Next morning dawned with a pale yellow sun rising from the east. Tilly was already up and standing on the porch taking in the morning splendour when Leia emerged, caf cup in hand to also admire the view.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Leia asked. "I never tire of this scenery."

The house stood in a large plot of land that looked out over arable land to the east, livestock to the far west and a cosy beach and cove hidden like a gem between.

"It's stunning." Tilly agreed, taking a breath. "And I would really like to apologise again for last night, we were both tired and the journey seemed to take forever."

"No apology necessary." Leia waved off the comment. "You slept well though?"

"I don't even recall putting my head down. Your guest bed is way too comfortable." Tilly laughed.

"I made Han buy new beds when we decorated that floor." Leia chuckled. "He gave the impression he wasn't happy, but I saw him checking out the most comfortable ones. Probably for when he's had one too many liquors and I make him sleep on his own." They both laughed at that.

"You make such a perfect couple. I hope Jacen and I can emulate you one day." Tilly commented.

"Oh trust me, we've had our share of ups and downs. Currently we're on an 'up', there's sure to be a 'down' just around the corner." Leia said with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm sure." Tilly said, resting a hand against her belly.

"Oh, I didn't mean..." Leia added, hurriedly.

"No, I know. It was just a twinge. Thought they'd been behaving themselves..." Tilly groaned and Leia helped her to sit.

"Should I call someone?" Leia suggested. "Twins can be very unpredictable, at least that's what I remember my Oh Bee Gee Why En telling me."

"No, really, I'm fine. It's gone now. They don't much like it when Mommy gets a good nights sleep." Tilly smiled, sweeping a hand over her tummy.

"This is where you're hiding." Jacen said, joining them with a sleepy Anais in his arms. "Anais was getting worried."

"Anais was?" Tilly arched a sceptical eye.

"Mom, would you be able to mind Anais for a little while this morning? Dad said he'd take us on a tour of the neighbourhood." Jacen asked.

"It'd be my pleasure." Leia smiled, lifting her arms to take Anais from her father. "But I don't think Tilly should be riding off anywhere at the moment, she's had a 'twinge'."

"It was nothing. Really. I get them all the time. Don't I get them all the time hon?" Tilly insisted. Leia mentally noted the term of endearment.

"Yeah, the doc said we shouldn't take any chances though." Jacen noted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It was a twinge, it's gone, I'm fine." Tilly stated. The subject clearly closed.

"If you're sure..." Jacen offered, then grinned at Anais. "And what would my little angel like for breakfast, huh?"

Anais yawned and threw her face in her grandmother's chest. "Another hour in bed looks like to me. Why don't I see to Anais' breakfast once she's properly awake and then you three can go explore and be back by the time the rest of the family arrives." Leia suggested.

Arrangements made, Han, Jacen and Tilly set off to see the sights while Leia fussed over then fed Anais. Jaina had brought Lei's playmat and the two infants happily shared toys and cackled at each other while Leia oversaw Jorj's lessons and Jaina fed Jorja. Once the baby was fed, winded and changed Jaina planned on putting her down to sleep, but Leia had other ideas.

Cradling the latest addition to her growing family, Leia made herself comfortable against the corner of a sofa where she could observe the rest of her brood.

"She'll get too used to being cuddled. It's not good for her." Jaina chided.

"She's too small to get used to anything except a warm bed, dry bottom and food on demand. And those things did you no harm, young lady." Leia chided back.

"Quite the bombshell my brother dropped last night, wasn't it?" Jaina said, changing the subject.

"It was a surprise, yes. You know, if you'd asked me, I'd have guessed they'd gotten married in secret." Leia confided.

"If you'd asked me, I'd have guessed they'd gone their separate ways." Jaina countered.

"Oh Jaina, why must put your brother down all the time?" Leia chided softy.

"It's what siblings do." Jaina shrugged.

"Luke and I don't." Leia pointed out.

"That's because you were friends before you found out you were siblings. If you'd known from the start it would have been different, trust me." Jaina said, smiling at her mother cradling her grandchild. "So, what are you and Dad going to be doing now you've finished the house?"

"Your father's got himself a job." Leia said.

"A job? What, like a real job? Taking orders and doing what other people tell him and getting paid at the end of the month kind of a job?" Jaina asked, astonished.

