Chapter Three: Crystal

The lightsaber ignited in a blaze of red light as the Emperor flew at Vader, fast as a striking cobra. Vader blocked each of the wild strikes, while Luke moved on the Emperor's other side to flank him. But even as Luke joined the attack, it didn't seem to weaken the Emperor one bit. His saber was moving so quickly, it was like a lightning storm gone mad with each of his harsh strikes on Vader's and Luke's lightsabers.

Leia hurried back out of the way, the suddenly dark room bright with all the flashes of light. Her eyes stung from the endless blinding sparks. She looked side to side, wondering if there was anything she could do. She doubted she could find a weapon here, least of all a lightsaber, which would be the only thing effective in this fight. But she wanted to do anything she could to help.

Suddenly the Emperor slipped around Vader and charged straight at her. It was only Leia's Force-instincts that made her duck in time, rolling to the side. The Emperor's lightsaber sliced through one of the computers, sending a wave of sparks that burned Leia's back as she scrambled away. She stared at the molten slash in the metal and realized how that had almost been her.

The Emperor whirled and sliced at her again, but this time Luke came between them, blocking the hit inches above her head. The blades were so close to Leia she could feel their heat and she hurried back. She had to get farther. The Emperor was trying to use her—if he killed her, Luke and Vader would be unbalanced. And they let their own guard down when they tried to protect Leia. She was a vulnerability; she had to get away, somehow.

Leia ran out from the darker area to the stairway. The Emperor was engaged with Vader, cackling as he backflipped over Vader's shoulder and struck from behind. In an impressive move, Vader twirled the blade behind his back, over his shoulder, to block without looking. Leia wondered where he had learned that.

She shook her head and made a break for the elevator. But the button didn't work and it wouldn't open for her. She cursed, wishing she had a blaster or something. Couldn't there be anyweapon here for her? She jammed the elevator button repeatedly in frustration.

A warning thrummed through her whole body and Leia ducked just as the Emperor came at her from behind. His saber cut through the elevator's panel—there was no way Leia was getting it open now. She rolled on the ground as he sliced at her again. As his blade was lifted from his wide arch, Leia braced her back against the floor and kicked with her legs as hard as she could. She hit the Emperor in the stomach, and he fell back against the elevator door, obviously not expecting such a move. But he corrected himself quickly, and then he smiled his yellow teeth at her.

"Impressive," he grinned at her.

"I'm full of surprises," Leia hissed. Luke jumped over her and attacked the Emperor, and Leia used the opportunity to retreat. She kept low, shuffling herself back from them.

Vader appeared at her side, helping her up. "You need to get out of here," he said to her, gently lifting her by her arm.

"I'm trying," she said to him.

Luke suddenly cried out as the Emperor's lightsaber grazed his arm. Vader was there in an instant, leaving Leia and striking at the Emperor to protect Luke.

Leia turned her head side to side, looking for another exit in the room, an escape. The Red Guards had gone behind the elevator, but the Emperor was currently between her and that option. She saw the Emperor try to lunge for her again, but this time Vader got in his way and stopped him from getting close. Leia needed to get farther, and maybe if she got higher, she'd be able to see something new. She turned and climbed up the stairs, sounds of lightsabers clashing behind her. She hated to leave the two of them behind to this fight. She should help! It was her battle, too! But there were no weaponsin this useless room!

When she reached the top step of the stairs, however, she froze. That light. The same one she had felt when she had come in, the one that called to her. She felt it now. Why did it call to her? Well, if it was going to help her, now was the time. Leia closed her eyes with a chilly exhale, opening her mind and searching for the light.

She felt the black hole of the Emperor, a well of darkness that consumed all light in shadows. She felt her brother, a beacon of sunshine and warmth, filled with determination and even happiness.Leia rolled her closed eyes. Even when fighting for his life, Luke was overjoyed to have turned his father back. Speaking of whom, she felt Vader, still dark around the edges, but in his center was an unconquerable sun of light that rivaled Luke's own.

But the light Leia had felt when she had first come in. The one that beckoned to her. That one. Where was it? What was it? It felt like…a song.

