Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or any of the characters, just this take on the story.
Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up; I've been real busy lately.
Previously: Luke and Leia have just had a talk and Leia is about to talk to her father.
Questions
The tension in the room was entirely too thick for comfort. The only thing heard was the gentle hum of the ship, and the heavy breathing from Anakin's mask. Neither one of them spoke for what seemed like hours. After awhile Leia spoke up and said something that surprised even Luke.
"Luke can you give us a second?" Leia said with reassuring eyes. He nodded and walked off towards the cockpit. Leia swallowed hard and realized she was now alone with the same man who ordered her home planet destroyed. Thinking he wouldn't hesitate to destroy her also. It also completely unnerved her to look at him and not be able to see his face.
"Well, where should I begin? Let me start with the obvious, I've told Luke this and I might as well tell you. If you ever hurt me or my friends you will never live to see the light of day again." Anakin nodded in acknowledgment still not saying a word, which unnerved Leia even more. "Now if we want this whole family thing to work I think you're going to have to answer a few questions. How do you expect us to trust you after everything you've done?"
Anakin paused and thought about an answer. "I understand your lack of trust in me, but I think the only thing you can trust is my word. I've done terrible things in the past and I understand this. All I'm asking for is a second chance, if you aren't willing to give me one, I understand." Anakin stopped letting this sink in. "I know the years that I wasn't there for you and Luke must have been hard. I never should have left your mother to die. It was the worst possible thing I could have done. If I could go back to that day and relive it, I swear over my mother's grave I would change it. I loved your mother so much that I almost died when I heard that I was responsible for her death." Anakin stopped talking after he realized Leia was beginning to cry. She was bent over with her hands in her hands crying softly. He didn't move for a few moments, but then shifted towards her. He cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder, and after she made no response he quietly said, "I'm deeply sorry."
After a few seconds she silently stood up and walked towards the door. "I'm sorry I was angry, but it's just going to be extremely hard for me to accept you as family. I can't say how long it will be, but please don't expect me to call you dad or father for awhile."
"I understand, and I can't really blame you. As for this whole family thing, we'll just go with the flow. I'm just as new to this as you are really. I've gone most of my life missing a loved one." Anakin grunted with discomfort as he had a sharp pain go through his chest.
"Are you okay?" Leia asked quickly.
"Yes, I'm fine. I just need to lie down for a while." He spread out on his bed and relaxed. To Leia it was very odd because he didn't close his "eyes". As she turned and walked away to find Luke she breathed a sigh of relief.
"How'd it go?" Luke asked without turning to see her enter the cockpit.
"How do you do that?" Leia asked.
Luke laughed for a second and turned towards her, "You will learn. Now answer my question."
"Well I would love to say it went great and we know everything about each other, but I would be lying. I mean it went okay, and we understand each other, but obviously we aren't going to be able to be best buddies right off the bat."
"That's to be expected. Things aren't going to be any easier for me. He cut off my hand, knowing that I was his son, which leaves something to think about there in itself." Luke stopped and turned to check the console of the ship. "We're approaching the med center now. I need to slow the ship until we can get clearance. Since I don't think that a republic med center will allow an imperial shuttle into the base." Leia laughed and nodded acknowledging this fact.
The intercom came alive with a male voice, "Attention imperial shuttle, you have entered republic airspace, please state your intentions before we are forced to destroy you."
"Pleasant aren't they?" Luke said gruffly. "This is Luke Skywalker. I need to land as soon as possible. "
"Oh, I'm sorry commander, but I can't be too careful with the destruction of the death star. Yes you can land in hangar 2 immediately."
"I also have a passenger on board who requires medical attention. He'll need a new right prosthetic hand too. Can you make the arrangements while we land?"
"Of course sir. I will go make them right now. Oh and commander, I will inform our superior officer of your presence also."
"Thank you." Luke finished and shut off the intercom.
"You didn't tell them who your "passenger" was." Leia noted out loud.
"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Luke stated. Together they walked back to their father's room and woke him up.
"We're here. They're getting ready for you now. You ready for this?" Luke asked.
"Let's go." Anakin replied.
Next time: Will Luke be able to convince the center of his father's conversion to the republic?
