"How do you deliver a baby when the mother is in a coma?" Ben was the first to field the question out loud as they all stood around Jaina's bed. Her pregnancy monitor had begun wailing late in the morning when it detected that her body had begun to go into labor.
"She can't very well push." his cousin added.
"Thank you, Jacen," Mara threw him a sarcastic look.
"Just making sure everyone realizes that!" he answered, putting his hands up in defense.
"It needs to be removed surgically," Luke told them.
"Will her body survive it?" Wedge asked.
"We can only hope so," Leia responded, rubbing his arm gently, "Luke, your medical crew needs to start working now, or it's going to put both Jaina and the child's lives in danger."
Luke nodded, "I'll alert them, as for now, everyone else out except for Wedge, they're going to need room."
"They're going to do it right here?" Han asked, looking to Wes' still form on the next bed over.
"Where else?" Luke said, "Come on, we can all wait outside."
Luke moved away form the bed and went to alert his staff as the rest of the family tricked out of the medical center, giving Jaina one last kiss or touch of reassurance before taking up vigil outside. Luke joined them not long after making sure the medical team was prepared to deliver the baby.
Three long, slow hours went by, in which the arrival of Tycho and Hobbie occurred, and Leia had gone upstairs to wake the children and bring them downstairs for the arrival of their new sibling.
"I hope it's another boy," Bryan said with a grin, directing it at Gianna.
"That way, you can still be the only girl and we can still pick on your for it," Deron agreed; the situation they had been faced with restored the camaraderie between the brothers.
Gianna's brow furrowed and she gave them both a dark look, "You just wait. It'll be a girl, and then you'll all be in trouble."
"I kinda want a little sister," Alex agreed.
Leia smiled as Deron and Bryan shared an incredulous look at their younger brother, then one another. Her grandchildren always had the way to light up her heart the same way that Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin had been able to when they were young.
She returned to the medicenter with them just as Wedge came out of the doorway, the first real smile anyone had seen on his face in months. It was infectious, and suddenly everyone was rushed with renewed hope.
"It's a girl," he said, his warm smile spreading into a grin.
Gianna jumped up and down, giggling as she ran to her father. Wedge scooped her off the ground and hugged her tightly.
"I'd like the children to see her first," Wedge explained, "Come on boys."
Alex looked at his brothers and shrugged apologetically, running to Wedge's side. Bryan and Deron looked at one another for just a moment before following him, excited to see their new sibling, even if it was a girl.
Their squeals of excitement floated into the hallway and only served to make the others eager to see the new baby. Finally, Wedge beckoned them into the medicenter and Jaina's family came in. He was sitting next to the bed where the medics were just making sure Jaina's vitals were all reading normal for her current state.
In his arms was a tiny little bundle. They all squeezed closely around him so that they could see the baby girl. She was flailing her arms as if she was just as excited to be in the world as they were to have her there.
"Absolutely amazing," Hobbie said wondrously.
Gianna leaned closely over her father's arms, looking at her new little sister. Wedge's heart melted as the baby's lips turned up into the ghost of a smile as she examined Gianna with her sparkling blue eyes.
"Typical Janson," Tycho said, placing a hand on Wedge's shoulder. Wedge looked up and gave him a joyful grin.
"She's beautiful," Leia said, placing an arm around Jacen.
"Jaina's going to be disappointed that she got his looks, though," Jacen joked, throwing a glance over to his sister's still form.
A light chuckle passed through the group as they all stared in wonder at the fifth child that had come into the universe a miracle.
"How is her condition?" Luke asked, looking up at a medic that stood nearby, waiting to put the baby back into her cradle.
"Her brain activity has been elevating since she went into the labor. If it continues on this path, she could very well regain consciousness by this evening."
"You're kidding," Han said in disbelief.
"That's wonderful!" Leia exclaimed
In their psychological netherworld, Wes was still cradling Jaina in his arms when she finally was able to regain her strength.
"Are you all right?" he asked, supporting her back as he helped her off the ground.
