I do not own anything, and I apologise for any kind of writing error! Thank you and God Bless!

The day went on pleasantly smooth. Despite that he had lost several times to Jaing in sabaac. But then again Mereel had never been one for sabaac. It was fun and all, but he didn't find it as vigorous as Jaing and Kom'rk seemed to. At least he managed to get some cookies out of it.

Mereel yawned as he walked into his room, and shut the door behind him. He wasn't all that tired though. Perhaps he could find something on his datapad worth mulling over. Maybe find a holonet chat area to talk with a few women from Keldabe.

Mereel chuckled as he thought of what his father would say to that. Your as slick as they come Mer'ika. Mereel could just picture him smiling and shaking his head as he said it.

Mereel plunked down on the bed as soon as it was within reach. The comfortable fabrics felt good against his skin being fresh out of the shower. He stretched fully out over the comforter. Even going as far as to spread his arms all the way out. Too bad he didn't have anything to show it for.

Again he chuckled, remembering Kal'buir's expression.

Mereel sighed and sat up against the headboard of the bed. Grabbing his datapad in the process. He flicked it on and checked over the screen for any changes. His message box was blinking. Mereel pressed his finger to the message indicator and a whole list of read or unread messages appeared in front of him. However, he only had one unread message.

It was one he hadn't really been too keen on reading. It was sent a long time ago. Almost two weeks. Guess his datapad got tired of him ignoring it.

Mereel just stared at it for a long while, debating what to do. Finally, with a roll of his eyes, he gave in and opened up the message. His eyes scrolled the rows of words as he read. But as he read even more his attention was peaked. Then it seemed to be leading toward something. Mereel was now completely absorbed in the message. Then it all slipped away. Replaced by cold sweat.

The words he had just read had just become the biggest shock of his life. He wasn't even aware of anything, except a few particular words replaying over and over again in his head. As if he was trying to fully realize a sudden truth.

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up he stared into the concerned face of his brother, Prudii. "You alright Mereel?" He asked.

Mereel didn't nod or shake his head, he just stared down his datapad. Only to see it had fallen out of his hands somewhere.

"What happened?" Prudii asked again.

"I -" Mereel stumbled over his words. "I recieved a message." Was the best he could breath out."

"From who?"

"Someone I knew." Mereel looked to the edge of the bed closest to him and saw the datapad lying on the floor. Prudii must have followed his stare, and picked up the datapad. Mereel however continued to stare at the spot where it was. Not moving at all. Just breathing heavily and sweating profoundly. Then he heard Prudii gasp, and he stared at his brother.

Prudii looked back and forth between him and the datapad. Mereel remained as still as a stone. Until Prudii sprang up and dragged Mereel along with him to Kal'buir's room. He was muttering something, but Mereel just couldn't process what it was. Prudii just burst into the room along with Mereel, and their father was staring at them.

"What's wrong ad'ika's? And what happened to Mereel?"

"Kal'buir, you better read this." Prudii handed the device to Kal'buir as well as got Mereel to sit down on the bed. Then when Mereel heard Kal'buir read the message aloud he stopped and listened.

"Mereel,

I'm pretty sure you remember me, but it's Elia. I've run into some trouble. Ever since the Empire took over I've been struggling financially. I was fired from my job and haven't been able to find any work since. So, I was forced to take up work as a bounty hunter just to get by. But I've been messing with the Empire too much, now they've got a price on my head. I can't leave Coruscant without them recognizing my ship, and I can't afford to buy another one. Your the only one I know who can help me. I need to get out of here not just for my sake.

Listen Mereel, I don't know how it happened, and I'm not sure if this will hinder your decision of wether or not to come and help me. But you need to know. A short while after you left I found out I was pregnant. I wasn't sure who the father was at the time though. It's a girl, Her name is Auren. As soon as she was born I found out who the father was. Mereel, Auren's yours. She has your eyes.

I don't know what your reaction is to all of this, but I'm desperate. I really need to get off Coruscant. If you don't want to be part of Auren's life I understand. All I'm asking is that you help us. I'm begging you to help us. Your going yo have to find me if you do. Ever since a price came on my head I've had to leave my home. I can't tell you where I am now. I'm afraid that it could compromise me and Auren if I do.

If you don't want to help I understand. I just thought it was worth asking.

Ellia."

Kal'buir didn't say anything for a while. Mereel just stared at the floor. The same sentence going on over and over again in his head like before. Auren's yours.

Mereel definitely remembered Ellia. She had been me of his more casual flings. But they had been so careful when they...they had even used protection. Suddenly Mereel remembered there was a couple scenarios where they were just a little more desperate. It could have happened then.

Mereel wasn't sure about Auren. He had never even thought about having a kid in his life. He definitely loved Kad, but he was Darman and Etain's son. Auren was his. And for the first time in a long time he didn't know what to do.

"Oh Mer'ika." Kal'buir whispered. Then Mereel felt his father's comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What are you going to do?" Prudii asked.

Mereel was out of it for a moment, but eventually he shook his head and found his voice. "I don't know. I mean I've...I've never even thought of having a kid. Let alone a kid whose stuck on Coruscant."

"What about her mother?" Kal'buir asked.

"Ellia is a woman I met in that candy shop that day. You remember Kal'buir?" Mereel looked up at his father. When he nodded Mereel looked back down at the floor. "She and I, well, we kind of didn't go at it right away. She was just a pretty face I was interested in, and then eventually got her to sleep with me. After a while she kind of got tired that that was all we were doing. So, as usual. I got up and left."

"But now you two have a daughter, and she's stuck on Coruscant. What are you going to do?" Prudii asked.

Mereel shook his head. "I don't know. I mean eh...this is a lot to process right now."

