Chapter Text
Ana shivered and gripped the fabric of her poppy’s pant leg a bit tighter.
The little voice that whispered to her in the wind, Gramma Beru said it was the Voice of the Desert giving her advice. And the Desert was telling her that she had to go, now , that if she lost her chance she wouldn’t see her ipa before a long long time.
The young girl let go of the fabric she was holding onto and started tugging on the straps of her bag instead. The Desert was the one to tell her to take her backpack and what to put in it when her poppy told her they were going to the market.
She snuck a glance to her poppy who was arguing very loudly with a merchant. Ana slowly took a few hesitant steps in the direction Ar-Amu was pointing her at. She stopped to stare back again at him with a frown. He always told her not to stray away whenever they went into town. Gramma Beru told her the same and Grappa Owen said she could only come if she was always holding onto him at all times!
The black-haired girl bit her lip as it started wobbling. She couldn’t leave ipa. She didn’t want to leave him. Something was telling her it wouldn’t be like when he left her to spend the week at poppy’s and gran’s. The little girl didn’t like this feeling of a big uncomfortable weight on her tummy, yet with a firm nod to herself and a whispered apology to her poppy, Ana followed Ar-Amu’s voice guiding her into the busy streets of Anchorhead.
She followed the voice and hid in a speeder and when it finally stopped, she got down too. She followed the little tugs, stopped when it told her to, she walked and walked more than she ever did. Her feet were hurting but she didn’t stop. She was tired but very stubborn and determined. Gramma said it was in the Skywalker blood.
Finally, she reached a hangar bay. Ana wrinkled her nose at the sight of the ship in it. Her ipa loved ships and he told and showed her a lot and a lot about them and this looked just like a pile of junk to her!
She grumbled a bit from where she was hidden, puffing her cheeks and glaring at the ship. Ana whined a little but complied and walked up the ramp when the tugging turned sharper, a bit like ipa’s voice did when she was being naughty.
The Force swirled around her, helping her stay undetected even if she didn’t know it.
Despite her reluctance to enter this junk of a ship, she couldn't help but to feel giddy as she looked around in awe. She was in a real spaceship!
Ana let out an excited giggle and rushed in to start exploring.
The inside of the ship was also filled with junk, everything was a hazard and Grappa Owen would have a co-ni-ption if he saw her playing here.
With another excited giggle the young girl started looking for a good hiding place. She couldn’t get caught before they left, that she knew for sure!
Luke… Luke wasn’t sure about how he was feeling.
Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen were gone. Old Ben had known his father. Why didn’t he help? Why wasn’t he there if they had been so close?
Luke couldn’t just go back now. He couldn’t risk it. Not when the only reason Ana was still alive is that Huff insisted on having her spend the week with them. Luke didn’t know what he would do if the Empire decided to track him down as he was listed as a resident of the Homestead for the season. He couldn’t risk her.
He didn’t… He didn’t want to leave her behind, to let her wonder about her parents like he used to do. But he couldn’t risk her life either. Of course, he could simply take her with him but a life on the run from the Empire, from Vader especially, even with all the might of the Rebellion was no life for a child. Less one this young.
He would see her again. He knew he would. The Desert - or was it the Force like Old Ben explained? - reassured him of it.
First he had to take care of the Empire and make this Galaxy safer for her.
Luke hoped and prayed that he wouldn’t face Biggs out there. Not when he left in the hope it could give their little family a better future.
The blond glared slightly at the scruffy captain of the ship they would be riding to Alderaan. Any other day he probably would’ve enjoyed the man’s company a lot more, he was funny and his dry humor amused him. But Luke was already having an awful time coming to terms with his parental figures’ death and having to leave his daughter, that he loved oh so dearly, on the hell planet that is Tatooine. And this man, this man right here, still flirted with him. Luke was a married man, his husband might be away, his husband might be with the very Empire he will fight, he might not have seen him in over a year or received a letter in months but Luke was faithful!
With a huff the young man pointedly turned his head away from him and instead gave the Wookie his full attention, maybe he only understood one word out of four but he was sure he’d still be better company than his friend at the moment.
Ignoring the older man’s sputtering answer, Luke gave Chewbacca an understanding nod as he carefully pieced together the little Shyriiwook he knew. The blond made a little triumphant noise as Chewbacca cheered when he correctly guessed what he said.
