A/N: At the time of writing this chapter I've revised the story up to chapter forty-six. I just couldn't wait to get this one out. It's a little long, but I think you'll enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Location: Coruscant – The Imperial Palace
Din twirled Leia back into his chest as they danced to a quick waltz on their balcony. They had enjoyed a lovely dinner out and were content to just spend the rest of the night dancing and talking with one another. Din's brush with death reinvigorated their desire to enjoy every moment as it were the last and to take nothing for granted.
It had been three days since Din had been released from the hospital and he was quickly regaining his strength, although his fresh scars still had sharp pains from the healing nerve endings. Leia was impressed with his desire to avoid using his narcotics to manage the pain as he claimed he didn't want to spend his time with her numbed. He wanted to feel everything; the love, the passion, and the feeling of simply being alive. The pain was just a price to pay for being able to experience the rest.
After a few minutes, the song they were dancing to came to its conclusion and Din pulled Leia close to him and kissed her tenderly, savoring the taste of her lips.
"I didn't think it was possible, but you've become even more sweet to me than you've ever been", Leia whispered.
"When you have a close call, you start to evaluate everything in life. I decided that I haven't measured up in that regard", Din said. "I'm just making up for lost time."
Leia smirked at him. "You've always been sweet to me, soldier. You have been for years, so while I enjoy it, don't feel like you haven't been enough for me, because you have been. I don't need you beating yourself down for being the man I fell in love with." She planted another kiss on his lips as she led him inside.
"Maybe I've changed", Din said as they both sat down on their usual couch. "I'm not immune to changing after nearly getting killed. I'd almost lost you. That has to count for something."
A dark shadow washed over Leia's face and was quickly replaced with gentleness. "I know how close we came to the unthinkable, my dear, and I'm not saying that you can't be more loving towards me. All I was saying was that you've always been enough for me and you always will. You're the love of my life and I'm not going anywhere, no matter what."
"And what about when I have to…", Din began before Leia pressed a finger to his lips.
"While I don't want to have a discussion yet about you leaving again, I did mean no matter what. Trust me Din, I'm not going anywhere", Leia said. She truly did appreciate the extra steps Din was taking, but for Sith's sake, she wouldn't allow him to wallow over him not thinking he'd been enough to her. There were hard times, times that she wanted to scream at him for nearly getting killed, times where she agonized over the painful memories she'd seen in his mind, and times where she lamented the fact that they'd yet to be engaged. But with all of those times, there was true love, and she would take all of the aforementioned times of despair if it meant that they'd stay in togetber.
"I hope you understand how convincing you are, no wonder why you're vying for politics", Din replied with a grin. "The other politicians will be swooned off their feet if they just give you a few minutes. I know I always am."
Leia let out a short laugh. "Din, as much as I enjoyed politics, I'm thinking about giving up on that career aspiration. I just can't get the tribunal's acquittal of Senator Pryde out of my mind. It was expected, but it was still disappointing, and I feel that my colleagues have been somewhat unkind to me over it." The bitchiness she could understand. The blatant mistrust of her abilities was something completely different. The fools thought that she couldn't be a competent asset, so they could all march themselves into utter self-destruction by letting lecherous men dictate the course of the galaxy. She'd be on the sidelines twirling her hair and laughing with a stiff drink in her hand before cleaning it up as a Jedi. The thought of power through the Force was appealing, almost to the point where it was unsettling. Almost.
"Leia, I understand your disappointment, but politics has been your dream for a long time now. You worked so hard for the position that you have, for your future aspirations. You can't let that go", Din implored. He'd been angered by the tribunal's decision as well to the point where he seriously considered threatening various senators in hopes that they would renege on their vote to acquit Pryde, but reason had won, and he'd kept his distance.
"No, Din. It's okay, I'm not broken up over it. All I want from now on is to focus on my training with the Jedi and you. Nothing else matters to me. Please be happy for my decision", Leia said as she stroked Din's cheek.
That woman and her damned ability to get Din relaxed and distracted from the point he was trying to make was maddening. "Alright", he whispered. "But know that if you ever change your mind, I'll be behind you all the way and that won't ever change."
He was rewarded with a brilliant smile from his lover. "That's all a girl can ask for", she said just before she let out a drawn-out yawn. "Excuse me", she said as the two chuckled. They'd spent so much time with one another that they hadn't slept very much and were both at the verge of running themselves ragged.
"I think it may be time for bed", Din suggested. Leia's expression became hopeful which made Din shake his head. "No, I don't mean bed as a suggestion that we have sex, sweetheart, I mean bed as in sleep", he said as he stood up, pulling her with him.
Leia pouted in disappointment. "I'm not that tired…", she began before she yawned again. For fuck's sake, her position was ruined by those damned yawns.
"With that, I rest my case. Come on, let's put you and your raging libido to bed", Din said as he placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her towards the stairs.
