Light Up The Dark

Disclaimer: I don't own.

Chapter 6: Research and Birthday

Leia sighed. "Now that Daddy's had to go on a mission, I'm lonely. Hmm…" Her eyes lit up. "I know! I'll research Mama and see if I can figure out who she is!" She retrieved the holo of her parents and inserted it into the holonet receiver. She quickly took the image and copied it onto the receiver. She then cropped her father out of the picture and searched the 'net for similar images. "Senator Padmé Amidala, hmm? Not exactly the kind of person I can imagine Darth Vader falling in love with, at least not according to what little my history book says about her, but…"

Leia began to read one of the biographical articles on her mother. "Queen of Naboo at the age of fourteen…queen during the Trade Federation invasion-now, that's interesting-…uh, let's see…she served two terms and then became senator of Naboo, then the entire Chommell sector…part of the Loyalist Committee and the Security Committee and signer of the Declaration of the 2,000-she was busy…she fought in several major battles of the Clone Wars, including the First Battle of Geonosis. She was a friend to the Jedi, known to be close to Skywalker and Kenobi particularly. She died soon after the Empire took over…some believe she died of a broken heart. Dead along with her was her child-wait, what?"

Her brow furrowed. "I'm alive-at least I think so- and that's the year I was born, so why does this say that the child died with her?" She bit her lip. "I wonder if there's any holo footage of her funeral…oh! There it is!" She quickly pulled the video clip up and began to watch it. "Mama," she whispered, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "She does look pregnant, though, but she can't be…" Leia sighed. "Well, there's not much I can do to figure that out…what's that?" She quickly scrolled down to see an article entitled, "Could Padmé Amidala Be Alive?" She opened the page and began to read the person's theory, but then she noticed other theories that the person had published. "Was the Emperor Behind the Clone Wars?" she read. "Is the Emperor a Sith Lord?" She huffed. "If this person thinks crazy things like that, how can they be trusted about Mama's being alive?"

She sighed. "Well, I wonder what I can find about Daddy that I don't already know…" She searched for Darth Vader and began to read a biography on him. "Nothing before the Empire took over? That's strange. One would think that there would be something about his background. Well, all this Imperial stuff isn't all that interesting." A finger tapped her lips. "Maybe I can find him under another name." She took her downloaded holopic and cropped her mother out and image-searched the picture of her father. Her jaw dropped when the results appeared. "No way…Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker are the same person?" She opened a biography and nodded. "That picture of Anakin sure looks like Daddy."

She read the article, smiling. "Now, this is more exciting." Apparently, her daddy had been a part of just about every major battle of the Clone Wars. "Not really surprising," she murmured. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she finished the article. "Interesting. Mama's didn't mention her being in love with Daddy, and Daddy's didn't mention his being in love with Mama. Was it a secret, then? It must have been. How, then, does Father know?" She chewed on her lip, but her musings were interrupted when she heard someone approaching. "Oh, no! Daddy's home! He isn't supposed to be back for another week or two!"

She quickly shut down her holonet receiver, yanked the holo of her parents out, and slipped it back into its hiding place. She let out a slow breath, just as a familiar voice called, "Leia?"

She opened her door. "Mister Vader!" She ran forward and hugged him tightly. She had begun to do that whenever he returned from a mission, and he was finally getting used to it. This time, he returned it for a brief moment before they both stepped away. She smiled up at him. "Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything, but I thought you would be gone for another week or more."

"I would have been, but I had to come back early."

"Can I ask why?"

"I couldn't miss tomorrow, could I?"

Her brow wrinkled. "Tomorrow?" Her eyes widened in comprehension, and she nodded. "Oh. You had to return for the Empire Day celebration?"

He chuckled. "No, of course that isn't it. The Emperor could care less about my being there."

"Then why?"

"Leia," he said in a mock stern voice. "Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday."

She giggled. "I didn't forget, but I didn't know that you remembered."

"How could I forget? A ninth birthday is a very important occasion, you know."

She smiled and reached up to put her hand into his. "You didn't really have to come back, though."

"I know, but I wanted to." He gently squeezed her hand. "Now, what shall we do tomorrow to celebrate?"

"Well, we've gotta have a cake."

"A cake is a must for a birthday party," he agreed.

"And maybe we can play a game together?"

"If you want to, child."

She nodded fervently. "I do want to. We can watch a holovid or something, too."

"Whatever you want to do, Leia. It is your birthday."

*L*U*D*

The next day was, quite possibly, one of Leia's favorite birthdays ever. She and her father played together, watched a holomovie, and pretty much just spent time together. That night, Leia and Vader sat together, Leia curled up against his side. "Thanks for today. I had fun."

"I had fun, too, princess." He wrapped his arm around her and gently squeezed her shoulders.

"Maybe we can do things like this more often, Mister Vader," she murmured, getting a little drowsy.

"Maybe we can," he replied softly, watching the girl drift off to sleep. He smiled and lifted her into his arms, carrying her to her bed. "Good night, Leia. And happy birthday."

A/N: That Leia is a bit sneaky, isn't she?