CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Skywalker residence on Coruscant was a massive penthouse atop a towering skyscraper a short speeder ride from both the Senate complex and the Jedi Temple.  In addition to the spacious master bedroom suite, there were seven guest bedrooms, an elegant dining room just off the restaurant-quality kitchen, a formal sitting room for receiving guests, a library that was Padmé's favorite space to think and write, a soundproofed and windowless meditation chamber, a broad outdoor terrace with a sweeping vista of the cityscape, and a large informally appointed salon where the family could gather and relax. 

Several hours ago the entire clan had returned to the residence in secret.  Their concealed, secured docking bay in the building held the Lady Vader and Luke's and Mara's Jedi X-Wings.  In two or three days they would return to their public lives, but for now the family needed time in private to revel in each other's company and contemplate the events of the past few weeks. 

Sarré sat in Bryon's lap on a plush sofa in the salon, her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, his hands slowly rubbing her back.  Having confessed their love to his parents, they no longer felt any need to hide their affection from the others.  The warm glow of early evening filled the room through the long window on the far wall. 

The salon door swished open and Leia and Luke stepped inside.  Although he now wore his Jedi robes, she still had not changed out of her pale green flight suit.  After escorting her into the salon, Luke flashed Bryon an impish wink and headed out again.  Leia strode directly to them and sat down on the very edge of the deep, comfortable plush chair that faced Sarré.  Still without speaking, she passed Sarré a palm-sized folder. 

"What is this?" Sarré asked quietly.  For some reason she was reluctant to open the two thin sides. 

"A gift," Leia said simply.  "Not for anything in particular.  Just a gift." 

Sarré used her thumb to spread open the folder.  In the left pocket was a credit chip embossed with the logo of the Sleeping Bantha, one of the fanciest restaurants on all of Coruscant.  In the right pocket was an access card for the Chancellor's Arms hotel, the most expensive on the planet; in the space for the room was the number 1138 in Leia's script. 

Over Sarré's shoulder Bryon could see what was inside.  "Why…  I don't…  We can't accept this," he mumbled in consternation. 

Leia stood up and tried her best to glower down at them, except she barely was taller than Bryon's eye level.  "It is not up for debate," she declared in her most imperious Senatorial tone.  "Have dinner and have some privacy."  She reached out and put a hand on each of their shoulders, letting her voice become gentle again.  "A friend did this for me once, when she realized how deeply I cared for Jarren.  Think of this as my way of returning the favor.  I know you will not insult me by refusing." 

"No," Bryon shook his head apologetically.  "I'm sorry." 

Leia tugged at their shoulders.  "Go.  Now.  Get out of here.  I didn't spend the last two hours setting this up and dragging Luke around with me to have this not happen.  I don't know what Mom and Daddy have planned for tonight, and it might be something you couldn't get out of, so I want you gone before they find out."  Then she winked.  "And be sure not to eat too much at dinner or it might interfere with your… evening."

"Yes, Senator Organa, of course," Bryon replied in mock deference with a broad grin while Sarré climbed to her feet.  "I need to change into something more formal and grab my overnight bag," he announced, heading toward the door. 

"Me too," Sarré laughed.  "I'll meet you at the main door in half an hour."  She gave Leia a long, warm hug.  After Bryon was gone, she looked into Leia's eyes.  "Who did this for you?  I have to know."

"Okay, but if you ever tell my parents, I'll kill you."  She held Sarré's gaze firmly.  "Seriously.  I will kill you." 

"Sure," Sarré nodded, a little taken aback by Leia's insistence. 

Leia kissed Sarré lightly on the cheek.  "Your mother," she whispered softly in her ear.  

---

While she waited for Anakin to finish in the refresher, Padmé lay on her back and examined yet again the elaborately carved designs in the wooden beams running across their bedroom ceiling.  Images and motifs, plants and animals, symbols and emblems representing Tatooine and Naboo were spread throughout the deep shadows of the room.  She already had pulled the drapes over the windows and dimmed the lights, so she barely could see.  Nevertheless, her eyes had no trouble finding the object of her attention: in the center of the room, hidden among the carved vines and flowers, were the stylized faces of four tiny angels. 

