Leia stared at him icily before grudgingly deciding that maybe she was a little hungry.
Carefully extracting her cold hand from his warm one, she quietly opened the meal pack. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Anakin's mouth twitch into a smile and she scowled before resolving to ignore him.
Time ticked past too slowly and even with the blanket tucked up around her chin, Leia grew colder. She hated being cold and she didn't like the silence. She had too many questions, and yet some of them she wasn't exactly sure she wanted the answers to.
There was a part of her that couldn't help but trust Anakin. That part made her feel almost safe, like he would turn the entire galaxy upside down just to see her happy, and yet the intensity scared her a little. He was dangerous. His double had done terrible things. Ben was worried about him. By all rights she shouldn't trust him at all.
Despite this there was a sense of rightness when she found herself telling him her fears, like it had always been that way. She told him everything as easily as if he were the imaginary confidant she always whispered her secrets to in the night after a troubling day.
She glanced at Anakin again.
He was so still and quiet that he seemed almost dead except his breathing was slow and steady. Warmth seemed to radiate from him in the small space and Leia marveled at how someone in his physical condition was even able to generate heat with next to no body fat.
Her cold fingers dragged at the blanket again and she shivered, looking away.
Studying the haul of the pirate's ship, Leia tried not to wonder what was happening to others. Had the pirates hurt them? Was Ben ok? What about Tala? She didn't know if she could take more good people getting hurt and she hated feeling so helpless. The only choices she really had were keeping watch or getting some rest as Anakin had suggested.
After a while of keeping watch, she couldn't stand being cold anymore and she caved, just like she had on the cargo transport with Ben.
Scooting closer to Anakin as quietly as she could so she wouldn't alert him to her movements, Leia curled up under the blanket and closed her eyes. Her back was almost touching his stretched out legs and she could feel the body heat like sweet relief to her cold limbs. It helped, but it still wasn't enough to drive the chill away so Leia couldn't stop the shivers that inevitably returned.
Beside her, Anakin shifted and Leia stiffened, thinking she'd woken him and not sure how she felt about him knowing she'd come so close. Letting him take her hand when she was crying was one thing. Snuggling up against him for warmth was another thing entirely.
There was a soft rustle, she felt the light weight of a second blanket as it flicked out and draped over her and Anakin's long legs, effectively creating a heat trap.
The gesture was disarming, and Leia's heart slowed with the sudden desire to just let him take care of her for now. She was so tired of being brave.
Mind made up, she shifted so her back was pressed up against him and she pretended not to notice when he tucked the blanket in around her. She also ignored when he hesitated before letting his arm come down around her, adding to the warmth as it circled around her head and shoulders.
Faster than she'd anticipated, Leia drifted off.
The dreams followed not long after sleep, just as Leia feared they would without Ben there.
Images of the Inquisitor's fortress flashed through her mind, being tied to that horrible machine. She tried to scream for help again, struggled to wake herself, but the darkness clamped over her and all she could do was watch as it twisted towards her, malicious, ravenous and cold.
Where was Ben? She needed him!
She tried to cry out again, begging for the lights to go on so she would feel safe again, just like when Ben came for her.
And then, all of the sudden, they did.
Like a blast of lightning during a thunderstorm at night, blinding light flared through her dream. It vaporized every tendril of darkness in its path and chased off the bad memories with a protective roar.
Suddenly she was on a watery planet, gazing out over a large lake. There were flowers everywhere, their soothing scent hanging heavily in the humid air. She could feel the breeze brushing through her hair and warmth filled her bones as the sun smiled down on her. In the distance, she could hear a man and woman laughing together, bantering and teasing good naturedly. They seemed vaguely familiar, but Leia couldn't place why.
There was a little bench with pillows. Leia walked to it and curled up to watch the colorful world, feeling no shadow of a threat for the people she heard. The warmth of the air and sun made her sleepy, which felt funny because she was still mostly aware that she was already asleep. All the same, she closed her eyes and listened to the waves lapping on the beach.
All was calm and she was safe in the light of the day. Nothing could find her here.
"Wake up, Leia."
The next thing Leia knew, some time later, Anakin was shaking her shoulder gently.
"W-what?" She clawed to the surface of waking with difficulty, reluctant to leave that wonderful place she'd been in her dream.
"It's time."
Squinting, Leia sat up, holding blankets around her body and loathing to leave the cocoon.
"Where are we?" She asked as Anakin moved to the controls of their tiny vessel. His movements seemed more sure now, like sleep had been the best cure in the world for his skinny, neglected, beat up body.