"He's teaching flight mechanics at the University. Only part time, but he enjoys it and he's pretty good at it." Leia answered.

"Part time, huh. What's he doing the rest of the time?" Jaina queried. Leia grinned. "Ew! What is it with you two and.." Jaina cast her eyes over toward Jorj. "..that!"

"He's pretty good at 'that' too." Leia commented, blushing a little.

"Hmm. I thought you were both looking kinda toned. Must be true what they say about 'that' burning a lot of calories." Jaina said.

"We're trying to be cautious about what we eat is all." Leia replied.

"You do look good Mom. I mean, not that you looked haggard before, but..I dunno..you look, younger, somehow." Jaina offered, studying her mother's features. It was true. Her skin seemed fresher, more radiant. The worry lines, less prominent. She had clearly lost a little weight and she seemed...happy.

"I done it!" Jorj announced, holding his arms up in victory. Lei and Anais, initially startled by the boy's voice, laughed and carried on playing.

"All of it?" Leia asked.

"Yes, Ma'am." Jorj answered.

"Then you may get down from the table." Leia told him.

Jorj jumped down and ran to his mother's side. "Can I hold her? I'll be real careful." He pleaded.

Leia rose and helped get Jorj settled with a cushion beneath his arm, then carefully laid the sleeping tot in his arms.

"Be sure to support her head now." Leia reminded and stepped away just as a hovercar approached bearing the first of their guests.

"I will Mom." Jorj agreed, gazing down at his niece.

"When did Mommy become Mom?" Jaina queried.

"When he turned nine. He decided he was too grown up for 'mommy' anymore." Leia answered and went to greet her guests.

Over the next couple of hours they were joined by Winter, Tycho and Jarik then Riva Fizz and Poe Dameron, Jagged Fel, and eventually Luke, though without his son Ben, before Han finally returned with Jacen and the extremely pregnant Tilly.

"No Ben?" Han said to Luke.

"He's at a critical point in his studies. I felt it would have been unfair with his Jedi Trials so close." Luke explained, having done so already with Leia, Jaina and Winter.

"Ahuh." Han sucked at the inside of a cheek. "That might wash with Leia or some of the other ladies, but it's me you're talking to now kid."

Luke sighed and scratched at his beard whilst shaking his head sadly. "He's at a difficult age Han. An age I feel ill-equipped to deal with. Leia thought you might be able to help."

"Me? Hey, I'm the guy who's relationship with his son led to the kid never even telling us he'd gotten his girl pregnant." Han pointed out.

"That must have been some surprise." Luke acknowledged.

"You don't know the half of it." Han added, drawing Luke aside to chat.

Meanwhile Leia was catching up with Winter.

"The house is just stunning Your Highness." Winter gushed.

"It's been a pretty full on restoration but I think we did her justice. And it's Leliha, remember?" Leia reminded. Despite being with her very nearest and dearest friends and family, Leia insisted on using their assumed names at all times to maintain their cover.

"Of course, my apologies Your...Leliha." Winter apologised and turned her attention to some of the ornaments. "Your husband's handiwork?"

"Oh, Hanlolo's good with his hands, but not that good. No, they're the work of a local artist. I've yet to meet him but, between you and me, I think Hanlolo has got a little guy-crush on him." Leia grinned.

"Interesting." Winter chuckled.

"Okay, not an actual guy-crush, I mean you know Han. He just finds his work to be exceptional and can't stop buying pieces. They're all so intricate and evocative." Leia laughed, her fingers exploring their latest acquisition.

Winter arched an eyebrow. "And erotic, if you handle them all the same way." She noted with more than a little sarcasm.

Meanwhile Tilly looked up from her place on the sofa to pose her query with Jacen. "Is she all right?"

"Anais is fast asleep, alongside Lei." Jacen answered, joining her and smiling. "I think she's got herself a best friend already. How are these two behaving?"

"Well..." Tilly took one of his hands and placed it to the left side of her belly. "This one settled down about a half hour ago and this one..." She moved his hand to the other side. "Is still going at it!"

"I'm sorry Tilly." He apologised.

"Stop that. I've told you before, this is the best thing to ever happen to me." Tilly told him and added. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me."

For a moment Jacen considered dropping to his knee right there, but then the moment passed as his nerves kicked in once more and their quiet moment was broken by his father announcing dinner was ready.

