Chapter Thirty Three:

Han spent the rest of the day with Luke, keeping him company while he was awake, and watching the holovid while the kid was asleep. At the moment, the older boy was reading a book.

Luke found that he didn't mind at all if Han stayed. And in fact... Luke rather liked Han. Han seemed to understand Luke's predicament much better than his family did. Han had actually stood up for Luke, had stood up to his mother and the doctor. For Luke.

And Han hadn't once made Luke feel like he was worthless. In truth, Luke felt like he should recognize Han somewhat, but for some reason Luke couldn't understand why.

Why did Han feel familiar? Luke was absolutely certain the two of them had never met in person before. But perhaps he'd seen Han before?

Luke hoped Han would become his friend, his very first outside of Kalira— though she had been more of a mother figure. The thought of the kind woman he'd known as a toddler brought Luke a measure of comfort.

What would she say if she could see Luke now? Would she be sitting here with him if she was still alive?

Luke closed his eyes and thought of Kalira, picturing her cinnamon hair, loosely tied in a ponytail. He recalled her arms, so warm and comforting as she'd hugged him to her petite frame. And most of all, her brown eyes had been the only eyes in his past to ever look upon him with genuine care for his wellbeing. She had loved him— had shared a special bond with Luke— and he had loved her in return.

A sound drew Luke's attention and he frowned, opening his eyes to peer at Han, who was sitting and reading something.

"... you say... something?" Luke struggled to ask. Speaking was still difficult for him. He would have to learn how to talk like everyone else now that he was allowed to do so.

Han looked up, blinking as his focus shifted from the book to Luke. "What? No, I didn't say anything. Why?"

Luke frowned, and then shrugged. He wasn't sure what he had heard. A little unnerved, Luke settled down to rest, wondering if he had actually heard anything, or if his mind was playing tricks on him.

Sighing wearily, Luke closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep for a bit.

00000

Leia went to see Luke after school, unaware that Padmé had been to see him that morning. Leia had cried herself to sleep the previous evening, hurt deeply that Luke didn't like his family. His emotions had been clear to Leia, and she had not fallen asleep until well into the night.

At school, Leia had allowed her mind to wander during class, too disheartened to pay any attention to what was going on. Her teacher had noticed, and asked her at lunch what was the matter. Leia had simply told him she was having a rough day.

Well, try not to let it drag you down so much. I'm sure that whatever is bothering you has a reasonable explanation. Leia's teacher had told her. Maybe you just haven't found that out yet.

The little chat with her teacher had helped shake Leia from her depression, and she was grateful.

It was during her musings after lunch, however, that Leia had finally come to terms with the fact that Luke apparently disliked the Skywalkers. But why?

What would make him be so angry with his family? What had they done to deserve that?

Leia tried to think like she had when she had been looking into Luke's disappearance, knowing she had another case on her hands. There was a reason Luke did not like his family, and Leia needed to find out what that was.

She had determined to talk with Luke, or at least talk to him, since he might not talk back to her.

So now she was walking through the halls of the hospital to Luke's room, the captain of her mother's security detail a step behind. When she arrived, Leia took a steadying breath and opened the door. She closed it behind her and peered around the curtain to see Luke... and Han.

Leia blinked in surprise. "Han?"

He looked up from a book and smiled somewhat sheepishly at her. "Hey Detective. How's your day?"

Leia sighed, coming closer, and noting that Luke was asleep. "It was rough, especially after last night."

Han frowned. "What, exactly, did happen last night?"

"Luke hates us," Leia whispered. "And by 'us', I mean his family."

Han lifted a brow. "I kinda sensed some tension between your brother and mother earlier today, but I had no idea it was so... extreme."

Leia frowned. "Mom was here?"

Han looked at the door, noting how she was alone. "Where's your father? Or mother?"

Leia looked away. "They asked the captain of my mother's guard to pick me up. I managed to convince him to let me see my brother. He is outside the door."