"My what?", Leia exclaimed. "I seem to remember your raging libido keeping us in bed for most of the day yesterday." The nerve of that oversexed soldier accusing her of being the one with the hyperactive sex drive.
"You have a point; we both have raging libidos. Now let's get some sleep", he said as he let out a hearty laugh. He wasn't about to be accused of the only one responsible for the near constant lovemaking the previous day, no matter how much she pouted.
"Fine, but you're going to cuddle me all night, mister", Leia said in the most serious tone she could muster, which at the moment wasn't a very serious tone at all.
The couple climbed the stairs and then did the most mundane of tasks that every couple could do. They brushed their teeth and washed their faces before stripping off their clothes and donning sleep attire. While they still enjoyed sleeping in the nude, they found that on the occasions where sleep was the primary goal, having some flimsy cloth between their skin meant they'd barely manage to be able to keep their hands off one another and actually rest.
They both got in bed and Din pulled Leia's back into his chest, spooning the hell out of her per her request. They both laid there lost in thought as they tried to go to sleep.
"Din?", Leia asked in a small voice. She wasn't sure how he'd take the next question, even though she'd said she wasn't ready to talk about it.
"What is it, Leia", Din murmured sleepily.
"When do you think you'll leave again?", her voice indicated she was fighting tears away as best as she could.
"Sweetheart, I'm still on medical leave, it should be a while. I thought you didn't want to talk about this right now", Din replied as he sinched his arm tighter around her waist in an attempt to comfort her. He could feel her emotions change from being content to sad through their bond and he didn't want her to fret about the inevitable. They should enjoy the peace while they had it.
"I know I did; I just had a sudden thought that you might be gone sooner rather than later. I know it's silly to think that, but I just got overwhelmed." The notion to her was troubling and she didn't know how to shut her mind off. It was as automatic as a muscle reflex, it just happened.
"Leia, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I promise you." Din's voice was soothing and so were the kisses that he placed at the top of her head. Leia responded by backing up into him as far as she could, not wanting a fraction of an inch between them and suddenly rued her nightgown and his pajama shirt. She would have much preferred their bare skin to skin contact during this moment of weakness.
She turned her head to him, and he gently moved his above hers to give her a quick kiss. "Feel better?", Din asked as they both settled back down into their comfortable position.
"Much better." Her words were a bare whisper as she squeezed out tears from her eyes. Whatever would happen, she felt solace in Din's comforting embrace. She would just have to deal with the future when it came. She felt his breathing slow which lulled her into a blissful slumber.
Location: Coruscant – Underground Military Complex
"So, you're saying Jabba is on the moon Nar Shaddaa, not it's planet, Nal Hutta?", Anakin asked with a slight growl. Intelligence had been saying that the hut had been on the planet, not the moon, for some time now. Anakin knew that Intelligence sometimes made mistakes and got things wrong, however, this plan relied heavily on knowing which location to strike with overwhelming force. They wouldn't get a second opportunity.
"Yes", we've verified this with two separate assets on Nar Shaddaa. There's no mistaking it, Jabba is there", Piett said confidently. "Shall we go over the proposal now?"
Anakin nodded and his lips formed into a thin line signaling his impatience. He'd been waiting for three long days for this information and was wanting to get the gory details out of the way so he could figure out how to tell his wife and daughter that Din would be leaving far sooner than expected.
Piett nodded and drew up a holoprojection of the system. "This operation will involve three fleets under a unified command. Each fleet will be responsible with their own objectives in order to simplify the battle formations. The First Fleet will strike at Nar Shaddaa and will be responsible for the deployment of armored transports, Stormtroopers, and army regulars after an orbital bombardment from the Destroyers and additional target softening attacks by Tie Bombers. Interceptors will maintain air superiority over the battlefield and Tie Fighters will provide close air support as needed by the landing element. The Second Fleet will be tasked with a strictly orbital bombardment of the spaceports and military garrisons that are located on the few land masses of Nal Hutta. The Third Fleet will engage any capital ships that are ensnared by the gravity wells of the interdictor cruisers. All in all, this should be an overwhelming response to the terrorist attacks."
This was exactly what Anakin had hoped for, a chance to decimate the Hutts' crowned jeweled planet and moon. "I'm fine with the orbital bombardments of Nal Hutta. I want you to include any of the swamps near the landmasses in your bombardment. I want that planet reduced to steaming slag by the time we're done with it."
This drew an immediate grimace from Piett and the rest of the command staff present. They'd been used to Anakin's prior edicts that only minimal strikes were to be used on planetary surfaces to avoid needless casualties.
"I understand everyone's concern", Anakin began as his voice dripped with anger. "Regardless of your feelings, Nal Hutta has been a breeding ground for our enemy for far too long. Do what you can to avoid strictly civilian targets, if there are any, but I still want the terrain of the planet to be scorched for years to remind the Hutts of how far we'll go if the Empire is ever attacked in such a manner again. No exceptions."
