Jaina took a deep breath and grinned. There wasn't anything in the entire universe that smelled better than smoked krephit.

"Ben Skywalker, what do you think you're doing?"

Jaina glanced across the room at her aunt's voice and saw Mara standing next to the dining table, fists on her hips, one eyebrow cocked at her three-year-old son.

Ben had been caught with his hand in the sweets jar. Literally. His tiny fingers were dripping with the sweet-sour sauce Mara liked on her d'yjala cakes

Jaina had to shake her head at how intimidating Mara could be, even at eight months of pregnancy.

"You mean especially." Jacen said, grinning from beside her, sipping from the flute in his hand.

Jaina grinned back. "I guess so." Her eyes locked onto the drink in his hand. "Is that spiked?"

Jacen effected offense. "You know I don't drink. Besides, Uncle Luke hasn't let Aunt Mara within a standard click of any liquor."

"Smart man." Jaina grinned.

Jacen nodded once. "Yeah. Except for the fact that this is Aunt Mara we're talking about, and Uncle Luke actually believed her when she told him the suspicious lump under Karrde's arm was a benign growth he had never had removed."

Jaina stopped. "Right. Forget what I said. Uncle Luke has never made a smart move in his life. At least not intentionally."

Jacen grinned. "Well, it may not have been completely intentional, but he did marry Aunt Mara."

Jaina nodded with a smile. "And you know... you never did answer my question. Is that spiked or not?"

Jacen simply quirked his eyebrows.

"He has been giving such replies for a standard week." Tenel Ka suddenly seemed to dissolve into existence in front of them. "I am beginning to believe it must be according to his new role as a family head."

" 'Daddy' works just fine, Tenel Ka." Jaina teased." And, yeah, it's a clause in the contract. Parents are sworn to be secretive about all their stuff, but to be nosy about yours."

Tenel Ka nodded decisively. "It is the universal agreement, I believe."

Jaina looked back at her brother. "So..."

Jacen opened his mouth to answer, stalling for the most vague answer he could come up with. He looked down at the glass in his hand, wondering what it would take to convince himself, and therefore, his sister, that the punch was indeed un-spiked, or whatever the pilot's slang for it was.

Except that the glass was no longer in his hand.

Tenel Ka took a sip and immediately handed it to Jaina. "It is spiked."

Jacen just stared drop-jawed at the exchange.

Tahiri joined the group then, laughing hysterically. "Way to go, Tenel Ka! Look," she gestured at Jacen's now-I-know-I'm-losing-my-mind expression, "you could touch him, and he'd, like, fall over dead." Her grin became sly. "'Course, you could do that to him anyway..."

Jaina howled at this, grabbing the shorter blonde by the shoulders and spinning her around in some congratulatory dance.

Jacen continued to stare dumbly for a moment.

"Ok," he said finally, "it's pretty obvious I've become the subject of ridicule and harassment."

Tenel Ka nodded simply. "It is often said on Hapes that if a simple kill is found, it will be used."

Jacen looked at her. "Why do I have the feeling that I have just been served another insult?" he groaned.

Tenel Ka shrugged, eyes twinkling.

Luke burst out laughing then as he entered from the other room, causing both of them to look up.

"Mom!" Jacen was glad Jaina was holding his empty glass, or he might've dropped it.

Leia hugged her son with a smile. "Jacen."

As he pulled away, Jacen could see out of the corner of his eye that his father had grabbed Jaina in a hug that lifted her six inches off the floor.

"You didn't tell us you were coming." He reprimanded lightly.

Leia rolled her eyes with a smile. "I know. Your father seemed to think dropping by without calling first would be a good idea."

Jacen eyed his mother with mild suspicion. "Funny. Normally, I would think that sounds exactly like dad, but this time, I'm not sure." He mused. "What did you tell him this time?"

Leia managed to look perfectly innocent.

Jacen looked back at his father and sister. "Never mind."

Leia chuckled, then noticed Tenel Ka. "Oh! I'm being rude! It is nice to see you again, Queen Mother."

Tenel Ka nodded. "Thank you, Madame Chief of State."

Jacen frowned at his mother. "Did I miss your reelection?"

"You did not." Tenel Ka shook her head. "On Hapes, a ruler never loses her title, even after she no longer holds that position." She nudged him with her shoulder. "It is the smart way to do things."

Jacen appeared shocked, then mumbled something at his feet.

"Where are the children?" Leia broke in.

As if on cue, Sieren and Ben ran squealing through the living room, dodging parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

"Umm." Jacen pointed with a grin. "Right there."

Leia smiled. "She must be more force-sensitive than we thought."

Jacen smiled back. "Maybe. Keil is asleep in Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara's room."

"Dinner!" Ben yelled suddenly, entering the room once again, just ahead of his smiling mother.

Leia followed her son to the dining table. "And how have you been, Jacen?"

Jacen nodded. "Well, I suppose. The kids are keeping me busy, and sometimes I have hard time keeping up with my other work, but other than that..."

Tahiri and Tenel Ka both shot him looks he pointedly ignored.

Leia nodded. "Good. Has Jaina said anything about how her life is these days?"

Jacen shrugged. "Not really. Why?"

Leia smiled as Luke brought the dish of smoked krephit to the table. "I just wondered if there was anything new in her life."

"You mean someone new." Jacen translated, picking up his fork.

"Maybe." Leia smiled.

Jacen shook his head. "Sorry, Mom. You're going to have to pry that out of Jaina."

Leia sighed. "Ok."

A loud wailing emanated from the back room.

Jacen sighed and started to stand.

A hand pushed him back into his seat.

"Stay." Tenel Ka ordered. "I will get him."

Jacen smiled. "Thanks."

A moment later, Tenel Ka reappeared with an amazingly silent Keil in arm.

Jacen stood. "Here I'll take him."

Tenel Ka shook her head emphatically. "You will not. Go eat."

Leia leaned over to whisper in Han's ear. "We are going to stay."

Han frowned. "Leia, I already talked to Jaina. She's not getting married."

Leia didn't look at him. "I wasn't talking about Jaina."