Author's Notes: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. Here
is the fourth chapter. I hope you enjoy it.
Christmas Reunion Part 4
Anakin, Leia, and Han were watching the holonet when Anakin suddenly felt a wash of disappointment and hurt come through the mind-link he shared with his son. It was gone almost immediately, as if Luke had realized that he wasn't keeping his emotions to himself and had quickly placed a shield between them, but Anakin couldn't ignore his son's pain.
//Luke?// He called. //What's wrong, son?//
Luke seemed to give a mental sigh. //It's all right, Father. I'm fine. Don't worry.//
//Owen and Beru aren't accepting me very well, are they?//
//No.// It was all Luke sent, but Anakin was aware of the underlying hurt in the simple answer.
//Luke, can I come to you, just for a few minutes? Or you come over here, if seeing me would upset your aunt and uncle.//
Luke was quiet for a moment. Then he replied. //Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are in the back. I don't want to leave. If they came out here, they wouldn't know where I was. I guess you can come over, but they'll be upset if they see you.//
//I won't stay long.// Anakin stood up and explained the situation to Han and Leia.
"I can't bear for Luke to be alone when he's hurt. I just want to see if I can cheer him up a little," he finished as he headed for the door.
Leia was right behind him. "I'm coming, too."
"We'll all go," Han joined them.
So all three of them were waiting at the door when Luke opened it. In spite of himself, he smiled at the sight of them. "The gang's all here, huh?"
"Well, of course," Leia stepped inside and hugged him. "We all love you. We don't want you to be sad."
"I'll be all right," Luke assured them as they came into the foyer and closed the door behind them. "I was just kind of disappointed when Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen were angry with Father. You know, I thought they would understand when I told them how he saved my life and all."
Anakin placed his arm around his son's shoulders and held him close. "Maybe I should have warned you not to get your hopes up too high. I was afraid they would have some problems with me, especially after the way I've treated you in the past."
Luke sighed. "Yes, I think that's the biggest issue. They were all right til I got to Bespin. And even when I told them how you saved me from Palpatine, they were still upset about it all."
His father nodded sadly. "Yes, I can understand how they feel. They raised you, Luke. They saw you grow up, and in many ways, they really are your parents." Just saying those words aloud broke his own heart into pieces. He and Padme should have been the ones to watch their children grow up, to love and protect them, to laugh and cry with them, to teach them, care for them, encourage them. If only they could have. If only he hadn't fallen.
He set his teeth against the pain, and went on, "Just hearing about the suffering I caused you must have been incredibly painful for them. They love you, and they would have done anything to spare you from being hurt. You can't blame them for resenting me, son."
Luke was quiet for a while, thinking it over. Finally he agreed. "I can understand their feelings. I just wanted us all to be together, and to be happy."
"Maybe you just need to give them a little more time, kid. They've had a lot thrown at them tonight. Give them a chance to come to terms with it," Han pointed out.
"Han's right," Leia took her brother's hand and gently squeezed it. "It took us some time to accept Father, too, but we came around. Maybe your aunt and uncle will, as well, when they've gotten to know him better."
"Maybe, but right now they don't even want to see him," Luke said gloomily.
Leia pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Maybe Han and I could talk with them. I mean, we know what it's like to have to work through anger and fear at Father." She saw the pain in Anakin's eyes and placed her arms around both him and Luke, who still right beside him, too. "I'm sorry, Father. I don't mean to hurt you. I'm just saying, that in a way, Han and I have been in Owen and Beru's places and so maybe we can help them through it."
Anakin nodded. "You don't have to apologize, Leia. And you're right. You and Han were in the same situation when I first came back, so maybe you can help Owen and Beru to accept me."
"Would you talk with them?" Luke looked from his sister to Han and back again.
"Sure," Han said and Leia added. "They'll want to spend a lot of time with you, Luke, but maybe tomorrow or the next day, Han and I could try to speak with them alone."
"But don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out, Luke," his father cautioned him. "I've done terrible things. It may just be too much for Owen and Beru to accept. But don't let that spoil your reunion with them. You deserve to be happy and so do they. Just try to enjoy each other's company, all right?"
