Chapter Six
Luke groaned in his half asleep state. He tried to ignore the beeping of his comm. link as long as he could. Two minutes later it was still beeping. Sitting up, he turned on the lights and rubbed his eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness. He reached for the comm. link on the table and answered the incoming call.
"Yeah?", he muttered, still sleepy.
"Luke! Wake up!", Leia urged impatiently. It was impossible to remain relaxed with that scream, and soon Luke opened his eyes widely.
"Okay, okay… I'm up, I'm up", he said defensively. "Wow! Leia, mom is SO amazing! She's beautiful!! And she has even spilled a few secrets!! She's so wonderful…and…and kind…and smart!", Luke jumbled in one sentence. Leia smiled knowingly.
"I know. And father is so kind! He's been great to me! He so gentle and caring and he's always concerned about me! If I didn't know better I'd say he knows I'm his daughter!", she said in awe. Luke smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
"So, did you find out about their past?", he cut in. Leia sighed and shook her head.
"Not much, but there's this man he keeps mentioning, Obi Wan?"
"Yeah, master Kenobi. He's really cool!", Luke acknowledged.
"Well, HE was the one to introduce mother and father. But I'm afraid I have bad news…". Luke frowned. "Father is getting married", she informed.
"WHAT?!", Luke cried out in shock. Leia shushed him, reminding him to be silent.
"Yes, he is! I even met his fiancé! Luke, we have to do something!", Leia warned.
"Yes, you are right…", he sighed.
"You have to bring mother here immediately"
"What?! Are you crazy?", Luke asked.
"As a matter of fact I'm very serious"
"I want more time with her. It's been less than a week and I know that she's remembering dad! Give me more time! I can't tell her who I really am yet!", Luke protested. Leia shook her head.
"Luke, you have to tell her!".
"I won't! I want more time with her! She's losing up and I know that she cares a little for me!", he insisted.
"Luke! If we don't act now we'll be too late! You have to tell mother who you are sooner or later! I met dad's fiancé and I can tell that she will do anything to marry him!", Leia cried out.
"Leia, it can't be THAT serious!"
"It is! You better bring mother to Courasant soon, or… or our parents might never be together again", she whispered sadly.
"No, don't say that! Okay, here's what we're gonna do. You try to convince dad's fiancé that she HAS to get married here in Naboo because it's… I don't know, more 'romantic' and you bring dad here! I will tell mom who I am but you CAN'T tell dad who you are or else he will do something to avoid meeting mom!"
"Luke, slow down…", Leia pleaded. Luke took a deep breath and nodded.
"Okay, here's the new plan: you bring dad here. I'll tell mom who I am first thing in the morning and that you are coming to Naboo by yourself to un-switch us because dad is in a mission, but…"
"…He will be here", Leia finished for him. Luke smiled proudly. "Okay, I have to go now. 'Got a bride to convince…", she teased.
"Okay. Bye, sis"
"Bye, Luke".
Luke was placing his comm. link on the table when he noticed there was someone standing on his doorway.
"Is everything okay, Luke?", Padmé asked stiffly.
"Yes, everything's. . .", he paused when he realized what he had just done. "You. . . you called me Luke"
Padmé walked into the room and sat on the bed next to Luke. He noticed her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
"Who. . . Who are you?", she asked, her voice trembling. Luke took a deep breath and moved closer to his mother.
"My name is Luke Skywalker. I'm. . . I'm your son", he confessed. Padmé gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, staring awestruck at the little boy in front of her. "I'm sorry, I should've told you before. . ."
"Luke. . . my baby. . .", Padmé interrupted, tears rolling down her cheeks. She reached for him and embraced her son tightly to her, sobbing uncontrollably. "You are so big! I can't believe this!", she whispered brokenly into his hair. Luke smiled in relief and wrapped his arms around his mother, enjoying her embrace. "I've thought of you every single day since you were born! And now you are here. . ."
"Yes, mom. I'm here", Luke said, happy at the fact that he could finally call her 'mom'. Padmé pulled back and kissed his cheeks, forehead, temples and nose several times, unable to control herself.
"Gods, I needed you SO much! I love you so much!", she said, still crying. Luke cleaned her tears with his little hands and smiled kindly at her. Now that she knew he was her son, Padmé realized he looked exactly like Anakin. The same eyes, the same smile.
"I love you, too, mom", he replied. Padmé giggled nervously and settled her son on her lap so she could hold him. Her arms tightened around him as her hand got lost in his blonde hair.
"How did you get here? How did all this happen?", she asked. Luke looked up at her and sighed.
