Can You Love Me Again?

Chapter 33- Saving Her Through Him

The last time he'd lost Padmé, although exuberant to hold his children for the first and last time, he'd had the same worrisome gleam in his stormy blue eyes. A look of helpless depression. Broken... It killed both Ahsoka and Obi-Wan to see Anakin so... disoriented and distraught, borderline insane.

Leia sat across from Anakin, holding her mothers lifeless hand. She had no idea why. But clinging to her mother always gave her comfort, and now, it still did. She gazed upon the brave woman sadly. She had idolized her, wanted to be just like her from the impressionable age of seven. A strong, respected politician was what she wanted to be and make her mother proud. Her graying mocha tresses surrounded her like a halo, which her father ran between his fingers at unpredictable times. Her chocolate brown gaze was closed up forever, the hot glow of anger if she or Luke disobeyed, the stern determination to help and succeed, and the loving tenderness only a mother would give a child with a mere look of love, would never been seen again.

Leia allowed some more tears to fall down her cheeks. She didn't care about being judged anymore. Her whole family was being looked at like they were another species altogether and she no longer cared.

Her mother was dead.

Her father was looked at now, as a crazed loonatick, who was being talked about to receive mental assistance.

And Luke... well he was a mystery for now. He, like Anakin, hadn't talked. Only nodded curtly to condolences regarding his broken parents. He sat coldly at Leia's side, glaring down at Anakin with such intensity, she was surprised he didn't burn a hole through his bowed head, or teary eyes. And when he eventually did let up on his hot glare of resentment, he glued his eyes to his mother, with a stoci look on his face. Leia didn't understand. When upset, Luke is very open to tearing up and feeling sorrow. But now, he was cold. His blue eyes were ice, while her fathers were a melted puddle of tears. At first, she thought he was just devastated like Anakin about Padmé, and while that was alot of it, that wasn't the complete reason.

Something had happened on the Death Star. She knew this. It didn't escape her when she ran into her father for a comforting hug, Luke grimaced. He wasn't only heartbroken with the loss of his mother, but he was also silently furious with Anakin. She intended to figure out why at a latter date. For now, her parents were her focus.

Suddenly, the door whooshed open, capturing her, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan's attention. Anakin and Luke continued their earlier positions as if nothing happened. A solemn looking Han, Yoda and a frowning Mace Windu entered, Yoda's cane thumping the tiles with each limping step.

Han instantly pushed past the masters and went to Leia's side. Leia slowly rose as she allowed him to embrace her, liking the soft words of comfort and the feeling of his hand in her hair with gentle caresses.

"Is there any hope?" she asked Yoda, muffled through Han's smuggler jacket that he refused to change.

Yoda hung his head. "Nothing they can do..." Yoda stated gloomily.

Leia bawled, her hands flew to her mouth, stifling sobs as Han took basically all her weight as she collapsed int his arms.

Luke remained where he was, crossing his arms and mulling something over in his head for a few seconds, before abruptly rising from his seat and striding out the room. The door whooshed closed behind him, capturing everyone's attention but Anakin's. Even though, Leia could feel a prickle of guilt from her father's force signature as he left the room.

At the same time the guilt spiked, Anakin reached his interlocked hands back to his wife. playing with her tendrils loosely again, caressing her face with his other hand. Even cold and dead she was gorgeous. "My angel..." he whispered fondly, inaudible to all but himself. If he were to bring her back, he would have to figure out how soon or his chance would be lost, but Anakin didn't even know what to do! He was... scared.