"Luke," she whispers, "I'm pregnant."
Leia's dark eyes, which he has always found opaque and determined, have now roared to life. She is teary, and the light glitters on the watery surface of her irises. It truly burns gold, and for a moment he can see those Tatooine suns in her.
He finds himself smiling softly, unsurprised, happy. She reaches out both of her hands, pale and lined with fate, and he holds them within his own. She closes her eyes, sighing dreamily, and he knows she is completely in love.
"That's wonderful," he says. She nods enthusiastically.
"It is! Oh, it is," she agrees. She releases his hands and places her palms over her abdomen. Inside she feels a soft pulsation, a mewing, a curling. It hums and vibrates, like a noise so loud it might chatter the teeth. She feels it growing, the warmth and innocence of hungry muscles and bones floods her head, deafens her, she can feel it is completely and definitely ablaze with life. It drifts over her like a delicious smell, or a beautiful strain of music. She runs her hands over herself, her belly puckered outward, and finds herself near hysterical with the joy of it all.
"How long have you known?" Luke asks softly.
"Three months," she beams at him. "Oh, Luke. I can feel him!"
Luke blinks at her, bewildered.
"In the Force. In the Force." She exclaims, "I feel him growing, and changing, and I feel his heart. I feel his thoughts. I – I didn't know this could happen."
She rubs her hands under her eyes, feels the heat and tastes the salt of her tears, becoming ecstatic – every time she describes it she is not herself, she is uncontrolled and naive. This, she thinks to him, as he burns inside, this is everything, you are perfect. She is met with a tight twist, and then the sensation that a coil is unravelling in her chest. As it turns she feels the thrumming and sparking and crackling of energy under her fingers, she feels her ears sting, burst, ring, and she is filled with a glorious sensation of weightlessness, as though gazing at the sky while floating on a tepid, clear lake. It is love, she thinks.
"Him?" Luke chuckles.
"I know he's a boy," she says, and then trying to calm herself, she begins smoothing her hair and clearing her throat. "And I know he is strong."
Luke raises an eyebrow, watching her curiously. He looks at her, questioning. "May I?"
She is slightly concerned, something about these new sensations and thoughts drowning her make her uneasy, and unsure of herself. She knows no-one else in the world that might be able to understand. This is a connection like nothing she has felt before – and she knows Han is jealous of it, but she can't help her selfishness. She is glad no-one can share it, and she does not want Luke to intrude.
"Oh," she mumbles. "Alright."
Luke very gently places his palm over her rounded midriff, and she notes one large vein in his hand, raised up between his knuckles, and she can feel it steadily pushing blood. His eyes float closed, and she inhales.
Then he jolts, and his eyes are wide, and dilated, and he seems to be reeling. He steps back suddenly. She holds herself, staring at him, a frown hacking down into her forehead.
"What?" she probes, when he does not explain himself. He blinks quickly. She feels baby thrumming, his heart beating like the wings of a hummingbird.
"He is strong," Luke affirms. He smiles again at her, and rubs her shoulder affectionately. "Congratulations. It's fantastic, Leia."
She gazes at him, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong," he assures her, "I just haven't felt anything like that before, is all."
But he has. Many times. He smiles at her again, kisses her cheek and leaves. His hand still feels warm, and the power echoes on his skin, prickly and stinging. At first it was bright, white, and then became a vacuum, turned inwards, and no light was reflected, and no light could escape.
And so it unnerves him when he knows, despite all that, that the child will have Leia's eyes. He decides to ignore it. Leia does, too.
But they know.
Thanks for reading! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. If you like feel free to check out my Vader fic, You Love Too Much!