Leia gasped and her eyes went wide open at that realization—her Crystal! It washere! It was one of the Crystals stolen by the Empire for the Death Star! It was here now, for her, and it was calling to her. Leia couldn't help the smile of pure joy that came up on her face. She was practically giddy.

She took another deep breath and brought up her focus, narrowing her attention on the Crystal. Clearing her mind of everything but the dim light of the gem, she gave it her order;

"Come."

And it did. But it wasn't just a Crystal; it was a full lightsaber, hilt and all that came into her hand. Time froze as Leia stared down at it. The room was suspended in deafening silence.

Luke, Vader, and the Emperor had all stopped fighting. They stared up at her, as she stood perched on top of the stairs, staring at the weapon in her hand. Luke and Vader's lightsabers still hummed in their grips, but the Emperor's…

Leia held the Emperor's lightsaber.

"…Leia?" Luke said tentatively.

Leia didn't even look up from the saber. For the first time since she had first entered this throne room, she knew more than anyone else here. She had never been more certain than she had been of this truth.

"This is mine," she said simply, molding her fingers against the hilt as if it had been made for her. The Emperor's lightsaber—no,hers—was as familiar as a home even though she'd never even seen it before. Warmth thrummed from the Crystal inside, all the way up her arm and through her whole body. Sweet relief from it, and the feeling that it had…missedher. It was happy she was here? How was this possible? How could a rock have so much feeling? How could Leia feel so happy to be with it as well?

But she also felt pain in it. Even through its joy, the Crystal was in agony. It had been through so much—so much hatred, so much abuse. It made Leia's heart hurt just to feel the pain the Crystal wailed with.

"Pathetic girl," the Emperor spat. "Return that to me at once."

"No," Leia said simply, unconcerned. "It's mine." She shifted her grip on it more firmly. "This is mine." Definitely.

She was amazed at how it felt. It was almost like Luke, how close she instantly felt to this Crystal. In one moment, it had become a part of her life, a part of her. It was almost as important to her as Luke and Han. She had always thought of the lightsabers as merely weapons. But she understood it now. They were only for the Jedi because only the Jedi could have this bond with them. Only the exact Force-user the Crystals sought and waited for could complete them. Leia had found hers, even if it had been stolen and marred by the Emperor. It was hers.

Oh, and it had been marred. The Emperor had hurt it badly. But Leia held it in her hands and assured it, she was here. It was safe now.

There was a slight tug in it and Leia looked up. The Emperor was trying to pull it back to him. But the Crystal refused to come—no, it wasn't leaving her, it wasn't letting her go. And she wasn't leaving it either.

I am here, I am with you, you are not alone, you are mine.

And the Crystal's pain vanished.

She ignited the blade in a blinding white flash and dived down the stairway at the Emperor. He leapt to dodge her as she swung it at him. She merely sliced air, but the blade moved with her perfectly. She felt the Force comfortably guiding her movements, flowing through her. Techniques and moves she didn't know suddenly seemed like second nature. True, she had no training with the saber, and was nowhere near the level of the Emperor, Vader, or Luke. But she was no longer defenseless against them.

She turned to face the Emperor, who stood warily now at the foot of the stairs. The white lightsaber hummed pleasantly in her hands, almost a purr. Vader and Luke stood at her side, both staring at her before turning their attention back to their foe.

The Emperor roared with fury and released lightning from his fingertips. Leia lifted the white lightsaber in front of her, blocking the purple bolts as they attempted to grab her in an electric grip. Vader and Luke did the same at her sides. She moved forward, advancing step by step. The three of them began narrowing in on the Emperor.

"Vader!" the Emperor suddenly shouted. "Do you truly think you can survive in the Light? It is weakness! How will you be able to protect your children from the perils of the Galaxy without the power of the Dark Side, without my help, without the might of the Empire? Will anyone ever accept you after all you have done?"

"Weaccept him," Luke shot back.

"And we will protect each other,"Leia added, "No matter what we have to face, we will be together."

