Chapter 24

Jaina finally understood what her mother had meant about force sensitive twins. Everything that was supposed to be simple could become completely complicated quite easily. Feeding the twins for example was a chore. At six months old, they were finally eating solid foods, and an army was needed to make sure that everyone emerged from the dining area without food all over them. Halia had been the first one to discover that flinging the spoon from someone's hands was funny, and Hadrian followed suit. If she hadn't called Mara or Luke, the spoon flinging problem might have gotten out of control. They told her how to take care of it, and helped Jag avoid getting hit while he fed them.

Bath time was also a large exercise in frustration. Two six month old force sensitives added to water resulted in near flooding of the fresher almost every single time. This time, Jaina was trying her best to amuse the twins without having them resort to making force induced splashes, and she was failing miserably.

Jag was at work late, and for the first time Jaina had to bathe the twins by herself. After a few calm minutes Hadrian decided he thought it was boring and began to splash.

"Hadrian, why do you always have to make things difficult for me?" Jaina asked slightly annoyed. She took Hadrian out of the bath tub and placed him on a towel off to the side. "You can't stop splashing so I'm not keeping you in the tub with your sister." She said as she kept washing Halia.

After a few minutes Hadrian began to cry, and because he started to cry Halia followed suit. She was just about to reach for her commlink on the counter when she heard a voice coming from downstairs.

"Jaina?" Mara's voice filtered upstairs.

"Oh thank the force." Jaina said relieved, "In the master fresher Mara." A minute or so later Mara's head poked in the doorway

She smiled at the sight of Jaina soaked head to toe, "Having trouble?"

"Can you help me bathe these monsters?"

Mara smiled, "Sure." She grabbed Hadrian from the towel beside the tub and placed him back into the water.

"Is it normal for their force abilities to start developing this quickly?" Jaina asked

"Well according to Luke, you and Jacen started pretty early as well, that's why you were whisked off to Anoth."

"I doubt we were this bad for mom or Winter."

Mara looked at her sideways, "I wasn't around much when you were children, but I remember Luke telling me a few horror stories that your mother told him."

"Okay, so maybe we weren't the most well behaved children in the galaxy."

"Far from it according to what I've heard." Mara added as she washed Hadrian's hair.

"Well, it would make sense that my children would be little hellians. I never expected that bath time would be such a chore by myself."

Mara snorted, "Nevermind, giving Ben a bath by myself was a chore and he didn't have a twin." Mara said grabbing the little bucket to rinse Hadrian's hair.

"I bet he wasn't six months old." Jaina muttered.

"No, he was 5 months old." Mara replied.

"Really? Okay, maybe I don't feel so useless anymore."

"I'm glad that my inability to bathe one child by myself is making you feel superior." Mara said smirking, "I have to admit, it did get easier. I wasn't nearly as useless after about the fifth time bathing him solo."

Jaina rolled her eyes picking Halia up out of the tub and wrapping her in a towel, "Thanks, I feel so much better."

Mara lifted Hadrian out of the tub and took the extra towel out of Jaina's outstretched hand, "That's what I'm here for."

"Well I'm glad you're doing your job." Jaina said smirking

"So where is the Corellian Stud anyways?"Mara asked toweling Hadrian off

"He's at work late. Some negotiations that he's having trouble hammering out. He didn't think it would take too long, but he told me to expect it anyway."

"You were spolied for so long. He was on leave for what seemed like forever."

"He was on leave for 3 months, and he went back when the twins were 2 months old. That is hardly forever."

"He's home almost every night though, so really you're still pretty spoiled."

Jaina smiled, "I guess you're right. I don't know what I would do without him around."

"Oh you'd be fine. You have enough family willing to help out that it wouldn't be that big of a problem."

Jaina looked down at Halia sleeping in her arms, "Yea, you're right. I should probably get these guys to bed though. I don't expect Jag to be home anytime soon, so do you want to stick around and chat?"

"Why not?" Mara smiled, "Need some help getting them changed?"

"Well I'm really good at this part on my own, but if you're offering who am I to turn you down?"

"Atta girl."

After the twins were in their cribs, Mara and Jaina moved down to the small living area on the second floor. The sat on opposite couches sipping hot chocolate.

"So is work keeping Jag busy?"

"Of course it is, mind you I think that is part Jag and part work. Jag doesn't do anything half way so if he needs to work twice as hard to get it done right he'll do it."

