New chapter up. Enjoy.
Kia walked back to the apartment slowly, still processing what Mia had told her.
Theron, a traitor. She was having a hard time wrapping her brain around the idea. Theron was one of the loyalist people Mia knew. He had fought by her side for years and now he was accusing her of being a warmonger? It just didn't make sense and thinking about it made her head hurt even more than it already did.
Kia had offered to talk to Jace about Theron, but Mia was adamant that the news should come from her. She didn't want anything causing more stress to her sister and the baby. Kia had reluctantly agreed to only talk to Jace once he had received Mia's message and to otherwise stay out of the situation entirely. Most likely, he'd know everything by the time he got home.
The day had been going so well. Kia should have guessed that something would come along and mess it up.
Jace read the priority message he received from Commander Wryn, then re-read it, just to make sure he hadn't missed its meaning.
Theron was not a traitor. True, he had left the Republic at the beginning of the war with the Eternal Empire to help found and back a new Alliance, but he hadn't tried to assassinate the Supreme Chancellor on his way out the door. According to Kia, Mia saw Theron as a true friend, not just an advisor. He'd never stab someone in the back like that.
Jace leaned back into his chair, his arms resting on his stomach. No. There had to be more to it. Theron knew killing one person couldn't stop the corruption of an entire faction. He'd worked in the SIS long enough to know things were always more complicated than that. He was playing an angle, somewhere. He had no idea what his son's endgame might be, but there had to be one.
He looked up at the timepiece on his desk, not realizing it was well past time to go home for the night. He stood, stretching his back and legs. He was starting to feel his age a lot more over the last few weeks. He scoffed to himself. "In a year or two, I'll be chasing around a child. If I get stiff from sitting too long, just imagine what I'll feel like after a full day of taking care of a baby." He said to himself.
Pushing the thought aside, he picked up the datapads Captain Dorne had given him about pregnancy and child rearing, along with the message from Commander Wryn, and headed out the door.
Kia had planned to talk with the Jedi council that day about him and their baby. She hadn't called at any point after the meeting, so he hoped that was a good sign the meeting had gone alright. If they so much as upset her in any way, they would answer to him. Jace wasn't above yelling at a room full of Jedi masters.
When we walked in the door to their apartment, he found Kia sitting on the couch, with her legs curled under her, reading a datapad and sipping a cup of tea. She looked relaxed. It was another good sign.
Kia looked up at him and smiled, putting the pad and cup aside.
"How'd your talk with the council go?" He asked, taking a seat next to her.
"Surprisingly well. They already knew about us, of course, but they were also very supportive about the baby. I'm officially on sabbatical until after the baby is born and after that, I'll continue with my position here on Coruscant. It'll probably be a long time before I go out in the field again, but I'm alright with that. Taking care of our child will be more important than any mission."
Jace smiled when she referred to the baby as their child. It meant she still thought of them as a couple. With the council's blessing, there was no reason why they couldn't be a semi-normal couple now.
"That's great. Having their support will make your life easier. No more hiding or being secretive." He debated whether or not he should let Kia read the message from Mia. In the end, he handed the pad to her, knowing she'd learn about the situation with Theron eventually. It was better for them to be open about everything, especially at the moment. "I got a message from your sister today."
Kia took the pad, reading it quickly. "Yes, I spoke with her today, too. I called her after talking with the council."
"I think there's more going on with Theron." Jace said confidently.
Kia nodded. "I agree. I don't know your son well, but from what Mia has said about him, there is no way he'd do what he did to her and the Alliance. Not without a very good reason." She leaned back with a sigh, placing her hands on her stomach. For the first time, Jace could just make out the fact that it wasn't as flat as it used to be. He doubted anyone would notice, unless they knew she was pregnant. "But I promised to stay out of it. Mia doesn't want me stressing about anything but her future niece or nephew."
"We agree on that." Jace replied. "There is very little we can do about Theron, anyway. If he contacts me, I'll let Mia know, but I doubt he will."
Kia nodded again, then placed her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes.
"Head still hurt?" Jace asked.
"Yes. The headaches just don't seem to want to go away, no matter what I try. I'll ask Dr. Ozzin about it tomorrow." She lifted her head up and looked at Jace. "Still going with me, right?"
"Wouldn't miss it." He said with a smile. This would be the first time they talked about the baby to someone together, as a couple. Jace was looking forward to it, though he found himself a bit nervous. He stopped caring what people thought about him a long time ago, but this was in a different realm entirely.
Kia felt Jace's nervousness and placed a hand on his arm, allowing her gift to calm him. "It'll be fine, Jace. I'm just happy you're here to go with me. It makes everything feel more real."
Jace took a chance and pulled her into a hug. Kia snuggled into his arms. "There is no place I'd rather be. "
To Be Continued...
