PART 3: ENCOUNTER

A FEW YEARS LATER

Everything on base is in scrambles. There's a constant breeze from everyone moving in every which direction. Something or someone has sent this place into a frenzy. Though it's normal for there to be a rush in everyone's step, this is different. This is urgent and important.

But the twins don't even notice the change. They're too busy being caught up in a game.

"No, don't you dare."

"I don't know. Moving my piece here could prove to be really valuable." Leia sings, holding her piece above the spot on the board. She bats her eyes at him innocently, knowing exactly why she shouldn't put her piece there.

"What do you want?"

"Are you serious?"

"Dead."

Leia pauses, tapping her piece on her chin. "I don't know. Got any alcohol? Valora and I have been looking for an excuse to have a good time next week. We just don't have anything to drink."

"All you want is alcohol?" Luke scoffs, a grin growing on his face. "I have some stashed under my bed. It's yours if you don't put that piece there."

"Deal." Leia smiles. She quickly places her piece somewhere else. It's a much more strategic place for her to win the game in two short moves.

Luke sighs, thankful that she didn't take his spot. But as he looks at the board, he realizes what has happened. No matter what piece he moves, she will win the game. There's absolutely no way out of it. "Hey, no fair."

"You told me not to put my piece there," Leia smirks, intertwining her fingers together and placing her chin on them. She holds back a laugh as she watches him stumble over the board.

"See, this is why I hate playing this game with you. You always win!" He exclaims, tossing his arms out in defeat. He smiles and shakes his head at her. "I don't know where you learned it from because I can beat everyone on base but you."

"I'm not telling. I can't lose my championship title to someone like you." She replies as she leans back her chair. "Also, I'll come by and grab your alcohol later tonight. Just to take it off your hands so you don't accidentally drink it all."

Luke rolls his eyes, about to shoot back another comeback when Bail and their mother enter the room. "Leia, we have a mission for you." Padmé declares, slightly panting. They have been looking for her all over the base. Finally, someone said they saw her in a break room with Luke.

"What kind of mission?" Leia asks, rising from her seat.

"Urgent. If you accept, you leave in the next five minutes."

"Of course. What am I doing? Where am I going?" Leia quickly asks, trying to get as much information as possible before she heads out. She's been sent on many urgent missions over the years, most of them recently, but something about this one feels different.

"Bail will explain more later, but it's very dangerous. You need to stay safe, do you understand?" Padmé asks, her hands tightly gripping Leia's shoulders. Ever since the mission to Lothal, Padmé has allowed Leia to take more solo missions. Most of them are not life or death situations, but this one is. If the timing isn't right, things could end very badly.

"I know. I'm always careful." Leia says as her heart rate begins to rise. What has her mother this spooked? What is she going to do on this mission?

"I love you." She says, pulling her in for a tight hug.

"I love you too," Leia replies back, her confusion masked.

Padmé raises her head for a quick second. "Luke, come say goodbye."

He swiftly rises from his seat, his eyes wide. Something doesn't feel right. He's said goodbye to Leia almost every time she's been sent off, but this feels like the last time he might ever see her. The last possible chance of saying goodbye.

When she turns, he sees a similar look of confusion and shock. "Goodbye, Leia. Good luck." He says, giving her a hug.

"Thanks." She says, hugging him back.

"Leia, we need to go." Bail says. The three of them leave Luke alone in the break room. He knows better than to worry about Leia. She can handle herself, which she has proved countless times. But this time, something isn't sitting right with him.

Though he won't say out loud that he has a bad feeling about this, he senses that something drastic is going to happen. He only hopes that it has nothing to do with Leia. She has to come back safe and sound. Because if she doesn't, he has no clue what he'll do.

xxx

Her crew is in a state of panic. They have just barely escaped Vader and know that he is following them. He will not rest until he finds their ship and takes the plans from her grasp, destroying it before it can get to her rebel base. She, along with everyone else still alive, knows that they can not return to their base in fear of it being discovered and attacked.

When she had accepted this mission, she knew the risks involved. She had taken an oath to herself at a young age that she would do anything for the rebellion. She didn't want anyone else in the galaxy to be forced to grow up the way she had. The Empire is life-sucking and filled with nothing but terror and brainwashing. She swore to make everything right again, even if it meant losing her own life.