"Ah," Han said with a nod. Leia then eyed him oddly, and Han shifted a bit self-consciously. "What?"

"What are you doing here?" Leia asked without any negativity. She was honestly curious.

Han looked to her brother. "I wanted to see how Luke was doing. I figured it would be good to see how things ended up after all our hard work."

Leia blinked, but then smiled. "Indeed you are a good friend, Han. Thank you."

Han shrugged. "Think nothing of it."

Leia made to speak but was interrupted by the door opening. Both she and Han looked to see the curtain part to admit Doctor Kness. He smiled upon seeing Leia.

"Miss Skywalker," He said warmly, "it's nice to see you again my dear."

Leia smiled politely. "Thank you." Upon noticing what he held in his grasp, Leia frowned. "What's that for?"

Kness indicated a rather tiny looking cup of broth. "Luke tried eating earlier today, and it didn't end well. So I am giving him a much smaller portion. Hopefully that will stay put. If so, I will continue this amount for a day or so and then gradually add to the amount I give him until he can have a full portion without it coming back up."

"He ate?" Leia was shocked.

"Yes," Han affirmed. "A little after your Mom left, actually."

Leia eyed her brother, who was stirring now. "Well, I'm glad he is making progress."

She watched Luke wake further, shifting nervously as she waited to see how he would react to her presence. Han came closer and briefly laid a hand on her shoulder for support. Leia offered a grateful smile, but it lacked enthusiasm.

Kness, also seeing Luke stirring, waited for the boy's blue eyes to open. When they did Kness smiled. "Hello Luke. I've got your next meal, if you want to try again."

Luke's eyes brightened at the mention of food, and he nodded, trying to sit up. Kness showed him how to work his bed, and Luke sighed when he was sitting more upright. Kness placed the cup in Luke's hand, and Leia saw how Luke grasped the cup perhaps a little too firmly.

It's like he's afraid someone will come take it away from him. Leia thought sadly. Even after knowing Hazael was dead, Luke still had subconscious fears that kept him from fully trusting anyone. Leia supposed that was because of how long-ingrained his experiences were.

Luke made to sip the broth and Kness held up a cautionary finger. "Now, take it slow. I know you really crave the food, but— as you found out earlier— if you go to fast and do too much, you will not hold it down. Your body needs to relearn how to take in and digest food."

Luke nodded, and obediently sipped his meal slowly and carefully until it was all gone. It took about five minutes by Leia's estimation. Once he was done, Luke sat back with a satisfied sigh and closed his eyes. Leia was glad to see a small, but happy smile on her brother's lips.

She also began to wonder when he would notice her presence in the room. She was standing to the side, allowing Kness to do his job, but eventually the man would leave.

Indeed he checked Luke's vitals again and then left with a promise to bring more broth in a few hours time.

Luke looked about when Kness was gone, and finally noticed Leia. Instantly his face hardened and he looked at her in a way that almost asked why she was there.

Leia puckered up her courage and stepped closer. "Hi Luke. How are you doing today?"

He didn't answer, but nor did he look away. Leia tried not to see the anger there, but instead look for something to help her puzzle out the crux of the issue. Leia shifted under the intensity of his gaze, but managed to hold firm.

"I just wanted to see you," Leia said, trying to remain positive and hope that helped Luke soften up. "I got out of school a little while ago, and was on my way home."

At the mention of school, Luke winced, but when she said the word 'home', he did look away, and Leia could feel his deep sorrow on the Force. It wasn't long, however, before the anger returned, and he intentionally shifted to look away from her.

Han coughed, stepping up and placing a hand on Luke's good knee. "Hey, try to warm up a bit. This is your sister."

Grateful to Han for helping, Leia waited to see how Luke would respond. But he did nothing at all; instead he stared at a spot on the far wall, completely closed off now. Han thinned his lips and shrugged to Leia.

Clearly he was at a loss as well, though Leia was beginning to connect some dots mentally. She would need to speak with her parents to get their take on this. Backing away, Leia waved to Han, but spoke to both boys.

