I note that I get a lot of hits for the first chapter, but maybe a fourth that for the second. I think people are a bit creeped out...

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The rumors started first. Small whispers among the diplomatic aides, flittering here and there over the weeks and months. Then word of it began spreading through the Senate. It took the diplomatic compounds by storm, and with a week it was the central subject of the sludgenews, with such charming titles like Is Princess Leia Pregnant with Jag Fel's Child.

And that was how Jaina Solo learned her mother was dating her ex.

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It was openly known and whispered about on Denon. They had made no effort to hide it, after all. But it was not spoken of in front of Leia. No, at parties the hosts' eyes slid over the two and spoke of innocuous topics, like the rebels in Wild Space and the human ax murderers who worshiped the Yuuzhan Vong gods. But still, snickers were muffled and a whole new generation of bad jokes circulated around the bars, and nothing could keep the tabloids from ravaging the reputation of both Jag and Leia.

As far as Jaina was concerned, they deserved it.

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Luke was sympathetic. Mara was not.

"How could she do this to me? For Force's sake, he was my boyfriend!"

Mara raised her eyebrow, looking rather amused.

"Exactly – he was your boyfriend. Of course, that was three years ago, so-"

"What Mara means to say is-"

"You're being a spoiled brat."

Jaina clenches her fists, turning red.

"How dare you? Don't either of you think it's creepy? Dad's been dead not four years, and she's sleeping with my ex-boyfriend!"

Mara looks even more amused than before.

"Life doesn't end when someone dies, or when you pass the age of fifty. Leia is reasonably young – only 53. Han's been dead years, and I doubt he'd want her to waste the rest of her life away. Now, you can either get over it or get on with it."

"What the kriff is wrong with you!"

Then Luke speaks up, obviously unhappy with Mara's words.

"She's right, Jaina. As much as I dislike the whole affair, it isn't going away. You can either ignore them or confront them."

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Jag isn't at her mother's house, thankfully. She might be tempted toward violence, otherwise. The door is unlocked, and she finds her mother in the back, pruning a bush of some sort, cutting the pink buds off of it.

"Mother."

And unbelievably, Leia just turns and says, "Hello, dear. How was your mission?"

Jaina's eyes narrow.

"My mission," she spits out, "was fine. The only dark spot was finding out through the sludgenews that my mother is sleeping with my ex-boyfriend."

Leia's mouth tightens. "Well, I wouldn't say we're sleeping together. Three months is a bit fast for me. But yes, Jag and I are seeing each other."

Jaina just stares slack-jawed, her face a picture of disbelief.

"How can you just, just say it like that? Doesn't it disturb you that you're dating a man who could be mistaken as your son, a man who used to date me?"

A brittle smile spread across Leia's face.

"I doubt Jag could be mistaken for Jacen, Jaina."

"That's not what I meant!"

Leia's voice grows sharp.

"No, it isn't. But I'm not going to sit around and talk about how twisted I am to be dating a man half my age. Jag's a good man, and we share many of the same interests, and after you nearly date your own brother, you realize nothing is as bad as that. So I suggest you get off your pedestal and get over it."

"And Dad? How could you do this to Dad?"

"Don't you dare bring your father into this. Your father is dead. This is all about you, and hiding behind your father can't conceal it!"

Jaina walks away from her mother.