"Princess Leia, I really suggest getting you into an escape pod." Captain Antilles says. He promised Bail and Padmé that he would return her without a scratch. Of course, they knew that would be highly unlikely, considering how important her mission is. Despite the situation they're in, he is going to make sure she goes unscathed in this mess.

"I will not," Leia argues, narrowing her eyes at him. "I am going to face the consequences of my actions with everyone else. I will not have all of you take the blame for this cause."

"We can't risk these plans slipping from our fingers." He says. "What do you plan on doing?"

"I'm taking care of it. Just get the crew ready to be boarded." She commands as she turns on her heels and marches off. Captain Antilles lets out a sigh, shaking his head. If only she didn't have so much of her mother in her. Then he could talk some sense into her, show her that she can go safely back to base with the plans, and be with her family.

But Leia, like Padmé, will never abandon her crew, even in their most desperate hour.

"Artoo!" She calls out, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Artoo, where are you?"

Almost on cue, the little blue astromech comes rolling out of one of the rooms. His golden companion, C-3PO, shuffles behind him. The two of them have been almost inseparable for as long as Leia can remember. Though 3PO spends more time with her mother and R2 stays with Obi-Wan and Luke, both of them were ordered to join her today. And now, she knows why.

"What is it, Princess Leia?" C-3PO asks, slightly tilting his head in the way a human would.

"I need you two to take these plans and get them back to the rebel base." She says as she kneels to the ground. R2 eagerly rolls forward, taking them from her hands. He locks it inside of himself with a few beeps that Leia hopes means that he understands his task. "When we get out of hyperspace, you need to take an escape pod. I already have the coordinates set in it."

R2 buzzes, rolling close to her. She looks up at 3PO, silently asking what he said. "He is wondering what you will do." He translates. "I am also curious." He adds.

"I need to stay here with the ship and the crew. I can't have them take all of the heat." She explains as she gently rubs the top of the little droid's head.

Suddenly, he understands what she means and he is afraid for her. She can not stay here! It's unsafe for her. He bumps into her, a series of sad noises escaping him. "He insists that you join us. He says that you need to be the one to deliver the plans." C-3PO says, a tone of sadness somehow present in his robotic voice. "I agree, Princess. You must come home with us. Queen Padmé would never forgive us if we left you here in this life-threatening situation."

"No, Threepio. I'm not leaving. If you take the escape pod, they'll let you go without a second thought." She argues, feeling a pressure building behind her eyes. The reality of her situation is finally sinking in. She will probably never see her family again. She will most likely die in less than a few hours. "My crew needs me. I can not leave with you."

The ship jolts, signaling that they've come out of hyperspace. "There isn't any time to argue. You need to leave, now." She commands as she rises. R2 lets out a sad whine as she pushes him away. "Please, Artoo. Don't make this any harder for me. Go now."

"Farewell, Princess Leia. We will see you soon." C-3PO says as he begins to waddle away. Leia cracks a painful smile at the two droids from her childhood as they enter the escape pod. Somehow, one of the most negative droids she's ever met has been able to fill her with hope about escaping this cruiser safely. And the little blue astromech full of attitude has given her a sense of happiness in this time of fear.

R2 hums out a goodbye just before the door locks. She watches as the escape pod launches out, drifting into deep space until it is nothing but a tiny speck. Just as she suspected, they escaped without a single shot fired their way.

C-3PO and R2-D2 watch out their small window. "Don't worry, Artoo. I'm sure she'll be back safely. After all, she is very resourceful. And Queen Padmé will send troops out here to save her when we give her the news. It will all be alright." He encourages.

R2 beeps back at him.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF SHE DOES NOT RETURN?

"If she doesn't return, then we will just have to remember her bravery to recount for Queen Padmé and Master Luke."

xxx

Leia hears the lightsaber igniting, the dreaded buzzing echoing down the hallway. Her crew's painful cries and begs for mercy make her cover her ears. Captain Antilles hid her away in a closet in hopes that Vader would leave without getting her.

But she knows that won't happen.