Padmé took a deep breath and sighed.  She and Anakin hadn't even realized that Bryon and Sarré were gone until just before dinner, when Leia had informed them with much delight of her gift to the pair.  Leia had been a little relieved, it seemed, to discover that they were not upset with her. 

Now, here, lying in bed, it finally hit home to Padmé that all her children really had grown up.  Luke and Danaé had lived primarily in their rooms at the Jedi Temple for many years, but they came by the residence so often that their aging and maturation seemed as imperceptible as Leia's and Bryon's.  Even Leia's election to the Senate and marriage to Jarren Organa somehow had not fazed Padmé, probably because she remembered so clearly how young she had been when she had done the same – and since Jarren's murder Leia had been living at the residence again, as she had for all but that single year of her life.  Tonight, though, Padmé had been forced definitively to confront the depth of Bryon's feelings for Sarré and the inevitable consequences to follow: someday in the near future her youngest child would get married and find a home of his own.  Accepting Bryon's adulthood compelled her to see it in her other children too, and suddenly she felt an immense void beginning to form in her spirit. 

Her awful contemplations fortuitously were interrupted when the refresher door slid open and Anakin emerged.  Dressed only in his blue sleepshorts, he strode to the edge of the gigantic bed.  He took a long, deep breath and ran his fingers through his short gray hair. 

Padmé smiled.  Although he never would admit it aloud, she knew full well he relished her watching him.  She thought it a bit unseemly for a Jedi Master to preen like some kind of ostentatious wildfowl – but she wasn't about to stop him. 

Anakin climbed into the bed and slid between the sheets across the distance to her.  He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head next to hers on the pillow.  "What's troubling you, angel?" he whispered. 

"I'm just…  It's nothing."  She tipped her face over and kissed him tenderly.  "I'm going to miss having Bryon around." 

He chuckled and smiled.  "First of all, with his missions he's hardly here as it is.  And besides, it's not like the wedding is tomorrow." 

"I know," she conceded.  "Still, tonight just really made me realize that our children have become adults.  They have their own lives, and most of what they do we only hear about, if they even remember to tell us."  She wiped her eyes.  "How did they grow up so quickly?" 

He shook his head and kissed her bare shoulder.  "Not even Master Yoda can answer a question like that."  He squeezed her tightly against him.  Then he laughed lightly, like he always did right before he intended to distract her from her thoughts and brighten her spirit.  "Do you remember the incident on Alderaan?" 

She started to laugh too.  "How could I forget?  We went to visit Bail and his family, and left Jenny behind so she could finally have some peace and quiet." 

"Not one of our better decisions."

"Nope." 

He smiled.  "The twins were what, about three?" 

"Four, actually.  Danaé had just turned two, and Bryon was eight months."

"Right.  Of course."  He unconsciously ran his fingers through the long locks of brown hair that trailed down over her shoulders and disappeared beneath the sheets.  Still laughing, he began to describe the memories.  "We were walking to the zoo to show them the native animals when the assassins attacked." 

"Yeah."  Even though attempt on their lives nearly had been successful, she continued laughing too.  "Bryon was asleep against my chest in the sling until the shots woke him up and he started shrieking in my ear.  Then Danaé panicked and was screaming too.  I was trying to get my pistol from the holster while I scooped her up with my other arm.  I don't know how I did that."

He shook his head.  "I knew their bolts were flying right at me, and I've got a twin in each hand.  I couldn't let go because I didn't know if they'd run, but I needed my lightsaber right away.  Somehow I managed to fling Leia up on my back and grab Luke up under my left arm so I could get the saber in my right hand to block the shots in time.  She was grabbing me around the neck so tightly I almost couldn't breathe, and I was carrying him like a sack of shuura fruit." 

Padmé was laughing so hard now she almost couldn't speak.  "It wasn't exactly our most graceful hour." 

"No," he said, equally full of glee.  "To this day I can't remember all the details of it, but we started running down the street, these men chasing after us and shooting." 

