Leia and Kimmy sat in the back seats of Anakin's speeder. It was times like these that Leia really wished her father was not so protective. Ever since her and Luke's mother had died in childbirth their father had shut down both mentally and emotionally. Leia however, always had wondered what her mother was like and would frequently attempt to ask her father questions but he would always sadly reject them.
Leia became distracted from her thoughts when Kimmy jabbed her in the shoulder trying to get her attention. "Leia… Leia.. LEIA! Your dad is coming with your passed out brother, what are we going to do?" she asked in a near panic.
Leia sighed, "Its going to be alright Kimmy, just don't talk and maybe he will leave us be. If not, just let me do the talking, my dad is not the best person to be cracking jokes with."
"What jokes?" Kimmy retorted taking off her shoes to put her feet up on the passenger's seat to rest.
"KIMMY! Get your feet off of there, my dad will have a conniption fit if he sees that." Leia said hastily as she quickly pushed Kimmy's feet off of the passenger's seat.
At that point, Anakin was now approaching the left side of the speeder to situate a still slumbering Luke in the passenger's seat.
He then proceeded and opened the door as the two girls in the back seats pretended to act nonchalant. He then gently placed Luke in the seat and fastened the seat belt.
He shut Luke's door, then walked around the speeder and got into the driver's seat and lowered the rear view mirror so that he could keep an eye on Leia and Kimmy.
Leia noticing this slumped down in her seat and avoided her father's gaze. Kimmy on the other hand, looked straight in his direction taking in his rather angry features and blue eyes. She then noticed a rather large gash perhaps a scar that appeared to cut through his right eye. He also had an intense blue gaze and slight circles under his eyes. He was dressed in all back and had shoulder length curly blond hair. "Ehhhh, I can't believe I never realized how intimidating Leia's dad is?" Kimmy thought to herself as she now copied Leia's previous action and also slumped down in her seat avoiding the man's gaze.
Anakin now taking note of this started up the speeder and began their course to the Hospital. He then focused his gaze upon his daughter once more. "Leia?" he questioned in a surprisingly gentle tone.
Leia, still avoided his gaze answered in a small whisper, "Yes Father?"
He then shifted his gaze, "Leia, I am very disappointed in you. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was, piercing your own ears? I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you."
Leia then rolled her eyes in slight frustration, "Dad, I won't die from infected ears."
Anakin then looked back in the mirror at his daughter, "Leia, what if Kimmy had missed your ears by accident, then what would you two have done?"
Leia sighed, "Dad how can you say that? Kimmy is a responsible adult and she also has a real job you know, she babysits Aaron Krosby, you know Dr. Marshall and Majorie Krosby's son."
Anakin sighed, "Leia sweetheart, I understand where you are coming from, believe me I do, it's just I don't know if I trust Kimmy with a piercing gun, let alone anyone else with such an object near your ears Leia. You are still far too young to be doing such a thing to your body."
Leia finally looked up to meet his gaze, "Fine dad whatever you say." She said in a low pitched tone as she looked back down towards her feet.
Anakin then sighed, "Leia, Sweetheart, the only reason I'm doing this is because I love you, and I just want you to grow up to be a happy and healthy young lady, you will understand someday."
In response, Leia simply said nothing ignoring her father's last comment and looked out her window.
Kimmy then repeated Leia's action attempting to avoid Anakin trying to start a conversation with her as well. "I'm not his kid, I have nothing to worry about, unless… he tells my mom then she will tell Garth I took his gun without permission and then he will make my life a living, AHHHHHH!" Kimmy suddenly screamed aloud catching every occupant of the speeder's attention.
Luke even stirred and his eyes fluttered open. Anakin's gaze then shifted to the teenager. "Kimmy, what's the matter?" he asked in a gentle tone once more.
"Uh well, uh, Mr. S you're not going to tell my mom about this are you?" Kimmy sputtered out in complete terror.
