Chapter 2, Post 1

by obi's girl

"When can I see my daughter?" Jaina asked Qui-Gon as he reappeared in her hospital room. She was free to leave and walk about the hospital anytime she wanted, but she was scared to leave the room. It was funny, Jaina had waited for a long time to be alive again but she was still scared to make the first step back to reality. She watched as many of the nurses and doctors rushed about, taking calls and attending to other sickly patients. "When can I see her?" she asked again, turning to him.

Qui-Gon shrugged, You can see her anytime you want, Jaina. Nothing is keeping you from your daughter,

"I guess I knew that," she mused, looking at the medical staff, "I'm just not sure if I'm ready to go out there, yet. It's a whole other world behind that door,"

You can't stay in your hospital room forever, Jaina, he laughed, I talked to your parents. I was able to convince them you're alive. Well, Leia more than your father. He was skeptical. Your mother called your aunt and uncle, and they're on their way to see you,

"And Kyp?" she asked. Qui-Gon didn't say anything and Jaina continued, "You didn't talk to Kyp?"

He shrugged, He's a wildcard, Jaina. You should stay away from him...He...I watched Anakin when he was a teenager, and Kyp and Anakin, they're very much a like.

Jaina scowled, "Kyp has changed a lot, and is nothing like my grandfather and don't you say again he is like him," she turned away from him and looked out the door window again. A young girl in her teens left her hospital room and asked something of one the nurses. Jaina watched her as she glanced around, probably looking for a room number.

Once she saw Jaina, she slowly moved towards her door. Jaina shrieked, walking away from the door as the girl entered the room. She glanced to her right and saw Qui-Gon, and shrugged looking again at Jaina. "Mom?" she asked, "Mom?"

Jaina frowned and looked at Qui-Gon and mouthed her daughter's name to him, and he nodded yes. She turned to Cherith and smiled, "Cherith sweetheart, what happened to you?"

Cherith shrugged, raking a hand through her dark brown hair and smiled, "I really don't know, mom....I remember feeling really weird and light. I saw light and I was here," Jaina slapped her own face and sat down on the bed. Cherith rushed to her side and took her hand, "Mom, are you okay? Do you need more sleep? I can come back later; I just wanted to see you....I can come back later, really?"

Jaina laughed and looked into her deep green eyes. She had her father's eyes, but Jaina's nose and looked the same way Jaina did when she was panicked about something. "No honey, I'm fine. I don't need rest; I'm just a bit overwhelmed,"

"Jaina!" Leia cried as she burst into the hospital room and ran to her daughter, hugging her. Everyone else walked calmly into the room. Han glared at Qui-Gon as he stood next to Leia and then he turned and saw Cherith. She turned and smiled at him, and then focused her again back on Jaina. "Jaina sweetie, are you all right? How do you feel?"

She laughed, rolling her eyes, "Still part dead, I think. But I'm fine," Jaina glanced at Cherith again and then at her mother, "Mom, why don't you let your granddaughter breathe a little?" Leia turned and stared at the young girl beside her, and she faced Jaina again and mouthed Cherith's name, and Jaina nodded yes. Jaina cleared her throat, "Everyone, I want you to meet my daughter, Cherith Solo-Fel,"

tbc

Chapter 2, Post 2

by obi's girl

Leia backed away from the bed, standing next to her brother as they all stared at Cherith. Cherith smiled, waving hello and then huffed, nervously looked at her mom. She moved away from the bed and walked slowly towards Han first. He started to back away but Leia pushed him forward. "I guess you're my grandfather, Han Solo," she mused.