Ana was having the time of her life! The ship might be a pile of junk but Moons it was so fun, so many places to hide! She couldn’t wait to be able to play hide and seek with her ipa! The Desert’s voice hummed around her, feeling just as giddy as she did. Yes. She was gonna have the best memories of her life in this ship, she just knew it.
She stopped her exploring as Ar-Amu whispered a warning in her ear. The dark-haired girl puffed her cheeks but reluctantly went back to her first hiding place, the one that would let her crawl in secret around the entire ship.
She made herself comfortable and let Ar-Amu wrap her into this hiding blanket she always used when playing hide and seek and stayed silent even as she perked her when she heard her ipa’s voice. The Desert was right! Ipa was there! She smiled to herself and waited until the ship started flying before she started moving toward the really comfy-looking room she had seen earlier. She had missed her nap and she walked for a really long time earlier. Ana thought that she deserved to take a long nap in the bed that reminded her a bit of a nest.
It wasn’t the first time in the past hour that odd noises echoed throughout the ship and Luke couldn’t help but to make a snide comment after the smuggler - Han - still failed to catch the hint that Luke did not appreciate his flirting.
“Are you sure your ship is not falling to pieces?” He snapped at him after yet another pick-up line
The man's face contorted in offense, “The Falcon is in perfect condition! Don’t insult a lady.”
The blond huffed and focused back on the training Ben guided him through. He had a lot of questions and concerns for the man but didn’t feel comfortable asking them around Han, Chewbacca or the droids. He didn’t want them to know about Ana. He wasn’t sure he could even mention her without breaking down. Suns above he left his baby girl behind without a word. Would Huff tell her that he died with Owen and Beru? Or would he tell her some lie like they had done about his father? At least she would have Camie but Camie was pretty busy organizing the end of her courtship and she was going to kill him for not being here to be her best man.
He shook his head and focused back on the training Old Ben was giving him.
Cold. Everything was cold all of a sudden.
Ana whined softly as she woke up shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, sniffling even as she pushed away the tears.
It was like a bazillion of the stars she could always see - but that Grappa Owen insisted weren’t here with that worried look - just went out all at the same time. One second they are there, the next one poof! Nothing. Even worse, it hurt. It hurt so much. Why did it hurt? She knew she didn’t do anything to have a booboo!
Ana valiantly tried to swallow down a sob and managed to do it for a moment before a wave of agonizing despair, that did not belong to her, washed over her. In the end she cried herself to sleep, still cocooned in the Desert’s tender embrace. The next time she woke up was to a roar of surprise.
Luke held back a curse out of habit after the training droid shot him again. He groaned as he let himself sink down when Old Ben powered it off.
Moons, he was tired. He wanted to hug his daughter or just to see her. The way he missed her in this moment was so different from the way he did when he left her with Biggs’ parents. At this moment Luke just wanted his baby, rational decisions be damned.
The blond was pulled from his sad musings by the sound of Han cursing loudly. Curious, Luke walked toward the sound.
“-am not a brat!”
He froze, startled by the familiar - if muffled - voice.
The young man rushed in and quickly took in the situation, “Ana Beru Persephone Skywalker! Let go of him this instant, you do not know where he’s been you could get sick!”
Immediately the little girl relaxed her jaw, letting go of the still-stunned smuggler’s hand and started squirming excitingly in Chewbacca’s arms, trying to reach her father.
“IPA! Ipa, we’re in space! We’re in a spaceship!”, she shouted loudly, nearly vibrating in her place, “It’s a junk of a ship BUT WE’RE IN SPACE!”
The blond could barely keep himself from laughing, she was really just like him and Han’s offended face was hilarious, but no matter how much he wanted to, he was her parent first and should act like it.
So the blond crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, “And what exactly are you doing in space, in this junk ship that took off in Mos Eisley far from your grandparents’ house where I left you yesterday young lady?”
The way she deflated at his stern tone and question made him feel guilty but it was necessary, he couldn’t just let her think doing whatever she did to get here was fine.
“Ana. I need an answer.”
She shuffled a little, looking down at Chewie’s arms and not crossing his gaze. She mumbled something he couldn’t quite understand.
