Across fictive worlds

by Haxong

Bella had always been a Star Wars fan. Her life in Phoenix was boring in comparison to the exciting galaxy far away and all the wonderful drama of the dysfunctional Skywalker family. Leia had always been a Twilight fan. Eternal vampire soul bonds were so much better than arranged marriages and avoiding the evil Empire. One day, the two girls end up switching bodies. Complete!

14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Darth Vader POV

The infiltration went way too easy. Vader felt like he was merely playing a role in a piece as he sneaked through droid maintenance corridors, slowly getting closer to one of the dozen reactor chambers where they could manually rig the super laser. They did run across a few patrols that Vader swiftly dispatched of with his red lightsaber. Leia didn't hesitate in aiding him, using the Force to hold troopers in place or even just outright crush them. She had grown powerful. Maybe they actually did stand a chance against Sidious if they fought together.

Vader hadn't been idle this past year. He'd left his Master's service rather explosively, trying to blow up the Imperial palace and narrowly escaping with his life when that wasn't enough to take him out. (None of that ever made it to the news of course. It wouldn't do for the Emperor to show weakness.) He would've preferred to defeat Sidious in a proper duel but the sad truth was that he simply wasn't powerful enough for that, not with his body so weakened from years of neglect and old injuries. But after he fled and used his formidable influence as former Supreme Commander to gather a large part of the Imperial Navy under his banner, that changed. He updated all of his prosthetics, lined them with poorly conducting materials to ward off lighting attacks and underwent a number of surgeries that had been long overdue to repair and partially replace some of his more damaged organs. As a result he was finally free of the restrictive life support suit. He was still nowhere close to the strength he'd had as a Jedi in his prime but he was as prepared as he'd ever be to face his Master in combat. With Leia's support, maybe... Maybe they could do it.

His daughter was filled with tension the whole time though. Waiting for something. With every enemy they killed with too much ease, the dread in Vader's stomach build. Who was the trap really for? And who had set it?

Doubts started to gnaw at him. There were moments when he felt a clear kinship with Leia but it was so different from the connection he'd shared with her before. Was this even truly his daughter? Had she been replaced by someone else? It was Leia and yet it was not. Vader knew he would never be fooled by a mask or a skinchanger or even a clone. He'd encountered all that before and this wasn't it. But if Leia was merely changed then what changed her and how?

The most obvious culprit was Sidious of course. Vader hated that the thought crossed his mind before they even had to face his former Master. But he had to consider that the older Sith Lord had already gotten to his daughter. That Vader himself was the only one who was walking into a trap. The vision of Leia, yellow eyes glinting, smiling as she aimed his own red saber at him kept replaying in his mind.

His heart clenched painfully. If it was his sweet little daughter, if she truly wanted to see him dead, he wouldn't even fight it. He knew he deserved so much worse. But this girl... Was she really his daughter? When he opened those doors and met Sidious, would he be met with his real daughter, hold hostage and forcing him to chose or some similar evil scheme? That was ridiculous of course, it wasn't as if Leia had a twin... sister... Oh he was so stupid.

There is another.

XxX

LPOV

Leia and Vader moved quickly, their footsteps echoing against the cold durasteel walls as they made their way towards the heart of the massive space station.

The final door swished open at the press of a button and the laser chamber loomed before them. It was a vast expanse of metal and machinery bathed in the sickly green glow of the kyber core. Steam hissed from vents along the walls, adding to the sense of foreboding that permeated the chamber.

At the center of the chamber stood the laser core itself, a giant, green pulsating crystal encased in a web of metal scaffolding. Liquid carbonite flowed through pipes that crisscrossed the chamber, cooling it and ready to quench any fires that might erupt from the powerful energy source.

On a raised platform sporting various consoles and monitors, overlooking the crystal, Emperor Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, awaited them. His presence cast a long shadow across the chamber. He stood flanked by Imperial guards, his dark robes billowing around him as he gazed down upon his adversaries with a malevolent gleam in his eyes. His wrinkled face and sickly glowing yellow eyes made Leia's insides churn in disgust the way not even Vader's scarred visage did. She wasn't usually one for judging a book by it's cover but in this case, the Sith Lord's wretched insides could clearly be gleaned from his outward appearance.

Leia's jaw clenched as she took in the sight of the man who was responsible for so much suffering across the galaxy. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. Beside her, Vader remained stoic and silent, his face betraying no hint of emotion as he surveyed the chamber with a sense of grim determination.

As they approached the platform, Leia's senses were all on high alert. Battling the Emperor had never been part of the plan. Having watched the discouragingly short duel of him against the Jedi Masters, she was not very confident about their chances of success. But even so, a physical fight would be preferable to a verbal one. There were too many secrets between Leia and Vader, too many weak points in their relationship that a manipulative Sith Lord like him could exploit. She mustn't let him play the game to his rules. The fate of the galaxy would be decided today and she couldn't let him have any advantage.

Leia closed her eyes for a few short seconds, making one last attempt to reach out for Bella. She would be so much better at handling this situation. She needed her sister now. But today as any day before in the last year, the Force was silent. Leia's heart sank. It seemed there would be no help coming.

As Leia and Vader ascended the steps to the platform, Palpatine greeted them with a twisted smile, his voice dripping with false cheer.

"Ah, my dear children", he purred, his eyes alight with dark amusement. "How touching it is to see you reunited at last. Father and daughter, working together. It's almost poetic."

Leia's right hand curled around the handle of her blaster and she contemplated trying to shot the Sith Lord on the spot. He was mocking them. Palpatine knew exactly that their bond was tenuous at best. Just how tenuous was left to be seen. For a moment the thought crossed Leia's mind that she'd been tricked by Vader, that maybe he'd only played along with her to get her to admit her secrets. But he'd openly defied the Old Empire for the last couple of months. That couldn't have all been a front, could it? Then again... It wouldn't be the first time that Palpatine instigated a galaxy wide war just to further his own power. Leia had to assume that Vader was just as likely to help her as he was to betray her.

Damn, if only she could reach Bella.

Palpatine's gaze lingered on Vader, his eyes gleaming with malice as he addressed him directly. "It is almost cute how you tried to hide your alliance with your chosen apprentice. Did you truly believe that you could deceive me?"

"You are hardly all-knowing, Sidious", Vader spat. "Just because you expected my betrayal does not mean you know every detail."

"Does it now", Palpatine replied coldly. Leia swallowed her relief hearing those words. At least she had confirmation that Vader hadn't plotted behind her back with Sidious - now she just had to make sure he didn't run right back to him for some foolish promise.

"I believe I know more than you, at the very least", Palpatine continued. "I have to commend you for the work you put in but even with your mutineers and the Rebellion's fleet combined, you are no match for the might of the Empire. I have an entire fleet standing ready to ambush your forces the moment they arrive and a legion of troopers standing ready to capture the Jedi you send to Endor. Your plan has already failed. You are but insects, scurrying in the shadows."

Leia scoffed, her confidence slowly rising again. A fleet laying in ambush? That didn't come as a surprise at all. True, they'd originally hoped to attack the Death Star in a state of unpreparedness. With the super laser and shield generator disabled and no backup fleet, destroying it would've been child's play. Luke would have no trouble repeating the Ewok rebellion, she was sure of it. After all he had always been meant to be a hero. A fleet complicated matters but the situation was similar enough to The Return of the Jedi that Leia knew they could still win - if they managed to kill the Emperor.

She would be surer of her victory if she had found a way to switch her body with Bella by now. This was when it was supposed to happen, wasn't it? She was on a Death Star, Vader was here and on Earth a meteorite shower should be coming down around this time. The conditions were the same as the last time. If this couldn't reawaken her connection to Bella... No, she must not give up hope. Maybe the Emperor was the problem. He hadn't been there the last time. Maybe she had to kill him first before she could reach Bella and finally go home. Yes, that must be it. Once the Emperor was dead, everything would be fine. Leia didn't dare to imagine the alternative. She didn't dare contemplate the other, obvious reason why she might not be able to connect and switch places with Bella anymore.

"Even the smallest of creatures can bring down a mighty beast with enough determination and courage", Leia said rebelliously while she slowly stepped sideways, trying to get into a better position.

A tense silence settled over the chamber as Palpatine regarded Leia with a mixture of amusement and disdain.

