I apologise profusely that it has taken me so long to update. Since the last update I've been working on an XMen fic, and this one kind of got put aside.

I've been struggling a little with the end and since it's not quite done, but I also don't want to make everyone wait endlessly, i thought I'd split the last chappie into two (it kinda has two bits to it anyway). Here's is the first part of the final chapter. Enjoy.

Coruscant

"Lord Vader?"

With a deep calming breath Vader shifted his attention from the star maps he'd been studying to Admiral Piett.

"What is it, Piett?" He hadn't meant to snap at the man, who already looked more than just a little apprehensive for interrupting him. He had just become entirely engrossed in his task, and he could almost feel like he was reaching a breakthrough.

Since his son announced his wish to restore the Jedi Order, Luke had lived and breathed that mission with his characteristic single-mindedness. Initially, Vader had encouraged him as a means of keeping Luke happy, but then as his own taste for absolute power and political intrigue began to wane, he also took it upon himself to help his son rebuild the ancient Order. It would not only provide a fitting stepping stone on his path to redemption, but a welcome distraction as well. Ever since his confrontation with Leia, Vader had desperately looked for a worthy cause in which to lose himself. Scouting the Galaxy for Force-sensitive beings had turned into a time-consuming and, surprisingly, deeply satisfying enterprise. They had already discovered over a dozen potential Padawans and, for the first time in years, Vader felt a gentle swell of contentment and hope. The methods he'd once used to ruthlessly hunt down and destroy the Jedi could now be used to begin undoing that wrong, and maybe, just maybe, he could wash some of the blood off his hands.

"You have a visitor," declared Piett, his eyes twinkling with obvious meaning.

Vader frowned. He wasn't expecting anyone. It was also quite rare for anyone to call in at such an early hour, especially at his private residence. More to the point, only a handful of people knew he was currently in Coruscant. As far as everyone was concerned, Lord Vader was traipsing around the Galaxy with his son searching for Jedi recruits, which coincidentally was what he really wanted to get back to doing.

"I am otherwise occupied," Vader said dismissively. Eager to return to his previous task, he regarded Piett impatiently when he didn't move. This time he did mean to snap. "What?"

"It's Princess Leia… Organa-Solo," said Piett, adding her full name cautiously. He wasn't sure what would be the best way to announce her; your daughter? Too forward, Leia? Too informal. It didn't matter, though. The stunned look on Vader's face would have looked just as comical regardless of what he called her. Piett held back a smile as Vader's eyes widened in slight panic and darted from him to the door.

"Luke's not here," Vader said in a less than eloquent fashion.

"I told her so, Sir." Piett allowed himself to smile this time. "She said she's here to see you."

Vader reached into the Force and felt the all-too-familiar sensation of a nearby Force-sensitive present. Yes, it was Leia. His child. Here. To see him.

"Show her through," Vader said finally, star maps and Jedi forgotten.

In the minute it took Piett to escort Leia into his private study, all Vader had time to do was remove his cape and light saber, before clumsily thrusting them into a drawer. He glanced briefly at the mirror and regarded his reflection with slight resignation. It was as close to unintimidating as he could manage.

His heart was suddenly pounding and he briefly considered sitting down. The last time they'd spoken had been less than pleasant, but as far as he could remember, he hadn't done anything to further anger her. Why was she here?

But there was no time to further ponder. Leia walked in silently, her eyes eagerly studying the room before landing on his own.

"Your Highness," Vader said with a slight bow of his head. His heart swelled as he took her in. Her long dark hair contained in a sensible braid, the light-colored flight suit hugging her heavily pregnant form. She looked so much like Padme on the last day he saw her that he had to lean back on his desk for support. He gestured for her to move further into the room, but all she managed was a couple of steps while Piett closed the door behind him.

"I think we can probably move past formality now." She said with a barely noticeable smile.

"As you wish, Leia." He gestured for her to take a seat.

She shook her head, "I'd rather stand." She regarded him for a moment, carefully finding innocuous words to start the conversation. "You've been conspicuously absent from the Senate lately."