"We each had a child under one arm, I was practically deaf, and you were choking." 

"But you were taking shots at them, and I was deflecting theirs away, and back at them when I could." 

She rolled over to face him and leaned her head against her propped up hand.  "It all happened so fast we didn't even have time to hit the panic button, did we?"

"No.  Not like either of us had a free hand!" 

"Very true." 

He snuck one arm over her shoulder and pulled her against him.  "We were running down the street, trying to carry all four of them at once.  We must have looked ridiculous."

"I don't think there's any question about that." 

"And yet somehow you shot four of them, and I hit two with deflections, and that was it." 

"It was pretty amazing.  I don't think we could duplicate it if we tried a hundred times." 

"Probably not."  Then he grinned mischievously.  "You know what?  I should add that as an exercise in the Trials!  Send the Padawan into an arena with a charge and four younglings to protect, and have them get attacked, and see if they can get out of it." 

Without warning she rolled the rest of the way on top of him and pinned him firmly to the bed, snapping her hands around his wrists and slamming them down just next to his head.  "That's too cruel.  Promise me you won't." 

He raised his eyebrows at her sudden aggressiveness and flashed her a lopsided grin.  "I promise.  Well, at least not until after Mara, Luke, and Danaé get through them." 

"Good enough for me."  She released his hands and let him envelope her in a warm embrace.  While leaning down to kiss him passionately, she extended one hand up a bit to wave off the lights, plunging the bedroom into total darkness.  Then she broke the kiss and whispered seductively in his ear.  "You know, Ani, I bet we could replicate our other amazing feat from that trip to Alderaan…" 

---

Sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen with warm sunlight streaming in the wide windows to illuminate the room brightly, Luke and Danaé stopped their conversation in mid-sentence and their eyes met.  Luke raised his eyebrows; Danaé nodded and giggled lightly.  A moment later Bryon and Sarré walked hand-in-hand through the arching doorway, giddy with laughter and finishing up a conversation that seemed to have something to do with a recently concluded holographic transmission with her sister Nalé. 

When Danaé winked and blushed a little, Luke decided it would be better not to ask. 

Bryon stopped at the counter and pulled down two goblets from a cabinet.  "Isn't it a little late to be having breakfast?" he asked teasingly. 

Danaé turned over her shoulder and grinned.  "Jedi prerogative." 

Luke chuckled.  "Plus, we're actually ahead of schedule.  Mom and Dad aren't up yet." 

"Really?"  Bryon was clearly stunned.  Usually their parents were the first ones to rise in the morning, often before dawn.  Right now, though, it was already well into mid-morning.  "Did you check on them?  Are they okay?"

Danaé laughed happily.  "They're fine."  She met eyes with Sarré.  "From the way Mom's voice sounded, I don't think they slept much last night." 

Bryon had his back to them while he filled the goblets with water from a pitcher, so he couldn't see Sarré's face.  She quickly winked at Danaé in a way that unmistakably said, Neither did we. 

Luke caught the wink, but he already had sensed the meaning clearly anyway – there was a distinctly blissful glow permeating both Sarré's and Bryon's auras in the Force.  When his brother turned around, he indicated his nearly empty bowl of sliced shuura fruit.  "Did you eat?" 

"Yeah," Bryon nodded as he passed one goblet to Sarré.  "We had room service." 

Danaé laughed.  "I didn't realize Leia is such a big spender."

"Oh my, yes," Sarré smiled.  "I have to keep an eye on her constantly when we're on an official travel budget.  She tends to forget what's covered and what's not." 

"That sounds about right," Luke chuckled. 

"Is she here?" Sarré asked. 

"No.  She left a note that she and Mara went shopping," Danaé explained.  "For what, I don't know." 

"Clothes," Bryon and Luke said simultaneously, prompting Danaé and Sarré to shoot them stern stares for their crass assumption.

Luke burst out laughing.  "Name me even one other thing she shops for herself!"  While he waited for a response, he rose from his chair and added his bowl and goblet to the cleaner unit. 

"Okay, how about…  No…  Wait, I know…  Never mind…  Let's see…"  Finally Sarré threw up her hands and looked to Danaé, who simply shrugged. 

