Jacen sighed as he keyed the security codes into the keypad. It seemed like this week had gone on forever.

He wondered if maybe the rest of his life was going to feel like that.

The door hissed open and he stumbled into his apartment, deep in thought.

His sister was in a coma. The very thought of it made him want to yell in frustration. How could he not have felt her crying out to him? How could he not have known something was wrong?

It didn't matter that some Yuuzhan Vong bio-engineered creature had created a Forceless barrier between them. That didn't make him feel any less responsible.

Jaina was his sister. His twin. They'd been able to sense each other without the Force since they were little. A little coral-sucking snake shouldn't have been able to change that.

He finally looked up from the floor as he took off his shoes.

Tenel Ka stood in the doorway to Keil's bedroom, watching him.

Jacen just looked at her for a moment, almost drawing strength from her calm stance.

"Hi." He said finally, offering a feeble smile. "The kids are in bed?"

Tenel Ka nodded, moving softly toward him.

"How is she?" she asked quietly.

Jacen inhaled and blew out his breath in one action. "The same. The medics have said the reconstruction process is going to take time, but every day she doesn't wake up…"

Tenel Ka allowed the unfinished thought to hang between them, her eyes staring unseeing at the front of Jacen's tunic.

"Hey." Jacen tipped her chin up with two fingers, offering a cock-eyed smile. "Thanks."

Tenel Ka blinked, unsure of what to say.

"I know this isn't at all how you planned to relax, but I'm glad you're here." His voice was soft. "I'm not sure how I would've done without you." He reached out and wrapped an arm around her.

Tenel Ka wasn't sure which surprised her more, the fact that Jacen was holding her, or the fact that she was allowing herself to lean against him.

Both of those abnormalities dimmed in comparison when she felt his tears soaking into her hair.

He was crying.

She could only ever remember him crying once before.

"Jacen?" she asked softly, pulling away enough to be able to see his face.

"I'm sorry." His voice was ragged. "I—"

Tenel Ka shook her head slowly to interrupt him, reaching up to brush away the tears on his face.

Jacen attempted a smile, his eyes glittering through more unshed tears.

After a moment of silence, Tenel Ka pulled away gently and moved toward the door.

"Jacen." She said as the door slid open.

Jacen turned to look at her.

"If you need me…" she let the sentence hang.

Jacen nodded. "I know."

His last thought before the door closed behind her was that somehow, the little green-eyed blonde that they often teased for being so clueless, knew more than she ought to.

.

"Hey, kiddo." Kyp sat down in his chair again. "I brought a holodrama for us to watch."

His only reply was the rhythmic hiss of the ventilator.

"I went against my better judgment and got a pre-Rebellion one." He made a face. "The one with your favorite actress. It still fails my logic to understand how that woman could be Captain Cardboard's mother. Anyway, it's kinda funny, 'cause I think she might actually have been younger than you are now when they filmed this. Not to say that you're old in the least." He rushed to assure her.

She was still motionless.

"But we can wait on the holodrama." Kyp decided, sitting back in his chair. "I saw Jacen today." He said finally, picking up her limp hand. "He's really beating himself up about not being able to help you." He rubbed the back of her hand. "You know, I thought I might have trouble explaining to your dad how I kept you breathing on the way here, but to be honest," he grinned at her still face, "I don't think it even registered with him." He paused for a moment, then shuddered. "The only one I'm worried about now is your aunt."

"Speaking of your aunt," he went on, "your uncle is becoming more paranoid by the hour, convinced that something is going to go wrong somehow. And not that he thinks so unreasonably," he admitted, "your aunt's physical age does leave her at risk for complications, but you and I both know your aunt. I think it's unlikely she'd allow anything to go wrong. And to be completely forthright, I'm not sure Mara's as old as she claims she is." He grinned. "Ben is convinced that he's getting a baby sister, and your uncle whole heartedly agrees with him. Between you and me," he confided, whispering conspiratorially, "I think Luke just decided a baby girl would be less work." He snorted. "I know better. Sure, they're a lot easier to handle from the beginning until the time they're about three. Then it's all emotional stress and complete life-altering decisions made on the spur of the moment, under the inspiration of that gooey stuff you guys like to drink." He made a face. "And before you sit up and tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about, remember that I'm speaking with a voice of experience here."

"Tahiri's been busy." He continued. "She and Taan have worked out this security system that involves hollowed out stone blocks and black spray-tinted windows." He raised one eyebrow. "It all sounds obscenely complicated to me, but whatever. Your uncle, Kam, and Jacen are still arguing if it's a good idea to send the younger recruits to Eclipse." He shrugged. " I'd like to say I'm not going to get involved, but this once, I think Jacen actually knows what he's talking about." He snorted. "I know. Amazing isn't it?" he shook his head. "I never thought I'd agree with your brother on anything." He frowned. "Tenel Ka's still here, and I think maybe that's part of why all of Jacen's circuits are functioning correctly." In the silence, his words echoed in his mind, and he winced. "No, no, not like that. Nothing like that." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Your brother's nothing if not slow on the uptake." He eyed her face carefully. "Never mind."

"Captain Got-his-pants-too-tight is the same as ever." Kyp tried, but even then he couldn't keep the scorn out of his voice. "To tell you the truth, I have no universal idea why your uncle wanted him to come with us. He hasn't done squat since we got here, and I almost feel sorry for the guy," he scowled, "almost, because he seems so lost."

Kyp ran his fingers through his hair. "You know, really, everyone seems a little lost right now. No one is quite sure what to do." He smiled. "You're probably in there having a great time just cackling away at our inability to function on our own."

He hung his head and brought her hand to his cheek. "We need you, Jay. Wake up."

Her fingers twitched.

Kyp's head shot up, his eyes wide.

Jaina's eyes were fluttering rapidly as the ventilator slowed down to allow her to breath on her own.

"Hey, baby." He whispered, leaning forward. "It's me. Wake up."

Jaina moaned softly, but her eyes remained closed.

Kyp unclipped his commlink from his belt and thumbed it on. "Han, I think you should come up to the medcenter."