Chapter 9: Wish You Were Here

After a strange and long night aboard the Millennium Falcon, the ships inhabitants all wrangled themselves together in the mess hall. Well, everyone except Leia. Leia apparently, was in bed still.

"Leave her," Han had said to Luke. He munched on his breakfast. "She'll be better for it when she wakes up."

"Yes, but we all need to decide what to do next."

"When she wakes up!" Chewie growled along with Han.

"Look Han, I know we're all tense, but we need to move on. I need to go research some of the old Jedi ways, get thing started again. Not to mention start training Leia." He set down his spoon. "Plus, didn't you two want to get married soon anyway?"

"Yeah," Han shifted, "Well I hafta ask her first."

"You still haven't asked her?"

"When have I had time? Besides, you know the mood she's in."

"Yeah, I do. I should go check on her anways…" He glanced up. "Something doesn't feel…"

Luke leapt up from his place. Han shouted at him and ran after him. Chewie growled and took the rest of Luke's breakfast, making C-3P0 yell at him. R2 rolled out after the running humanoids.

Han ran after Luke until they reached Leia's cabin. It was locked. Luke banged on the door then suddenly stopped.

"What is the deal?" Han panted and banged once on the door.

"She's not in there." He glanced at R2. "R2 open the door please."

R2 beeped and moved towards the panel by the door. He hooked himself up to it and then opened the door. It swished open and then stopped . The door opening revealed just what Luke had felt. Leia was gone.

On further search, there was no note or indication of her leaving. Her bunk was made up and her clothes, what little of them there were, were all in place. Except one outfit.

Han slammed his fist against the wall. "Where could she have gone?"

Luke closed his eyes. He sighed and then turned towards the window.

"Give me a minute." He sat near the window and gazed out, unblinking. Han stood, hands on hips watching him. Chewie came in behind them and made a growl. Han shushed him.

After another moment Luke looked at them.

"I-I'm not sure…" He shrugged helplessly. "I know she's here somewhere…she hasn't gone too far…but…I don't know." He stood up. "But maybe we can start somewhere we've been before."

Chewie growled loudly then turned his head to the side. Han nodded. "I think I know what you're talking about. C'mon let's go!"

Leia approached the graveyard slowly without a rush. She'd left the boys back on the ship and come here, in search of answers. In search of a mother she didn't know and a father she hated. She opened the small gates that kept the stones from the public view. Once inside, the sight took her breath away.

Here the rich, poor, and diverse group of Naboo were buried. The sound of distant waterfalls crashed against rocks. She moved to a small screen set up in front of the first monument. It read: "Directory." She looked at it closely.

The plots were huge. Thousands of names leapt out at her. In the back corner of the map reader, the name Padme Amidala Naberrie-Skywalker, leapt out at her. Skywalker.

The name of her father. They'd put the name of her father on her marker. Why? Weren't they angry at him? Didn't they hate him, as she did? She memorized the number and area she was to go to and began her walk.

The walk through the cemetery was very humbling. It was also very painful. Her eyes teared up. She thought of her home world, and the only cemetery she'd ever visited there. Now no more. It was where her mother was. Well, her adopted mother. Now she was having deja-vu, visiting her mother's grave.

She moved around the many different sized and colored stones and markers. Each one, unique in it's own way, paid tribute to a life. She moved across them to the very edge of the graveyard, where the waterfalls loomed ahead.

There at the very edge, near a booming waterfall, stood an angel. Angels were legends, she knew, but this one was beautiful. The sound, normally overbearing, was calming. The marker was not surrounded by any others for at least a yard on each side. Behind, the waterfalls misted the stone, now old and slightly weathered.

There were flowers at it's base, slightly new, but still wilting flowers. They were a rainbow of colors against the dark green grass that covered it. The Angel was looking up, it's wavy hair was carved down it's back. The wings were spread and a half-halo sat atop the head. Below the statue, there was a stone base, with words carved into it.

Padme Amidala Naberrie-Skywalker

Former Queen and Senator of Naboo

Beloved Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Mother and Wife.

Our strong willed child will live in all of the hearts of the residents of Naboo.

Although she cannot stay with us, we know she is with us always.

Leia sat gently on the grass beside the marker. She had the sudden thought of what her father might've felt sitting there. She grunted. "I don't care."

Something was making her think of him. All last night, she'd dreamt of her father. She'd dreamt she'd been in the same room with him. He was wearing the suit, his breath was coming out in those horrid gasps, but he wore no mask. He was as he had appeared to her and Luke. Himself.

She was being imprisoned by him again, but instead of harsh words, he was crying. He was begging forgiveness: not only from her, but from her mother.

Sitting at her mother's grave, she recalled all these dreams, and remembered why she'd come. She wanted to know. She wanted to know her mother, wanted to know why, and wanted to know if she'd forgiven him. How do you forgive the one you love, when he's the one who killed you? What would she do if Han ever did such a thing. If he'd even touched her wrong, what would she do? How do you forgive.

The tears fell down onto the grass and made her blink. She was so caught up in all these feelings she didn't notice Sola coming up behind her.

"You know you're named after our grandmother."

Leia's head whipped up. She wiped her tears away then folded her arms across her chest. Not put out, Sola simply sat next to her and sighed. She looked to the angel then back at her niece.

"My mothers mother's name was Leia. I'm not sure where she got Luke from…I suppose they match." Leia still didn't respond.

After a few more moments of silence, Sola reached out and touched Leia's long hair.

"You look so much like her. It's astounding. And I can see you're in love, just like she was. It makes you even more beautiful."

Strangely, Leia didn't move away. She only sat quietly, as Sola stroked her long wavy hair and murmured to her.

"She would've loved you two so much. She would've loved being a mother!"

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Leia sniffed, then shifted on her hind legs.

"Because you're my family."

After a few more moments of pained silence, Leia glanced up again.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Why did you put Skywalker on the tombstone?"

Sola stood slowly and looked around her. Just as she glanced back, she saw Luke and Han walking towards them. She lifted her chin in their direction.

"You love him, right?"

Leia stood up too. Her arms hung loosely at her sides and she nodded. "Yes. I don't know why though."

The couple hurried towards them.

"Padme loved Anakin Skywalker." She turned to Leia and took her by the shoulders. "Skywalker, not Vader. You should've been able to have them as your parents. Yes, I hate him-Darth Vader. But we all loved Anakin."

Han and Luke had just reached them when they suddenly stopped, dumbfounded. Leia reached over and hugged Sola with all her might. Sola hugged back.

"Wow." Han scratched his head.

Sola and Leia turned. Leia rolled her eyes then wiped the rest of her tears away. She then went to Luke first and hugged him. She had seen him looking at the grave.

"I'm so sorry Luke." She took Han's hand then moved off into the distance of the waterfalls.

"She's ready now." Sola folded her hands together.

"Ready?" Luke asked. Sola nodded.

"To move on to whatever you have in store for her." Sola started to move away then glanced back. "You're all invited to dinner by the way."

Luke stood staring at the angel and read the marker. But his mind was not on the words. He was still too dumbfounded by what the heck just happened with his sister.