Fic: White Rabbits (Star Wars, 18/?)
Title: White Rabbits
Chapter: 18/?
Author: Diana Michelle (butterfly)
Warnings: Spoilers for Revenge of the Sith.
Pairing: Eventual Anakin/Obi-Wan.
Rating: PG/PG-13-ish.
Summary: Luke and Leia don't see the same thing when they look at Anakin.
Disclaimer: Not Lucas, don't own a thing, not making any money.
Chapter Index
Chapter Eighteen -- Willow and Oak
“What happened?” Luke asked Leia, keeping his voice low, intensely aware that Han was only a door away and not entirely sure that this was a conversation that he wanted Han to hear.
Her hair was down, falling around her shoulders in soft waves, and her face was flushed, possibly from running here but more likely because of whatever had upset her.
As always, she was beautiful.
“He has this enormous blind spot about himself,” Leia said, her anger unmistakable. “And he wanted me to try to tell him about the world now, but without mentioning any of the bad parts.”
“Leia, he doesn’t know what happened,” Luke said. “He doesn’t know just how far he fell - how could he?”
“He should,” Leia said. “He’s dangerous. I can feel it, Luke, why can’t you? You felt his anger and his hate out there, when he didn’t know who we were.”
“That doesn’t mean-“ Luke started, but Leia cut him off, talking loudly enough that Han could probably hear her.
“It means that he’s a lot further down the path than you’re willing to admit!”
“Not necessarily,” Luke said, keeping his voice down and glancing back at the closed door to the cockpit. “We both know that there’s good in him. He’s been saved before.”
“And you think it’ll be easier this time because... what, he’s younger?” Leia asked.
“When he sees the Temple…” Luke said, and Leia shuddered slightly. She hadn’t enjoyed that place any more than Luke had.
“If he understands what it means,” Leia said.
“He’s capable of understanding,” Luke said. “We just have to find a way to reach him.”
“Good luck,” Leia said, moving forward, wrapping her arms around Luke’s waist. Luke closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair, allowing himself to indulge in the joy of their connection.
The intense love that he felt when he was near her, the love that had sprung up immediately after just seeing her hologram and had only strengthened once they’d met in person, was more powerful than anything that he’d ever felt in his life.
The first time that he’d seen her face, he’d wanted to spend the rest of his life near her - he’d known in that first moment that she was in his heart, that she was his heart. And he could understand why they’d both confused those feelings for romantic affection.
“You, too,” Luke said, pulling out of their embrace and brushing her hair out of her face.
“I’m not trying to save him,” Leia said.
“Of course not,” Luke agreed, with a soft smile. “You don’t care at all.”
“Not in the slightest,” she said, leveling an imperious look at him before giving in and smiling back, reluctantly.
Luke glanced back towards the cockpit, where Han was radiating curiosity and frustration and then looked at Leia, and knew that she was sensing it, too.
“I’m going to go calm down Han,” Leia said. “I think he’s about to rupture something. Want to come with?”
“Actually, I wanted to try something before we reach the Temple,” Luke said. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“Don’t take too long,” Leia said, and she lightly kissed Luke on the cheek before brushing past him and heading towards the door.
“I promise,” Luke said. Leia turned and gave him one last fond look before entering the cockpit.
Luke moved a little further away from the door, and tried to focus.
He could feel Obi-Wan and, more strongly, Anakin - they were involved in something that was taking up a lot of Anakin’s concentration, so Luke was probably safe for the moment.
“Obi-Wan, we really need to talk,” Luke said. He reached out with his thoughts, stretched out for any hint of Ben’s presence.
For several long minutes, there was absolutely nothing, but Luke refused to give up.
Finally, at the limits of his senses, he felt a tiny buzz, and one that was quickly hidden, as a shade is drawn over a window.
And even that little told him quite a lot.
Whatever was keeping Ben away wasn’t external - he was still here, but actively choosing not to appear.
“Why, Ben?” Luke whispered. “What don’t you want to tell me this time?”
Luke let go of his focus, fading back into the world.
Anakin and Obi-Wan were still occupied with something and if Luke just walked to the end of the corridor, he’d be able to see them.
And the ship was rapidly approaching the Temple - Luke could feel it on the edges of his awareness, howling. The instant that Anakin let his focus widen, he’d sense it, too.
And that would do far more to convince Anakin of the truth than any words from Luke or Leia.
