Hey all! Not much going on here, except tomorrow I leave for a CRUISE!! I am so excited you guys have no idea (I've also never been on one...)! So there will be no updates on any of my stories for at least a week. Sorry... I hope you all will check out my new story, Legacies Die Hard, it's pretty good if I say so myself! It's a time travel story where Anakin goes to the future, but there is much tension between him and his future son, and there's something Obi-Wan isn't telling him... Well I hope you all are having a fantastic summer (or winter, whatever side of the globe you live on)!! As always, please read and review:-)

i live on correllia: I'm so glad you love the story so much! But, I'm not willing to give you any information on where I live, so , please stop asking. I'd love to see the fan art you have, so you could PM it to me if you want, just I don't like to tell people I don't know where I live exactly... Now, please don't take this personally, but you keep telling me to check my spelling and grammer (which I know, I mess up on a lot), when you should probably proof-read your own reviews. Now you said you're from New York, so I assume you speak English, so maybe you should do spell check before you submit a review. I don't mean to sound harsh and I would tell you this for a reply, but you keep signing on as annoymous, so this is the only way I knwo how to, but you telling me to check my spelling but then having many spelling mistakes yourself is a little hypocritical, no offense or anything. I really do love your kind words on the story and it's really encouraging and I hope you continue to enjoy it!!

Sorry, for above, but I felt I needed to reply to this reviewer

And now for...

CHAPTER 11: MISLED CONNECTIONS

Laila walked out of Palpatine's office, thoroughly shaken up. Her mind went through the conversation they'd had:

As she sat down in the stiff chair she could tell this was not going to be fun, but she had to hold her ground, "What about Luke Skywalker?"

Palpatine slammed his fist into his ornate desk, "I want him on the Dark Side, and I want it NOW!"

Laila stood up, her eyes glowing yellow, "It's not that easy, you highness! You try getting a guy who's so set on the good that he's willing to sacrifice himself for others to go over to the dark!"

"I don't care what his morals are, you ignorant brat! I need him over here so we can defeat that blasted Rebellion!"

She spun around, her hands flying into the air, "Well, it's not that easy! It's just going to take some more time!"

"Time is not what we have," he glared at her, "Now, you either get him onto our side by the end of the week, or there'll be hell to pay. Understand?" he asked, his voice sickly sweet.

She nodded and stormed out of the room. As she got a safe distance from his office she sank to floor and slowly fingered the japor snippet around her neck.

Vader came across Laila in the gym, destroying all of he battle droids she could get her hands on. He watched her for a few minutes, letting her anger diminish a little before he asked her what happened with Palpatine.

He approached her slowly, making his way around the perimeter of the gym.

Laila breathed heavily as she waited for her opponent to make its next move. As it surged forward at her firing blaster shots she flipped over its head. In slow motion she watched as the japor snippet slipped out from under her shirt and fell to the ground. She landed on her feet but stumbled and fell back on her back.

She tried to scramble to her feet to retrieve the necklace but Vader got to it before her.

"You dropped th-" from beneath his mask his eyes went wide as he held the necklace at arm's length.

Laila rushed forward and grabbed the necklace from his hands and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Where did you get that?" he asked her slowly, his voice trying to hold back emotion.

Laila looked at the floor, "Luke gave it to me."

Vader stepped back from Laila, imagining Luke telling her about the necklace and its meaning and then carefully slipping it over her neck. He shuddered as he remembered his wife wearing it.

Anakin walked over to Padme as she stood in the moonlight on their balcony. Her stomach was getting larger everyday.

He placed his hands on her stomach and could have sworn he felt a kick form their baby girl (or so he had thought at the time). He picked up the worn piece of carved wood, "I remember when I gave this you. It was so long ago." He smiled down at her.

She took it back into her own hands and examined it before looking back up at him, "Yes, and I wear it always." She had told him simply. She reached up and kissed him sweetly and then had returned to bed.

Vader wondered how Luke had gotten a hold of it. He regained his fearful stature and glared at Laila, "And why would he give you this?"

Laila stood up at her tallest height, "Why do you want to know?" the yellow in her eyes still showing.

"Because I think you're getting to deep into this mission. I'm telling the Emperor to call it off. I'll take care of getting Skywalker to our side. You'll get a new mission." He turned to walk out of the room.

Laila grabbed his wrist the yellow drained from her eyes, "No! I mean, it's not too difficult for me. All the Emperor told me was to have Lu- Skywalker to the Dark Side by the end of the week, I can do it."

Vader looked down at her, "I don't think you can and what I say goes. I'm getting you off of this mission." He strode out of the room before she could protest again.

"Ah!" Laila picked up her light saber and threw it at one of the droids and watched it fall back onto the floor.

Luke walked into the lunchroom at the Rebel Base and sat down with Han and Leia. He hadn't talked to either of them since that fateful night (he smiled at the memory).

"Luke. You look awfully happy." Han said in-between bites.

"I have a lot to be happy about, Han. It's a great day, the sun is shining, the Empire is almost defeated, why wouldn't I be happy?" he said grinning broadly.

Leia glanced out at the dim morning as the hail poured down on top of them, "Oh yes, lovely day. We're leaving for a new mission today, Cloud City. Han says he knows of someone there who can help us with some spare parts for the broken ships and what not. Are you going to come with us?"