"I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Bye Detective," Han said in farewell.

Leia nodded to the captain. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're welcome," he said. "Ready to go now?"

"Yes." Leia whispered, glancing back to the door, but walking away.

00000

The room was dark, not a single speck of light visible. The door was locked and it was going to stay that way. Though, if any Jedi really wanted in, they'd simply need to use the Force to unlock the portal.

But Anakin paid no mind to any of that. He merely stayed in the seated position he had adopted upon finding his old room at the Jedi Temple. It hadn't been reassigned yet, so he wasn't intruding on anyone's privacy.

It had been cleared out long ago, when Anakin had moved in entirely with his wife and children. The absence of anything but the bare essentials helped Anakin keep his thoughts free of distraction.

It had been hours since he had locked himself into his room, and he could hear his stomach growling, but he resolutely pushed aside his hunger. He was not ready to leave just yet.

He had come here to both grieve and to find some peace. He had been meditating the entire day, a rarity for him.

Luke hated his family. The look in his son's eyes was burned into Anakin's mind, and he couldn't get it to leave. It hurt him deeply to know that his child held such sentiments about his father. And his mother, of course.

But Anakin was doing some personal thinking. Why would his son hate him? Anakin had never imagined the day Luke— sweet, login Luke— would ever look at him in such a way. Luke had always been so kind and gentle, so eager to explore life. He had always been eager to see Anakin, to be held by him and play, etcetera.

Anakin clung to the happier memories he held of his eldest: Luke had been born first, and so he was in fact the oldest Skywalker child.

...Anakin and Luke were home alone, watching speeder races on the holovid. Luke's attention was glued to the fast-moving vehicles, and the boy squealed with delight every now and again. Smiling proudly, Anakin knew Luke would be a mechanic like his father...

...Luke and Anakin were on the floor of the nursery, playing. Luke was on his stomach, learning how to push himself up on his arms. It had become a game. Luke would push up off the floor and Anakin would be waiting to give him a goofy face when the boy found him. Luke would giggle and flop back down to repeat the process...

...Luke refusing to eat a particular food until Anakin made ship noises and 'flew' the food to the boy's mouth. Luke clapped happily and opened his mouth for Anakin's offering...

...Anakin bathing Luke in the infant's tub, with Anakin being extra gentle with his fragile newborn. Luke merely looked at his father with utter trust, accepting the need to get wet, even though the process wasn't Luke's favorite thing in the world...

...Luke snuggled in to Anakin's chest, his little limbs tucked under him, with his head under his father's chin. It was their custom after his bath to lay the baby's bare body— with diaper on— against Anakin's bare chest, the latter resting in his favorite recliner in the living room, a blanket over Luke to protect him from getting cold...

Tears flowed from Anakin's eyes as the happy memories played on, though that last one was a particular favorite. Luke and Anakin had drawn so close in having that skin-to-skin contact when Luke was still an infant. He had loved to snuggle with his children, though Leia was less tolerant than Luke had been. So it had been a father-son thing more than anything else. Anakin dearly missed those simple joys, those deep-bonding moments.

A soft knock on the door alerted Anakin to the presence of a visitor and only when he realized who was on the other side did Anakin open it.

Obi Wan entered, closed the door and then took in the darkness. Without any form of judgment, Obi Wan sat beside Anakin, for a time merely offering his companionship. Anakin was grateful for that, and he let Obi Wan see him weeping.

Obi Wan placed a hand on Anakin's arm. "Padmé called just a little bit ago. She was worried that you had been gone all day with no explanation." Feeling Anakin wince, Obi Wan added. "Then she told me what occurred with Luke."

Anakin's breathing hitched, and he began to cry harder.

"Why... does he hate me?" he all but sobbed. His mind was stuck on the image of he and Luke in that recliner, snuggling as only a father and son could. "I have... only ever loved him!"

Obi Wan's heart went out to his brother-in-arms. "I don't know, but I have a theory."

Anakin looked to Obi Wan expectantly.