They had almost reached him now. The lightning thundered wildly, fighting against the energy blades but unable to get through, unable to protect the Emperor.

"APPRENTICE!" The Emperor screeched.

Vader reached him first. "You should have never threatened my children," he said lightly. He lifted his lightsaber above his head. "They are mine."

And then he struck him down, the Emperor's screams abruptly cut off along with the roar of the lightning.

For a small eternity, none of them moved. There was complete silence. They stared at the body, lightsabers ready, as if expecting the Emperor to get up and keep fighting, somehow. But he didn't. He was truly dead.

Luke deactivated his lightsaber first. In a blur of movement, he ran at Vader, ducked under his red lightsaber and caught him in a tight embrace. "I knewthere was light in you!" Luke cried.

Vader seemed completely shocked by the gesture. Leia wondered when the last person had willingly, nonaggressively, touchedDarth Vader, much less hugged him. Vader immediately deactivated his own lightsaber to keep it from accidentally hurting Luke. The other arm wrapped around Luke and clutched him tightly. "You knew it when I did not, my son," Vader said softly.

Leia deactivated her lightsaber and took a second to stare at it. The Emperor's own lightsaber belonged to her. Luke had been right; the Force finds a way. She glanced up at the body of the Emperor; she supposed he had been right, too. The Force was full of surprises.

She hooked it onto her belt but found she couldn't take her hand off it for another minute. The Crystal was so happy to have her close; she didn't want to let it go.

"You came back," Luke whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.

Vader's arm tightened around him. "Only because of the two of you."

Luke drew away, still holding Vader's huge hands with his own. Luke was smiling, and there were tiny glistening tears on the edge of his eyes. Vader withdrew a black leather hand from Luke's to brush one away.

Vader turned his mask to look at Leia. She was smiling at the sight, happy that Luke had gotten what he had wanted so badly. And she was happy for Vader, too.

"H—" Vader began, but then his voice broke and he tried again. "How?"

Leia tilted her head. "How did I forgive you?" Vader nodded. She thought for a moment. "I let go of my hate, same as you did," she said. She looked down at her own hands. "I didn't realize how I had been holding on to it for so long. I thought I was controlling my feelings, but I was bottling up some parts of them that I should have released long ago. As for you…" she looked up "I merely gave you a choice." She tilted her head with a sad smile. "The first real one you've had for a while, I'd imagine."

Leia had had a right to her anger. After everything she had been through, she certainly had been entitled to her bitterness and resentment. But she had been holding onto it for beyond what she needed to. It was still a part of her, she was still madabout some things…but she knew how to handle it now. She knew that it had been controlling her too greatly.

By all means, Vader deserved all her hatred and none of her forgiveness. But when she looked at the hope both in her brother and now in Vader himself, she found her anger draining away with…well, maybe not quite love yet, but something that could become love. Caring. Selflessness.

"Thank you," Vader whispered.

Luke gave Vader another quick squeezing hug before he turned back to Leia. "So that's your Crystal?" he asked, gesturing to the lightsaber on her belt. "How did you know?"

She tilted her head down at it thoughtfully. "I didn't. It just…called to me. So I called back."

"The Emperor's lightsaber," Luke chuckled. "You always do things in the extreme, Leia."

Leia glanced over Luke's shoulder at Vader. "Family trait."

Suddenly there was an explosion outside and the whole room shook.

"The Rebel Alliance!" Luke blurted.

"We have to save them!" Leia cried.

"And destroy this monstrosity," Vader agreed with a growl. He swept past them towards the elevator. "Come! Follow me!"

Both Leia and Luke obediently followed at his heels as he used the Force to tear the broken door open. He stepped inside and they joined him. Vader typed in some kind of code and the elevator, thankfully still working even with a broken door, began to descend.

"We have to contact Han," Leia said, fear in her voice. "He wasn't expecting as big aforce as the Emperor sent. We have to make sure he's all right—"

"We will," Luke assured. "He'll be fine, Leia. Han's smart."

