A/N: Hi again, you guys must be proud of me, I keep updating quickly. Thanx so much for the reviews. I really hope you like this chap, Ive been writing on it all day. I plan to do a sequel story to this one, since you guys like this one so much. next chapter should be up in a few days. til it be then. enjoy.

A contraction hit right as she was landing her ship, causing her to almost crash. But the superb pilot that she was managed to steady the ship just in time, and land smoothly. The attendants on the landing deck were waiting outside of the ship to park it when she stepped out. Mara was holding onto the ships railing when she walked off of the ramp to the ground.

" Can one of you tell me which floor is obstectrocs?" a large parking attendant wrapped his arm around her waist for support and then led her to the elevators, never dropping her out of his strong grasp. She was grateful for his kindness, and shooed him away even when he offered to stay with her until they called for her.

She sat in an uncomfortable metal chair, waiting for the nurse to call her to a labor room. Taking out her comlink, she dialed in Karrde's number and waited until only the answering machine picked up.

" Uh, Karrde, it's Mara. I'm at the hospital in Naboo's capital. My water broke about twenty minutes ago. And, obviousley you're not there, but uh, when you get this message, maybe you could come by so I don't have to be alone. Well, I guess I'll talk to you later. Don't try to call because they're making me turn off my comlink." she hung up and leaned back, another light contraction hitting.

000

Talon Karrde had just walked into his office when he heard Mara speaking into his answering machine. She was in labor already. And yet she was not even nine months yet. He walked over to his machine and replayed the message again, sighing in defeat to fate and her mysterious ways. he was not the man that belonged at Mara's side, and though it was inappropriate for him to meddel in other's affairs, he figured it was needed.

Pulling out his comlink, he dialed in Luke Skywalker's number, and waited until the younger man answered. Smiling grimly, he explained what he knew as he stared out of his window onto the bright planet of Coruscant.

000

Luke Skywalker sat in a New Republic meeting, watching as his sister explained plans for rebuilding some of the academies. His comlink began to beep, and he quickly answered trying not to disturb the meeting.

" Hello?" and to his surprise, Talon Karrde was on the other line. He usually only called Leia, not Luke unless Mara was involved. Something felt wrong, but he left the worry from his voice.

" Yes Skywalker, I'm so glad that I caught you. How do I explain this to you? Well, Mara is pregnant with your child, and currently in labor on the planet of Naboo, in its capitol's hospital. I thought it would be nice if you went instead of me, I'm not very good with blood anyways, you know. Well have a good day." and then karrde hung up, his voice light, even thouh it held the truth.

Luke was pale and had the look similar to that of a deer in the headlights as he turned off his comlink. He stumbled to his feet, but his sister caught him before he could make it to the door.

" Luke what's wrong. Are you feeling ok?" Leia asked, dragging the attention of everyone towards him. he breathed in deeply, but that did not get rid of the sick sensation he ws feeling at the moment. He shook his head, still not looking at his sister.

" No I'm not ok,... I uh, um, I don't know anymore. Y'you know what, I, I gotta go. I'll tell you later alright." he stumbled out of the room, numbly making it to his X-wing. It was amazing that he did not crash as he flew at an accelerated speed to Naboo, for he wasn't exactly thinking about flying at the moment.

000

" Mara Jade, could you follow me please." an elderly nurse called out to her sweetly. Mara smiled gratefully at the older woman, and followed her to a room at the very end of the hallway. When the nurse opened the door, Mara was blown away by the bright colors that met her sight. The walls were painted with pictures of Naboo's waterfalls and lakes, and it's colorful flowers and birds. On the ceiling, a picture of their national birdd, carrying a basket with a baby in it in its beak. Mara smiled and turned to the nurse.

" It's really bright, but beautiful." the older nurse smiled slightly and stepped into the room taking a hospital gown out of the closet.

" Yes, we believe that bright colors and art are less intimidating during labor. It gets your mind off of the labor some what." she then helped Mara into the blue hospital gown and helped her on to the bed. After setting her legs up and propped apart, she quickly checked how much she had dialated, and then left Mara to her own thoughts.

Her contractions were getting closer together, and indeed more painful. She wished she was not alone. She did not think she could get through this alone, and then she hated herself for thoughts like that. It was her own fault that she was in an uncomfortable position and alone, though it still made her sad that nobody except the medical workers would witness the birth of her child.

Mara would take anyone at this point to just be by herside, holding her hand. She'd even put up with Lando Calrissian and his flirtatious and annoying manner at the moment, just as long as he was beside her. But there was no one with her, no Lando, no Karrde, no Luke. A single tear slid down her cheek.