"And how are you coping being at home all day with the twins?"

"You of all people should know I'm tough," she said smirking at her aunt, "but it took some adjusting."

"Sorry I wasn't on Mon Cal when he went back to work, there were some matters that needed our immediate attention on Ossus. I am back for a while now, if you need the extra hands."

"I know that if you had been on Mon Cal when he went back to work that you would have been right here helping me out. I appreciate you offering help now, if tonight is any indication I may need it again."

"Especially if Jag can't get these negotiations hammered out?" Mara asked

"Especially if he can't get the negotiations hammered out." Jaina confirmed.

"Why did I have to marry a politician?" Jaina whined jokingly.

"I don't know. I think I would have had enough with having one for a mother. To be completely fair though, Jag did only take this post so he could still retain his commission and be with you."

"Oh I know that, which is ironic, because Soontir offered me a position out there."

"You know that Jag would never make you be away from your family."

"Of course I know that, but if the other offer hadn't sprung up it may have become a viable option for us to stay together without making too many waves with the respective governments. It makes me sad that he has to be away from his family."

"I think we both know that he's completely and totally happy here with you and your twins."

"Speaking of kids how's your little monster?"

"He's becoming more like his father with every passing day."

"Oh no, so he's prone to injury?" Jaina kidded

"Sadly it seems that way." Mara laughed, "What I actually meant is that he's been spending all his time with Luke over at the Jedi headquarters here, so I think we have an anxious little future jedi on our hands." Mara explained

"Well I'm sure he'll be a fine jedi one day much farther down the road."

"I'm with you on that one; I want him to stay away from that for as long as he can stand it."

"Which we both know won't be very long if he is anything like his daddy." Jaina pointed out

"Just like I'm sure the twins won't be able to stay out of a snubfighter for too long." Mara added.

"Oh I have no doubt of that. I would bet that my dad and Soontir have a couple snubfigthers put away waiting for the day that Hala and Had are old enough to see over the controls."

"This is an odd question, but have you heard from Zekk lately?"

Jaina looked a little taken aback, "No, not since the night he showed up to talk to me while I was still pregnant. Why, is he back in town?"

"Not that I know of, but he contacted Luke for the first time since he left the other day. He seemed different, and Luke agrees."

"I hope he is, the Zekk I knew needed a little bit of a change. He was so angry that day."

"You missed the bender her went on after you got married. From what I've heard, he had a permanent stool at a tapcaf for a good couple weeks."

Jaina eyes widened, "What?."

"I can see why he would do that. You were the only woman he ever truly loved, and one mistake on his part completely shot his chance to hell." Mara explained

"I never expected his reaction to my pregnancy to be as explosive as it was. I thought that I knew him well enough to be able to anticipate his reaction, and what I anticipated was nowhere near that bad." Jaina said

"Well after Tahiri went and told him off I think he realized that he was in the wrong. I'm glad he approached Luke about leaving for a while, because I think that I would have sent him away myself." Mara added

"I do agree that he needed to seek some kind of help, but sending him away from the Order wouldn't have done any good."

"You're right; he's already been down the dark path once." Mara conceded.

"Exactly." Jaina agreed.

"I forgot to ask you how everything has been for the last couple of months since the interview. It hadn't quite calmed down when Luke and I had to leave."

"It's actually quite scary how calm everything is now. The first couple weeks it was slightly calm, but it still hadn't quite calmed down as much as we had anticipated. After you left though, it was like we didn't even exist. We could walk through the park without cameras following us, the holo-reports haven't been all about us lately, and people pretty much just leave us alone. It really is quite nice."

"Well I'm glad that everything is nice and calm now. You guys definitely deserve a break from all the drama."

Jaina smiled, "We do don't we?"

"Yes we do." A deep voice said from behind them.

Jaina gasped, and Mara laughed.

"I thought it was impossible to surprise a jedi." Jag joked.

"I never said it was impossible, just that it is not very probable." Jaina clarified.

"Sorry it took me so long love; it was even more difficult than feeding the twins."

Jaina smiled imagining, "That's okay. Mara and I had fun bathing the twins."

"Couldn't do it by yourself?" Jag joked

"Oh c'mon Jag, with Jaina Solo as a mother they've got some pretty good little terror genes."

"And that is exactly what they were until Aunt Mara happened to arrive."

"Are you telling me she just happened to stop by?"

