THIRD ONE'S A CHARM

(Han's POV)

"I am going to kill you!" Leia screams at me as she prepares to take another push.

"I'm not sure you can kill me, but you are making me deaf."

"Shut up!"

Yes, Leia is in labor with our third child. It's a boy. I thought I'd be a lot more blase about having another baby, but it's just as exciting as the first time. Even more so because this one's a normal delivery. To get the twins out required surgery; this is taking place in the birthing suite, not in the surgical areas. The med droids and the human medic are all being supportive and caring.

My wife is currently having none of it. There's this device which is supposed to match her brainwaves and make the labor easier. If this is easier, I don't wanna know hard. She claims it's useless and has threatened to throw any object she can find at it. Finally, the nurse droid decided that Leia's skill with a blaster might serve her poorly and disconnected it.

Unfortunately, it did not improve her mood.

One thing baffles me: why she decided that she didn't want any meds this time. She could have pain meds, but the time for that's past.

Another thing: we were told second labors are usually shorter. I think we're in the 'unusually' category, as she's been at for nine hours now. Ten and a half with the twins. I don't consider this a much in the way of less time.

"Leia," the med droid with a soothing, almost musical voice, "it's time to start pushing."

"You waited this long to tell me?" she snarls at the droid.

"Well, you weren't ready. Now you are."

I could use another kaf right now. No, wait, Corellian rum would do better.

Any thoughts of obtaining a beverage and/or something to eat are dashed as Leia clutches my hand. I really didn't need circulation there, anyway.

"You're not going anywhere!" Leia informs me as she bears down, shrieking as the contraction peaks and then falls.

"I had no plans," I lie to her. At this moment, any bodily functions I might have to attend to will just have to remain on hold until our son decides to leave his mom's body. Which I hope will be sooner than later.

Another contraction hits her and she has to push again.

"You are never touching me again!" she screams at me. This one's old; she said the same thing when the twins were born. Clearly she wasn't too serious about it; before Jaina and Jacen were a year old, she was pregnant again. No one can argue with our ability to make babies. It's getting them into the world that's the hard part.

"You should drink something," the droid tells Leia. I hand her some citrus fizz.

She tosses it on me.

"Listen, sweetheart, I know you're in pain - "

"You have no idea!"

I do, but this isn't the time to start an argument with her. I'm going to lose, and I accept that.

She lies back after the last contraction, trying to do some Jedi breathing Luke taught her. I was going to suggest this, but my suggestions haven't exactly been well received today. I'm known to run off at the mouth but right now, I'm doing my best to be the soul of discretion.

She grabs my hand, squeezing the blood flow out again. This keeps up, I'm gonna be joining the very small community of one handed pilots. I use my other one to mop her forehead and push back sweaty tendrils of her hair.

"I hate you!" She yells as she rides another one. I'm used to it by now.

"I know."

She gives a hard, hard push.

"Your baby's head is visible," the droid tells her gently.

Despite the fact that it's been a long haul, I'm so excited to see our new little Han Solo Junior. We haven't really discussed naming him much and I figured, younger son takes the father's name, which is how it's done in Corellia.

More contractions, more shouting. "You walking erection!" Leia screams at me as they become more intense. She's not getting a break now; the contractions slam her in waves.

I've been called worse.

"Okay, one more push for the shoulders," the droid instructs her. Leia is exhausted. I feel for her, but I can't help but be excited.

"It's almost over, sweetheart."

Another contraction, this one long and hard. Leia's shrieks should be able to be heard in the Outer Rim by now. It's okay. I didn't need my hearing, anyway.

"Your baby is here!" The droid nurse expresses some excitement. Yeah, I know it's programmed into her but so what? This IS exciting.

"I can't believe it's over," Leia says breathlessly.

"Mr. Solo, would you cut the cord?" I'm asked.

"Sure." I didn't have a chance to do it for the twins. It's kind of cool.

"3.6 kilograms. He's a beautiful healthy boy." Our little guy is wrapped in a blanket and handed to Leia.

"Oh my gods, he's beautiful!" Leia bubbles over with excitement as she's handed our newest little bundle.

He is a handsome lad, if I do say so myself. The twins look like me; our newest looks like Leia.

"He oughta be good looking. He looks just like you."

She smiles at me. Despite being sweaty and her hair sticking out everywhere, she looks more beautiful than ever, and that's saying a lot.

"What are you going to name him?" We're asked.

I look at Leia. "Han Junior?" I ask her.

"Actually...I'd like to call him Anakin." She looks at me with those deep brown eyes.

I'm sort of curious as to why, which must've been all over my face.

"I've made my peace with my father. Now I'd like the name to mean something good."

Okay, I can't argue with that.

"Anakin it is. Can I hold him?"

Leia hands him to me. I gaze into his beautiful eyes, thick lashes like his mom's, and his face is shaped like hers. He's got a lot of dark hair. I put my finger near his tiny hand and he curls it around.

"He's a strong little guy," I tell Leia.

There's just something about holding my newborn son that's, for lack of a better term, magical. I didn't think I'd be so excited again, but it's fantastic.

The med droids snap holos of me holding my new son and some of Leia, Anakin and me. I take a bunch of them of Leia holding our little guy.

I stare into his big blue eyes and he watches me. "Welcome to the galaxy, little guy. You've got a big brother and a big sister at home named Jacen and Jaina." I'm not going to say they're eager to meet him. At the moment, I don't know how they're going to take it. They know Mommy is having another baby, but they're not even two years old yet, so they could easily be unclear on the concept.

He starts making noises and mouth motions that indicate he's hungry. I hand him back to Leia and she starts to nurse him.

"Seems as if he's got a good appetite," Leia says, smiling down at him.

I don't know if I can put into words the sensation of having created life, one created from love, with the most incredible woman in the universe. She talks softly to him as he concentrates on eating.

I know that within the next day, we'll head for home and we'll be dealing with three sets of diapers and no sleep and that for a while, just taking a shower will be a challenge.

I lean over and kiss Leia. I still can't get over how amazing our new little boy is.

Leia smiles at me with a deep love in her eyes. "We make beautiful babies, don't we?"

"Well, they do have the most beautiful mom ever."

"Don't sell yourself short, Flyboy." I sit on the edge of the bed and slip my arm over Leia's shoulder.

Right now, in this moment, life is perfect.