So, folks, I need a hobby. Preferably a cheap one that I can do at any time of day. I work weird hours, and don't get paid much, so this fit the bill. Here are a series of one-shots that fit into the story "Number The Stars" in various places. They won't be in order, but it should be self-explanatory where everything fits.
Cassian let the door slide closed behind him, and took a moment to savor the feeling of heat seeping back into his body. It was winter on Monbetsu, and the winds were blowing cold air from the southwest, and with it the thermometers plunged and the entire region was blanketed in a thick layer of snow and ice. The furnace was running full blast inside their cozy home, and he could hear the sounds of children's laughter from the back room. There was a metallic clatter from the direction of the kitchen; Jyn, no doubt, making dinner. Her cooking skills had improved by leaps and bounds through the years. She was never a "bad" cook, he recalled, but with more practice came confidence and proficiency.
Never in his life did Cassian imagine he would come home to this - a family. He'd been alone for so long that he'd given up hope completely for ever having anything other than an unnamed mass grave in some Empire backwater prison planet somewhere. He was bound to be caught eventually. Intelligence officers were only ever given ignoble deaths. Instead he had a warm home filled with laughter and love, children and a beautiful wife. He was alone no longer. A high-pitched shriek snapped him from his reverie as a small dark-haired child darted through the door opening.
"Papa!" She cried as she flung herself into Cassian's open arms. He boosted her easily into the air and wrapped his arms around her as she nuzzled her face into his scarf. "I missed you!" She chattered happily as he kicked off his boots and walked further into the house. He was only half listening as she filled him in on the events of her day. He'd spotted Jyn in the kitchen. Her feet were covered in thick socks, and she was patiently standing next to Yuka.
"Keep stirring." She coaxed as she stroked Yuka's long hair. "Don't let it burn."
"Yes, Mama." Yuka smiled and dutifully kept the contents of the pot in motion.
Jyn spied him in her peripheral vision, and waved him over.
"Welcome back." She grinned at him softly in that way that made his insides feel wobbly.
He kissed her cheeks and her forehead, and then bent carefully to drop a kiss to the top of Yuka's head.
Marlis sighed happily, safe in her father's arms, and Cassian closed his eyes for a moment to savor the quiet moment with his girls. There were hurried footsteps down the corridor as the boys rushed into the kitchen, breathless.
"We found them, Mama!" Their arms were laden with clothes and shoes.
Marlis wiggled to get down, and Cassian remembered the way Yuka used to do the same thing when she first came to live with them.
"Let me see!" She insisted to Nalin, and started pulling clothes from his bundle as Theo dropped his bundle in and empty chair, took his place at the counter, and started measuring out ingredients into a large bowl.
"Marli outgrew her winter clothes." Jyn explained as she helped unload the bundles from Nalin, placing the items carefully on the other chairs.
"What about this one?" She helped her littlest girl into a coat that Yuka outgrew a few years ago. It was a gift from Mabion and Honza because Yuka so loved Jyn's warm, grey coat. They'd managed to find a tiny version of the same coat in a dark green, the color of the tall trees that lined the path from the shuttle pad to the Hatakeyama's house. Yuka wore it until she'd grown so tall the shoulder seams nearly ripped. She was still a quiet girl, but Cassian was proud of the way she'd grown. She may not be Jyn's child by blood, but she was the more like her mother than any of the other children.
Yuka was brave and strong, and never let anyone mess with her. Cassian's wish for some of Jyn's fearlessness was granted tenfold. A child at school once bullied a smaller student about something, and Jyn's daughter, Yuka, punched that bully in the stomach while Theo and Nalin flanked the small, crying child and offered unneeded backup. While Cassian wasn't thrilled at the idea of any of his children being in fights, he was relieved to know that Yuka would never hesitate to defend herself. Her explanation when asked why she'd punched him was so very "Jyn" that he'd had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.
"They made Reebo cry." She shrugged, eyes wide and serious "Somebody had to do something."
He'd shot Jyn a look that clearly said "She gets this from you," and was rewarded with an identical shrug.
Marlis idolized her older sister and brothers, but she was much more introverted. That didn't worry Cassian or Jyn at all, as her three older siblings had no problem standing up to anyone who bothered her. Where Yuka, Theo, and Nalin loved to play outside and get dirty, Marlis wanted to be inside and clean. She loved nothing other than watching holovids or listening to Cassian read her stories of Festian lore. His baby girl was five, Cassian realized with a start as he watched her try on hand-me-downs from her older siblings. Old, he realized. He felt old. This was a luxury he never thought he'd be afforded. He'd been tired before, weary, battle-worn. He never dreamed he'd be old. Theo is eleven now, he smiled, and tousled his eldest son's curls. Eleven, almost ten, eight and a half, and five years old. His babies weren't babies any longer. They were happy and healthy. All four were in school. Theo and Nalin brought home excellent marks, and he couldn't be prouder of his sons. They were getting the education he was never afforded. They would have a future that didn't include war. Yuka was a whiz at school, as well, and loved her hijkata and zama-shiwo classes. She also got that from Jyn, Cassian mused. Only Jyn's daughter would love to brawl the way Yuka did. She may have been slow to warm up to Jyn at first, but their bond was undeniable now.