"All right," Luke smiled at his father, sister, and friend. "Thanks for coming to check on me. You guys are the best."
Leia and Han hugged him and as they left, Han grinned at his wife and said, "Did my ears deceive me or did you actually admit that I was right about something back there?"
Leia gave him a measured look. "I suppose everyone's right about something once in a while. In spite of themselves."
Anakin shook his head. "Were they always like that?"
"No, they used to be much worse," Luke told him.
His father chuckled, placed a quick kiss on the top of his head, and started to leave. Luke reached for his arm, however, before he could step into the hall.
"Father, If Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen need me to be with them, I guess I won't see much of you for the next couple of days," he hesitated, not sure exactly what he wanted to say. He knew that Anakin had been looking forward to spending lots of time with his family for Christmas and now it looked like Luke was going to have to split his time and attention between his two families. He almost felt like he should apologize, but that didn't seem exactly right, either.
"I know," There was a hint of sadness in Anakin's eyes, but then he smiled understandingly. He would not cause his son any pain or guilt. He truly did want Luke to be happy and to enjoy being with his guardians. And if that meant that he himself had to endure a little loneliness, then so be it. "But don't worry about it. You and I are always together. We're a real team, and spending a few days apart is not going to make any difference in that."
He headed for the Solos' apartment next door, and then paused to turn back and add, "But Owen and Beru will have to share you on Christmas Day. I'm not giving that up."
"Me, either," Luke agreed. He shut the door and turned around, feeling a little more encouraged. He had just expected too much too soon from his aunt and uncle. Surely with a little more time they would come around and be willing to give his father a chance.
At least, he certainly hoped so, because he hated feeling torn between them. He loved his aunt and uncle and couldn't bear to hurt them. They'd already suffered so much, and he was really all they had, but there was simply no way he could cut his father out of his life. It would be like cutting out his own heart. He prayed for his aunt and uncle to see that, because otherwise this joyful reunion could lead to heartbreak for them all very quickly.
TBC
Christmas Reunion Part 4
Anakin, Leia, and Han were watching the holonet when Anakin suddenly felt a wash of disappointment and hurt come through the mind-link he shared with his son. It was gone almost immediately, as if Luke had realized that he wasn't keeping his emotions to himself and had quickly placed a shield between them, but Anakin couldn't ignore his son's pain.
//Luke?// He called. //What's wrong, son?//
Luke seemed to give a mental sigh. //It's all right, Father. I'm fine. Don't worry.//
//Owen and Beru aren't accepting me very well, are they?//
//No.// It was all Luke sent, but Anakin was aware of the underlying hurt in the simple answer.
//Luke, can I come to you, just for a few minutes? Or you come over here, if seeing me would upset your aunt and uncle.//
Luke was quiet for a moment. Then he replied. //Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are in the back. I don't want to leave. If they came out here, they wouldn't know where I was. I guess you can come over, but they'll be upset if they see you.//
//I won't stay long.// Anakin stood up and explained the situation to Han and Leia.
"I can't bear for Luke to be alone when he's hurt. I just want to see if I can cheer him up a little," he finished as he headed for the door.
Leia was right behind him. "I'm coming, too."
"We'll all go," Han joined them.
So all three of them were waiting at the door when Luke opened it. In spite of himself, he smiled at the sight of them. "The gang's all here, huh?"
"Well, of course," Leia stepped inside and hugged him. "We all love you. We don't want you to be sad."
"I'll be all right," Luke assured them as they came into the foyer and closed the door behind them. "I was just kind of disappointed when Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen were angry with Father. You know, I thought they would understand when I told them how he saved my life and all."
Anakin placed his arm around his son's shoulders and held him close. "Maybe I should have warned you not to get your hopes up too high. I was afraid they would have some problems with me, especially after the way I've treated you in the past."
Luke sighed. "Yes, I think that's the biggest issue. They were all right til I got to Bespin. And even when I told them how you saved me from Palpatine, they were still upset about it all."
