Vegemite: Lando-ish-ness was the goal - glad I achieved it! Thanks for reading!
LimeLight: Mmm . . . Lando was tough, but fun, for me to write. I'm glad you thought it worked! Yes, I like your Leia . . . but I think you've got a monopoly on Wes, Hobbie and Wedge. No one can write them as well as you!
I AM EOWYN: Yes, Jaina always scared me. Han's daughter who looks like Leia but takes after Han, flies like no other and is a Jedi? That combo is just too frightening to contemplate!
FuNnY cIdE: H/L bickering is always fun to write! Thanks for reading!
Pitdroid: Ah, yes. Lando causes H/L problems, H/L cause Lando problems . . . I figure they're probably even by now . . . he he.
From Heaven to Earth: No worries! I've been lurkinga lot lately at the JC, and it's because of finals junk -- I understand completely! Thanks for dropping a message - it's much appreciated!
Summers2004: And I always look forward to your responses! Thanks!
SuP3R G1R:Thanks! And the Solo-Skywalker clan isscary enough without adding children, my goodness!
Prudence-Chan: And that right there is why I need to have this fourth chapter! Thanks!
Hello! This is the last chapter . . . I'm sorry!
Your comments have all been lovely - I'm so sadly pathetic that I check every so often just to see who's replied. I heart reviews!
Note: As you can tell, I've played around a bit with POV with this challenge.Ever read "Hills like White Elephants" by Hemingway? Hardy har har. (Trout, shut up.)
And then I save you with a third-person limited with good old Lukie-baby. Ha-ha!
Thanks for being tolerant!
KR
"Leia you really look fantastic today."
"I'm covered in mud, Lando."
"Ah, but you would look good in a brown sack, milady."
"Shut up, Lando."
"Han."
"Leia –"
"Lando! What do you think you're doing?"
"Getting us out of here, Princess. What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Trying to kill us. Leia's friendmight come back. If that happens, you're running distraction, buddy."
"That's how you treat an old friend?"
"Yeah. You should see how I treat my new ones."
"I have no doubt. And your wife?"
"What about her?"
"How do you treat her?"
"Me. I'm standing right here, Lando."
"What do you mean, treat her?"
"I'm sorry, Princess. I always pay special attention to you."
"Does it look like I treat her badly?"
"I truly think you look fantastic. Have you lost weight?"
"Lando – "
"In a minute, Han. Or maybe gained some? I've always thought you were one of the smallest women I've ever seen in my life. Pretty tiny."
"Lando – "
"Han. No, Lando. I haven't lost or gained any weight."
"Oh. I could've sworn you look – I didn't do anything!"
"Put it down, Han."
"What do you mean, Lando? Does it look like I treat her badly?"
"No! No. Just making conversation. Could you get the stick out of my face, please?"
"Listen. You're annoying. Leave her alone."
"Once you stop threatening me with jungle paraphernalia I might consider it. Thank you."
"Maybe we should leave. The thing must have finished prowling by now, don't you think, Han?"
"This thing hasn't."
"Get your finger out of my face."
"You – shut up. Leia, you shouldn't be – "
"I shouldn't what?"
"I don't want you to – "
"Two weeks, Han."
"What about two weeks?"
"I told you to shut the hell up."
"Actually, you didn't say 'shut the hell up' – okay, okay. I'm shutting up."
"Han – "
"Leia – "
"Lando. No one was saying my name. I felt left out."
"Look, we'll discuss this later. Let's go."
Luke Skywalker was relieved only when he saw three distinct figures amble down the ramp of the Millennium Falcon. Breathing out a withdrawn breath, he left the control station shadow and moved to greet his sister, brother-in-law, Chewbacca and Lando. As he progressed, he noticed a covert glance from Leia to Han and the rather weather-beaten face of Lando, wondering distractedly why something felt odd about the trio. Dismissing it as a manifestation of his worry of days before, he opened his arms and embraced Leia, stepped back and smiled welcome at Han, Chewie and Lando.
And then it slammed into him with all the force of the now-deceased Wampa of Hoth.
"You're pregnant!" He yelled, moved to embrace her once again, feeling his spirits rise momentously at the prospect of his niece and nephew. Chewie roared in surprise and flashed a set of frighteningly large teeth at Han.
Luke heard Han swear under his breath and grinned into Leia's hair. Pulling back, he mock-glared at his sister. "How long have you known?"
She glanced at Han. "Two – well, it's been nearly three weeks now."
"Did you know Han could keep it a secret from us for so long?"
The former gambler had spoken the words and Luke watched Han's mouth open and close soundlessly, his eyes large and unbelieving.
