"So mom left us her card to order food. You wanna get Sushi of Gari?" Jacen Solo called over to his twin sister, who was lounging on the sofa completely absorbed in her phone.
Han and Leia Solo were rarely at home, busy running the multi-million dollar family real estate development business. When they weren't at board meetings or jet-setting across the world to visit new site developments, they were 'networking'. Which was just another word for drinking and schmoozing at fancy parties and galas, rubbing elbows with the other 'who's who' of New York's elite.
Usually, Winter, their family housekeeper and the woman who had basically raised the Solo children, would be here to help take care of dinner. But she had taken time off to visit her parents, and it had been decided that the twins, almost fourteen, were old enough to hold down the fort and keep an eye on their younger brother. Which meant take-out for dinner.
"Whatever," Jaina answered absent-mindedly, then tugged her long dark brown hair behind her ears and giggled.
"What's so funny?" Jacen asked, curiously.
"Nothing, just looking at Tenel Ka's pictures from the polo match last weekend," Jaina answered, whiskey eyes sparkling mischievously. "And wondering when you were going to grow some balls and tell her that you're into her."
"I'm not into- I don't know what you're talking about," Jacen spluttered.
"Please, Jace," Jaina answered, rolling her eyes. "It's me. I've known you your whole life. And it's obvious that you have the hots for Tenel. You should just tell her already."
"Are you good with sushi or what?" Jacen asked, clearly annoyed with his sister as he tried to change the subject.
Jaina gave him a look and then shrugged. If her brother was determined to live in self-denial, she wouldn't tease him. Well not too much, anyway.
"Sure, works for me. See what Anakin wants," Jaina answered, turning back to her phone.
"He won't care. He's probably busy playing around with those new robot toys Uncle Lando got him," Jacen said.
"You're probably right," Jaina answered with a smirk. "Still, I'll go see what he wants."
Their twelve-year-old brother was a certified genius. But it meant he was obsessed with robotics and building things and, in Jaina's opinion, completely socially inept. Jaina and Jacen were pretty popular and had a ton of friends at The Dalton School they had attended since they were in kindergarten.
Anakin, on the other hand, had trouble making friends, but he didn't seem to mind. Jaina had worried about him at first, more than a little protective of her baby brother, but eventually realized he would rather just be left alone. She didn't get it, but she accepted it and stopped trying to push him to be something he wasn't.
Just as Jaina got up to find her little brother, assuming he was holed up in his room upstairs, a loud crash from the service elevator stopped her. Freezing, Jaina turned to her brother, their eyes meeting across the room.
"It could be Winter, maybe she just got back early," Jaina said reasonably, but not quite convincingly.
"No," Jacen answered anxiously. "She would have called."
Another banging noise, this time coming from inside the apartment, nearly made Jaina jump.
"We should call the police. Or at least building security," Jaina said nervously, already reaching for her phone. "Shit. No service? Are you kidding me? I just was on Instagram like five seconds ago."
"They must have knocked out the cell towers somehow. Right, we need to get Anakin and get into the safe room," Jacen said grimly, as he grabbed Jaina's arm and pulled her towards the stairs. "Now."
Jaina nodded and followed her brother wordlessly as they rushed up the stairs. While they didn't know too many details, they knew that a part of the 'family business' involved dealing with some...less than savory characters. Their parents and Winter had drilled them on what to do if anyone ever broke into the house. Showed them how to open and lock up the safe room hidden in the back of her parents' massive walk-in closet. Jaina had not seriously thought they would ever have to use it.
"You go get Anakin," Jacen instructed in a harried whisper, as they paused at the top of the hallway. "I'm going to go get the satellite phone Dad keeps in his office. It should still work."
"I don't like the idea of us splitting up, Jace," Jaina whispered back. "Let's just both get Anakin and-"
"We've gotta get a call out, Jaya. Don't worry I'll be fine. I'll meet you in a minute, I promise," Jacen interrupted.
Jaina sighed, "Fine. But be careful."
Jacen nodded, and the two split up in different directions down the second-floor hallway of the Solo penthouse.
Jaina burst into Anakin's room, shutting the door behind her. She immediately went over to a startled Anakin, tugging him out of his desk chair.