"She really is predictable sometimes," Bryon kidded while he offered his open palm to Luke, who slapped it victoriously, then turned his open for Bryon's reciprocal slap. 

When Danaé finished adding her items to the cleaner as well, Luke smiled.  "So, it looks like it's just us.  Let's go do something fun.  Any suggestions?"

---

For the first time in a long while the six women ate dinner together on the broad terrace of the Skywalker residence in the soothing glow of the setting sun.  Fresh salad and vegetables complemented shaak steaks and fine fruit wine from Naboo.  Most of all, though, they enjoyed the company and conversation. 

"So, Leia," Danaé teased, "you've had remarkable composure in not telling us yet about the clothes you bought today.  Don't hold back any longer on our account." 

When the laughter at her expense subsided, Leia took a long swig of wine.  "Nothing special actually.  Just some new gowns and dresses.  A few tailored suits.  That's about it."

"Before you ask," Mara interjected, "that's the truth.  She was very restrained by her standards."

"Then why go today?" asked Jenny quietly. 

"Because I bought colors," Leia answered calmly.  "And I wanted to get them right away." 

"Colors?" Sarré wondered aloud. 

"So that means you're…"  Padmé looked closely at her eldest daughter's face. 

"Yes," Leia nodded.  "I'm not going to wear black anymore.  My period of mourning is over.  It's time for me to move on." 

"Good for you," Danaé smiled.  "That's great," Sarré chimed in.  "Really great," Jenny added. 

"I'm proud of you, honey," Padmé said gently.  "I think it's the right decision."  She took another sip of wine.  "I suppose you had a lot of time to think while you were being held?" 

Leia didn't want to lie.  She and Mara had discussed her decision for hours earlier in the day, and most of it had involved things she couldn't have known about during her captivity.  After a moment's pause, however, she concluded that telling the truth – if not the whole truth – would satisfy her sense of morals for now.  "I did."

Mara hastily changed the subject.  "Leia mentioned that you have a meeting with the Supreme Chancellor the day after next, Padmé.  Do you know what it's for?"

"I have an idea, but I'm not certain," Padmé replied evasively. 

"Save the humility for another crowd, Padmé," Jenny chided her.  "The bill to create the Senators-at-Large seats is going to pass," she told the others with a broad grin.  "It's a lock.  And Trellem's going to offer her one of the positions." 

A hearty chorus of congratulations rose from around the table.  In the midst of the tumult Leia caught Mara's eyes and quickly mouthed her two words: Thank you.  Mara simply nodded. 

"You're going to accept, aren't you, Mom?"  Danaé's tone of voice was quite insistent. 

"You know what we think," Leia said, indicating Sarré with a tip of her head. 

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Padmé said resolutely. 

"See!  Listen to yourself!" Leia exclaimed excitedly.  "Already giving us perfect politician's answers!" 

"Now wait just one minute," Padmé demanded in mock outrage.  "Give me a chance to explain…"

---

While the women ate their elegant meal on the terrace, the men lounged ungracefully in the salon.  Obi-Wan reluctantly had been unable to get away from the Temple, so to avoid the feeling of being grossly outnumbered they had invited the droids to join them.  With the wide viewscreen projecting images of a particularly vicious Podrace on Malastare, they had pulled plush chairs around a long, low table.  Half of the table was devoted to the cards and multicolored chips of their sabaac game; the other half held a pitcher and three mugs of Alderaanian ale and numerous small and large bowls filled with various unhealthy but exceedingly tasty snacks and desserts.  When the latest hand of the game ended, a roar of laughter went up as Jaytoo's repair arm reached out to scoop the pile of tiny discs toward him. 

"This isn't fair!" Bryon complained.  "I don't stand a chance."

"Master Bryon, the rules have been scrupulously followed," Threepio insisted.  The protocol droid did not play hands himself, but he sat with Artoo and kibitzed constantly.  "Your odds of prevailing in any given hand are the same as anyone else's." 

