luke gasped, panic rising in his voice.
"Oh, yes sir," Threepio interjected. "But, they're being trapped. Quite cleverly I might add," he added, as R2 beeped and whistled proudly.
Before anyone could say another word, Han and Chewie entered the room. "How you feeling, kid?" Han started, as they bent down to face Luke. "You don't look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ear off a gundark."
"Thanks to you," Luke stated.
"That's two you owe me, junior," Han replied, holding up two fingers. "Well, your worship, looks like you managed to keep me here a little while longer," Han stated, smugly, as he turned to face Leia.
Leia could hardly believe her ears. This was just too much to take in. First, Luke was leaving. A person she knew she could always count on. Now, this bozo thinks she had a hand in keeping him from leaving the planet. "I assure you, I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ship to leave the system, until we've activated the energy shield."
"That's a good story. I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight."
Luke instantly rolled his eyes, at Han's statement. He had no idea how conceded Han actually was. It was beyond pathetic.
Luke's reaction was nothing compared to Leia's. By now, she was beyond furious. This was the last straw. She was through playing nice with this moon jockey. "I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain."
Chewie couldn't help but laugh, when he heard that. Leia was without a doubt the strongest willed person he'd ever met. Even Han couldn't challenge her.
"Laugh it up, fuzzball," Han huffed, glaring at Chewie. "You didn't see us alone in the south passage," he started, walking towards Leia. "She expressed her true feelings for me," he finished, wrapping his arm around her.
"My…?!" Leia bellowed, shaking his arm off. "Why you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy looking, nerf herder!"
"Who's scruffy looking?!" Han snapped, glaring back at her. "Must have hit it pretty close to the mark, to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid?" he questioned, now standing next to Luke, who by now was at a complete loss for words.
Leia nodded her head, as she walked towards them. Glaring at Han, she spoke, "Well, I guess you don't know everything about women yet." Then, she cupped Luke's face in her hands and kissed him passionately on the lips.
After a few seconds, she drew back and saw the flabbergasted expressions on everyone's face. Then, they heard General Rieekan's voice on the speakers, "Important personal, report to the main hanger. Important personal, report to the main hanger."
Leia stood back, and glared at Han. Then, she quickly left the room.
Luke could see the shocked expression Han wore. He was at a total loss for words. And Luke couldn't be happier. He placed both hands behind his head and sat back, smiling hotly.
Chewie started to groan, in words only Han understood. Han turned to see his smile, then turned back to see Luke's. Knowing it was pointless for him to stay, he patted Luke on the shoulder and muttered, "Take it easy." Then, he and Chewie left the room, followed by Threepio and R2.
"Excuse us, please," Threepio spoke, as Luke sat up and watched them leave.
The next day, Luke was up and once again dressed in his hypothermic-proof uniform. Walking down to the main hanger, he spotted Han barking orders at Chewie. Luke laughed, as he watched Chewie growl back at him. At this rate, they would never get the Falcon fixed. But, he had more on his mind then watching them argue. For twenty-four hours, he could think of nothing but Leia, and the kiss they shared. He had to talk to her. He had to know exactly how she felt and what that kiss meant.
Heading down another hallway, he spotted her talking to General Rieekan. Once they finished, Leia turned and saw Luke standing behind her. Smiling, she started walking towards him.
"You're up!" she stated, her voiced filled with joy.
"I am," Luke replied, smiling.
"And those scars are completely healed," she marvelled, stroking his cheek.
No matter how many times she touched him, Luke always got goosebumps. But that didn't detour him from asking his question. "Leia, we need to talk."
Leia sighed, and took a step back. "I know."
"Yesterday, I wanted to tell you… that… Auh," he groaned, as he once again started choking on his words.
Leia had a feeling he'd bring up the kiss the two of them shared. She knew how it looked. He most likely thinks that she kissed him just to spite Han, not because she had genuine feelings for him. But, that wasn't the case at all. She did. In fact, she cared for Luke in more ways than she could explain. She had to tell him. He had to know.
"Luke, I'm sorry that happened. Yesterday didn't go the way I planned at all. I really wanted... to tell you how much I loved you," she stated, cupping his hands with hers.
Luke could feel his heart stop. He couldn't believe his ears. Gazing into her eyes, he could see Leia loved him as much as he loved her. "I love you, too, Leia," he beamed, pulling her close. "In more ways than words can say."
