Somewhere on the edge between physicality and nothing at all, Leia Organa floated in the euphoria of death.
At one moment there was fire in her neck, a single spot of agony that tied her to one world as it pulled her toward the next - but then the sensation snapped off and she was free. But she did not feel her spirit fall down. Nor did she rise up, or burst apart, or feel herself race off into infinity. Instead, her being hung in place. Light of all colors burst before her, as if she were facing a meteor shower with her eyes closed. A helpless bliss came over her like a cool shroud, sending her the tiny thought of I am dead this is death oh Han. Then Han's fingers were on her arms. His lips were on her forehead. She was burying her face into his chest and then-
The Force took her away.
Later, Leia found herself looking down, bending her knees, and passing her fingers through a white flower and the grass beneath it. She was in a field somewhere, on some planet, and her father was patting her shoulder.
"I'd say how I wish I could have seen you do that as a flesh-and-blood child, but I'm not sure if you'd appreciate the sentiment," said Anakin. It was a perfect opening for Leia to snap at him in agreement. Instead, she only sighed.
"I'll take you up on that later." She put her fingers together, grasping at the flower's stem. It didn't move. Still, it was a more calming activity than touching her throat again and again, wondering why it felt so strange to look and feel and sound young again. She looked up at Anakin, and he smiled. Of course he would smile, Leia thought. This world was all smiles. All peace. All understanding. The planet itself was green and bright, hidden by a massive asteroid belt in some far off corner of the galaxy. Of course the Light would choose to make a home here.
But enough about her own situation.
"So I can't go to Han because there's something we still need to do," she stated.
"Yes. The Force is keeping you here," her father replied.
"The Resistance won."
"And your son didn't."
Leia squeezed her eyes shut. The pain of Ben's loss to the Dark Side was no longer confined to her chest, as it had been when she was flesh and blood. Now, her entire spirit ached when she thought about him.
"They'll just execute him, Father," she said. "They'll try him, he'll die, and…." Her breath hitched. For a fleeting second, Leia could feel her two most precious treasures embracing her. Her husband and son, reunited in the next life, together. Safe.
"It is not his destiny, Leia. We both are here because Ben Solo has much left to do. He needs to return to the Light, and we will help him do so, dead or alive."
Anakin stepped forward to face her, bending to her level, placing both hands on her shoulders. He smiled sadly.
"And at the very moment we do that, we'll both be free."
Wasn't that something. Her reunited with Han. Anakin with Padme. Meeting Padme, the mother she'd never known. The next realm was calling to Leia so fiercly. Every moment she was stuck in this one felt like a lifetime.
"What do we need to do?" she asked.
Her father's smile disappeared, replaced with a grave look.
"I will show you where he is."
As it turned out, Force ghosts were capable of crying. They were capable of sobbing and screaming and cursing. Just one look at Ben was enough to bring Leia to her knees, to make her jam the heels of her hands into her eyes and wail.
Anakin let her be for a little bit. Then he pulled her into his arms and petted her hair.
"Where is Rey!?" Leia cried into her father's shoulder. "Luke? Finn? Poe? Anyone! This can't be what I left behind!"
She'd been so selfish, so drunk with the bliss of death and the prospect of reuniting with Han that she was willing to let this be, to not even think about it.
"They'd know if they weren't using Force-dampening chains and shields on him. He's well guarded, Leia. It's a miracle that we're able to see him," Anakin murmured. "Luke and Rey cannot."
Leia sucked in a shuddering breath. Her fingers curled into her father's robe.
"What can we do?"
"You won't like it, Leia," Anakin sighed, "but there is another child of the Light. Ben knew him, once. They were both victims of the First Order's cruelty. Under Snoke, they comitted unspeakable atrocities. Now, they're victims of New Republic."
Leia looked up at the cloud of energy before her - a portal that displayed Ben's broken body rotting in a cell.
"I don't care about what this 'child' has done. I care about what he can do," she said. Tears still ran down her cheeks. "Show this person to me."
The portal obeyed, displaying a second image next to Ben's. She recognized the man at once, feeling a spark of ugly hate, but that didn't matter. With a cold and righteous fury, Leia stretched her hand towards the image of the lavish courtoom, towards the image of General Hux standing trial in ratty prison garb. She concentrated, searching for the Light within him, and clenched her fist hard when she found it. Her other hand was already aimed at Ben, fingers gently splayed as if reaching to caress his matted hair. Force power burst from her, spreading through the universe, threading the strings of fate together as she sent out a single, absolute command.
Brendol Hux, you belong to the Light. Ben Solo is your redemption. Break free from your captivity, abandon your former self. Bring my son back to where he belongs. It is time for you to atone for what you have done!