Chapter 18 – Nothing but Lies

Luke was the last to return to the apartment. Upon arriving in the living room, he saw Vader had set Leia down on the couch which he used as his bed. In an oddly considerate gesture, Vader seemed to have draped a blanket over the unconscious princess. He had set his helmet down on the opposite couch and was now looming over Leia with a curious expression. Padmé was watching apprehensively from a few meters away.

"How did she find this place?" Vader asked, eyes still fixated on Leia. When Padmé didn't respond, he looked up at her with a clenched jaw. "Padmé?" he asked in a low voice. "How?"

Padmé pursed her lips and looked at Luke for support. "I… I don't –"

"I've been in contact with the Rebellion," Luke interjected.

Padmé's eyes widened. "Luke, no –"

"What?" Vader asked, sidestepping the couch and approaching him.

Luke gulped with fear and instinctively took a step closer to his mother. He had to prevaricate to Vader on her behalf. Who knew what Vader would do to her if he learned the truth.

"You heard me," Luke said, the intended defiance undermined by the tremor in his voice.

Vader glared at him silently for several long moments. It didn't seem like he knew how to react. On the one hand, he was obviously angry. On the other, however, it was clear that he didn't want to jeopardize the fledgling relationship he had with him. Should he berate him for his treachery, he would only push Luke further away and help solidify his loyalty to his mother.

The tension was interrupted when they heard Leia groan from the couch. Looking away from Vader, Luke saw her beginning to stir, both hands pressed to her forehead as she attempted to sit upright. Seizing the opportunity to escape, Luke hurried past Vader and toward the couch.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, kneeling down by Leia's side.

Leia opened her eyes a fraction to see him looking up at her. "Luke?" she asked. "What… what happened?"

"You're going to be okay," he told her. Luke glanced up at his parents who were awkwardly standing next to each other – Vader wringing his wrists and Padmé chewing her lower lip anxiously. "Could one of you get some pain meds?" he asked them. "Please?"

They both looked at each other. "That's going to have to be you," Vader said to Padmé.

"What? Why?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot? There's no way I'm leaving you three alone."

Padmé gnashed her teeth but nevertheless complied. She gave him and Leia one last look before spinning around and hurrying down the hallway toward her bedroom.

Luke returned his attention to Leia once she was gone. The princess was pressing her left hand against the bruise on her forehead and had a severe grimace etched across her face.

"Can I see?" Luke asked gently.

Leia nodded and gingerly lowered her hand. Luke tried not to react, but he was afraid he failed miserably. The bruise had turned a dark shade of purple and the left side of her forehead was swelling at an alarming rate.

"You're going to need some ice," Luke said. He cautiously looked up to meet Vader's unwavering gaze.

"Go," he instructed.

Luke hesitated, not wanting to leave Leia alone with Vader. He wouldn't hurt her, would he? No more than he already had, that is.

"I'll be fine," Leia assured him. "Some ice would really help."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked in a whisper.

Leia nodded. "It's okay," she said.

Luke pursed his lips but decided not to object any further. Standing up, he kept his eyes on Vader as he backed away slowly. Only when he reached the edge of the living room did he turn his back on him as he hurried into the kitchen.

The moment Luke disappeared into the kitchen, Vader took two long strides toward the couch. Despite insisting that she would be fine, Leia couldn't help but shy away in fear as the massive man sat down on the couch opposite her. She pushed the blanket aside and sat upright, determined to appear respectable at the very least.

"You seem very confident I won't kill you," Vader said.

Leia didn't respond as she took a long look at his face. She had seen it once back on Cloud City when he had revealed himself to Luke. He had been quite far away then, however. Now she could make out his features much better. Once again, she registered how ruggedly handsome he was. He had a sharp, stubbled jaw line and piercing blue eyes. His tawny hair was long and unkempt, giving him a youthful element to his otherwise austere mien. The similarities with Luke were of course apparent to her, but upon closer inspection she could also see herself in this man's face – not in the physical sense, perhaps, but on a separate, deeper level.

Perhaps unnerved by her scrutiny, Vader narrowed his eyes as he leaned back into the cushion of the couch. "I will not hesitate to kill you if you remain uncooperative," he threatened.

"You're not going to kill me," Leia said confidently

Vader flared his nostrils at her temerity. "Oh no?"

Leia shook her head. "You won't touch me," she said. "You didn't on the Death Star, and you won't now."

"That bruise on your forehead suggests otherwise," Vader said with a frown.

Leia smirked but didn't get a chance to respond because just then both Luke and Padmé returned to the living room. Craning her neck to the side, Leia found herself quivering with jittery energy as she laid eyes on her mother for the first time, holoprojection notwithstanding.