"Hey, I wanted to see my hold daughter."

"Okay, so I won't tease you about calling her for help then." Jag said smirking.

"Good."

"We were just having some female bonding while we bathed your little rascals. I came over expecting them to be asleep actually, imagine my surprise when Jaina was getting soaked by 6 month old twins." Mara said amused.

"Well you can tease me about it all you want Mara, but I'd still be in there if you hadn't come over." Jaina admitted

"Well, as much as I would love to stay and tease you some more, I think should be getting home and making sure my little guy is in bed." Mara said getting up off the sofa.

Jaina also rose from the sofa, and gave her aunt a hug, "Thanks for coming over and helping me out."

"Anytime kiddo." Mara said before exiting the appartment.

"So how was your day other than dealing with childish politicians?" Jaina asked Jag wrapping her arms around his waist.

"It was very exhausting." Jag replied

"So I guess that means you want to go to sleep then right?" Jaina asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Now what would give you that idea?" Jag said scooping her up in his arms and carrying her off to the bedroom.

Jaina rolled over when she heard the cries of the twins coming from the nursery. Reluctantly she rose and walked over to the chair where her robe was draped. She put her robe on and made her way to the nursery.

She was shocked when she saw Jag in the middle of changing Hadrian's diaper.

"Well well, aren't we doing an excellent job being Mr Mom this morning." Jaina said leaning against the doorframe

Jag turned around quickly eyes wide, "Damn, I was trying to hurry up and change them so they would stop crying. I wanted to let you sleep in this morning."

Jaina walked over and gave him a kiss, "That's okay; I don't think I could have slept in anyways. Since I am up however, I'll grab our daughter and get her ready for breakfast while you finish up here." Jaina said walking over to pick Halia up before heading downstairs.

She pulled the high chairs up to the kitchen table. She grabbed the food out of the cooling unit and placed it on the counter. Suddenly she heard the comm unit buzzing. She placed Halia in her chair and ran over to answer it making she her robe wasn't revealing anything.

Jaina nearly fell over when she saw Zekk on the screen in front of her.

"Zekk?"

"Hello Jaina. I hope I didn't wake you." He greeted

"No, I was actually just about to get breakfast ready for the twins."

"All by yourself? Where's Jag?"

"Oh he's upstairs with our son."

"Well, I'm sure you're wondering why I called. I'm heading back to Ossus soon, and I needed to speak with Master Skywalker personally so I am on Mon Cal. I found out that you were here as well, and I thought that maybe I could meet the twins. I also wanted to spend some time with you since the last few times I have seen you I haven't been exactly cordial." He explained.

Jaina smiled, "You're in luck. I happen to have some free time today. Jag has a meeting, so I could definitely meet you somewhere."

"How about the park?" Zekk suggested.

"That sounds perfect. I'll meet you in a couple hours."

"I'm looking forward to it." Jaina confirmed as she ended the comm conversation.

Jag was coming down the stairs as she was walking back over to where Halia was seated. "You'll never guess who just commed me."

Jag looked puzzled, "Tenel Ka?"

"Nope."

"Kyp?"

"Nah."

"Jacen?"

"No."

"My parents?"

"You suck at guessing games Fel." Jaina teased

"Okay then, who was it?"

"Zekk."

Jag's eyes widened, followed by a furrowing of the eyebrows. "Really? What did he want?" he asked cautiously as he placed Hadrian in the high chair.

"Well he happened to be on Mon Cal and heard that we were too, and he wants to see me and meet the twins."

"Was he at least nice during the conversation?"

"Yes he was. Even Aunt Mara had spoken to him briefly and said that he seems completely different."

"Well that's good, he had way too much bottled up inside."

"I agree. I have plans to meet him at the park in a couple hours."

"Well then we'd better get these monsters fed so that you can all look your best and make a good first impression." Jag said talking to Hadrian and giving him a soft poke on the nose.

"So you're okay with this?" Jaina asked

"Why wouldn't I be? If you want to go spend the day with him so you can catch up and he can meet the twins that's fine with me. I have never been the jealous husband type, so why start now?"

Jaina walked over to him and snaked her arms around his waist "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"I think you showed me pretty clearly last night. As much as I would love for you to show me again right now, we have twins to feed and not a lot of time to do it in." Jag said moving away from Jaina reluctantly.

"Let's get ourselves prepped for flying spoons." Jaina said smirking.