"You knew?"
Lando flashed a grin. "Of course I knew. You two are awful at keeping secrets, you know? It's a wonder you survived the Rebellion at all."
Chewie growled.
Han seemed to rediscover speech. "I didn't say anything to him, pal. I don't know how he figured it out." He turned toward Luke and then Leia. "How did you – oh, I can't tell Lando but you can tell Luke, is that how this went?"
"You think I told him?"
"How else could he have known?"
Luke smiled behind a hand. The two of them would keep their children entertained, he was sure. "The Force, Han. That's how I knew."
He looked skeptically at Leia. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," she confirmed, wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning her head on his arm. "You're such an idiot sometimes."
Luke grinned. "Han Solo as a father."
"This is the most disastrous thing to the galaxy you could do, Leia." Lando's teasing grin showed white. "A kid with Solo's temperament and the Force?"
"Gods help us all," Luke kidded. Then he sobered up, looked at the couple as they looked back. "I don't think you'll have to worry about them."
"Worry about us?" Han grinned. "What's there to worry about? We can handle it."
"No, I mean – "
"Luke!" Leia was suddenly heading quickly toward him. "Would you mind helping us with the cargo? Solo won't let me go anywhere near anything with atoms."
Confused, Luke shook his head. "What? Oh, yeah. Sure." He started walking toward the ramp, turning slightly. "And I don't think we need to worry about the twins, Lando. They'll be fine."
Luke watched, mystified, as Leia's head whipped quickly to look at Han, watched as Han raised an eyebrow. "You refer to yourself in the third person often, kid?"
"What?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The twins. My niece and nephew. Who'd you think – oh." He switched his gaze to Leia. "Oh."
"Twins?" Both of them looked back at Han as he slumped against Chewie. "Twins?"
"What? Twins?" Lando looked over and asked Luke.
Luke said, "Oh."
Chewie rumbled as Han slid to the floor. "Twins?" he squeaked. "Are you serious?"
"Oh." He looked at Leia, who had crossed to Han's side, knelt beside him. "He didn't know."
"What twins?" Lando inquired, looking at Chewie for clarification and apparently not receiving any. "Who didn't know what?"
"Leia, I'm so sorry – "
But Leia was busy on other matters. "It was only a suspicion and I didn't know for sure, and I didn't want to tell you before I knew for sure but it must be true because Luke thinks so too, and I – "
" – I didn't know he didn't know, I'm so sorry, Leia – "
Lando stared first at Leia and then Han. "What twins?"
"Rwoolfruum?" Chewie asked of Luke.
"Just now. I swear I didn't know he didn't know."
"Twins? You knew? And you didn't tell me?" Han stared at Leia.
"I didn't know for sure, and I wasn't sure, I meant to, just I didn't want you to worry and – "
Luke looked past Chewie as a very confused Lando cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled, "Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?"
They stopped, eyes all on Han, who sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. Then he turned, brought his mouth near Leia's ear and whispered. Leia turned her head incredulously toward his face, nose to nose, and began to smile. She kissed Han's cheek and began to laugh, Han pulling her to sit in his lap, grinning with her as he wrapped her arms around her waist.
"I can do that, Lando." Han grinned and kissed the crown of Leia's head. "Instead of one Jedi Solo, there are going to be two."
He laughed good-naturedly at Lando's surprised smile.
"And since you are so in tune with our private lives, you are going to be their babysitter the minute they began levitating things."
Lando's smile faltered while Han's laugh reverberated through the hanger, the rest joining him, as they welcomed the as-yet unborn Solo twins into their lives. Luke went to embrace his sister the minute she extracted herself from Han's lap, apologizing profusely as Leia laughed and shook her head. Chewie once again swept Han up into a tight embrace, and then switching to a gentler hug as he congratulated Leia. Lando was smiling once again, shaking Han's hand and play-punching Solo's right arm, as Han led the group towards the Falcon.
Luke watched Han turn to Leia, stopping her before she climbed the ramp. "Oh, no. No, no, no. Go sit down."
"Solo – "
"Sit down. Enjoy the rest. I doubt we're getting any more any time soon."
She sighed melodramatically as Han walked towards the ramp. "Fine. But, Solo?"
He turned back towards her. "Yeah?"
"Our children are never riding with Lando in his ship. Ever. Right?"
His laughter brought a smile to her own face and she leaned back against a nearby pile of crates to watch the men in her life unload the Falcon lookingfor once and never again, content to stay just where she was.
And they lived happily ever after . . . until their children decided to becomeHermit Jacenand Darthess Jaina and little Anakin becomes . . . well. Right.
Happily ever after!
KR
