Children of the Force

Chapter 7 - You're With Me As I Go

Author's Note: I have no regrets. :D

~ Amina Gila

They're going to be to Coruscant much too soon, and Leia's not ready. She tried to keep herself calm before, but it's becoming harder and harder to find any semblance of that anymore. They're about to confront the Emperor, and she has a very bad feeling about it.

Ben's disappeared to some corner of the ship, leaving only Vader in here now.

It would certainly help if she could remember something other than Alderaan, and everyone she lost there. That was only weeks ago. And she can't lose any of the new family she's put together.

Vader or Ben or Han or Chewie, or Luke – though that's a moot point since he's already a ghost.

But most of all, she can feel Vader's fear. He might be trying to conceal it, but he's the one who really feels genuinely terrified right now. He's about to face his Sith master, after all. Someone who's... tortured him for years. That he's brave enough to break away at all is impressive. It's not really a situation she can even understand.

Vader's pacing in the main hold right now – Ben disappeared into one of the side rooms and hasn't since come out, which Leia has to admit is probably for the best; they don't need another fight – and Leia approaches him uncertainly.

"We'll... be okay," she says finally, with a little more surety than she actually feels.

Vader stills, staring down at her. "You do not know of the Emperor's strength."

"The Force willed this to happen now, for whatever reason," she offers, mostly because it's what she keeps repeating to herself, in an effort to stay calm. "I don't think it would let anything go... badly." Probably. Because she certainly senses something... not so good ahead. What it means, she doesn't know.

"Yes," Vader agrees quietly, subdued, "Whatever it intends will transpire." But what that means, they have no idea, because she knows they're only players in something larger. But still...

At least she wants to live in every moment while they still have it, and she uncertainly reaches out, touching his gloved hand. She's never really touched him before, exactly – they haven't known each other nearly long enough – but it might be the last time she ever has the chance to do so.

Luke can't be here right now, something about saving up enough strength to stay constantly able to interact with the physical realm once they get to the throne room.

Vader's grip on her hand tightens a little – that it's feels distinctly metal is a little disturbing – but it's still surprisingly gentle.

It helps a little, and she tries to engrain every last moment of it in her mind while it still lasts.

***

Vader's dreading every step he takes closer to the throne room, but they can't turn back. He... already tried to talk Leia out of coming with him, but she refused. Because for as scared as he is of facing Sidious alone, at least his children won't be hurt, but they refused to agree.

And it's too late now. They're here.

The doors loom ominously in front of him, and he still can't shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong, even if he feels something... light, after that.

The guards move aside to let Vader enter, and he steps into the throne room. Sidious is sitting on his throne, regarding Vader coolly. It feels like his yellow eyes are piercing right through him.