She swallows down her fear, trying to keep calm. If only she wasn't alone. She longs to have Luke by her side, his optimism a light in her darkness. Silent tears trek down her cheeks as she hears him making his way closer and closer. She covers her mouth to keep herself quiet.

She can feel him, his presence beginning to cloud over her. She tries to block it out in hopes of concealing herself, but she has a good feeling that he already knows where she is. All she can really do in this closet is cling to the hope that he will leave her alone.

She freezes, her heart in her throat as his mechanical breathing pushes through her thoughts.

He's here.

He's just outside of her closet, no more than five feet away. She makes her muscle tight in an attempt to stop herself from making any movement. If she stays quiet and motionless, he won't even think to check in the closet. He will leave without finding her. She will be safe.

She jumps, the door flinging open. Her jaw drops as she looks up at his face. Now that she can see him, she can feel the turmoil of pain inside of him. Everything she's been trained not to be is oozing off of him. His sickening fog of fear, anger, hate, and suffering almost suffocates her.

She slowly shakes her head in both shock and awe.

"There you are, Your Highness." He says. He reaches out, grabbing her and dragging her from her hiding place. She will be held responsible for the crimes she has committed. He holds tightly onto her and gestures for the stormtroopers to lead the way back to his shuttle.

xxx

He can feel how powerful the Force is within her. If it wasn't so strong, perhaps he wouldn't have been able to detect her inside that closet. He is fairly certain that she has no idea how to use the Force, but one can never tell with Bail. Though he hasn't been accused of having contact with any Jedi in decades, Vader knows that Bail used to be a sympathizer back when the Republic was in power.

There is a chance that he knows of one far away who could have trained Leia Organa in the Force.

And because of this risk, this possible conspiracy, Bail must pay the price.

"Where are you taking me?" She spits as he drags her through the hallways of the ship. Only a few hours ago, he found her shaking in fear. Now, her fear has been crumbled and replaced with anger and confidence.

Confidence that, if she wasn't a rebel, he would congratulate. His stormtroopers should take notes from her. She does not cower from him, even when her life is hanging in his grasp. She does not back down. She will not go down without a fight and he allows himself to admire that about her.

He ignores her questions, letting her mind wander from idea to idea. He wants to know everything about Leia Organa. He has been keeping a close tab on her for a few years now. After the Lothal incident, she has not left his mind. To finally be with her in person is a mix of excitement and disappointment.

He's pleased to finally meet the girl he's been keeping an eye out for. She's everything he's heard. She's resourceful, strongwilled, and somewhat sour. But there's a touch of disappointment that she was captured so easily. He was expecting more of a fight from her.

He leads her into the room. She slightly stumbles in, shocked at what is in front of her. Alderaan is wide in the window, it's blue and green swirls capturing her attention. Through the Force, he feels her hesitation and worry. She wants to know why they brought her home. She wants to know what they plan to do.

But her thoughts harden to spite as she looks at Tarkin. He wants to tell her that he agrees with her. Tarkin is something that bugs him too. They used to get along well, having similar ideas about how to lead armies back during the Clone Wars. But now, he's nothing but a drag and Vader is glad that she insults him the moment she sees him.

He stands silently behind her, listening to Tarkin. Vader watches him grab her chin and he wants to shout at him to stop. Though she doesn't know it, Vader does feel something for her. After all, he has spent the past few years studying and learning about her. She's something like a friend, maybe more like an acquaintance. She should not have to let him of all people near her. Something about Tarkin just doesn't sit right with him.

For his sake and hers, Tarkin lets her go. He mentions her execution, hoping to spark fear inside her. Vader doesn't feel a thing, and he knew the threat would not bother her. She has been working for the rebellion for years, possibly her whole life. She has come to terms with her death. It does not scare her.

Tarkin continues to toy with her. Vader rolls his eyes underneath his mask. This is nothing but some feeling of power for Tarkin. Otherwise, what is the need to go on about the Death Star? He should just get to the point and tell her what is to happen if she doesn't give up the base where Padmé is located.

Tarkin finally says that Alderaan will be the test subject. Vader feels fear run through Leia. Of course, the princess cares for her planet. They are her people, this is her home. Her family is down there, unaware of what is to happen. She would do anything to protect them.