Taking their seats at a huge elliptical table, the group were astonished to see an array of server droids deposit platters on the table before them.

"Okay, I admit it, we catered." Leia confessed to a collective laugh then she turned to Han. "Will you share blessings, sweetheart?"

Han's shoulders slumped, a sea of curious faces looking at him. "About these parts, when locals sit down to dinner, they like to offer blessings on the food and the company." He explained, his irritation evident in his tone and on his face. "And we all get to hold hands." He placed his hands, palms up on the table and waited whilst everyone took the hand of the person next to them.

"Dad's real good at blessings. He's been practising." Jorj told everyone.

"Thank you Jorj." Leia hushed her child.

"In the mirror." Jorj added.

"Thank you Jorj!" Han growled. His scowl melted when his eyes met Leia's. Dark, shimmering pools, radiating love back at him. Clearing his throat, he said. "We offer blessings on the food before us and on the loved ones at our table. Special thoughts go to those absent at this time, to Ben Skywalker on Yavin IV, and to Mara Skywalker and Anakin and Hannay Solo, three souls who were taken too soon."

Han quickly released the hands he'd taken and offered a shrug. "Let's eat." He announced.

Leia's hand, the one he had released moments before, was on his knee lightly squeezing her loving approval.

The food was a great success. Leia made sure Jorj ate more greens than her son wanted to, while Han made sure he ate more nerf than Leia liked him to. The family and friends chatted until after the caf had been served, then retired from the table to let the droids clear away while the humans made themselves comfortable in the living room.

"So, Mom, what d'you get Dad for his Anniversary?" Jaina called.

"New shirt." Han replied, barrelling his chest and smoothing the fabric with his hands.

"Didn't you already have one like that?" Jaina frowned.

"Dude birthed her 'kits on it." Jorj answered.

"What did Dad get you?" Jaina asked her mother.

"He brought my family together. That's more than enough." Leia said, leaning into her husband's side.

"Wish he'd make his mind up about the business." Poe muttered to Riva.

"D'you say something Poe?" Han sneered.

"I'm just glad to be having a day off from the business." Poe replied, a faux smile on his face.

"Been meaning to talk to you about that..." Han said and moved to talk freight with Poe.

Jaina took the opportunity to slip into her father's vacant space. "He really didn't buy you anything?" She queried.

"Jaina, having all of you here is all I could have wished for. There comes a time in your life when you realise there's nothing more important than family." Leia assured her.

"It's just he made it sound like he'd bought you the moon, the stars and the space in between." Jaina said, confused.

"I'm not bothered about him buying me anything, so long as he comes home every night." Leia said with a wistful smile.

A rapping at the door interrupted proceedings but Han was quickly on it. "You stay right where you are until I tell you we're ready." He told Leia, holding his hands up in demonstation.

"Ready for what do you think?" Leia queried with Jaina.

"The moon, the stars and the space in between I'm guessing." Jaina beamed.

"Oh I hope not. I only bought him a shirt." Leia lamented.

"Hey, Ley! You got a parsec, hon?" Han called, motioning for everyone to come out.

By the time everyone had assembled in the hall, and Leia had managed to wrangle Jorj into action, their visitor was gone leaving Han with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?" Leia asked.

"I..." Han started, struggling to form the words. "I wanted you to meet him..you know, that guy from the artisan place I love..I asked him to come in but he said he'd gotta be somewhere."

"Maybe he does. Maybe he's got a family to get home to." Leia suggested.

"I..just.." He said, still confused.

"I'll meet him another time Han. It really doesn't matter." Leia assured him.

"No..but it kinda does." Han began. "Look..I need you to come outside, okay?"

"What?" Leia queried.

"Jaina, would you..you know..like we discussed?" Han prompted.

"What's going on?" Leia asked, turning to Jaina for support.

"Just do like Dad says, okay?" Jaina said, taking Jorj's hand from his mother's.

Leia started to form another question when Han took hold of her hand and led her out onto the porch, down the steps and a little way along their front yard while Jaina positioned the rest of their family and friends on the porch.
Turning her away from the house, Han smiled down at his wife.