“I didn’t hear you. Can you repeat please?”, his words were still clipped but his tone had softened.
“I followed Ar-Amu, she said that, that I wouldn’t see you for a long long time and, and I didn’t… didn’t wan’ that”, her lips started wobbling and tears filled her eyes as she started sobbing, “I didn't want to lose you too…”
His face softened at her words and he took a step, raising his arms to carry her and give his girl a hug just to be interrupted by Han.
“What the kriff? How the hell did a karking toddler get on my ship and then went unnoticed for literal hours?!!”
The blond’s head snapped toward him, “Don’t swear in front of my daughter.” He warned softly.
“Oh come on, she literally grew up on Tatooine! She definitely heard worse before!”, Han replied carelessly.
Luke’s eyes narrowed into slits, now he was happy that the Wookie was still holding Ana, it would make things easier to punch the smuggler in the face.
Unfortunately he was once again interrupted. This time it was by Old Ben.
“Peace young Luke. Breath and focus on the Force”, the old Jedi said. Luke gritted his teeth but forced himself to breath and to focus on Ana, he couldn’t focus on the Force, not properly, not yet but focusing on his daughter always managed to calm him down, so he supposed it was close enough.
“Now, why don’t you introduce me to our young surprise guest?”, the man said agreeably, an edge he couldn't understand to his voice.
With a thankful nod to the wookie, the blond took his baby in his arms and turned to face the old hermit.
“Ana Skywalker, meet Ben Kenobi”
A flash of something, nostalgia? Grief? Regret? All of them? crossed the man’s face before he shook the girl’s hand.
“Nice to meet you young Ana”, he told her, his tone just a little softer and hiding the hurt of an old scarred wound.
“Nice to meet you Mister Ben Kenobi sir”, she replied before hiding her face in her father’s neck, stealing a few curious glances toward the Jedi.
The comfortable atmosphere was broken by Han’s scoff, “Great, we have her name. I hope you know you’re paying a bonus for the ‘surprise guest’ as you put it.”
Luke tightened his grip on his daughter as he glared at the man before swiftly leaving the room so he wouldn’t lose the little patience he had left on him. Instead Luke sat his daughter on the side with Artoo and Threepio for her to watch his training. He noticed that the astromech droid seemed particularly fond of her and that whenever Old Ben was not watching him train closely he was either staring at her with nostalgia or quietly talking with her.
A terrified whine was caught in Ana’s throat, tears pricking her eyes despite herself as Ar-Amu’s usually loving embrace grew cold and angry. Its attention wasn’t on her, nevertheless she started shivering, curling up on herself, to stay as warm as possible or maybe to make herself even smaller.
“Ipa”, she called with a wavering voice, “I’m scared…”
She sniffled, closing her eyes tightly and clutching her ears and trying to muffle the slight screams of terror she could hear, they sounded like ghosts..
“Luke, you should hide her.” That was Old Mister Ben.
“What?” And that was Ipa. She could just focus on their voices, she could do that. Ana was a brave girl, she could do that.
“Trust me, she’ll be safer hidden on the ship”*
Ana slowly opened her eyes, staring at the hermit even though everything sounded far away to her. She blinked a few tears away and the image of the old man grew less blurry as he looked at her with a gentle yet oddly sad look.
“You’ll be safe as long as you stay where your father will hide you, okay? But only if you wrap yourself tightly with the Force.”
The little girl frowned in confusion, what was the Force? Wasn’t it like strength? Like when Ipa could lift really heavy pieces when he worked at the mechanic? How could she wrap herself in it?
Her ipa lifted her in his arms and soothingly ran his fingers through her hair, her ipa loved her hair she didn’t know why but he’d get sad sometimes when he did that,
“The Desert baby, listen to the Desert’s voice and wrap yourself in a cocoon made of it raincloud.”, he told her softly.
Ana nodded slowly, tear tracks visible on her face even as she tried to wipe them and put on a brave smile to make this worried look leave her Ipa’s face. She tried to calm down as the mean tall man showed him a place where he could hide her. Yet she still took the time to stick her tongue out at the mean man (he called her a brat!) behind her ipa’s back.