Bryon shook his head.  "That's not what I meant.  These two," he glared at his father and brother, "can see through any bluff."  Then he motioned to the two astromechs.  "And these two are counting cards."  Artoo and Jaytoo bleeped indignantly.  "Don't deny it!  I know you are!" 

"This isn't real money, Bryon," Luke teased.  Then he flicked his wrist and sent a small morsel of fried dough zipping from a bowl straight toward his mouth.  The powdered ball abruptly stopped in mid-air, then flew back into the bowl again.  Luke didn't even have to look up to feel the sting of his father's disapproving gaze.  Muttering gibberish under his breath he leaned over from his chair to retrieve the food by hand. 

"If you're not having fun, we can stop," Anakin said calmly to Bryon without acknowledging Luke's compliance. 

"No, no.  It's fine."  Bryon reached for his mug, drained its entire contents in one long gulp, and smacked it down again determinedly on the table.  "I'm just enjoying pointing out my complete and total disadvantage, that's all." 

Anakin chuckled happily while he refilled Bryon's mug from the pitcher.  "Very well."  When he set the pitcher down again he looked up.  "Where do we stand, Threepio?"  

"Master Anakin has won four hands, Master Luke three, and Master Bryon none.  Artoo has won three and Jaytoo two.  The hands have had wagers of different values, of course, so in fact the distribution of chips does not correspond to the number of hands won.  You see…" 

"Thank you, Threepio," Anakin interrupted.  "The piles are evidence enough."  The three humans were being trounced by the two astromechs. 

"Look, look," Luke said suddenly, pointing to the viewscreen.  "Watch the move this Dug just made!" 

Anakin and Bryon looked up to see the replay while Artoo and Jaytoo spun their domes around.  The spectacular swerve and dive was quite skillful indeed, eliciting impressed bloops and whistles from the droids and murmurs of appreciation from the men. 

"Did you say that was the Dug?" asked Anakin. 

"Yeah," Luke nodded. 

"No wonder, then," Anakin winked.  "It runs in his family.  Back on Tatooine I used to race against his uncle."

"Oh, right," Bryon laughed.  "I'd almost forgotten.  What was that old cheater's name, anyway?"
Anakin smirked.  "Sebulba."

---

Just before bedtime, on her way to meet Anakin in the kitchen, Padmé noticed Luke standing alone on the terrace, looking out into the darkened skies of early night.  In his slumped posture she could read feelings of dejection.  Quietly she stepped out onto the terrace and paced over next to him, pulling her fluffy red robe tighter over her matching nightgown to ward off the brisk evening wind. 

"I'm fine, Mom," he insisted unconvincingly without turning to face her.  Despite wearing only a sleeveless shirt and sleepshorts, he did not seem at all affected by the chilly air. 

"If you don't want to tell me what's upsetting you, you don't have to," she said gently. 

"I just…  It's not…"  He took a deep breath and sighed.  "I'm more disappointed in myself than anything else," he finally admitted calmly.  "I should have been more careful with…  And now I'm paying the price." 

Padmé decided to change the subject.  "Whatever this is about, Luke, you have quite a bit to be proud of.  You saved all of us in the battle.  If you hadn't destroyed the bridge on the dreadnought, the results would have been truly tragic for the Republic.  And for us." 

"I know."

"And you did well at Xixus.  You got Leia out, and you saved Obi-Wan's life.  That's something…" 

"No!" he cut her off sharply.  "I disobeyed my orders.  I should have done my duty like Mara did.  Instead I almost got us both killed." 

"But you didn't," she persisted.  "You defeated a Sith, Luke."

"Only because Dad told me what to do.  If he hadn't been there, I'd be dead.  And so would Master Obi-Wan." 

"You can't know that." 

Luke finally turned to the side and looked her in the eyes.  "I understand what you're trying to do, Mom, okay?  But the Council won't see it that way, and neither will Master Obi-Wan.  And most importantly, I don't.  I should have done my duty." 

Padmé smiled tenderly.  "You did."  She could see from his face that he didn't understand.  "Luke, I may not be a Jedi Master, but this much I know.  Sometimes there are duties greater than the Jedi Code, or your Master's orders.  Sometimes you have to do what you know is right, even if it's contrary to the rules." 