"The troops were supposed to capture the officers of the Alliance if possible," Vader added. Of course, the Empire liked to have examplesto show off later. Vader drew his communicator out of his belt. "I can call the commander on the moon with this."

He activated it, but there was nothing but silence on the other end. "This is Lord Vader; respond now." Nothing. Vader growled.

"Give it to me," Leia held out her hand. "I know Han's frequency."

Vader handed it over immediately. She typed in the code and waited. Only she was supposed to have access to this particular frequency for Han—he should have it on him at all times, and know immediately that this was her. It was perhaps the longest few seconds of her life.

"Oh hey, Your Worship, nice of you to call."

"Han," Leia breathed, relief, sadness, pure elation, and a mess of other emotions pouring out of her mouth along with that one name. He was alive, he was gloriously alive. But she brought herself back into focus. Her next words came out in a rush. "You need to retreat right now, you have to stop the mission, it's a trap, one of the Emperor's best legions is there, you need to run."

"Run?" Han repeated. "Huh. That's a shame; we just won the place." Leia could hear the teasing in his tone but didn't understand.

"What?" There was no way their small force had defeated that many soldiers.

"Yep," Han said, with a popon the 'p.' "Your fluffy little friends helped us out. Although how some little guys like them defeated that many soldiers is a mystery to me."

Luke snickered.

"You won?" Leia repeated, aghast.

"Hey," Han's tone taking offense. "Where's the vote of confidence, Your Worshipfulness? I of all people know the uses of furry friends. I suppose their help makes up for the fact that they tried to eat me."

"The shield is down?" Leia asked. Taking the base and shutting off the shield were almost one and the same, but she had to make sure. She couldn't believe it—and she had just redeemed Darth Vader! If that wasn't unbelievable, what was?

"Down like the Millennium Falcon on a bad day," Han said pleasantly. "Now all I have to do is sit back, relax, and keep the Ewoks from eating mostof the stormtroopers."

Leia couldn't help it; she burst out laughing. Oh, it and it felt so good. Luke smiled at her and Leia didn't even want to know what Vader's face looked like under that helmet. Now it made sense why Vader's commander hadn't answered.

"So, are you finally going to tell me where you and the Kid ran off to?" Han asked when she was done.

Leia grinned. "Oh, we convinced Darth Vader to come to our side and then we killed the Emperor. And I took his lightsaber!"

There was a very long pause before Han spoke. "Huh. Neat." Another pause. "So where are you now?"

"The Death Star," Leia said casually.

"…Um, Leia? The same Death Star whose shields I just turned off, and the Alliance is desperately trying to destroy?"

Leia looked up at Vader and Luke. "Yeah, that's the one."

Han's voice lost all its humor. "You better get off that thing right now, Leia."

"On it," Leia nodded. "We're off like the Falcon on a good day."

"I love you."

She grinned. Few things made Han happier than analogies to his ship. "I know. See you soon, Han."

She shut the com off and handed it back to Vader.

"Captain Solo seems unaffected by his time in carbonite," Vader commented as he took it. He hesitated a moment, then added, "I'm grateful." He fiddled with the com in his hands. "And I'm sorry."

Leia gave him a genuine smile. "I already said I forgive you," she pointed out, "but I appreciate it all the same."

The elevator door opened and Vader hurriedly led them back through the Death Star's corridors.

"So we're taking your shuttle out of here?" Luke asked as they walked.

Vader nodded. "I will contact my cruiser and tell them and the rest of the Imperials to surrender. We can go there and begin negotiations with the Alliance." He clicked one of his com's instant frequencies. This time, the response was immediate.

"Lord Vader," a formal yet slightly flustered-sounding voice answered, "the shield is down and we're taking heavy fire, what are your or—"

"Surrender now, Admiral Piett," Vader instructed. "The Rebels have won. Cease all hostilities. I will be coming aboard the Executer shortly."

There was a small pause, before 'Admiral Piett' responded smoothly. "Understood, Lord Vader. It will be done." He cut out. Leia had to admit that was a surprisingly calm response to such a drastic and unexplained order. She wondered what sort of chaos Admiral Piett dealt with as the admiral of Lord Vader's flagship.