Han smiled speechlessly as she faced Leia. "Cherith," she cried, hugging the girl, "It's good to have you home, sweetie,"

Cherith smiled thanks and then moved onto to Luke and Mara, "And you...Hello Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara,"

Luke raised an eyebrow, glancing at his wife as he shook his grandniece's hand, "How do you know who we are? I mean, we had never met before. We had never met you before, Cherith,"

She shrugged, "I know that. Qui-Gon told me everything about you all when mom and I were away,"

Luke was about to question her further but Jaina cleared her throat, "Sorry.I know you have a lot of questions Uncle Luke," she suddenly averted gaze to Cherith, "Honey, why don't you talk to the doctors about our release?" She nodded and quietly left the room. "Qui-Gon please watch her," Qui-Gon bowed and left the room..."Now listen, I know you have a lot of questions about her Uncle Luke, but she's my daughter."

Luke turned to Leia and Han, "You knew about this! The two of you knew about Cherith's existence but didn't tell Mara or me? Why?"

"Because it was better that way," Jaina retorted, "It was too dangerous for anyone to know I was pregnant. You knew I was engaged to Jag but Cherith, she.when my x-wing crashed I wanted to get to base and get to the health center ASAP. I wanted to make sure Cherith was okay but I felt her heartbeat was weak and I realized I couldn't go back. She's Jag daughter, our daughter and she will be accepted by this family and welcomed. Because she deserves to know her family after being torn away from it and everything else."

~~

"Wait a minute dear," the nurse smiled as she turned away from Cherith and grabbed some papers. Cherith huffed, biting her lip as she glanced around the waiting room. "Honey, why don't you sit down? This might take awhile," She nodded okay, and walked over and sat down on one of the couches. Cherith turned as the doors to the ward swung open, staring in awe at the dark Jedi Knight. Kyp glanced at Cherith and then leaned over the counter, asking where he could find Jaina Solo.

"Um, she's with her parents and her aunt and uncle. They're not be disturbed," Cherith said. Kyp looked at her curiously, ignoring the nurse. He had never seen this girl before but he felt should have known who she was. "She's not to be disturbed," Cherith repeated.

Kyp paced around her, looking at Cherith from every angle. Dark brown hair and deep green eyes..No, it couldn't be, he wandered. "Who are you, little girl?"

She shrugged, crossing her arms and raised her chin, "Who are you?" she countered.

"I'm a friend of Jaina's and who are you?"

Cherith breathed heavily, feeling intimidated by Kyp, "I, uh, I'm Jaina's daughter,"

Kyp looked closer at her and began laughing, rolling his eyes, "Oh, that's funny kid. But Jaina doesn't have a daughter as far I as know, so you can't be related to her,"

"I am!" she cried as he bypassed her, "And as Cherith Solo-Fel, I forbid you to see her," Kyp stopped in his tracks and turned back to her, and again, Cherith backed down, feeling intimidated, "But you can if you want to,"

"Fel," he mused, "You're Jag's daughter," Kyp laughed again, "I can't believe this. Jag and Jaina have a kid.why didn't she tell me about this? Why did she feel she had to hide this from me?" Cherith waved her hand in his face and Kyp looked at her again, "What?"

Cherith shrugged, "Um, I was just wandering - how do you know my father?"

Kyp didn't say anything as he walked to Jaina's door and pushed it open.

Tbc

Chapter 2, Post 3 by obi's girl

"Where's Jag?" Jaina asked her mom as she folded her sheets. She knew it wasn't really her job but she wasn't allowed to leave her room until the nurses and doctors cleared her release. Leia shrugged, looking at Han. She really had no idea. Everyone had lost touch of Jag for a long time since Jaina died. He just kept to himself, only seeing that doctor Raven. "If I don't see him here, I know I'll see him later -- or at least at some point, I hope,"

"Jaina," Luke started, "I know you're excited about getting out of here, but don't you think you should rest more...?" Jaina glared at him, holding a fold in mid-air, "I just meant, you've been through a lot. You need time to adjust to being alive again,"

She shrugged, "Yeah? And if I can't do that if I spend my time in seclusion, Uncle Luke," Jaina smiled at him, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. I'm taking Cherith and we're going to see Jag, and that's final."