He shook his head.  "The ends don't justify the means.  You of all people should know that."

"That's not what I said, Luke," she explained reassuringly.  "There are times in life when the ends themselves are in conflict.  When we must choose which end we are going to pursue at the expense of the other.  If we're lucky, when it's all over there's no harm done, like the outcome on Xixus.  Or the way the Jedi have accepted your father's love for me."  She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.  "If you always fight for what you believe in, then even the greatest sacrifices are worthwhile." 

He nodded slowly, then turned to stare aimlessly into the cityscape again.  "I guess so." 

After a final reassuring pat on his shoulder she walked away and left her son alone with his thoughts. 

---

Anakin was waiting for her at the small table in the kitchen when she arrived.  Wrapped in his white fluffy robe, he had poured two goblets of juice from a carafe.  He was leaning forward on his elbows, a glimmer of impatience in his eyes. 

"I saw Luke on the terrace," Padmé said softly as she took the seat opposite him.  "He looked upset so I went out with him for a few minutes." 

He nodded acceptingly and took a long drink from his goblet.  "There's something we need to talk about." 

This was unexpected, and she met his gaze in surprise.  "What's that?" 

He proceeded cautiously.  "Assume for the moment you are offered and accept the Senator-at-Large seat." 

Taking a long drink from her goblet too, she smiled; his apprentice apparently had informed him of her belligerence over dinner.  "Sure." 

Unconsciously the fingers of his right hand had begun spinning around and around the golden wedding band encircling his left ring finger.  "So…  I guess…" 

She could tell he was steeling himself for a question he did not want to ask.  "What is it, Ani?" 

When he spoke again his voice was filled with reluctance and dismay.  "You'll be Senator Amidala again, I suppose?" 

Suddenly it was perfectly clear.  He no longer was as overtly protective and possessive as he had been when they first were married, but deep down inside his soul he still clung to her with a visceral ferocity, as if his very existence depended on it.  And now the most open and prominent display of that bond could be torn from him in a single swift cleave.  All these years she had been Padmé Skywalker – and somehow to him Padmé Amidala simply was not the same. 

Padmé finished off her juice, then smiled.  "No, I won't." 

Anakin's face lit up in undisguised joy.  "Really?  But what about…"

She laughed lightly.  "I already talked to Leia.  She is ending her period of mourning, but she's not changing her name.  She's still going to be Senator Organa.  It just feels right to her; she couldn't explain it but it's what she wants to do."  She reached across the table and took one of his hands, stopping his fidgeting with his ring.  "I will be Senator Skywalker, Anakin." 

He squeezed her hand gently, having managed to wipe the huge grin off his face.  "I'm so glad," he admitted shyly. 

She nodded simply and tried to hide her own feelings.  It was odd and a bit discomforting, but she was very pleased that he had reacted this way.  She liked that he wanted to claim her as his for everyone in the galaxy to see.  It made her feel proud and joyous and loved all over again. 

And yet she also had a topic on her mind that she needed to talk about.  "Can I ask you about something too, Ani?"

"Of course, angel," he nodded.  With his free hand he lifted the carafe and refilled both of their goblets with juice.  The soft clink of the ice cubes against the glass of the carafe and the goblets was strangely pleasant and soothing.  When the carafe returned to the table and the musical clinking ceased, he met her eyes again. 

"The last few days, with everything that has happened," she began in a barely audible whisper, "I just keep having this empty feeling inside, like something is missing.  I couldn't figure out what it was until tonight at dinner, when Leia was talking about getting past her grief for Jarren."  She took a drink and sat in silence.

"Go on, angel," he encouraged tenderly. 

She realized she couldn't say it sitting so far from him, as if somehow the small table had become a great chasm.  So she rose to her feet, walked the few short paces, and climbed into his lap.  Her feet hung over his right leg as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.  Finally at ease in his soothing embrace she forced the words from her mouth, despite her reluctance to admit them aloud.  "I thought we would be grandparents by now."

Anakin pulled her closer against his chest and nodded for her to continue. 

