Trigger Warning: This chapter deals with 13 year olds being teenagers and some growing up and fitting in topics are discussed. No other traumas, just I know the teen years can be tough and trying enough for some, and wanted to be sensitive to that.

Chapter 38 - Growing up

Swack, swack, swack.

Anakin practiced lightsaber training with Galen, his thirteen year old padawan. The boy was learning fast, but he still tended to let his feelings overwhelm him when he fought. They could make his moves more fierce and powerful, but could also hamper his focus and leave him open to unexpected moves from his opponent. Because of this Anakin had them both practice dueling with a blindfold on.

Swack, swack, swack

"Aaah," Galen lost his balance when he took a side step and fell backwards.

"Are you okay?" Anakin deactivated his saber and pulled off his blindfold.

"Yeah," Galen pulled off his own blindfold, as he got up.

"You need to watch your feet. Practice your footing some more." The boy glared at Anakin. Some wisecrack about watching his footing when he had a blindfold on was clearly on the tip of his tongue. "Before you leave I want you to do the old footing exercises five times, and the balance exercise for five minutes."

"Oh, come on Master! Not those again. I'm not some little kid," Galen scoffed.

"You just went through a growth spurt. It'll take time for you to get used to your body's new center of balance. Trust me, I know how much you hate them, but it's for the best."

Galen rolled his eyes as he started the exercises.


"Mom, Mo-oooooom!" Luke yelled as he ran through the house.

"What?" Padme answered.

"Can I go flying with Han?" Luke asked.

"It's almost dinner time. And besides, didn't you go flying with uncle Ben today?"

"Ooh mom, but…" Luke stammered. 'But it isn't the same. But Uncle Ben doesn't let me do any cool tricks, or fly faster than a shaak herd.' Luke thought about what to say, but nothing seemed right. 'I can't say that, or she'll never let me fly with Han again.' Padme still stood there, her expectant eyes were making Luke more and more nervous. "Da-aad, ple-ee-ease!" Desperate for any relief, he threw himself at his other parent.

Anakin sighed. He looked at his wife and shrugged. "I guess, if you promise you'll be home by oh-nineteen hundred hours, not a minute later."

"Yes!" Luke smiled and ran off to prepare, barely turning before he left to say, "Thank you Dad."


Luke had barely been gone half a minute when Leia popped her head in. "Mom, Dad, where's Luke running off to?"

"He's going flying with Han," Padme answered.

"Again?" Leia whined. 'It's all he ever does anymore,' she complained in her head.

Padme looked pointedly at her husband, "Yes, again."

Anakin shrugged, "He said please." Both women rolled their eyes.

"Tomorrow Han starts a job flying to the mid-rim, and he'll be gone for several days. You can spend plenty of time with your brother then," Padme shared.

Leia replied by making a yuck face and sticking her tongue out. Then she turned to leave, and faint traces of a smile by her cheeks showed what she really thought about spending more time with her brother.


Several days later during the evening meal, Padme caught Luke pulling out his comm to check it, then he sighed. "What's wrong, Luke?" she asked.

"It's been three days, and Han still hasn't commed me. I've sent him messages twice. Do you think he's mad at me?"

"No, not at all. He's probably just really busy with his new job," Padme answered.

Luke stared at his mom, opened mouthed, and sighed, shaking his head. "You don't understand," he declared.

Leia groaned. "Han this and Han that. I could have an existential breakdown here and all you'd be asking is if Han called!"

Luke looked over the table to his father, and mouthed 'E-X-I-S-T-E-N-T-I-A-L?' All his father did was shrug.

Meanwhile, Leia continued her rant. "You spend all your time with him most days, and then the one weekend when he's off world. When I think I might FINALLY get some time to spend with my brother, all you do is moan about why he hasn't commed yet."

"You know you can always come along with us. All you have to do is ask," Luke offered.

Leia made a face at him. "I wo-ould if you were doing something interesting, but all you ever talk about is piloting."

Luke's eyebrows furrowed. "Well that is interesting to us." Leia rolled her eyes, but Luke went on. "Did you know that if you want to mess up a TIE interceptor's targeting computer, you should aim for just outside it's posterior exhaust vent. Han taught me that."

