Back To The Beginning [Star Wars EU Fanfic]

Chapter Two

So have you and Leia decided where you're going yet?" Luke Skywalker was sitting in his sister's apartment talking to her husband.

"Nah," Han said, "I thought that it would be easier than this. When Leia and I agreed to go on a second honeymoon, we agreed that we wouldn't spend days and days trying to pick a spot. We would agree on one place, and that was it. Tough luck there. We haven't even narrowed it down to a system yet. We might as well go to Tatooine!"

"Don't give up just yet, " Luke countered, "there are plenty of planets out there, and you still have a week to decide. It'll come to you sooner or later."

"Well, I hope it comes sooner than later-"

Han was stopped in mid sentence by a high-pitched squeal, "DAAADDYYYYYYYYY!"

"What is it, Ben?" Luke asked, running to the living room where Anakin Solo and Luke's son, Ben Skywalker, were playing. When he reached it he found a tall, rather uneven looking tower of blocks being amazingly held up by Ben, using his mind!

"Great job, son!" Luke exclaimed.

"You'd better grab it quick, Uncle Luke," Anakin cautioned, "I don't think he can hold it much longer."

Luke looked towards his son and he could now see the strain in his body. Even though both Ben and Amidala were unusually strong in the force, there was only so much a four-year-old could do. Quickly, Luke took hold of the blocks and gently set them down, stacking them in three shorter piles on the floor.

"Whew!" Ben sighed, "that was hard. I'm tired."

"Yeah, I think it's about that time." Luke said as he scooped up Ben. "Bye Anakin, bye Han."

"Bye you two," Han said.

Ben was already asleep in Luke's arms.

**************

After putting Ben and Amidala down for their naps, Luke and Mara both settled down into their chairs for a read, with the only quiet time they got in the day.

Luke was just about in mid-sentence on his second page when the communicator rang.

Don't get up, Luke sent to Mara, trying to keep the house quiet in order to not wake up the kids, I'll get it.

Luke rose and walked over to the screen. He was surprised to see Kyp Durron's face appear in the blue holoprojection.

"Kyp, is everything okay?" He asked quietly. Luke was still in charge of the Jedi Academy, but he was only there to visit once a month. He realized then that he hadn't gone this month!

Almost anything could happen without their incredible Master Skywalker around! Luke thought. He heard Mara suppress a snort from behind him. He turned around and threw her one of her favorite smiles that always made her melt inside, and he knew it.

"No, nothing's exactly wrong," Kyp said. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, "but we found something...weird."

"What do you mean by...weird?" Luke mimicked Kyp's tone.

"Well..." Kyp paused again, then sighed and started to tell Luke everything.

**************

"So let me get this straight," Leia said, "Jacen and Jaina found this "thing" in the woods. They went to go pick it up, and then all anyone saw was a bright light..." Leia seemed to choke on her words, "...and then they were gone!?"

"Yes," Luke said. Explaining this to Mara had been hard enough, telling Leia and Han that their twins were missing was no picnic.

"So now," Leia continued in a louder tone, "you're going to Yavin IV to try to figure out what it is!?"

"By yourself?" Han cut in.

"Well, I'll be going with him," Mara stated, "and we wanted to know if you would watch Ben and Amidala for us?"

Luke could feel the anger rising in his sister's voice as she cried, "and make us stay here while we have no clue where two of our kids are? You have to be crazy if you think I'm staying here!"

"Me too!" Han said. "They're our kids, and if anyone should be out looking for them, it's us."

Luke started to object but Han cut him off. "Don't argue, we can take the kids with us. They'd like a vacation."

"But we have no idea what happened to them!" Luke objected. "By the end of the trip, all of our kids could be missing. Heck, we could be missing!"

"We are not gonna argue, Luke," Han said firmly, "We are all going on this trip and we are all coming home. Is that clear?"