Leia gazed into his deep, misty blue eyes. She absolutely adored them, and his smile. Seeing him happy always made her happy. There was just something about him that made her heart skip. It could be his gorgeous eyes, or his adorable smile. Compared to anyone she knew, Luke seemed so innocent and genuine. No one could compete with him.
Their faces drew closer and soon their lips brushed. This kiss started out soft, but soon grew more and more passionate. Till they felt as though their lives depended on it.
Once they broke apart, Luke could see tears swelling up in Leia's eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern filling his tone.
"It's just that… I can't believe you're leaving," Leia stammered, trying to stay composed. "After everything we've been through."
Luke knew he had dropped a heavy load on her. He remembered how nonchalant he was when he told her he was going to Dagobah. "Leia," he started, lifting her face to meet his. "I never got the chance to tell you what happened to me, when I was out there."
Leia listened intently, as he continued, "I thought I was a goner. I could barely move. I remember I kept blacking out. But, one thing's for sure, I saw Ben."
Leia's eyes instantly shot up.
"I saw him, Leia. As plain as I see you now."
"Did he tell you to go to Dagobah?"
Luke nodded. "He told me that an ancient jedi master, named Yoda lived there. And that he would help me complete my training." He could see the worried expression in her eyes. "Leia, I felt him. I know he was real. And I know I have to go there."
Leia bent her head down. She knew how much Luke believed in the force. "May the force be with you" was an expression she had heard all her life. It had become second nature to her. So much so, that she never bothered thinking about what it actually meant. Little did she know what it really pertained to. It wasn't until her parents told her of Obi-Wan Kenobi that she learned about the jedi and the force.
As overwhelming as this was to her, Leia could see the yearning in Luke's eyes. He was going there, whether she liked it or not. And she knew it would be selfish of her to prevent him from doing so. Sighing in defeat, she muttered, "Of course you do. But, why Dagobah? Of all places. Why that desolate planet?"
"Leia, Yoda has been in seclusion for many years. If you wanted to stay completely out of sight, where would you go?" Luke countered.
"I suppose you're right."
"Leia, I promise I will come back. I will come back to you," he reassured, kissing her forehead.
Leia placed both her hands on the back of his head, while Luke pulled her close. "I know you will," she whispered, as their lips melted into another kiss.
Suddenly, they heard a loud crashing sound inside one of the hangers. Leia knew exactly which one it was. "Oh no, the wampas are trying to escape!" Moments later, the door to the hanger came crashing down. Luke and Leia watched in horror, as one the wampas emerged into the hallway.
"Luke!" Leia cried, as they both pulled out their blasters.
"Luke! Leia!" Han screamed, as he and Chewie came running towards them.
"Han, they're escaping!" Leia shouted.
Han quickly turned to see the wampas enter the hallway. "Not for long," he bellowed, as he pulled out his blaster.
The four of them immediately began firing at the escaping wampas. Eventually, they were able to kill the four that were invading the hallway. When they looked inside the hanger, there was a giant gash in the wall.
"Well, I guess the rest of them went that way," Han spoke, as the four entered the hanger.
"Do you think they'll attack anyone else?" Leia questioned.
"Not likely. By now, they're probably running back towards their cave or wherever they came from," Han summed up.
"What was it?" Leia asked, dreading the answer.
A droid of some kind. I didn't hit it that hard, it must have self-destructed.
"An imperial probe droid," Leia stated, knowing exactly what set it off.
It's too bad the empire knows we're here.
"We better start the evacuation," General Rieekan remarked.
Standing a few meters away, Leia watched as Luke entered the snowspeeder. She smiled, as he and Dak both entered the ship. Via Luke's instructions, she had already made sure R2 was attached to his X-Wing. When the time was right, R2 would activate the ship and fly it towards him. How he would know when to lift off, was something she couldn't fathom. But, she knew Luke had his ways.
Leia could feel her heart sink, when Luke's snowspeeder started taking lift off. This would be the last time she saw him, till who knows when. But, she couldn't let personal feelings get in the way of her filling her duties. It was her responsibility to see that everyone got off safely on their transports. With one last look at the now distant snowspeeder, Leia turned and headed back towards the main hanger.