~end chapter eighteen~
Chapter: 18/?
Author: Diana Michelle (butterfly)
Warnings: Spoilers for Revenge of the Sith.
Pairing: Eventual Anakin/Obi-Wan.
Rating: PG/PG-13-ish.
Summary: Luke and Leia don't see the same thing when they look at Anakin.
Disclaimer: Not Lucas, don't own a thing, not making any money.
Chapter Index
Chapter Eighteen -- Willow and Oak
“What happened?” Luke asked Leia, keeping his voice low, intensely aware that Han was only a door away and not entirely sure that this was a conversation that he wanted Han to hear.
Her hair was down, falling around her shoulders in soft waves, and her face was flushed, possibly from running here but more likely because of whatever had upset her.
As always, she was beautiful.
“He has this enormous blind spot about himself,” Leia said, her anger unmistakable. “And he wanted me to try to tell him about the world now, but without mentioning any of the bad parts.”
“Leia, he doesn’t know what happened,” Luke said. “He doesn’t know just how far he fell - how could he?”
“He should,” Leia said. “He’s dangerous. I can feel it, Luke, why can’t you? You felt his anger and his hate out there, when he didn’t know who we were.”
“That doesn’t mean-“ Luke started, but Leia cut him off, talking loudly enough that Han could probably hear her.
“It means that he’s a lot further down the path than you’re willing to admit!”
“Not necessarily,” Luke said, keeping his voice down and glancing back at the closed door to the cockpit. “We both know that there’s good in him. He’s been saved before.”
“And you think it’ll be easier this time because... what, he’s younger?” Leia asked.
“When he sees the Temple…” Luke said, and Leia shuddered slightly. She hadn’t enjoyed that place any more than Luke had.
“If he understands what it means,” Leia said.
“He’s capable of understanding,” Luke said. “We just have to find a way to reach him.”
“Good luck,” Leia said, moving forward, wrapping her arms around Luke’s waist. Luke closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair, allowing himself to indulge in the joy of their connection.
The intense love that he felt when he was near her, the love that had sprung up immediately after just seeing her hologram and had only strengthened once they’d met in person, was more powerful than anything that he’d ever felt in his life.
The first time that he’d seen her face, he’d wanted to spend the rest of his life near her - he’d known in that first moment that she was in his heart, that she was his heart. And he could understand why they’d both confused those feelings for romantic affection.
“You, too,” Luke said, pulling out of their embrace and brushing her hair out of her face.
“I’m not trying to save him,” Leia said.
“Of course not,” Luke agreed, with a soft smile. “You don’t care at all.”
“Not in the slightest,” she said, leveling an imperious look at him before giving in and smiling back, reluctantly.
Luke glanced back towards the cockpit, where Han was radiating curiosity and frustration and then looked at Leia, and knew that she was sensing it, too.
“I’m going to go calm down Han,” Leia said. “I think he’s about to rupture something. Want to come with?”
“Actually, I wanted to try something before we reach the Temple,” Luke said. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“Don’t take too long,” Leia said, and she lightly kissed Luke on the cheek before brushing past him and heading towards the door.
“I promise,” Luke said. Leia turned and gave him one last fond look before entering the cockpit.
Luke moved a little further away from the door, and tried to focus.
He could feel Obi-Wan and, more strongly, Anakin - they were involved in something that was taking up a lot of Anakin’s concentration, so Luke was probably safe for the moment.
“Obi-Wan, we really need to talk,” Luke said. He reached out with his thoughts, stretched out for any hint of Ben’s presence.
For several long minutes, there was absolutely nothing, but Luke refused to give up.
Finally, at the limits of his senses, he felt a tiny buzz, and one that was quickly hidden, as a shade is drawn over a window.
And even that little told him quite a lot.
Whatever was keeping Ben away wasn’t external - he was still here, but actively choosing not to appear.
“Why, Ben?” Luke whispered. “What don’t you want to tell me this time?”
Luke let go of his focus, fading back into the world.
Anakin and Obi-Wan were still occupied with something and if Luke just walked to the end of the corridor, he’d be able to see them.
And the ship was rapidly approaching the Temple - Luke could feel it on the edges of his awareness, howling. The instant that Anakin let his focus widen, he’d sense it, too.
And that would do far more to convince Anakin of the truth than any words from Luke or Leia.
~end chapter eighteen~