"Leia." Han said, ignoring the faces watching him. "I know this isn't where you saw yourself living, but this is the place we've found ourselves and I think just about everyone here agrees that you've made it into the best home it could possibly be for us and for Jorj." He paused and licked his lips. "And I also know if I asked you where you did see yourself living it would be your homeworld, which as we both know can never happen." He looked up nervously to see Jaina urging him onward. "So, for our Anniversary, I decided to give you the next best thing. Or at least, the next best thing that I have the ability to give you."

"Han, you're really not making a lot of sense." Leia noted, shaking her head.

Han Solo was a Corellian by birth. Corellians on the whole were confident in nature, perhaps that was the reason he found his apparently consistently nervous eldest son so difficult to relate to. But the one thing that could reduce the cocky one time General, smuggler, mercenary and permanent scoundrel to a near trembling wreck, was the knowledge that the loss of his wife's erstwhile homeworld of Alderaan still, all these years later, pierced her heart like a lightsabre.

"Leia." He started again. "If I asked you the one place in the Galaxy you'd like to live, where would it be?"

"You already know that. Home. Alderaan. But like you already said, that can never happen." Leia answered quietly.

"Thing is...it kind of can." Han smiled, placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face the house.

Leia's eyes were immediately drawn to the nameplate 'Woe Betide' now replaced by a beautifully, hand-carved single-word, 'Alderaan'.
Her mouth gaped, both at the word and the symbolism. They were home.
So much for playing down their identities!

"It's beautiful." Leia breathed.

"An' it doesn't stop there. It's yours. The house, everything, it's all yours." Han spoke into her ear.

"I don't understand. What do you mean it's all mine?" Leia asked.

"I got a legal to sign the whole thing over to you. I mean, we still gotta get your signature on a couple o' lines, but it's basically yours." Han explained. His smile had turned cocky again. The one he knew drove her crazy and wild with desire in equal measures.

She was staring up at him, trying to process his words. "But...but I...I only...I bought you a shirt." She said, lamely.

"Look, I came into this marriage with the Falcon, a Wookiee co-pilot and one really good pair of pants. This way, when I go out I'll do it with a fine new shirt too." He said, running a hand down his chest to demonstrate.

Leia's mouth dropped open again.

"Honey, I can't give you Alderaan. If I could, I would." Han said, taking her hands. " Just look at all the beautiful things you gave me. Jaina, Jacen, Jorj...okay, take Jorj outta the equation a parsec, but if it wasn't for Jaina and Jacen, I wouldn't be a grandfather. You know how that makes me feel? It makes me feel like a real man. Not a smuggler, or a mercenary, or a scoundrel, and not a single one of the things I know half of your advisors thought about me when you agreed to marry me." He swallowed, hard. "You make me whole Leia. I'm just sorry it took so much poodoo for me to finally realise it."

"Damnit Leia kiss him." Winter fairly barked.

There was a ripple of laughter before, blushing, Leia dragged Han's face down to hers and kissed him with all the passion she could muster with an audience at her back.

It was then that Jacen made his move. Clearing his throat, he dropped to one knee in front of the seated Tilly. "Not trying to steal my own father's thunder..." He started.

"Like you could." Han growled but there was laughter in his voice too, his arm holding Leia tightly around her waist.

"...But I'd like to take this opportunity to say to you, Tilly, you complete me." Jacen faultered a moment, reached into his pocket and withdrew the box containing the ring he had bought. "Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife and spending the rest of your days in the certain knowledge that without you, I'd be nothing."

"Can't you tell he's a politician's son?" Jaina giggled.

"Hey!" Leia scolded but smiled at the same time.

"I..." Tilly began, her face contorting.

"For Sith sake say yes, I couldn't take another speech of that magnitude!" Jaina groaned, grinning.

"I..." Tilly sighed.

Jacen's heart fell.
He was being rejected. Again.
He could feel it. Right through to his marrowbone.

"Tilly, are you all right?" Leia asked, concerned.

"Oh, yes, thank you Mrs Solo. I..." Tilly chewed at her lip.

"No, say 'yes' to him." Jaina begged.

"It's okay." Jacen rose slowly and shoved the box back in his pocket. "I think I already know the answer."

"Jacen...I think my waters just broke!" Tilly finally blurted.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Leia was sitting on the bottom step of the grand staircase when, hours later, Han finally returned home. She pushed to her feet, expectantly as he lazily drifted in through their front door.

