Fighting for Skywalker ↬ Star Wars

Sickness Rising

Sarah woke up slowly, not sure how long it had been since she had been sedated. The room came into focus, and she noticed little Luke sitting on a chair by her bed, fast asleep. Sarah stood up on unsteady feet, but quickly regained her balance. She bent down to pick up her nephew, carrying him towards his bedroom. Glancing out of a window, she saw that it was now night on Naboo.

Sarah laid Luke down on his own bed and left the room, closing the door behind her. She heard voices coming from the parlor which was a few rooms down the corridor, so that is where she headed. As she got closer, she heard a new voice, one she hadn't heard in years, and one she hadn't expected to ever hear again.

Upon entering the room, Sarah saw the man that the voice had come from. She placed her hand on her waist where her lightsaber was kept, and stepped forward. "Leia, I put Luke to bed, he was fast asleep in my room so I carried him to his," Sarah explained and sat beside her cousin. "I'm not imagining things, am I? Is he real?" Sarah whispered to Leia. Leia turned back to face her. "He's real alright," she responded, a hint of disbelief in her voice as well.

Luke was sat across from Sarah, looking at the floor awkwardly. Han was sat beside him, and Leia was across from Han. Sarah heard voices from down the hall, Anakin and Padme bickering about something. Luke looked up at hearing their voices, and Sarah saw his eyes water. Anakin and Padme entered the room together and sat down, not even noticing the new figure in the room.

Padme looked at Sarah, probably about to inquire how she was feeling when her eyes landed on Luke. Padme froze, her mouth trying to form words as none came. "M-Mom.." Luke whispered, and the two stood and moved towards each other. Padme wrapped her arms around Luke, pulling him close. "I watched you die..how are you here?" Mother asked son in their tearful reunion.

Before Luke could answer, Anakin spoke up. "I feel the force pulsing around him, like trying to mend a wound, he's not supposed to be here, but he is. It's really him, though," Anakin explained for him. Her uncle stood up and joined their hug, a smile on his face, but it was a sad smile at that. "I'm just glad to be here for whatever time the force has granted me.." Luke sighed.

"Well, for whatever time you have been granted, you will stay with us," Padme spoke happily. "The Skywalker's, together at last! Now we're only missing..." Padme trailed off, knowing it still wasn't the best to talk about Ben. Leia stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I need some alone time.." Leia left the room, and Han reluctantly stayed back in the parlor with them.

"Come, let us eat, and tomorrow, we will get you some clothes that fit, until then, I'm sure Han doesn't mind sharing," Padme laughed, and gave a pointed look to Han. Han grumbled, but nodded. Sarah stood with Han, and followed the others towards the dining room. Sarah ended up sitting next to Luke once more, while Chewbacca had entered at some point and was on her left.

"So Sarah, tell me about yourself," Luke prompted her once they were well into the meal. "Well, I was the adoptive daughter of Owen and Beru Lars, your step-aunt and step-uncle, making me your step-cousin. I was born on Tatooine, forty years ago. I'm a jedi, and that's it really," Sarah responded. Luke nodded, but she could see guilt in his eyes. "I don't know if it'll mean anything to you now, or if you'll forgive me..Force knows I'll never forgive myself..but I'm sorry about your parents. I would take it all back if I could.." Luke said, looking genuinely sorry, and truly sad.

"It's alright, I forgave you a long time ago," Sarah placed her hand on his, then removed it so she could go back to her meal. Beside her, Luke winced, and placed a hand on his abdomen. "Are you alright?" Sarah asked him, concern laced in her voice. Anakin looked up from his meal, his eyes scanning everything before him. Luke nodded weakly. "I'm fi-" Luke started, but dashed up and scrambled for the balcony.

He leaned over the railing, and began to heave, emptying his stomach of the meal they had just consumed. Padme ran up behind him, rubbing his back as he continued to be sick. When it was all over, Luke sat up against the wall, panting and holding a hand to his stomach. Padme pressed a hand to Luke's forehead. "You're running a small fever, honey, you should go rest," she informed her son.

Luke nodded and slowly stood up, leaving the room with Padme. Sarah looked down at her meal, taking a bite off of a slice of meat. Han quickly broke the silence with a worrying statement. "I have a bad feeling about this..." The ex-smuggler muttered. Sarah glanced over at Han and sighed. She agreed with the man for once. None of this seemed like it was for the good of their situation.

-

Padme felt a cough rise in her throat. She had just shown Luke to a room he could sleep in, and now her sickness was showing itself. Padme was growing old, and with age came health complications. She'd had this vicious cough for awhile now, and it was being coupled by chest pains and trouble breathing.

She was standing outside her sleeping grandson's door when another round of coughs hit her. She moved her hand to cover her mouth, but then recoiled in shock as she felt blood splatter on her hand. Padme gasped in a breath before she began to cough again. She had seen this before.

After they had rescued her handmaidens many years ago, Hylla had developed a terrible cough, and had complained about many things that Padme was now feeling. The healers had called it Consumption, and it had swiftly killed Hylla, and she suspected the same would soon happen to her.

The door beside her opened, and a pair of little feet appeared in her line of vision. "Gramma?" Little Luke asked, sleep laced in his voice. Padme couldn't respond, only coughing came. Her blood splattered on the floor and her vision became clouded. The last thing she heard was her scared grandson shouting for someone..anyone to help..