This chapter shows off Leia's stubborn side. Her very, very, stubborn side. And also her fiery temper. Hope you enjoy!

Listen to The Phantom Menace: Duel of the Fates for this chapter

Puzzlement

13 years

Leia Skywalker snapped the-second-to-last piece into the puzzle.

"Mom, we're missing a piece," she said as she glanced in the box to be sure.

"No, that can't be. I just bought this puzzle. It's brand new!" Padme Skywalker exclaimed, sticking her head under the table and looking at the floor.

"Oh, come on, guys, it's right here." Anakin Skywalker picked up something off the carpet. "Oh, wait. It's just a piece of paper."

"Your eyesight going bad, Dad?" Leia teased, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Hey, it is not!" Anakin protested, throwing the piece of paper at his daughter. Luke choked back a laugh from his spot on the couch. He was the only one not doing the puzzle. Instead, he was reading a datapad, a flight manual or something.

"Luke!" Leia shouted in realization. "Mom, he's got the last piece!"

"No, I don't!" Luke protested, tossing his datapad aside and leaping up from the couch.

"Empty your pockets," Leia demanded, standing and placing her hands on her hips. Anakin and Padme did nothing to intervene, only sat back and watched the scene before them play out.

"She's the exact image of you, Angel," Anakin whispered impishly in her ear, avoiding her eyes.

"Anakin!" she whisper-shouted into his ear, slapping his arm lightly. Luke had removed the contents of his pockets. A pocket-sized toolkit and a pair of mechanic's goggles, but that was all.

"Where'd you put it?" Leia asked accusingly, her hands never leaving her hips and her stern gaze never wavering. Luke shrunk back. Despite Luke being the older of the twins, he was intimidated by his sister when she got like this.

"I'm not telling you. You have to find it," he said stubbornly, putting his hands on his hips, imitating her posture.

"Ha! I knew you took it!" Leia said smugly, moving her hands from her hips and crossing her arms over her chest. Luke smirked. "C'mon, Luke. Tell me where it is."

"Nope."

"Please?!"

"Nope."

Leia lunged at her brother, fists swinging. She rammed into his stomach and he fell backward. She straddled his chest and drew back a fist.

"Now she looks like you, Ani," Padme whispered as she got up to intervene. Anakin stared after her in disbelief. He got up to help, but Padme seemed to have it under control. "Okay, okay, Leia. Chill out. A puzzle piece is not worth giving your brother a broken nose over." She hauled the thirteen-year-old off her brother by the armpits with all her might.

"No, let me at him! He won't tell me where it is!" Leia objected as she was dragged away and deposited on the floor a few feet away from Luke. She leapt up and ran back to Luke. Anakin's arm shot out and caught her around the middle before she could reach him. "Let me go!" she shouted, trying to squirm out of her father's grasp.

"Um, no," Anakin said, tightening his grip on her hips. Leia kicked. A piercing whistle cracked through the air. Leia stopped kicking, and three heads turned lightning-quick towards Padme, who had her fingers in her mouth.

"Leia, go to your room," Padme ordered. Anakin released his hold on Leia. She didn't move. Padme narrowed her eyes at the stubborn young teen in front of her. Leia tipped her chin defiantly. "Now," Padme said, her voice severe. Leia still didn't move. Luke, still laying on the floor, watched the scene in front of him with interest. It was rare that Leia acted like this, and, in his opinion, it was hilarious. He choked back his laughter though, for fear of getting scolded. He watched with fascinated horror as Anakin spun Leia around, took hold of her shoulders and marched her down the hallway.

"Go to your room, young lady," he said in a dangerously low tone, releasing her shoulders. Leia obeyed quietly. Anakin walked back down the hallway and turned to his son. "Are you okay, buddy?"

"I'm fine, Dad. She just knocked the wind out of me." Luke got to his feet and returned to the couch where his flight manual still rested.

"Where's the puzzle piece?" Padme asked, sitting down next to him.

"I put it on top of the refrigerator." Luke said nonchalantly, not looking up from his 'pad.

"Well, go get it!" Padme scolded lightly, playfully smacking his shoulder. He got up from the couch, still reading his manual. Anakin sat down next to his wife. "She obviously got your temper," she said, scooting closer to rest her head on his broad shoulder.

"Hey, now, I don't act like that. There's only one explanation for that outburst," Anakin said, wrapping his arm around Padme's slim shoulders.

"Hormones," they said in unison. Luke returned at that moment, eyes still glued to his flight manual. He was holding the puzzle piece in his left hand, between his thumb and forefinger, his datapad still held in his right. He tossed the piece to his mother, who caught it with one hand. She got up and walked to the dining room table and fitted the piece into its proper place. The picture was complete.