BLACK NIGHT

It was a warm night on Coruscant. Jaina and Jag were both exhausted from a fourteen day delivery trip and were lying in bed, watching a desert sport skiff race on the holovision. Jaina was about a month pregnant and most of the nausea had worn off. She was enjoying a burst of energy as well.

The two were in their bed, snuggled up against each other. Jag smiled as he stroked Jaina's hair.

"I never thought I could be happy doing anything but career military," Jag said to her. "But I love our life. We've got a baby on the way and we're about to buy another ship. And Jarik's gonna fill in for you when you're on maternity leave and then he'll join the business."

"I don't think I'll take that long. I loved sleeping on the Falcon when I was little. Mom and Daddy said that we always slept great there when we were tiny." She smiled at the memory. "I'll bet ours will, too."

"No doubt. Born to fly," Jag said happily. "You about ready to crash?"

"You know it." Both were grateful to be in their own bed and quickly went to sleep.

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"Oh man, is it good to be back," Han said as he got out of the shower with Leia. His run had only lasted a week but to his mind, it might as well have been a month.

"I've missed you," Leia murmured, handing Han a towel.

"You know how I feel about being away from you," Han said, taking his wife into his arms, their damp skin touching. "It gets harder all the time."

"Well, Jaina and Jag are having some new babies, one human and one ship," Leia chuckled. "That should give you some more time off."

"I plan to take advantage of it."

"Jarik's going to join you, too," Leia reminded him.

"Let's see if he graduates first. I told him, you don't graduate, you don't join the biz."

"I think he's sufficiently motivated in that regard."

"I'm grateful he isn't talking about racing as a career at this time." Jarik had been severely injured in a race about eight months ago, learning that one of his former best friends had tampered with his racer. It had been something of a life changing experience for him.

"Yeah. He still talks about joining the Navy, but I don't think he'll adapt well to it."

"Because he's too much like you."

"That's about the size of it."

"And I'm happy about that. I worried every day when Jaina was in combat." Leia massaged his shoulder muscles again. "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it."

"Oh, I have no intentions of stopping, love."

"Good."

"Not until I have my way with you."

"I like the sound of that."

"Scoundrel."

"Worshipness."

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Jaina woke with a start. She sat up in bed, shaking, covered in cold sweat. She'd had the nightmares of her life, and she knew that they were Force visions. She often joked that the Force powers she had were more of a pain in the ass than anything else, but she followed in her uncle's instructions, never to use it for evil. But that never stopped the premonitions of something bad about to happen.

She'd had two of them, both foreboding great trouble.

"Jaina? You okay?" Jag murmured groggily, reaching his hand to her.

"I'm okay. I just need some water." She got out of bed as quietly as possible and watched as Jag returned to slumber.

Creeping quietly to the sink, she grabbed a glass of water, sipping it slowly.

Jaina knew she was carrying twins, something not even Jag knew yet. But there was something terribly wrong. The twins had not separated into two distinct bodies, and they were going to die in utero. Two boys.

The other was the ship they'd put a down payment on. Jag loved it but Jaina was wary for reasons she couldn't put together at the time of signing the contract. Now she knew. The ship was not space worthy. The dealer was reputable, but someone had been sufficiently able to convince him that it was a great craft, a real bargain. They could probably get their down payment back, but they would have to act fast.

She'd have to tell Jag both, and she had no idea how he was going to receive the news. He was so excited about becoming a father and having a new, larger freighter.

She could sense that her twin was having the same vision she was, but she was not about to comm him at 0200 hours. And he wasn't having the same vision about the freighter. She didn't know if Anakin could see it or not. She didn't have that tight a link to her second brother, not the way she did with Jacen. It was the blessing and the curse of being a twin.

She was going to have to visit her obstetrician as soon as possible. And talk to Jag even before that.

She was not looking forward to either conversation.

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Jaina hadn't really been able to sleep well after the visions; she finally gave up at 0530. It wasn't a work day, and she'd planned to sleep in, but that wasn't going to happen. The one thing she didn't want to do was wake up Jag. He'd been burning the candle hard at both ends, and he needed the rest. She went into the fresher, took a shower, and put on some comfortable clothing.

After that, she went to the balcony to drink some tea and juice. She didn't feel like eating but she did need to hydrate. The tea was one that Alderaanian women traditionally drank during pregnancy.

She was going to have to tell Jag once he was awake, which provided extra importance to him getting some much needed rest.

The Coruscant sunrise was its usual explosion of color and heat. Jaina had begun dozing off and was loudly awakened by her comm.

Jacen.

"Jaina, I saw it. Your babies," he said softly.

Jaina had been attempting to maintain her stoicism, but her brother's gentle voice served to induce her to tears.

"It's called incomplete dysjunction, and it's usually fatal to babies of most species."

"Why is this happening? Our mother is a twin, you have healthy twins. Why did this happen?"

"Every now and then, DNA does things it's not supposed to do. I won't say it's random, seeing as it's really that we don't know enough, but it just happens. Like lots of other sucktastic things that happen."

"I can feel them dying."

"That's because they are dying. Every now and then you come across a live birth, but even then, they die within a few hours. Most often the mother miscarries but if she doesn't, she needs to have the fetuses removed. It poses a risk to you."

"I'm going to see my obstetrician this morning."

"Don't be surprised if they can't really do anything about it yet. The fetuses are smaller than the tip of your thumbnail, and it's hard to get a good read on it. Does your OB know you're Force sensitive?"

"I don't think so. I never mentioned it."

"Just don't be surprised if they say they can't do anything yet. Just be mindful. If you miscarry, get to the medicenter right away. And if you don't, and you're coming up on three months, by then they can tell and do a D and C. Most often, you'll miscarry. I'm sorry, Jaina. I wish I had something good to tell you."

"I think I'd feel better if you treated me than my obstetrician."

Jacen laughed. "Sorry, not knowledgeable about human physiology beyond the basics. You really wouldn't want me."

"I had another vision as well. You know we put a down payment on a freighter."

"Yeah. I didn't see that one. I kinda got stuck on the babies. Try Ani, though. He probably saw the freighter. I'm into life sciences, he's into applied sciences, so he'd be your go to guy."

"It's too early on Corellia to call."

"He'll probably call you."

"Jag is so excited about becoming a dad. I feel as if I've disappointed him."

"Not your fault. It just happens. Everything happens for a reason. It's just that sometimes it's for the wrong reason."

"You're telling me. Thanks."

"Anytime."

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Leia was getting ready for the class she taught in Intergalactic Diplomacy. She enjoyed teaching. After so many years of helping governments get on their feet, she had been ready to hang up her traveling shoes. This was a huge relief. She rarely traveled anywhere off planet without Han these days.

Yet this morning, she'd awakened with the sense something was off. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but it had something to do with the kids. As to which kid it was, she was unclear.

Someday, I'll have to have Luke train me, she told herself, but this wasn't the day.

Han had arisen with her and he was in the kitchen drinking a kaf. "Want one?" he asked her, winking at her.

"Well, since you asked, yes, and make it a double," she kidded him, trying to cover her negative feelings. It was hard. Han was not Force sensitive - he claimed to be sensitive about nothing - but he knew Leia.

"Thanks. I've got to get to my office."

"You all right?" Han asked her.

"I'm fine." She kissed Han. "Take it easy today."

"I'm gonna have to. You wore me out last night."

Jarik was staggering to the kitchen to get some kaf for school.

"Get a room," he grumbled at his parents. Han and Leia just looked at each other, nearly exploding into laughter.

It was one of the things Leia most loved about Han, and that was his ability to get her to laugh in just about any situation.

She gave Han one more kiss and headed out.