Authors note: Italics and the symbol # on either side of speech means it's spoken through the Force.

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Chapter 2: A promise for the damned.

Luke watched in horror as the laser hit his sister in the back. As she went sprawling forwards he tried to reach her but she collapsed too far away, her fingers only just touching his with the barest of a caress. Pure fear encased his heart as he brushed her with the Force, trying for any hold on her life. But it was hopeless. He screamed out as her presence slipped through his grasp.

"LEIA!!!!!!!!" He tried to scramble out and down the closing ramp but hands held him back, refusing to let him go. He swung his hand out, viciously backhanding someone with his clenched fist. He heard bone crunch as it gave way but didn't care. He couldn't see who he'd hit, burning tears blurring his vision as he fought to free himself.

"Leia!!! No. Let me go!! Leia!!!!!!!! Let me go, damn it!!!!!!!"

It was too late. The ramp closed, stopping any chance of rescue to his twin. He collapsed to his knees, screaming her name as he felt the ship take off, felt his sisters agony as his own, felt her slip away, her presence disappear into the Force.

"LEIA!!!!!!!!!! Nooo!!!!!!!!!!" sobbing he bowed his head to the floor, tears streaming down his face.

#No! Leia!!! Hear me. Please....Leia! Oh Gods! Leia!!!#

No reply came from his sister. All he could feel was the cold emptiness, his soul screaming out for its other half, only to scream louder in anguish as no change came, no comforting presence soothed him, having been ripped away. He was dying, he had to be. Nobody could survive this loneliness, this tearing pain he felt through his heart.

The fear for his sister's life peeled away from him, there being nothing left to fear for. Pure hatred came in its wake. The need for revenge, to destroy what caused this pain. Looking up, he met the gaze of the slave his sister had died for. With a cry of malice he threw himself at him.

His fists only found their marks a few times before the hands were on him again. Once again they held him back from his one wish. How dare they? He was a Jedi, with the power of the Force at his call. They would not take him from his goal this time!

With that thought Luke unleashed the Force on his victims, smiling as he felt them fly away from him, crashing into the nearby walls. The slave whimpered in fear and agony as he stepped towards the crumpled figure. He drew the force to him, feeling the energy crackle in the air around him. He lifted his hand to release the lightning in his grasp on the man before him. To leave him in the same agony as they'd forced Luke to leave his sister.

Someone stepped in his way. Did they not learn? Needing to feel what he caused, Luke lifted his fist to hit out with a killing blow, only to be shocked into stopping as hands cupped his face. A soft voice spoke to him, breaking with emotion.

"Don't you dare, kid. I can't lose you, too!" Brown eyes, filled with tears, stared down into his, begging for him to see. See what he was doing; see what road he was taking.

"Han?" Han was still with him. Why did he stop him? Did he not feel this, too?

"Yeah, kid. Leave him, Luke. Don't kill him. Don't take this route!" The hands had gone to his shoulders, shaking him with each word, trying to shake the anger out of him. It just left him confused and lost, the room spinning. He collapsed against his brother-in-law's chest as Han held him close.

"Oh, Han! It hurts so much. She's gone, Han, I can't sense her. I can't feel her. She's dead. She's gone!" Luke sobbed hard against Han's chest, anguish overtaking him. His tears flooding out the fire of his anger. Utterly exhausted, he let Han lead him away from the room and into their quarters as the group rushed to the side of the beaten slave or picked themselves up from where they had been thrown against the walls.

Picking himself up from where Luke had thrown him Wedge watched the two men leave. It scared him how angry and out of control Luke had been. Scared him how exhausted the man was now. Then and there Wedge made a promise to the dead princess he had come to know through her twin. He would look after her brother, his friend, no matter what Luke did, no matter how bad things got - the Jedi was stuck with him now, even if he didn't stay a Jedi for much longer.

Sighing, he helped calm the Alderaani and then went to explain what the hell had been going on.

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Authors notes: hope you liked it! once again, please review. next chapter is on Han. see you then!

A.Jade

xxx