A/N: the plot's thickening…hehe…I'm having fun…:-D Please review…I like reviews! This is kinda a long chapter too…
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Beru had asked the question twice, and Leia still hadn't heard her. "Leia! Dear, is something wrong? You've been awfully quiet the past two days."
"Huh? Oh, yes, I'm fine." Leia said. That was a lie. She'd been living in a dream world ever since she saw Han at the market in Mos Eisley.
It was night, and Leia was sitting where she usually did, on a small chair under a window so she could watch the setting of Tatooine's twin suns. Beru was in the kitchen cooking. Owen was still out on the farm.
Beru smiled. "I went through the same thing when I was your age. That dreamy look in your eyes…tell me about him, Leia. When do we get to meet him?"
The abruptness startled Leia. She dropped the arm of the droid she was repairing, and stood up. She forced a laugh, "He's probably already forgotten all about me. He only saw me for about five minutes, and I'm sure he's married. How could he not be?"
"Was he wearing a ring?" Beru asked.
Leia struggled to remember. "No, I don't think so."
"Well, there you go." Beru smiled. "And how could he not have been attracted to a beautiful young thing like you? I'll bet you're on his mind right now. What's his name anyways?"
"Han." Leia said. She looked down at the droid, determined to change the subject. "What am I working on anyways?"
Beru walked away from the stove where she was cooking. "Oh, he's an old droid. About as old as me, if you'll believe it!" She laughed. "His numbers C-3PO, and he's got quite a history, a history I'm sure he'll be quite eager to tell you about! If I remember right, he's quite a chatterbox. He's been in pieces like that for a long time, ever since the Tuskens raided our farm. Both Owen or I aren't any good at fixing that kind of stuff, and if we hired someone to…well that's just money we don't have."
"Then why not get rid of him?" Leia asked.
Beru smiled that special smile she had. "Because, your father made him."
"Oh." Leia said quietly.
Owen burst in the room at that moment. "Damn this heat!" He said angrily. "We're going to have to add on two more vaporators just to keep this crop alive!"
Beru jumped up. "Owen, calm down. It can't be that bad. Here…try some of my soup."
But Owen didn't. He said to Leia. "I'm glad you're finally working on that old thing. It'll be great to have another hand on this farm, good luck."
Leia gave a weak smile. She was truly fond of her uncle, even though sometimes he scared her. She hugged the droids limbs almost protectively. Here at least is one thing related to my family I can fix.
Leia honestly missed her brother and father. Beru and Owen were wonderful people, but Leia still felt lonely at times. But then she touched a bruise that still lingered on her arm, and she didn't miss them quite as much. Suddenly exhausted, she sighed. "Aunt Beru, Uncle Owen, I think I will retire. I'll see you in the morning." She sat the remains of Threepio down, and walked to her room.
She turned out the lights before walking into her room. She was so tired she just wanted to sleep in her clothes. It would save time in the morning anyways. She made her way to her bed, and went to lie down.
The problem was, somebody was already there.
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An hour earlier…
Han Solo was in trouble, and he knew it. He'd been hiding in bins and shops all day from bounty hunters sent by Jabba the Hutt. After getting rid of the fifth one, he'd decided something needed to be done. Plus, his mind just wasn't focused. All he could think about was the beautiful girl from Mos Eisley.
Leia…
Even her name was heavenly as it rolled on his tongue. He felt an unfamiliar warmth spreading through his body when he thought of her. Where did she say she lived? The Lars ranch? I know where that is! I hope she'll still talk to me.
He signaled to his Wookiee copilot to follow him. They were hiding in a small junk shop, behind a pile of spare parts. Blaster ready, he leapt out from behind the pile, and took off at a dead run. Nothing seemed to be following him. The Corellian wasn't any particular religion, but he found himself thanking any higher power he could think of for keeping more bounty hunters from finding him.
He made it to the ranch, but once he was there, he didn't know what to do. How could he just barge in in the middle of the night and say, "Hey Leia, remember me? I'm the guy that ran into you, can you hide me from people who are trying to kill me? By the way, this is Chewbacca." Chewie himself could be frightening enough to unsuspecting farmers. Plus, from what he'd heard about the Lars family, they weren't people to be taken lightly. Especially the man.
No. He'd have to get to Leia privately somehow. Han looked around anxiously. "Chewie, stay out here. It's not you Jabba's looking for, and no offense old buddy, but you're kinda scary in the dark." He flashed a lopsided Solo grin as Chewbacca rolled his eyes.
Han slipped into the house quietly. It was a nice house overall, with a garage, a kitchen, a main room. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Leia sitting in the main room, with the remains of a droid in her arms. It was all he could do to stop from running in there and kissing her on the spot. Hutt slime, what am I thinking? I barely know the girl! The Corellian sat where he was and watched her for a long time, before loud noises behind him made him jump, and run. It was Owen Lars, and he looked mad. Not the best mood for finding a strange man in your house.
He slipped into a room, and knew instantly that it was Leia's. Several of the same outfit lay on random pieces of furniture, along with a hair brush and a picture. Han picked up the hologram slowly and looked at it. It was Leia, with a tall young man beside her. He gasped and nearly dropped it when he saw who it was. Luke Skywalker! What's she doing with him?
He read the little message below it. "The Imperial Princess and Prince. Leia and Luke."