"Bold words, Princess. But aren't you a bit hypocritical? After all, you're not here to defeat the Empire, or me for that matter. No, you have your own reason for coming here that has nothing to do with the millions of lives that depend on you. You came here... to die!"
With a snap-hiss Vader's lightsaber came to life and he took a fighting pose. "I won't let you harm her", he promised. Leia looked at him surprised and stopped her inching away from him.

"Me?" Sidious smiled genially. "Who ever said anything about me?"

"Let's take him out. Now!" Leia urged Vader and pointed her blaster ahead. She had to take advantage while Vader was still firmly on her side. Who knew how long that would last?

But Vader didn't react to her words. He didn't change his defensive stance in front of her but he didn't attack - why didn't he attack?

Palpatine's smile widened to a grin. "Dear Leia really takes after you, my boy. So willing to do whatever it takes for the person she loves. Even if it means giving up her own life."

What was he talking about? The only people Leia loved in this galaxy, truly loved, were her parents. But Bail and Breha Organa were safe on Alderaan, she was sure, she'd checked before they started this mission. Luke was down on Endor but the bond between them was only just starting to form. Leia knew that Luke would gladly sacrifice his life if it meant putting an end to the Empire and while she would mourn his death, threatening her with it wouldn't do Sidious any good.

Leia was not eager to find out what the Emperor was insinuating though.

"What are you waiting for?" Leia asked Vader. She was starting to grow uneasy. Allowing the Emperor to talk was a bad idea, they both knew that.

"What do you mean by that?" Vader asked the Emperor steely, still not moving to attack.

That's when Leia realized it. Just as she had her reservations about him, so too must he. Between all her secrets and refusal to tell him why she had to come here, was it really a surprise that he mistrusted her?

Leia had enough. This had to stop now.

She shot at the nearest Imperial guard and everything exploded into motion.

Six royal guards surged forward with blinding speed, their staffs giving off a menacing hum and blue electricity. One of them even sported a red lightsaber. Leia barely had time to react before Vader sprang into action, his crimson lightsaber flashing to life as he intercepted the attackers with lethal precision.

With a flurry of strikes and parries, Vader engaged the Imperial guards in a deadly dance of combat, his movements a blur of motion as he deflected their blows with practiced ease. Leia moved to join the fray, her mind reaching out through the Force to aid her in battle.

With a flick of her wrist, she summoned the power of the Force, slowing the guards and even managing to hold one in place as Vader pressed his advantage, his lightsaber cutting through their ranks with ruthless efficiency. As the guards struggled against the invisible grip of Leia's power, she focused her concentration, disarming them one by one with a deft flick of her wrist.

But one guard managed to break free from Leia's hold. He lunged towards her with a snarl. With a quick gesture, Leia extended her hand, channeling the power of the Force into a grip that lifted the guard off his feet, his hands clawing desperately at his throat as he gasped for air.

Palpatine watched with a delighted grin as his guard fell to the ground, his body convulsing in the grip of Leia's power. With a final surge of effort, Vader dispatched the last of their attackers, his lightsaber cutting through the air with deadly precision. The Emperor hadn't even lifted a finger.

But as Vader and Leia stepped closer towards the platform, wary of any counter attacks, the Sith Lord raised a hand. Instead of a lightsaber or even Sith Lighting though, he used his mind to attack them. A sharp pain went through Leia's head and she heard an answering cry of anguish even as she fell to her knees. Vader though remained upright. Then, there in the middle of the three Force-users, the air began to flicker and light to bend.

"Watch, my pupil", Palpatine said with dark amusement. "Watch what your daughter really came for."

The flicker of warped space grew darker and larger. Leia's eyes widened. She could feel a presence inside that darkness. A very, very familiar presence.

"Bella", she gasped and raised a hand towards the dark orb.

"Leia, no!" Vader protested and grabbed her hand but it was too late.

Leia's fingertips brushed against the orb. The moment they did, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she was overcome with a terrible disorientation. Her surroundings went dark. All sound vanished, all smell, she couldn't feel her own body, couldn't feel the Force - the only thing she could feel clearly was Bella. Stray thoughts of her sister crossed her mind.

"... Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe I just got to enjoy a piece of heaven and now I've ended up in hell..."

"... I miss the sun. Any sun, any moon..."

"How long has it been? Feels like a century. Will I be kept here forever?"

"Leia... Leia are you there anywhere? I've been waiting for so long. Please save me. I don't want to be dead anymore..."

Leia gasped as she abruptly returned to reality. She was laying on the ground, Vader kneeling next to her. Her cheek stung where he held it in a gloved hand. He looked anguished. Instinctively she knew that he'd heard and seen the same things she had.

"Two girls, so similar, their connection so strong, they managed to slip into each other's bodies...", the Emperor said quietly. "Two daughters, both so precious to you, Lord Vader. One a fake, an imposter, who conquered your heart... And the other a liar who pretended to care about you when really she just thinks you a monster."

Leia's eyes widened and she shot up, scrambling to her feet.

He knew. The Emperor knew about Bella! How was that possible?! And how much did he know? Why could she feel Bella's presence in that black orb!?

"What's she doing in there!? What have you done to Bella!?" she shouted at the Sith Lord.

Sidious laughed. It was a high-pitched, ugly sound that echoed off the walls.

"I have done nothing to her, my dear child. That was all you."

"W-What?" Leia made confused.

"Shut up", Vader suddenly growled and raised his lightsaber. She could feel his power spike with hatred and anger. He had realized something that Leia hadn't and suddenly their positions were reversed.

"What do you mean by that?" Leia asked fearfully.

"Oh, didn't you know?" Sidious asked in a horrible mockery of pity. "I thought for sure you'd come here to save her. To switch places with her again." His tone changed suddenly, becoming cold and accusing. "You got her killed while possessing her body, don't you remember? You got her tortured to death. She saved your life on the Death Star and your entire home planet and in return, you got her killed. Then you fled back into your own body and left her with your mistakes. She is dead because of you." He pointed towards the black orb. "That is all that remains of her."

"No... No, that can't be true...", Leia stammered.

But what if it was? Leia had died. She'd thought it only a technicality but she had no proof at all that Bella went on afterwards. She'd left her in the middle of a war after all, a captive of her enemies. Those terrible feelings, those hopeless thoughts... They were Bella's. Leia would recognize her mental voice anywhere. Bella... Bella had been destroyed. And it was Leia's fault. Not only that but if Bella had been destroyed and Edward had to watch that... There would be nothing for her to return to. If Bella was dead, then so was he.

"I can bring her back", she whispered desperately. Leia turned and looked at the orb again. "I can bring her back", she repeated, tears forming in her eyes. If Bella was dead and she switched with her now, that would mean Leia would die. But it would also mean Bella got to live again. And more importantly, it would mean Star Wars got its true heroine back.

"You can indeed", Palpatine encouraged her sweetly. "All you have to do is reach out for her. Then you will be dead and she'll be possessing your body. Go on. Do it. Fix your mistake!"

Leia started walking towards the orb. But suddenly Vader was there, holding her by the shoulder with an iron grip.

"Leia. Don't", he urged her.

"I have to", Leia whispered. "She's so much better than me. She always knows what to do."

"If you take her place, you will die!" he roared.

Leia steeled herself, gathered her power and pushed him away.

"Be honest with yourself, father", she spat at him. "You don't want me here either. You liked her way better than me! It was her you kept captive all those months, don't you get that? It was her on the Death Star. I met you exactly three times, twice on missions for the Rebellion where you were trying to arrest me and then again in Cloud City a week ago! I don't know you, I don't care about you and I think the galaxy would be better off if you'd never been born!" The stupid tears wouldn't stop. "Bella was the one who cared! She wasn't even really related to you and yet she still believed in you! Bella had a plan and a vision and hopes for the future! And I - I had a future in her place! I had a real family back there! I had a life and a love and a cause! Then I came back and I had nothing! Bella was like a sister to me... I can save her. It doesn't matter what happens to me. I don't belong here anymore. I don't want to live here anymore!"

Vader's presence blazed in anger but underneath it, she could feel immeasurable pain as well.

"The loss of... of Bella is regrettable. As is you losing a home you've grown to treasure", he said, his voice tense. "But you don't honestly think this will truly bring her back? No power in the galaxy can bring back the dead. I know. I've tried. If anything comes back at all it will be a shadow of the sister you used to know." Vader gestured towards the Emperor angrily. "He's playing with you. Don't let him."