"Jaina?" Kyp cried, bursting through the door and Cherith shortly after him. She shrugged helplessly, "Jaina, you're actually alive?"

Jaina pressed two fingers to her neck and nodded, "I have a pulse it looks like, so I guess I must be alive..."

Kyp grabbed Jaina in his arms and twirled her around, and then put her down, realizing he wasn't alone in the room and Mara was over his shoulder, reaching for her lightsaber. He turned to Cherith and then at Jaina. There was no doubt about Cherith was her daughter...and Jag's daughter. The Jedi pushed that away from his mind and looked at Jaina again, "You've been holding out on us, Jaina. You didn't say anything about being pregnant when you were alive....the first time,"

"I know," she mused as Cherith stood beside her, "Jag and I decided it would be better if less people knew, even you Kyp...Did you see Jag on your way here?

"No, I didn't see him," Kyp murmured; Luke looked at him curiously, feeling an hidden anger in his voice but Jaina didn't sense anything and he didn't want to alarm her. "But I know he'll be thrilled to see you alive,"

Jaina frowned, "Actually, I saw Jag before making my debut in the land of the living. I saw him in our apartment. We talked briefly but I had to leave because the military was getting close to recovering my body,"

Kyp looked down, "And that was the last time you saw him?"

Cherith looked at her mom and then at Kyp. She didn't know anything about the man that was her father; she was never allowed to see him -- that much she remembered about going away. Of course now she knew, she was dead too like her mother. Jaina hopped down from the bed, checking her belt and huffed, "Sithspit, my lightsaber! What happened to it?"

"Jaina, that was the last time you saw him right?" Kyp repeated but she ignored him.

"I gave it to Jag to hold for you," Luke answered, "He gave it to me shortly after you died but I told him I would give it to him again. He probably still has it,"

Kyp rolled his eyes, "He still does have her lightsaber," he mused aloud, "but Jaina, I need to know...."

Jaina huffed, looking at him again and smiled, "Yes Kyp, what do you want from me? Was that the last time I saw Jag? Yes, it was. I hadn't seen him since the last time I visited him as a blue, see-through ghost. Why does that matter anyway?"

He looked at Cherith, "We'll talk later." Jaina scowled, feeling like hitting something as the Jedi Master abruptly left the room.

"I swear sometimes, I just want to kill him," she murmured, "C'mon honey, let's go home."

tbc

Chapter 2, Post 4

By obi's girl

Jaina Solo sighed, walking through the Twin Suns' hallway. She'd always taken for granted walking through the hallway and looking at the names of several of the pilots. They were infidels, under her but now Jaina realized, they were so much more than that. They had names, faces and families. Everything was a revelation. She shrugged and turned, nodding to Cherith to catch up to her. The girl smiled and hugged her mom's side. "Are you excited to be going home, honey?"

"I can't wait to meet dad," she smiled but her smile faded

Jaina turned to her, pushing away her black bangs, "Honey? Cherith, is something wrong?"

Cherith shrugged, "I know this is a stupid question to ask but do you think he'll like me?" she laughed again and tucked her hair behind her ears, "I knew it was a stupid question.I was just curious because we hadn't seem him a long time and I don't want to hate me. Mom, I'm scared. What if I'm nothing like he expected and he wants me to be different than who I am,"

She raised an eyebrow and smiled, "That's a lot of thoughts for a fourteen- year-old, Cherith,"

"I know," the girl mused, "but it seems like since we've left the hospital, we've had to prove ourselves to other people. To justify who we are.your family didn't even believe I was yours. Well, grandma and grandpa accepted me but Uncle Luke had his doubts,"

Jaina leaned forward and kissed her daughter's foreheads, "They had their doubts because I never told them I was pregnant before I died. Han and Leia accepted you because I told them first, but don't worry about Uncle Luke. He's a Jedi. He knows his blood and you are his blood, Cherith. There's one thing I learned about family, you never question them."