The Death Star rumbled and the ground shook beneath them. The three of them paused briefly to keep standing. Vader placed a hand on the wall to keep balance and looked up. "It seems your friends are doing fairly well in their attack."

"Just not too well, I hope," Leia said worriedly. "I'd like to get out of here."

"Let's keep moving," Luke agreed, and they continued on their path, rushing to get to the hanger. Imperials were running every which way, but they paid the three of them no mind, too panicked with what was happening to the Death Star. Tremors became more and more frequent.

Suddenly they came across a blockage; the corridor had caved in, a mess of metal and wires that spat sparks kept them from passing. Leia couldn't even see the other side of the corridor.

"Is there another way?" Luke asked.

"No," Vader said, "we will have to move it with the Force." He lifted his hand. "Both of you; with me."

Leia and Luke lifted their hands beside him. Leia had never used the Force like this before, not in telekinesis. But she was determined to try. She lifted her other hand to rest on her lightsaber; the weapon wasn't just for fighting. It was for communicating with the Force in general. And it helped her feel it.

She glanced at her father and her brother. They were going to escape—together. She hadn't thought she would leave this place alive, much less with Darth Vader in tow. She had done what she had desired for years; she had taken down the Empire, killed the Emperor, avenged her planet, and Vader…well, Vader was joining her, which was the opposite of what she had wanted to happen, but she liked this outcome even better. If she were to die now, she would die satisfied. But she wanted to live; for in the future, she saw a life worth living.

The metal before them creaked and shuddered, lifting itself out of the way. Leia offered what inexperienced help she could as the passageway cleared. Light from the other end came through.

"That's enough," Vader barked, dropping his hand. "We need to move." The Death Star was rumbling nonstop now. They reached the hanger and Vader dropped the ramp of his shuttle with a flick of the Force. He stopped to let them go ahead and ushered them in. Leia stepped out of the way, knowing both Luke and Vader were better pilots than her. As natural as anything, they fell into the pilots' chairs, Luke copiloting at his father's side. Leia didn't miss his smile as he worked the controls.

The shuttled lifted off, leaving the Death Star behind at full speed. Leia looked out one of the windows to watch it get smaller and smaller behind them. And then, finally, the second Death Star crumpled and exploded. The shuttle shook with the shockwave of the explosion, but Luke and Vader were good enough pilots to avoid the debris.

Leia slumped down in her seat. They were safe. As Vader turned the ship to head for the Executor, she stretched her limbs and sighed. It was over.

Epilog: Son

Leia was in her office in Hosnian Prime. The sun was almost set, but the city was still buzzing with life and activity. Thousands of ships zipped by her window, millions of beings going about their business. Thankfully the soundproof office kept out the annoy sounds of said ships. Leia had trouble focusing with such noise, and she wanted to finish reading this boring and unimportant legislation proposal before going home tonight. Her father and brother were returning from their trip today.

Someone knocked at the door to her office. Leia looked up, surprised. Was that Luke and Anakin? It was early, and most of the time they were late.

Whoever they were, they let themselves in before Leia could get up and do so herself. The door creaked open and a short figure with messy black hair poked his head in. "Mom?"

Leia smiled. "Hello, Ben. What are you doing here?"

Ben, now six, smiled and ran around her desk. Leia was in the process of getting up when he jumped into her lap. She oofed.Ben was growing so fast, how had he gotten bigger from when Leia had seen him this morning? Or perhaps she was getting even smaller… "You're getting too big for this," she warned as he settled himself on her knees.

"Never," he said with a determined shake of his head.

Leia smiled and brushed a hand through his black hair, trying to give it some order. "One day," she said wistfully. One day he would stop doing this…she would be both glad for the relief on her knees, and sad that he was growing up even more.

But not today.

"You didn't answer my question," Leia pointed out. "What are you doing here? I'm supposed to head home in just another few minutes."

"Dad and Uncle Chewie brought me," Ben said cheerfully. "I snuck ahead. They wanted to make sure you didn't 'lose track of time' at the office again." He gave her a stern look as if she were the misbehaving child.

