Forgiveness

[SoftballJedi 0]

Forgiveness

The war was over. The terrible Yuuzhan Vong war was over. Leia Organa Solo and Han Solo were finally on vacation. The vacation they had deserved for years. The vacation their son, Anakin, would never get. Anakin was killed in that terrible war, one of the many, many casualties. Han and Leia were at Cloud City, Bespin.

Leia was a bit sad standing at a window with Han in the beautiful suite Han and Leia got to stay at. The view of just as beautiful as the room. Maybe it had even more beauty. She knew her youngest son would enjoy it. She knew all of her children would. But Anakin was dead, and Jacen and Jaina were off in the galaxy somewhere, helping and saving more lives. Jaina was with the military somewhere, and Jacen was helping the Jedi Order. Han squeezed her shoulder, as if he knew her thoughts. He probably did, even though he was no Jedi. Not a bit of the Force powers in him.

?Hello Leia,? a voice came from behind. Leia turned around quickly, and so did Han. It was a ghost, in all probability a Jedi Spirit. Not one she recognized though. He was young, in his mid-20s. He had blonde-brown curly hair that almost went to his shoulders. He was tall and muscular. And his eyes, his eyes were so much like her Anakin?s. A piercing-blue. As much as she wanted to believe it, she knew he couldn?t be her Anakin.

?Who, who are you?? Leia asked. She noticed her one hand was trembling as she crossed her arms across her chest. He took a few strides toward her and Han, smiling a smile that made him look very boyish. It broke her heart, that also reminded her of her son.

He held up a mechanical hand. ?I?m your father,? he said. ?What?? Leia screeched. ?You do not look like Darth Vader at all.?

?That would be because I?m not Darth Vader.? Anakin said simply, looking at her straight in her eyes, the eyes that reminded him so much of his Padm?.

?My father was Darth Vader. If you are not him, you cannot be my father.? Leia said in the exact same tone as Anakin. Han noticed this and raised an eyebrow, not daring to laugh.

?Your father wasn?t Darth Vader. Your father was Anakin Skywalker. Your mother was Padm? Naberrie Skywalker. I am Anakin Skywalker. This is me,? he stretched out his arms, ?when I was in my twenties. When I was married to your mother, and she was expecting twins. Before I was seduced into the dark side by Palpatine.? He spit out the name like it was a poison.

?The man I knew as my father was Darth Vader.? Leia said. ?Oh, so you?d accept Darth Vader, a mass murderer as your father, but not a Jedi Knight, not the Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker?? her father threw back at her.

Leia wasn?t expecting that, and Han thought it was obvious now where Leia got her quick wit, comebacks, and sarcasm from. ?What are you doing here?? Leia asked.

Anakin wouldn?t look at her when he asked. ?To see if you?ll forgive me.?

?Didn?t we go through this a while back?? Leia asked staring at him. Han thought it was really obvious now that those two were related.

?I can?t rest at peace until you forgive me. I can?t guide anyone until I?m at peace with myself. I can barely even look at your mother knowing I?m not at peace. And I can?t be anywhere near my grandson, who I noticed has the same name as me. It seems to odd, knowing your hate for me.?

Leia blinked and a strange feeling went through her. ?You?ve seen, you?ve seen my mother? And you?ve seen Anakin?? Her voiced dropped to a sad yet hopeful whisper and tears filled her eyes.

?Yes. Leia, please forgive please! Anakin and Vader are two different people, please remember that! Your son knows that, so does your brother, and your mother. Your mother, who died because of what I did!? Anakin yelled.

?I forgive you,? Han said. Leia and Anakin looked at him. Han shrugged. ?I honestly do. I can tell you are different people. Vader didn?t have this kind of humor and you couldn?t tell Vader and Leia were related. But boy, can you tell Leia and Anakin are!? Anakin chuckled.

?Why did you come to me like this? As a young man?? Leia asked, tears were streaming down her face.

?I didn?t want you to just remember the monster Vader was or just the feeble old man. I wanted you to remember more.? Anakin said. ?Please Leia, please daughter, forgive me!?

Leia flinched. She never expected anyone except Bail Organa to call her daughter. She never thought her biological father would. But, she kind of liked it. It kind of fit. She a faint smile coming to her lips, but quickly frowned again. ?How can I?? she asked in a whisper.

?Mom, forgive him! Just say it, you already did didn?t you? When you named me, after him?? The voice of Anakin Solo came through the room.

Leia closed her eyes. When she opened them, more tears escaped. Leia also felt that strange feeling again, like something that was nagging at her to tell, but she hadn?t come to terms with it yet. Han squeezed her shoulder and whispered, ?Here?s not here Princess, he?s not here with us.?

?I?ll always be here.? Anakin?s voice came again.

?I, I forgive,? Leia started. Her voice was breaking. ?I forgive Anakin Skywalker. I forgive you, Father. Dad. I did before, I just didn?t know it. Or I didn?t want to believe it, Dad.?

Anakin?s eyes filled with tears. ?Thank you, Leia. Thank the Force for you. You are so much like you mother.? he said. He turned to Han. ?Well, you are my son-in-law, huh? You?ve already forgave me, but I should apologize. I put you through some terrible things. I am sorry.?

Han waved it off. ?It was Vader, not you Anakin, who did those things.? he said.

Anakin smiled at Han. He then turned his smile to Leia. ?I?ll see you again, I hope. But only if you want.?

?I would. With Luke, his wife Mara, and their son, Ben. And maybe you could also meet my other children, Jaina and Jacen.? Leia replied.

?Anakin and Padm? would like that too.? he said softly. Leia nodded.

Anakin started walking away. Right before, when it looked like he was going to walk through the wall, he turned back. He smiled and wave. Leia returned the smile and wave to her father.

Another spirit appeared, this spirit was very faint, obviously not a Jedi. It was the spirit of a young woman. She smiled when she saw Anakin. ?C?mon Ani! I?ve waited after all this time! She forgave you, so you have no excuses for not spending time with me!? Her head went back and she laughed.

Leia gasped and held her breath, like if she breathed, this spirit would be afraid of her. This spirit was that of her mother, Padm? Amidala Naberrie Skywalker. The spirit saw her and Han. Her mother smiled a very sweet smile and waved. She turned away and held hands with Anakin. They walked away.

?That was my mother.? Leia whispered tearfully. ?I know,? Han replied. She looked at him and smiled. ?I did the right thing, I think?. Han put his arms around her. ?I don?t think you did.? Han started. Leia looked at him, shocked. ?I know you did, Princess.? He winked.

Leia smiled and the two of them turned back and looked at the beautiful sky in Cloud City, finally relaxed. They knew their children were always with them, along with the rest of their family. And that included Anakin Skywalker, but in Leia?s mind, there was never a Darth Vader. And she forgave Anakin Skywalker, her true father, when she named her youngest son after him.