"If I remember my star charts, we're headed for Antal. "
"What sort of planet is it?"
"The kind that pirates hide on." Anakin answered vaguely. "Strap in. We're going to have to follow at a distance soon."
Leia huffed, but did as she was told.
"So, what's the plan?" She asked, rubbing the gritty feeling of sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand.
"The plan is to follow them to their hideout, land undetected and rescue our friends." Anakin said as he peered out the viewport for something, his hands gripping the controls of the ship with relaxed hands.
"That doesn't sound like much of a plan." Leia told him, crossing her arms. "What's Plan B?"
The pirate ship entered the atmosphere of the planet and Anakin made his move, disengaging from the ship and following with the systems still on low.
"It's a great plan." Anakin told her confidently. "I'm sure we won't even need Plan B."
"If it's such a great plan, why aren't you telling me the details?" Leia challenged.
"Because, princess," Anakin twirled the ship, making her stomach lurch and she gripped the sides of her seat tightly. "You don't need to know. You'll be staying on the ship, out of the way."
"WHAT!?" Leia burned with the insult that she would ever be in the way, like some nuisance child instead of a respectable, capable woman. "But you'll need help! I WANT TO HELP! Do you even HAVE any of the details?"
Anakin ignored her again, setting the tiny flying craft down on the planet's surface.
"I'm coming." Leia stated decidedly.
"No. You aren't." Anakin told her with a slight hint of exasperation as he got out of his chair and moved to open the doors of the craft.
"YES I am. You can't make me stay here!"
"You are staying here. Don't argue with me. Besides, Obi-Wan would kill me if I let you come."
"I'll just leave after you do, and then I'll be all alone on an unknown planet without anyone." Leia promised, putting her hands on her hips and hoping to look bigger than she was as she stared up at the skinny man. "Then he'd really kill you."
Anakin stared at her as though his brain were short circuiting.
"It seems like the only logical solution would be to take me with you." Leia tried a sweeter tone, smiling innocently and trying to hide her worry that she'd somehow broken the man because he wasn't breathing now, still just staring at her with those deep blue eyes.
Pretending it was all decided, Leia went to march past him. "Come on! We're wasting time!"
Anakin's mechanical arm shot out in front of her, blocking her way and she struggled not to glare at him.
"Do you give Obi- Ben this much trouble?" Anakin asked finally.
"Be lucky I don't have a stool handy." Leia blurted out seriously.
Anakin laughed.
If it hadn't been so pleasant to hear, bright and filled with joy, Leia might have been insulted that he was laughing at her.
"You…are…impossible." Anakin chuckled before sobering again. "But no. You're staying here."
"NO!" Leia trotted forwards to follow as Anakin opened the doors. "Wait! It's not just the others! I-I left my droid on the ship! She'll be scared without me!"
Slowing his stride, Anakin glanced back at her. "Where was it last?"
"In the pocket of my coat. Her name is LOLA."
"I'll find her." Anakin promised, then pointed firmly at the ship. "Now. Get inside !"
Leia opened her mouth to argue again, to appeal to a softer side of him by playing the 'scared little girl' card, but suddenly Anakin's expression shifted and she got the distinct feeling he wasn't playing anymore. It wasn't mean, or cruel, but the air changed almost the same way it did when she knew she'd pushed it way too far with her mother. The only difference was this man wasn't her mother and she wasn't exactly sure what the consequences would be if she didn't listen. A shiver went up her spine and she remembered the way he'd made the ship shake in the medical bay.
"Inside." Anakin ordered again. He still meant it, but the air softened ever so slightly. "I won't be long. You'll be safe here."
For a moment two wills struggled before Leia growled softly and stomped back in, smashing her hand into the closing mechanism and slamming the door shut.
Slumping into the pilot's chair, Leia folded her arms and sulked. She knew it was terribly childish and undignified, but in the privacy of her own presence she allowed it for a little bit. She counted the minutes, then she got up and headed to the doors again.
Listening never was her strong suit and if she proved herself useful, Anakin would have to admit he should have taken her along. It was her turn to save her friends.
Of all the people that Obi-Wan sincerely wished never to have dealings with again, Hondo Ohnaka was near the top of the list.
And yet, here he was, arm draped around Obi-Wan's shoulders, bellowing happily as he 'guided' his 'oldest friend' into his hideout with those dramatic flourishes of his hand.