000

Luke Skywalker landed his X wing and quickly walked to the hospital's elevators, slightly fuming. If this was some kind of sick joke, he was going to kill somebody, most likely it would be Karrde. He looked up the obstectrics department on a hospital map that was in the middle of the hallwaay, and headed up to the floor, a mixture of emotions filling him.

There was no doubt that he had entered the maternity ward, for the waiting room was filled with pregnant women, none of which were Mara. Luke turned to the plump nurse at the front desk, and waited a few minutes until she finally acknowledged him. She did not look like a very friendly person, nor did she act like one.

" Um is there a patient here named Mara Jade?" the woman shrugged her shoulders and turned around again. Luke nearly screamed, but a gently hand was rested on his shoulder and he turned around to face the stranger. An elderly woman in a dark blue nurses uniform smiled kindly at him and gestured for him to follow her.

" Hi, I'm Matilda, Mara Jade's nurse at the moment. Are you her husband?" Luke shook his head, at a loss of words.

" Boyfriend?" Luke once again shook his head. The woman looked skeptical.

" Friend?" He nodded his head this time biting his bottom lip.

" You two must have an interesting relationship." she pointed to Mara's door and smiled at him, wishing him luck. He took in a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside.

000

Mara watched as the door to her room opened, expecting it to be Matilda, but Mara was wrong; very wrong. Her breath caught in her chest when she saw that blonde hair and those blue eyes, the eyes that belonged to only one person. He was here. She did not believe it could really be him. The nurse must have slipped her something and she didn't notice.

But as he shut the door behind him, she did something even more embarrassing than the fact that her legs were spread wide apart in front of him. She began to cry. He slowly approached her side and looked down upon her face, no emotion showing on his own. Mara avoided his gaze as she silently wept, wincing when his hand brushed away a few red curls on her forehead.

" I'm s'sorry. I'm so sorry." she was able to choke out between her quiet sobs. Luke gently held her chin, pulling her face to look up at his. He finally met her green eyes with his blue, and she saw tears glistening in his eyes. He pulled her into his arms, and kissed the top of her head, letting her bury her face in his neck, just as she was burying all of the guilt and despair she had been feeling for so long.

" Don't you dare ever run off again. Do you know how much I've missed you?" he whispered, his words muffled by her hair. Her body suddenly tensed beneath his hold, and he thought she was uncomfortable with his feelings toward her. He pulled away and realization dawned on him when he saw her eyes shut tight, her body rigid. She was having a contraction, a bad one at that. Luke grabbed her hand, and was almost immediatley sorry; her grasp seemed to crush the bones in his hand. Finally, her body sagged against the pillows, and she breathed in raggedly.

A few minuted later the nurse bustled in, a glass of water and two pills in her hand.

" Hey, how are you doing?" Matilda smiled down cheerfuly at Mara, who looked as though she might soon throttle the woman.

" Just wonderful. It feels like something is stabbing me in a place i won't mention." the nurse, from much experience with patients like this, just ignored her attitude and handed her the glass and two pills.

" Take this. It's the painkillers for labor, you won't feel anything from the waist down. And I'm going to check how far you've dialated real quick." Matilda fitted her hands into rubber gloves and then proceeded to "check". Luke looked away, uncomfortable with the situation. However, Mara was feeling just fine at the moment, the drugs taking full affect on her.

" Well, you're fully dialated, and ready for labor. The doctor will be in in a moment. So relax kids, you're having a baby." Matilda laughed at her own little joke and then left the room.

000

" Push Mara. I know you're tired, you've been though alot today, but you need to push." her hair was clinging to her sweat sheened face, and dark bags hung beneath her tired jade eyes. But luckily for Luke, she was too tired to squeeze his hand. Instead he just held her hand in his, trying to coax her to push, just as the doctor was. They had been in the delivery room for ten hours, not including the time before the doctor had arrived. Mara had every right to be tired.

She somehow managed to push as said, groaning as she did so, Luke and the nurse helping her. The doctor smiled at her, trying to comfort her.

" Just one more push, one big push, and it'll all be over. You have to push when I say to Mara, alright. Do you understand?" she weakly nodded, and when he gave the word, she used all of her strength to give a final push. It was as though a peice of her was now missing, and she did not know where it went. But she lost all worry when the doctor held up a fussy infant, still covered in debris. That peice of her was still with her.

The nurse quickly cleaned up the tiny infant, before wrapping it in a yellow blanket. Matilda walked over and carefully placed the infant in Mara's outstretched arms.

" Congradulations, you are now the parents of a baby girl. I'll be back in a moment with the paper work and birth certificate." But Mara wasn't listening, she was too wrapped up in her daughter. Run a finger over the child's face, she felt something warm bubble inside of her. Luke wrapped his arm around her and peered down into the face of their daughter.

Without realizing it, a word slipped out of her mouth, rolling off of her tongue with such a grace she knew it was the name.

" Addeline."