At least, that's what they are expecting her to do.

Vader knows Leia, at least he thinks he does. She has given her life to the rebellion. Why now would she give up their base? Surely she would rather die and take Alderaan with her if it means keeping Padmé, their leader, safe?

Leia begs for Tarkin to leave Alderaan alone. She pleads for them, saying that they are a peaceful planet. Vader almost finds himself agreeing with her. But, he pushes it down. Whatever is going to happen to Alderaan and Bail is their own doing. They are with the rebellion and now they must pay the price.

Tarkin begins to threaten her, causing her to back up. Vader freezes, feeling Leia lean against him. He feels a jolt when they connect. It's something familiar. It reminds him of someone from his past, someone who used to be so close to him.

And he finds in the back of his mind that he wants to protect Leia the way that he couldn't protect the one he loved.

But no. He can't. He can not throw everything they've worked for away for this child.

So he remains silent.

He can feel her sense of worry and fear growing in the Force. He knows that she wants to protect Alderaan. She wants to keep her family and friends safe from destruction. "Dantooine." She confesses. She looks down, quietly repeating herself. "They're on Dantooine."

She's lying. He knows this. He can feel it through the Force.

"There. You see, Lord Vader? She can be reasonable." Tarkin smirks.

And just because of that, Vader keeps it to himself. Best to let him figure it out on his own.

Leia relaxes for just a moment. She believes that Alderaan is safe.

Then she hears for them to fire on Alderaan. Her fear sparks, slightly startling Vader. He feels her mix of sadness, terror, and guilt. She really thought that she was in the clear? Did she actually think they would let a known rebel planet stay unharmed?

"No!" She exclaims, moving to attack him. Vader grabs her shoulder and pulls her back to him. Though it would be entertaining to watch her strike Tarkin, it would do her more harm than good. So, in a way, he feels that he has protected her from something. He's saved her from more trouble.

Alderaan explodes and Vader feels the cries of terror. This does nothing to affect him, but Leia slightly stumbles forward. So she has felt it too. She does know of the Force inside of her or at least reacts it.

Her sadness is overwhelming him, giving him a headache. He wants to push her away. He wants her emotions to stop. He has not felt anything but numbness and cold for almost two decades. What she is doing to him is unnatural. It's almost foreign to him now.

She is pulled from his grip and turned to be lead back to her cell. He knows how she feels, he's felt it. He knows the emotions she is harboring and yet she doesn't show it. Again, he is impressed. She is made of iron, her emotions masked well. Before she's out of sight, she gives one last look at him.

It's a look of anger and hate.

And he knows that it's directed at him.

xxx

Leia huffs, laying down on her cold, concrete bed. They couldn't at least have a pillow or something? She decides to wait for a long time before moving, hoping that they'll forget about her for a while. She feels guilty and sad about what has happened to Alderaan but knows that she must remember her training.

She needs to think about the present right now.

Which means finding a way out of this cell. She rolls onto her side, pretending to be asleep as she thinks of her escape plan. She knows that she can open the cell by using the Force but isn't sure what she'll find out there. There could be loads of guards protecting her while they wait to check out Dantooine. She doesn't want to still be in here when they discover that there's nothing there but an abandoned base. Her family was stationed there years ago. When they thought they were going to be discovered, they were moved. Last she heard, the remaining rebels relocated months ago.

She rises to her feet, accepting that there's no way for her to know what's out there. She will just have to trust in the Force and herself. She will have to make up the plan as she goes and hope that it'll all work out fine. What else can she do besides wait in here for her execution?

Her execution. What a joke.

Because they've blown up Alderaan, who is going to care about what happens to her? Of course, her family and friends will back on base. At least, she hopes they'll care about her death. But what will her execution do for the Empire? Everyone out there who believes she is really an Organa is not going to care. They'll just think that she should have died on Alderaan rather than be executed.

She shakes her head, hoping to clear her mind about Alderaan and her execution for the moment. She just needs to get out of this cell and find some help. Cautiously, she uses the Force to unlock her cell. She peeks out just enough to see down the hallway.

Everything is clear for the most part. There are a few stormtroopers standing in the prison entrance. They aren't doing anything really. They are hardly even standing guard. They're loudly talking to themselves and messing around.