"I think so. I think the baby was born."
"You're both becoming very perceptive," a new voice greeted them.
Jaina turned to see her little brother once again, "Anakin…"
"Congratulations to the both of you," he said, reaching a hand out to shake Wes', then pulling Jaina in for a tight embrace, "I assume that you want to see her."
"It's a girl?" Wes asked, his eyes glittering with tears.
Anakin nodded with a smile, "You can both go, but I'm afraid only one of you will be staying. The Force is calling you, Wes."
"I understand," Wes responded, lifting his chin and tightening his jaw.
"Then go and greet your daughter," Anakin told them, then his eyes felt directly on Jaina, "And give mom a kiss for me."
Jaina launched forward and embraced Anakin tightly, "Thank you, Anakin."
"I'll always be here," Anakin promised her, pulling back and leaving her with a warm smile.
That was the last that Jaina remembered until she began choking on the thick tube that had been providing her oxygen while her lungs couldn't breathe on their own. Now, as her brain took over the process once again, her body quickly rejected it. Her body shook with a fit of coughing, and as the haze was beginning to dissipate form her vision, she could feel the tube moving up and out of her throat and nasal cavity.
Her body continued to shake as she shot up in bed, feeling several strong pairs of hands take hold of her, to stabilize muscles that hadn't moved in the better part of a year. When her vision completely cleared, her heart leapt at the sight of a face that felt like it was right out a dream.
"Wedge," she breathed, the corner of her lip turning up.
"Oh Jaina," his voice was shaking, as were his hands, "Welcome back, my love."
As she took notice of her surroundings, she was greeted by the vision of her entire family, wearing relieved smiles and streaks of tears down their red cheeks.
"Come on now," she said when she finally found her full voice, "I know you all didn't miss me that much."
The whole group erupted into hysterical tears of happiness. Gianna, Alex, Deron, and Bryan all climbed up onto the bed, ignoring tubes and wires so that they could get close to their mother, hold her tightly and weep with joy.
Luke's red eyes quickly averted to the next bed over, "Wes is coming to!"
"Carry me," Jaina told her husband, and Wedge gently lifted her from the bed. They whole group quickly moved over once again. As Wes' eyes fluttered open, Han lifted the back of the bed into a position that would allow him to be sitting up. Wes' hands remained still at his sides as a result of the severity of his condition, but there was no denying the strength in the immediate grin that crossed his features when he came to.
"I want to see my daughter," his voice was weak, but resolute.
Leia disappeared for a few moments, enough time for Jaina and Wes to share a look of private happiness between one another. The tears that sprung into Wes' eyes when she returned with the baby were enough to send the entire group into hysterics once again.
"I think we should leave them for the moment," Mara suggested, and a very weepy family headed for the entrance of the medical center as Wedge placed Jaina on the bed, making sure she was stable enough to sit up before receiving the baby from Leia, who followed the rest out, leaving Wedge, Jaina, Wes and the children alone
Wedge shimmied himself up onto the bed and held the baby to Wes' chest so that he could get a close look at his daughter.
"Alyca…"
Wes was crying openly, not because he wished that he could hold her himself, but because he was so happy to be able to experience this moment. Wedge and Jaina both leaned closely as he hiccupped on his tears.
"I love her so much," he sobbed, laughing at the same time, "She's absolutely beautiful."
Jaina and Wedge began shaking and crying, weeping as if the tears would never run out. Wedge handed the baby off to Jaina, who leaned down on the bed next to Wes, so that he could rest the back of the bed down. He quickly helped Alex, Deron, Gianna, and Bryan up onto the bed, climbing up after them before his legs gave out on him. They all snuggled up closely together as Jaina nestled Alyca between her and Wes.
There Jaina, Wedge, Wes, Bryan, Gianna, Deron, and Alex all wept aloud until emotional exhaustion sent them all into silent slumber. Han was sent in to check on them, and was moved to tears once again at the beautiful scene in front of him.
Finally their family was complete.