Title: Lilies, Earth, and the Sea
Author: FelsGoddess
Timeframe: Sometime after LotF
Characters: Jaina, Jag, Ben
Genre: Mush
Keywords: Monday Mush Mania challenge
Summary: Jaina and Jag learn that they are about to become parents.
Notes: Written for the July 19, 2010 MMM Challenge
Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me.

This had not been her day.

Hell, this had not been her month.

It had started simple enough. Grand Master Kenth Hamner had sent her on a simple diplomatic mission. After she completed the mission, her uncle had called her and asked her to meet Ben and help him with a situation on the Outer Rim.

Of course, that situation was harder than Luke said. Not only had negotiations with the government officials been impossible, but also they had been shot at, chased and almost poisoned.

She and Ben had finally completed their mission and were now waiting to hear from Luke.

She was tired, hungry, nauseous, dirty and annoyed. She hadn't seen her husband in person for over a month. She hadn't spoken to him in two weeks.

And to top it all off, she was pregnant.

Jag had no idea. Jaina groaned as she remembered when she found out. She hadn't been feeling well for several weeks and decided to scan herself. She found the baby with the Force. Wanting confirmation, she bought a test. She had worn a disguise and muddled her appearance with the Force. The last thing both her and Jag needed was some reporter telling the galaxy the Imperial Head of State's wife was spotted on a backwater planet buying a pregnancy test.

Jaina had taken the test. Not thinking about Ben, she had sat on the bed in her room of their suite staring at the positive color strip on the stick. Ben had barged into her room upon feeling her turbulent emotions, which caused her to jump and knock the test box on the floor and drop the test. Ben had reached down to pick up the box, saw what it was and froze. Jaina had to confirm what he thought and swear him to secrecy. That had been 24 hours ago.

Jaina glared at the comm unit. She needed to go home. She had refused Ben's demands that she see a doctor. Jaina had no idea how far along she was. If she had to guess, she would say about two or three months. She hadn't been diligent on tracking.

Jaina didn't know what she was going to tell Jag. She was thrilled. She knew he would be, but what were they going to do? Currently, Jaina traveled to and from Coruscant and Bastion. She couldn't do that with a baby nor did she want to. She wanted to give her child the stable life she never had. Jag couldn't step down from his job. He was the only person stopping a full out war with the Hapes Cluster. If that happened, the Galactic Alliance would be pulled in and it'd be a civil war all over again. No, Jaina would have to leave Coruscant. She'd have to participate from a distance, like Zekk did from the Hapes Cluster or like Corran Horn currently did from Corellia.

And what would happen when her child was old enough to train to be a Jedi? With her linage and Jag's political position, it was vital their child be capable of protecting himself. Jaina didn't want to send her child to Coruscant where he or she would be an outsider. Regardless of blood, this child would be raised Imperial.

The comm sounded. Jaina downloaded the message to her datapad. She cursed a few minutes later.

She had to go to Corellia.

Jagged Fel ran his hand through his hair as he glanced at the communicator in his cabin. Jaina still hadn't responded. Jag had sent her a message that afternoon telling her he had to go to Corellia to negotiate with the diktat. Being Corellia, they wouldn't simply accept a representative. Jag's security detail was high; he'd even managed to get the Jedi to supply undercover aid. One could never be too careful with around Corellia.

He wasn't taking any chances. The last thing he needed was some crazy Corellian scheme to kidnap him and pull power. Or try to blow him up.

Jag sat down on the bed. He knew that this mission wasn't his problem. He missed his wife, to put it simply. He had accepted long ago that if he and Jaina wanted to stay together, they would be separated for long periods. No one said he had to like it.

He spent the voyage reading about Corellia in a somewhat fruitful attempt to not dwell on Jaina. He did not feel any more prepared for the mission than when he had left. The Corellian government had expressed a small interest in joining the Empire. From what Jag could determine, they were broke and desperately needed help.

As the shuttle landed, Jag stiffened in surprised as he saw the two Jedi waiting for him. A grin broke out on his face. The situation had suddenly taken a positive turn.

"You have the rest of the day off," Jaina instructed Ben after he put his travel bag in his room. "Go learn something about other cultures or something."

"Gladly," Ben said as he glanced at cousin, who was curled up next to Jag on the couch. He'd spent the past two hours blocking the powerful emotions coming off his cousin and her husband. He was more than happy to find something to do.

As soon as Ben closed the main door, Jaina turned to face Jag, "Hamner didn't tell me I was guarding you. It must be serious if the Jedi are leading you assistance."

Jag shrugged, "No one wants another war with Corellia. Besides, I didn't ask him. I talked to your uncle."

"Oh," Jaina responded. She glanced down at her hands in thought.

"What's wrong?" Jag asked.

Jaina took a deep breath and then let it out. "I'm pregnant."

Jag's eyes widened immediately. Jaina waited nervously for him to formulate a response. She wondered if she should have said it differently or more diplomatically.

A grin broke out on Jag's face and he let out a short, joyous laugh as he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her cheeks, forehead, nose and finally her mouth. When he released her, he said, "We're having a baby?"

"Yes," Jaina said with an infectious giggle, "We're having a baby."

"When?"

"I'm not completely sure," she admitted.

"You need to see a medic," he said. "Right away."

"I will, but not today and not here," she assured him, laying a hand on his cheek.

Jag looked alarmed, "Oh no, you can't stay here. It's too dangerous."

Jaina gave him a hard look, "I'll be fine. I won't do anything stupid."

"I know you won't, but it's too-"

"Jagged Fel, do you really believe that I can't take care of myself? That I won't be extra cautious?" she scolded.

"No, you're right. I'm sorry," he said quickly.

Jaina gave him an amused grin, "If I'd know that all I had to do to get you to agree with me about everything was to get pregnant, I would have suggested this years ago."

Jag raised his eyebrow in confusion. Jaina laughed, tossing her head back, "Never mind. "

He accepted that answer and pulled her closer to him once more. She took his hand and placed it on her abdomen.

"In less than a year, she'll be here."

"She? Do you know?" he asked earnestly.

Jaina closed her eyes and reached inward to the tiny life dwelling inside of her. The pureness of that life swirled around her in a spectrum of colors and sensations. Blue, greens and purples swirled through Jaina's mind. The soft scent of lilies, earth and the sea assaulted her senses. The tiny cluster of cells, a perfect combination of her and Jag, filled her senses with a feminine aura. Jaina had never sensed anything so beautiful and pure. She hated that Jag couldn't experience it.

She opened her eyes, "Let me in."

Jag nodded, knowing what she meant, and closed his eyes. Jaina placed one hand on his temple and the other over his hand that still rested on her abdomen. She could feel him drop his mental shields. Reaching out to her daughter, she concentrated on the distinct aura and drew it to Jag. It took considerable mental effort, but the overwhelming sense of joy and wonder radiating off her husband was more than worth.

As the connection closed, Jaina opened her eyes. Jag stared at her, green eyes shimmering. Wordlessly, he placed a hand on either side of her face and leaned in to kiss her. They shared a long, slow, tender kiss. When they pulled apart, he opened his mouth to speak, but Jaina placed a finger on his lips.

"I know."