Her physical beauty clashed jarringly with her depressive demeanor. She at once looked exactly like she expected and nothing like she envisioned; based on pictures alone, she knew that physically this was Padmé Amidala, but in all other ways, Leia could tell that this was not the same person whom she had idolized since childhood. The radiance and vivacity which her pictures had exuded – miraculously unimpaired through the holographic medium – were no longer present. In comparison, this woman was no more than a husk. The charm which Leia had found so appealing had been sapped right out of her.

"I got you some water."

Leia blinked a few times and refocused her eyes to see that her mother had approached with a vial of pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Leia noticed that she had changed out of Fett's Mandalorian armor and was now wearing a simple black-sleeved shirt with an accompanying pair of nylon pants. Padmé gave her a concerned look, clearly fearing that she hadn't heard her.

"Thank you," Leia said hastily, her face reddening as she reached up to take the water.

"Don't forget the pills," Padmé said, popping the vial open and depositing two shiny red capsules into the palm of her hand. "These will help with the headache."

Leia accepted the pills and quickly drained them down. Clutching the cool glass with both hands, Leia looked up to see Luke standing at the opposite arm of the couch.

"Here's the ice," he said, offering her an opaque bag. Handing the glass back off to Padmé, Leia graciously accepted the ice and pressed it firmly against her bruise. The throbbing pain partially abated, replaced by a bitter cold which practically froze her skin.

"Luke, she needs a hand towel," Padmé reprimanded. She reached out to gently pull Leia's hand away from her forehead. "You'll get frostbite," she told her.

Leia looked up at Padmé with wide eyes. This was truly a surreal experience. Nobody had mothered her like this in years. Breha had stopped at Leia's insistence when she turned sixteen and first entered the realm of politics. It had embarrassed her then, but it sure didn't embarrass her now. Who knew she had been craving for this sort of attention for all that time since?

Luke returned from the kitchen quickly. She thanked him as she took the hand towel and wrapped it around the bag of ice. Returning it to her forehead, she let out a sigh and sunk back into the couch. She felt horribly lightheaded, and were it not for the excitement of being united with her mother, Leia was sure she would have passed out long ago.

"Sit down," Vader ordered from the opposite couch. "Both of you. Now."

Luke and Padmé shared a look. "You're not going to punish Luke for this," Padmé said, placing her hands on her hips and turning to give Vader a withering glare. "I won't allow it."

"I never said anything about punishing Luke," Vader said, brow furrowed angrily as he matched Padmé's astringency of tone and attitude.

Padmé stared him down for a few moments longer before conceding to his demand. Leia scooted aside to allow her mother to sit down on her left wing. Luke did the same on her right, and the three of them were now tightly packed on the couch. Leia felt supremely uncomfortable with the proximity. Should she allow their legs to touch or not? Would that be weird?

"I want one of you to explain this to me," Vader said, his eyes slowly scanning from left to right until he fixed his gaze on Luke. "Well?" he asked.

"I already told you everything," Luke said. "I called the Rebellion for help."

Leia frowned at this comment. That was a lie, wasn't it? It had been Padmé who had called for assistance, not Luke. She instantly regretted expressing her confusion, however, because Vader caught onto it instantly.

"Do you have another side to this story, princess?" he asked her.

Vader's intense gaze rendered her frozen. She opened her mouth, but no words came out as fear seized her larynx.

"You will tell me what I need to know," Vader growled at her.

Much to Leia's relief, her mother rushed to her defense. "Don't speak to her like that," she said.

Vader's eyes darted to Padmé. "Perhaps you could help elucidate this situation," he said.

"I don't know anything," she lied at once.

"Why do I doubt that?"

Padmé's expression turned steely. "What does it matter to you?" she asked. "You already know I want out of here."

"But why her?"

Padmé blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Vader rose up out of his couch. The three of them craned their necks and collectively blanched with fear when he pulled out a lightsaber. "Why did you have this?" he asked, extending the weapon so they could all see. Leia glanced down at the hilt and noticed that the base was glistening with blood – her own, she supposed.

"Luke dropped it on the sail barge," Leia said, unable to find a reason to lie about this.

"He did," Vader agreed. "Yet why do you have it?"

Leia faltered when she realized what Vader was getting at. He wanted her to reveal that she was training to be a Jedi.

"Tano gave you this weapon, didn't she?"

Leia nodded. "She did."

"Why?"

"You know why."

Vader frowned at her attitude. Returning the lightsaber to his belt, Vader leaned down toward her so that their faces were merely inches apart.

"Tano is weak." His breath felt hot against her cheek, but Leia refused to yield. Instead, she heightened her resolve and leaned into the confrontation. "She clings to the past," Vader hissed. "She wouldn't have given you my lightsaber unless she thought you deserved it more than she. So tell me. Why did you deserve this lightsaber?"

