Chapter 6

"You have a lot of explaining to do."

Luke looked up from his toast, immediately fearful of the steely tone of his sister's voice.

"Why didn't you tell me you were talking with him?" Leia demanded, her arms crossed.

"You know why," Luke responded coolly, determined not to let Leia browbeat him.

Leia scoffed at him. "You think I'm weak," she spat. "You think you're better than me."

Luke couldn't help but roll his eyes, serving only to infuriate Leia further. "You know that's not true."

"Then why didn't you tell me!" she screamed, her rage tearing to the surface. Luke backed away instinctively, shying away from the darkness emanating Leia.

"Leia, calm down…"

"Don't tell me to calm down! DON'T TELL ME TO DO ANYTHING!"

Just then Han entered the kitchen, clearly concerned by the ensuing shouting match. "Cool it Princess," Han told her tactlessly.

"Stay out of this, Han," she growled at him ominously. Ignoring her warning, Han reached out to grab her shoulder. Leia spun around in a rage to slap his hand away, but before she could, Han had been flung across the room, pinned a foot in the air against the wall, his hands clutching his throat. Startled, she looked at Luke, thinking that he had done this.

"Let him go, Leia!" Luke hollered at her.

Her anger melted away into surprise and then into regret as she realized what she had done. Stunned, Leia stumbled backwards as Han collapsed in a heap onto the floor. "Han, I'm so sorry…" she said, stepping forward to help him up. Han scooted away from her, however, his eyes shining with fear.

"Stay away from me," he said, his hand instinctively hovering over his holster. Freezing, Leia looked over to Luke once again. Luke was staring back at her, his eyes steely.

"Han," Luke said, his eyes never leaving Leia's. "Perhaps you should leave us."

Han's eyes darted over to Luke. More than happy to oblige, Han got to his feet quickly and staggered out of the kitchen, skirting around Leia as he did so.

After Han had left, Luke addressed Leia again. "Have a seat," he said in an even voice, his hand gesturing to the chair opposite him at the table. Trembling with regret, fear, and residual rage, Leia sat down.

"Congratulations," Luke said icily, surprising Leia. "You have learned to channel the dark side."

"The dark side?" Leia asked, bewildered.

Luke nodded solemnly. "Anger is the quickest path to the dark side," he reminded her sternly. "I have told you this countless times, yet it seems you have not heeded my teachings." Leia looked at her feet, suddenly ashamed. "Perhaps you don't respect me as a teacher."

Leia looked up. "Of course I do, Luke!"

"No, you do not," Luke responded firmly. "I understand; I'm just your farm boy brother, who am I to teach Princess Leia Organa," he said sarcastically.

Leia opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off. "You don't understand the significance of your powers!" Luke bellowed, perversely enjoying watching his sister squirm under his verbal assault for a change. "I am the only one in the entire galaxy," he told her, pausing for emphasis "who can teach you to harness your abilities."

Leia swallowed hard, shocked at the intensity of Luke's tirade. Taking a deep breath, Luke approached her slowly. "Let me teach you," he pleaded with her, the uncharacteristic anger gone from his voice. "Only through me can you realize your potential."

Nodding fiercely, Leia suddenly stood up and wrapped her arms around Luke tightly, sobs racking her body. "I'm so sorry, Luke," she told him, the whirlwind of emotions overwhelming her. "I'm so, so sorry."

Surprised, Luke hesitated briefly before wrapping his arms around her and hugging her back tightly. "It's okay," he cooed, hoping that he had finally gotten through to her. The siblings stayed that way for a minute, both recovering from their respective bouts of rage.

"You need to let me help you," Luke whispered to her. "After everything you've been through, I understand why you're angry." Leia sniffled in response, her cheek resting against Luke's chest. "But don't let the darkness consume you, Leia," he warned her ominously. "Let me steer you to the light."

Leia nodded, relishing in her brother's warm and comforting embrace. Regaining her composure, Leia took a step away out of Luke's arms.

"I didn't mean to hurt Han," she said, wiping tears away for the umpteenth time that day. "I'm afraid, Luke. I'm afraid of myself."

Luke gave her a sympathetic look and put his hands on her shoulders. "I know you didn't mean to," he told her. "But don't be afraid, Leia. We should never rely on the darkness, but that doesn't mean we should avoid it forever."

Leia frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Your scars run too deep," he told her, squeezing her shoulders gently. "I would be a fool if I thought I could purge the darkness from you entirely."

"What are you telling me, Luke?" she asked, perplexed.

"I will teach you to control the darkness within you. Only then will you be able heal and harness your full powers."

"You want me to use the dark side?" Leia asked incredulously

Luke removed his hands from her shoulders and looked away, clearly deep in thought. After a brief silence, he continued. "In a sense, yes," he said. "But the Force doesn't make that distinction. We can channel the darkness without letting it consume us, Leia. That was how I defeated Vader, with a combination of the light and the dark, with love and anger."

Leia stared back at her brother with wide eyes, stunned by this admission. "That can't be possible, Luke. I've never seen you angry before," she told him. "Well, until now that is," she admitted sheepishly.

"Nobody is ever fully light or fully dark. Not me, not you," he paused staring her right in the eyes, "not even Vader." Leia stiffened, too stubborn to admit that Luke might be right but too exhausted to argue with him about it. Noticing Leia's discomfort, Luke took her right hand. "Come, let me show you what happened on the Death Star. Perhaps you will understand then."