Hmm. Not really a surprise to her.

She sneaks out into the hallway, walking as fast and as quiet as she can. Now that she's escaped her cell, how is she going to get off this blasted station? She has no ship. She has no droids like R2 to try to find her a ship.

Think, Leia. Think.

No. Use the Force.

Yes, use the Force. Listen to what it is trying to tell you. Go where it is trying to lead you.

xxx

The door to his and Chewie's cell opens, startling them. He was expecting it to be stormtroopers, but instead, he sees a petite woman. Her hands are on her hips as she glares down at them. "Do you two have a ship I can use?"

"Excuse me?" Han asks, rising from the cell bed.

"I need to get off this station. I'll help you escape with me if you give me a ride out of here." She quickly explains, coming a few more steps into the room. Han can now see her brown eyes and the buns on the sides of her head. She's little, but he already knows she can pack a punch. "Now tell me, do you have a ship?"

"Yeah, we've got a ship. We have to make sure that the tractor beam is turned off before we can even think about escaping though." He says with a soft scoff.

"Don't worry about the tractor beam." She replies, already exiting their cell. "I can fix that. You just work on getting to your ship." She commands, marching through the halls like she owns the place.

Han looks to Chewie, who lets out a few grunts. "I know. Who does she think she is?" Han asks, pointing down the hallway at her. He follows her out, checking the coast. It's clear, free of all stormtroopers for the moment.

Chewie grunts, gesturing for Han to follow him. Together, they make their way to the hangar. Han looks over his shoulder, trying to find the woman who freed them. Though Han has never been one to care about anyone, he's suddenly worried that she won't make it to their ship in time. He's worried she'll be captured again.

But rather than deal with her and her problems, he has to figure out how to get past the troopers standing guard at his ship.

xxx

Leia silently thanks Bail for teaching her about tractor beams. Before she could go on any solo missions, her mother and Bail taught and tested her on everything from cruisers to star destroyers. Mechanics are among Luke's interests but she knows them like the back of her hand.

She makes sure to turn off the power, hoping that whoever is watching the systems isn't paying that much attention. She quickly flips off the tractor beams then turns back on the system so that it doesn't come onto the system alerts that they've been turned off.

She has to leave quickly. She needs to find that ship and get out of here before anyone notices that she's escaped. She bolts down the hallway, trying to find where the hangar is. Oh, she just hopes that they haven't left without her. If she gets left behind, there will be no second chance for her.

Leia slams on her heels, trying to stop. Stormtroopers turn their heads, looking her. "It's the prisoner!" One of them shouts.

If it was one or two of them, Leia would have tried to perform a mind trick on them. But there's too many. She can't handle this many troopers at a time. She quickly turns around and goes back the way she came. "Stop her!" They command.

Leia takes a deep breath, trying to connect herself to the Force again. She follows its calling, hoping that it'll lead her to the hangar. She is beginning to grow tired, her legs starting to feel like jelly. She's not sure how much longer she can stay ahead of them.

There! She sees it. She's just above it. She can see a ship, it's engines starting up.

She runs down to the hangar, stormtroopers following close behind. When she gets inside, she sees the Wookie standing outside of the ship. It's a piece of junk, but Leia will take anything to get off of this station.

The Wookie howls at her to hurry up and she wants to shout back at him. Instead, she uses the last of her energy to bolt up the ramp and head for the cockpit. She hops into one of the pilot seats and begins helping to take off.

Han shouts in protest at first, but she ignores him. They need to take off quickly before Vader or anybody else gets the message that she's gone. Quickly, she punches in the coordinates for the rebel base. That is the only place that will be safe for them at the moment.

Once they're finally in hyperspace, Leia starts to check every nook and cranny for anything that could be tracking them. "What are you doing?" Han asks, leaning over to watch her dig in one of his empty compartments in the floor.

"There must be a tracking device somewhere. Why else would they have let us go so easily?" She asks, refusing to take her head out to talk to him face to face. She can't believe she's trusting a smuggler to take her back to her base.

"A tracking device?" He scoffs.

"Yes. They've probably put one on every ship in case I escaped."