A humorless smile stretched across Leia's lips. "I think you know the answer to that too," she said, whispering.

Vader's belligerent expression faltered. "I don't think I do," he said.

"No?" she goaded.

Vader's face twitched and he quickly retreated. Standing upright, he took a step away from Leia so he could get a better look at her. She saw his eyes widen with understanding, the shock of the discovery causing his jaw to slacken and his face to pale.

"Hello, Father," Leia said.

Luke didn't understand what had just happened. He looked back and forth between Vader and Leia as he attempted to make sense of Leia's words. Why had she called him that? Was it just some sort of a joke, or did she mean that…

"I don't understand," Vader said, vocalizing Luke's own bewilderment. "This… this isn't possible. You're not… I would have…"

"You would have known?" Leia asked. "But you did, didn't you? Somehow, you must have always known."

Vader shook his head as he collapsed down onto the couch. Luke's eyes widened as he realized that Leia was saying exactly what it sounded like.

"Padmé, did you know about this?" Vader asked. When his mother didn't respond, Vader's expression turned stormy. "You hid this from me?"

"I had to protect her from you," Padmé said, undeterred by Vader's wrath.

"But she's my daughter! I had a right to –"

Vader stopped abruptly when he saw Leia wince, his booming voice no doubt causing her great discomfort.

"Maybe you should lie down," Luke suggested.

Leia opened her mouth to protest, but Padmé quickly backed him up. "Luke's right," she said, placing a hand on Leia's shoulder. "You need rest."

Leia's pugnacity melted away at Padmé's touch. She lowered the bag of ice from her forehead and nodded. "Okay," she said in a feeble voice. Glancing up at Vader, she gave him a look as if she expected a challenge.

Vader didn't object, however. "I, uh… I'm sorry about hurting you," he said woodenly. Luke and Padmé both looked up sharply, astonished by this apology. Leia, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes contemptuously.

"Liar," she snarled.

Vader was initially taken aback by her hostility, but his surprise was quickly replaced with indignation. "You think I'm not genuine?" he asked.

"Leia, please," Padmé said. "Don't do this now."

"Now is as fine a time as ever," Leia dismissed.

"Leia –" Luke tried to interject, but she didn't let him.

"I'm not going to accept this!" she said, spinning her head toward him. "He doesn't have the right to apologize after what he did!"

He glanced at Vader who seemed to share his confusion. "What are you talking about?" Luke asked.

Leia's eyes flashed furiously. "You don't know?" she asked incredulously.

"Know what?"

"He hit her!" Leia exclaimed.

"Her? You mean… Mom?"

"I did no such thing!" Vader insisted.

"Don't deny it!" Leia exploded. "I saw the bruise! It looked just like this!" She pointed at her own bruise and Vader glanced up at it.

"Who told you that?" When Leia didn't answer, Vader stood up off the couch for a second time. He turned his glare toward Padmé. "Did you tell her this?" he asked her. "Did you tell her that I hit my own wife?"

"I don't have to answer that," Padmé said as she stood up as well. "Leia, come with me."

"No," Vader snapped. He took a step toward Padmé, and Luke quickly jumped out of his seat in alarm. "You lied to her," Vader said, leaning down so that he could get in Padmé's face. "Why even bother? You have so much to work with, why make something up like that? A wife beater? Really?"

"Oh, like you've never hurt me before," she shot back.

Vader's face turned taut. He glowered at Padmé a moment longer before pulling away. "Lies," he said to himself. "Nothing but lies." With that, Vader spun around and marched away. The three of them craned their heads and watched as he disappeared down the hallway leading to the patio.

"Let's go," Padmé said, turning toward Leia. "I'll bring you to the bedroom."

"You lied?" Leia asked. "Why would you do that?"

Padmé placed her hands on her hips. "You believe his word more than mine?"

Leia hesitated as she looked up at Luke. He gave her a pointed look, hoping that she'd take his hint and drop the issue. She had no idea how defensive Padmé could get at the mere insinuation of wrongdoing. There was little point in confronting her on this. That being said, it was clear that his mother had indeed lied. Vader hadn't been the one responsible for that bruise, Palpatine had. Why would she lie about something like that?

"Come," Padmé instructed, beckoning Leia to her feet.

Leia seemed to take Luke's silent advice as she complied without further comment. Satisfied, Padmé turned around to lead Leia to the bedroom. As she followed after her, Leia glanced back at Luke – her expressive eyes conveying the very question he had on his own mind: Which one should they trust? The liar or the monster?

Perhaps the right answer was neither.

Leia woke up with a start. She was breathing heavily as she stared up at the ceiling. Her body was coated in a sheen of sweat, causing the sheets to stick to her skin. She attempted to sit upright, but instantly regretted it when a pulsating pain erupted in her forehead.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, shutting her eyes tight as she pressed her hands to her bruise.