"Of course, sir", Piett said. "That being said, General Veers will detail the ground assault of Nar Shaddaa. General Veers?"
The General stood up and took Piett's spot at the controls to the holoprojector. He keyed in a few commands and the projection zoomed into a section of the sprawling ecumenopolis on the moon's surface.
"As you may know, this is Hutta Town, the capital of the moon. While the city is mainly filled with towering buildings and shanties in between, there is a flat location to the north of the city where the buildings are only around four to six stories tall." Veers zoomed in on the northern section. "This complex here is where we believe Jabba has barricaded himself along with many of his top lieutenants. Our orbital bombardments will clear a two mile radius around the entire complex which will give our ground transports enough room to land and disembark their troops and armored walkers."
"Where does Commander Djarin's squadron fit into this plan? As a reminder, I'll be joining him to secure the Hutt", Anakin said. He was hellbent on being part of the ground assault and damn anyone who attempted to tell him otherwise. It had been years since he'd fought in combat and was eager to taste it again, but his time away from groundside operations meant he no longer had a good rapport with the various field grade officers within the Army and Stormtrooper Corps. He would have to rely on Din to provide sound tactical advice and support. While he was sure that he was still a lethal opponent, even he knew that it would be suicide for him to attempt to take on an entire assault by himself. He had already asked the Jedi to assist in the operation, but they as usual declined, emphasizing their role as ambassadors of peace, which was beyond frustrating.
"Commander Djarin's squadron will take point on the assault in the compounds weakest section which is on the east side. We believe that his squadron along with yourself will be able to gain entrance and secure the Hutt within the central building. The difficult part will be ensuring that there is adequate support once you're inside. The area is tight and while smaller walkers such as AT-STs will be able to maneuver within the compound, the AT-ATs will be primarily charged with breaching the defenses and providing long ranged fire against point targets", Veers finished. It was the best assault plan that they'd been able to come up with on such a short notice. There was no room for errors and the Imperial forces could very well find themselves outnumbered even though they were dropping close to thirty thousand personnel around the objective.
"Okay, so where does that leave us for extraction incase, we're overrun inside of the compound?", Anakin asked as he squeezed the bridge of his knows between a thumb and finger. This plan was starting to give him a headache. There was so much that needed to go without error in order for this to be a successful mission, and Anakin was not about to lead the men on a suicide run. He'd rather abandon the plans altogether.
"In case you and Dagger Squadron are overrun, we'll have assault transports on standby to be able to swoop in and pull you out. There will also be a shuttle with the transports to load the Hutt and his lieutenants abord as the assault transports are far too small to house them. You'll need to stay vigilant on the coms in case we have to pull the assault force back in the event that a reaction force is dispatched by the Hutts in the other areas of Hutta Town. I don't believe I have to say how critical it will be to stay on task", Veers replied. He knew he was pushing his luck, but the Emperor was not acting like himself in his lust for revenge. This battle proposal should've taken the better part of a month to prepare for and Veers was concerned that there would be ample opportunity for the Hutts to inflict heavy casualties over the course of the pitched battle.
"Alright. We'll plan to leave within the week. I want this operation to be kept classified. I'll inform the Commander of the plan the day after tomorrow but keep things vague with the fleets as well as with the ground forces. If anyone asks directly what we'll be doing, tell them that the orders will be sealed until we are preparing to jump to hyperspace. I still need to issue my edict to the people, so the Senate has no chance of censoring me regardless of how the battle concludes. I would like to remind everyone that we are not moving in the system to occupy it or completely dismantle the Hutt Crime Syndicate or their influence and control of the Slaver Confederacy. Those battles will be fought later on, and we'll certainly need whatever intelligence we can obtain from Jabba. Do I make myself clear?" Damn the officer that objects, Anakin thought sourly.
He'd finally found his balls after his daughter and future son in law were nearly killed the other week and it made him regretful of how he'd handled the war thus far. The Senate would have no say in this operation and Din knew that he'd have to make concessions to them after the battle, but this was worth it. It had to be worth it.
"Very good, sir", Veers responded. "You'll have no qualms from us. We're here to do a job. It'll be messy, but it's still what we do."
"Excellent", Anakin replied. He turned his attention to Admiral Piett. "Call the Fleet Admirals of the Second and Third Fleets to a meeting. Tell them and only them of our plans and emphasis that if there is a leak of information, there will be swift and unforgiving consequences." The entire room felt cold to the other officers due to Anakin's aura. He was no longer the benevolent leader; he was more akin to the cold blooded commander that the galaxy had been terrorized by so long ago.
"If that'll be all, sir, I'd like to have a word in private with you", Piett said. He needed to get something off his chest before they made any other attempts to pursue this mission.
Anakin nodded and the rest of the officers promptly filed out of the conference room, leaving Piett alone with the Jedi Master.
