Leia gently placed her hand on Anakin's forehead as he slept the infection off. He was having trouble sleeping at first until the medic gave him something to help. Deep down despite what common sense was telling her, she wanted Anakin to leave with her for good. She would have to work out the details on keeping the Alliance from bringing him up on his war crimes.
"Princess," the medic spoke causing Leia to look up with a frown. "I have identified the infection and I will administer the correct antibiotic for it. Vader will recover."
"That's good to hear," Leia answered with a relieved smile as the medic walked forward and injected an antibiotic into the IV. "How much longer till we'll be at Tatooine?"
"Five hours," the medic answered. "He isn't well enough to head planet side. He won't be well enough for forty eight hours."
Maybe in that amount of time she could convince Anakin to allow Ahsoka , Fress, and Luke to come on board. Anakin needed encouragement to leave the Empire. She knew that much for sure.
The medic checked Anakin's vitals then left as Anakin's head turned towards Leia with a smile. "The medic has the infection identified and is treating you with the correct meds."
"I heard," Anakin spoke with a frown. "Leia, I don't think it's a good idea if I go with you."
Leia grasped his hand with a reassuring smile. "Your information would go a long way to end this war," she pleaded with him. "We'll find away to deal with Palpatine. Come with me and leave this place."
"Your mother said the same thing," Anakin pointed out. "I should've listened."
"Then listen to me now, it's never too late," Leia encouraged him. "Come with me even if that means I don't go back to the Alliance, we could work together to end this war," Anakin was silent as she held her breath. She hoped he would finally agree to leave. "At least allow Fress, Ahsoka, and Luke to come on board until you're well enough to leave."
Leia waited patiently for an answer. Maybe she was finally beginning to reach to him through the darkness and he's being pulled towards the light again. She knew one thing, she was no longer afraid of him after she learned about the man behind the mask.
Vader made arrangements for Leia to get into contact with Fress and Ahsoka to let them know they could come on board the Executor. She wondered if she was beginning to get through to him or if he was going to have them talk her into leaving him here. She wasn't sure at this point. She was hoping to get Fress and Ahsoka to help talk sense into him. She was hoping that Anakin was still reachable, she had a feeling he was.
Leia stood in the hangar bay as she waited for the Rogue to dock. She heard from Piett they lowered the shields to allow them to come aboard three minutes ago. She hoped they brought Luke with them.
Leia chewed on her lower lip. Did they tell Luke they were brother and sister yet? She wasn't sure how much he knew about them. If she knew sooner that kiss in Luke's recovery room wouldn't have happened. She gave a slight smile at the thought. It's not like they knew better and Shern knowing the truth stood by snapping a holo of the two kissing. She was going to have to talk Jess into giving up the holo.
The sound of the ramp lowering broke into her train of thought as she looked at Fress and Jess's ship. She stepped towards the ship as Fress and Ahsoka walked down the ramp followed by Luke. She smiled slightly as Fress ran to Leia and hugged her. "It's good to see you're safe and sound," the older woman whispered as Leia returned the hug then took a step back. Fress was a friend of Bail and Anakin. She had served Bail loyally and continued to serve with Leia. Ahsoka gave a slight bow as Leia stopped her. "There's no need for that. I know that both of you were good friends to my father."
"Which one?" Ahsoka questioned causing Fress to shoot her friend a warning glare.
"Both," Leia answered with a knowing smile as she turned her attention to Luke. "Did you tell him yet?"
"I knew we were forgetting something during that conversation," Ahsoka answered as she pulled out a holo and turned it on. "I thought it would be more entertaining to let Luke know he was playing tongue twister with his twin sister while I showed him the holo."
"Ahsoka, put that away," Fress hissed in warning. "Now isn't the time."
"Fine, but you have to admit. It is cute," Ahsoka smirked as she put the holo away as Luke stood stock still and pale as he stared at Leia. "By the way Luke, there is a reason why you are attracted to Leia without knowing why. She is your twin sister."
"How long have you been waiting to drop that bomb?" Luke questioned causing Ahsoka to give a toothy grin.
"Since you and Leia kissed at the Hoth base in your recovery room," Ahsoka answered with a smirk.
"Luke, we wanted to tell you sooner but because of Vader. We weren't sure that was a good idea, but since everything is out in the open now, this is a good time as any," Fress explained with a frown.
Leia stepped to Luke's side as he hugged her. "Come on, Anakin is waiting."
Luke gave a weary smile as Leia glanced towards Ahsoka and Fress. "I was hoping you would come. I have a feeling we can talk Anakin into leaving the Empire and come back with us, once he's strong enough to leave. I was hoping you two would help speak on his behalf to get a pardon for his war crimes in exchange for information."
"Is Anakin willing to leave?" Fress questioned with a serious expression. "I didn't think he was reachable anymore."
"I don't know yet. I was hoping if he knew you two would help, he might be willing to leave," Leia pointed out with a frown.
