To be perfectly honest I hadn't got a clue where Han was going, or if he was mad at Leia when I wrote the last chapter. I've been all over the place writing this story, and I might have given up if it wasn't for all my amazing reviewers.
To Leila Solo, Kates Master, ricky62 and Vague Detail, I want to give special thanks and some hypothetical chocolate. You guys really bolstered my confidence writing this. (They put me on their favourites list! Me! Imagine!)
So I think that I've pretty much gotten this story back on the track that I wanted it onwith this chapter. Read on and give me your opinions.
I will never own Star Wars. (sigh)
Leia watched with vague amusement as a young and slightly transparent boy entered the room, walked through the coffee table and sat down, cross-legged on the floor near the repulsor-couch she was draped on. He looked at her steadily.
It was mid-evening; a few hours since Ackbar, Garm and Louis had left her apartment, assuring her that they would 'sort it all out'. She had promptly locked the door, disconnected her comm, thrown a datapad at the wall and collapsed on the couch. Not how she usually spent her time, but she had to admit, a life of hermitage and sloth seemed appealing at the moment. So long as she could bring some of these bottles that she had found earlier.
The transparent boy continued to gaze at her, so Leia grabbed another bottle of Corellian ale and shakily poured another cup for herself.
She drained the mug and looked up. He was still there. Sighing, she grasped the bottle and gulped down some more liquor, in hope that it would have more effect. No luck.
"You're very pretty" the young boy remarked.
"Waay out of your league, kiddo", she slurred, "what's more, I'm getting married."
"Just saying. Besides, a Jedi craves not these things", he told her serenely, his face showing nothing but childlike innocence.
Leia shifted to face the child. "Jedi, huh?"
"Yep! I'm a padwan learner, apprenticed to Jedi Master Obi-Wan" the boy said proudly.
Leia vaguely recognised the name, but something else clicked in her mind at the same time, something far more important to her semi-sober mind.
"Answer me this, young man, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY APARTEMENT?"
"You looked like to needed a chat."
"If I needed a chat, would I have locked the door?"
"You probably wouldn't have disconnected your comm either" he mused. "Or thrown that datapad at the wall."
"You catch on quick, kid. What's you're name?"
"Ani."
"Well, Master Jedi, you still haven't told me what you're doing in my apartment"
"I'm not a Master, I'm only eleven. I'm apprenticed to Jedi Mater Obi-"
"-So you said. So, you want to talk, Ani, lets talk. Seen any good holovids lately? Got a girlfriend?"
"Those people never meant to hurt you, Leia" Ani said abruptly.
"How do you know my name?" Leia asked him, all traces of alcohol-induced behaviour gone. She sat up straight, a look of distrust in her eyes.
"You are fortunate, Leia. Han, Luke and Mark all care for you. They are you're family. The-"
"FAMILY? Look, Ani, my father was a murder. He was everything that I stand against today. He tortured his own daughter for some stupid, stupid information. Family is a foreign concept to me right now."
"Annakin Skywalker was infected and corrupted by the Emperor. His mind, body and soul were controlled. The man you met was no longer your father, Leia. And he no more knew that you were his daughter than you knew him. Annakin Skywalker, your father, died before you were born, Leia."
"Look, I don't care any more. Whatever you say, however much you try to dress up the truth, I will always know that my father was a murder. And he slaughtered my real family on Alderaan" Leia trembled as memories, pushed back to the back of her mind resurfaced.
"Ok, then."
"What do you mean, okay?"
"I mean yes, Annakin Skywalker did some terrible things. Yes, he became a figure of fear and hatred in the galaxy, and some people are going to hold this against you. But I also mean okay, what are you going to do about it?"
"What am I going to do? I can't do anything. He is dead, I am alive, and now I am the most hated person in the galaxy."
"Vengeance and revenge was bred in the Empire. Last time I checked, you were doing a pretty good job of erasing Imperial ideas, and eliminating our prejudices. The New Republic will not denounce you for your family history, Leia."
"Yeah, yeah, so I'll be told. But- Wait a second, you said our prejudices. Who are you?"
"I'm a vision, an illusion, a hallucination, whatever. Not important."
"Oh… ok then." She paused. "Vadar and the Empire caused so much pain. I will never be free from the shadowy distrust and fear."
"Leia, child, take a minute to look at those around you. How many of Rogue Squadron's pilots, the Alliances most feared fighter wing used to fight for the Empire? Tycho Celchu Fought against the Alliance for years, for Coruscant's sake. Kyle Katarn was a stormtrooper. Do you hate them? Do you fear them?"
Leia could think of no answer. The boy had a point. The New Republic was about mending old wounds, not opening them.
She looked down at herself. Her clothed were creased, she smelt of beer and she could tell that her eyes were puffy and swollen. Not a fine sight, not for a princess, politician and above all, fiancée. Transparent as he was, Ani made some fairly good points.
"Who are you, anyway, kid?"
"You don't know?"
"Should I?"
"Think about it"
Leia surveyed the child. He wore his sandy blond hair close to his head, with the exception of a thin plait at the back of his head. His large blue eyes fixed her with an expression similar to one Luke sometimes wore. Leia smirked at this. Must be a jedi thing. The boy's petite features didn't really give her any clues as to his identity either.
"No, sorry kiddo."
"Leia… I am your father."
Leia chuckled. "The way Luke tells it, Darth Vadar sounds more impressive than you when he says that line. No, really kid, who are you?"