"I thought my absence might be welcome." He said carefully, watching her closely. "I have sent representatives. Are there any matters you believe I should address personally?"

She fidgeted, suddenly feeling awkward discussing politics with him. It seemed such a trifling matter after all that had happened between them.

"Well, just one, maybe" said Leia, pulling out a brief from her satchel. "I'm drafting a bill to present to the Senate at the next meeting. I wondered if you could take a look at it first."

He nodded, trying not to smile. She wasn't here for the bill or his opinion on it. They both new it. It was just the excuse she needed to make herself talk to him.

"Of course," he said gravely, playing along.

She took a hesitant step forward and tentatively held the brief out to him at arm's reach. "The Trade Federation is gathering steam again. They're extending their reach to the Outer Rim."

"Let me guess," he said crossing the distance to her, "you want New Alderaan left alone."

As soon as he took the file from her hand, she took a step back, as if even that indirect contact had been too much. "Not just New Alderaan. I want my entire sector exempt."

He raised an eyebrow at her demand. "Bold."

She remained silent as he quickly browsed through her drafted bill, trying to ignore her searching gaze. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her chewing slightly on her bottom lip and he tried hard not to smile at her nervousness. He would have to read it more carefully later, but the brief was beyond daring. He could see both himself and Padme in it, in her.

His eyes fixed on hers with barely contained amusement and awe at her sheer audacity. "A free trade zone?"

"I have full support of my Cabinet and the Alliance." She took a deep breath and let her defiance and overconfidence give way to what she was truly feeling. She would never win the votes she needed with false bravado. "Look, we're a new planet with a population comprised mostly of refugees and a fledgling economy. It's the only way we can stay afloat."

"It's not the only way," he challenged.

She stood rigid and her voice hardened. "We're not joining the Empire."

He nodded solemnly. He didn't think she would. "I have dealt with the Trade Federation before, Leia. They're not known for their leniency."

"Neither are you," she shot back.

He tilted his head, unwilling to be drawn into the debate. "You want me to push this without a Senate hearing?"

"Of course not," she said horrified he thought she would agree to that. "I'd like you to read it and tell me if my terms are unreasonable."

"But you expect me to support you on this?"

She bristled with indignation and he briefly regretted provoking a heavily pregnant woman. One who was related to him no less.

"I expect you to be fair, considering what the Empire did to Alderaan. Leave aside our kinship and your affiliation with the Trade Fed-"

"There is no such affiliation." This time he bridled at her insinuation.

She snorted in weary derision. "You're going to tell me they're not in your pocket?"

"That was Palpatine. I hold no love for the Trade Federation, Leia." He stood tense. "You know, when your mother stood against them, they tried to have her assassinated."

Her eyes widened. "They did?"

"Yes," he said remembering those days wistfully. He and Padme and budding young love. "Obi Wan and I were assigned to protect her."

In the end all they had to do was wait you out.

That's what she wanted to say, but the words caught in her throat. She found, with some relief, that she couldn't actually be that cruel. Even to him, the only being in the universe who deserved it. She kept the comment to herself and tentatively steered the conversation away from the still very sensitive topic of her mother.

"Perhaps one day, you'll tell me about it." She wondered if he knew how much that simple sentence had cost her. How much those words had resisted coming out of her.

A flash of hope crossed his face, and just like that it was gone, replaced once again by his cool civility. "Of course."

"Do you think they'll attempt something similar?" She hadn't considered the possibility of the Trade Federation going so far as to attempt her assassination, but then, she wouldn't go so far as to rule it out completely either.

"Knowing our kinship, I doubt they would risk it." He didn't doubt it, actually. He was sure they wouldn't dare. But there was no need to point that out to her now. Not when their conversation was flowing relatively smoothly. "However, it would be prudent to tighten your security. If you intend to proceed, that is."

"I do," she said staunchly. "I'm taking this to the next Senate meeting."

"I will look through it and give you my thoughts. Leave it with me." He clasped his hands together at his back. "Anything else?"