The blond gently put her down in the hidden hole, even going to get her a blanket to wrap her into so she wouldn’t be cold in there. He kissed her on the forehead and told her to be brave. She crossed Old Ben’s gaze and thought he looked sad for a moment so she waved at him, “Bue bye Mister Old Ben… Can I have a hug from you please?” She didn’t really need a hug but he looked like he needed one. The old man looked surprised but there was a warm smile on his face as he did so and the Desert felt a little less heavy around him.
Then they closed the hole and she did just as she was told, she reached out to Ar-Amu and imagined her unwavering strength and love wrapping around her. Something about it felt so familiar, like something from a dream she forgot about, like the pretty lady with flowers in her hair or the tall man with hair just a darker shade of blue than hers and a woman with a skin color as warm as her own. Even the lady who would sometimes call her ‘Ani’ instead of ‘Ana’ in her dreams
She stayed silent like the wind going through dunes of sand even as she trembled when people the Desert was warning her away from started entering the ship, searching it carefully. Ana only let out a sigh of relief when every one of them left the ship.
The little girl waited for what seemed to be hours. Then she heard people and the ship started again. Yet she didn’t move. She promised Ipa she wouldn’t move unless she had to run or he came to get her. Finally a few moments later her ipa came to get her.
“Oh, I’m so happy you’re okay baby”, he whispered in her ear as he scooped her up.
Ana held onto him as tightly as she could, burying her face in his chest. She only raised her head when she heard a soft gasp behind her. The little girl blinked, “Pretty…”, she whispered. She thought that she looked a lot like the lady from her dreams, the one that would tell her stories about her papi, grappa Owen’s brother.
“Is that your sister?”, the pretty lady asked, now that she looked, she also looked like the flower lady and her ipa. Maybe she was her ipa’s sister? But he never said he had one. She frowned briefly before deciding he probably didn’t know.
Ipa laughed a bit dryly, he had that question a lot back home.
“No, that's my daughter. Ana, say hello to princess Leia”, he said, turning a bit so she could look at the princess without getting an owie on her neck.
She waved shyly, “Hello aunie Leia”
The woman looked surprised but she simply smiled gently, she didn’t even look weirdly at her ipa like people do when he says that! “Hello Ana”
“Oh come on!” Mean Man started complaining, “How is it that the princess gets instant aunt privilege and all I got were rabies!”
“Don’t blame her, I’m sure you had them before you met”, the princess snapped back and Ana giggled in her ipa’s arms as she watched the two argue, feeling oddly content yet something was also wrong.
“Ipa? Where’s Mister Old Ben?”
Her father’s face contorted slightly in grief and she let out a little ‘oh’ before burying her face in his chest again. She didn’t know why it hurt so much, just that it did, there again it could simply be Ar-Amu’s grief feeding her own.
Ipa rocked her soothingly, whispering soft comforts in her ears, Desert Songs easing the tight feeling in her chest and the need to sob. Slowly, she relaxed in his arms and let the familiar tunes lull her to sleep.
She woke up still in her ipa’s arms but they weren’t in the ship anymore, instead they were walking through metallic corridors, she looked around curiously, earning herself a light chuckle from her ipa as he ruffled her hair.
“You feeling better baby?”
The child mused happily in reply, too busy staring at the people around before she noticed that her Ipa got changed, “What are you wearing Ipa?”
He smiled down at her before explaining, “It’s the uniform of the pilots here raincloud, I’ll be joining them for the next flight, we’re going to see the hangar first”
She immediately perked up, eyes wide with excitement as she babbled, “The hangar? With all the ships? Are we going to see the ships Ipa?”
“Yes we are”
The little girl let out an excited woop before she wiggled to be let down, “I’m going ahead! I wanna see aaaaalllll the ships!”
She skipped happily before the Desert pushed her a little in the same direction, she tilted her head before she caught a familiar feeling from that area. Her eyes widened and before she knew it Ana was running as fast as she could.
The sound of little feet rapidly hitting the ground echoed throughout the hangar. Wedge lifted his eyes from his ship, looking around with curiosity until he saw a tiny cream-colored blur hit the leg of one of the (relative) newbies. Darklight or something like that was his name, he had joined a couple months ago.
“Daddy! Missed you missed you missed you missed you missed you so so much daddy!”