Palpatine had his arms crossed, watching them, grinning wildly as if he had no care in the world except maybe missing popcorn.

"You don't understand!" Leia shouted back. "This is my only chance! My bond got severed when I..." She sobbed, remembering the horrible pain, the pain that Bella had to experience too thanks to her, "...when I died. Something extraordinary will be necessary to restore it. It can only happen here, now. Our case is special. It can work, I know it!"

Leia turned towards the small black orb suspended between them. This was the gateway to the home she'd learned to love. This orb held the essence of her sister, her best friend. Dead, because of her. No wonder she hadn't been able to contact her. But the Emperor had done something to keep her, if not alive then at least accessible to her. This would be her last and only chance to switch again. Leia honestly thought Bella would do a way better job at solving the mess that was the final battle on the Death Star. She certainly didn't deserve to be dead when she'd only been thrust into the Forks war because of Leia. More importantly though... If Bella was dead, then following New Moon logic, so was Edward. Even if Leia somehow found her way to Earth without a body to possess, her home would be gone. With that, Leia's adventure was over. But Bella... Bella could still have a future.

But Vader wouldn't let her reach for it. He had firmly placed himself between her and the orb. Leia reached out with the Force, trying to summon the orb. But it was not truly a physical object and wouldn't budge.

Suddenly Leia felt a small shiver in the Force, a dark tendril originating from the Emperor but aimed at neither Leia or Vader. Instead it was aimed at... Leia's eyes flitted to the right. To the body of one of the crimson-garbed Imperial guards. And the lightsaber held in the lifeless hand. She looked back up to Vader. His stance was clear. If she wanted to get to the orb... She would have to get past him first.

"Leia, you cannot," Vader warned her, having noticed the movements of her eyes. "It's a trap. You know it is. Don't do what he wants! It will not bring her back."
"But what if it does?" she challenged him. Her fingers itched, a part of her wanting to summon the lightsaber into her hands. Her blaster wouldn't do anything against Vader and knowing how strong he was in the Force, her telekinetic powers would probably be useless too. But a lightsaber...

"Even if it did", Vader replied with a pained scowl, "you don't deserve death any more than she does. The risk is too great. Please, I can't loose you both." He took a step toward her but Leia flinched and took a step back. Vader stopped immediately. He had the nerve to look hurt.

"I know I'm not the father anyone, much less a brave young woman like you would wish for", he said quietly. "I know I've made horrible mistakes in the past. You can hate me all you want for that. But you have other people who will solely miss you. You have the Organas and your Jedi friends and the entire population of Alderaan. You have so much to live for."

It was true. Leia did still have people here she cared about. But she didn't have Edward. Leia loved her parents and her people but that love paled in comparison to what she felt for him. If he was gone... She might not become a broken shell like New Moon Bella but she would never be the same either. She couldn't be the Princess Alderaan nor the successor her parents needed. But Bella... Bella could at least still be the Skywalker Luke and Vader needed. The more Vader talked like a... like a Jedi, the more Leia started to think he might actually deserve that. One day, in the far, far future.

"I'm sorry, father", Leia said and for the first time she addressed him as such without sarcasm. A flick of her wrist made the hilt of the lightsaber slab into her hand. She switched it on, the red blade coming to life with a snap-hiss. Vader tensed and readied himself for her attack-

Leia focused on the Force, letting it pour into her like water into an empty glass. Then she made one mighty flip backwards and sprinted towards the Emperor, her lightsaber raised for an attack.

Vader cried out her name but it was too late.

Darth Sidious watched her approach with amusement, his lips curling into a malevolent smile. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a torrent of crackling blue lightning, aiming it directly at Leia.

Leia tried to catch the lightning with her blade, failed utterly and cried out in agony as the lightning struck her, her body convulsing with pain as she fell to the floor, writhing in torment. Every fiber of her being screamed in agony. And yet...she forced her mind to remain clear. She'd endured worse pain than this when she'd been bitten.

Vader watched in horror as his daughter suffered at the hands of the Emperor. He lunged forward with a roar of fury, his lightsaber cutting a crimson arc through the air.

The room became a battlefield as Vader and the Emperor clashed. Darth Sidious whipped out a lightsaber of his own from the wide sleeves of his robes and their blades collided with a shower of sparks. Everyone of Vader's moves was driven by a desperate need to protect Leia from harm.

As the battle raged on, Leia's strength waned quickly, her body was trembling from the aftershocks and bruised from her fall back down the stairs. But even as she lay broken, she did not let desperation cloud her mind. Hope was still within reach. Slowly, she started to crawl back down the steps. Towards the now unguarded orb. She would bring Bella back. Even if it was the last thing she ever did.

She reached out to the swirling mass of darkness with a trembling hand... and touched it. This time, she didn't shy away from the terrible feeling of utter nothingness. This time, her father wasn't there to pull her back. She sunk deeper and deeper into the abyss... Until finally, she felt a familiar mind brush against her own.

Somewhere in between reality and fantasy, two souls touched and a dead connection bloomed to life again.

Amidst the terrible darkness, for a brief moment the two heroines recognized each other. Bella cried out her name in relief but it wasn't truly a word she heard, more like a memory. There was no translucent form to greet or hug her either. Yet she could still feel her, the way she'd felt Luke and Vader and ugh, even the Emperor.

Leia didn't hesitate for there was no time to be lost. She surged forward, giving all her being to this wonderful girl. Embracing her. Merging with her. For a brief moment, the two girls were one.

Then Leia felt her sister being hurdled away from her, up into the light and into the most important battle of the galaxy. Meanwhile, Leia sank ever deeper. Her heart was torn between grief and acceptance. She knew only death awaited her. But that was alright. As was once said in Twilight, if she did have to die, dying instead of someone she loved was a good way to go.

XxX

BPOV

Bella blinked repeatedly, thoroughly disorientated when all of her senses suddenly returned to her. She thought she'd felt a familiar presence reach out for her, brush against her before she was abruptly - not pulled but catapulted out of the darkness. Leia. Sweet Jesus, had it actually worked?

All her senses came rushing back to her but they were much, much duller than she'd gotten used to as a vampire. Bella stared up at a ceiling littered with huge pipes, letting out faint steam. The clash of energy weapons, hurried movements and a high-pitched cackle could be heard somewhere behind her. Her entire body ached with painful aftershocks but the ever present thirst in her throat was gone. She smelled the artificially cleaned air but there was so much missing. The only sense that remained the same was her shield. It snapped into place around her like an old friend. As Bella slowly rose into a sitting position, she could feel her outer shield warp around her, little sprouts blooming like vines, ready for her every command. She looked down at herself, noticing white pants and a vest as well as a heavy, long braid at the back of her head.

Bella slowly stood, every movement a struggle. God, had Leia been tortured before they'd switched? After a year of marble flesh, she was no longer used to pain.

The sound of clashing lightsabers drew her attention. She turned and her eyes widened as she saw none other than the hooded Emperor himself mid battle with a tall figure that she didn't recognize at first glance. It was a man with dark red robes and a hood, a red lightsaber and an ominous breathing mask covering the mouth. Bella pulled her shield tight around herself, trying to make herself small and invisible and trying not to panic. Just what had she been thrown in the middle of?!

Nobody seemed to pay her any attention at the moment though. Bella closed her eyes and breathed deeply. In Forks she hadn't had access to the Force but she'd practiced using her shield in unexpected ways. That shield was still with her and with its help she could now sense the two combatants like she wouldn't have been able to before. They had their own respective onions, so clearly outlined to her in the Force they were almost visible. Thin, hard inner shells that represented the protection around their minds and layers upon layers outside of that. Each one probably represented a different power, a different way to use the Force. These two were powerful. Bella formed a narrow spike with her shield, carefully tapping the unknown figure, trying to get a feel for him. Her probe passed through three layers without resistance before she met an elastic wall, similar to the feel Jasper's power had given her. At once the man's head flew around, sharp blue eyes meeting hers.

"Leia", he rasped out, jumping back to distance himself from his opponent as he stared at her with something quite like horror.

"What have you done?!"

Bella's probe attached itself to the fourth layer of the stranger's onion, establishing the faintest of connections. At once it flooded a long missed sixth sense of hers with the feel of a terribly familiar presence. But that couldn't be.

"Who are you?" she asked, shocked to her core as she took in the appearance of the man that felt so much like the one she'd once called father and yet totally different. Despite the color of his weapon, despite the scars and mask and everything - this was clearly no longer Darth Vader. It was Anakin Skywalker.