Han furrows his eyebrows. "What have you done to the Empire that they want you that bad?" He asks. Sure, he was captured by the Empire too, but that was because he was using an unauthorized space lane and smuggling illegal spices. What has she done to put such a large target on her back?

She pulls her head out. She rests on her knees, letting out a soft sigh. "I'm a princess." She quietly says.

"Really?" He replies with a soft smile. She nods her head. "Where are you from?"

"Alderaan," Leia answers, her eyes falling to the floor. The name brings pain into her heart. She doesn't want to think about right now. It just doesn't seem real. How is it gone? It is nothing but floating debris when just hours ago there were people living there.

"Why don't I take you there?" Han asks. If she's from Alderaan, why did she put in coordinates for the other side of the galaxy? She has to know her planet's location, right? I mean, just because she's royalty doesn't mean she relies on others for everything, right?

"Because there's nothing there for me to go back to." She frowns. She stands up, walking away. She doesn't want to talk to him anymore. He doesn't understand what has happened. He doesn't know what's she's dealing with inside herself right now.

Han follows her. "Look, I don't know what's going on. And I really hate to bring this up, but if we're not going to Alderaan, how do you plan on paying us for helping you escape?"

"You'll get your credits." She snaps. "I follow through with my promises. You will be paid handsomely when we land, don't you worry." She says. How can he worry about credits right now? Can't he see that she's hurting inside? That she wants to be left alone?

He raises his hands in surrender. "I wasn't doubting you. I was just curious."

"Well, stop it."

"Stop being curious?"

"Yes."

"So I can't ask you anything?" Han asks, continuing to follow her around the ship. He knows that she's growing angry, but he kind of likes it. As much as he doesn't want to say it, she's kind of cute when she's mad.

"No. Nothing."

"Well, that will make this a long trip."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yes. Good." She fires back. She rises to her tiptoes, trying to reach above a cupboard. She's found it, the tracking device. She just needs to grab it and turn it off. But she can't reach it. And she doesn't want to ask him for assistance.

"Need help, Your Highness?" He asks. She already knows he's smirking behind her back.

She sighs, relaxing her shoulders. She shouldn't be so snappy with him. After all, he is taking her back to base. And he doesn't know what has happened to Alderaan. She should be somewhat friendly, even if he is annoying. "Yes, please." She quietly replies.

He reaches from behind her to grab the device. He gives it to her, their hands touching for a brief second. She quickly turns it off then looks at him. Maybe she should make polite conversation. That's what her mother would want her to do anyway. Plus, it'll distract her from what's happened. She cracks a small smile. "Sorry. I don't know your name."

"Han Solo." He says, looking down at her. "Chewbacca's the Wookie. What's your name?"

"Leia Organa."

He smiles for a quick second. "Welcome aboard the Millennium Falcon, Princess Leia Organa."

xxx

When they finally land, rebels rush out. They have their guns aimed at the foreign ship. They are prepared to defend this place from anyone. Leia walks out, gesturing for them to lay their weapons down. One of the commanders walks forward to meet her. "Princess, we didn't know it was you."

"Yes. I was given a ride by Captain Solo. Please, make him comfortable. I owe him." She briefly explains. Quickly, Han and Chewbacca are swarmed by men. Han greets them, but his eyes stay watching the princess. Something inside of him doesn't want to leave her side. He wants to make sure that she's safe here, but he's pulled in an opposite direction from her until she's out of sight.

Leia walks with one of her mother's most trusted guards. "My droids." She immediately says. "Have my droids made it here safely?"

"Yes. The astromech and protocol droid arrived safely." He answers. "We retrieved the plans from them and are already at work with what was uncovered. Last I saw, they were with your brother and mother."

"Where is my mother?"

"She is in her quarters with Ben Kenobi and Prince Luke. I'll escort you there."

"Thank you."

xxx

"Mom!" She cries out when she enters the room. Padmé turns and lets out a sigh of relief. Running as fast as her legs will carry her, Leia dives into her mother's arms. Feeling safe in her arms, she lets what happened wash over her. She thinks of Bail, Alderaan, prison, and Vader. She hides her face into Padmé's shoulder, her anxiety and sadness now taking control.