"Well?" She asked, eagerly.

"Yeah. She stained the porch swing. And the landspeeder upholstery." Han sighed. "Never seen so much amniotic fluid from one individual!"

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it!" Leia barked.

"Hey! Don't have a go at me, I'm not the one who's got lousy timing." He countered.

"Han!" Leia snarled.

"Okay, okay." Han waved her back down to her step and sat by her side. "Everything's fine. They got her settled. Jacen's pacing like a caged animal. It's just a matter of time now."

"You couldn't have maybe called and let me know? I was worried!" She pointed out.

"I wanted to get back. We haven't had our dance yet." He told her.

"You're kidding me!" She exclaimed.

"Look, you know as well as I do that babies take their time. There was no point in me hanging around, it's not like they'd welcome me poking my head in the delivery suite for regular updates. And besides, we have danced every Anniversary since we married and I want to dance with you now before the house guests wake up and claim you for their own." He said.

Leia's smile was soft, understanding. "Have we really danced every Anniversary?" She asked.

"Sure. I made certain of it." He confirmed. "Couple of times it was a week or so late, when circumstances got in the way. But other than that, yeah, every Anniversary."

"The things you remember Han Solo!" Leia mused, shaking her head. She rose again and held out her hand toward him. "Slow waltz?" She asked.

"Is there any other kind?" He queried.

"Think you can do this without music?" She suggested.

"Honey, I can do this blindfold, with my hands tied behind my back and my ankles shackled together!" He drawled, pulling her into his embrace. Leia laughed and let herself follow his lead.

Their waltz was practised and took in a wide circle around the highly polished hall table and, as always, culminated in a series of fast turns which Han completed by dipping Leia low.

One hand spanned her back, low to her shoulder blades, holding her against him. He liked holding her just there. With just the right amount of pressure he could feel her breasts through the fabric of his shirt. His other hand held hers, thumb crossing her palm and curling her hand against his chest just above his heart so that she might feel it pounding for her.

"The dip..." He smiled. "That's optional, you know."

Leia laughed again, her eyes sparkling.

That grin, the one that Leia so loved, crawled his cheek and then his lips mounted hers, kissing her passionately.

Their quiet moment was interrupted by a nine-year-old giggling from above. Han broke the kiss and narrowed his eyes at Leia. "I swear that kid's taking private lessons from Threepio!" He moaned.

Leia laughed again and watched as her husband took the stairs two at a time to return their youngest to his bed.

Suddenly Leia wasn't tired any more. Every time Han kissed her lately she felt energised. To help her relax she strolled out onto the porch, closed her eyes and breathed in a deep lung-full of night air. Fresh and cool, if she concentrated she could pick out the scents of the blossoms around her. They had planned the foliage together. Some to add colour, some to add contrast, some to add fragrance.

A dreamy smile lifted her lips and she moved over to once more examine the nameplate.
Up close, she could more clearly identify the intricate work that had gone into carving it. This had not been made by a droid or a machine, this had been carved by a loving hand. One which truly appreciated the meaning behind the name.

Something caught her eye on the tail curl of the 'n'; a blemish? No, a signature. The artist had signed their work.

Leia leaned forward to squint at the marker and froze. She was being watched.

For a moment she considered what to do. The only weapon she carried was the pins still holding her hair in an infinity-bun at the nape of her neck. If she was quick and accurate she could stab her attacker in the eye with one of those.
Except, she didn't feel threatened, only...under scrutiny.

"It's a lovely piece. You must have put in many hours of work to achieve such a beautiful finish." Leia said, taking a chance.

"You're her, aintcha?" The man questioned as Leia turned slowly. "You're the Princess."

"I get that all the time. It's the hair." Leia smiled.

"It's the truth." He observed with a subtle bob of his head. "These are good people here. They don't want no trouble."

"Neither do we." Leia told him. "All we want is to live out our lives, with our son, peacefully."

"He's a good boy, that young 'un. Bit slow." The man stated, his eyes never leaving Leia's face.

"Who are you?" Leia breathed. He seemed familiar somehow. The way he looked at her; studied her, it took her back to her youth.

Then, through the aging features, despite the greying hair and the thick beard, the name came back to her. "Jaizun!" Leia gasped.

A moment later, she had fainted.