His father nodded sadly. "Yes, I can understand how they feel. They raised you, Luke. They saw you grow up, and in many ways, they really are your parents." Just saying those words aloud broke his own heart into pieces. He and Padme should have been the ones to watch their children grow up, to love and protect them, to laugh and cry with them, to teach them, care for them, encourage them. If only they could have. If only he hadn't fallen.
He set his teeth against the pain, and went on, "Just hearing about the suffering I caused you must have been incredibly painful for them. They love you, and they would have done anything to spare you from being hurt. You can't blame them for resenting me, son."
Luke was quiet for a while, thinking it over. Finally he agreed. "I can understand their feelings. I just wanted us all to be together, and to be happy."
"Maybe you just need to give them a little more time, kid. They've had a lot thrown at them tonight. Give them a chance to come to terms with it," Han pointed out.
"Han's right," Leia took her brother's hand and gently squeezed it. "It took us some time to accept Father, too, but we came around. Maybe your aunt and uncle will, as well, when they've gotten to know him better."
"Maybe, but right now they don't even want to see him," Luke said gloomily.
Leia pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Maybe Han and I could talk with them. I mean, we know what it's like to have to work through anger and fear at Father." She saw the pain in Anakin's eyes and placed her arms around both him and Luke, who still right beside him, too. "I'm sorry, Father. I don't mean to hurt you. I'm just saying, that in a way, Han and I have been in Owen and Beru's places and so maybe we can help them through it."
Anakin nodded. "You don't have to apologize, Leia. And you're right. You and Han were in the same situation when I first came back, so maybe you can help Owen and Beru to accept me."
"Would you talk with them?" Luke looked from his sister to Han and back again.
"Sure," Han said and Leia added. "They'll want to spend a lot of time with you, Luke, but maybe tomorrow or the next day, Han and I could try to speak with them alone."
"But don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out, Luke," his father cautioned him. "I've done terrible things. It may just be too much for Owen and Beru to accept. But don't let that spoil your reunion with them. You deserve to be happy and so do they. Just try to enjoy each other's company, all right?"
"All right," Luke smiled at his father, sister, and friend. "Thanks for coming to check on me. You guys are the best."
Leia and Han hugged him and as they left, Han grinned at his wife and said, "Did my ears deceive me or did you actually admit that I was right about something back there?"
Leia gave him a measured look. "I suppose everyone's right about something once in a while. In spite of themselves."
Anakin shook his head. "Were they always like that?"
"No, they used to be much worse," Luke told him.
His father chuckled, placed a quick kiss on the top of his head, and started to leave. Luke reached for his arm, however, before he could step into the hall.
"Father, If Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen need me to be with them, I guess I won't see much of you for the next couple of days," he hesitated, not sure exactly what he wanted to say. He knew that Anakin had been looking forward to spending lots of time with his family for Christmas and now it looked like Luke was going to have to split his time and attention between his two families. He almost felt like he should apologize, but that didn't seem exactly right, either.
"I know," There was a hint of sadness in Anakin's eyes, but then he smiled understandingly. He would not cause his son any pain or guilt. He truly did want Luke to be happy and to enjoy being with his guardians. And if that meant that he himself had to endure a little loneliness, then so be it. "But don't worry about it. You and I are always together. We're a real team, and spending a few days apart is not going to make any difference in that."
He headed for the Solos' apartment next door, and then paused to turn back and add, "But Owen and Beru will have to share you on Christmas Day. I'm not giving that up."
"Me, either," Luke agreed. He shut the door and turned around, feeling a little more encouraged. He had just expected too much too soon from his aunt and uncle. Surely with a little more time they would come around and be willing to give his father a chance.
At least, he certainly hoped so, because he hated feeling torn between them. He loved his aunt and uncle and couldn't bear to hurt them. They'd already suffered so much, and he was really all they had, but there was simply no way he could cut his father out of his life. It would be like cutting out his own heart. He prayed for his aunt and uncle to see that, because otherwise this joyful reunion could lead to heartbreak for them all very quickly.
TBC