Leia laughed. "I wouldn't miss dinner with your grandfather and Uncle Luke!"

Ben's eyes lit up as he was reminded who was coming home tonight, as if he could forget for even one standard minute. "What time will they be back?"

Leia glanced at the clock. "Any minute now." Though of course, they would be late.

Ben's head rounded on the door as if he expected them to walk right through. When they didn't, he pouted and turned back to her. "They're late."

"As usual," Leia gave him a sorry smile. He huffed, blowing a tuff of thick hair out of his face.

"I want them to tell me all their adventures," Ben informed her. "Where did they go this time?"

"The Unknown Regions again," Leia answered, picking up the legislation before tossing it back on her desk. Nobody cared about it anyway. "Mitth'raw'nuruodo is helping our trade negotiations with the Chiss Ascendency."

The once-Imperial Grand Admiral had appeared out of the Unknown Region about a year after the establishment of the New Republic to find that the Empire he had supported was in ruins. At first, he had rounded up its remains and originally planned to take back the Galaxy, before Leia had been sent to negotiate, with Luke and Anakin. Thanks to her persuasion, and a little of Anakin's help (he had apparently known Thrawn long ago), the Chiss had decided to ally with them rather than attack. Now he was a Chiss ambassador to the rest of the Galaxy, and close friend to all of them. (Leia, Luke, and Anakin had once held Thrawn up for hours to force him to judge which of them could learn to pronounce his full Chiss name correctly first. Han hadn't even tried, but made bets of who would win—and his wager had been correct. Leia was still proud that she had claimed victory).

"It's very hard to fly ships in that area of space; your father and uncle are some of the few who can."

"I could do it, too!" Ben insisted. "Can I go with them next time?"

Leia brushed her hands through his hair again. "Maybe someday;" she gave him a stern look. "But not for a few years."

Ben pouted. "I want to go on adventures with them and Aunt Ahsoka." His expression turned thoughtful. "When's the next time she and Ezra can visit?"

"I don't know," Leia answered honestly. "Hopefully soon." She and Luke had been astounded to learn of Vader's old Jedi apprentice, Ahsoka Tano. The Togruta female had been jubilant when she learned that Darth Vader had turned back to the Light (and she had also screamed at him for a few hours, but in the end they made up and hugged). She visited them often, but not as much as she would like to. She preferred to search the Galaxy for Force-sensitive younglings, a difficult job which took up much of her focus.

Ben's attention refocused onto Leia's hip. He reached for the lightsaber there, but Leia grabbed his hand, stopping him. "Now Ben," she said warningly, "You know you can't play with that."

"I know," he whined, withdrawing his hand. "I just wanted to look at it."

"Sorry, no can do," Leia shook her head. The heart-stopping memory of the first time Ben 'looked' at a lightsaber, lining his eye up right where the blade came out, flashed before her eyes. Nope, wasn't happening again. Leia rarely ever used her lightsaber, and even then, it was only when she trained with it. She had modified its design since reclaiming it from Palpatine. But she kept it on her almost always, feeling the Crystal's happy hum and the way it sung the Force to her.

They were interrupted by Leia's door opening yet again. But it wasn't Anakin and Luke like Ben hoped.

Han's face showed relief when he saw Ben on Leia's lap. "There you are, Ben." He walked in, Chewie behind him. The Wookie had to duck his head to get through the door. "You had me worried there, kid. Don't run off like that, especially not in a big place like this."

"I knew where Mom was," Ben pointed out proudly. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin. "I didn't get lost."

Han gave a playful grin. "Yeah, but without you, I might have."

Ben considered that for a moment before nodding slowly like a wise sage. Chewie chuffed in amusement. Ben hopped off Leia's already-asleep legs and ran over to the Wookie. He tried to tackle the furry giant in a hug (which had little effect) and Chewie lifted the little boy into his strong shaggy arms.

Leia stood up and walked around the desk into the arms of her husband. "Came to watch me when you couldn't watch our son?"