"Kimmy, you injured my daughter not on purpose but just because the two of you were not thinking and you being the older one, should have taken the responsibility to know right from wrong, however, the same goes for you Leia." he added looking in his daughter's direction.
"Kimmy, we all make mistakes, but what the two of you did was extremely dangerous, and I'm sorry but I will have to inform your mother of this once we get Leia's infection taken care off. If Leia had performed that procedure on you, I would definitely want to know about it so that I could help you."
Kimmy then shrunk down into her seat, "Very well Mr. S, whatever you say."
Anakin's gaze then shifted to more of a concern, "Kimmy" he said plainly reaching back to touch her knee in a reassuring fashion. But the teenager just shook her head in understanding and shifted her gaze out the window just like Leia.
Luke then turned to Anakin, "Dad I missed a lot didn't I?"
In response, Anakin sighed and then ran a hand through his son's blonde locks then focused back on his driving.
….
Han Solo sat in the emergency room of County Klerks Hospital. He held an ice pack up to his left eye were he had been punched repeatedly in the face after getting into a fist fight with a loud and annoying kid at his high school two hours prior. Both boys had been suspended and then Han's best pal Chewbacca the Wookiee decided to take him and drop him off at the ER.
Han was no stranger to breaking the rules, in fact he preferred it that way. He was ready to be done with high school. So that he could get back to his home planet of Corellia with Chewie and his other pal Lando Calrissian so that they could become trained as professional pilots and he could finally place a bid for the ship that had been calling his name for the last five years; The Majestic Millennium Falcon. The ship was all Han could think about day in and day out and he was not going to let the petty war games of high school get in his way. He was now sixteen and only had a little over a year and a half before he could be done with the hell hole he called high school.
At that moment, Han was broken from his thoughts, as a man about thirty standard years in age rushed in through the front doors of the ER with a child that appeared to be about eight standard years. The child was huddled up in the man's embrace. The child, a young girl who looked rather annoyed had chocolate brown hair and wore a white jumpsuit. Her hair reached her shoulders and she had a hair tie around her left wrist.
The man wore all black attire and had a lightsaber attached to his belt. He had curly blond hair and an intense blue gaze.
As the two brushed past Han, he then noticed not shortly behind them, was a tall and extremely skinny teenager with light brown pigtails and a violet dress that reached her knees. With her, was a short blond kid that looked about the same age as the girl that had been carried in by the man dressed in black moments prior. The kid also had blue eyes and was dressed in a tan suit.
The teenager and the boy came to a halt abruptly, after the man in black began to talk with a nurse at the front desk, still with the younger girl secured in what looked like a nearly deathly grasp of an embrace.
He then began to fill out paper work and motioned for the teenager and younger boy to take a seat in the waiting area.
They then turned and headed in Han's direction. The skinny teenager then looked him straight in the eyes, "Hey, sweet stuff, what is a good looking thing like you doing all alone in a place like this?" She questioned as she took a seat directly across from him.
The little blonde boy then took a seat next to her and rolled his eyes. "Kimmy, what do you think you are doing flirting with a college guy? He is way out of your league bird legs."
The teenager looked to the boy in disgust then scoffed and looked back to Han, anxiously awaiting a reply.
Han then chuckled, "Bird legs huh? Nice one kid. So Kimmy, is your name toots?"
"Oh why yes, and May I just say, I can see the future and let me just say you and I are definitely in it together sharing a long and passionate French kiss!" Kimmy muttered as she leapt up from her seat and launched herself onto Han's lap.
"Uh right, the names Han Solo. But you guys can just call me Han and by the way, I'm not on the market right now toots. How old are you like twelve?" he said sarcastically as he hoisted Kimmy off of his lap and onto the chair next to him.
Kimmy looked up at him, "No! I'm sixteen and I'm just as much of an adult as you are, maybe even more. How old are you junior?" She retorted sourly.
"I'm sixteen too toots, and not for you." Han then turned to Luke, "Hey kid, how about you, how many standard years are you?"