"I know Mer'ika. I know." Kal'buir rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. "You don't have to make a decision right away, but the choice is yours. You can think about it if you want to." Mereel just nodded. "Come here son." Kal'buir pulled Mereel into his arms.

Mereel was comforted by the feel of his father's arms around him. His embrace was there only thing that could keep him sane right now. He was right though. He had to make a decision. Whether or not to help Ellia and Auren. Also, if he wanted to be a full father to Auren. Mereel just didn't know what do at all, and that was frazzling to him.

Besany was awake early the next morning.

After her talk with Jilka She had gone strait to Mij and asked him to check her out. To see if her suspicions where in fact true. She was sprawled out on the small bed of their own little medical facility.

It used to be Ko Sai's lab. Then when everyone else moved in it was converted into a medical area.

Besany watched Mij at his desk. Tinkering with all of his various lab equipment. She had just given him a blood sample, now he was running it through some kind of machine.

A heavy weight was on her the whole time. Questions like, how will Ordo react, are we even ready for a baby, ran through her mind as the minutes ticked by. Her hands wrung anxiously over her stomach while she waited, and a cold sweat plastered her forehead.

Something beeped from the desk, and when Besany looked Mij was doing something. She just couldn't see what. Her anxiety peeked.

"Well Bez," He said. Besany sat up on her elbows. "looks like you were right to be suspicious."

Besany shrugged her shoulders, annoyed that Mij wasn't just coming out with it. "What does that mean?"

"It means that you were right. Your pregnant."

Besany's expression turned from agitation to shock. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide. Mij seemed to be regarding her for a response. Instead she looked down at her belly, as though she was trying to reassure herself that she really was pregnant. Having Ordo's baby.

"Can you tell how far along I am?" She whispered.

"Looking here it says your at about six weeks. Or a month an a half to be exact."

"Oh. I didn't even notice anything only up to a couple weeks ago."

"I've read that women usually don't notice anything until around now. So, everything looks good for now."

"Ok." Besnay nodded. Then her expression turned serious again and she looked at Mij. "Mij you can't tell anyone. Not even Kal'buir."

"Hey!" Mij threw his hands in the air. "Don't worry Bez I'm sworn to secrecy. You can tell them in your own sweet time." Mij turned back to his equipment. "But if I were you, the sooner the better. Especially Ordo."

Mij sure was right on that one. But it wasn't telling them that worried her, it was their reaction. Particularly Ordo's, since it was his baby.

As she made her way to breakfast she straitened her shirt. Out of paranoia though. She knew there was no bump yet, there wouldn't be for a while. Not for another few months. She probably wouldn't stop obsessing over it though until she felt an actual bump.

Besany pushed that thought aside as she entered their version of a dining room. Most of the family were already at the table eating. All of the Nulls, as usual, Atin and Laseema, and Fi and Parja. Kal'buir was seated at his usual spot at the end. Ordo had an empty seat beside him. Besany smiled at how sweet he was to save a seat for him. She ruffled his hair as she passed him. Grabbing a plate off the countertop she placed several of the various foods Laseema had prepared.

As Besany sat she felt Ordo's questioning gaze on her. She had hoped to avoid this when she woke up. That he would just think she had gone to help Laseema in the kitchen. Judging by his curious gaze he was thinking differently.

Sometimes Besany wondered why she thought she could fool Ordo. He was more perceptive than average. She must just forget this sometimes.

"Where where you?" He whispered.

Besany looked at him over her glass of juice. "I'll tell you later." She whispered. She clasped his hand under the table to reassure him. A sense of relief swept over her as soon as he returned to eating.

Over time Besany's gaze drifted to everyone else at the table. Mainly the Nulls as she watched them devour their food with great intensity. Once Niner arrived at the table did she realize something. Mereel was missing. Which wasn't like him at all. All of the Nulls where at breakfast early.

"Where's Mereel?" Besany directed to Kal'buir.

Kal'buir froze, as well as the rest of the family it seemed. Seems she was the only one who had noticed he wasn't here.

Kal'buir sighed, all eyes were trailed on him. "He had a rough night last night."

Besany turned to Ordo. When he only shrugged she looked back at Kal'buir.

"What happened?" Fi asked.

"He got a message from Coruscant."

At the mention of Coruscant everyone tensed up. "He's not in any kind of trouble is he?" Niner asked.

"Well that depends. The message was from an old fling of his. Turns out she has a kid, and uh...Mereel's the dad."

Besany gasped, as did a lot of the other members of the family at the table.

"But that's not all." Kal'buir continued. "She's got a price on her head and is stuck on Coruscant. She wants Mereel to come and help."

"Well does he want to?" A'den asked.

"I think in his heart he wants to, but I also think right now he's just adjusting to having a kid." Kal'buir said.

Besany understood too well. Even though she had suspected her pregnancy for a while, she was still adjusting to the news that she really was.

Mereel on the other hand just wasn't ready at all for that kind of responsibility. He was still kind of just a big kid himself, Besany knew. "Do you think he will help her?" She asked.

"I think he'll at least help her get off Corrie, but I don't know if he really wants to be a father to Auren. "

"Yeah I mean, we all know Mereel." Niner said. "All adventure, no settle. Not way he'd want to give that up."

All of these points made were true. Mereel did love adventure, he never made any kind of indication he wanted to give that up. He probably never considered just settling down with someone and raising a family. This new child of his would definitely make someone think. They would know, Dar didn't know about Kad until he was a year old. They all know how that turned out.

"Where is he?" Besany asked.

"Probably still in his room. I'd give him some space, but if you want to try and talk to him be my guest."

Besany mulled over her thoughts, and for the rest of breakfast kept thinking about what she should do.

I'm not so sure I nailed Mereel's shock part, but I think it at least came out ok. Hope you all enjoyed it! Thank you and God Bless! !