"Anakin, I'm concerned by how much this mission is affecting you. You seem to have lost the calculated persona that I've known for many years and you're acting more like the person that ceased to exist once you were reunited with your family." There, he said it. There wasn't any taking it back now, Piett would just have to stand silently while Anakin considered the words.
Much to Piett's surprise, Anakin sighed and leaned back into his chair. "Firmus, you're right as usual, but I'm having a difficult time maintaining that perspective. There was nearly a devastating attack that would've killed two people that I care for very much along with a sizeable portion of the Senate and millions of beings that lived near the potential blast radius of the anti-matter bomb. I cannot let that act go unpunished. I just can't. I will meditate on my anger, but there won't be a change in any of my decisions. The Imperial Admirals will keep their silence and the Hutts will pay a hefty price for their actions. Is that understood?"
"Of course, it is, Anakin. You know that I have your back on this, but part of me having your back is making sure you don't ensnare yourself into becoming someone that you don't want to", Piett said. That's all he wanted. He would take the fleets to the edge of the known galaxy if Anakin commanded it, but only if Anakin was willing to stay centered and not let his mind become clouded with emotions.
"Again, you're right, Firmus. I'm not going to let myself fall down the dark path again. I just am concerned over the assault. I have to tell my wife and daughter about this raid before I let Din know. Din will do his duty, but those women will be out for my head once I tell them of my intentions", Anakin replied. His shoulders heaped up and down from stress and he hadn't slept well ever since he was notified of the assault while negotiating at the Empress Teta System.
Piett gave Anakin a quick nod. "If that will be all, Anakin, I'll go see to contacting the Admirals."
"Go on, Firmus. Let me know if you need anything from me", Anakin said tiredly.
"Yes, sir. Get some rest Anakin", the Admiral said as he walked out.
Force help me for what I'm to do tomorrow, he thought with a scowl. Something inside of him knew that it wouldn't go well.
The next day. Location: Coruscant – Underground Military Complex
"Well, what the hell did you all want, I am missing out on time with my beautiful yet very pregnant wife", Wedge said as he walked into the squadron briefing room.
"Wedge, the boys and I figured we needed to do a little something about that", Din said with a huge grin on his face. He couldn't believe that Wedge hadn't caught on to their not so elaborate ruse.
"Yeah, what's that, Din?", Wedge asked impatiently.
Din swiftly brought a blue teddy bear in front of him and handed it to Wedge. "If Dalia gets a baby shower, then you get an abridged one."
Wedge looked at the stuffed bear and felt tears sting his eyes. He looked up at the squadron and the rest of the men held gifts of their own. From bottles of whiskey to boxes of diapers. It was everything that an expecting father could ask for.
"Guys, you really don't know what this means to me", Wedge said as he choked on his words. He'd never imagined that the callused men would ever do something like this for him. They weren't married, they didn't have any type of connection with women, save Din. They just did this out of the goodness of their hearts.
Din wrapped his arms around the younger man and slapped his back a few times. "You're going to be a great dad", he whispered. "You take care of me and the squadron, so you'll be able to handle whatever a baby boy throws at you."
Wedge just buried his face in the taller man's shoulder and struggled to keep from crying. Din held his friend for a few moments, allowing Wedge to compose himself. There was a bond between men who had shared the hellish experience of combat. Some would say the bond was stronger than any relationships the men would have in their personal lives. Significant others and parents would never know what it felt like to have to place their lives in another's hands.
After he was able to regain his military bearing, Wedge pulled himself from Din's embrace and began to give back slapping hugs to the rest of his squadron members, thanking each of them for their gifts.
"Any thoughts on a name for the boy yet?", Tycho asked. "We're all dying to know if it'll be Wedge Junior or if you'll choose something exotic."
"We're still working on it. Every time Dalia and I think of a name that'll fit, we change our minds and go back to the drawing board", Wedge replied. "It's probably the most frustrating thing we've had to do the entire pregnancy."
"Well, you two still have what, five months to go? I'm sure you'll figure it out. Then the rest of the bullshit like changing diapers and sleepless nights will set in", Din said.
"And how in the fuck do you know about that, Commander?", Derek asked. "Do any of your one night stands have a kid after you fucked them senseless?"
That was a low blow, but Din let it roll off his back. To his knowledge, none of the women he'd been with had children, which was surprising. Hell, he was surprised that Leia hadn't gotten pregnant with all of the unprotected sex they'd have. Sure, she was on birth control, but that stuff was never one hundred percent effective.
"No, Derek. If you'll remember the Skywalkers have two six year old children. I was twenty one when they'd been born and I can still remember how zombified the Emperor and Empress were after their second set of twins were born", Din replied with confidence. "Of course, I didn't have to experience the actual joys of taking care of newborns, but I did and still do play with them."
"So what you're saying is that Wedge has hope?", Ardan said with a snort. "If you can tolerate being around tired parents, Wedge should be able to deal with actually being a parent."
