i'm warning you right now: this is nothing more than a crack fic. i…it kinda wrote itself as sleep deprivated me sat back and enjoyed the show.

disclaimer: title taken from julius caesar when calpurnia is talking about her vision/dream to caesar and he doesn't believe her. and that only when princes die; the world takes notice.

(Heavens Themselves Blaze) Forth the Death of Princes

i'm anakin skywalker! i'm here to rescue you!

There is something familiar about him. Not sure what, exactly. "Who did you say you were, again?"

"Anakin Skywalker." He looks positively annoyed that Leia hasn't gotten up yet, and filled him with thanks. She crosses her arms.

"I'm with Ben Kenobi!"

That gets her moving.

xxx

"Brothers?"

"Yeah. We…we got separated at birth. I grew up with my—our moms' sister. And Luke went with our fathers' brother."

(A lie. But Leia won't dispute it—not yet.)

"And you just found out…yesterday, was it?"

An eager nod from Luke. "Yeah."

When Luke leaves after Wedge calls him, Leia stares at Anakin. He shrugs. "Well? It's true."

"No. It's not. You're lying."

Anakin stalks out. No doubt furious that she said that.

xxx

Slowly, there becomes a sense of…tolerant respect for each other. He knows that she's keeping things, and vice versa—extremely important things. But they both know privacy, and what it is.

And besides. They can appreciate the others talent: they're both excellent shots.

(Which never ceases to confuse her—he's a Jedi, right? So why doesn't he use a lightsaber?)

xxx

Hoth is not Leia's idea of a base, but the planet is barely noticeable by scanners with those asteroids. And it's secluded enough that the Empire won't immediately find them.

"Cheer up, Leia." (He's the only one who doesn't call her Princess.) "At least it's not Mustafar!"

Leia retorts with "is that why you have four parkas on?"

The twenty-four year old has no retort for that. Not one that wouldn't hurt, at least.

xxx

Anakin shoves her out the door. "Go with Han—it's the only transport left." The smuggler is at the doorway, looking awfully irritated that she's yet to listen to him, and only Anakin. (And Luke. But Luke's not here, so…)

"C'mon, Princess. There's nothing left here for you to do." Leia stares up at Han. His voice is oddly soft.

Anakin shoves them before either can make a sound. Frantically, Leia calls back "get to your transports!"

xxx

Anakin looks more than disappointed when he can't get to his transport, and has to come with Han and herself.

She makes a note to ask about that, later.

xxx

Sitting in the cockpit, the hours fly by her.

Invasion. Luke. Is Luke alright? Anakin, what are you doing here!

Running from Imperials.

The kiss.

Leia, however much she may or may not like him, is not ready for this. Not ready to admit feelings she may or may not have, or to put aside du—to put aside the Rebellion.

Jumbled thoughts race around her head (most of it concern for Luke) and that…moment didn't—doesn't—need to be added.

There's a shuffling of sound behind her, and Anakin's suddenly next to her, sitting in the pilot's seat.

"Han's going to kill you if he sees you sitting there."

A grin. Ignoring the previous statement. "I thought I'd find you here."

Smiles are replaced with frowns. "What do you want?"

A pause. "I want…I want to tell you a story."

xxx

Outside, for the whole world—okay, okay, every sentient being on the Millennium Falcon—to see, Leia shows her fury at why the hell Anakin Skywalker is Luke Skywalker's (possible, but leia just knows) father from the past, the past where the was no Empire, just a war, a really horrible war with clones and droids and an enigmatic Sith Lord controlling everything, it seemed. Leia wants to claw at the boy, and demand why he hadn't said. But then the words come back, and his eyes are still staring, so Leia won't claw. But she will be furious.

(Inside: she's smirking, smug and all. Leia knew this three years ago that Anakin was lying about…pretty much everything.)

Outside, she's soothing him because everything he had—everything he knows, has disappeared. He's in a new time and a new place. Frankly, she doesn't know how he's managed not to go insane. And how Anakin has managed to keep such a secret for so long.

(Inside: Leia is holding back. Not because she doesn't believe him, no. More of that she doesn't know why Anakin is here.)

Outside there is scratching, and reality calls back to her: "I am not a committee!"

(Inside, she wonders if Luke has been told yet. If Luke went along with the charade, or if he's furious or joyful, or, or…)

(and apparently, neither does anakin.)

xxx

"Lando system?"

Han half turns to glance at her. "Lando's not system, he's a man." A sly grin. "Smuggler, scoundrel. You'd like him."

Leia chuckles at that. "Do you think we can make it?"

"Mmm, it's four parsecs away, but I think we can."

There's a loud squeak, and the two look up to see the Imperial cruiser adjusting for hyperspace. Leaning down into the comm unit, Han says "alright, Chewie. Get ready to release the dock."