Wedge stared, a little dumbfounded as the child - because that was what the blur was - climbed the other pilot’s side like a tree until she was sitting in his arms. When you really looked the child didn’t really look like him but it could simply be the genes. Her dark hair seemed more blue-tinted than black, her nose and jaw did look a bit like his but everything felt just a little off, he couldn't explain it but it certainly was.
“I asked Ipa where you were but he said you went to school and then he said that you were busy but that it was for us so it was okay but then you stopped answering our holos and Ipa would get sad when I asked so I stopped but then people started saying really mean things but that was also okay because Gramma Beru and Grappa Owen would get this mean look and so people would just immediately shut up and also Gramma threatened people with her rifle when they commented around her and and also aunie Camie would kick their butts but Ipa cried sometimes at night and why did you make Ipa cry daddy?”
Alright, Wedge had absolutely no idea who this ‘ipa’ was, he could guess it was the child’s other parent, but now he kinda wanted to punch Darklight in the face. At least the man seemed to feel bad given his guilt-stricken expression.
“I’m so sorry princess, I couldn’t answer back but I missed both you and Luke so so much, you have no idea.” He tightened his grip on the girl and hugged her close.
“Gramma and Grappa both said they would use you as ‘womp rat target prac-tice and Aunie Camie said that she would cut off your thing when she would see you again but I’m not sure what your thing is so maybe you’ll be fine”, the little girl continued, happily hugging him back.
By the way the man paled; these were not empty threats, Wedge would almost feel sorry for him. A bright laugh pulled him out of his musing, he gazed toward the sound and saw a young man just as bright as his laugh.
“Ipa!”
Dammit, of course he was taken.
The blond turned his gaze toward Darklight and his child, his blue eyes narrowing in anger as he pursed his lips.
“Ipa see? See? Daddy’s here too!”, the little girl chirped happily with a smile that she seemed to take from the blond.
“I see that baby”, the latter replied neutrally. The girl seemed to catch on to his mood as her expression turned sympathetic.
“Good luck daddy”, she said, patting the man’s cheek in encouragement before she wiggled out of his grip and rushed toward the pretty - and taken - other boy.
She clutched his leg and turned big pleading blue eyes on him, “Ipaaaaa”, she said, drawing out the word, “Can I go fly in the ship with you?”
The man smiled down at her, his entire expression warming up and lighting up like a sun, Wedge could swear he heard someone sigh dreamily, the blond stroke her hair, love shining in his eyes, “Not today baby, I’ll take you next time I promise.”
Well that was bold and hopeful of him to be so sure he would survive this but of course he wouldn’t tell a child - even less his own child - that his chances to still be alive to go on a flight with her were low.
To his surprise the girl pouted but did not argue, “You promised so now you have to come back ipa”
Maybe she wasn’t as unaware about what was going on as he thought.
Wedge watched as the man said something in a language he did not recognize and the child (he should really try to catch her name) beamed at him before running away with a shout, oddly reminding him of a little butterfly flying around during the first days of spring, “I’m gonna ask Artoo to help me find Aunie Leia!”
Did she mean Princess Leia? Kark he really should catch who the pretty boy was too.
”Be careful and don’t get lost!”
When she was out of sight the blond’s smile dropped as he turned slowly and glared at a sweating Darklight.
“Luke, Sandstorm, Suns of my life…” The pilot started with a grimace, “I missed you?”
Well at least now he had part of the blond’s name! Luke, it did start like Leia? Was he like a secret sibling?
“Biggs. Huff. Darklighter.”
Huh, he’d gotten the name close enough.
“Oh I’m dead.” The terror in the man’s voice was pretty amusing, at that point the entire hangar was watching. It was more entertainment than that one time someone snuck in and then lost a tooka cat in the base.
“No shit! Do you have any idea how many times I had to cover your ass when Ana asked for you?”
And now he even had the kid’s name!
Ah kriff, he had it bad for the newbie. With a bit of luck they were open to poly. He stared as the blond man bared his teeth like a wild animal, he couldn't help but notice how his teeth seemed too sharp for a human, and started ripping Biggs a new one.
“God I wish that were me”, he heard from somewhere behind him.
“I-” Biggs started before smartly closing his mouth.