"That's actually a huge vote of confidence", Wedge laughed.
The squadron spent the next hour trading jokes and generally being encouraging to Wedge who of course was touched by the entire event. There was nothing like feeling loved by your brothers in arms and he certainly felt loved. After the party was over, Wedge motioned Din to stay behind.
"Hey, you know that all of those jokes about you not being able to be a good parent were bullshit, right?", Wedge asked.
Din chuckled. "I think there was some truth behind the jokes, but I'm not going to get upset over them. I've never considered myself to be father material anyway."
"Din, you've got a beautiful young woman who's going to want kids with you. Of course you're going to be a great dad. You've got the patience to deal with us, which is saying something. You're selfless and are willing to do anything to get the job done. If you translate all that into being a dad, you'll make one hell of a parent", Wedge replied. "Thinking anything else is just dumb."
Din mulled over Wedge's kind words before responding. "Thanks, Wedge. That means a lot to me. I'm sure that after I propose, Leia and I will have a serious discussion about kids."
"Speaking of which, when in the hell are you going to propose to Leia? It's been almost over a month since we've been on Alderaan. Don't leave a girl hanging so long", Wedge gently admonished.
"I know, Wedge. I want it to be special and haven't found the opportunity to do it. Like I told you before, I want it to be something that we'll be able to tell our kids about later on in life", Din replied. "Jumping the gun won't do it. It has to be perfect."
"Okay, but just know that while making a proposal special is all good, at the end of the day, she'll just be happy that you did it", Wedge said. "Now, I gotta get this stuff back to the apartment and tell Dalia about how great my friends are."
"Sounds good, Wedge", Din said as he shared another hug with his best friend. "Give Dalia my love."
"Always", Wedge replied as he walked off, leaving Din alone with his own thoughts.
Location: Coruscant – Skywalker Residence
Anakin nervously paced in his study as he waited for Leia to show up. Padmé had done her best to try and pry out what Anakin wanted to say, but he didn't relent. He wanted to have a single conversation with his daughter and wife, no exceptions.
"You're going to wear down the carpet with all that pacing, Ani", his wife admonished. "Why don't you sit down and have a drink before Leia gets here It'll help calm your nerves for whatever you're going to say."
Anakin shook his head. "No, I need to be in a clear mind when she gets here, and no, before you ask, I'm not going to tell her anything yet. We're going to wait for Leia and that's final."
Padmé huffed in annoyance. "Fine, we'll wait, Anakin. But this had better be something worth it seeing how you specifically didn't want Din to be here. You're making me incredibly nervous."
"It will, I promise", Anakin said softly. "I don't mean to make you nervous; this is just something we have to talk about."
Suddenly, Leia walked into the study. "Okay, someone tell me what is going on and why I couldn't bring Din." Her arms were crossed, and she didn't look happy with the situation. If someone had something to say, Din should be included. He was hers and vice versa, they didn't keep anything from one another.
Anakin took a deep breath. "Leia, please sit down." He knew that this wasn't going to go well with Leia's posture already being hostile.
Leia sat down next to her mother and Anakin took a seat in front of both women.
"First, know that this isn't something I take lightly", he said as he forced himself to elaborate. "I need Din and his team to accompany me on an assault on Nar Shaddaa within the week. No exceptions, this is something too big for me to go without them."
"Ani, no. How could you possibly take such an action", Padmé implored. "He nearly died barely a week and a half ago and now you're going to take him away again. That's not right!" Padmé was infuriated beyond believe. "This is just like when you let him join the Stormtroopers except worse!"
Padmé couldn't believe it, this was such a shock to her system. "And you're going to be in combat yourself? You haven't done that in years!"
Leia just observed the two quietly. Her heart pounded in her chest and her eyes seethed in anger. Din was going to be taken away from her and sent to one of the most dangerous places in the galaxy. Everyone Nar Shadaa was a violent and lawless hellhole. No one dared go there unless they were prepared to fight for their lives.
"Padmé, we have to retaliate against the enemy for what they did at the Senate. Our own daughter nearly got killed because of them. We can't let that go unanswered; it would be a sign of weakness to the rest of the galaxy. A sign of weakness to our own systems! If they don't believe that we can protect them, then they'll declare themselves neutral just to avoid having the same attacks done to them." Anakin knew his arguments were valid, he just had to convince his wife otherwise.
"Fine, I understand what you're saying, but you can't lead the assault and you can't ask Din to join you when he's still recovering from his injuries! I won't have it, I can't have it", Padmé said with an icy tone that was colder than Hoth itself. She turned to her daughter and put a hand on her leg, she could feel her shivering. "Leia, are you alright?"
Leia shook her head. "No, I'm far from being alright", she said quietly. "Dad, I need to ask you a question and I need you to be completely honest with me. Can you do that?"
