Chapter Twenty-One: An Expanding Family

"I like the blue script," Leia told Padmé as they flipped through the samples of wedding place cards in Leia's bedroom the following day. The veranda was still damaged from the previous day's excitement, so they had transferred to a different location to continue their wedding planning. "I'll have to confirm with Han, but I think he agreed that he'd prefer a lighter color."

"Your wedding's still in eight months," Padmé replied soothingly as Leia watched her compare the curly blue script to the previously selected tablecloth colors. "You'll have plenty of time to worry about things like this in the future." She shot Leia a fond glance.

Leia smiled, feeling her cheeks blush slightly at all the attention that was being set on her decisions. All the talk about the upcoming event, however far in advance it seemed at the time, made her excited.

"Soon you'll have to start looking at wedding dresses," Padmé said with a small smile as Leia gathered the sample cards up and set them beside them on the couch.

Leia smiled as she considered her mother's excitement. It was the first wedding in their immediate family, and Leia could tell she loved the anticipation as much as Leia did. "What style did you go with?" Leia asked her, wondering how her mother had looked in her wedding dress.

Padmé looked at her suddenly. "Haven't you ever seen holos of my wedding?"

Leia shook her head, not knowing that her mother even had holos of their wedding. The only thing Leia knew about their wedding was that it had been a private ceremony, kept quiet to guard the reputation of both Anakin and Padmé.

"I'll have to show you sometime," Padmé replied. "It was a lace gown. I was lucky enough to get one at such late notice, but I loved it the moment I set eyes on it-"

"Got it!" Han's voice finally announced in victory, interrupting Padmé's words. He entered the bedroom, his eyes glued to the datapad in his hands as he hastily hurried to the couch where Leia and Padmé were seated. He looked above and beyond excited.

Leia and Padmé's heads snapped up to look at him, and Leia instantly knew what he was referring to. He, Anakin, and Luke had been researching relentlessly through the night, trying to gather all the information they could about the family tribes of Devaron

"Look," Han said smugly, pressing both the datapad and Vadim's pendant into Leia's hands. Leia turned the datapad around so the image was the right side up, and peered at the image that Han had enlarged for better viewing.

Leia peered at it, and then glanced at the pendant in her hand. They didn't match. "Han, these aren't the same."

"What!" Han snatched the datapad back and began to grumble angrily to himself, "I spent three damn hours trying to match this kriffing choker and it's the wrong-!" He stopped abruptly, his anger vanishing, and he stared at the screen. He squinted for a moment, and then handed the datapad back to Leia. "Worship, you just pressed one of the buttons and switched the image," he informed her.

Leia rolled her eyes. She had done no such thing. "You mean you did," she returned sardonically as she began to examine the image. As she stared at the image, she could already see that it was very similar to the pendant. At closer look, examining all of the grooves and markings on the metal. "It looks-"

"Identical?" Han filled in smugly. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her pointedly. "You can thank me later."

Leia blushed when she realize the hint inside Han's words and prayed that her mother beside her hadn't picked up the implications. She probably had. Although Leia knew very little about her parents' romantic relationship, she suspected that they used the same verbal hints to play around with each other. "I was going to say that it looks surprisingly intricate," she finished.

Han looked doubtful and slightly offended.

"And you found the tribe that matches this symbol?" she asked him.

"Of course I did," he replied. "Look on the previous page. It has all the information on the tribe, all the family information, the location of their home…"

It was truly all there. The information seemed to be a census of some sort, and it provided all the information Luke, Han, and Anakin would need to travel there and find Bogdaan Vadim's family. Suddenly, the whole gravity of the situation came crashing down on Leia. Now that they had truly found the information, Han, Luke, and Anakin would be leaving soon for Devaron. And who knew how long they might be there. They would be combing through the planet, trying to track down the family, probing Vadim's family for information… It could be as long as a month. Perhaps longer. Could Leia wait as long as a month in their absence with the wedding approaching? With Padmé's baby coming soon? The time was ticking down for both. And even if the wedding could be moved, a birth could not. Leia sighed. A part of her knew that her reluctance for them to go was motived by selfishness. She had a right to be worried, though. Who knew how the planet would receive them? Devaronians were known to be less-than-friendly to outsiders or those who threatened them. And who was to say that the government itself wasn't involved in the entire scandal? Everything that they were going off of was vague and tentative, both of which would cost them a great deal, and in more ways than one.

Leia looked at him, trying not to sound selfish about it. "You're going, then?"

Han looked at her, as if sensing her tentativeness but unsure how to respond. "I suppose so."

"What about planning for the wedding?"

Han seemed to realize her hesitation. "I thought we agreed this was more important."