"Really! Kenobi! It is good to see you! You don't come across many old friends these days!" The Weequay was saying.
"Funny. I didn't think friends attacked each other or took one another captive. Why don't you let me go, as a show of our great friendship." Obi-Wan answered dryly, indicating the force inhibiting cuffs holding his wrists together.
Hondo laughed, tightening the arm around his shoulders and making Obi-Wan stumble a little.
"I have missed your sense of humor, Kenobi!"
"Hondo, we have no quarrel with you. It's imperative that you let us go. Lives may depend on it."
"Let you go? Ho NO! Kenobi. You see, I have a business proposition for you!"
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Oh, here we go."
"You are a fugitive Jedi, on the run from the Empire, no doubt." Hondo shoved Obi-Wan into a seat and bellowed to one of his cut-throats to get their 'guests' something to drink. "I am but a humble outlaw and smuggler now, due to the same Empire. It is only reasonable that we team up!"
"Team up with you?" Obi-Wan nearly laughed. "Hondo we both know what teaming up with you looks like. It never ends well and you always stab us in the back."
"Accckkkk. You WOUND me, Kenobi!" Hondo recoiled dramatically, clutching his chest. "Did I not rescue those Jedi younglings? Did I not help you hunt down those spooky brothers with the red laser swords with you? Did I not capture the Count for you? And let's not mention all my other noteworthy mostly true feats of honor these past ten years!"
"As I recall, you attacked the Jedi cruiser before you rescued the younglings, and you captured Anakin and I when we came for the Count, all for a double ransom pay out!"
"Well, can you blame me? It was too good an opportunity! Just like this one! Join me, Kenobi! Together, with your magic and my brains, we can become wealthy again!"
Sighing, Obi-Wan glanced at Tala, Sully and Roken who had been seated across the table. Subtly he shook his head not to taste the drinks placed before them. They were undoubtedly drugged.
"There's a bounty on this one's head." One of the pirates growled, pointing at Obi-Wan. "And he's a Jedi. The Empire would pay us handsomely for them all."
"Who asked you!?" Hondo snapped, throwing his cup at his man. "Business with the Empire is never profitable. Go back to work and fix that ship so we can sell it."
"Not your usual crew." Obi-Wan commented as the pirate stalked off, glaring at the captives and Hondo as they left. "Are you sure you can trust them?"
"They're pirates, Kenobi. Of course I can't trust them." Hondo laughed before lowering his voice with some seriousness. "But you are right. They are not my typical crew. The Empire saw to that. That's why I want to team up, Kenobi! You are honorable! I like that! And sneaky! I love that more! Together we would be unstoppable!"
"I really don't think a partnership is in the cards, Hondo." Obi-Wan told the pirate dryly. "I already have enough trouble without adding you to the mix."
"What about your friends here?" Hondo gestured to the other three sitting across from them in baffled silence.
"What about them?"
"Would you recommend any of them for a partnership?"
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes to the ceiling, praying to The Force for deliverance. The cuff's greatly diminished his Force abilities, and he could only just feel Anakin buzzing in the back of his brain. Nothing intelligible, but there all the same. A large piece of him was grateful the idiot didn't listen to him and was undoubtedly staging his rescue soon. The other part of him was nearly nauseous with worry over Leia and if Anakin would be foolish enough to bring the child along for the rescue attempt instead of leaving her somewhere safe.
"Let us go, Hondo." Obi-Wan tried, "For old time sake."
The Weequay bowed his head and sighed, dejected. "Kenobi. You disappoint me. Surely you know it's not good business to let three hostages go. Chances are your own people will pay handsomely to get you back. I get rich, you stay out of the Empire's hands. We all win. Besides…this group will have my neck if we don't make some profit."
"Hondo. We aren't part of any group!" Obi-Wan snapped, growing tired of the game. "We are just a small crew making our way across the galaxy. That's all. Your staffing issues are not my problem!"
"Oh, but they are your problem, master Jedi. I suggest you play along." Hondo whispered before bellowing, "How unfortunate for you then. Perhaps you end up in the hands of the Empire after all."
With a clap of his hands he called his men, ordering them to place them all in separate cells while he made some calls.
"You don't want to do that!" Obi-Wan yelled after the pirate, utterly exasperated and not wanting to play whatever game he had going on. "He won't do business the way you want. Surely you aren't stupid enough to try to do business with Darth Vader?"
Hondo slowed his step. "No. Perhaps not. He's not a very good business partner. But you had other enemies, Kenobi. Perhaps one of them will pay for you."