"He's sneaky!" Han defended, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Yes I am," Ben said haughtily.

"See! He agrees with me!"

Leia rolled her eyes. "Just like how you lost track of those stormtroopers on Endor."

"We're not surethe Ewoks—" Han glanced at Ben "—got them. Quite a few troopers disappeared. Maybe they escaped and they're still loose on the galaxy, doing nasty things."

"Or maybe the Ewoks have you to thank for dinner," Leia said dryly.

Ben tilted his head in Chewie's arms. "Why would the Ewoks owe Dad dinner?"

They were saved from having to answer when the office door opened a third time, this time Anakin and Luke coming in. Luke hadn't changed much in the past few years, but Darth Vader was unrecognizable. He wore a brown cloak that blended into a scarf around his neck, which hid the little mechanics still necessary to help him breath—though without nearly as much sound as before. His head, now free and visible, was pale grey, with a few old scars littered through it. His eyes were light blue, and were filled with joy, especially as Ben struggled free of Chewie's arms and ran to hug him.

"Grandfather!" Ben cried. Anakin swooped Ben up in his arms and lifted him high, laughing with joy before clutching him close. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, little one," Anakin said.

"I'm right here, too, you know," Luke spoke up beside them.

"I'll hug you later, Uncle Luke," Ben's muffled voice came from Anakin's shoulder.

Luke huffed, insulted but smiling. "Father always gets hugs first…"

Over Ben's shoulder, Anakin shot Luke a playful and triumphant grin. After the Empire surrendered, Darth Vader suffered harsh rejection from the galaxy. Despite the fact that he had helped kill the Emperor, the public still called for his death. Leia had come up with a solution, however. She and Luke had discovered, while searching through medical records, that much of Vader's armor was unnecessary. In fact, it appeared the Emperor had subtly sabotaged Vader by giving him especially painful, barely effective, and occasionally dysfunctional life support. It limited him. However, surgeries, especially recent ones over the last two decades, could fix the damage. And so, after weeks of stressful medical procedures, Vader was freed from the armor for good. And as no one knew what Vader looked like beneath the mask, Leia and Luke spun up the lie that the Sith Lord had died of a heart attack or some other issue. Then, they had announced that Jedi Hero Anakin Skywalker had miraculously survived Order 66, being imprisoned in secret by the Emperor for the past two decades and that they had rescued him. Who wasn't overjoyed to see the 'Hero with No Fear' return? It wasn't even a total lie. Darth Vader, as the Galaxy had known him, was gone.

Anakin and Luke traveled the Galaxy together, completing the hardest missions the New Republic needed done while helping any Force-sensitives they came across. But of course, they spent a lot of time in the Core, with Leia and her family.

"Now, Ben," Han said in his lecturing voice as Ben still embraced Anakin. "We don't play favorites."

"Grandfather's my favorite," Ben said immediately.

Luke gasped and put a hand over his heart in mock offense and hurt. He then stuck his nose up in the air. "Well I guess you won't hear the story of what we did this time."

That got Ben's attention. His head shot right up from Anakin's shoulders and he reached for Luke. Anakin reluctantly placed Ben in Luke's arms, who took the child with pretend disinterest. "I love you, Uncle Luke," Ben said to him eagerly. "You're my favorite Uncle, ever." Chewie looked insulted on the other side of the room. "All the Uncles in the Galaxy are nothing compared to you. I love you more than Dad."

"Hey!" Han barked. Leia leaned her head against her husband and smiled. They had raised a savage child.

Luke narrowed his eyes at Ben, considering him, before hugging him, still with that stern expression. "I suppose that's adequate."

"Now tell me a story!" Ben demanded, pulling away from the hug.

Anakin laughed again, and Leia saw how overjoyed he was in his eyes. The once-Sith wrapped a large arm around Luke's shoulders. Luke's expression broke into a fond smile for his father before putting on an overdramatic look for Ben. "This time…we found a Dark Sider."

Ben gasped and put his hands over his mouth. Leia stiffened in Han's arms. Han felt it and wrapped his fingers around hers, and she relaxed a bit.

