1 Part three continued…



Leia's head rolled from side to side. She was barely awake. She knew, by the force, that she was hooked up to some blood machine to keep her living. She was so tired. She kept hearing voices. Cries of pain, cries of joy. She kept hearing things that there was no way she ever experienced. Am I dying? She wondered. Is this it?

She remembered hearing Han's voice, "I love you." Was that a dream or had it been real? She heard the curtain move but she couldn't. She was too tried. She wanted to sleep, permanently.

She heard a woman's voice, "You have some great friends. They've gone to get better help."

Help? Leia wondered. How could she possibly be okay? Get better? Luke had stabbed her with his lightsaber. Or perhaps that had been a dream. But it all seemed so real. Lightsaber wounds were impossible to heal, weren't they?

Images started flashing around her. Her childhood, her teenage years, Mara, Luke, her missions, Obi-Wan, her few minutes she had seen or spent with Han. Her mother's voice filled her ears, "Hang on, Darling. You will be all right. I love you."

Leia slipped silently back into her dark rest.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Han, Anakin, Luke, Ben, Bail, Winter, Mon Mothma, and, once they met him at the ship, Chewbacca haled the medical equipment to the old lady's hut.

The woman came out the door and stared in awe, "This is perfect. I need you all to leave for a few hours while I do this."

"Why?" Han asked, suspiciously.

"Just do it. It needs to be peaceful."

Bail tilted his direction towards a diner, "Come on. I'll buy you all lunch." Though he knew that no one was really up to eating.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The old woman stared at Leia. She looked so familiar, somehow. She shook her head. It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was getting her well. "Oh Honey you have a lot of people there who love you." She said as she began Leia's treatment.

Creating identical blood was a tricky business. It had been very popular in the days of the Republic but outlawed the Empire came into power. She sighed and began the long process of healing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Han Solo stared at the plate before him and then stated a question he'd been waiting to ask, "Okay for the last several hours we have been hanging out together and I still don't understand this story."

Anakin launched in my saying, "I'm her father." Han simply stared at him with a stunned expression. Anakin continued, "Leia Skywalker is my daughter."

"Lady Vader? I thought that was just a myth."

Anakin scuffed, "Hardly."

Han couldn't even speak, "So…what exactly does this mean?"

"I'm not sure. But first I'll have to prove my innocence, as well as I can, to the galaxy."

Bail gave his old friend a tight smile, "I'm sure that you'll be forgiven, in time, my friend, in time."

Mara paced in impatience. Luke was gone from her life, forever. Nothing was going to change that. Ever. Not that she could blame him. Leia had been her friend and she had totally betrayed her by trying to kill her, not that she had ever gotten that chance.

They had just received word that the Death Star had been destroyed and she knew that both Luke had Darth Vader had forsaken the Dark Side. The Emperor was not going to be pleased. Not at all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Leia's eyes blinked open. She saw the caring, worried face of an old woman, "Where am I?"

The old woman squeezed her hand, "You're alive."

"Barely," Leia muttered, "Thank you. Where is everyone?"

"I sent your family away. They are due back in a few minutes."

"My family?"

The older woman nodded, "Yes. Your brother, father, and a whole bunch of other people."

"My father?" Leia asked stunned.

"Yes, Anakin Skywalker. Err…. Darth Vader."

Even in her weakened state Leia picked up on her words. "How do you know that my father was once Anakin Skywalker?"

Fortunately for the woman the others arrived just then. She left the room to report to them that Leia was awake and they could go visit her, one by one. Bail Organa wanted to go first, if that was okay. Minutes later Bail came in, "Hi. How are you feeling?"

Leia gave her old nemesis a smile, "I've been better. Why are you here?"

"Because your mother would want me to be here."

Mon Mothma poked her head in, "Bail you have a call from Alderaan."

Bail nodded and squeezed Leia's hand, "Get better, promise?"

"I promise."

Bail gave her one last smile and walked back through the curtain. Mon Mothma reentered, "Well Leia you sure showed all of us how dedicated you were."

Leia shook her head weakly as Mon Mothma sat down, "I wish I didn't have to fight Luke."

Mon Mothma huffed, "You had no choice, darling. Luke is here."

A dark cloud fell over Leia, "Probably to finish the job."

Wedge stuck his head in, waved at Leia, and said, "Mon Mothma you've got someone out here nearly bouncing off the walls to see her."

Mon Mothma's face exploded in a smile, "All right then."

After see and Wedge left Leia wondered who it was. She didn't have to wait long, however, as he entered. "Han!"

Han gave her a lopsided grin as he plopped down in the chair, "Hey."

Leia was thrilled to see him, "I thought I was dreaming when I saw you."

Han took her hand and shook his head, "Nope. I was there and I meant what I said when I told you I loved you."

Leia's smile grew. She was still very weak but seeing Han defiantly perked her spirits. She barely knew Han but "I love you too."

Han kissed her hand, "You're going to be okay."

"Now that you're here I will be. Who else is here?"

"Um…. Luke, Darth Vader I mean your Father, Wedge, Biggs, Bria, Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and uh…. OH! Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Leia's happy face fell into a shocked face, "What? How can he be here?"

Han shrugged, "Don't know. Don't care. As long as he's here."

As if on cue Obi-Wan entered, "I thought you might want to see me."

"Obi-Wan." She whispered holding out her other hand.

Obi-Wan took it and gently kissed here forehead, "I am so relieved that you are okay."

Han smiled, "I'll let you two catch up." He kissed Leia and then left.

"So now that I'm better you are going to reprimand me for being so stupid and dueling with my brother."

Obi-Wan shook his head, "I am very proud of you…. and your actions. You did what anyone would have done. What I once did."

If Leia hadn't been laying down she would have cocked her head in confusion, "What?"

"I suppose you want to know the story of what happened between me and your father."

"Yes, I do."

"I suppose you are ready."

After Obi-Wan finished his story Leia fell into a deep sleep. He left her sleeping and went out to join the others. Bria Tharen jumped up, "How is she?"

"She is sleeping."

"I want to see her." Anakin requested.

The healer nodded, "Just don't disturb her."

"We'll do." Anakin replied and entered Leia's room. He sat down next to her and squeezed her hand, "Oh, Daughter, your mother would be so proud."

Was it his imagination or did Leia squeeze his hand back. Leia turned over in her sleep and muttered, "I love you too Dad."

Luke entered, "Can I speak with her alone?"

Anakin thought for a moment. "Yes."

Anakin then left his son, despite his better judgment, alone with his twin. Luke placed a hand on her forehead. She would be okay. He stood there, "Leia I am so, so sorry."

Leia again muttered in her sleep, "I'm sorry too, Luke."

The healing process had begun.