"You have loved Luke, yes, but he doesn't know that." Obi Wan explained. "He has been stuck with a cruel man for as long as he can remember. He would not remember being an infant, but neither does anyone."

Anakin sniffled, wiping at his face. "I know. But can he honestly think we didn't want him?"

He stopped, wondering where that had come from. How was he to know what Luke thought?

"If Hazael lied to Luke about you all... then yes, Luke could very well believe that." Obi Wan's voice was quiet. "And if he was cut off from everything and everyone, how would Luke have been able to find the truth for himself? He would have had little choice but to believe whatever Hazael, told him."

Anakin nodded. "You've got a point. But it still hurts to know Luke hates us right now. And he won't speak to any of us, so we cant find out exactly why."

"Try to give him time," Obi Wan suggested. "Perhaps he will warm up once things settle down?"

Anakin pondered that. "Maybe." He sighed, making to stand and wincing as stiff muscles protested. "Ow."

Obi Wan smirked. "You'll be fine once you begin walking. Go home to your family; hear what they have to say. And try to be patient and understanding with your son. He's been through a lot, and I don't think he knows how to cope with it."

Anakin nodded, hugging Obi Wan. "Thank you."

He did as Obi Wan suggested, returning home and taking a deep breath as he entered. Almost immediately Ijon ran up to him, and Leia wasn't far behind. They both hugged him tightly, and Anakin dropped to his knees to embrace them fully.

"We were worried about you, Dad," Leia whispered. "You've been gone all day."

Anakin grimaced. "I know. I just... needed time to grieve in my own way. I'm sorry to have worried all of you."

He stood, letting go of his children to embrace his wife, who had come close. "I'm sorry Angel. I didn't' mean to scare anyone."

Padmé clung to him. "I understand. We all needed to process this."

Leia led Anakin to the couch. "Mom, Dad, can we talk?"

Both of them nodded, and Ijon leapt up to join his parents on the couch, though he leaned against Anakin's side.

"I visited Luke after school today," Leia said, "and he wouldn't respond to me yet again. However," Leia held up a finger, "I think I may have a piece to the puzzle. I told him that I had come from school, and when I mentioned school he reacted like I had slapped him lightly."

Anakin and Padmé shared a look, but did not interrupt.

"However, when I mentioned home, Luke was clearly sad. But that was something that was taken back over by anger." Leia looked to her parents expectantly. "Do you have any thoughts?"

Anakin considered what Obi Wan had suggested. "I think maybe Luke believes whatever Hazael may have told him about us. Obi Wan thinks maybe Hazael told him things about us, and Luke probably had no way to prove him wrong."

Padmé nodded her agreement. "I think the same thing. I believe Hazael fed Luke lies, and he doesn't have anything to counteract that with."

Leia breathes deeply. We just need to figure out what lies Luke was fed."

"If he would just talk to us," Padmé whispered, and the rest of them nodded in agreement.

00000

Obi Wan looked up when Artoo, who had been on loan from Anakin ever since their return from Tatooine, tweeted excitedly at the Jedi Master.

Obi Wan rose from his meditation pose, feeling hope rise within his breast. Artoo had been diligently working to crack all the files from Hazael, and while he had already finished most of them, there was still one that was so encrypted Artoo had been working at it for several days already.

The trouble was, the codes were all outdated, so Artoo had had to sift through decade's worth of coding systems to find the correct one. Or so the droid had told Obi Wan upon his asking what was taking so long.

"Do you have something, Artoo?" Obi Wan asked when he was beside the squat blue and silver droid.

"Dooeep!" Artoo chirruped, and Obi Wan looked to the translating datapad Anakin had given Obi Wan. The auburn-haired Jedi still didn't know how Anakin could understand Artoo without help.

"You did? Excellent! Let's have a look then." Obi Wan sat down and waited expectantly as Artoo transferred the file to the datapad Obi Wan held.

However, as he read, a knot began to form in Obi Wan's stomach, and it only grew heavier.