Father and Daughter

Anakin and Leia

Cinderella

by:

Steven Curtis Chapman

Anakin had just returned home from a long day with the Rebellion. He was home. On Tattooine. He never thought after leaving for the Jedi, he would consider Tattooine home, but here he was. He had just finished working at Watto's so he could wire money to the Rebellion, they would need more supplies. They couldn't challenge the Empire without adequate weapons. As a former, General of the Old Republic he knew that. He entered his home, shirt soaked with sweat, hands greasy from his long day at work and he froze as he saw her, and a soft smile began to play on his lips. Even now, seven years after their birth, he still found it difficult to believe something so precious and good had come from him. He stood and watched as she came up to him...

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays,
Without a care in the world.
And I'm sitting here wearing the weight of the world on my shoulders.
It's been a long day and there's still work to do,
She's pulling at me saying "Dad I need you!
There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

He could never resist a request from his daughter, although he had never been much of a dancer, he took her hand and led her across the room, watching as the pink dress she wore fluttered gracefully. She was petite and small even for a girl, something the twins had both gotten from their mother. He pulled her on top of his boots as she giggled and bowed and he took her hands and led her through the steps an odd feeling of peace settling in his chest...

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone.

He knew someday some lucky man would take Leia away from him forever. She was his princess and if he could push that day back forever he would, but he knew that some things were inevitable. He knew as surely as he had turned his back on the dark side, that he would do everything in his power to see that she had the happily ever after she dreamed about even in this conflicted universe.

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancin'
"Oh please, daddy , please!"

She had grown into a great beauty as he always knew she would. She was his pixie, the doting older sister to her younger sister, the more stubborn of the twins. They were on Dantooine and she had called to him. "Dad, Dad," she had thrown herself in his arms, before motioning for a familiar young man to come closer. "There's something I need to tell you." Anakin gaze fell on Han Solo. His daughter although part of the former Rebellion was still in high school, she had seen far too much adventure in her young life. He had had to finish up some business before they could return to their true home of Naboo. They would be home, finally, in two standard weeks. And he had thought taking down Palpatine was hard. That was nothing compared to the lump that appeared in his throat as he motioned Han Solo closer. "Please say yes," she pleaded.

"Yes," he replied almost automatically. "As long as your brother goes too."

"But Dad...Han can protect me better than Luke. Besides it's not like he has a date. And even if he did, it's not fair to Luke. He should be able to concentrate on his own date, not worry about me."

"Leia..." he stated warningly, "Come on Han, let's hear it."

"Master Skywalker..."

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

He was a nervous wreck, even though he liked Han always had, he couldn't help it. This was his daughter, his baby girl, his princess. He paced back and forth, back and forth. He then began taking his lightsaber apart cleaning it and putting it back together. When he had finished that he began on the blasters. Finally, he heard a couple of speeders pulling in. One was going much more reckless than the other. It had better be Luke that made it home first, if Han was driving like that with his Princess...he didn't bother to finish the thought as he pulled the front door open and nearly ran into his son.

"Dad, slow down, there's no fire." Luke studies him a moment. "What's with the blasters? I thought they were uncivilized." Anakin had forgotten about the blaster in his hand.

"Leia..."

"Well, thanks for worrying about me, old man." Anakin gave Luke a force-pull before tossing his arm around the younger man.

"I'm glad your home, okay. How many times has your mother..."

"I know Dad, but if you tell Mom then I may have to tell her how we went podracing last week."

"You are just sore that you lost to your old man," Anakin grinned and Luke shrugged. They stopped as Leia came in the door with a trailing Han. He heard them arguing.

"Princess, I'm seein ya home and that means back into ya father's hands. I'm not leavin ya out here." Luke and Anakin exchanged a grin as he followed her like a harmless bantha into the house.

But she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowin' and tellin' us all they had planned
She says, "Dad the wedding's still six months away but I need to practice my dancin'
"Oh please, daddy , please!"

"Daddy, Daddy," Leia cried, "I have wonderful news. Where's Mom? And Luke? And Little Sister?" she asked, and she was glowing. Anakin looked at her gentle wavy hair and pushed it away from her face. Where had the time gone?

"What is it Princess? Did you get a Senate award? They want you to become Chancellor?"

"No, even better."

"You've decided to become a Jedi?" Anakin asked hoping, as he looked at his twenty-two year old daughter. She balanced her duties as a Jedi and a Senator, and still made time for Han, he wasn't sure how she did it all.

"No, you know if the Jedi ever need me I'm there. I won't abandon my duties as either," she said seriously, as he pulled her into a hug.

"It seems only yesterday that your mother and I were taking the Twilight to Tattooine with you and your brother trying to outrun the Empire."

"I still can't believe that piece of junk lasted as long as it did."

"Hey, with the modifications I made she was a piece of history."

"Yeah, old," Leia said, drawing back and kissing his cheek. "Dad, please, get the family here, I...we...have wonderful news."

"We?"

"Han, come on in." Han came on it and sat nervously on the couch as Anakin closed his eyes briefly and called the family. Once Luke, Padme, their daughter, and Obi-Wan appeared with his small family Leia smiled, and Anakin found it hard to breathe.

"We're getting married! Isn't that wonderful!" Anakin was speechless.

"Good God, Leia, you aren't pregnant are you?" Luke asked, and Anakin turned his head to scowl as Padme hugged Leia tears in her eyes and Obi-Wan was slapping Han on the back, exchanging stories of his own marriage and teasing Anakin about how he had snuck away to marry Padme. Anakin felt like he was watching someone else's life. Had this happened already? She was still so young. Anakin put his arms around his youngest daughter and hefted her up on his hip, glad that he still had one child that wasn't leaving him. And he had Padme...was it just him or did she look exactly as she had when they had fallen in love, how had the twins grown up so fast.

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

Three years later, Anakin and Padme were there with Leia and Han when she had given birth to her youngest son. A boy with dark hair like Padme and Han both those eyes, those were Skywalker eyes. Unlike Leia's first children, this child looked like a Skywalker.

"What's his name?" Padme asked.

"His name..." she smiled and Han nodded, "It's only fitting that we name him after our hero, his name is Anakin Skywalker Solo, but we are going to call him Kin."

"That's a wonderful name," Padme said, with a smile as she reached over to squeeze his hand, but Anakin couldn't say anything as tears flowed freely down his cheeks. Leia struggled to sit up.

"Dad, Daddy, what's wrong? If you don't like it..."

"No Princess, I think it's perfect. Just perfect," and with that Padme handed him his namesake. "Hello, little guy. I'm your grandfather." Everyone laughed as he let out a scream and then waved his hands at his grandfather.

"I think he likes you Master..."

"Please, Han, call me Anakin."

"Grandpa. Geez, you are getting as old as Obi-Wan."

"Watch it, Han," Anakin stated as he dried his eyes.