My Life as Leia

Chapter 65 - At Journey's End

A/N: Well folks, here we are. The final chapter of My Life as Leia. I gotta admit, this feels weird for me. Like dang, I've been at this thing for a solid three years, and granted, it's improved a bit since then. I started the story with one single chapter that was like 1,000 words long, and there was absolutely ZERO plot that went along with it. Like, I had no idea where I wanted the story to go. Turns out, it went a lot of ways, haha.

Thanks to everyone who followed or favorited or commented or left reviews. Thanks to all my readers on Wattpad and everybody on FFN :) You're all awesome. Whether you started reading from day one or you jumped in somewhere recently, THANK YOU. I appreciate you! All of you!

Hopefully you've enjoyed the story and this different look at the characters. Writing an AU was tough, especially since I knocked the characters down to different ages, but I hope you liked reading it! Who knows, maybe you've gotten just as attached to these dorks as I have :')

But alas, all good things must come to an end. And here it is, fellas.

See you at the bottom (for all you emotional people...beware).

~•~

When Leia woke up the next morning, something felt different. Not only was Han's shoulder gone from under her head, but the ship was quiet. No hissing pipes or clanging sounds from below. There was a warm stillness about the room that made her feel content and somehow also wildly uncomfortable.

With one arm, she pushed herself up off the sofa and looked around. What was going on?

Just then, Luke came jogging into the main hold, and he stopped short at the sight of his sister.

"Oh hey, you're up. We're here."

We're here.

"On—Tatooine?" she asked, almost hoping he would say no, even though she knew he wouldn't.

"Yeah. Han was gonna wait for you to wake up, but he's in the house talking to Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen. They, uh. . .aren't happy."

"How much is he telling them?"

"Just—just the necessary stuff."

Not entirely satisfied, Leia stood and stretched out her arms and legs. No wonder things had felt so still; they had landed already. The princess was afraid to move any further. The outside meant things that she wasn't ready to face yet. There was already a sharp feeling in her chest, jabbing her and closing up her ribcage. Probably her heart breaking in half.

Together, Luke and Leia made their way to the ramp—as slowly as humanly possible. Leia didn't want to walk outside and see the Suns or the sand or the bright blue sky. Those things no longer meant anything good. They meant she was losing her brother again. She hated it. It almost didn't feel real. Too fast. Too sudden. Too much.

The ramp was lowered. Dry heat drifted in, accompanied by a beam of brilliant morning sunlight. It cast a long shadow across the entryway, and when Leia looked at the dark shady spot, she imagined it growing and pouncing on her. Closing her into darkness forever.

"Ready?" Luke asked, not soundings a bit like his cheerful self.

"No."

"Me neither."

They went out anyway. It was true what people said—space was cold. And when you spent so much time in it, your body adjusted accordingly. Leia was feeling those effects when the blast of warmth hit her as they descended the ramp. The sunlight was simultaneously welcoming and frightening. The Suns got to see Luke every day. She wouldn't.