Anakin looked at his daughter and nodded his head. He was visibly shaken by the conversation and was absolutely fearful of his daughter's response. Would she hate him for this? He knew if something happened to Din, she would be completely heartbroken. He was almost starting to regret even thinking of such an attack against the Hutts.
"Does Din know about this?", Leia asked. Din had promised her that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. If he had lied to her after promising her, she didn't truly know the man that she loved.
"No, Leia. I haven't told him. I wanted to talk to the two of you first, so you'd know that this was my idea, not his", Anakin said forcefully. He wasn't about to have Din be in trouble for his own actions.
Leia felt nothing but sincerity from her father and breathed a sigh of relief. Her lover hadn't lied to her, he hadn't made a promise he knew he wouldn't be able to keep. But her relief didn't last long. Her emotions quickly turned back to anger at her father. "You know I love you, dad. You know that you mean the world to me. Do you understand me?", Leia asked as her voice shook.
"I know, Leia. I've always known that", Anakin said. He didn't know where his daughter was going with this. Anger was pulsing from her aura in such a way that frightened him.
"Then understand me when I say that you… you are the greatest asshole that I've ever known!", Leia said vehemently. "You're ripping the man I love more than life than itself away from me. This isn't just about the war; this is about you trying to prove something to yourself! It is a selfish, bullheaded, and outrageous decision and you know it. You're not acting like Anakin Skywalker; you're acting like Darth Vader." The last was probably the greatest insult that Leia could have ever said to her father.
"Leia, I understand you're angry with me, but don't you dare insinuate that I'm Darth Vader again!", Anakin roared. His was furious at the notion, completely enraged. He'd been nothing but a kind and loving father to his daughter and she had the nerve to insult him like that. "You're the one that's been taping into the Dark Side of the Force! You're the one who's been giving into your fears! I've felt it so much that it's shocked me, disgusted me to my core so don't you even think about denying it!" He shot to his feet, ready to continue his tirade against his daughter.
Leia stood up with her fists clenched. "Then why are you doing this if you know that I'm giving into my fears! Why the fuck are you even considering taking Din on this suicide mission if you've known that my visions could come to be a reality! I'm so sick I can barely stand to look at you right now!" This asshole of a man that she loved dared to make such a low blow.
In reality, both father and daughter were making seemingly outrageous accusations against one another. Seemingly. They were in fact speaking the truth, both had been acting like people they shouldn't be.
Padmé stood in alarm. "Just what exactly are the two of you talking about? Leia, are you using the Dark Side? Don't you know how dangerous it is to even entertain using those evil powers?" Her shock doubled, she felt like she was punched in the gut. Did her husband really keep Leia's struggle from her? Why didn't her daughter not come to her and talk to her about what was going on, she would've been frightened but she would've tried everything that she could have to help her daughter.
"Stay out of this, mother. This is between father and I." She wasn't about to get into an argument with Padmé, she wasn't going to let her mother distract her from being angry at her father. She would deal with her later.
"No! Both of you calm down now!", Padmé screeched. "I'm not about to let this family get torn apart by this. I won't have it, I won't!" If she didn't get control of the situation now, there would be an irreparable rift between her husband and daughter. "We're going to discuss these issues like rational people and then we're going to come to some sort of understanding with one another." While Padmé hadn't been a politician ever since her death was faked after Anakin's fall, that didn't mean she didn't retain her razor sharp skills as an effective mediator.
Anakin and Leia were briefly taken aback by Padmé's outburst and they mutely nodded their heads and sat back down. "Now, Anakin. Leia and I are beyond upset that you're choosing this course of action against the enemy and even angry at the fact that you're asking us, especially Leia, to be alright with taking Din with you. It hurts that you would even think of taking a man that is still recuperating from grievous injuries with you on a mission that is so dangerous that even you would be at risk of getting killed. Anakin, you're upset that Leia insulted you by comparing who you really are with the man that you briefly were so many years ago. You've tirelessly proven that you're not that man and never will be again, but we are concerned that your motivation to perform this mission is one stemming from anger. Leia, your father has intense concern with your apparent brushes with the Dark Side and if what he says is true, so do I. If you are to insinuate that your father is acting like Darth Vader, then you should be firmly in control of your own emotions and not give in to your own anger. Can we all agree to these facts?"
Both father and daughter nodded again in agreement, however that didn't lessen the sting, the contempt that they felt. Their relationship had been damaged, and they would have to heal it, but not now.
"Anakin, we've heard why you feel that the attack against the Hutts is warranted. What we need to hear from you now is why you are deadest on taking Din with you", Padmé said. Deep down she knew why, but she needed her husband to walk them both through his rational.
"I hate saying this, but we all know that Din is one of the most skilled soldiers within the Empire. He's someone that has an innate ability to read a situation with the intuition of a Jedi, which confounds me given his lack of ability to use the Force. He's also a leader that has the ability to inspire others to follow him into the direst of situations. Admittingly, I haven't been in a ground combat environment in years. I don't know any officers that I would trust enough to have my back, so I need Din, I need him", Anakin implored.