"Leia. Thank the Force you're alright." Padmé says, her hand holding tightly onto the back of Leia's head. "We heard through the rebel holonet that you were taken as a hostage. We were so worried that something terrible would happen to you. We haven't heard from--"

"Bail is dead." She interrupts. She slightly hyperventilates, trying to keep her sobs to herself. She never cries, especially in front of Obi-Wan and Luke. But she can't stop it. Thinking of Bail and everyone she's ever loved on Alderaan makes her heart shatter. And after keeping it in for so long, it feels like she's about to burst. "They blew up Alderaan. The entire planet is gone. It's nothing but a bunch of floating rocks."

Padmé pulls Leia's head from her shoulder, cupping her face in her hands. Leia watches a fire spark inside her mother's watering brown eyes. "Who? Who killed Bail?" She demands, her hands trembling.

She pinches her eyes shut, trying to block out the pain. "Vader." She sobs. Her shoulders shake as her knees grow weak. "The entire time I was held hostage, I was near him. H-He touched me. He talked to me. He hurt me."

Padmé's jaw locks. She wants to do something to relieve the pressure and pain inside her chest. She wants to take something and smash it against a wall. She wants to scream and cuss out his name.

It is one thing to hurt her.

It is another thing to hurt her children.

Obi-Wan, sensing the rage growing inside of Padmé, reaches out and takes Leia into his arms. She grabs onto his robes, burrowing deep into his chest as she used to as a child. His hands run down her head and back in an attempt to soothe her.

She muffles her wails, forgetting about everyone with her and only thinking about everyone she lost. Bail is gone and she never got to say goodbye. He didn't even get a proper burial. His remains are floating in space, nothing more than dust.

She tips her head up, her bloodshot eyes making his heart sink. "I felt it." She whispers, her bottom lip trembling. "There was this great disturbance in the Force. I heard them, millions of them cry out in terror and be suddenly silenced. I could feel it all and I just had to stand there and silently watch."

"We felt it, too." He softly says, referring to him and Luke. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that alone. I wish I could have done something to prevent this."

"I was so scared." She says, placing her head onto his shoulder. "I was told that if I gave away the rebel base that he would leave Alderaan alone. But Tarkin, he shot it anyway. Oh, this is all my fault. If I hadn't gone to get those plans then Bail wouldn't be dead. I wouldn't have killed everyone on Alderaan."

"That's not true." Luke cuts in. She peeks out above Obi-Wan's shoulder, just barely able to see him standing beside the wall. "You didn't kill Bail, Leia. Don't say that."

"But I did! I killed him!" She shouts. Obi-Wan pulls her tighter to him, hoping to calm her.

"Vader and Tarkin killed him!" Luke fires back, his anger somehow reaching her through the Force. "If you hadn't gotten those plans then we wouldn't be planning our attack on that blasted station. What you did was necessary and Bail and everyone else would agree that it wasn't your fault. They knew the risks."

His chest slightly puffs out. "Don't let their sacrifice be in vain. Let's destroy that death station so that other planets don't disappear like Alderaan." He slowly walks to her, his hand touching hers. "I know you hurt. I do too." He confesses. He gulps, thinking his next words through. "But please, don't blame yourself. Please, Leia. What happened isn't your fault."

She closes her eyes, letting it sink in. He has some points, but she won't admit that right now. In fact, she doesn't want to talk at all. She just wants to be in the safety of the family she still has. She wants to treasure them because now the reality that they can be taken away from her haunts her.

"I love you." She says. "Everyone, I mean." She adds, looking at each of them. The three of them embrace her from all sides. She feels warm and safe in their protective arms. She forgets about freezing in her cell alone. She forgets about how it felt when she touched her father. She forgets the sound of his bone-chilling breathing.

All she thinks about is the people she's with now and how good it feels to be with them. "We know, Leia," Padmé says, her voice calmer than it was earlier. "And we love you, too."

~~~~~~~~~~

This seems a bit early, but I am in the stages of writing another book. I'm thinking it'll involve Obi-Wan falling the dark side during the Clone Wars and how that changes everything. If you would be interested, please let me know so I don't write out a whole book for no one to read. Also, if you have any ideas about what I could add in there, I'm totally open to ideas!!