"I met Leia in Alderaan for the exchange program. We stated talking and we realized we were twins and decided to take the opportunity to exchange places. You know, with the exchange program and all…", he explained. Padmé's eyes opened widely.
"You. . . you met Leia?", she gasped. Luke nodded. "And. . . and where is. . . where is she now?", she asked, fearing Luke's answer.
"She's in Courasant with dad". Padmé felt lightheaded when she realized the enormity of her children's actions.
"Does he know who Leia is?"
"She also changed her name. She introduced herself as Sabé", Luke replied. Padmé frowned.
"But he will notice! He's a Jedi!", she argued.
"Mom! He has a name", Luke said a little upset.
"I know, dear. He will feel Leia is his daughter. Anakin is a Jedi". She hadn't said his name in years. Now that she mentioned it again she got that funny feeling in her stomach that came back to life whenever she said his name.
"No, mom. But Leia will tell him tonight", he lied. "The two of them will be here in a couple of days to clear this mess up". Luke hated to lie to his mother, but it was necessary if he wanted everything to work out as he had planned. Noticing his mother's bewilderment, he decided to change the subject. "I don't want to lose you, mom", he said earnestly. Padmé smiled sadly at him and shook her head, cradling him in her arms.
"That won't happen, Luke. We will find a way to solve this, I promise", she assured. Looking absently at the wall, she tightened her arms around him. "I'm not going to lose you again", she whispered.
Somehow, Luke believed her.
*
Courasant.
Leia walked into the living room only to find Krista. She was cringing at the sight of the mess that was Anakin's apartment. When she realized she had company, a very fake smile plastered on her lips.
"Oh, Sabé! I'm so happy to see you!", she said cheerfully. Leia resisted the urge to throw up.
"Hee, hee, yeah, Krista. I'm happy to see you, too", she lied with her best innocent smile. Krista was stupid enough to buy it.
"Well come here, darling. Sit with me!", she said as she patted to the spot next to her on the couch. Leia took a deep breath and obliged. "I like you, Sabé. You could be a bridesmaid in my wedding to Naki"
"Naki?", Leia asked.
"Anakin. He hates it when I call him nicknames, apparently because his ex-wife used to do that al the time. That old witch. . .". Leia stood up and purposely stepped on Krista's shoe. "OW!!", she screamed.
"Oops! Sorry, Krista. I wasn't watching what I was doing", Leia excused herself, suppressing a giggle. Krista attempted to smile.
"It's okay, Sabé. . . really. . ."
"So. Where is this wedding taking place?", Leia asked.
"At the Jedi Temple", Krista rolled her eyes. "Naki insists on having it there. I think it's so cheap… I want a glamorous wedding, maybe outdoors…". Leia smiled.
"Funny you should mention that…". She sat next to Krista. "I come from Naboo, and we have the most beautiful vistas there. Oh, you would love it! You could get married in one of the hotels by the lake", she suggested. Krista's face lightened up as soon as she heard the proposal. Leia smiled. Her plan was working.
"Oh, I see you are having a girl talk", a voice intruded. Both female heads turned to the door to find Anakin, smiling widely at them. Leia smiled and rushed to him arms and he immediately picked her up to hold the little girl in his arms. They had become good friends in a very short time. Anakin said it was because they had a connection. Leia knew it was because they were father and daughter.
"So. How was your day, little princess?", he asked Leia gently. She smiled tenderly at the nickname he had used. Her mother sometimes called her that way.
"It was great. I was talking to Krista about your wedding…"
Krista stood up and almost jumped up and down in excitement. "YES! She suggested that we got married in a hotel in Naboo!", she cried out.
Anakin almost dropped Leia. In Naboo? His first wedding had been in Naboo and he wasn't sure if he wanted to remember THAT. "N…N…Naboo?", he stuttered. Leia smiled knowingly. "Um, why there?", he asked nervously.
"Naki, dearest". Anakin cringed. He hated that nickname! "I want to remember our wedding day as a beautiful, classy, elegant event. Not as just a ceremony in the Jedi Temple…"
"I think Krista is right, Anakin", Leia cut in. Anakin looked at the girl in his arms. Why was it he couldn't deny her anything? Sighing dramatically, he set Leia on the floor.
"Okay, okay", he gave in. Krista squealed and threw herself on Anakin's arms, kissing him furiously. Leia turned to look at the wall at the repulsive act. "We will go to Naboo and get married. But it has to be soon because I have a mission and I don't want to wait another week", Anakin added.
"Don't worry, Naki dearest. Sabé will guide us, right little one?", Krista asked as she looked down at Leia.
"Um, yeah", she said, barely smiling.
"Then it's settled. We go to Naboo tomorrow", Anakin finished.
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Next update: Hopefully February 29th
