Fic: White Rabbits (Star Wars, 39/?)

[butterfly]

Title: White Rabbits
Part: 39/?
Author: Diana Michelle (butterfly)
Warnings: Spoilers for all the SW movies.
Pairings: Anakin/Obi-Wan; Leia/Han.
Rating: R/NC-17
Summary: Leia has a lot of work ahead of her.
Author's Note: This is a very short part, I know, but I have the next three chapters outlined already and they're all longer.
Disclaimer: Not Lucas, don't own a thing, not making any money.
Chapter Index

Chapter Thirty-Nine -- Divergence 

“Then it’s settled,” Leia said, pushing her anxiety into a tight ball in the back of her mind. This had to work – there wasn’t another option. This universe might have flaws, but the solution was not to erase the past and start over. “You won’t try to leave.”

 

“I give you my word,” Obi-Wan said, his voice rich with what sounded like amusement. She knew that he’d already made up his mind, but she’d dealt with some of the most stubborn beings in the galaxy – at the very least, she would make him give her a chance.

 

“Thank you,” she said. He inclined his head towards her, a careful measure of respect in his eyes. Leia couldn’t help from glancing over at Luke, wondering why he was staying out of this, why he wasn’t backing her up, but he didn't meet her gaze, too busy studying Obi-Wan.

 

“So, what’d we just agree to here?” Han asked her, still sounding a little annoyed and angry. “The big picture part I get, but what exactly are you planning on showing them?”

 

“I thought we’d take them to see your old friend,” Leia said brightly. “The one that was so interested in Skywalkers. I’m also hoping to arrange a visit from some other people that they’d like to see.”

 

She’d caught Obi-Wan and Anakin’s interest with that, though Anakin quickly looked away again. He almost looked… embarrassed, and she had the oddest feeling that he didn’t like the way he’d been acting earlier.

 

“You really think that’s the best idea?” Han asked. Leia gave him her coldest glare, but he shrugged it off with ease.

 

“What’s the name of this friend?” Obi-Wan asked.

 

“He goes by Dex,” Han said. “He showed a lot of interest in meeting Luke.”

 

“Dex?” Obi-Wan and Anakin said at the same time.

 

“Oh, excuse me.” A pale blue face was peering around the still-open door – Leia dimly recognized it as one of Mothma’s junior assistants. “I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, terribly sorry. Master Kenobi, the Minister has respectfully requested that you, just you, please, join her for breakfast.”

 

“Only Master Kenobi?” Anakin asked, sharply, shifting from surprise to anger with the quickness of a turning speeder.

 

“Oh, yes, sir,” the assistant said, its eyes wide and anxious. “She wishes to speak to him in confidence. I’m sorry, sir.”

 

“It’s all right, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said and Anakin settled back slightly though, to Leia, he still seemed to seethe with resentment. “While I’m speaking with Minister Mothma, the others can take you to see Dex.”

 

“Artoo goes with you,” Anakin said, his mouth set in something of a pout. “That’s final.”

 

“Anyone would think that I’d been your apprentice,” Obi-Wan complained, though Leia noticed that he wasn’t arguing against Anakin’s condition. “I’m certain you weren’t acting this way a week ago.”

 

“Perhaps you just weren’t paying attention,” Anakin said.

 

“Perhaps,” Obi-Wan said, but Leia noticed a strange look on his face, like he was thinking of something mildly unpleasant.

 

“Are you sure that you don’t want to see Dex?” Anakin asked, softly, his full attention on Obi-Wan. “He was your friend first.”

 

“I have a week to see him,” Obi-Wan said. “And it may prove useful to reacquaint myself with Minister Mothma.”

 

“Be careful,” Anakin said.

 

“Only if you are,” Obi-Wan said, with a fond smile. “May the Force be with you.”

 

“And with you, Master.”

 

Neither of them had so much as glanced at the others in the room for opinions. Leia frowned and then stepped back as Obi-Wan and R2-D2 followed Mothma’s assistant out of the room. Chewie placed a warm and comforting hand on her shoulder but the room seemed colder with Obi-Wan's absence.

 

“So, Dex is still around,” Anakin said, moving over towards the bed and picking up a glove. He slipped it on, and Leia felt deeply unsettled that it had taken her until now to realize that his right hand was not only mechanical but, unlike Luke’s, it was visibly so, gleaming in light of the room. “That’s interesting.”

 

“How well did you know him?” Han asked, and Leia wondered if he felt as… invaded by Anakin’s presence as she did. Everything seemed to lead back to Anakin, no matter how impossible the connection seemed at first.

 

“Obi-Wan knows him better than I do,” Anakin said, sitting down to pull on his boots, his tight smile implying that he wasn’t going to tell them any more than that.

 

Convincing those two that this future was worthwhile would be easier if she could stop wanting to smack Anakin.

 

~end chapter thirty-nine~

Comments

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That's really great to read.