"What's going on - where am I?" she exclaimed desperately.

What had happened during the one year she'd been gone? Had the story progressed so far during her absence that they were already at the finale of The Return of the Jedi? Bella started to panic. Had she, in her selfish desire to return home, prevented Leia from fulfilling her destiny as a Jedi and a Skywalker?

On a raised platform, illuminated by the light of a giant green crystal encased in metal that hung in the middle of the chamber, the Emperor let out a mad cackle.

"You are too late, Vader!" he exclaimed as his former student took the entire staircase down to Bella's position with a single, Force-powered jump.

"She's gone! Your daughter is gone!"

Bella's eyes widened in horror hearing those words. The Emperor knew. Somehow, he knew that Bella wasn't Leia. Worse though, judging from the growing anguish Bella sensed through her probe, so did Vader.

Suddenly the Sith Lord she'd tried so hard to return to stood right in front of her. Bella gasped and staggered as his outer layers encompassed her, at least five of them, wrapping around her with almost physical intensity. She pulled her own shield tight but it was no use. All her little sprouts were practically swallowed up by an incredible amount of fear, anguish and desperation. Bella drew her sprouts back in, feeling like a scared anemone. Vader grabbed her chin with one gloved hand, his eyes looking into hers with a burning intensity. There was a yellow hue over his blue eyes.

"Bella?" his vocoder rasped out and Bella nearly had a heart attack. Her carefully constructed house of lies was crumbling before her very eyes. He knew who she was. He knew her name, he knew she wasn't Leia, he knew she'd just stolen his true daughter from him.

She was so dead.

Her mouth opened and closed, like a fish out of water but she found herself unable to form words in her defense. What could she even say to the man she'd lied to for months?

Vader's fear slowly turned into hopelessness.

"So she's really gone..." he said quietly.

"Once again, you couldn't protect a woman most dear to you", the Emperor mocked Vader with false pity. He held one red lightsaber in his hand, pointed downwards as he enjoyed his victory. "Leia was powerful. She made quite a name for herself on the battlefield. Together with her, you might have bested me. But that thing", he pointed toward Bella, "will be of no use to you. Only the shadow of a person, only the echo of an already useless girl. It's over, Vader. You lost." He deactivated his lightsaber and spread his arms as if he wanted to embrace his pupil. "But I am a generous Master. Kneel to me, Vader. And I will consider letting you live."

Bella felt faint with horror. Somehow Leia had managed to draw Vader from the Emperor's side. She'd already pulled a Luke, had already saved him - and now she'd ruined it! Vader barely stood a chance against the Emperor even when fighting to protect an actual child of his that he loved. The disadvantages of his life support suit against Palpatine's Sith lightning were just too large. But now that it was just her at his side, the fake, the pretender? By coming here, Bella had doomed both Vader and the whole galaxy. She felt absolutely wretched.

Vader had turned away from her and towards Darth Sidious. His entire frame shook with fury.

"You took her from me. You took them both from me!" he shouted hatefully at him. Then with a mighty Force-jump he practically flew at Sidious.

Soon the air was filled once again with the sound of clashing lightsabers. Bella couldn't even follow half of their movements. And Vader's presence was growing darker by the second. She hated that she was such a hindrance, such a weakness to Vader. Her eyes wandered, looking for anything that she could do to help, anything at all. She'd never really learned how to move objects with the Force like Leia could and was only slightly above average with a blaster. Her only notable combat skill was... Her gaze fell onto a conveniently placed lightsaber near her position.

Suddenly something warm pulsated at her tight. Bella reached into the pocket of her trousers… and pulled out a small, green crystal, radiating familiarity. She smiled, hope blooming in her chest. There was an idea.

Drawing her shield even tighter around her to make herself small and invisible to the senses of the two battling power houses, Bella grabbed the saber. Half remembered lessons of how to construct them guided her as she carefully removed the red crystal inside and slotted her green one into the weapon.

Bella didn't know exactly what was going on. But she recognized a Star Wars finale when she got thrown into one. If they failed to defeat the Emperor today, the entire galaxy would be forever shrouded in darkness. She could not let that happen. She'd promised Leia she'd take care of her people, her galaxy, to make it if not better then at least not worse.

Vader didn't have the element of surprise that had enabled him to kill the Emperor in The Return of the Jedi. Luke was nowhere to be seen either. The only ally he had was Bella. Fortunately, she had a card up her sleeve that even Sidious might not expect. It was time to save the galaxy – and this time, Bella swore, Vader would leave the Death Star with her, alive.

---

XxX

LPOV

The darkness was all-encompassing. There was no black and white, no colors, no scent, no noise, no sense of direction. Leia felt despaired and grief-stricken. She only hoped that Bella would find some miraculous solution to the mess that was the Emperor's game. She wished she could get certainty about at least that much before she...Before she was stuck here in this terrible nothingness, possibly forever.

Leia remembered Edward's belief that vampires, once destroyed, went to the worst possible afterlife of his Christian Earth religion. Back then she'd dismissed it. Even if his god existed, which was possible in a dimension based on a fictional book, there was no telling if an interloper like her would be judged by the same rules. In this very moment though, Leia wished it were true. She wished she were in hell, in a terrible place of fire and brimstone. At least there she had a chance to one day meet Edward again. It would surely be preferable to spending eternity in some kind of limbo because her soul wouldn't take any of the usual paths.

Suddenly though, Leia's environment changed. There were colorful spots now, like those you saw when you squeezed your eyes shut too tightly. Leia could feel her eyes now. Then she heard a voice - a wonderful, beautiful voice calling out her name.

"Leia! Leia, can you hear me?"

Edward.

Edward was calling her.

Slowly one by one, Leia's senses returned to her. She had a split second of taking in the Cullen's living room in Forks and several vampires including the best in-laws she could ever hope for standing nearby. Much more important though was Edward. He was looming over her, alive and well and Leia surged up to hug him before her senses had even all returned to her.

"Edward", she whispered, crying tears of relief. Maybe God actually really liked her. She wasn't was back home and Edward was here and, and...

That's when the burning in her throat started and Leia noticed that her senses weren't just returning. They were improving.

"I... I'm a vampire?" she asked, confused, her eyes wandering around and taking in with wonder how much more details she could see, smell and hear now.

"Yes... Yes you are. I'm so sorry, my love." Edward cupped her face in his hands, his eyes almost black. He looked haggard and tired but also profoundly relieved.

"What happened?" she asked, now taking note of the three foreign vampires for the first time.

Edward swallowed, shame flashing over his features for a moment.

"Bella... Bella tried to reach you. She tried to bring you back so many times. Maria was defeated over a year ago. Bella adapted to vampirism a lot faster than expected and she learned how to grow and improve her shielding power. But still, she couldn't reach you. She thought it might be because she had to be asleep for it to work and as a vampire, she couldn't sleep anymore. So I... I asked the Volturi for help." He hung his shoulders, looking defeated as he motioned towards the three strangers. "This is Felix, Demitri and Alec of the Volturi guard. Alec used his power on Bella to imitate a sleeping state. I... I hoped it would bring you back. I'm sorry it felt so horrible to you."

"No, don't apologize!" Leia said, hugging him to her reassuringly again. She marveled at how warm and soft his body now felt. "I was so desperate to come back to you! I'm glad it finally worked." She took her boyfriend's face in her hands and kissed him. After a moment of hesitation, he kissed her back, soon melting in her embrace. Leia was home. Finally.

"I love you, Leia. I missed you so much", Edward said and wiped a pink tear from her cheek.

"I was so afraid you wouldn't be here anymore", she admitted. "I felt Bella, from the other side, for just a moment. I thought that terrible darkness meant she was dead. For good, I mean. " She turned to the Volturi then, her wariness of them because of their role in the original novel momentarily overshadowed by her gratitude.

"You're Alec, aren't you?" she addressed the child-like vampire boy that sat on a nearby chair. He gave her a curt nod. His expression was neutral while Felix was smiling and Demitri looked bored.

"Thank you for bringing me back", she said earnestly.

"We are happy to have been of service", Felix answered in his stead. Then he clapped his hands. "Now that you have your lovely mate back, Edward, I believe it's time for us to say goodbye. Leia", he added with an odd emphasis of her name, making the princess wonder how much Edward had told them, "you'll be most welcome to visit us in Volterra at any time, at the latest though for Christmas. We'd love to get to know you better."