"No, I mean…yes, it…but it's-" Her words caught in her throat and she cursed herself for getting so tongue-tied at the most inopportune of moments. Like in her early days with Han. She closed her eyes and unconsciously mimicked her father's stance, holding her hands behind her back tightly to stop them from shaking. She looked up at him gingerly. "I didn't come here just to talk politics. I came to see you."

As painful and tense as the conversation would be, she had been waiting too long for this very moment to back out now. This was it. Without his mask she could easily read all his expressions. He had never bothered hiding them before, as his mask had provided an ideal veneer. His voice, having been modulated by the breathing apparatus for so long, was also untrained in hiding his real emotions. She drank it all in. Her formative years in the royal house of Alderaan and her time in the Senate had taught her how to read people. She could do it with anyone. It was so easy with her father now. Not only could she pinpoint his feelings through the force, but he was now naked for all intent and purposes. He had nothing to hide behind.

He knew it too and to her delight, he seemed suddenly uncomfortable and nervous standing before her. If possible, his spine straightened even further, as if bracing himself. She would have laughed at this ironic twist, at how the tables turned. She almost told him that, too. But for some reason, it didn't seem appropriate to make light of their very precarious truce.

"I'm happy you came to see me, Leia." His voice was guarded and hesitant, as if he knew this was too good to be true.

"I didn't come for you," she said bitingly and took a deep calming breath. She hadn't come to start a fight. She had come for answers, for closure, for peace of mind. She looked up at him earnestly. "I'm sorry…but it's true."

With cold realization, he smiled sadly. "Luke asked you to come."

She smiled ruefully and shook her head. "Han did, actually."

"Solo?" He was surprised at this revelation. Occasionally he crossed paths with his son-in-law, on the rare occasion Solo and Luke met. Their exchanges had been civil, but hardly enough to warrant such a gesture from the smuggler.

"My husband doesn't think I've been myself since…well, since our recent reunion." She stopped, to make sure he was paying attention. He was, so she continued, "I disagree. I believe I haven't been myself since Endor. Of course, so much changed that day, I suppose it's not all that surprising no one noticed. But I noticed."

She faltered for a moment, suddenly feeling like she was opening herself up too much to him. He didn't deserve to hear her open her heart like that. Then she reminded herself why she had come to do this. It was for her benefit, she needed to get these things off her chest if she was ever going to move past it. Hopefully, he would reciprocate. She had to take the first step, though.

"I started feeling all this anger, all this hate, building and slowly eating away at me. Changing me." She watched him closely. "And I hate it. I cannot bear what it's turning me into. I'm better than that," she said defiantly before fixing him with an accusing stare. "I'm better than you."

He swallowed and nodded slightly. "Yes," he whispered, humbly agreeing with her.

"I don't know what it will take to get us through this," she said gesturing to the metaphoric space between them. "To be honest with you, I'm not sure I can. But I have to at least try. Not just for Luke's sake or Han' sake. Not even for my own. But for my children. I don't want them to be a part of this mess."

She felt a wave of hope from her father and she gave him a moment to respond to what she had said so far. He seemed cautious, almost like he didn't fully trust what was happening. What she was offering.

His response was restrained. "I would like nothing more than for us to put the past behind us."

She laughed humorlessly and shook her head ruefully. "No, it's not that easy, I'm sorry. I can't just put the past behind me. I can't forget the things you've done as easily as Luke apparently has. I guess I'm not as compassionate, or forgiving. That's my problem, though."

He opened his mouth to respond, to argue with her that she was that compassionate, that she was that forgiving, and that the reason she couldn't was him. But the look on her face stopped him. She was daring him to disagree. He didn't think she wanted him to humor her, she just wanted him to listen to what she was saying. He knew it had taken a lot of courage to bring herself here, so he let her lead the conversation.

"I will do anything you wish…if you want more time or-"

"I want answers!" she cut him off harshly. "I want the truth. I need to understand."

Once again he went silent. He bowed slightly and turned apprehensive blue eyes to her. He knew the kind of questions she would ask would no doubt dredge up some of his most horrifying memories. He wished he could borrow some of her courage now.

"Ask me anything, Leia."

Just one more to go! I know how it ends, but I need to get the dialogue right. Hang tight peeps, I'll get it out I promise!