“Shut up. I don’t want to hear from you right now! So we’re going to sit in this meeting room, do this mission and then you better have a very good explanation”
“I missed you?” Darklighter replied quietly.
The blond stayed quiet a moment, lips turned down before he sighed and answered just as quietly, “I missed you too. Don’t do that again Biggs, I’m serious. You promised me you wouldn’t leave me like that and then you went and did exactly that.”
“I’m sorry. I love you”
Okay, this had been fantastic drama but now Wedge was uncomfortable.
“Yeah…. I love you too”, Luke breathed before looking away, seeming a bit uncomfortable himself but Biggs’ face literally lit up at his reply. He threw himself at the blond and started twirling him around.
“You said it back!” He shouted loudly, looking the happiest Wedge had ever seen him. Which was odd considering that he was sure the man mentioned being married. The blond looked quite embarrassed as he hissed at his (probable) husband to let him down, blush spreading adorably up to his ears.
“It was… A long time coming”, he mumbled before turning away, a soft smile on his face as he walked out, “We can talk about it later when we don’t have a crowd admiring us”
Oops, guilty.
Darklighter had a stupid grin on his face as he threw his arms at the sky, “He said it back!”
Hobby threw him a dubious look, “Man, didn’t you mention being married before?”
His silly grin just grew at the question, “Yes! Luke is my husband! Of nearly 4 years.”
Everyone in the hangar exchanged looks, making quick calculations about the toddler and the marriage, maybe a fling that turned into a baby situation and they didn’t love each other until recently but had to get married to be proper? The rumor's mill ould fill them in quickly anyway.
The question slipped from his mouth before he could stop it, “Are you guys open to poly?”
Everyone in the hangar turned to stare at him. Heat crawled up his neck as he shrugged in a way he hoped looked nonchalant.
“What? Just asking”
He heard mutters of agreement going around.
“Yeah fair”
“I wanted to know too”
“Better ask now that get in trouble for flirting later”
Wedge held back a snort as Darklighter looked at all of them in betrayal, “All of you stop staring at my man! He’s my husband, do you know how hard it was to convince him it was a good idea to marry me?”
His snort turned into a full blown laugh as the other pilot kept ranting about them not having the right to flirt with his husband, the atmosphere much lighter than earlier even as the impending threat of the Death Star still hung above them all.
Ana trailed behind Leia, her eyes wide with curiosity as she took in her surroundings. There were so many people around, and not a look of them even looked like Bounty Hunters!
She stared at the holomap of the big big ship they had just been inside of just a few hours before. There was somebody important in there. Someone that Ar-Amu cherished with all Her might but also felt very sad about. The little girl shook her head before she decided that since her nap had been in-ter-rup-ted earlier she would take another one now. All the adults, even Leia, were doing boring adult things and Artoo left her too so she might as well sleep. Yes she was a big girl but she was also very tired so she would nap and when she would wake up she’d go bother her daddy for hugs and cuddles.
Once the high of the victory fell down Luke broke away from the party and went looking for his daughter.
Biggs was gone.
Gone just the moment he decided that maybe, just maybe, it was safe for him to love again after him . Was he cursed? Was he cursed to lose the people he loved just when his walls completely fell around them?
He walked around the base like a ghost, following Threepio through the corridors, barely aware of his surroundings.
Ana.
He had to find Ana. She was all the family he had left and selfishly he wanted to keep her close, to keep her cradled against his chest like when she was a newborn and practically all he had left of him. He knew it was selfish but he wanted to let his beloved child, the one that he loves more than there are stars in the Galaxy, fill the void in his heart like she did after her birth.
He found her curled up on a chair, sleeping under a blanket with her bantha plush held tightly in her hands. He relaxed at the sight of her, safe and alive, and squatted down to be at her height.
“Ipa loves you so much Ana”, he whispered as he tenderly stroke her hair, “I swear I’ll protect you baby, no harm will come to you as long as I live”
He kissed her forehead gently before cradling her in his arms. The blond smiled down at her as she shifted in his grip and clutched the fabric of his suit. He walked slowly so as to not risk waking her, not listening to Threepio’s fussing. He set out to find Leia, she could probably tell him where he could put her to sleep, maybe Han would let them in the Falcon for the night.