"Oh", she made, a bit taken aback. Leia thought back to the novel and how the Volturi had only allowed human Bella to leave after Alice promised she'd turn her herself. Even then, they'd demanded proof of her turning. But Leia was very obviously already a vampire. Why was she the one given such an invitation?

Edward, who still held her in his arms, tightened his hold a bit.

"Thank you for your help. We'll be in touch", he said coldly.

The Volturi took their leave and the couple was left alone with Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmet.

"Does anyone mind explaining what's going on?" Rose asked angrily. "Edward, why do you keep calling her Leia? Why the hell did you bring the Volturi here and if she's not Bella, what happened to the real one!?"

Leia rose from the couch, arm in arm with Edward. It sounded like he hadn't explained much of anything to anyone.

"I'm sorry, I should've told you way sooner", she apologized. "It's a long story."

"In that case, I believe it can wait for a little longer", Carlisle said. "You should hunt, both of you. It's been days."

His words brought attention back to the burning pain Leia felt in her throat. It really was bad. As horribly timed as the whole switching had been, if there was one thing Leia didn't regret it was getting to skip her newborn year.

"What's on the menu?" she asked, a bit excited for her very first vampire hunt. "Do you think we could find a mountain lion?"

Edward kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure we will ", he promised her.

Yes, Leia was back home. She could worry about the Volturi and explaining her situation to the Cullens later. For now, she just wanted Edward. Edward and... blood. She really, really wanted some blood.

XxX

---

Darth Vader POV

Vader hadn't felt such anguish, such pain ever since he'd learned about his wife's death. He'd known that something was wrong with Leia when he met her in Cloud City. She'd needed his help for something but she wouldn't tell him what, never expected him to actually help and oozed reluctance with every interaction. It was as if they'd never bonded at all. And they hadn't, apparently, because all this time Vader had been yearning, waiting for an entirely different person. Yet Bella, the girl he'd grown to cherish so much, was not his daughter. Leia, who hated and despised him yet was also willing to use him was.

That alone would've resulted in a confounding mix of hurt. But none of that mattered now because Sidious had tricked them all once again. Both Bella and Leia were gone now. Bella had apparently died a year ago and he hadn't even known. Whatever impression of her Sidious might've captured, if anything at all, would be traumatized and broken beyond recognition. Vader would never get to see her smile again, feel her hugging him, warm himself in her presence that was like a rising sun. He would never get to truly get to know Leia, never be able to apologize for what he'd done to her chosen family, never prove that he could in fact be something other than a monster.

They were gone. Both girls had been his daughters in one way or another, blood relation or no. Leia's thoughts had been loud and clear even without any attempt on his side to read them. Because of that he knew that Leia had yearned to escape her own body as much as she'd wanted to save the girl she considered a sister. Now, in a foolish attempt to save each other, they had both ended up dead. And once again he'd been too powerless to stop it.

Oh if only Leia had trusted him earlier. If only Bella had told him the truth back then. Maybe he could've prepared them better against his former Master's manipulations. Years of working for the Sith had taught Vader that Sidious was not as all-knowing as he liked people to think. Half the time he was just throwing out vague taunts and building lies upon the thoughts he gathered from his opponents in response. Even he would not be able to replicate what Vader and Leia had felt from the orb though. That had been real. Bella had died and now so had Leia.

But if Sidious thought he would just bend the knee and forget all about that, he was solely mistaken. Vader did not for a second believe that he had nothing to do with Bella's... with her death a year ago and he had clearly goaded Leia into essentially killing herself just now. There was no way Vader would ever forget much less forgive that. And so, with a roar of fury, eyes flickering between blue and yellow, he threw himself at his former Master. He no longer cared about defense, he just wanted to rip him to shreds.

The clash of lightsabers reverberated through the chamber. Everyone of Vader's strikes hit like a Star Destroyer, his muscles reinforced with steel cables. The Emperor was old and his strength only fueled by hatred but his control over the Force was strong. It protected him like a physical cloak, slowing every one of Vader's strikes if they came too close. The dark side flowed through him, cold and precise where it was hot and raging in Vader.

The Emperor's laughter echoed in the air, a cruel symphony that grated on Vader's nerves like sandpaper. With each swing of his crimson blade, Vader could see the twisted pleasure dancing in his master's eyes, reveling in the agony he had brought him. Vader's pain was only strengthening him.

A small voice in the back of his head warned Vader to regain his calm. If he allowed himself to be consumed by his hatred he was doing exactly what Sidious wanted. But the anger was all that still kept him on his feet. The fury was all that kept him fighting. Without it, he would break apart.

That's not what either of them would have wanted, the voice that sounded suspiciously like Kenobi whispered. Vader brushed it aside. For decades, anger had made him stronger. True, it also made him miserable in between battles but in the middle of a fight for his life, there was no force more powerful than Vader's wrath.

"Good. Gooood, Lord Vader!" Sidious encouraged him, yellowed teeth gleaming as he grinned. "Only your hatred can defeat me!"

"I'll show you my hatred, Master!" Vader spat. With a sudden surge of strength, Vader pushed forward, his blade driving toward the Emperor's heart.

But Darth Sidious was prepared and Vader's attack had been reckless and obvious. With a cruel smile, he deflected Vader's strike, his lightsaber slicing through the air with deadly precision. In a flash of crimson, he severed Vader's cybernetic arm, sending sparks flying as it clattered to the ground.

Pain shot through Vader's body as the rest of the prosthetic short-circuited. His breath went ragged as he stumbled backward. The Emperor's laughter filled the chamber, a mocking echo of his triumph.

"You thought a few new surgeries would be enough to repair this broken shell of yours?" the Emperor sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "You are nothing, Vader. A mere shadow of your former self."

Vader gritted his teeth against the pain, his gaze fixed on the Emperor with burning hatred. He would not let the loss of a limb stop him from getting his revenge. Not this time around.

But the Emperor didn't give him time to get his bearings. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the power of the dark side, tendrils of Sith lightning crackling from his fingertips. Vader's body convulsed with agony as the lightning surged through him, every nerve alight with searing pain. While not as susceptible as his original life support suit, Vader's cybernetics were still no less vulnerable to electricity than flesh.

Kneeling before the Emperor, exhausted and in torment, Vader could feel the darkness closing in around him. That's when he saw her.

His daughter, who should be nothing but a hollow, helpless puppet, was sneakily making her way up the stairs, coming up behind the Emperor, clutching a green lightsaber. Vader's eyes widened nearly comically. Leia - Bella - they should both be dead! Leia's plan had failed. Whatever had returned from the other side hadn't even recognized Vader anymore. After one initial, tiny spark of fear, it hadn't even had a noticeable presence in the Force. Even now as he saw her clumsily sneak up on the old Sith Lord (making way too much noise to remain undetected for long) he couldn't sense a shred of power in her.

Sidious raised his red lightsaber, grinning down at Vader. One more swing and he could behead him. But Vader knew his Master wouldn't do that. He saw his feet shift ever so slightly and knew the following attack would be aimed at his child instead. In a split second, Vader realized two things. One was that Leia shined bright like a sun in the Force but Bella had always hid behind her shield, capable of evading even his senses and appearing as nonthreatening as a civilian that had never even heard of the Force. The second realization was that Bella, if she had indeed miraculously returned from the dead, had still been absent for more than a year. She would have no idea what was going on, that Vader had long since betrayed his Master and gotten rid of his suit. Of course she wouldn't recognize him immediately. All she would see were two unknown dark siders battling each other.

"DON'T!" Vader shouted in warning but it was too late. Bella (if it was indeed her) swung down her lightsaber in a terribly amateurish way that was painful to even look at - clearly she was very much out of practice. Of course her surprise attack failed as the Emperor whirled around, meeting her saber with his own. Sidious easily could've cut her down but he took a moment to enjoy Vader's rising fear as he met the girl in a saber lock.

"Oh, I was hoping you'd get back up. This way I get to kill you right in front of your father's eyes", he said with relish. Sidious flicked his wrist, expertly disarming the young woman and sending her lightsaber clattering over the floor. Bella immediately raised her hands in surrender and froze. She looked like mouse in front of a nexu.

"Bella, no!" Vader exclaimed, struggling to his feet. His fear quickly overwhelmed and brushed aside his anger as if it had never been there. If there was even the faintest hope that at least one of his daughters could still be saved...