"Who was he?" Ben whispered, awestruck.

"He called himselfSnoke,"Luke went on. "And he was uuuuuuuuuu-GLEE!"

Ben giggled. "I bet I could've taken him!"

"Sorry, beat you to it," Luke said unapologetically, shaking his head.

"Your Uncle and I handled him," Anakin said, cupping Ben's chin. "He won't be bothering anyone ever again." Ben looked slightly put out by that assurance.

"We scared poor Firmus half to death, though, with the wild fight Snoke put up," Luke offered. "Snoke attacked our very ship!"

Anakin scoffed. "Admiral Piett should know my capabilities by now. He figured out my…old connectionin minutes, after all." ^Barely anyone outside of this room knew about Anakin's past, but they all knew Firmus had figured it out, even if he didn't say anything.

"Your capabilities, sure," Luke granted, "but our ship almost blew up."

Anakin waved his hand carelessly as if that happened all the time.

Leia sighed, heart going out to the friendly but very stressed once-Imperial. "I don't know why that poor man doesn't retire."

Ben, not understanding or caring about this conversation, tugged on Luke's robes. "Where are you going next? Can I come this time?"

Anakin barked a laugh. "Nothing too exciting next time," Anakin gave his grandson a sympathetic look. "Just checking an outpost on Jakku, a planet on the edge of the galaxy. But that trip's not for a while."

"Maybe we'll find some Force-sensitives there," Luke suggested brightly.

"New friends!" Ben proclaimed excitedly. "Will you bring them back to meet me?"

"Of course!" Luke lifted a hand to ruffle Ben's hair. "Who wouldn't want to meet you?"

"Exactly!" Ben agreed eagerly. But then a loud growl came from his stomach. Ben looked down at it, then back up at Luke. "I'm hungry. Let's go home and eat."

Luke laughed. "That was a fast loss of interest." But he turned and walked through the door, Ben still in his arms. "So, now that I'm your favorite uncle—"

"Actually, Uncle Lando's my favorite Uncle."

"WHAT!"

Leia chuckled and shook her head as they left. Chewie ducked his head to follow, and Han was right behind him. She paused in joining when she saw Anakin move to look out the window. It was a spectacular view of Hosnian Prime, especially with the orange sunset colors dazzling the cities with playful light. It was nothing like her old beloved view of Alderaan, but beautiful nonetheless. She wondered if it reminded Anakin of his home.

"Are you all right, Father?" Leia asked, coming up behind him. She took his hand in hers and met his pale blue eyes.

He smiled at her. "I am simply amazed," he whispered. He turned his gaze back at the door, where the others had left. "I do not deserve any of this."

Leia smiled. "Maybe not," she admitted, "But I love you anyway."

Tears appeared at the corners of his eyes, as they always did when she said those words. It had taken her a long time to be able to say it. Years ago, she never would have imagined making Darth Vader cry, much less how she did it. She wiped one away and stepped back, pulling him with her. "Come on," she said. Then, with a sly smile, "I'm hungry, too."

Before that, however, he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. She held him back and heard him murmur in her ear. "I love you," he said, "I am so proud to call you my child. You are mine."

She tightened her grip a little, burying her head into his shoulder. "And you are mine."OOO

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thank you all so much for reading! Please review, I really appreciate your comments. Tell me, what did you think of Leia's lightsaber Crystal? That idea that it would be Palpatine's struck me like lightning and I just HAD to write about it, finishing the whole story in one night...it wasn't a happy morning for me. I wanted something that would rival Rey's moment at the end of the Force Awakens. I tried desperately hard to give Leia the attention she deserved while not just stealing the spotlight from Luke. They're both great, but Leia deserves more than she gets, doesn't she? And Vader, of course, is a special favorite, as is Ben and the other little characters I snuck in there at the end.

Thanks again for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Please take some time to give me some feedback.

EDIT: Congrats, your lovely reviews have inspired me to continue this story (a little)! The sequel is 'These are Mine, Too.' Pun? Wherever do you mean?