Han could barely believe what he was reading. Was Leia related to the very people who wanted him dead? He didn't want to believe it. He refused to believe it.
Han didn't think that she'd be coming back to her room for a while, and he was tired. He'd been running all day, and hadn't gotten much sleep in the past few days. He sat down on her bed, intending to just sit there and wait for her to come back. But the past few days began to catch up with him, and he found himself slowly laying down, beginning to doze.
That is, until she sat on him.
She jumped up immediately, muffling a scream. Han, however, didn't mind being sat on. "Hey, Your Worship!"
"Han?"
"Shut the door."
Leia did so, then ran back to him. He pulled her close. "Look, I'm sorry for not coming in the normal way, but I need your help…there are some people who want me dead."
Leia's heart stopped. "Who?"
Han hesitated for only a second. He couldn't let her know now. "It doesn't matter. I..." He grinned nervously. "I don't even know why I came here because all I'm doing is putting you in danger. But…do you think your uncle could let me work around the farm for a few days and…maybe you could disguise me a little?"
Leia would have laughed, if the situation wasn't so serious. "I…I…yes! That'll be fine!" She struggled to keep the desire out of her voice. It wouldn't be proper to throw herself at a man she'd known for only a few days. Han, however, didn't know the meaning of 'hard to get'. He grabbed her hand yet again. "Look, just because there are people after me isn't the only reason I came back, Your Worship."
Leia yanked away. "Would you stop calling me that!"
"What do you want me to call you?"
"Leia is fine."
"Fine, Leia. So why don't you tell me what you've been up to the last couple of days?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Come on, I've been running for my life, chased by bounty hunters, gotten into a few fights…surely you've picked crops or something else just as fun?"
Leia hit him. He laughed. "What if I said also that I haven't been able to stop thinking about a certain someone with brown curls and an incredible fiery spirit?"
That made Leia stop. Han, seeing this, continued. "What if I said that all I could think about was how I wanted to kiss this special someone and that's why I came to her house out of all the farms on Tatooine in the middle of the night asking for help?"
He leaned into her. "Are you still afraid?"
"I wasn't afraid…"
"Liar."
And then Han gently grabbed the back of her neck, and their lips met. This time, Leia didn't pull away. She kissed him deeply.
When they finally pulled away, Han smiled, but Leia said, "You'd better go before Aunt Beru comes to check on me. Just come knock on the door in the morning, it'll all work out."
"Alright Your…Leia. But…there's also a Wookiee with me. Can he stay too?"
"You couldn't have told me this before?"
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Anger pulsed through Luke Skywalker as he stormed into the hangar where his TIE fighter was docked. He kicked at it in frustration and then put his head in his hands, trying to figure out what the hell he was doing. He couldn't go back now, Palpatine had probably already slated him for death, and his stupid father followed whatever that ancient piece of bantha fodder said. He wished he hadn't left his lightsaber behind!
He turned to a storm trooper that stood on duty a few feet away. "You! Turn off the magnetic field, I'm taking off."
"But sir, we're still too close to the Tatooine system and your father has expressively forbade…"
"Turn off the tractor beam!"
"But sir! He'll have you shot out of space."
"Then I'll see you in hell!"
The trooper ran over to the control panels as Luke climbed in his fighter. As soon as the magnetic field was down, he sped off into the cosmos. Little does Palpatine know, I do know the location of the rebel base. Father is too paranoid for his own good, he's been running away from the location of the rebel base for years!
He set a course for Tatooine. I'll join these rebels and overthrow the Emperor. Then I'll order them all killed, and join my father and rule the galaxy!
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"Is he away?" Palpatine rasped.
"Yes, master." Vader said humbly. He and the hologram of Palpatine stood watching the radar screen, where just moments ago, they'd watched his son, Luke practically renounce the Empire. "Are you sure the homing beacon is secure aboard his fighter?" Palpatine asked.
"Yes, master. I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but…"
"Your son will surely turn to those who want me dead." The Emperor mused. "He will lead us straight to the rebel base. And when we have the location, we will destroy them all!"
At that moment, the radar blinked. Vader read the message on the monitor. "He's headed to Tatooine!"
Leia!
Vader immediately squashed all feelings he felt for his daughter, lest the Emperor read them.
"Set your course for Tatooine, and prepare your troops. We must prepare a surface attack, since the Death Star is not completely operational. We will discover the location of this rebel base, and knock them out in a single stroke!"
"And my son?" Vader asked. "He will not be harmed?"
"He has committed treason. He must die a traitor."
Vader blinked, not sure what he thought of that. Would he have his only son killed? Or would he have the man who is most probably the most dangerous traitor to the Empire killed? A vision of Padme's face floated up into his mind.
Anakin… She whispered.
And Vader knew what he had to do. He turned to Palpatine. "I'm sorry, Master. But my son comes first." And with a single swipe, he broke the hologram projector, and the Emperor vanished. "Set your coordinates back for the Tatooine system." He said into his commlink. "And ready your troops. I have a feeling we'll need all the help we can get."
"Yes sir, immediately sir." The admiral said.
Filled with a force that Vader hadn't felt in years, he stood looking out into space. Palpatine was surely heading for Tatooine with ten times the troops Vader had, but it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that he was there for his children. As he hadn't been, he realized with a pang, their whole lives. Vader knew that he might die, but at least now he would be fighting for something he truly believed in.
His family.