"Let her go... Master. Please", he begged, swallowing his pride. "I'll do whatever-"

He never finished the sentence.

From one second to the next, pure light exploded in Vader's chest. Vader gasped and stumbled back as he was filled from head to toe with... love. Love and joy and yearning and hope - so much hope. Hope for a better future, for evenings before a crackling fire in the fireplace, for stories read at bedtime and trips to foreign planets and family dinners and parties and happiness.

Vader blinked away spots in front of his eyes. Bella was still standing there, hands raised, smiling sadly at him. In front of her, the Emperor was trembling erratically. Sidious turned slowly, eyes rolled into the back of his head. The red lightsaber dropped from his hand and clattered to the floor. Then the Sith Lord started to wave his arms around, gasping. Before long, he fell to the round, thrashing about.

Vader stared at his daughter in shock.

"Someone taught me my little gifts were too slow", Bella said with a little smile. "Thank the Force for villains and their need to monologue. All I needed was a bit of time and to get close enough."

Force-candy. That's what it was. Bella had hit both Vader and the Emperor with one of her packed up little emotion bubbles. Only judging from the Emperor's thrashing, his wrapping contained something much less pleasant than Vader's.

There was only one person in the whole galaxy that used this technique. And she wouldn't have been able to do it if she were just a broken, hollow shell.

"Bella?" he asked, the hope she'd send him still blooming in his soul.

Bella lowered her eyes, clearly in pain "Yes... it's me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drive Leia out... I just wanted to come home!"

Home. That stupid, artificial hope in him made Vader believe for a moment that maybe she meant him with that, that maybe she wanted to come with him as much as he wanted to have her at his side. But, he reminded himself, Bella was not truly his daughter. She'd only jumped in to help her childhood friend. Leia had claimed that Bella truly did care and maybe that was true. Maybe her heart really was big enough to care even about a wretched Sith Lord like him. But she had her own parents wherever she lived before, her own home that was now lost to her. There was no way she would ever chose him if the alternative wasn't literal death.

Vader called his lightsaber to him, still clutched in his severed arm. He threw the limb away and activated the blade with his left hand. He nodded towards the Emperor.

"What you sent him, is that... the pain you felt, back then?" He wished that it was. Sidious deserved a thousand times that. Bella should be able to do it too. There was little difference in sending someone a memory of a physical sensation and sending them emotions, not once you figured out how to get past their defenses. Her little packages, wrapped in an extension of her uniquely powerful shield, were completely unnoticeable until they hit you. Sidious evidently hadn't seen it coming either.

But Bella shook her head.

"No, it's not. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemies. Besides, judging from what you told me about the dark side, the pain would probably end up strengthening him. No, this is what I felt for the last... I don't know. It's the closest the Force can come to imitating death, I think. It's just... Nothing." She raised her hand, making a sweeping motion. "Don't come too close, I have him in a bubble from here to here. There's nothing really stopping him from leaving, he's just extremely disorientated. There's no up and down, no left and right... No time or space. It's just in his head though."

"I don't think he'll need his head much longer", Vader said darkly. He made the activated lightsaber hover over his palm, rising slowly into the air.

He stepped past Bella when suddenly she said: "Wait." She grabbed the sleeve of his robe with one hand, though without any strength.

"I... I don't think you should kill him."

Vader looked at her as if she'd asked him to marry Jabba the Hutt. She wanted him to spare Darth Sidious?

Maybe dying had driven her insane after all.

"And why", he asked, warningly "is that?"

"If you kill him, we'll never be rid of him. He's like a weed that always springs up again - I bet he'd come back as a clone or something." She gazed up at him, her big brown eyes full of a warmth he'd missed so much.

"Trust me. If we want him gone for good, we can't kill him."

Everything in Vader rebelled against the very idea of letting that evil creature live. Destroying him had been his fate both as a Jedi and a Sith. And yet...

Bella always knows just what to do, he remembered Leia saying. And well, there was a dark side technique that supposedly allowed its user to cheat death so she might have a point.

"What else do you suggest?" he wanted to know.

Bella's gaze wandered over the chamber. Then her eyes narrowed, focusing on the cooling pipes leading to the kyber crystal that charged the Death Star's super laser.

"Is that... liquid carbonite?" Her smile turned wicked. "I have an idea."

XxX

Ten minutes later Vader and Bella had a slab of deep-freeze-Emperor lying between them.

Vader had to admit that it was quite the brilliant move. While Sidious had never actually taught Vader the art of essence transfer that he'd originally promised him to resurrect his wife, he'd left enough leads for him to follow to know that it was an actual technique. Sith Lords had used it in the past to cheat death. He didn't know the details but he was pretty sure that the technique required one to either consciously initiate it or that it be triggered in the moment of death if the necessary preparations had been made.

Vader had once frozen himself in carbonite, back during the clone wars when he'd had a need to sneak past any droids detecting life signs. From that experience he knew that not only did the process halt all biological functions but it also ensured the subject was unconscious and unable to perceive anything from the outside, including the Force. Bella's attack had taken Palpatine entirely by surprise. While frozen, he would not be conscious to try and escape with his spirit alone. At the same time he didn't fulfill the technical requirements of dead. If he'd had any automatic escape plans, they would not bet triggered.

Now they just had to bury the carbonite coffin in the farthest corner of the galaxy where nobody would ever find it.

Vader still felt a gaping hole in his heart when he thought about loosing Leia. It was a relief to have Bella back, true, but how long would it be before she turned her back on him too, now that she no longer had to pretend to be someone she was not? Yet at the moment, he could push all of those thoughts aside. He had to disable the Death Star's super laser, get the Emperor off the station, let the Jedi know that he could turn off the shield generator and prepare his fleet for a space battle.

Vader got to work behind the console. The reactor had too many protections around it preventing manual override but he managed to disrupt the super laser. It had not yet been entirely complete and would've been unable to destroy a planet but a couple of star destroyers? No problem. Palpatine seemed to have rerouted a few things to the console, including an interface connecting to an Imperial fleet lying in ambush. Vader memorized all relevant information, for once thankful that his Master was so confident and sure of his victory. The information gathered here would be crucial to minimize the losses in the coming battle. For a moment he considered rigging the station to attack the Emperor's fleet instead but then thought better of it. He didn't want voices among his own men becoming loud that they should use the Death Star instead of destroying it. Nobody should have the power to destroy an entire planet with the press of a button.

Bella couldn't help but stare at Vader as he worked. She'd never seen him without his life support suit. She'd never seen his eyes before.

"You look loads better now", she said quietly.

Vader froze mid motion, single arm hovering over a lever. Her words stuck him painfully. That was almost exactly what Leia had said when she'd first met him in Cloud City. With a lurch he realized that she'd probably tried to imitate Bella.

"The suit was designed to spread fear", he returned just as quietly. "I didn't want to lead through fear anymore."

The corners of Bella's lips twitched up in a hesitant smile. "Do I still call you Vader then?"

He stared at her, his heart clenched painfully. "It's been a long time since you addressed me like that. You used to call me 'father'."

Bella's smile vanished and she looked away. "Yes well... I was pretending to be Leia back then. I promised her I'd take care of her people and her family. I'm sorry for lying to you." He felt her presence grow from a tiny speck to an actual person, further still till she reached out to him and opened her heart to him. She allowed him to feel her regret, her love for Leia and her guilt.

"I'm… really sorry", she repeated, swallowing her tears. "I thought... I wanted... I wanted to be like her. I've always admired Leia. When she agreed to switch with me it was like a dream come true. I was so happy here. And she was happy in my world. I thought... If I pretended long enough..."

Vader stepped down from the platform then and towards her. Miserably she looked up into his hooded face. The Sith Lord raised his one good hand and Bella's eyes widened when he put it gently on her head. He wrapped his presence around her like a cloak, allowing her to feel his pain, his sadness but also... his acceptance.

"You are as much my daughter as Leia was. I'll grieve for her but that doesn't mean I'm going to spurn the gift she send by bringing you back", he said.

"But... I'm not your real daughter", Bella protested. "Leia is. I'm just living in her body. I have another mum and dad back in my old world."

Vader felt a little painful stab in his heart. Of course she wouldn't want to be connected to him in this way. But if nothing else, maybe they could one day bond for real over their shared connection with Leia?