Ahsoka and Fress exchanged an expression Leia had trouble identifying as they both nodded in agreement. Were they exchanging thoughts through the Force? She knew they were long time friends but she was wondering just how deep that friendship was.
"Ahsoka and I will see what we can do to persuade him. We can't promise anything," Fress finally answered with a frown as Leia nodded her thanks. It was the most she could hope for from the two Jedi after everything that has happened.
As they neared Anakin's room the medic gave Leia a short nod as she turned to Luke and gestured to the room. "He's waiting for you," she explained with a frown. "You should go talk to him."
Luke nodded in agreement as he stepped into the room as Leia closed the door behind him. He was a bit nervous about talking to Anakin as father and son and not as enemies. He wasn't sure what to expect or the kind of condition he was in. As he neared the bed he heard a respirator at work as Anakin turned his head in Luke's direction.
Anakin gave a slight smile as he stopped beside the bed. "Have you accepted the truth?"
"Yes," Luke answered with a frustrated sigh as he flexed his mechanical hand as guilt crossed Anakin's face. "Fress and Ahsoka explained everything to me. They're waiting outside your room now."
Worry crossed Anakin's face as Luke reached for his hand. "Why don't you come back with us? Leave the Empire. Ahsoka and Fress are willing to speak on your behalf. We need you on our side, father. Help us end this war."
Anakin closed his eyes as Luke placed his hand on his shoulder causing Anakin to look at him. "Is Leia really in love with the smuggler?"
"Yes she is," Luke answered honestly as he thought about it. He was beginning to view Leia more like a sister as of late and now he was beginning to understand why. "I see Han as a big brother."
Anakin gave a weary smile as he turned his attention to the medic who just walked in and raised an eyebrow. "This is Luke, he's my son and twin brother to Leia."
"I see," the medic gave a small smile as he walked to the bed and inserted a liquid into the IV. "I'll have the nurse come in and have her check your temperature. It's nice meeting you, Luke. For your father's sake, you should talk him into leaving. I heard a rumor someone has already alerted Palpatine and he's on a warpath. I'm going to release Vader into your custody. The nurse and I would like to come with you. He still needs care."
Luke turned his attention to Vader with a raised brow. "What did you do?"
"I may have had the credits transferred into untraceable accounts in your name, Leia's name and mine," Vader answered as he reached for Luke's hand. "Can you send in Fress and Ahsoka?"
"Sure," Luke gave a weary smile as he stepped outside the room and looked at Fress and Ahsoka. "Anakin is asking for you, and we should be prepared to leave."
"What's going on?" Ahsoka questioned as Fress entered the room.
"Palpatine knows and he is angry," Luke answered with a frown as Ahsoka raised an eyebrow in his direction. She entered the room as Leia chewed on her lower lip. "Leia?" She looked towards him as he stepped forward and hugged her.
"It's good to know I still have family," Leia whispered as Luke nodded in agreement.
"It's more then what I could've hoped for, my dear sister," Luke whispered as he held onto her. They stayed like that for two minutes before breaking apart. "We should get Anakin out of here."
Leia nodded in agreement as they waited for Ahsoka and Fress to be done talking with Anakin. If anyone could verify if Anakin really returned to the light, it would be those who knew him during the Clone Wars before everything happened.
Fress glanced at Ahsoka as she took her hand into hers. This is the first time they saw Anakin since his accident without the mask. Neither were prepared for the sight they were about to see. She heard her friend gasp in shock as she took a deep breath and slowly released it as she prepared to look down. Anakin looked at both with fear in his eyes. Fear on how he looked now or possibly having a civilized conversation since order sixty-six was issued, she wasn't sure. For all she knew it could be a mixture of both. She released Ahsoka's hand as Fress reached over and placed her hand on Anakin's forehead. She noted it felt really warm like he had fever.
"It's been a long time, Anakin," Ahsoka spoke softly as Anakin turned his attention to her. "Are you done playing sith lord?"
They waited patiently for an answer as Fress searched Anakin's eyes. They no longer held the red, yellow, and orange color she's come to associate with Sith Lords over the years. It was eerie to look at as if the person's soul was consumed, and the person he used to be no longer existed. Someone or something else had taken his place. She saw his original eye color, except they looked haunted. "It's all right, Anakin. We just want to make sure you're back," she spoke as Anakin looked at her. "Are you ready to come home?"
Anakin reached for Fress's hand and took it into his own and nodded. "I'm ready."
Fress nodded as she stretched out with the Force and brushed Anakin's presence with her own. He no longer felt dark to her. She glanced down and noticed tears had formed in the corner of his eyes. She reached for a clean towel and quickly wiped them away.
Ahsoka took Anakin's free hand into her own. Not another word was spoken until the medic came to move Anakin down to the hangar bays. They planned to take him back on the Rogue. It was best to get him off the Executor before someone got any bright ideas.
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