Chapter 1

"Stop fidgeting," Leia said and smoothed the collar of his shirt down again. "There is nothing to worry about!"

"Nothing," Han growled and looked at Leia with piercing eyes. "I just never pictured myself in this position. I mean, I've been a smuggler for more years then I can count. It's hard to take the scoundrel out of the man." It wasn't the only thing bothering him though as he rode the turbolift to his impending doom. There was more, but he didn't want to upset Leia. He was sure she was nervous enough.

It wasn't everyday you met the parents of the woman you loved and her father was a jedi knight. Not just any jedi knight, but the most powerful jedi knight in the galaxy. Fabled far and wide. And now, if things turned out the way Han planned, he could be "daddy dearest." It made a man want to jump from the highest levels of Coruscanti buildings just to spare himself the humiliation and worry.

Still Han found one ounce of charm left inside and turned a lopsided smile to Leia. "Hot in here?" he asked and pulled at his shirt collar again.

Leia laughed and wrapped her delicate hand around his, although his palms were sweating terribly, "Han," she began and looked up at him. "You've faced down hutts and bounty hunters, why are you so worried? It's not like he's going to activate his lightsaber and chop your head off."

"What?" Han asked, he had only heard the last few words. "He's going to chop my head off?"

Leia laughed. It was comical how much Han was worrying about meeting her parents. Sure her father could be intimidating and her mother had a regal presence all her own, but Leia was sure they wouldn't be too hard on him. Her father was known to be tough, but his nature was kind and she hoped he would let Han see him in that light.

"You really have to calm down," Leia said and leaned closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist to hug him.

"Don't do that," Han said and tried to pry her hands away. "I mean what if there are cameras in here!"

"Didn't stop you any other time!" Leia said indigently. She unlaced her arms from him and crossed them haughtily in front of her chest. "I just don't like what meeting my parents brings out in you."

"You don't understand do you?" Han said in an irritated tone. "Your father, well he's a jedi. Don't you see what it means to someone who is trying to date his daughter. He could read my mind, if he wanted to and well...."

Han shook his head. She was exasperating. He couldn't figure out just how she had manipulated him to get him here. The old Han would never be caught dead meeting the parents. He would have taken what he wanted from Leia and never looked back as the Millenium Falcon sped away from the planet. This was different. He had feelings for Leia he had never had for any other girl. Maybe it was mostly admiration. She was as strong willed as he was and he liked it. Someone to push back when he was trying to be tough.

"Well what?" Leia said breaking him from his thoughts. She had turned to face him. This was deteriorating fast.

"There are things in there I don't want him to even know I know about," Han said trying to keep his voice as normal as possible, although he could feel the color rising in his face. He was angry at her for not seeing what he was upset about. "I've been a smuggler too long to not have seen and done things others would find to be a bit unlawful and perhaps deviant."

Leia smirked. So there were things in there he didn't want Leia to know too. He should know she could always find out somehow. She was the daughter of jedi, which meant she did have some force ability, although not as much as Luke. Did she forget to mention he was going to be there too?

"Don't worry," Leia said trying to appease him. "Luke and my dad won't give you much trouble."

The turbolift stopped and the door swished open to the private apartment of her parents. Leia walked into the entry, but Han stayed inside the car. A look of terror now on his face. What did she say? Luke was there too. This should be good.

"You didn't say he was going to be here too," Han said in a hurried whisper. "Now it's two against one."

"Actually three," Anakin Skywalker said as he joined them. "Anakin Skywalker, nice to meet you." He had his easy smile on his face. There was nothing to get upset about, yet. By the looks of the man, he was nervous enough.

Anakin offered his mechanical hand, wrapped in the black glove he always wore. "Obi-wan is here too." Anakin had made sure to invite his old master to come by to check on this Solo. Obi-wan was good at reading people and Anakin needed someone who was impartial. Anakin was too wrapped up in the fact that Solo wanted to date his daughter seriously.

It didn't bode well for Han. He put on his best smile, or sabacc face, and shook the hand offered to him. There were three jedi in the house. He didn't stand a chance. Trying to clear everything out of his mind he could. Nothing but a blank datapad in there.

"Hello father," Leia smiled. She was glad to be home. "This is Han Solo."

"I figured," Anakin laughed and hugged Leia loosely around the shoulders. He was trying to be disarming. He didn't want Solo to know he was being tested. "How have you been? It's been awhile."

"Things in the Senate have been very busy," Leia confirmed. "I've also had other personal projects keeping me busy. Leia looked over her shoulder at Han who was standing stiff as a board behind them. Leia wasn't sure what she could do to make him be his normal self. It was the true him and she loved it.