"Take it easy," a voice said. "Deep breaths. The pain will pass."

Opening her eyes, she exhaled slowly and allowed herself to relax.

"What time is it?" she asked the ceiling.

"Four in the morning," the voice replied.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking after you."

Leia clenched her jaw and pushed herself upright in one swift motion. She groaned with pain as a debilitating wave of lightheadedness threatened to push her back down into the mattress. She persevered, however, pressing her back against the headrest and taking another deep, stabilizing breath.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"You shouldn't have hit me."

Leia made out the ghost of a smile on Vader's shadowy face. He was standing vigil along the west wall in front of a broad, curved window. Natural moonlight was streaming in through the blinds, and because of that, Vader's figure was illuminated in segments – light and dark alternating from his head down to his torso.

"How long was I asleep?" Leia asked him.

"About twelve hours, I think." A curious expression passed Vader's face which Leia wasn't able to identify. Affection, perhaps? "You looked so peaceful," he said. "I didn't want to wake you."

Leia swallowed hard at this comment. "Where are the others?"

"In the living room," Vader said, nodding toward the door. "Your mother didn't want to leave, but she fell asleep about an hour ago. I had to carry her to the couch."

"You shouldn't have touched her."

Vader shrugged. "She needed the sleep," he said meekly.

Leia unclenched her fists which had been grasping the blanket. She took a moment to consider the cadence of her breathing – the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest causing her pain to ebb away with each completed cycle. She felt at ease. But it wasn't in spite of Vader's presence, she realized. It was because of it.

"Why did she lie?" Leia asked after a minute of comfortable silence. When Vader didn't answer, she turned to meet his gaze. "You never struck her, did you?"

"No," he said simply.

"Then why lie?"

Vader sighed. "You'll have to ask her that."

"I did."

"And?"

"She denied it."

She would have expected Vader to pounce on this information, but he remained restrained. He considered her for a moment before taking a step toward her bedside. His face became visible to her and she found herself mesmerized by the distinct countenance. His eyes were twinkling much like Luke's so often did, but with an additional element of melancholy.

"You mustn't blame her," he said. "She's a scarred person."

"And what about you?" Leia asked. "Are you scarred as well?"

Vader's gentle expression sobered. "Perhaps mangled would be a more fitting metaphor," he said grimly.

Leia allowed these heavy words to linger. Vader seemed to be just as fascinated in her as she was with him. He stared at her unblinkingly, absorbing every detail of her face. In turn, Leia found herself unable to look away – Vader's eyes acting like tractor beams.

"Your mother despises me," Vader said finally, and Leia felt herself be released from his enchantment. "And your brother fears me." He paused to take one step closer to Leia, her figure now bathed in shadow as his head blocked out the moonlight behind him. "But what about you? What do you see?" he asked.

A snide comment rose to her lips, but Leia hesitated. What did she see in this man? She could of course see him through Luke and Padmé's eyes: he was fearsome, dangerous, and monstrous. She knew that to be true based on everything she knew about Darth Vader. But when she looked up at this man, none of those adjectives seemed to apply. Instead she saw him as being solicitous, introspective, and, as bizarre as it may sound, gentle. Was this who Ahsoka had told her about? Was this Anakin Skywalker?

"I don't know what I see," Leia said finally.

Vader's lips curled into a triumphant smile. "Then allow me to show you," he said.

Author's Note: Thank you to all those who have left reviews. You guys are the best. Allow me to take this opportunity to respond.

Caver Floyd - You're very right: Padmé does love her children, but there is a little caveat. She tells Luke that she will do anything in her power to get them away from Vader, but that means she is willing to put Leia in danger to achieve that end. Vader could have killed her, but that was a risk Padmé was willing to take. This is her Fett mindset: the ends justify the means. Luke seems to be able to accept this, but we'll see if Leia is going to be as flexible.

RyanSquad - I think Vader absolutely still loves Padmé (although he has a funny way of expressing it). Whether Padmé loves him in return is still unclear, however. She is unable to reconcile Anakin with Vader. They are two separate people in her mind. Should Vader be willing to take off his mask for good and commit himself to being Anakin once again, perhaps their relationship could be repaired or at least improved.

Darththeduck312 - Thanks for leaving reviews on nearly every chapter! It's such a great motivation to receive enthusiastic feedback. You're totally right about Mon Mothma. She's the best.

Well that's it for me! Thank you all for reading. If you like my writing, be on the lookout for my next story starring my man Luke Skywalker and the always-enigmatic Mara Jade. I plan on posting sometime next week. Sunday or Monday probably, but it still needs a bit of editing. Fair warning, it's a very different style from this one (less plot, more romance/angst).