~~

I'd watch that daughter of yours, if I were you, Qui-Gon started as Jaina fell on her bed and hugged her pillow. He rolled his eyes and laughed, Jaina, are you listening to me?

She shrugged, "I missed being alive, being able to sleep in with Jag on an early morning when we were supposed to be somewhere else," Jaina turned to him and smiled, "It was always nice in the morning, even on an over-crowded military base. It was still nice to wake up and start a new day,"

Jaina, Cherith, you should watch her, he repeated, I think she's developed a crush on Kyp,

Jaina looked at him curiously and then started laughing, "I'm sorry Qui- Gon, but I just can't see my daughter falling for a guy like Kyp. You're imagining things,"

I'm serious Jaina, he paused leaning against the dresser, I watched Cherith as you asked and she was awe-struck when she saw Kyp enter the ward,

She shrugged, "It doesn't really matter. Besides, I heard he's seeing Sera Fey`lina, an old friend of yours. Sera and Kyp have a lot of history, and she's been waiting many years for him to notice her. I wouldn't worry too much and Cherith's only 15, well, 1 year old actually if you think of it. Maybe even 3 weeks old," Jaina shook her head and fell back on her pillow again.

Still, I think you should talk to Cherith,

"I will," Jaina mused and then bolted up again, "He's here! Jag's here," Qui-Gon leaned off the dresser and disappeared as Jag entered the apartment. He turned and looked at Jaina, and then looked away. Jaina didn't notice his solemn mood. "Hi baby, did you miss me?"

"How'd you get in here?"

Jaina laughed, "You didn't change the ident code after I died so I plugged it back in," she paused smiling again, "Jag, I missed you...Cherith's excited to meet you and talk."

Jag looked at her and smiled somewhat, "Cherith? Cherith's here too?"

"Of course, she is but I have to warn you, she's a lot different since the last time we were here. A lot different. She's, she's more mature,"

"I remember after you died, I went to see Syal and Myri --- Syal reminds me of what Cherith would have looked like if she survived," he paused and looked at Jaina and gulped, "And now, you're both here, aren't you?"

"Back where we belong," Jaina mused, "I really did miss you, Jag. What happened before, the accident, it shouldn't have happened. It was a mistake; I should have stayed on the ground like you wanted me to..."

He smiled, "It was your decision, Jaina,"

She shrugged, "I know it was but I was wrong, deathly wrong," Jaina moved closer to him, "I'm sorry Jag."

Jag raised his hand and touched her cheek, "Don't cry, Jaina. It was an accident as you said. But it was also your call; you had a responsibility to protect those pilots,"

"Yeah, but I also had a responsibility to you and Cherith, and I broke that promise,"

"No, Jaina. Never think it was your fault," Jag paused and looked away, "We've both made a lot of mistakes,"

Jaina huffed, not really soaking in his meaning, "But all of that is past, right? We don't have to worry about that anymore,"

Jag shrugged, standing up, "Jaina, I can't do this,"

She frowned, "Can't do what honey?"

He turned to her and huffed; she didn't deserve to be lied to. She deserved the truth and if that meant loosing her and his daughter, she still deserved to know, "Jaina, isn't all in the past," he started, "I --- A lot has happened since you died a couple weeks ago. I met someone new and I moved on,"

"Who is she?" she asked, although she wished she hadn't asked.

"Celeste," he whispered.

Jaina looked away and sighed, "You slept with her? Well Jag, I think you were right. We'd both have made mistakes, haven't we?" She stood up from the bed and walked to the dresser, "Cherith and I were so excited to be here with you again and I'm here, it seems like I should never have come back to begin with and just stay in the afterlife or the netherworld and sulk about you for the rest of eternity!"

"Jaina, I love you..."

She looked at him and nodded, "But you still made the decision and slept with Celeste," Jaina looked away again, "I need to get Cherith,"

Jag grabbed her arm as she started for the door, "Jaina, I want my life to be with you and our daughter,"

"...except you can't have both, Jag."

tbc