It was, a part of Leia agreed. There was a greater cause, for the safety of those who were at risk, as well as the eventual freedom of the slaves that still existed. But it still didn't set her at ease. It just seemed irresponsible for them to leave when there was only a vague fact to lead them there. It seemed irresponsible when there were duties at home that needed to be upheld. Mainly: the caring for Jinn, the arrival of the new baby, the approaching wedding…. "We could convince Mothma to send out spies to investigate," Leia offered. If they were to make certain that it would lead them to the assassin, perhaps then things would be more final, less uncertain. Because right now, more than anything, she needed finality. "Perhaps you won't have to."

Just then, Luke and Anakin entered the room, interrupting what might have become a Leia and Han argument.

"Father tells me you found it, Han?" Luke asked him, obvious enthusiasm in his voice.

"Yeah," Han replied, passing the datapad over to Luke.

"Well," Luke said, breaking the silence after he had scanned the datapad information over quickly and noted the information. "When do we leave?" He looked up at the others, waiting for a reply from Han and Anakin.

Han and Anakin were both silent for a few moments, and Leia knew they were both reluctant to answer that question. Anakin's eyes flickered to Padmé, but no one broke the silence until Luke began to frown, realizing something was amiss.

"…I take it that we're not going with the original plan…?" Luke trailed off, obviously looking for explanation. There was another uncomfortable pause.

Finally, it was Anakin who spoke. "Umm," he began awkwardly, clearing his throat. "Actually, your mother and I have something to tell you all."

Leia knew what was coming, but she could tell that Luke and Han did not. Both were looking at Anakin closely, deep frowns etched on their features. Anakin was usually very put-together, in both words and behavior, and therefore it was very odd for them to see him appear so uncomfortable. Suddenly, as he opened his mouth to continue, the abrupt touch of Padmé's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Ani," she interrupted him – sternly, but softly enough that they knew the words were meant for Anakin only. "If you feel it's right, then I'll be okay for a few weeks waiting for you."

Anakin looked towards her, seeming surprised to hear it. He shook his head, however, and replied softly, "Padmé, I told you I'd prefer to be here with you. This is where I feel I should be. Where I want to be."

Padmé's eyes softened, hearing the sincerity in his tone, and she nodded, taking her hand from Anakin's arm and smoothing her dress in self-consciousness.

Anakin turned his attention back to the others. "You all may as well sit down," Anakin told them, his blunt tone addressing them directly. "You're just making us nervous."

Glancing at one another briefly, Luke and Han stiffly sat, their suspicion and anticipation growing. Leia sat beside Han, watching her parents just as carefully as her brother and fiancé.

Anakin took a deep breath and a small, nervous smile suddenly bloomed unbidden on his lips now that the moment was upon them. "Do you want to tell them?" he asked Padmé with a nervous smile.

Taking pity on her husband, Padmé turned her attention to Luke and Han, her own smile spreading over her lips. "It was rather unexpected," she began as she glanced briefly at Anakin. Her smile grew. "But we found out a little over a week ago that we're going to have another baby."

Shock accompanied her words, and Leia quickly noted that both Luke and Han looked shocked.

"Are- are you sure?" Luke asked her.

Padmé smiled at the awkward question, knowing it was coming from his shock and surprise more than anything. "Quite sure, Luke," she assured him.

"…Well, congratulations, then," Luke replied, a smile breaking out over his features, as he seemed to register her words. "Wow," he added, his smile widening. "Do you know if it's a girl or boy?"

Padmé laughed at that, and Anakin spared a smile. "Much too early to tell," she replied. "And even so, we prefer a surprise."

"When's the baby due?" Han asked her. "Around the time of the wedding? Eight months?"

"The baby should be here before then," Padmé assured him. "But yes, around the time of the wedding."

"…You didn't plan that?"

Padmé laughed. "Not at all. But I assure you that everything else is going to happen as planned."

There was silence again as they seemed to drink in her words.

"This is why I've decided to stay," Anakin told Han and Luke, after their attention had turned towards him. "I'd prefer to be here with your mother, especially when the length of the mission is indeterminable."

Luke nodded slowly, seeming to accept Anakin's reasoning. Something did not seem to rest in his eyes, however.

"Leia brought up a point about mentioning what we've found to Mothma," Han added after a slight pause, glancing sideways at Leia. "Perhaps she can issue some agents to investigate. They'll be able to relate back what they know, and we can go from there."

Anakin and Luke nodded.

"…In that case, I'd prefer to stay as well," Luke admitted. He glanced around to each family member. "Perhaps it is best that the mission is passed on to other capable hands."

There was general nodding in assent, and Leia found herself relaxing. She was relieved that they had finally decided on one course of action that would not end up splitting their family, and the others seemed to be as well. As she looked towards Luke for his opinion on the matter, however, she suddenly observed with concern the subtle dropping of his eyes when the others were not looking, as if Luke was disturbed about something. Perhaps it was doubt about their decision. Perhaps it was conflicting emotions about the new baby. The reaction passed so quickly, however, that soon Leia wondered if she had really seen it. Labeling it as nothing, Leia pushed the thought from her mind.

"Very well, then," she said finally. "I'll tell Mon tomorrow."