There were some things in the universe that appeared not to have changed at all, much to Anakin's relief.
Needing to rescue Obi-Wan was one of those things, and the second was the ease with which Anakin could sneak into a pirate hideout. The third was the fact that Hondo's own people were about to betray him.
As he scaled to walls and slipped through a window, Anakin had overheard the conversation in the shipyard and knew that time was limited if they wanted to get out of there before the Empire showed up.
Slipping through the corridors was almost suspiciously easy, until he found the main common and discovered Hondo had a mutiny on his hands and all the pirates were brawling. Like the good opportunist he was, Anakin thanked his fortune and hurried off towards the holding cells while they were all distracted.
The cells were much like Anakin would have expected from Hondo. Small, boring, designed to lessen the abilities of someone who was force sensitive and well equipped with an electric energy field generator.
The Force lurched with anger and Anakin heard electricity filling the air a few doors down from the empty cell he was checking.
Obi-Wan's distinctive dry insults between pained yelling was all Anakin needed as he broke into a sprint towards the far cell.
"I can tell…you aren't…the brains…" Obi-Wan groaned when the field he hung in settled down and he gasped for air.
"We're smarter than you! At least we know when to shut up!" A big, blue, beefy twi'lek was saying as he slammed the lever down once more.
Anakin leaped into action, slamming the pirate at the entrance of the cell into the wall with a combination of the speed from his sprint, his sharp elbow to the face and drawing on aid from the Force. Then he flung himself at the surprised twi'lek as Obi-Wan yowled in pain.
As plans went, until this point, it hadn't been a terrible one.
Until this point.
The twi'lek was big, and Anakin was not even close to his top fighting condition despite the good his trance had done and the aid of the Force. His first strike to the pirate nearly crippled his hand and after a few moments of dodging on his part, the former general was knocked across the room into the wall.
" .WOULD BE NiCE!" Obi-Wan yelled as electricity still crackled around him.
The sarcasm actually lifted Anakin's bruised ego at that moment. It felt just like old times.
Before he even had a chance to reach out and use The Force to move the lever across the room, the twi'lek was lifting him off the floor by his throat and smashing his back into the wall.
Then, by a stroke of luck, the room plunged into darkness and there was thud as Obi-Wan fell to the ground out of the energy field. Taking the opportunity, Anakin acted quickly and willed The Force to help his body move.
He arched and swung his feet round, kicking the twi'lek in a specific spot on his ribs that he sensed was promising. There was an audible crack of bone and the huge male released Anakin with a gasp just as back up lights flickered on.
Another kick to his face had the twi'lek out cold and Anakin counted his blessings. He wasn't certain he could have kept fighting that way for long.
"Are you alright?" He asked as he massaged his aching hand. He should have struck with the metal one.
"You took long enough." Obi-Wan grumbled as lay on his back and gingerly tried to smooth his rumpled appearance. "Good job turning off the power. How did you manage that?"
"That…wasn't me." Anakin admitted as he helped Obi-Wan off the floor.
"Then who-"
"BEN! Are you ok?!"
Both Jedi spun round at the sweet, out of breath little voice.
"Leia!?" Obi-Wan stared at her tiny frame in the doorway and then turned on Anakin, ready to rip into him but pausing when he spotted the thunder in Anakin's own eyes they stared at the child.
"LEIA!" Anakin snapped loudly, anger thickening in the air and nearly crushing all their lungs. Seconds later his fingers were going to pinch the bridge of his nose as he breathed deeply, willing the world around them to soften again.
Keep your temper. Keep your temper. Breath. Just breath.
The last thing Anakin ever wanted was his child or Obi-Wan afraid of him again.
Leia's jaw clenched as she visibly tried not to flinch under the anger in his tone. "What! I just-"
With the three distracted, the pirate from the doorway came to and jumped from the ground in the corridor, reaching for Leia from behind.
She let out a shrill yell as the pirate grabbed her by the braids as he reached for his blaster and Anakin's blood boiled further.
Instantly, his hand reached out, The Force coursing through more effortlessly than it had a few moments ago. He used it to loosen the brute's hands while the other moved to shove him away from Leia.
The pirate screamed in pain as his hand snapped back at a weird angle, and at the same moment he went flying back, smashing into the wall and nearly breaking his neck with the impact.
Anakin blinked, mouth slightly open as he replayed how much force he used. He was positive he hadn't used that much, but the way Leia was staring at him made his stomach turn. Had he used too much in his anger? He was so sure he'd been in perfect control!
