AN: So, for the most part, I abided to the rules of the Lake of Apparitions (from FOTJ; Abyss) for this one-shot, but- come one! This is fanfiction, so, long live my own maniacal ideas! So, who can go through the Lake of Apparitions- I wrote it correctly. Who you can visit there- not so much.

As Luke had warned, the mists hung heavy in the long, ominous cave. Drifting around her ankles, clouding her vision of the wet, soggy ground, Leia was extra careful as she took each step. The Mists of Forgetfulness, she remembered her nephew calling these mists. The name was ominous enough, but Leia's danger-sense wasn't letting up and it took all her will to push the fear far enough from her mind to concentrate.

"How far was it?" Leia asked, keeping her eyes ahead. "Are we getting any closer?"

Her brother gave a small sigh, following close behind her, watching all her steps. "If you haven't noticed already, it's difficult to keep track of distance in here. And time."
Leia straightened. "I wasn't sure if that was just me or . . . "

"No," Luke assured her. "This place is just as eery as it seems. Be careful."

"I should suggest the same to you. Ben told me you nearly fell into the river."

"Yeah," was all that Luke responded with at first. "Just . . . be careful."

Leia gulped, perturbed by the solemn quality to her brother's voice. She kept going, though. Leia couldn't be sure which ghosts of her past they would come to visit, but, regardless, she was anxious to see them again. She had so many last words for so many lost loved ones. She'd been over-the-moon thrilled at the idea of taking her own trip through the Lake of Apparitions and even more so when Luke had quickly agreed to take her. That had surprised her. Perhaps, she thought, he figured it would do her some good in healing as his trip through the endless cave had done for him. Whatever the reason, Leia was just thankful that he was taking her. And, now, here they were.

Leia had done her own sort of planning before heading off. She'd known she wouldn't be able to take this journey on her own and had added her daughter Jaina to her support team in addition to her brother. Of course, she'd yearned to bring Han with her for so many reasons, but, as Luke had explained, only Force-sensitives could make this journey. He'd be there when she got back, though, Leia reminded herself. Then, after whatever happened on this side of the Force, Han would be back home, ready to soothe and comfort her.

"Wait. So, are they ghosts or not?" Jaina asked, peering around cautiously, trailing close behind her uncle.

"Ben and I were never sure," Luke answered with a shake of his head. "I still don't know. Ben and I could only agree that it was definitely them."

"I believe you." Leia's voice came out in a whisper. Her eyes had been carefully searching lake and now they had caught sight of something. No. Someone. Okay, it was two people, their heads drifting just below the surface of the lake. Their eyes were closed, but Leia still recognized them.

Somehow.

It was so odd. It had been years, decades,since Leia had seen them. But she still recognized the faces of her parents.

Immediately, at the sight of them, Leia jumped back and Luke was quick to throw out an arm and grab her before she could fall and be lost forever. Jaina quickly took a spot right behind her.

Leia was hardly aware of any of this, though. Her gaze was stuck on the floating images of the only parents she had ever known. At once, her eyes filled with tears. She covered her mouth with her hands, too stunned, too mystified to do anything more. Her chest heaved with sobs and, at that moment, she wanted to both fall into her brother's arms and run from this place and never come back as well as stay, soak in this picture, spend weeks here. Her mind couldn't decide what to do and it was Luke who acted on her behalf. He gave her a gentle push forward, saying, "I know you want to talk to them. It's okay. You don't have to. Are you ready?'

Leia shook her head, closing her eyes.

"Mom," Jaina quietly said, laying a hand on her mother's shoulder.

"I need to," Leia managed, tears pooling down her face. "I need to!"

"All you have to do is say their names," Luke reminded her.

Leia nodded, slowly lowering herself to a knee. Jaina stepped back, but Luke remained close by. Leia tucked her hair behind her ears, stared at the images a moment longer, then mustered all the strength she had and said in a quivery, yet strong voice, "Mama. Papa."

Eyelids snapped open to reveal warm brown irises and their faces floated above the water so their lips just broke the surface. Both Breha and Bail Organa's gazes found Leia immediately and they smiled the warmest smiles. Leia missed those smiles. It had been far too long. Tears filled Bail Organa's eyes and he spoke first, his voice gurgling slightly as he said so softly, "Lelila."

