Disclaimer: As much as i love 'em, they're not mine. :( they belong to the Great George Lucas! i'm just borrowing them for my own amusement, and hopefully, the fun of those reading!

Summary: An emotional fic on Luke turning to the Darkside after a mission to free some slaves goes wrong. Has Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, Han Solo and Wedge Antilles so far. hopefully with Mara Jade on the way.

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Chapter 1. Screams so near safety.

"Luke! It makes sense - and you know it! If - you take the lead - you'll be of more use, you can deflect - the bolts so we can get through!" Princess Leia Organa Solo panted out her argument to her brother as they once again hid from the enemy fire. Leaning back against the crates she waited for the stubborn reply.

"Don't "Luke!" me! Leia, you made it intact through the other times you went first. No, don't interrupt! Sister, please... I want you where I can see you're okay. I'd never forgive myself if something happened - especially now that we're so close to the others." Luke looked his sister in the eyes, begging her to agree with him. She didn't.

"I don't feel safe going first Luke... it feels wrong. Please. I..." she sighed heavily, unsure how to explain the feeling to her twin. It hadn't felt right as soon as he'd said it, a chill had crept up her spine and she'd suddenly felt more afraid than their entire time on the run.

"Sometimes I could hate you, you know that?" he whispered as he crawled over and held her against him. "I don't. I love you. But you are so stubborn that I could hate you. Really... I could!" he gave out a large, exaggerated sigh, then smiled down at her and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

She tried not to giggle too loudly but still earned a glare of one of the Alderaani slaves they were rescuing. She would have made a sharp retort but she knew it wasn't worth it. These people hadn't had the chance to heal as she had, no longer knew the sort of love her brother showed her. She nudged Luke to tell him it was time.

"Come on. Let's get it over with, then I can see my husband, and my aging brother can sit on an over stuffed chair and have his hot chocolate." Winking at him, she crawled to the age of the crates. Catching the slaves' attention, she motioned them to get ready. Luke crept up beside her, his eyes still pleading with her. Shaking her head she gave him space to get past her and out first.

Giving her another quick kiss, he grinned, whispering "For luck!" in her ear before he promptly back-flipped over the crates, lightsaber already ignited.

Taking a deep breath, Leia hurried all the slaves out ahead of her and ran after them, protecting them from the rear. Running backwards, she almost tripped over a body, the casualty of a bolt that had made it through Luke's defences. It was the young Alderaani that had glared at her. She was glad that she hadn't snapped at him, glad to not have had him die with his last memories of upset and anger.

Something shoved her to the ground as a blaster bolt missed her by inches. She realised it had been a Force shove from her brother as he missed more and more bolts. She sensed his upset at her close call, his sheer exhaustion after a week on the run and then he was gone, slipping once again into the Force, his presence blurring into it as he desperately gathered its energy to himself.

As she rose again, she realised they had done it. Wedge Antilles was there with Han ushering the slaves in to the Republic transport, Han constantly glancing at her and Luke, checking they were okay, how close they were to the ship. She scanned the area from which they'd raced.

Then she saw him; another slave trying to rise to his feet on what was obviously an injured leg. Running back, ignoring the startled cries of her twin, she grabbed the man, propelling him towards the ramp as it started to rise. She could hear Han screaming at the pilot to lower the ramp again as Luke dragged the slave onto the ship with the Force.

She ran the last few meters towards them and meeting her brothers worried eyes, she grinned. They'd done it! She sensed it then, her basic Force sense warning her too late. She was thrown forwards as searing agony spread between her shoulder blades. Landing heavily on the earth she coughed, warm liquid spluttering over her lips as she did. Blood.

Her mind drifted as things grew vague and distant. She could hear the desperate screams of her brother, his voice breaking as he sobbed. His sense scrabbled against hers, trying to get a grasp on it. She could hear others as they shouted at him, held him back; stopped him from coming for her. She could sense Han's despair, sensed it as his world collapsed and he slid down the wall of the corridor. She felt a deep thrumming shake the ground, echoing through her body as the ship started to lift, felt heat burn her face and side, her throat tight with a scream of agony she couldn't hear. Suddenly it was gone. The feelings, sounds, the ship and her family, and the pain. And then she gave in, the darkness taking her.

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Authors note: So what do you think so far? please review! it helps keep the story going. hope you enjoyed it!

A.Jade

xxx