Uncertain Future

Chapter 36

Nadia pulled herself together and grabbed some of Han's old clothes. A pang went through her heart at thought of Han not been here now. It won't be the same without him she thought. She needed to focus on getting Luke the help he needed. She made her way back to where Luke was, just as she was about to walk in the room, she heard him groan. "Father."

She furrowed her eyebrows and stayed where she was. Father? Why was he saying that?

"Ben, why didn't you tell me?" She heard him say painfully. She walked in the room and saw him sitting up and he knew that she heard him, before he broke down into sobs. She immediately rushed over to him and he collapsed into her waist. His face was buried into her stomach as he cried. His arm went around her waist, she held him tightly to her and rubbed his back.

"Luke, what is it?" She asked. She hated seeing him like this and it had been a long time since he had broken down like this. He normally kept his emotions in check and only let his true feelings out when he is most vulnerable.

"Vader is my father." He mumbled out and she stopped rubbing his back. What? How? He didn't want to look up to see her expression fearing that she would be disgusted and afraid of him.

"Ben knew. He must have knew." He choked out painfully. Nadia closed her eyes as a tear fell out. She continued to rub his back and held him tighter. She knew that it didn't change anything between them, but it would change a lot of things with this new information.

"How would he be your father?" She asked, and he shook his head. "He told me. He told me, that Ben kept the truth from me to protect me." He pulled away from her and saw her looking down at him.

"I'm so sorry Luke." She intertwined their fingers together not wanting to let go of him for a second. He shook his head again and wiped his face with a towel and sighed heavily. "I want you to know that, I'm not anything like him and I don't want to lose you Nadia."

Why would he think anything like that?!

She knelt down to him, and placed her hands on his lap. "Look at me, why would you think that? I know you are nothing like him at all. You are pure and good, he is evil and he is a monster for doing this to you." Gesturing to his missing hand, she placed a hand on his cheek. "I love you so much Luke. Just because Darth Vader is your father, it doesn't change anything between us."

Luke had tears in his eyes. He looked so heartbroken and relieved at the same time. "Thank you Nadia." She nodded and gave him a short but meaningful kiss, careful not to hurt him as his face was injured.

"We'll get through this together." She promised pressing their foreheads together.

Lando and Leia were at the controls of the Falcon. Meanwhile, in the ship's hold, Chewie continued to work frantically on the hyperdrive mechanism. "Chewie!" Lando shouted from the cockpit. Nadia helped Luke enter the cockpit. Leia gave her a small smile and Luke looked out the window. He was almost unconscious with pain and depression. He refused to get some rest and wanted to see Leia. "It's Vader." He said and the two girls looked up to where he was looking. They whizzed past the ship and Nadia was relieved to be away from there. Luke sat down in the cockpit chair and closed his eyes as he once again heard Vader speak to him through the voice. "Ben, why didn't you tell me?" he whispered to himself. Nadia placed a hand on his shoulder comforting him.

Artoo raced to a control panel and started working on a circuit board. Furiously, Threepio stood on one leg, yelling. "Artoo, come back at once! You haven't finished with me yet! You don't know how to fix the hyperdrive. Chewbacca can do it. I'm standing here in pieces, and you're having delusions of grandeur!" Artoo moved a circuit on a control panel. Suddenly, the control panel lit up.

Luke, Nadia Leia and Lando are thrown into their seats as the Millennium Falcon unexpectedly shoot into hyperspace.

The ship tilted up and Artoo toppled into the pit on top of Chewie. "Oh, you did it!" The Falcon soared into infinity and away from the huge Star Destroyer which seemed by contrast, to stand still.

"Good luck, Lando." Luke said into the comlink, as he was getting his new hand inserted. Nadia had changed and had her hair down her back. Her and Leia and the droids were staying behind.

"When we find Jabba the Hut and that bounty hunter, we'll contact you." Lando said back through the comlink.

He earned his trust to all of them now, that he helped them escape and helped find Luke. He was now searching for Han to make amends. Nadia and Leia stood near him while Threepio and Artoo look out the window. "I'll meet you at the rendezvous point on Tatooine."

"Princess, we'll find Han. I promise." Leia looked down, hoping that they will get him back soon. Nadia placed an arm around her shoulders.

Luke nodded, "Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal." Chewie's wail came over the comlink. The two girls smiled at Chewie's farewell moan. Luke grinned too, the first time he had smiled since he got back. "Take care, you two. May the Force be with you."

Leia walked away from Luke and Nadia and to the window. Nadia knew she needed some time alone so she looked at Luke's new hand. Luke looked down at his hand. A metalized type of bandage had been wrapped around his wrist. The medical droid made some adjustments in a tiny electronic unit, then pricks each one of Luke's fingers. "Ow."

"Good as new." Nadia smiled at it, Luke wriggled his fingers, makes a fist, and relaxed it. His hand was completely functional. He nodded before placing his arm around her shoulder and she placed her arm around his waist as they walked over to Leia and the droids. He wrapped another arm around Leia's shoulders and the three of them and the droids watched as the Falcon sped off.

Leia was thinking about Han; Luke and Nadia were thinking about their uncertain and newly complicated future. They stood at the large window of the medical center looking out on the Rebel Star Cruiser and a dense, luminous galaxy swirling in space.

Threepio moved closer to Artoo putting his arm on him. Nadia noticed even though they bicker a lot, they really are fond of each other. She looked back at Luke who was watching the ship. He looked at her and smiled, before kissing the side of her head softly. The group watched as the Millennium Falcon moved into view and made a turn and zoomed away into space.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

THAT IS THE END OF EMPIRE STRIKES BACK! Two down and one to go…hope everyone is enjoying this. I think I will do a couple of chapters before I go into Return Of The Jedi. Everyone please vote on my poll on my profile, if you haven't already.

The next chapter will be if Nadia and Luke break up or not ;P

Review please?

.2016