The gym [Saturday afternoon]

[momslilassassin]

Ben had left a message for Leia last night to invite her to join him in the gym today (in Ben's world, bad thing were best dealt with by breaking machinery, hitting things, or eating ice cream) and was currently wasting time as he waited by trying out new self-defense moves on the dummies for his training sessions with Ender.

There was a lot of fake arms breaking in the gym right now.

[OOC: Expecting one, but open for all!]

Comments

[likes_scoundrels]

Leia had allowed herself a handful of tears when she'd encountered Anakin upon her return to the island, but other than that, she'd kept her grief pent up inside her, refusing to let it come pouring out. So Ben's invitation to come down to the gym seemed like a perfect solution.

She'd missed her Thursday classes and skipped the Friday one to rest, and she was finally starting to feel a little more like herself. "Ben," she said as she walked into the gym.

[momslilassassin]

"Hey, Aunt Leia," Ben replied with a slightly awkward at attempt at a smile, stepping away from the dummies.

[likes_scoundrels]

"You already know what happened," Leia said. It wasn't a question. They all had; it had been clear by the way Anakin and Tahiri and Jaina had been waiting for her when she'd come back.

[momslilassassin]

He nodded, looking regretful. "I thought you might need to hit something."

[likes_scoundrels]

Leia regarded the practice dummies. "I don't suppose you can dress one up as Vader," she said. That would be satisfying to hit.

[momslilassassin]

"Sorry," Ben apologized, "I don't exactly keep that helmet around."

[likes_scoundrels]

"At least I know he'll be gone some day," Leia said. She gave Ben a faint smile. "And at least I finally found your father. Well, my version of him anyway."

[momslilassassin]

He smiled back. "I promise he gets less dorky."

[likes_scoundrels]

"He was very proud of himself the way he burst into my cell to announce he was there to rescue me," Leia said fondly. "But then I confused him completely by telling him he was my brother."

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "Did he totally deflate?"

[likes_scoundrels]

"I don't think I've ever seen someone looked so shocked," Leia laughed. "But I think he adapted to the role of protective brother fairly quickly."

[momslilassassin]

"That's Dad," Ben said fondly. "In no time at all you'll be completing each other's sentences and freaking people out."

And by people, he meant Han.

[likes_scoundrels]

"I almost brought him back here with me," Leia said. "I feel guilty about leaving him back home while I'm safe here. But he wanted to stay."

[momslilassassin]

"He's pretty good at taking care of himself," Ben replied fondly, "even if it doesn't look like it. He's staying with Wedge and the fighter pilots?"

[likes_scoundrels]

Leia nodded. "We haven't told anyone else we're related yet, though. Between his name" -- wtf, Obi-Wan -- "and what he did to the Death Star, he's making his parentage abundantly clear. It's safer that no one knows there are two of us for now."

[momslilassassin]

"Much," Ben agreed vehemently, then frowned thoughtfully. "Do you know why?"

[likes_scoundrels]

"Have I ever not wanted to know something?" Leia said, giving him a look.

[momslilassassin]

"No," Ben said with a tiny smile, "but I didn't know if anyone had told you why yet."

[likes_scoundrels]

"Then tell me," Leia said. "Please."

[momslilassassin]

"Because of Granddad," Ben said stealing Obi-Wan's thunder. "The Emperor purged the Jedi because they were a threat to his power, and Granddad is really powerful. Knowing that he has one kid running around the galaxy blowing up Death Stars is bad enough from the Emperor's point of view. Knowing there are two of you?" Ben let out a little whistle. "I bet he didn't like you much anyway. If he found out you're Anakin's daughter, he'd have you killed."

Ben's diplomacy could use work.

[likes_scoundrels]

"I figured as much," Leia said with a slight nod. "And it's already being spread around how a rebel pilot named Skywalker destroyed the Death Star, so Palpatine is going to put the pieces together. That's going to put even more of a target on Luke's back."

[momslilassassin]

"There was really no help for that," Ben said regretfully. "It wasn't like he was named Luke Antilles and could blend into the galaxy."

Obi-Wan.

[likes_scoundrels]

"Whose brilliant idea was it to not change his name?" Leia sighed. "Skywalker isn't that common. Even on the planet your grandfather was raised."

God, Obi-Wan.

[momslilassassin]

"No idea," Ben sighed. "Dad never had a chance to ask Obi-Wan, at least as far as I know."

[likes_scoundrels]

"He died on the Death Star," Leia said, shaking her head sadly. "I saw it happen. Vader killed him."

Just one more thing to make sure he paid for.

[momslilassassin]

"That happened to my dad, too," Ben said solemnly. "I'm sorry."

[likes_scoundrels]

"I didn't even get the chance to meet him," Leia said. It seemed a petty thing to focus on, but that's what came to mind. "I didn't even recognize him at first until Luke called his name."

[momslilassassin]

"What did you think he'd look like?" Ben asked, looking interested.

[likes_scoundrels]

"He was a lot younger in the holovids I've seen," Leia said with a shrug. "I know it's been almost twenty years since then, but considering how your grandfather looks now, I almost expected General Kenobi not to age, either."

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah, but Obi-Wan was on Tatooine," Ben said. "That can't be good for the skin."

[likes_scoundrels]

"I guess I was lucky to be raised by Bail Organa," Leia said somberly. "Growing up on Tatooine couldn't have been easy."

[momslilassassin]

"Dad doesn't really talk about it much," Ben said, "but you were lucky to be raised by Bail Organa regardless."

[likes_scoundrels]

"It doesn't seem fair that I had it so easy and Luke didn't," Leia said, kicking idly at one of the practice dummies. "But there's no point dwelling on that now, I suppose. And he lost his adopted family, too."

He'd told her about Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru.

[momslilassassin]

"But he found you," Ben said with a tiny smile.

He knew they didn't exactly balance each other out, but he was trying.