Chapter 4

Luke and Leia had sparred for several hours later that morning. While Luke was clearly nervous at the beginning, Leia had given him no reason to validate his concerns, wielding her weapon expertly as he had taught her to do. That evening, Luke had gone to the meditation chamber, wishing to explore the thoughts and concerns that had swirling around his mind all day. Closing his eyes, Luke took in a deep breath, calmed by the soothing presence of the Force.

"Something troubling you?"

Luke smiled, his eyes still closed. Perhaps solitude would have to wait.

"Nothing I can't handle, father," Luke replied, opening his eyes to see the force ghost of Anakin Skywalker sitting cross legged in front of him.

Anakin returned his son's smile, a warm sense of fatherly pride surging through him. Anakin's grin faded, however, as he sensed his son's stress.

"Luke, I want you to be able to confide in me."

Luke closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "It's Leia," he said simply.

Anakin frowned slightly. "What about her?" he asked cautiously.

"She puts on a brave face, but I know she is in a lot of pain from her past. Pain which is only exacerbated through her training."

Anakin drooped his head, a sense of self-loathing brewing beneath the metaphysical surface. He had in large part been responsible for his daughter's pain, and he could never forgive himself for that fact.

"But she's too stubborn to ever admit it to me," Luke continued. "She's so guarded."

Anakin remained silent, so Luke continued, all of his concerns tumbling out unfiltered. "I just wish she could let me help her. But every time I do, she pushes me away. It's almost as if she resents me for trying to help. I feel so helpless, so powerless…"

Anakin looked up, a faint smile on his lips. "You love her," he said.

Luke nodded, surprised by the question. "Of course I do, she's my sister."

"Remarkable," Anakin muttered quietly "You're so much like her…"

"What do you mean, like who?" Luke asked.

"Your mother," Anakin replied.

Luke stiffened, hoping his father would say more. Never before had he heard his father talk about his mother. Luke had always reasoned that perhaps it was too painful for Anakin to talk about her, so he had never pried him for information. But now, his curiosity overwhelmed him.

"Would you tell me about her?" Luke asked softly.

Anakin looked away, the conflict evident in his face.

"I'm sorry," Luke said quickly. "I don't mean to pressure you."

"No, it's OK Luke. You deserve to know about her. You both do."

"Leia asked about her this morning, actually."

Anakin's curiosity was piqued at that. "What did she ask?"

Luke gave his father a sheepish look. "She was wondering how the woman she remembered could ever…" Luke trailed off, not sure how to put it politely.

"How she could ever love me?"

Luke nodded, relieved that his father understood.

Anakin sighed as he reminisced about his long-lost love. "Your mother was an amazing woman, Luke," he said finally. "I never deserved her love."

"Father, don't say that."

"It's true, Luke. Just like I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Luke grimaced, knowing that there was nothing he could say to change his father's mind.

"In that way you remind me so much of her, Luke," Anakin said solemnly. "You may look like me on the outside, but on the inside you have her heart.

Luke was silent, in part because he wasn't sure what to say in response to such a proclamation but mostly because he was simply too moved to speak. It was so clear how deeply Anakin loved and respected his son, and that affection was overwhelming to Luke who had never really had a father.

The sound of footsteps approaching broke the tender moment between father and son. Suddenly, Anakin tensed up as he sensed his daughter approaching.

"I should go," he whispered.

"You have to talk to her eventually," Luke reasoned, hoping his father would stay.

"Luke, are you in here?" he heard Leia call from the hallway. Spinning around, Luke caught glimpse of his sister's silhouette in the darkness. "I heard voices, is everything alright?"

"Of course, I was just talking to…" before he could finish however, he sensed his father's presence behind him fade away.

Leia walked into the chamber, an eyebrow raised. "Talking to whom?"

