So when I went into this chapter, i expected to take it one way...and as I wrote it ended up taking this direction. Don't you love those moments when you think "Oh, this is going to happen!" and the characters decide a completely different coarse of action?

Yeah, that's what happened here.

AAAAAnnnnyyyywwwwaaaayyyy

Even though this didn't turn out how I originally thought, I hope you guys like it. Please please review, and as always...

Enjoy!

Anakin kept a firm grip on Solo's shoulders as he led the man through the halls of the Jedi Temple and into the Temple Gardens. This should be a nice place to have a private conversation.

Anakin smirked slightly to himself. And to hide a body; just a future note to self.

As Anakin steered the smuggler towards a secluded corner of the gardens, Solo finally spoke up. "Listen pal, I just want some compensation for my services and then I'm going to be long gone, I swear," he said nervously.

"You forget the part where I saw all of that and I recognize an interested man when I see one," Anakin said calmly before he pushed Solo onto a bench. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Solo scowled but didn't dare get back on his feet. "Don't mind if I do," Solo muttered under his breath. Anakin chose to ignore him, standing right in front of the man with his arms folded over his chest.

"Do you know who I am?" Anakin asked him, an eyebrow raised challengingly.

Solo eyed him suspiciously. "Other than you're Leia's father, no, I don't."

Anakin smiled at him, and Solo shifted uncomfortably. "Good; that will make this that much more enjoyable." Before Solo could inquire further Anakin shifted his weight and placed a hand 'subconsciously' on his lightsaber. "So you've taken an interest in my daughter?"

Solo held up his hands in defense. "Hey, ah, she's a wonderful woman and all but she's not really...not really my type," Solo stuttered out.

"Really? Cause it seemed quite the opposite back there in the hanger," Anakin mused, making it clear that he didn't believe the smuggler.

Solo's face flushed deep red. "I was just trying to get under her skin; she's been getting under mine this entire time!"

"Cut the excuses Solo," Anakin finally snapped, leaning down to get in Solo's face. He was getting kind of tired of them already. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell every other guy that sets his sights on my girl; are you listening closely?"

Wordlessly, Solo nodded. To his credit, he hadn't paled like the young Knight that Anakin had dragged out here a few months ago, or passed out from fear like that one kid who had apparently read all about Anakin and his exploits in his school. Anakin pointed a finger at Solo's face.

"My daughter is my universe; she's my Princess and any boy that comes near her better treat her like a Queen. Don't bother getting technical on me, because technically she is a princess because of who her mother is," he added firmly. He'd had one foolish painter—the irony of that fact was not lost on him—who had argued that Leia wasn't a princess.

He'd been a rather stupid one.

"Yes sir," Solo said quietly yet firmly. Anakin shook his head.

"I'm not done. Now, if you do one thing that I don't like; if you make her cry, you yell at her, or you hurt her—and Force have mercy on your soul if you ever do—you will have me to answer to." Anakin let the threat hang there for a moment before he continued. "Now normally, I don't have to finish this warning because most of the people who have come at my daughter have known full well what the name Skywalker intones, and are well aware of what her father is known for. If you doubt my abilities for a second, I suggest you go to any database your heart desires and look up my name; that will change your tune faster than your ship can jump to hyperspace."

"I doubt that," Solo said before he could stop himself. He immediately looked like he regretted saying it...out loud.

Anakin smiled, making Solo even more uncomfortable. "You're ship may not look like much—and it doesn't. In fact it looks like a scrap heap—but I'm betting she's got it where it counts. I had a ship like that before the old man blew it up; I'll never let him borrow one of my ships again, and I doubt he even wants to after that mission. With how fast you got them here, the hyperdrive, what is it, a point..." he thought for a minute. "Four? Five?"

"Five," Solo said firmly. "Backup Class 10. A Series 401 hyperdrive motivator."

"Impressive," Anakin admitted with a small nod. "Most impressive, however, it still is slower than your mind would change were you to do some background research on me."

"Listen, I don't want to start anything—" Solo said slowly.

"And you won't," Anakin said shortly, cutting him off. "I'll be watching you Solo. For now, I don't mind any interaction you may have with the twins; but if you take one step out of line, or you give me a reason to doubt your intentions, you're going to wish you never stepped off of that hodge-podge of parts. Are we clear on that?"

"Crystal," Solo said bitterly.

"Oh, and one last thing; Leia is definitely her father's daughter, but her temper has nothing on mine," Anakin said in a matter of fact tone of voice. He turned to leave Solo in the garden before he paused and turned his head. "Oh, and you might want to check your ship over; she was listing when she came in. I'd suggest the stabilizers, the countermeasures, and the navigation sensors just to be safe."

With that, he left the smuggler sitting on the bench to mull over what he'd been told. If Anakin had someone to bet with at the moment, he would put some credits on Solo's curiosity getting the best of him. If in his attempt to find his way back to the hanger Solo crossed the Jedi Archives, Anakin wouldn't be surprised if he decided to see what he could find on Anakin.

He hoped the smuggler would; Anakin really didn't feel like having to list all of the reasons Han Solo had to be weary of him. Besides, if he decided to poke around for information and even delved into the media, he'd end up with some tall tales that might be exaggerated but would serve Anakin's purpose of putting the fear of the Force in the man.

Personally, part of him wanted Solo to make a mistake so that he could give the man a demonstration, but he had the feeling that wasn't going to happen. He remembered hearing the name Han before his twins had been born, and he hadn't forgotten.

My friend Han constantly called him the crazy old man.

He went easy on the smuggler because he remembered his name; and if he had been a friend of Luke's in the horridly rough life the young man had gone through, then he deserved a chance to prove himself to Anakin before Anakin made too many judgments. Han Solo had been a good friend of Luke's in one life; it was most likely that he was meant to be a good friend to his son in this life as well.

Still, he'd be keeping an eye on the man. A father could never be too careful.