"What the hell, Jaina?" Anakin complained. "Can't you see I'm busy!"
"We have to go. Now. Come on," Jaina said, ignoring Anakin's protests as she dragged him towards the door. "And keep your voice down."
"What's wrong, what happened?" Anakin asked immediately, having finally picked up on his sister's obvious fear. "Where's Jacen?"
"I'll explain everything to you later. Right now we have to get to the safe room, and I need you to be as quiet as possible, ok? Just like Winter taught us," Jaina instructed, voice low.
Anakin nodded, swallowing hard, his blue eyes as big as saucers.
"Good," Jaina nodded, hugging Anakin briefly. "Let's go."
Anakin watched Jaina pace the tiny safe room nervously.
"Jaya, is Jacen okay?" Anakin asked, voice trembling with fear.
"I'm sure he's fine, Ani," Jaina answered soothingly. "He'll be here any minute."
They had been waiting in the safe room for ten minutes now, with no sign of Jacen. Jaina was starting to consider leaving Anakin in the room and going to find Jacen herself. It shouldn't have taken him this long to find the phone, and she was starting to get a sinking feeling in her stomach. Suddenly they heard footsteps from outside the safe room followed by Jacen's voice, and Jaina breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to swing the door open when a strange voice made her pause.
"Alright, Solo. Where are your brother and sister? We know they're here somewhere."
"Like I would tell you," Jacen spat.
Jaina leaned her ear against the door and flinched when she heard her brother grunt in pain.
"I've been pretty nice so far, kid, but if you don't give me what I want, that can change real quick," the voice threatened.
There was a moment of silence and then Jaina heard the footsteps moving closer.
"Fine," the voice growled and then raised an octave higher. "Alright, you little brats. I know you're here somewhere. Come out now or I'll put a bullet between your brothers' eyes."
Anakin gasped, and Jaina covered his mouth, her eyes wide with fear.
"Don't do it Jaya. Don't come out, you and Ani-" Jacen urged before his voice was cut off, followed by a yelp of pain.
Jaina squeezed her eyes shut, digging her nails into her palms. This could not be happening. Less than twenty minutes ago they were arguing over what to have for dinner. How could this possibly be happening? What was she supposed to do? She had to keep Anakin safe, but Jacen…
"Boss, we gotta get out of here," a second voice interrupted. "The Solos just got back and they're on their way up."
"Shit," the first voice said. "Take care of the kid, and let's get out of here."
"No," Jaina whispered, moving towards the door, her hands working to open the coded lock. She had to get out, had to save her brother.
And then suddenly there was a gunshot, followed by cursing. Anakin whimpered and Jaina's mind went blank. She heard an anguished cry from somewhere and idly attempted to place the voice, before realizing it was her own. Then there were more gunshots and her hand dropped from the keypad, shaking uncontrollably. The door swung open, and Jaina saw her life flash before her eyes as a bulky shadow appeared in the doorway, weapon drawn.
The shadow moved towards her, and suddenly the light illuminated a face. Not one of a stranger, but her own father.
Han Solo took one look at his terrified daughter and rushed over, pulling her into his arms. Leia Solo's white face appeared behind him, and Anakin immediately rushed in her waiting arms, sobbing.
"Oh thank god," Leia cried. "Thank god, you're all okay."
Leia looked around as she held a sobbing Anakin, then turned to Jaina. "Where's Jacen? Jaina, where's your brother?"
Jaina looked at her mother blankly and Anakin once again broke down into tears.
Leia's face lost all color, as she looked at her husband, "No, no, not Jacen. It can't be-"
Jaina watched her father try to comfort her mother as she broke down in despair, feeling disconnected from reality. This couldn't be happening. Jacen couldn't be gone. He had been with her for her entire life. She felt a sudden pain inside her chest, like a piece of her had been torn out.
And then it finally sunk in. Her brother, her best friend was gone. And it was all her fault. She had been just a few feet away from him and she had done nothing. Nothing at all to help him.
Jaina had never felt so empty. So hollow. And watching her grief-stricken family with an eery detachment, she knew that she would never feel whole again.