"I'm eight and so is my twin sister." He said while pointing in the direction of Leia and Anakin.
"My name is Luke by the way and my sister's name is Leia."
Han smiled, "Very cool kid, I like your style. But who is that scary looking guy clutching your sister like she is his chew toy?"
"Oh yeah, well you see, that's well, that's our dad and he is well um….. very over protective, and way too embarrassing let's just say. As you can tell from my sister's facial expressions. In fact, Kimmy and I were just trying to figure out a way to get separated from him so that we could go off and do something fun tonight. But we have to wait until my sister gets her infected ears looked at." Luke stated honestly.
"Whoa, that's awesome, and I think I can help you out with that. My buddies and I have our own speeder, and that is totally sick, I mean totally awesome, that your sister pierced her own ears?" Han questioned.
"No cupcake, I pierced them for her! With my brother's gun. He works at a tattoo parlor downtown" Kimmy spoke up.
"Ha Ha, nice come back bird legs. Are you telling me that you pierced that kid's ears all by yourself?" Han Questioned again.
At that moment, Anakin began to approach the threesome while he still clutched Leia, resting her head against his chest.
Kimmy then reached over and nudged Han in the shoulder and motioned in Anakin's direction. Luke then quickly spun around to see his father taking a seat next to him.
He noticed that his sister clutched her face with both hands and was as red as a freshly picked cherry.
Luke could tell his sister was beyond embarrassed by their father's actions.
Anakin then moved one arm from around Leia and placed it around the back of Luke's chair. Luke could then feel his father's hand grasp his shoulder, at that point Luke could feel warmth on his face as well knowing that he too was now blushing with embarrassment. "Kimmy is so lucky she's not related to us." He thought to himself.
Anakin then turned to look at Kimmy and Luke, "Your sister is going to be alright, the doctor will be able to look at her inflamed ears in about thirty minutes. I want you and Kimmy to come into the examining room with me when they call for us. Do you understand? I do not want you two out of my sight." Anakin said as he directed his gaze towards Kimmy as he finished the last part of his statement.
Luke then nodded, "Yes dad."
Kimmy nodded as well, "Very well Mr. S, Oh hey and by the way this is our new friend Han. He is a college student." She said wrapping an arm around Han's shoulder.
Han then looked to Anakin, "Very nice to meet you sir, the names Han, Han Solo, and I'm not in college yet. Unfortunately, I'm sixteen and still in high school." He said as he rolled his eyes while removing Kimmy's arm.
Kimmy gasped, "Your sixteen, well guess what, I'm sixteen too, what a small world buddy." She said lightly punching him in the arm playfully.
Han then smirked with mild amusement and turned his attention back to the younger children's father.
Anakin then chuckled and actually offered the young man a smile, "Very nice to meet you young Solo, I see you have become quite acquainted with my son Luke and my daughter's friend Kimmy."
Han then looked at Kimmy with annoyed features, "Oh Yeah," He then shifted his gaze towards Leia. "And you must be Luke's twin Leia, it's very nice to make your acquaintance." Han said offering the girl a hand.
Anakin then smiled once more a bit cautiously then looked down at Leia, "Sweetheart, aren't you going to say hello to your brother and Kimmy's new friend."
Leia then removed her hands that had been cupped over her eyes to glance up at her father with a humiliated look then back to Han and offered a shy smile.
"Nice to meet you Han Solo, my name in Leia and I see you already met my brother and goofy best friend Kimmy." She offered.
Han then glanced back at Kimmy who now had her head perched on his shoulder and was fixating on his features as if she were under a spell. "Yeah…" was all Han could say.
"I think she has a crush on you Han Solo. You know, she is the same age as you and she could really use a good young man that will treat her right. She really does have a rather hard life with her parents and her brother Garth and all." Leia offered with a smile.
"Yeah her parents have a standing offer for ship pricing, hotel rooms, sightseeing, and meals if our family goes on vacation. They will actually pay to get her away from their house." Luke added with a chuckle.