Leia gagged.

"I did know that." Anakin said, ignoring his daughter.

"Unless it's one of the newer models with the T-s9a computer. If it's one of them, you just want to aim for the hull, because nothing's messing with the targeting computer," Luke went on.

Leia sighed dramatically.

"Now that I did not know," said Anakin.

"I don't know that I'm comfortable, you learning this stuff," said Padme with a worried tone.

"Oh, come on. It's safer for him to know it just in case," Anakin pointed out.

"Okay, as long as we're talking theoretical learning here. If I hear either of you are getting in a fight with the Empire's ships, you'll be in serious trouble. Do you hear me?" Padme eyed both boys.

"Yes Mom," said Luke.

"Yes Mom," Anakin repeated jokingly. Padme threw her napkin at him and they both laughed.

"I'm going to my room now, if anyone's even listening," Leia sighed. She eyed the room to see if anyone reacted.


Later that evening, Anakin went to check on his daughter's room. He and Padme were starting to worry after Leia made her dramatic exit to dinner. She hadn't been seen after that.

Now, he and Padme were trying a strategy of ignoring their daughter's rude and overly dramatic behavior. It was Master Yoda who suggested the technique, after he told a story about one of Anakin's own teenage outbursts that made Leia's seem quite tame.

Anakin found the strategy quite difficult to perform. Though on most days it seemed to be an effective strategy, today he was questioning it. His fatherly instincts were objecting to the silence.

Anakin knocked on the door. "Princess, is everything alright?"

"Yes, dad," Leia answered.

"I noticed, you were a little upset earlier. Is there anything you want to talk about?" Anakin tried.

"No… Just, maybe I miss Luke a little bit."

"Mmm-hmm," Anakin hummed.

"It's just with school, first we started taking separate classes, and then when we became Padawans we have two separate Masters. So that's another bit of time we spend apart." Leia sighed. "Not that I want that to change, I mean I like being a Padawan, and I don't want to share Master Yoda… But then I get home and there's no one to spend time with, because Luke's gone off with Han Solo."

"Ah."

"I could always comm my own friends, I know, but…" Leia looked down.

Anakin looked up, feeling like this part was important.

"They all want to talk about boys and stuff. Jajina talks about dating and Bala says she has a boyfriend already. No one of us has met him yet, but apparently he's like really cute." Leia gave a sad sigh.

Anakin gulped. He was not prepared to have this conversation. "Ah. Maybe you want to talk to your Mom…"

"Relax, I don't want to start dating anybody. Boys are weird. I just… I'm not as pretty as Jajina and Bala. I don't want to be the ugly third thruster."

"You are NOT ugly," Anakin insisted.

Leia rolled her eyes disbelievingly.

"No, hear me. Boys your age are weird and not … grown up yet. That's normal. You are still growing, and when you're done you'll be knock-your-socks-off gorgeous."

Leia blushed slightly.

"Do you know how old I was when I started to date your mother… Nineteen. You're only thirteen, so give yourself a break."

Leia smiled a little. "But you met her when you were nine."

"Yes, and you know how effective that was. My best line was 'Are you an Angel?' I still think she is, sometimes."

"Da-aaaa-ad" Leia moaned.

"Oh yes, my angel."

Leia threw a pillow at him.


Well, I was unsure what exactly to write for this chapter, then I read an article on child development at the age of thirteen, and I got a whole bunch of ideas. I did put the trigger warning here because I know the teen years can be a hard time for many and I wanted to be kind. We will have a few teenage growing-up issues as we go forward. It should be light unless otherwise stated.

I have a few ideas for the next chapter, but I am not 100%. And I have a very cute Idea for when Leia finally gets her first boyfriend. Not Han yet, still too young for that. And I'm wondering when to do that? What age should Leia start dating? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Oh, and I finished my other work-in-progress this week. It's called The Skywalker Tale: A Legacy Restored. Please do go check it out. Anyways, with that being finished I will likely be able to write these chapters quicker, as long as I don't get any more whims for any new stories, that is.