Chapter 16
A/N: Another new, bright shining chapter. I am really enjoying how this fic is handling out. This is when Leia actually comes into the picture, which is (kind of) big. Oh, and thank you for the wonderful feedback. It is love.
"Leia Skywalker?"
Her voice echoed throughout her room. The eerie glow from the holo documents in her hand shined on her face. Her eyes bugged, and she couldn't believe it. "You've got to be freaking kidding me…"
She plopped herself on the bed unintentionally. She couldn't believe what she was looking at—she couldn't get the thoughts through her head. And the worst thing was, was that Anakin Skywalker—Darth Vader—was her father. All this time.
He was just standing there. With a hint of smile on his face, he crossed his arms over his broad chest.
Leia stood up, shoving the documents in Anakin's once-crossed arms, and he took it, watching Leia storm into her 'fresher. He watched the door slam, and heard the water running. He heard many things clash together, some dropping on the tile floor, and then she reappeared again. She had a bag on her left hand.
She walked over to her larger suitcase, stuffing it inside on of the many pockets. She grunted while doing so, and then returned back to Anakin's face.
Anakin, watching all this, was flustered—she was so quick on foot, and she was so… moody. His eyes widened, he didn't notice, and he waited for Leia to say something. He gulped.
"Anakin Skywalker," she cleared her throat. "I am Princess Leia Organa. Your daughter or not, I've lived in the palace for many years in my life. I am a royal, and I am Prince Bail Organa's daughter, also of Queen Breha Organa. Although she is six feet under," this was a grim subject, but she dismissed it rather carelessly, "she is my mother. You came in here, Anakin Skywalker, and denied the fact that you are Darth Vader. I've seen your face many times before, and I've even met you a few times. During those times, although, you gave me quite a bit of respect but it wasn't enough. It is what I expect from a Sith Lord like yourself.
"So whether or not you're that terrible monster or not you're still the same person in physical form," she said. Her speech was rather long, Anakin concluded. Leia had a politician's voice too—"I'm loyal to Alderaan."
She turned her back to him, which left him flabbergasted…
What was he supposed to say to that?
Then he noticed that she was still packing.
"Leia—"
"Princess!"
"Princess Leia," Anakin started again, grudgingly, "You're still packing." He loved to point this out. He could almost hear her smile, if that was possible. But was followed was silence, but she stopped placing elegant items into her suitcases.
She turned to face him, and her smile Anakin was so sure he felt was gone. Disappeared. They shared a brief stare at each other before Leia said, "My father says I'm going somewhere—I supposed," it was almost like it suddenly hit her, "I'm going with you."
He nodded. "You are my daughter."
She opened her mouth to say something, but no words were spoken. She ran her hand across the top of her hair, smoothing down the stray stands. Turning back around, she zipped up her suitcases, placing the two on the floor, extending the handle. "I am your daughter," she stated, grasping the suitcase.
"Leia!" Bail said as he saw his daughter run into the room. "You—best be going now." That was all that Anakin heard. He watched Father/Daughter share this moment that he knew could never be his. He could never raise Princess Leia Organa to be Leia Skywalker—he knew that well. Luke Skywalker would never fully be his, unless he and Padmé had raised him. If he and Padmé had raised both of them—things would have been so much different.
They hugged; Bail grasping Leia with such force, with such effort—Anakin couldn't bear to look. He stared at the many books and holograms sealed within this library. He leaned his elbow on Leia's suitcase clumsily, trying his hardest not to see his daughter and Organa through the corner of his eye.
Bail was walking over to Anakin now.
"Vader," Bail said, causing Anakin to look at him, still responding to that terrible name. "Take good care of her?"
He smiled, for once seeing how much Organa had grown attached to her. It suddenly hit him with a pang, knowing that Organa's wife had died when Leia was young, and his daughter was the only living family he had. Breha was long deceased, and it was almost like he was losing another to death…
As much as he felt regret, he didn't dote upon it. Leia was his child, his and Padmé's child, and she deserved to be with Anakin, to be with Luke—once and finally.
"Yes, Senator Organa," he said. Unintentionally, Anakin placed a loving hand on Leia's shoulder. She shrugged it off, knowing that Darth Vader could never be her father—
This motion suddenly reminded Anakin of a restless Luke during his time as a Sith Lord when Luke pushed him away, knowing that Vader would never be his father, as well. But Anakin wasn't Vader anymore. He would never be again—he made a vow to his son.
Walking out of the palace was something he knew must have been hard for Leia. He watched her as she took one last look at the objects, the pictures, and the staircases around her, taking them in so she could remember them forever. She was a strong kid, for she didn't cry, she didn't whimper.
"You're a lot like your mother, you know that?" He said once they were outside, past the guards. The snow fell rapidly outside, and Leia bundled herself in her white coat.
"Shut up," she snapped, almost whispering.
Harsh.
Anakin hushed, and it was silent until they reached the ship. Once aboard, Leia curled herself up the passenger seat in the cockpit, not knowing where they were going. She crossed her arms, crossed her legs, and let out an exasperated sigh.
When he ignored her huff, she sighed again, this time louder. The ship lifted itself off the ground and he hoped he could 'bond' with Leia. "Could you put in the coordinates for Naboo?" He asked, for the transmitter was towards Leia.
She pouted. "Naboo?" She hadn't known where their destination was.
He nodded solemnly, earning a gaze from Leia.
Her frown was suddenly gone, and she uncrossed herself, sitting up in the seat. She pressed in the coordinates for the lush planet of Naboo. "Why Naboo?" She asked. Her voice wasn't harsh anymore; it was kind, questioning, and curious.
"That's where—we live," he answered. He didn't know whether they lived there, exactly, but that was where he and Padmé would have wanted to raise a family, and he wanted to do precisely that. He planned to live on Varykino for a while, and then enroll Luke and Leia in school in Theed, where they'd receive the proper education.
"Oh," she said. He felt a flicker in the force, then, "We?"
He nodded quickly, "You, me and Luke."
Her head whirled around like an owl, "Wait, Skywalker?"
He chuckled, veering out of the atmosphere, "That's his last name, yeah…"
Leia's mouth formed a small 'o'. She was surprised, but not too surprised. She had met the boy on her birthday a while ago, but not to long ago to remember the boy. He was odd and quirky, and a bit nervous around her. It was an odd coincidence now.
"Why do you ask?" He looked at her this time, meeting her big, brown eyes. "Did you meet him—or something?"
"No," she lied. "I mean—yes. Yes, I met him. A while back in the Senate Arena—it was my birthday. And his, too." It all made sense now—Luke had thought it was a coincidence as well, the reason he approached her.
No, they were twins. She was a twin. She had a brother.
Anakin was puzzled. They had met—didn't they feel anything in the force? Was Leia strong as well? Of course she was… she was Anakin's daughter—the great Jedi Knight who fought throughout the Clone Wars!
Maybe they did feel something, but had mistaken it for something else—
"Did he tell you?"
He shook his head after thinking about it, "No." He stopped shaking his head. Maybe he had, but he had rejected it—"No, he didn't."
Leia nodded, although not fully understanding—and not fully caring, either. Her mood rapidly changed when she thought about this entire situation,
"I'm glad we're going to Naboo," as if Anakin had taken this as a light, happy comment, "Because Naboo is full of space, and many fields so that I can get far away from you."
Anakin gulped. His daughter, too, had nice, ruthless wit.