Anakin then looked down to correct his son while gripping the boy's shoulder, "Luke that is not a very nice thing to say. I'm sure Kimmy's parents love her and care for her in their own way, just like I care for you and Leia."
Luke sighed, "Sorry dad."
"Young one, I am not the one you owe an apology to." Anakin said gesturing to Kimmy.
Luke then looked at Kimmy who appeared to be in a trance and huffed, "Sorry Kimmy" he finally managed to mutter under his breath.
Kimmy still staring at Han supplied a limited reply, "Yeah, Yeah whatever."
Then Han decided to break the tension and began to stand up, "Why don't I go see if I can get us all some water, I don't know about you guys but I'm burning up in this waiting room. Don't they know about air conditioning?" Han said as he lifted his right arm and brushed his sleeve against his face.
"Ugh, Yeah" Leia said as she finally broke free of her father's grasp feeling beads of sweat drip from her rosy red cheeks.
"Wait Han, why don't we let my dad go and get us some water, you look like you need some rest" Leia said motioning to Han's swollen eye where he had been punched.
Han then looked to Anakin who was now standing, "Oh young one what happened to your eye?" He questioned as he motioned for Han to sit back down.
Han then reluctantly took his seat and cautiously watched as the man in black knelt down on his knees beside him and reached out to gingerly touch Han's face examining the bruising.
"I got into a fight at school because this kid was cracking some unnecessary jokes about my friends and well I snapped."
Anakin then smiled at the young man, "I use to be just like that young Solo, you remind me a lot of myself at your age. I will get us all some water and you younglings are to wait here, understand?" he questioned as he made to stand.
Luke and Leia looked to each other and exchanged exhausted looks, "Yes dad." They said in unison.
Kimmy however, who was still fixated on Han just simply nodded her head.
Han then looked up to the older man, "Thank you sir, we won't move you have my word." Han said offering his hand.
Anakin then gently encircled the young man's hand in his, "Thank you young Solo, I shall return soon." And with that he turned to leave.
…
Luke and Leia turned to look at one another then to the two teenagers in front of them.
"So Leia" Luke began, "Kimmy, Han and I figured out a way to get your ear checked out real quick and then ditch dad, but we have to hurry and one of us might need to distract him for a little while by creating a diversion."
"What are you crazy, he will ground us until we are well into our eighties Luke, and then we can kiss any chance at freedom goodbye." Leia sighed.
"Whoa, Whoa, whoa, Sid, Nancy, stop your honking, I have an idea. Look you guys can sneak back there right now all ya gotta do is get passed those doors and when one of the nurses comes out, one of you hold the door open then you both slip in nonchalant. As for me and bird legs here, we will catch up with your pops unnoticed and keep him distracted." Han said as he reached into his pockets.
He then pulled out two small microchips, "Okay here's the deal, these are communication devices that I use to keep in contact with my school buddies Chewie and Lando. I'm going to call them and they are going to bring my speeder to pick us up. You guys get one of these so you can tell Kimmy and I the progress on getting Miss Leia's ears looked at and we will keep you guys informed with how long we can keep the parental unit distracted. Got it?" Han questioned the two eight year olds as he handed over one of the microchips.
"Got it!" the twins said in unison as Luke took the microchip from Han.
"This is going to be so much fun, we are finally going to be free Luke, at least for a little while" Leia stated with a bright smile crossing her features.
"You can say that again!" Luke said with excitement.
"Ok," Han stated bringing everyone's attention back on him. "We break on three, everyone put a hand in."
Han placed a hand out in the center of the group first, then was quickly followed by an anxious Luke and Leia, then Kimmy finally broke from her day dreaming and scooted over even more uncomfortably close to Han and placed her hand directly on top of his."
Han then looked everyone in the eyes one last time, "Ok, 1, 2,3 BREAK!"
Hands went flying up into the air and each pair quickly took off in different directions to take on their tasks.