Authors note: I apologize for how long this took. Hopefully I can get the next chapter in a bit quicker. I've been struggling with depression. Every time I think I want to do something, I remind myself I can't due to the pandemic. I hope you enjoy and stay safe everyone


Anakin placed his head into his hands rubbing his temples. He felt a stress headache starting to take hold. Luke and Ahsoka had confronted him about sensing Vader coming from him and the last thing he wanted to ever do to them, was become Vader again. He didn't think he would have the strength to pull himself back from the dark side a second time. He barely broke free the first time. "What am I supposed to do?" He muttered under his breath. His baby was in trouble and she didn't want him to rescue her for fear of losing him to the dark side.

Anakin felt a hand on his shoulder causing him to look up at Jess as he watched him with concern. "Anakin, are you all right?"

"No," Anakin answered honestly as Jess sat down beside him. "My eldest daughter is being held captive by a clone I created. Not to mention he dragged your kid into this matter and Leia doesn't want me to come and get her."

"Can you blame her?" Jess questioned in curiosity. "She has a valid point and the rest of us don't want to see you fall again."

"I don't think I would be able to break free a second time," Anakin admitted with a sad shake of his head. "I barely brook free the first time."

"What do you plan to do?" Jess questioned in curiosity. "You used to free Padme all the time without falling."

"I suspect I tapped into the dark side more then once on those rescue missions," Anakin explained feeling his heart drop at the conclusion. "I did free Padme on Bakura… Leia's right, I won't be able to do this. My emotions will get the best of me for her safety and well being."

"The Anakin Skywalker I knew never backed down from a challenge, it can be a strength as well as a weakness. I honestly think you can do this. Besides, its not going to be easy for me either. It is my kids clone we're going up against. We need each other," Jess encouraged with a slight smile. "I think if we work together, we can help keep each other in check. That's the way Fress and I have handled it over the years as a couple."

Anakin smiled encouraged by Jess's words and how Fress and Jess handled being a couple over the years. Being a Jedi forbade marriage and yet here these two were proving to everyone it can work as long as you marry the right person. He could do this without losing himself. He just needed those around him to help keep him in check during the mission. "Jess, do you know where he holed himself up at?"

Jess nodded with a slight smile causing Anakin to grin. He just hope he didn't regret this decision in the long run. "Let's go rescue Leia."


Gaalen stared at the sleeping form of Leia Skywalker causing him to smile. Anakin will not resist going to the dark side to rescue his precious child. He could sense his former master was close by. Anakin was dabbling in the dark side again, everything was proceeding as planned. Soon Anakin will fall to the dark side and train Brice's clone. The clone had more midi chlorians then Anakin Skywalker.

Two parents as Jedi has made this particular child powerful and would be unstoppable in the long run. He felt doubt settle in the back of his mind, what if Anakin didn't turn and took the clone and killed him? He glanced at the doctor who administered the drug to Leia. "Prepare the antidote," the doctor gave a short nod and walked off. It didn't hurt to keep it on hand, if he knew his former master at all. He would be out looking for blood.


Anakin sat down with Luke, Ahsoka, and Jess as Han leaned against the wall listening with intent. The sooner he got Leia back, the better he would feel about this whole thing. Her safety was important. "The survivors of Alderaan will be lost if we don't get Leia back. They need their leader and I need my daughter back."

"How do you plan to get her out of there?" Han questioned in curiosity. "Storm the Star Destroyer and hope no one notices?"

"Tell me again what Leia sees in you?" Anakin shot back in a testy tone causing Han to grin.

"We get each other," Han answered honestly. "I love her and I want her back to marry and build a life with her."

Anakin nodded in appreciation. Han maybe rough around the edges but underneath it all he was a softy at heart. Maybe he built that wall to prevent himself from getting emotionally hurt again. "If I pretend to do as he says it should give Luke and Jess time to track down the antidote."

"What if Gaalen is ready and has the antidote in the same room as Leia?" Jess questioned with a thoughtful expression on his face. "He may use it to get you to do what he says."

"I agree with Jess," Ahsoka spoke up with a frown. "One or two of us should be with you, in case he has that foresight."

"Ahsoka, I want you to go with me and confront Gaalen," Anakin said with a small smile. "Han can be on guard duty."

"I never agreed to be on guard duty," Han argued with a serious expression. "I plan to go with you."

"We need someone to cover our exit and the droids would be a pour choice," Anakin explained with a frown. "Chewie, how about you?"

Chewie huffed and growled negatively saying someone needed to watch Han's back causing Anakin to frown. Chewie owed a life debt to Han, he could never see the wookiee leaving Hans side for one minute in this. He really needed someone to do guard duty to keep their exit cleared.

"Someone has to stay and keep our escape route clear," Ahsoka spoke with a frown. "What are we going to do?"

"Draw straws?" Luke questioned with a frown as everyone looked at him with smirks. "What?"

"The first one to speaks up, draws the short straw," Ahsoka explained with a smirk causing Luke to frown.

Luke didn't say a word as he glanced at Anakin for confirmation who nodded in agreement. "Someone needs to stay with the ship."

"Are you okay with this, Luke?" Anakin questioned in curiosity.

"Not really," Luke answered honestly. "Someone has to do it. Make sure you bring my sister home safe."

"We promise, Luke."