Leia sucked in a breath. As much as she didn't want to acknowledge what her father said, she knew that he was right. The love of her life was an incredible leader and fighter, it was understandable that her father would want him by his side.
Padmé nodded. "Leia, setting aside for the moment at least, Anakin's concerns of your temptations with the Dark Side, please tell your father what you think of his statement and how you feel about it."
This wasn't going to be easy for Leia. "Father, I understand what you're saying, and I have to admit that you make a valid point. Din is a remarkable man both on the battlefield and off of it. He's also the man that I love and the mere thought of him risking his life like this hurts me more than anything. I need you to understand that. I need you to acknowledge that taking him with you will do nothing but hurt me. That if he dies, I'll want to die as well."
Both of her parents flinched at the last part of her statement, but they knew it was true. They'd never seen their daughter more alive in the past several months than they'd ever seen her before.
Padmé closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "Anakin, how do you feel about Leia's statement?"
Anakin visibly swallowed and frowned hard enough to make all of the stress lines on his face deepen like chasms. "Leia, I know you don't want to hear it, but I know exactly how you feel. When I thought I'd killed your mother, I wanted nothing more than to die myself, but I was too much of a coward to do so. I will watch over Din, but I cannot promise that the unthinkable will happen to either of us."
"Okay, dad. I understand", Leia said before a great sob escaped her. She tried to blink tears from her eyes, but they flowed down her face. She folded her arms across her chest and when her mother tried to put a comforting hand on her should she flinched away. "Mother, what do you have to say?"
"I have to agree with both of your positions", Padmé said in a surprisingly neutral tone. "I just have to say that I'm caught in the middle and that I'm worried about the both of you after what you've said. I'm worried about Din too, I love him like a son, as much as I love Luke and Ben..." Her voice broke her own tears escaped her eyes to the point that she couldn't continue. Her husband and daughter looked at her in shock over her admission. They knew that Padmé always carried strong feelings towards the man, but they didn't know how great they were.
Anakin quickly stood and pulled both women up by their hands and wrapped his arms around them, holding them tight. He felt ashamed that he brought such despair to them, but there was no turning back now. He just prayed that he had made the right decision for everyone involved, even though a voice at the back of his mind screamed that he'd made a terrible mistake.
Location: Coruscant – Imperial Palace
Din exited the lift and walked to the apartment he shared with Leia whistling a cheerful tune. The time that he'd spent with Wedge and the rest of his squadron lifted him up and he felt that nothing could bring him down. At least that's what he felt until he neared the door of the apartment. He paused as emotions of anger and grief affronted his mind to the point where it almost hurt him physically. He quickly keyed in the access code to the door and rushed inside, concerned with Leia's wellbeing.
"Leia?", he called out. "Sweetheart, I felt you, where are you?" Leia practically ran down the stairs and into Din's arms so hard it knocked him back a pace. His hands wrapped around her shoulders and he desperately tried to send soothing thoughts to her, but he couldn't bare to summon them as he was so overwhelmed by her frantic emotions. "Leia…", he tried to speak, but a lump was caught in his throat, so he picked her up and carried her into the living area and sat them both down on the couch as he tried to sooth her.
They sat like that for the better part of an hour as tears flowed freely from their eyes, unable to speak and barely able to breathe. Both of them overwhelmed with their own emotions and those of each other.
Finally, Din was able to break free from the wicked spell and speak. "Leia, what is troubling you? What happened?" He couldn't go any longer without knowing. Whatever it was, he had to find out.
Leia shuddered against him and desperately tried to collect herself so she could form coherent thoughts. She looked up at him with puffy eyes and took a deep breath. "Has father reached out to you?" She needed to know before she proceeded any further.
Din shook his head as his stomach twisted in knots. "No, he hasn't. Why? What did he say to you?" A million possible scenarios ran through his mind.
"Honey… he's planning an attack on Nar Shadaa", Leia said quietly. "He's going to lead the attack on the ground personally.
A cold wave of fear washed over Din. He understood how serious of an action that was and how many lives would surely perish, and he knew that Anakin would be risking his life. That had to be the source of her fear and he understood it completely. Anakin meant the world to Leia, and he knew how much she loved him. It would completely devastate her if he was killed. "I'm sorry, Leia. That worries me too. I don't understand why he would do such a thing; he hasn't been in combat since before I enlisted."
Leia weakly nodded but had to brace herself. She had to force herself to continue as Din needed to hear this from her, not her father or High Command. She had to be strong enough for him especially since the man had literally shown great strength in saving her life. "Din, there's more to it than that."
"Okay, what is it?", Din asked as the cold fear intensified to the point that it almost made him physically shake.
"Father is going to ask you to lead your team alongside him. He said he needs you with him", Leia continued as her voice cracked. She braced herself for Din's reaction, whatever it might be.