Theo was the linguist, and loved his translator droid, begging for new language upgrades every few months so he could teach himself more tongues and dialects. He loved to tinker with the droids and computers, and managed to reprogram the nanny bot to speak only Bocce, much to Jyn's chagrin. Nalin preferred music, and spent hours practicing vioflute and seven-string halikset. He'd been bugging Jyn and Cassian to get him a mandoviol. Cassian often thought of his mother and her love of art and music when he heard Nalin practicing. Every dissonant chord was music to his ears. He had no pictures or holos of himself from his childhood; no images of his parents or siblings. Looking at Nalin, however, Cassian imagined that he could see his mother's face. Her nose, like his own - and like his son's. Her cheekbones. Her dark brown eyes. Spindly, like Cassian had been at that age, and every bit the artist Cassian remembered his mother encouraging him to become. He was making good money now, even with Jyn only working part time, and they could afford to provide their children with some nonessential things just for fun.
Art supplies, paints, clay, instruments, lessons, martial arts for Yuka, old droids and parts for Theo to rebuild and program. He wondered regularly what would catch Marli's eye. What interests would she have? Jyn had truly come into her own in the past eleven years, too. He'd encouraged her to go back to school, and she had. She'd studied for the entrance exams while staying home with a newborn Marlis, and attended part-time studying botany and ecology. Together, she and a friend from town started a company that monitored the forests around Monbetsu and protected the beauty of their new-found home planet. Yuka and the boys still loved to go for hikes with her as she pointed out budding flowers and new seedlings. Cassian couldn't be more proud of his wife. Clearly, he had been correct in his assessment that her parents' intellect was hereditary.
In truth, she was an even better mother than Cassian had ever dreamed. It shouldn't surprise him; Jyn excelled at everything she did. Her children knew they were loved, and felt secure in their surroundings. Her tendencies had frustrated Cassian somewhat in those early days when it was just the two of them and Theo. She'd rush to him every time he squeaked or fussed. She slept more nights sitting up holding tiny Theo, clutching him to her chest, than she spent in their own bed in those early days.
"He's fine." He whispered softly as brushed Jyn's hair gently from her eyes. "Come back to bed. Get some rest."
"Just a little longer." She murmured against his temple, exhaustion palpable as he rubbed her back. He knew she wasn't coming back, and was mature enough to not take it personally. It was a few days later when he'd finally asked her about it.
"He'll be okay, Jyn." He mumbled sleepily as she dragged herself out of bed and across the room to the box they'd set up for Theo to sleep in.
"No, I'll get him." Her voice was raspy, as she was getting over a mild viral illness, no doubt brought on by the decreased immunity that came with chronic sleep deprivation.
"Jyn, you need to sleep." He pushed himself up on his elbows to look at her in the dim light cast from the lamp outside the window. She looked so peaceful sitting there in the chair, cuddling Theo against her.
"Later." She whispered brusquely, but her face was nothing but peace as she gazed at the tiny bundle in her arms.
There was something beneath the surface there, he realized. Jyn didn't do anything without good reason. "Tell me." He urged gently as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
Jyn hesitated and looked down at Theo's curly hair. "I want him to know..." She paused and swallowed. "That I'll always come for him when he needs me."
Cassian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Deep inside, in the parts of her she rarely let him see, Jyn was still an eight-year-old girl left alone on a lonely planet in a bunker. She was still sixteen, and abandoned by Saw. She'd been left by everyone she ever loved, except for him, and Cassian worried that she was waiting for him to leave, too. Of course she would never let her son cry alone. She knew exactly how it felt to know that no one was ever coming for you.
"I love you." He started, promising himself that he wouldn't shed the tear that threatened to overflow. "But you do need to get some sleep. Why don't we take turns getting him when he fusses?"
"Okay." Jyn agreed, too weary to argue. "But get the next one. He's almost asleep."
He'd kept his promise, and Jyn got more sleep and functioned far better after that. They continued the tradition with each subsequent child, and Cassian even programmed a nanny bot to take care of Yuka and Marlis when they were small. Jyn still insisted on getting up when they called, even though the nanny bot was already there. Cassian kept his promise, though, and alternated turns with her.