"I call you my daughter because you are a sister to my flesh and blood. Leia was odd like that. She kept adopting family left and right. If she can do that, then so can I", he decided. "But if you don't want anything to do with me, I will respect that. Either way, I'm not going to keep you a prisoner any longer nor will I tell you who you can befriend. You are free to do as you please. But by coming here, switching with Leia, you left behind your home, your original family... And I would be happy if I could give you a new one."

Bella stared at him with slightly open mouth. "You.. You really mean that?"

Vader hesitated, that not being quite the reaction he'd expected. Then, he nodded.

Bella's eyes widened further. Then she surged forward and hugged him with enough force to send him stumbling a step back. Vader froze for a moment, awkward and unsure. He was no longer used to such contact. Bella was half laughing and half crying, probably spreading snot all over his Sith robes. And yet, despite the bodies all around them and his right shoulder nothing but a burned mass of cables, somehow, this moment was perfect. This moment was what he'd been waiting for for more than a year. Vader used his remaining hand to pat his daughter's shoulder, allowing her to calm herself.

"I'd love to be your daughter", Bella said with surety. "I've got to warn you though, I'm a few years younger than Leia. I'm going to be all childish and I'm going to throw candy at you whenever you so much as scowl. I'm going to call you Dad in front of all your soldiers and nobody will ever be afraid of you again!", she threatened.

Yep, that was Bella, alright.

"Let's get off this station now", he changed the subject. For the first time in months he saw some real hope in the future but he still was unused and felt a bit awkward with Bella's open displays of affection, no matter how much he might secretly enjoy them.

Bella and Vader pillaged some red cloaks from the dead Imperial guards and wrapped them around Sidious' coffin. This helped to at least somewhat disguise their cargo and the old wrinkled face, forever frozen with an expression of fury. A nearby maintenance closet held enough spare parts for Vader to build some repulsers to attach beneath the coffin. Thus it was floating between them as they made their way back to the station.

Resistance was a bit greater on the way back. More than once Vader had to bid his daughter to stay back while he went ahead to clear a corridor or two. He regretted having to lead her past lines upon lines of corpses. The sight clearly made her uncomfortable but she did not complain.

The cover of his men must've blown somewhere along the line because when they reached the hangar, his loyal troops had barricaded themselves and were put under heavy fire. The moment Darth Vader entered the stage though, their spirits rose and the enemy troopers only gave a token resistance before they fled in fear.

Before they took off, Vader activated his commlink, connecting to the Jedi who had hopefully secured the shield generator by now.

Vader opened his mouth, ready to relay the message that the mission was a success – and hesitated.

„Hello?" the boy asked through the communicator. He sounded harried. „Is that you, Vader?"

Vader swallowed heavily.

„It's me. The laser is disabled. We'll have company soon though. Can you disable the generator?", he asked.

„Err, I need a few more minutes." Vader could hear blaster fire in the background. "What about Leia? Is she alright?" the Jedi's young voice asked.

Vader closed his eyes, fighting against the stab of pain he felt inside. He remembered Leia and that boy, sitting side by side during their initial meeting. Leia looked so much like Padmé. That boy though…

„Vader? Is Leia alright?" He sounded worried now.

No. No, Leia was not alright and never would be again.

„She got what she came for", Vader replied quietly. „Turn it off, as soon as you can." He turned off the communicator.

All around him his men started to board the shuttle. The were no hangars on teh vulnerable, open side of the Death Star so they would have to fly around the whole station to reach a spot from which they could blow the reactor. If the Jedi could deactivate the shield by then. But he knew, somehow, that the boy would not disappoint them. After all...

Vader remained frozen for a moment, fighting down grief and sorrow.

Bella stepped next to him, slipping her small hand into his.

„We're on a Death Star, aren't we?" she said quietly. „What's that about a generator? Who did you talk to?"

Who indeed.

„Let's get back to the fleet", Vader blocked her. „My personal armada is going to arrive soon and so will the Rebel fleet."

„Wait, you got the Rebellion to work together with you?" Bella asked amazed.

„They were no more happy about another Death Star in Palpatine's hands than I was. Though Leia did most of the convincing…" He trailed off again, wishing he hadn't said that last part out loud.

Getting back to the fleet should prove harder than it should be. At last, someone must've noticed the Emperor wasn't responding to calls anymore. Though he had no doubt given order not to be disturbed while he played his sick game with them, his absence would only remain unnoticed for so long. The Death Star spat out a squadron of fighters that chased Vader's shuttle off the station.

Recklessly weaving though waves upon waves of enemies, Vader felt on the brink of… something. He knew he couldn't break down now, it was not the time. He would worry about that later. He would grieve Leia later. The daughter he never got to know.

A wave of calm confidence washed over him. Bella squeezed his good shoulder lightly. Despite the multiple near misses they'd already gone through, she was not afraid. If anything, she was a bit excited to fly with him but she must've sensed Vader's admittedly unhealthy habit of loosing himself in battle to ignore his own darker feelings. He sent her back a wave of gratefulness and focused back on the battle. Which was good because a bunch of starships were just coming around the moon.

„We've got confirmation, Sir. The shield is down!" the Lieutenant in charge of the comm, a young man whose loyalty to Vader was absolute, told him.

„Call in the fleet!" he commanded immediately.

„Aye, Sir!"

A few breathless minutes later, a hyperspace rupture flared in the dark void, and Darth Vader's flagship, the Super Star Destroyer Executor, emerged. Its imposing form, a colossal dagger of steel and firepower, cast a long shadow over the battlefield. Accompanying it was an elite fleet of Imperial II-class Star Destroyers, their powerful profiles cutting through space with deadly intent.

Leading the charge were the Executor's formidable escorts, Victory-class Star Destroyers, bristling with advanced weaponry and shields. These ships, part of Vader's personal armada, were equipped with the latest turbolasers and missile systems, their firepower designed to decimate enemy fleets. Alongside them, Interdictor-class cruisers prepared to prevent any escape attempts by the Emperor's forces.

Interspersed among the capital ships were squadrons of TIE Defenders, their pilots the best of the Imperial Navy. These advanced fighters, equipped with shields and heavy armaments, wove through the battlefield with deadly precision, engaging the Emperor's TIE fighters in fierce dogfights, their green laser blasts crisscrossing the void.

As Vader's fleet began to engage, the Rebel fleet arrived in a simultaneous hyperspace jump. Mon Calamari cruisers, Nebulon-B frigates, and Corellian corvettes surged into view, their presence a testament to the Alliance's resolve. They were wary of each other, both fleets kept their distance from each other with a tense but unspoken agreement to focus on the greater threat.

This was it. If this battle went well, it would be the last large one for quite some time.

Vader voice, though filtered through the vocoder, carried clarity and purpose as he looked at the silhouette of the Death Star. "I will make the run," he decided.

„But Sir, your injury…"

Vader felt the urge to lash out, to use the Force to banish the non-believer against the shuttle wall. Bella's voice stopped him.

"Of course you'll do it, Dad. The Force is with you. And so am I."

Vader swallowed a lump in his throat. Not because she'd declared her belief in him, he didn't doubt his own abilities and would be disappointed at anyone who did. But because she'd kept her word. She'd called him Dad. In front of all his soldiers too.

He had to do something nice for her when this was over.

Vader turned to his lieutenant. "Open a channel to the Rebel fleet," he commanded.

The lieutenant nodded and quickly activated the comm system. "Channel open, my Lord. We're connected to Admiral Ackbar."

Vader's voice, resonant and authoritative, filled the cockpit. "Admiral, this is Lord Vader. We must coordinate our efforts. The Death Star's super laser is disabled. This is the chance to destroy the reactor. We need to reach the far side of the station where the hull his vulnerable. However, the enemy fleet is going to focus their defense on that sector."

A moment later, Admiral Ackbar's gravelly voice responded, filled with caution. "Lord Vader, I intend to send my own men in to destroy the station. I do not trust you to handle this alone."

Vader's anger began to rise, his breathing becoming more pronounced. But again, Bella stuck her head in between Vader and his co-pilot. "Your people working together with the Rebels today could create a great foundation for future peace."

She was right, of course. Her words cut through his fury, turning it into mild irritation.

„You know, if you're going to do that every five minutes, you might as well help me", he decided. With a motion of his head he ordered the officer next to him to vacate the co-pilot's seat.

„Err, I'm not a natural at flying though", she said hesitantly.