Beside him he heard Obi-Wan mutter, "Blast."
Spinning around to look at him, he saw the other man slowly lowering his outstretched hand.
Obi-Wan looked a little sheepish. "I might have overdone it a bit. I didn't exactly mean to hit him that hard, and I should have known you would be doing the same thing. I'm still a little out of practice, you know."
A small, relieved grin slowly made its way onto Anakin's face as he saw through Obi-Wan's explanation. The poor man had acted out of pure instinct that was mixed with a father's protective love. It wasn't Anakin's actions alone that sent the pirate flying backwards with a broken wrist.
"Oh, shut up." Obi-Wan sighed as he crossed the floor to Leia.
"I didn't say anything!" Leia exclaimed, staring up at Obi-Wan as if he were the rudest person ever.
"Not you. Him."
"I didn't say anything either!" Anakin squawked.
"Could feel you thinking." Obi-Wan told him with annoyance that it didn't really reach his eyes. "Are you hurt, Leia? He was being extremely uncivilized to grab your hair like that!"
"I'm not hurt." Leia answered, rubbing her scalp gingerly. "Are you ok? You look a little beat up again."
"What are you even doing here?"
"Well, Anakin left me all alone on the ship, apparently he didn't hide it very well, and then they were going to find me, so I left." Leia told Ben, swaying back and forth with all innocence while casting a look at Anakin.
"You left her alone?" Obi-Was asked him, raising his eyebrows and crossing his arms as he stood next to Leia.
"I left her on the ship, which WAS well hidden and SAFE! I was trying to be responsible!"
"I told him the responsible thing would have been to take me with him, but he wouldn't listen to me."
"Oh, he's never been very good at listening." Obi-Wan said, his eyes shining with humor that made Anakin's chest tighten with emotion.
"Hey! I thought you would be-"
"I am proud." Obi-Wan interrupted him before turning to Leia with a frown. "I'm going to take a guess here and say you left that ship on purpose and there were no pirates about to find you. "
Leia's eyes dropped and her jaw twitched as she tried to keep a calm, composed face that gave nothing away.
"No."
"Leia!"
"Fine. Maybe."
"Anakin was right to leave you on the ship, Leia! It's not safe!"
"But I wanted to help! And I DID!" Leia waved a hand at the pirate on the floor. "I cut the power to the zappy machine and the lights! You could say thank-you."
"Admittedly that was helpful-" Anakin broke off when he saw that satisfied little smirk cross his child's face. "Wait. NO! You should have stayed safe, Leia! End of story. You put yourself in danger after I specifically told you to stay on the ship!"
"You told me if I slept and ate something I could help !" Leia shot back, crossing her arms and mirroring the tall man who was now moving closer to loom over her with a stern expression. "How was staying on the ship helping!? You didn't even give me a job to do!"
"You had the job of staying safe and where I could find you again!" Anakin answered through his teeth. The rescue was taking its toll on his body and he was starting to lose his patience. Stars…was he this bad for Obi-Wan when he was ten?
Obi-Wan cast him a smug look of his own, clearly enjoying himself at Anakin's expense and Anakin knew the answer to that question without voicing it aloud.
Rolling his eyes as he pulled at his hair, Anakin muttered, "I know, I know…it's justice. Any help here would be great!"
Forcing his face to straighten, Obi-Wan crouched down in front of Leia again.
"What you did was foolish, Leia." Obi-Wan told her, his voice soft but stern. "It put you in danger and could have put you in the hands of the Empire again, or worse. I got you out once and we were incredibly fortunate. That might not happen again. Did you even think about that possibility?"
Leia's face fell and she had the decency to look deeply contrite as her crossed arms loosened. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to help get you out."
Anakin tensed with a stab of sympathy when he felt her signature flared with the guilt of all who'd given their lives already to keep her safe. Was it a good, important lesson? Yes. Did he dislike seeing her in pain? Absolutely.
Unable to help himself, Anakin commented a little brashly, "Well…to be fair she did help."
Obi-Wan's head snapped up to glare at him disbelievingly, "Anakin! Don't encourage this!"
He shrugged innocently, struggling to hide a smile because that bright spark had returned to Leia's eyes. "I'm just saying…"
"Unbelievable. Next time, you're on your own with her." Obi-Wan rose, taking Leia's hand and leading her out. "Come on. And get something over your face, for goodness sake, Anakin. Hondo will recognize you in an instant if we run into him!"