"I suppose so." He said as he ate his lunch with much vigor.

"Perfect." Leia got up and went off to talk some Generals about an upcoming attack.

Luke leaned in, "Han, I did it. I told Laila I loved her. And guess what? She said she loved me back," he sank back in his chair, "I feel like I could defeat the Empire with one hand tied behind my back."

"She said that? She said she loved you?" Han asked fully surprised.

"She did. Is that so hard to believe? That someone could possibly love farm boy over here? I know you and Leia have your opinions on her, but I love her and she loves me. Why can't you just accept it for what it is?" Luke answered, his anger rising.

"It's not that I can't accept it, Luke," Han said trying to stay calm, "It's just, when…"

"When, what?"

Han sighed, not meeting Luke's eyes. He knew he had to tell him what he had heard; he had to, it was the right thing to do.

"When I was leading the Rebel attack on the Empire base, I heard some things in the gym before I rescued Laila. I heard her say, 'What if I don't want to be a-'"

"Han! Luke! We've decided we need to leave now! The Empire is on the move, and we need to get the parts for the ships, now." Leia said rushing in.

Luke nodded and stood up to follow her out of the room.

Han leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples, " I can't catch a break…" he mumbled.

"Nope, you sure can't!" Han turned to see a young pilot chuckling as he ate his lunch.

Han glared at the Rebel until he gulped loud enough for the Emperor to hear and scattered out of the room.

Vader walked out of Palpatine's office, frustration bubbling up inside of him. Palpatine had said that Laila could not be taken off the mission and she had to complete it.

Well, Vader thought, he never said I couldn't help her out some…

He paused in the hallway and searched out for his son's bright Force Signature. Cloud City…

"Captain! Make your coordinates for Cloud City, we have some business to accomplish."

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­"So you think you can help us with the spare parts?" Han looked over at his friend, Lando.

"Sure thing buddy! Why don't we go have some dinner in the dining hall, first though?" Lando answered enthusiastically.

As the droids opened the door to the dining hall Leia got an uneasy feeling, Luke was looking at some of ships in the hanger, but she felt like he needed to be here, something didn't feel right.

The doors opened with a flourish. As the duo stepped in they saw a black-cloaked figure at the end of the table, with a blaster already firing towards them.

Han grabbed Leia's hand and shoved her behind him before firing back with equal speed.

Vader looked around through the blaster shots but couldn't see Luke anywhere. Where is he, his mind screamed. He commanded his two flunkies to capture the couple and to keep them alive; he was off on a hunt.

Luke was still examining the ships when he felt a dark presence coming his way. He turned around and saw Vader standing in front, his blood-red saber gleaming.

"Sith!" Luke cursed as he ignited his own saber.

"Precisely!" Vader yelled as he charged at Luke.

Leia paced in the small chamber a million thoughts rushing through her head.

She turned to Han who seemed quite content to sit and twiddle his thumbs.

"Well, smart one? What now? We don't even know if Luke's ok! How are you going to get us out of this one?"

Han looked up at her and shrugged his shoulders. He had this odd feeling everything was going to be ok.

Leia screeched and continued to pace.

Vader had Luke over a long shaft that lead to outside, instant death.

"Who are you?!" Luke screamed as Vader used the Force to throw objects at his son. He didn't know where all this anger was coming from, but he liked it. He always had, he bathed in the heat of the Dark Side.

"Darth Vader! Second in Command to the Emperor!" he screamed with victory.

A metal bar hit Luke. "Darth Vader?" realization struck him instantly and he charged forward with new energy, "You killed my father, prepare to meet your doom!"

In one swift moment, Vader seized his opportunity and sliced off Luke's right hand. He yelped in pain and fell back. He crawled over the barrier and began sliding towards the center of the shaft.

"Obi-Wan never told you did he?"

"He told me enough! He told me you killed him!" Luke snarled.

"I am your father." Vader stated simply.

Luke shook his head in disbelief, "No! No! You're lying!"

"Search your feelings my son, you know it to be true!" Vader reached for Luke but Luke crawled out even further.

"Join me! Together we can rule the galaxy as father and son! The way it should be!" he pleaded with him.

Luke looked down the shaft and smiled triumphantly, "No, I'll never join you or the Dark Side!" and with that final statement he let go and fell down the shaft.

In her quarters, Laila felt Luke's pain through the Force.

Luke! She called out through the Force.

Laila?

Yes! Are you ok? Are you hurt? She asked, suddenly wanting to see him badly, make sure everything was all right.

Luke struggled to answer her. He couldn't tell her. Not yet, he had barely accepted it. No, it was better if she didn't know.

I'm fine, just…stubbed my toe. I'll be fine, he said trying to sound calm.

I have to go now; I'll see you tomorrow, for lunch right? One-year anniversary, he said almost falling off the rod he was hanging off of.

Ok, I'll see you tomorrow.

The connection was broken.

Something was not right and she knew it. But what? Something to sleep on as she picked through her closet trying the find something good to wear for the big night tomorrow.

Vader watched as his only son slid down the shaft and disappeared. His cape fluttered as he turned and marched out of the room.

Grr… he thought, my son is too smart to fall for that… and just because no one was around, and even though he wore a mask, he smiled at the thought.