Padmé took a deep breath.  With her hands behind his neck, now she was the one restlessly twirling her wedding band.  "Leia and Jarren were going to start trying and…  Until…  And now…" 

"I know."  He closed his eyes for his own reasons and kissed her very gently on the lips.  "I know how much you are looking forward to it." 

"You probably think I'm crazy," she chuckled. 

"Not for this reason," he laughed.  She shot him a falsely stern glare, but he only rubbed her back through the robe and continued the teasing.  "To be fair," he pointed out with a wink, "we were pretty young when we got married.  And we didn't exactly waste any time in starting a family." 

She giggled contentedly and nuzzled into his neck, her hands finding peace again on his shoulders.  "That's true.  And I suppose I can't really expect them all to have the same wonderful destiny in love that we had." 

"That's very generous of you," he smiled, kissing her on the forehead. 

"Except for Bryon and Sarré!  What are they waiting for?"  She took a deep breath when she realized how foolish she sounded.  "It's so selfish of me," she admitted, "but I just want to go find Bryon and tell him to get married right now."  She shook her head.  "It's ridiculous.  I know it is." 

He chuckled and pulled her even closer.  "The emotion isn't ridiculous at all.  It's perfectly natural."  He met her eyes with a mischievous wink.  "Actually mentioning it to Bryon, on the other hand…" 

She smiled happily.  "Yeah.  That would be pretty stupid."  Then she started to laugh.  "But can you imagine the look on his face?  Can't you just see it?" 

"Angel, he can't father your grandchildren if he dies of embarrassment." 

"You're right, you're right.  I'll just have to be patient." 

---

It was the middle of the night, and Leia found herself wandering aimlessly through the residence.  She simply felt the need to talk to someone, anyone, about anything.  A profound sense of loneliness she couldn't shake off hung over her. 

She pondered her options as she walked.  After dinner Sarré had left for her parents' home, where she finally would have her long-awaited reunion with Sabé, Alain, and Nalé.  Leia also knew Jenny wasn't here; a short time after dinner she had seemed very upset when she had departed for her own apartment.  On her circuit Leia had passed by a series of bedrooms only to find in disappointment the red indicator light activated at each one; Danaé, Bryon, Mara, and her parents all were soundly asleep.  She actually caught herself considering finding Threepio for some companionship as she approached her twin brother's room last. 

To her delighted surprise the indicator light on his door panel was green.  She tapped the button and waited.  He must have sensed her presence in the Force – the door swished open without a hail to identify whom it was. 

Luke's room here was even more spartan than his quarters in the Jedi Temple; it contained only his bed, a small storage locker, and a closet with a modest selection of non-Jedi attire.  Tonight he was sitting cross-legged on the floor near the bed, but he did not appear to be meditating.  He looked up at her and laughed.  "Clearly you're not going out in public tonight!" 

She glanced down at herself.  She wore a very simple, unadorned white nightgown and had drawn up her long brown hair into two tight buns on either side of her head.  Admittedly it was not the most flattering look of which she was capable.  "Not that you're one to talk, wiseguy," she chuckled. 

He conceded the point with a nod; the white sleeveless nightshirt and sleepshorts were about as mundane as it got.  "So," he asked quietly, "why are you awake?" 

"I couldn't sleep.  I just feel…  I don't know…  Lonely." 

"And you wanted to talk to someone." 

She nodded.  "And you?  Why are you awake?" 

"I can't sleep either.  I'm… well… hurting tonight.  A lot." 

Leia sat down on the floor across from him, tucking her legs under herself and leaning on an arm.  She wasn't sure who else had figured it out, but she had.  "About Jenny, right?" 

"Yeah."

"Do you want to talk about it?" 

"Not really.  But I should."  Luke flashed her a weak smile.  "You go first, though.  Tell me what's bothering you."

"Okay," she said quietly, then paused.  "I don't know where to start." 

"How about with Captain Solo?"

"Hey!"

He laughed happily.  "If I'm going to talk about Jenny, you're going to talk about Han."

She grinned broadly too.  "Deal."