A few moments later and the trash is released. beatbeat Chewie releases the ship, and suddenly, they're floating. Leia smiles. "You do have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them."

Kisses him on the forehead because she wants to.

xxx

Bespin is not what she expects, and apparently, not what Anakin expects either. Han ignores his surroundings. Chewie hovers in the background, ever the watchful eye.

Lando's speaking now, and Leia turns her attention to him. "These will be your quarters while the Falcon gets fixed." Lando is looking at her.

A disarming smile (once used for politicians). "Yes. These are fine. Thank you, Lando."

He smiles a disarming smile back.

xxx

"Well, just got back word from Lando. Everything's almost fixed. We can leave soon."

Leia turns sharply away from the window and from Anakin. "Good. The sooner the better." She glides forward to Han. "I don't like this. Nobody's seen or heard anything about Threepio—"

The abrupt kiss atop her forehead halts any forthcoming words. "Relax. I'll talk to Lando and see what he can do."

Frustrated, Leia sits on the lounge. "I don't trust Lando." Anakin moves away from the window, while Han sits in front of her. A slight smile on his face.

"Well, I don't trust him either. He is my friend, after all. Besides, we'll soon be gone."

She tilts her head, a knowing smile on her face. "Then you're as good as gone, aren't you?"

Han looks down, away, to Anakin. Whom Leia knows stares back.

"Only if you wish it, Leia."

xxx

Han's blaster flies out of his hand after two shots. Anakin roars to life, igniting his lightsaber, waiting for Vader to attack.

But Vader makes no move except to dismiss his stormtroopers.

"I've been waiting for you, Anakin."

Leia then realizes that Anakin has his lightsaber. Not his blaster, which has become his life, it seems.

xxx

"Is that why you were disappointed that you had to come with us, back on Hoth?"

Anakin looks up sharply. He looks rather tired. "I don't—I don't want to talk."

(A lie. He wants to talk, but not in the same way he thinks she wants to.)

And Leia's about to say something, but Han is suddenly shoved in their cell, and Leia rushes to help him up. Chewie has been put in a different cell, but right now, the Wookie would be a nice sight for Han.

Sitting up on the floor, Han looks slightly confused with wide eyes. Doesn't look quite right on him.

"Didn' ev'n ask me any questions."

xxx

Anakin is taken away the next day, and comes back hours later. No mark has been left. Or he won't show it.

He slides onto the make-shift metal bed that slides out of the wall. Chewie, now placed with them, helps.

"Luke is coming," is all he'll say, and not once mention anything else.

Leia pulls Han closer, and tries to sing an old song she hardly remembers.

xxx

Sitting in the pilot's seat, Leia suddenly feels—

leia, hear me.

luke…—

lifeangerburningsorrowpain

"We have to go back."

xxx

Luke lays on the gurney, the med droid fixing his new prosthetic hand. Anakin is being treated for all the scars and burns he received during that duel of theirs, and anything else from Bespin. (Because there are more.)

Leia turns away from them and to the large window with the view of the galaxy. And suddenly, everything is right, and it seems this, purely, is what she is living and fighting for. Should she stretch her fingers, the galaxy would be hers, but Leia then remembers a too-long ago memory—(the more you tighten your fist, tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers)—a place, a word, a man in a suit—so she suddenly retracts her fingers. Luke moves to her side, completely ignoring Anakin, and places an arm around her shoulder.

"Princess, we'll find Han. I promise."

"I know."

Luke brings the comlink closer, and Anakin pushes aside the med droid to get a better listen, no doubt. "Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal." A soft wail/growl. The three laugh. "Good luck, you two."

Anakin says, "May the Force be with you."

They watch the Falcon soar back to the galaxy. And Leia then watches her friends shatter. Their shields have just shattered, and it's not for her to hear, but she catches the beginning of it anyways.

"How long have you known?"

(anguishsorrowpain.)

"I'm not him."

(pleadingsorrowfear)

xxx

"Someone who loves you."

"Leia…."

She kisses him with a passion. And doesn't care when Jabba catches them before she can lead Han to safety.

She scratches at the metal bikini and worries when Luke falls into the rancor pit.

She rejoices when Luke turns out fine, and when Jabba dies from her strangling him and when Anakin and Lando and Han and Chewie are all fine, fighting together.

It gives are an odd sense of belonging and family and it feels right.

xxx

They've come to some sort of agreement, Anakin and Luke has. What that is, she hardly knows. Something to do with Vader, but it hardly matters. It's not her quarrel and it never will be.

Han's eating soup on his bed, watching her, she knows. After all, Leia is watching back. And talks. They talk about life, about love. About the Rebellion and about duty. About the galaxy, and colours and shades of grey.