Leia's hands returned to her mouth and she couldn't yet manage words for the father she so dearly missed. She took a deep, quivering breath, then managed one simple word. "Daddy."

Bail's smile transformed into a beam and he repeated, "Lelila. My dear Lelila." His eyes wandered over his daughter and he added, "Has it really been so long?"

Breha laughed and Leia quickly looked to her mother. "Why, look at you," she said, her eyes alight. "All grown up. We knew you would make it! We knew you couldn't really be dead. You're a fighter."

"I'm here," Leia cried. "I'm still here."

Bail nodded. "And just as beautiful, my Lelila, as I remember. But your mother is right. Grown up. I can hardly stand it. Where did the years go?"

Leia smiled in bittersweet agreement. "I'm not sure, Papa," she said, finally managing to calm herself somewhat. "I've really missed you both."

"We know, dear," Breha said. "But please don't cry. There's no need for that. We've missed you, too, but this was a sacrifice we had seen coming. It was a sacrifice we were willing to make."

"I know. And for that, I'm eternally grateful, but that will never change how awful it was to lose Alderaan."

"We couldn't imagine it would," Breha said, shaking her head. "But, from the sights of it, a great many years have passed." A mischievous smile came to the mother's lips and Leia was sure she knew what was coming. "I don't suppose you've been left to yourself to mourn?"

Leia was right. She knew what her mother was trying to get at and she smiled back, reaching up with a hand to wipe her own tears. Then, she turned and motioned Jaina forward. As soon as she was within arm's length, Leia took her arm and pulled her down with her so Jaina was squatting beside her. "Mama, Papa, this is my daughter Jaina."

Breha and Bail smiled up at her, more tears filling their eyes until a few escaped. "How wonderful, Lelila! She certainly is yours. She looks just like you."

Bail added, "You should be proud."

Leia wrapped an arm around her daughter and nodded. "I am. . . . After I lost you both, it was these things that hurt the most. You would never get to share these memories with me like you were supposed to. It was the hardest thing, getting married without my own father giving me away, preparing for motherhood without the help of my own mother."

"And we wish more than anything that we could have been there," Breha assured her, looking so distraught herself as she shook her head in regret. "But we all must be honest. Would you even have these things if we'd been there, Lelila?"

"Mama, please don't say that!"

"Would you have such a beautiful daughter of your own if you'd stayed Alderaan? Even if we'd been spared, would you have any of this?"

Bail had caught sight of Luke and now he looked at him, a small smile on his mouth. Staring at him while he spoke to Leia, he said, "No. I don't think you would. And that's just fine. There was so much we could only give you. Everything else was yours to eventually find." He looked back to his daughter. "I assume you know the truth about your lineage?"

Shortly, Leia nodded.

"Then you know that we are right. I am glad you have found the truth and I hope you have lived well with it. If you know the truth, then it led you to your brother." Leia glanced up at Luke. Bail continued. "And only he could have helped lead you to the destiny that is rightfully yours. And only you could do the same for him."

Leia nodded again. "You're right. And it was when we first met that I started on the path that led me here. I just wish things could have been like this, but better."

Breha shook her head and also looked up to Luke. "Tell, dear. Does our Lelila have everything she deserves? A good man at her side that also fathered this fine young woman here?"

Luke chuckled, squatting down on Leia's other side. "I think you'd both approve of Han," he told them. "He is very protective of her."

Bail nodded once. "I like him already."

"And no one cares for Leia like he does."

Leia frowned comically. "A bit too doting, I think."

The others all smiled, but Breha said, "Good. That's all we needed to know. Never forget, Leia. It doesn't matter if we've been right at your side these years or not. We're proud of you, dear. We always will be. Never forget how proud we are of you. Or how much we love you. Like our own, Lelila. We love you like our own."

Then, far too quickly, Bail and Breha disappeared back under the surface of the lake.

Again, the tears returned to Leia's eyes and she spun around to throw herself into her brother's arms. He took her in and held her just like she needed, whispering soft comforts in her ear. "It's okay," he told her. "You got your last words. They got their last words."

"I never thought I would get to tell them my last words," Leia cried.

Luke smiled softly. "But you did. And now you know. All these years when you wished for nothing more than to know what they thought about your life. They're still proud of you, Leia. They always have. They always will."