„Just press whatever I tell you to when I say so." Vader took a deep breath to steady himself. He reopened the channel and responded to Ackbar with a calmness that belied his earlier irritation. "Admiral, I am closest to the target and flying under codes the enemy will not question. Your X-wings are too distinguishable. You will loose men needlessly. Trust me to do this."

Ackbar was silent for a moment, then his voice returned, still skeptical. "Very well, Lord Vader. What do you propose?"

Vader's tone was measured and strategic. "Focus on herding the Imperials on the left flank while my fleet herds them on the right. I will make the run to the reactor core."

Ackbar's voice held a note of doubt. "Why should we herd them right in front of the target? That will make it impossible to break through."

A hint of determination and finality crept into Vader's voice. "Not for me," he said, before disconnecting the channel.

The lieutenant, ever dutiful, turned to Vader, a look of concern etched on his face. "My Lord, it appears that the Rebel fleet and your personal armada are following your orders. The Rebels seem wary, but they are holding their position as instructed and attacking the enemy's flank."

Vader nodded, his mind already focused on the task ahead. "Prepare the TIE squadrons to provide us cover. We will break through the enemy lines."

As the shuttle maneuvered through the chaotic battlefield, having long since lost their original tails, Vader could feel the tension mounting. His plan relied on his expert piloting skills and his connection to the Force. In this battle, it would be impossible to tell Palpatine's TIE fighters form Vaders and the shuttle was still flying with the original codes. With some luck they wouldn't be identified as enemies until they had already crossed quite some distance.

Calling upon the Force to enhance his senses, Vader guided the shuttle with precision, weaving through the fray with calculated ease. A squad of TIE fighters formed a protective barrier around them, their blasters firing to intercept any enemy fighters that dared to approach.

But as they pressed deeper into Imperial territory, Vader could feel the tide of battle shifting against them. Many of the enemy pilots began to realize the true identity of the shuttle that was moving against the current and turned their attention towards it. Blaster fire erupted from all sides, threatening to overwhelm them.

Vader gritted his teeth against the pain searing through his injured body. With only his left arm functioning, he struggled to maintain control of the shuttle. But Bella was by his side, her steady hands handling the controls on her side quickly as he directed her movements with sharp commands.

Together, they fought against the onslaught, dodging and weaving through a hail of enemy fire. Vader's connection to the Force guided their every move. Inch by inch, they pushed forward, their determination unwavering despite the odds stacked against them.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they broke through the enemy lines. The gaping maw that was the half-constructed space station lay open and defenseless before him. He made the run, accelerating to top speed, every sense focused on his goal. The Force guided his hand as he made his way towards the Death Star's heart. Inside the shuttle, the whine of the engines was nearly drowned out by the rapid-fire exchanges of blaster fire. The shields flickered with each impact, the entire ship shuddering under the strain. The closer they got, the more intense the defenses became. Automated turrets were swiveling and spitting streams of deadly energy.

Vader's grip tightened on the controls. "We are almost there. Everyone hold onto something."

The seconds stretched into eternity as the shuttle closed in on their target. The Death Star's interior was a maze of conduits and girders, a deadly gauntlet of obstacles. With a final, desperate burst of speed, the shuttle burst into the reactor chamber.

Vader's hands moved with precision, locking onto the core. "This is it," he said, releasing the torpedoes. Next to him Bella radiated confidence and no small amount of joy. The torpedoes streaked toward the core, converging on the same spot. Vader did a salto, already on is way back before anyone could confirm the hit – for he already sensed that the torpedoes would find their goal.

For a split second, time seemed to stand still. The torpedoes struck the core, and there was a moment of perfect, terrifying silence. Then, the reactor exploded, a shockwave of blinding light radiating outwards. The shuttle raced to escape the expanding inferno, the walls of the reactor tunnel beginning to disintegrate around them.

Outside, in the cold void of space, the battle paused as every eye turned towards the Death Star. The massive structure shuddered, lights flickering and dying. A deep, rumbling explosion echoed through the vacuum, and in a cataclysmic eruption, the Death Star tore itself apart. Chunks of debris were hurled into the void, fiery tendrils of energy lashing out like the death throes of a colossal beast.

The shockwave of the explosion expanded rapidly, catching the Imperial fleet unprepared. Star Destroyers and similarly big but slow moving battleships were engulfed in the fiery wave, their hulls shattered and twisted by the immense force. The Imperial fleet defending the Death Star was nearly obliterated in an instant, reduced to a scattered field of wreckage. Only a small armada of fighters and smaller, maneuverable bombers were quick enough to escape the blast.

And somewhere in the midst of the debris, Vader's Imperial shuttle emerged, singed but intact. Inside, Vader's mechanical breathing filled the cockpit, but there was a lightness to it, a sense of peace he hadn't felt in decades.

For a moment, everything was silent. Then:
„Is it over?" Bella whispered.

As if in answer, the comm came back to life. The Lieutenant in charge exchanged a few words with fleet command and then declared:
„The rest of their forces are sending a surrender. We've won!"

Cheers became loud among the men at the same time as Bella practically threw herself at him, hugging Vader with a grin that almost split her face in two.

„You did it, father! You won!"

„We won", he corrected her gently, hugging her back with one arm.

XxX

AN:

There you have it! The finale to the Star wars part of this story.

A bit of behind the scenes context about Sidious plan:

He knew that 1) The person that Vader kept prisoner and the Leia that worked with the Rebellion were two different people, with the interloper most likely being the real owner of Leia's body. Unlike Vader, who is too close to notice this, Sidious would've been able to connect the dots from the reports of all of his spies about their behavior. 2) He knew that Leia and Bella had a bond that got broken and Leia seeks to reestablish it. That's because Lando is a two-faced traitor and it's his city they talked in about this. 3)He suspected that Bella was dead because of the incident where she was in so much pain, also something learned off with the help of spies. Sidious is very good in everything dealing with the mystical side of the Force so he would be able to connect dots that others might miss. Plus, you know, Leia made the mistake to think about it near a Sith Lord who could read minds.

So what was his plan? He wants either Vader or the powerful Leia as his apprentice and leverage over them to keep them in line. The leverage came in the form of Bella. Sidious 'summoning' the orb that 'held' Bella inside - this was a mind trick. Basically Sidious made them see something that wasn't truly there and thus pretended to hold Bella hostage. He didn't know what state Bella was in, he just straight up lied, pretending Bella was dead so Leia would be more desperate to switch with her. But while Sidious tried to trick Bella and Vader into believing Bella, or a representation of the connection to her, was inside the orb, somewhere on Earth there went down a meteorite shower and the connection actually opened up.

Sidious might have been hoping blaming Bella's death on Leia would bring up Vader against her but that backfired quickly since Vader still cherished Leia as a daughter, even though she didn't like him. But that was just a minor bump in the plan. If Leia and Bella had not managed to switch, he would've tried to make Leia believe it was Vader who kept her from reaching Bella, thus pitting the two against each other that way. If either of them had died, he would've pretended he could bring Bella back to life if only the survivor swore alliance to him. If they did switch back, he thought the much weaker Bella made for the perfect hostage to keep Vader in line. His only mistake was underestimating Bella because she was always such a ball of sunshine.

One more thing: I know that Alec is taking away physical senses and that shouldn't translate to Bella being able to copy him since her Force-candy works similar to Jasper's power. And in the Twilight universe, that would be right. However, Bella developed her candy in the Star Wars universe. There, she is sharing her emotions by projecting them onto another person's mind. Projecting emotions and projecting thoughts or trapping someone in a memory are very similar techniques in Star Wars. Vader could have blocked such attempts if he wanted to, once he knew what to look out for, back when she first learned it. When Bella switched over to Twilight, her power changed and got strengthened a lot by her vampirism. In Twilight, having mental shields is extremely rare if not unique to Bella. Basically, she no longer needs permission to share her candy and there is no way even for a powerful Force-sensitive to block it. After all Bella is also possessing Leia's body, who inherited Vader's power too. Filling her bubbles with not just emotions but physical sensations is a small matter to her now. Vader realized that this was possible from the start, Bella just never tried it before. While under Alec's influence though, it wasn't just the missing senses, it was also the general hopelessness, desperation and in part boredom that made her liken it to death.

Next up: When will Vader finally realize Leia isn't dead? How will Leia deal with the Volturi? Will the alliance between the Rebels and the New Empire hold? Find out in the new chapter - and please leave a comment!