"I love you."

They kiss.

"I know."

xxx

"I don' know, Chewie. Fly casual."

Luke sniggers. Leia pretends to hear. She's too busy distracting herself against that feeling she had six months ago at Bespin.

(lifeangerburningsorrowpain.)

Anakin suddenly whispers "Vader.…" Luke stiffens, and he must feel it too.

"We're endangering the mission." Luke shakes his head. "We never should have come."

"It's just your imagination. Try and keep a little optimism, here."

There's a long pause, and no one speaks. A few minutes later, Han turns to Chewbacca. "They're not goin' for it, Chewie."

But then a voice filters through the comm. "Shuttle Tydirium, deactivation of the shield will commence immediately. Follow your present course." A sigh of relief. But Leia sees that Anakin and Luke are still uneasy.

xxx

Leia relishes using a speeder. It's been a long time, and she enjoys the chase, enjoys pushing her speeder faster,faster. To move just slightly to the right, then the left, more left. Go right. Under a fallen tree.

Luke is behind her, and that doesn't bother her as much as it should. She ignores his orders, and only follows the one that makes Luke jump off and away.

But Leia knows she'll get her time. Not now, but soon.

xxx

"Leia…. Do you remember your mother, your real mother?"

An odd question. But Leia will answer; she always answers for Luke. (Not always for Anakin, who's standing in the background. But she'll have to put aside any sort of dubiety right now.) "Just images, really. Feelings."

Luke sits on the wooden fence. "Tell me."

"She was…very beautiful. Kind." She frowns. "But sad."

Luke looks down. Away from both of them. Leia leans closer, with a tiny flicker of a glance to Anakin. "Why are you asking me of this?"

"I don't remember my mother. I—I never knew her."

"Is that what's been bothering you?"

Luke looks up again, with a tiny flicker of a glance to Anakin. "Vader's here, on this moon, right now."

She blinks. Not as surprised as she should be. "How do you—…you felt him. Earlier." Anakin steps closer. "You both did."

Two nods. "He's here for us," Anakin says. "It's why we need to go. We're endangering the mission if we stay any longer." (And that's not like him. Not those words—they sound like Luke's.)

A furrow in her brow. "Why?"

"I am Vader," Anakin divulges.

Leia blinks. "But that means—" she holds up any hand to forestall any explanation of their own—"that means that you, Luke, are Vader's son. And Anakin—you're. This is your future." She wants to feel furious. For gods sakes, he's friggin' Vader. But it's not coming.

A sound of fury. "Not yet."

("I'm not him."

(pleadingsorrowfear))

Luke takes her hand. She wants to be furious—she really does. And in a way, she is. Because this is Vader they're talking about. Who tortured her friends, put Han in carbonite and gave him to that bounty hunter. Vader, who just let Tarkin dest—Luke is talking, now. "There's more. It won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must. If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance."

"Luke, don't talk that way. You—you have a power I don't understand, and could never have!"

Anakin, still not sounding like Anakin, speaks. "You're wrong, Leia. You have that power too."

Doubtful words are at her lips, but Luke beats her to the punch line. "The Force is strong in my family. My father has it...I have it...and...my sister has it. Yes Leia. It's you."

She sags against the fence. Suddenly tired. Suddenly, she doesn't want to be furious, because that'll mean-hell, she doesn't know what it'll mean. "I know. Somehow. I've always known." And it's not just to Luke she's speaking to.

(She doesn't know who she's speaking to.)

(Truthfully, she doesn't want to know.)

xxx

"I'm sure Luke wasn't on that thing when it blew."

"He wasn't," Leia confirms. She can feel it.

Luke is flying back to them, safe. Anakin (not vader: he'll never be vader) is dead, to this time and place, at least. So is the Empire, and the Emperor along with it. It will take time, to fully rid the galaxy of the Empire. There'll be Moffs and aides and others once high in power looking to regain what they have. But it's alright. They've done this before. They always have.

There's a sudden jolt, and Leia opens her eyes to find herself in the middle of the hanger bay on the Coruscant Sky surrounded by family.

(She remembers, then, everything. The Emperor is finally dead, at the hands of his last-ditch apprentice. And the apprentice is dead, too. Darth Seavat, dead at the hands of the Team.)

There are no more battles, no more strategies to plot, and no more squads to command. It's over. She can go home to her mother—her real mother, and Luke. And Han and Chewie, too. Hell, even Lando.

She clings tighter to the man who is holding her—Anakin. Dad.

"It's over, Leia."

"Yeah." She laughs. "Yeah, it's over."

i appreciate reviews, and will do my best to respond. also, i've a new poll, about what you would like me to work on next.