Her efforts paid off, Cassian realized later. Their children were safe, and knew they were loved. They'd never had to wonder if their parents were coming back for them. Jyn's old fears and abandonment issues were not transferred to their children. A few months before Theo's eighth birthday she'd become withdrawn and skittish. It took him an embarrassingly long four days to figure out why. They'd been married for nearly eight years. Theo was turning eight. Jyn was abandoned at age eight, and again eight years later by Saw. Hanako suggested a trip, and Cassian knew just the place.
"Why are we here, Cassian?" She'd breathed with exasperation as she gathered the younger children. Cassian was handing bags to Theo and Nalin, and working Marlis from the safety seat in the back of the speeder.
"You'll see." He winked at Theo, and Jyn frowned. They were all up to something. She boosted Yuka out of the speeder and grabbed her hand while balancing Marlis on one hip.
She'd been too busy brokering peace between squabbling siblings on the ride over that she hadn't taken in their location, yet.
"Cassian, why are we here?" She hissed under her breath as she noticed her surroundings and the monk walking toward them with a wide grin on his face.
"Cassian Andor." The monk exclaimed as he shook Cassian's hand warmly. "This is your family." It wasn't a question, and he did not pause for a response. "It is a blessing to see you all. Right this way."
"Kiwa?" Jyn paled as she saw her friend waiting for her inside.
"Ladies only, come this way." She herded Yuka and Marlis toward a room in the back, and it clicked for Jyn.
"Is someone getting married?"
"Yes." Kiwa answered evenly, and Marlis and Yuka giggled. Something was definitely up.
"Now, put this on." She handed Jyn a bundle.
"On?" Jyn stared at her friend, mouth agape.
"You take off what you're wearing, and then you put on what's in that package." Kiwa smiled at her as she unpacked the bags Yuka and Marli had with them. Jyn shook her head and unwrapped the package to reveal the deep purple dress she'd worn eight years ago when she married Cassian.
"Kiwa?" She reached out a hand to brush over the satiny fabric, lost in memories of the day she'd last worn this dress.
"Put it on, Jyn." Kiwa urged, as she helped Marli out of her boots and coat and helped her slip on a lovely dark blue dress. Yuka slipped on a similar dress in teal, and Jyn bent to help her fasten the back. It had intricate buttons just like Jyn's borrowed wedding dress. Long sleeves and no frills. Pefect for Jyn's little fighter. Marli's dress was a little more full. Lace around the collar and edging the hem and sleeves. Jyn thought her daughter looked like an angel, if a very frilly one. Yuka twirled around in front of the mirror, and Jyn smiled at her. She rarely wore dresses, but seemed to like this one.
Her girls were so happy, that Jyn couldn't help but undress and slip the frock back on. It had been eight years since she'd worn it. It wasn't as loose as it once had been. Two children had left their mark on her body, but Cassian didn't seem to care at all. If anything, he worshiped her more now after bearing two of his children. Nalin took after his father so much that Jyn sometimes felt she was watching a holovid of young Cassian. And Marlis was so perfectly half of each of them. She had Cassian's skin, golden and perfect, and Jyn's curls. Cassian's smile, but Jyn's green eyes. Theo programmed droids and had Cassian's gift for languages. Nalin had Cassian's mother's love of art and music. Yuka was Jyn's little clone, battling with her fists and kicking her way into the world. And Marlis, sweet Marlis. She was too young to tell for now.
Kiwa did her hair, and waved at Hanako when she poked her head inside. Together, the ladies applied soft makeup to Jyn's face much the way they had eight years prior. They combed out Marli's hair, braided Yuka's, and pinned flowers into the ends of her braids and placed a crown of flowers on Marlis' head.
Cassian felt almost as nervous this time as he had before, even though Mabion, Theo, and Nalin were standing up with him. Marlis pranced up the aisle, and Yuka, ever serious, walked slowly in front of her mother. Kentarosan walked with her again, along with Hanako and Kiwa, and the aged monk who married them the first time performed the ceremony again.
Eight years after they'd first stood in this temple, Cassian repeated his pledge to stay with Jyn and love her forever. Tears glistened in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks as she took in the enormity of what he was doing for her. She'd been anxious for weeks, so used to people leaving her that she'd been waiting for the abandonment again. Instead of leaving her, he'd brought her back to this lovely temple with their children and close friends, and pledged again to love her forever. Cassian gently wiped away her tears with the pads of his fingers, then grabbed the scrap of cloth the monk handed him, and dabbed her cheeks with that, too.
"I'm never leaving you." He'd whispered later that night as he held her. Jyn smiled sleepily and mumbled something incoherent as she drifted off to sleep, safe in her husband's arms, and secure in the knowledge that he was always coming back for her.
Author's Note: Updates may be sporadic, as I work ridiculous hours. And if you hate it, just, be kind. No profanity or name-calling, please. Let's be civil.