"Erm…" Luke paused, frustrated that Anakin was unwilling to talk to his own daughter. Luke knew that they couldn't put off this conversation forever, and now was as good of a time as ever. But perhaps Leia would not take kindly to seeing Anakin just yet. If Luke was being honest to himself, he was frightened about what the fallout of such a conversation could be. Leia's fiery temper and steadfast disgust for Vader had certainly not abated even after a month of training and solitude.

"Luke?"

"Nobody, I'm talking to no one. Just myself. Just me and…myself. I'm all alone, like a wolf," Luke stammered, wavering under Leia's piercing glare.

"Fine, keep your secrets," Leia told him bitterly. "Dinner's ready if you care to join us." With that, Leia turned around and left without waiting for a reply, clearly irked by Luke's dodgy behavior.

Sensing that his father's force ghost had returned, Luke turned around to face him. After Leia's footsteps faded away, he said "You know you're going to have to talk to her eventually."

Anakin sighed, knowing that his son was right but feeling uncertain regardless. "I know, but part of me thinks that I have no right to have a place in her life."

"That's ridiculous," Luke said, exasperated. "You're her father!"

Anakin looked away, the passion with which Luke spoke making him feel uncomfortable. "Perhaps," he relented. "But not now, it's too soon."

"You keep telling yourself that," Luke said with disappointment. As Luke left the chamber, Anakin gave out one last sigh before fading away once again.

The next morning started off very much like the last had, with Luke finding Leia sitting alone at the kitchen table. Luke took a deep breath, hoping to avoid another confrontation. Things had been very tense the past few days, and at this point Luke was hoping to placate his sister as much as possible and escape the tempest unscathed.

"Morning," he said cautiously, skirting around the table to fix himself some breakfast.

"Morning," Leia replied.

Knowing that he was tempting fate, Luke asked, "Why have you been getting up so early?"

"What, you don't enjoy my company?" Leia retorted playfully.

Not lately, that's for sure he thought to himself. "No, I've just never thought you were ever an early bird," Luke said, relieved that she seemed to be in a better mood.

"I'm not. I haven't been sleeping well, that's all."

"Why is that?" Luke asked, playing with fire.

Leia paused, suddenly uncomfortable under Luke's gaze. She fiddled with a strand of her hair absentmindedly for a few moments. "Dreams," she said simply after a while.

"Nightmares?"

"Not always, no."

Luke said nothing, wise enough to realize that probing any further would only irritate Leia. Instead they sat in a comfortable silence as Luke waited for Leia to elaborate. Just as he was about to concede defeat and acknowledge that this was as far as he was going to get today, Leia spoke.

"I've been dreaming about her."

Luke nodded, knowing of whom she spoke.

"Anything specific?"

Leia shook her head. "Not really… just glimpses of her." She paused again, her eyes transfixed on the table in front of her, clearly lost in the memory. "I need to find her, Luke."

Luke gave her a sad look. "She's gone, Leia."

"I know that," she responded tersely. "I meant I need to find who she was. Not knowing is killing me."

Luke nodded, an idea forming in his mind. "I know someone who can answer all of our questions."

Leia looked up at him, a confused expression on her face. "What do you mean? Who?"

Luke merely gave her a wan smile in response. Now is the time, father Luke thought.

Silence.

I know you're there.

Utterly bewildered, Leia opened her mouth to say something. A blue glimmer out of the corner of her eye stopped her, however. Turning to the hallway, she saw a tall man, a faint blue glow surrounding his figure. He was intimidating yet also familiar, although she couldn't explain why.

"I understand my presence was requested?" the man asked, a sincere expression only betrayed by a playful glimmer in his eyes.

"Who are you?" Leia demanded. The man said nothing as he stared intently at Leia. Disconcerted by the puzzling expression on his face, Leia turned to Luke. "Will someone tell me what is going on?"

Instead, Luke looked at the mysterious man, ignoring Leia's plea. "If you don't tell her, I will," Luke told him, an authoritative edge to his voice which Leia had never heard before.

The man drooped his head briefly, before returning his gaze to Leia, his piercing blue eyes unnerving her. "Leia," he said finally "I am your father."