Please see the first chapter for disclaimer and other info

A/N: And alas, we come to an end. This has been the ride of a lifetime! I want to thank each and every person who reviewed my baby and delivered over 500 reviews to my inbox. I loved each and every one of them, even the critical ones! This may be the end of Meet the Skywalkers, but I did promise more. So after the chapter, I've given you all a gift. You'll have to read to find out :D I'll answer any pressing questions after this chapter in a review, so if you're looking for answers, they'll be there!

Chapter Seventeen: Truces at the End

Padmé and Anakin looked at each other, astounded. A grin crept across Padmé's face. "Oh, Leia honey! Congratulations!"

Anakin just sat there, staring into space. Leia would have to change her name. This would mean she would give up her supreme galactic status as a Skywalker. She would be giving away the very thing that made her his daughter.

This frightened and annoyed Anakin. He had worked hard for that name. It was about the only thing that protected Leia. And now she was going to give it up, just to have herself adopted by another family? Quite frankly, Anakin would have preferred her marrying away her name.

Actually, with Leia's current choice in men sitting next to her on the interrogation couch, he retracted that last comment, hoping the Force didn't have some twisted sense of irony.

Because that would just top it off.

Space Etiquette 101.

Lesson Two: Fathers should not in any shape or form ask, even jokingly, that their daughters be married. Especially when their current love interests are scruffy looking, Sabacc-playing cradle-snatchers who have cocky grins and keep women's underwear in their travel bags.

Anakin was silent for a moment. Padmé was hugging Leia, congratulating her. Luke and Han were chatting on the couch, both at least having the decency to look slightly embarrassed at the current situation. Anakin's headache had yet to disappear. In the past few days, he had been presented with one of the biggest shocks of his life.

His little girl was grown up.

He had come to realise this very slowly. She was going to become a Senator. She had already been captured and turned into a sex slave, and gotten out of it unharmed. She was bringing potential suitors, albeit, a very poor taste in potential suitors, home.

Leia Skywalker…Organa…whatever her name was going to be was in love.

He was rude.

He was dirty.

He didn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

He aggravated Anakin to no end.

But Leia was obviously in love with the scoundrel. Anakin felt like kicking something. Or at least Force-choking someone. Where was Threepio when you needed him?

Snapping out of his melancholy thoughts, Anakin looked straight into the eyes of his daughter. He sighed. "Congratulations, Senator Organa."

She smiled and pulled him in for a hug. He couldn't help but smile genuinely in return as he hugged her back. "Skywalker-Organa, Dad," she whispered in his ear.

Anakin grinned but a suspicious sounding cough distracted him from his daughter's revelation. He peered over at the couch to see Han defiantly standing up. Luke was still sitting patiently, like the good Jedi padawan Obi-Wan had taught him to be. Han cleared his throat again.

"So you see, Paps, in all reality, I actually saved your kids' hides. I think that REAL apology should be coming, say, oh, I dunno. How about now?"

Everybody looked at Anakin expectedly. They expected some foul-mouthed, rude, inappropriate or generally stupid comment to escape his mouth. What they didn't expect was to hear a real laugh. Luke and Leia looked at each other, puzzled.

"Don't push it, Han." Leia warned, still gauging Anakin's reaction, knowing too well he could become serious again at any moment.

"Anakin? Are you alright?" Padmé asked him, while Anakin continued to laugh. Well, guffaw was more like it. Even Han looked a little worried.

Anakin found he couldn't help himself. It had only just occurred to him. After all this time bickering and snooping and generally being pissed off at the rouge, in all reality, Anakin Skywalker and Han Solo were not much different.

Anakin extended his hand. "I'm sorry."

With a look of complete shock on his face, Han exclaimed "huh?"

Anakin drew him in and pulled him up in a half bear hug, and slapped him on the back in a typical male fashion. "You know what, Solo? You're not too bad for a cheating Corellian scoundrel."

Leia rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. "I give up. Men!"

To this, both Han and Anakin laughed.

"Well!" exclaimed Padmé. "I believe this is a cause for celebration. Alderaani wine, anyone?"

Anakin's life had improved considerably since the last time he had visited Varykino. He had escorted Leia back to Alderaan himself to speak with Bail about the official adoption. Leia had been adamant about keeping both names and had taken a great liking to her private apartment and her own lakeside retreat on Alderaan. Anakin was grateful his daughter would be taken care of as she represented her second home in the Senate, alongside his wife.

Obi-Wan had just informed Luke he would be formally taking the Jedi trials. Both he and Padmé would be meeting Luke in a few days to see if he had passed. There was no doubt in Anakin's mind that the next time he saw his son, he would be a Jedi Knight.

In short, life was good. But as usual, the Skywalkers (and Skywalker-Organa) had gathered at the Lake Retreat for their customary monthly holiday. This time, Leia had commed ahead and told Anakin that Han would be staying, but only for two nights. In all honesty, Anakin was actually looking forward to it. He still had a couple of scores to settle with the man.

So here he was, playing Sabacc with Captain Han Solo of the Millennium Falcon again. They had played a few rounds, each resulting in an equal win. The game was actually quite interesting when the stakes weren't ridiculously high.

Anakin had also managed to control his anger quite considerably, referring back to the Jedi Code in his mind many times during the game. It helped the urge to punch Han in the face again. Although the pilot was growing on him, there was still something that got on his nerves.

Most likely the fact that they were so much alike.

Space Etiquette 101.

Lesson Three: It is appropriate on certain occasions to remain suspicious of older men who date your young daughter, despite the fact you have determined the two of you share your less attractive qualities, such as spite, stupidity and a general ability to piss everyone around you off considerably.

Anakin couldn't help himself though. He grinned as he threw another card onto the pile.

"So, Solo, you never did tell me where you got that gorgeous red number from?"

Han grinned, as he threw down his set of cards victoriously. He looked straight into Anakin's eye.

"It was Leia's,"

Fin

Next in the Fathers and Smugglers Trilogy:

Father of the Bride: AU. Anakin Skywalker and family are invited to Alderaan for an announcement. What happens when the announcement involves wedding bells and a mystery groom?

Who's the mystery groom? And just what does Anakin Skywalker have to say about this all? Stay tuned to find out :P