Anakin sat down in the captains chair as Han sat down in the chair behind him. He could feel the glare of Han's eyes causing him to grin. He agreed to let him fly this time, and he promised if anything did happen he would help Han repair the ship. Jess sat down in the co-pilots seat as he started punching in the coordinates to where the destroyer was. "Jess, let's hope Gaalen is still there."

"If he wants to set a trap for you, he will be," Jess answered in a grave tone. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Anakin answered in an honest tone. "Everyone strap in, we're about to be gone," he warned as he reached for the hyperspace lever. "This will be a short jump so keep an eye on that time."

"I know, Anakin," Jess agreed with a grim expression. "I just hope we can bring back that clone…"

"Or kill him,." Anakin pointed out with a frown. "It will be one or the other, not both and I hope for your sake it will be the latter."

"Right, ready?" Jess questioned as Anakin nodded. "Lets jump.

Anakin pulled down on the lever as Jess started the timer. The stars turned into lines as he waited for Jess's signal. "Three, two, one."

Anakin pulled back on the hyperspace lever as the Falcon dropped out of hyperspace and nearly collided with the star destroyer. Anakin pulled back on the stick and forced the Falcon on her side nearly missing colliding with the edge as Han cursed under his breath.

"You better not blow up my ship, Skywalker," Han snipped a little too harshly as Anakin maneuvered the Falcon to where one of the airlocks was, he heard a clunk as the Falcon made contact with the Destroyer..

"You were saying man who is hitting up on my daughter?" Anakin reminded Han with a smirk.

"Nothing," Han answered as Anakin unstrapped himself. "Lets get to the airlock and find Leia, the sooner we can leave with her, the better."


Fress sat down on the couch where Brice had fallen asleep while sitting upright. She was worried he was taking on too much for his age. Between school, Jedi studies with Anakin and doing chores around the house. She feared he was slowly burning himself out. She placed her hand onto Brice's shoulder and shook it as his eyes opened. "Brice, I think we need to talk."

"Mom?" Brice whispered as he rubbed the back of his neck as if it were sore. "What's wrong?"

"I'm worried about you, baby," Fress whispered gently as Brice rubbed his eyes. "You're falling asleep while sitting upright. I fear you're taking on too much for your age and are slowly burning yourself out. I'm happy you want to help out with your siblings, you have your studies you should be focusing on instead."

"I want to help around the house, with dad gone…" Brice started to argue.

"I know, that is why I have hired a nanny, she starts tomorrow," Fress explained with a slight smile. "Keep your room clean for now. When the twins are old enough to go to school, then we'll discuss on what other chores you can help with. Does that sound like a deal?"

"Can I set the dinner table once in a while?" Brice questioned hopefully with a smile.

"How about twice a week, on the weekends?" Fress questioned as Brice nodded eagerly.

"Its a deal," Brice agreed as he looked at her worriedly. "What if my clone…."

"We won't worry about that now," Fress said with a reassured expression. "We're going to do everything we can to prevent your name from being dragged through the mud. Even if that means we have to kill the clone."

"Maybe dad will talk the clone into switching sides and it won't have to come down to it," Brice said with a slight smile.

"One can only hope," Fress agreed with a proud smile. "I love you so much, and I'm proud of you."

"Thanks mom. I love you too," Brice answered with a smile. "When's dinner?"

"Its ready, I made you your favorite," Fress answered with a smile. "Come on, lets go eat."


Jess glanced at Han as they made their way down to the detention center. According to the files Artoo pulled up, Brice's clone was dragged down to the detention level. Maybe that meant he could reach the clone and bring him back instead of having to destroy him. He wasn't sure if this would affect his eldest son using the Force or not. They would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Anakin and Ahsoka had gone ahead to track down Gaalen and Leia. He hoped for Anakin's sake the man did not fall to the dark side again. It was a risk letting Anakin come, and he hoped it paid off in the long run. Han gestured to him that they had company as they quickly hid in the closest hallway. A small group of troopers walked by.

Jess didn't dare use the Force for fear of alerting Gaalen to their presence. He quickly glanced around the corner listening intently. When he was sure it was all clear, he signaled to Han they could continue.

Chewie surprising agreed to stay back and cover their exit with Luke. He was sure the Wookiee would come with them, but they slowly realized there were no wookiee slaves on board and it would've given them away.

As Han and Jess slipped into the detention center, a commanding voice came over the nearest comlink commanding them to come to the war room. The guards exchanged a confused expression, gave a shrug and left the detention center.

Jess watched as they left causing him to frown, this felt like a well laid trap. Han gave Jess a confused expression as they walked up to the computer as Jess punched in codes Anakin supplied him. "This feels like a trap."

"It's almost like Gaalen is expecting us at this point in time," Han muttered under his breath as Jess made a note of which cell the clone was in. "Something feels very wrong about this."

"What choice do we have?" Jess questioned as Han nodded in agreement as they walked towards the cells. He looked at the numbers as he came to a stop in front of 1086. "This is it," he said as he pressed the release. The sight that greeted him had him reeling in shock.

Han walked in and stopped dead in his tracks as Leia slowly sat up rubbing her eyes as a teen helped her sit up. The teen looked like an older version of Brice. If Leia was here, already given the antidote. Then what was Gaalen's true plan?

To be continued

Thanks for reading :)