Din closed his eyes as he tried to center himself. He'd promised Leia that he wouldn't be going anywhere soon, but Anakin was going to press him into breaking that promise. It angered him beyond belief, so much to the point that Leia physically flinched in his arms. He opened his eyes and stared at Leia for a minute as a war raged inside of his mind. "No", he said. "I'm not going to go."
Leia's eyes widened. "Din, he's not going to leave you much choice. He's going to order you to go with him."
Din broke from the embrace and stood up. He pounded a fist into his other hand as he racked his brain trying to come up with a solution to the problem and began to furiously pace back and forth. Anakin was well within his rights as Emperor to make such a demand. As an officer, he had no right to refuse such an order. There was nothing he could do to shirk such a responsibility.
"Din, tell me what you're thinking", Leia pleaded. She'd never seen such a strong reaction from him and was shocked that he would even consider not going.
He whirled around to face her. "I promised you that I wouldn't leave and I'm not going to break that promise. Yes, your father can order me to go, but he can't order me if I resign my commission. I'll hand it into Admiral Piett first thing in the morning." He'd never been so convicted in his life.
Leia leapt to her feet, as much as she was afraid, she couldn't ask him to do this. It would be like asking him to cut off his hand. "Din, you can't be serious. Being in the Special Forces is a part of your life, you can't throw that away. This is who you've been for almost half of your life."
"You're a part of who I am", Din growled. "I can live without being in the military, but I can't live with myself if I break my promise to you. Don't fight me on this, Leia."
"Now wait just a minute, this isn't something that I can just watch from the sidelines without you having my input. It's too big of a decision for that", Leia said passionately. "If you do this, a part of you will die and you'll eventually bury yourself in regret over it. You'll die inside and I can't watch you go through that."
Din stared at her incredulously. "I could die on Nar Shadaa, then you wouldn't see me at all! What about that? No, I've made my decision and that's final."
"Nothing is final until we've both listened to one another! We're in a partnership, we can't just make a lifechanging decision without gathering the input from one another. You told me just last night that you'd be behind me if I decided to resume my career in politics. You implored me to stay as it would be me giving up on my dream. You can't expect me to not feel the same way about your decision." Leia was going to die on this hill if she had to. She wasn't going to relent no matter how much Din tried to push her. "I told you that I would be with you no matter what happens. That means that as much as I am afraid of the unthinkable happening on Nar Shadaa, I still need to, no, I have to see it through! Don't you see that? You will die a spiritual death if you resign your commission and I won't be able to live with myself if I was the reason for it."
"Leia, listen to me…", Din began but was quickly cut off.
"No, don't Leia, listen to me, anything! I also remember you telling me that you'd be with me even if the unthinkable were to happen on the chance that I continued down a dark path in the Force. That you would never give up on me. Well, Commander Djarin, I'm not going to give up on a part of you that has existed since long before you and I got together!" Leia's hands were clenched into fists and her face bright red from yelling. Din could see how convicted she was and at that moment understood how hypocritical he would be if he didn't listen to her, if he brushed what she was saying aside. At that moment he understood that him breaking a promise was far less harmful than if he resigned his commission. His shoulders slumped and he looked down at the floor, unable to meet her eyes.
After what seemed like an eternity between them, Din was finally able to look up at her. "You're right, it wouldn't be fair for me not to listen to your input. It wouldn't be fair for me to make this decision without your support. I won't resign my commission." The words sounded foreign to him, but they made Leia soften her expression. He had listened to her and that was what she needed. "I just want to make sure you understand what this could mean."
Leia placed a hand to her mouth and muffled a cry. She collected herself before speaking. "Of course, I know what it could mean. I've known what every mission you've gone on could mean. Don't you remember me crying at your side after you crashed on Ord Mantell? How I poured my heart out to you the very evening before your last deployment? I said I didn't want you to die and I still don't." Another sob escaped her lips and she turned away.
Din quickly went to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she cried. He felt so guilty and his heart ached. He desperately wanted to take her pain away but knew that he couldn't.
"I never would have fallen in love with you, would never have been able to take care of you, never would've had you fall in love with me if you hadn't gone through what you did. I wouldn't have it any other way, Din. All of those things led us to each other", Leia managed to say.
"I know they did, Leia. I wouldn't have it any way either", Din murmured into her hair. "I love you."
"I love you too", Leia said as she reached up and placed both of her hands behind Din's neck, pulling him down for a kiss. A raw kiss, full of emotion. After she pulled away, Din pressed his forehead against hers and their noses brushed together.
The two stayed like that for the longest time, letting their emotions speak their love for one another. They were still both afraid of what might happen, but they had found one accord with each other. Whatever was to happen on Nar Shadaa was unrealized and they would just have to wait and see what would happen, but they both prayed that they would make it through to the other side.
A/N: Drop a review, it only takes a few seconds and I'd love the feedback.