"Leia honey, I am the best example of them all that good people are destined to become terrible things. I was a slave. I was rescued and became a jedi. I was seduced by the powers of the dark side and I became a Sith lord. I am Annakin Skywalker, your father.
Seeing the truth in his pale blue eyes, she backed away from him. It was a moment before she realised that it was having no effect; she was still sitting on the couch.
"Don't be afraid, Leia. I cannot hurt you. I am dead, and the scars that I gave you will fade with time. And believe me, if I knew back then what I know now, things would have been different. I'm so proud of you."
"You're… You're a murder… but you're just a little kid" she whispered.
He fixed her with a long piercing look that made Leia feel like he could see right through her, and everything in between.
"I'm leaving now, Leia. And I won't be back. Don't worry; you won't be the Daughter of Darkness for long. This will pass, and you will walk through it with your head held high, I know it. Have a wonderful life, Leia, and don't let my mistakes stop you from doing anything you want to do. Make sure Luke does the same. Have a fantastic life."
With that, the transparent image faded into nothing, and she was left on her own again. She took a deep breath and fell back into the chair. She continued to stare at the spot where her father had been until her vision began to get hazy. A single tear fell down her cheek.
When she realised that she was crying she also discovered that she was unable to stop.
"Leia…Leia come on, open up, it's me."
Leia was woken by Luke's voice coming from just outside the door of her apartment. She sat up and realised two things; one, she was on the floor and must of fallen of the repulsor couch in her sleep, and two, she had cried herself to sleep.
"Leia, I know that you're in there. If you don't let me in I'll climb in the window. Open the door, I just want to talk to yo-"
He stopped mid-sentence as she opened the door.
"Just talk, eh? Not setting up any power based empires today?
"Not before dinner, anyway" he answered tentatively.
"Come on in, then"
"Leia watched as her brother crossed the room and entered the kitchen. A small smile crossed her face. Yeah that was Luke all right, always thinking of food first. He would be back in a moment, holding two mugs of hot chocolate, and congratulating himself on cheering her up; Luke firmly believed that hot chocolate could solve anything.
She crossed the room and stood in front of the full-length mirror, and raked her eyes over her image. Her eyes met with puffy eyes and creased clothes, but she looked deeper, looked at her features. She had been called hundreds of variations of the word pretty on countless occasions, but now she tried to look at herself as a Skywalker, looked for similarities between herself and Luke. She smiled as Luke re-entered the room, gripping two steaming mugs. So predictable.
Luke crossed the room and joined his sister in front of the mirror. She was pale, but he knew, as always that she would be alright. The spark in her eyes told him that much. And hot chocolate was the best cure for paleness, caused by holojournalists or not. He handed over the mug.
Leia accepted the drink, and returned her gaze to the mirror. "Look at me Luke. I'm a mess. I haven't felt this broken up since- oh I don't know, since Cloud City"
She traced her fingers down the mirror. "You know, we don't even look alike, Luke. On Alderaan, as a kid, it always confused me that I looked nothing like Bail Organa. I wonder-"
Luke met her eyes in the mirror and gave her a questioning look. To his immense suprise she began to giggle.
"Oh, this is priceless. Four days before my Wedding, and I'm standing in front of a mirror wondering if Darth Vadar looked like me. Course, I don't need to wonder any more now."
With that she collapsed onto the couch and took a long gulp of hot chocolate. Luke sat down beside her with considerably more grace, something that did not pass either of them by.
They looked at each other for a few moments before Leia mused out loud;
"Since when am I the farm boy and you the princess?"
Luke paused at this. In the past, Leia always shied away from referring to herself as his sister, and would change the subject whenever he brought it up. However, it was clear that something had changed.
"Must be a twin thing," he ventured.
She looked at him for a second. "Yeah. Must be. And I'm sorry that I took so long coming round to the idea, Luke, I, …"
"What changed?" he asked, bewildered.
"I had a chat with a very wise eleven year old. He enlightened me on a few matters. Said that I can't let the demons of my past ruin my life today, or something to that effect anyway. Smart kid.
"You wouldn't let your brother, fiancée or boss in here, but you let some random eleven year old come in and take our lines?"
"You must have called while I was asleep. And he wasn't just some randomer. He told me his name."
"Oh? Who was he then?"
"His name was Annakin Skywalker."
"…."
"Nice kid. Pity about the whole Sith business though."
"…."
"Told me to make sure that you have a good life too."
"…."
Leia surveyed her completely confounded brother. With a smile she tugged at his hand and brought him back to the mirror. Keeping hold of his hand, she reached out and touched the mirror with her free hand.
"You know I think I can see it. The twin-ness I mean. I really am sorry that it took me so long. But from now on, I'm not going to care what they say, whoever they are. And do you know what the most important thing is?"
Since had had come to 'cheer her up', Luke had been surprised at her state of semi-cheerfulness, stunned to hear her joke about her heritage, and astonished that their father had spoken to her. He could honestly say that he hadn't the foggiest idea about what she was going to say, so he just shook his head.
Leia cocked her head to one side and smiled, a smile that reminded Luke that she was only twenty-four, and not the hard-hitting politician that people thought she was. She let out a long, slow, content sigh.
"I'm getting married"
Phew. My longest chapter yet. Not long to go now. Let me know what you think, and I apologise for my dreadful characterisation of Annakin Skywalker, I've only seen each of the prequels once, ages ago, ad I've never read any Anni centred fics. Old Trilogy all the way!