"Let's go and have a seat. Dinner should be ready soon," Anakin said and led the way to the sitting area. Leia noted it hadn't changed in all the years she had been alive. Well, at least not much. Han was following behind them. They came into the brightly lit area and were greeted by Luke, Obi-wan, Threepio, R2 and her mother who was looking splendid in a lilac colored gown.

"Leia," Padme said and rushed to hug her daughter. It wasn't that Leia wasn't home, but she was very busy with her senatorial duties. Being a senator from Naboo was not easy. Padme would know. Still there was something about Leia which seemed changed. More mature. Possibly it was love. Padme didn't want to make any judgments. Her father, on the other hand, wanted to make all the judgments he could. In fact, he had kept Padme awake the night before, tossing and turning. Leia was on his mind and he was trying to think of a way to keep her from being "stolen away."

"You must be Han," Padme said, releasing her daughter from the hug and meeting Han in a welcoming handshake. "I've heard so much about you."

Han stiffened again, but shook Padme Skywalker's hand. She, in her own right, was legendary as much as Leia's father. "Nice to meet you," Han said although his mouth felt dry and he could barely speak.

"Please have a seat," Padme said and motioned towards the sitting area where Luke and Obi-wan were already sitting. "This is Leia's brother Luke and our family friend Jedi Master Obi-wan Kenobi."

Han took the closest seat, but as far away from Luke and Kenobi as possible. He wasn't sure he trusted these jedi much. He had heard many things about Kenobi and his heroism in the face of danger, but Han also knew Kenobi to be a negotiator and maybe he was just here to keep the peace between Han and Leia's father.

"So Han," Anakin asked as he sat down across from him. "What kind of work do you do?"

Anakin knew the answer. He knew Solo had been a smuggler, but had taken up moving cargo more on the right side of the law, as of late. Anakin had made sure to look up everything he could find about Solo so he would be prepared for anything. It was just what a father did when a man came calling for his daughter.

"Well," Han said and rubbed his hands together nervously. "I'm into shipping. I've been working with Lando Calrissen on moving Tibanna gas from Bespin."

Han was telling the truth. It's what he was doing, now. He owed Lando and being on the right side of the law was a good thing when you were interested in a senator. You couldn't just go out and do whatever you wanted and hope the scandals didn't make it into the holonet gossip shows. He was trying to stay on the straight and narrow for now. "It's pretty profitable," Han included to make himself seem like he was doing well.

Anakin smirked at him. Trying to make himself look good. "Well it's good to hear business is keeping up," Anakin said and then smiled brightly at Han. The boy would never know what hit him. Jedi father and brother. It had to be a nightmare. Anakin didn't want to make it any easier.

"Anakin," Padme said and gave him a look you would give a child when they are doing something wrong. "Let him be."

Anakin relaxed and leaned back against the pillows on the comfortable sofa. He made sure Solo could see the lightsaber he kept clipped to his belt. Normally he would take it off while at home, but today was different. He had to make sure his point was clear. Treat my daughter with the respect she deserves and you get to keep all the appendages you were born with. It was straight and to the point.

Luke chuckled. His father was once again sizing up the man Leia had brought home. Not unusual in the Skywalker home. With Leia being the only girl, and not training as a jedi, his dad thought she needed protecting from everyone in the galaxy. Luke knew better. She was stronger then most people and she wasn't a dummy. She knew how to take care of herself. She dealt with those sharks in the senate everyday.

"Something funny young Skywalker?" Obi-wan chimed in and a smile spread across his face. Anakin wasn't doing well keeping his thoughts to himself. Obi-wan thought maybe he was trying to share his disdain for the man with everyone in the room who could use the force.

"No master," Luke replied making sure to use the appropriate title. Obi-wan had been his master for many years now and in his life since he was born. In fact, Luke remembered, he was the first one to hold him after he was born.

"Don't mind these two," Obi-wan said and gestured to Anakin and Luke. "They really aren't trying to scare you...too bad."

Han smiled dryly. So he did have something to worry about. Maybe Kenobi would help him out and tell Leia's brother and father he wasn't so bad.

"It's okay," Han said. "I'm sure I would feel the same way."

Anakin raised and eyebrow in appreciation. Maybe the smuggler wasn't as bad as he thought. He respected the fact Anakin wanted to make sure Leia was taken care of. Anakin could grow to like someone who was willing to protect Leia as much as he was. Maybe, just maybe, Solo could win his approval. It might take a long time, but it would be fun watching him try.

"Master Skywalker," Threepio interrupted. "Dinner is served."