Chapter 10

Over the next couple of days, Luke's fever eventually broke, though the entire process left him extremely exhausted. He didn't feel well enough to handle solid food yet, so Leia brought him bowls of bland broth and cups of tea. "How are you doing today?" she asked, coming in one morning with Threepio at her heels. The droid was carrying the tray, and she found Luke sitting up in bed.

"All right," he told her with a weak smile. "Shouldn't you be on your way back to Coruscant tonight?"

Leia shook her head, sitting on the edge of the mattress. "Han and I agreed to stay with you until at least the first two weeks are over," she told him. "Nothing back home needs my immediate judgement at the moment." She thanked Threepio, and set the tray on her lap.

"You really don't have to stay," Luke told her, accepting a spoonful of broth.

"I want to," she insisted, and Luke found it useless to argue with his sister. Just as he was accepting another spoonful of soup, the doors opened, and the kids dashed in.

"Good morning," he told them, after swallowing.

"I can count to thirty three!" Anakin announced proudly, climbing onto the bed. He bounced excitedly, sending the twins to laughter.

"Let's here it," Luke told him with a small smile, and accepted a hug and a kiss from each of the twins.

"One, two, three, four, five…"

Han entered the room at that moment, and a low warble followed behind him. Artoo rolled in, making low beeps and whistles. "Six, seven, eight, nine…"

Luke winked at his friend, and Han gave him a smile. "Hey Han," he greeted weakly, and watched as the former Corellian smuggler made his way over to the bed. The two of them merely looked at each other for a moment, before Han decided to speak.

"Good to see you looking more alert, junior. Scared us there for a bit."

Luke shrugged, half-listening as Anakin continued counting and bouncing. "Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen…"

Jaina snuggled against her Uncle's side, closing her eyes as he wrapped a free arm around her. Han eventually put a hand on top of Anakin's head, causing the little boy to look up at him.

"I think your Uncle gets the picture, kiddo," he laughed, and Anakin stopped bouncing. Jacen snuggled against Luke's other side, and the Jedi master gave a weak laugh.

"I feel loved today," he teased pecking a kiss on both of their heads. Leia leaned forward to kiss him as well, and nodded towards Han.

"Well, Han and I are going to take a little walk," she told Luke. "Kids, you can stay here, but please be careful. Uncle Luke's still in a bit of pain, all right?"

The children shouted, "Okay!" in unison, and watched as their parents left the room. When Han and Leia were gone, Threepio decided it was time for he and Artoo to take a look around the temple, and make sure that everything was running smoothly. Artoo gave a quiet beep of agreement, and the group watched as the droids followed in the Solo parents' wake. When they were alone, Anakin took Luke's hand.

"So you're all better now?" he asked, and Luke gave him a small smile.

"Hopefully," he told the child.

"You haven't coughed yet," Jaina pointed out. "So that's a good sign." She was quiet for a moment. "Uncle Luke," she began again, "Mama sung to me the lullabye you taught her a while ago. Can I sing it to you?"

Luke cocked his head to one side, trying to remember which lullabye she meant. He hadn't been sung to since he'd been living with his Aunt and Uncle on Tatooine, so the prospect of it was quite enjoyable.

"Sure sweetie," he replied, stroking Jacen's head.

Jaina cleared her throat, and began to sing in a low, but very sweet voice:

"When the busy day is done,
And my little weary one
Rocketh gently to and fro;
When the night winds softly blow,
And the crickets in the glen
Chirp and chirp and chirp again;
Where 'pon the haunted green
Fairies dance around their queen,
Then from yonder misty skies
Cometh Lady Button Eyes."

Luke raised his eyes, suddenly remembering the song. He closed them, listening as she continued, and was immediately reminded of home. Well, his original home that was. He hadn't been there since the day the stormtroopers attacked, and wondered if the Lars hut was still standing. It had been so many years since it's destruction, but he still felt as though it occurred just yesterday.

"Through the muck and mist and gloam
To our quiet cozy home
Where to singing sweet and low
Rocks a cradle to and fro,"

Jacen and Anakin continued, and soon all three of the children had gone through the song in it's entirety. When they stopped, they realized their Uncle had fallen sound asleep. Jaina put her fingers to her lips, and Jacen very carefully slid out from Luke's arm. "Tuck him in," Jaina whispered, and Anakin climbed down from the bed and onto the floor. Jacen and Jaina pulled the blankets up towards their Uncle's neck, tucking them around their elder's sides, so no airpockets would get in. Luke's breathing was calm now, and he merely shifted to the side as they straightened his pillows.

"Should we stay?" Jacen whispered back, and Jaina frowned.

"Well, Mom and Dad wouldn't know it if we left," she told him. "But I don't want to wake Uncle Luke."

"But it's boring when he's asleep!" Anakin whined, and both twins shot him an annoyed look.

"Uncle Luke's not feeling good," Jacen hissed. "You know that. He just got out of surgery."

Anakin nibbled on his fingertip. "So?" he asked. "He should be all better, then!"

Jaina rolled her eyes at her little brother. "Honestly, Anakin. Are we going to have to teach you everything? Luke has to recover before he's completely better. Didn't you listen to Mom and Dad at all?"

Anakin shrugged, and looked towards the window. "It's kind of hot in here," he pointed out, and Jacen thought for a moment.

"Yeah," he agreed. "It is a little stuffy."

"I'll open a window!" Anakin insisted, dashing towards it. He hopped up and down repeatedly, trying to reach the latch that unlocked it. Jaina and Jacen watched their younger brother with amusement, shaking their heads. "I—can't—reach—it," Anakin panted, eventually having to stop jumping to catch his breath. Jaina giggled quietly.

"Maybe if he stood on your shoulders, Jacen, he could reach it," she suggested, and Jacen glared at her.

"Why always my shoulders?" he asked, hoisting Anakin onto them.

"Because," Jaina replied matter-of-factly, "you're a boy. And boys are stronger than girls. At least with that stuff," she added quickly. Boys were stronger with some things, but not with everything. Anakin let out a soft, "Whoa" when Jacen lifted him up, and the two stumbled over to the window. With the two of them together, they were just tall enough to reach the window latch. Anakin stretched out his tiny, pudgy hand, and suddenly lost his balance. "Eeeeee!" he squealed, just as Jacen went crashing to the ground. Jaina gasped, staring as Anakin clung to the window's edge for dear life.

"Help!" he cried in alarm, kicking his tiny feet frantically. "Help! I'm stucked!"

Jacen rubbed the back of his head with a curse under his breath, and Jaina hurried to stand under Anakin. "Just let go," she said, "and I'll catch you."

Anakin glanced over his shoulder and stared at her. "I don't trust you!" he hissed. "But I can't hold on much longerer!"

Jacen struggled to his feet, using his sister's arm for support. "Anakin, let go! You're not that far from the ground," he insisted, just as Uncle Luke gave a small noise, blinking his eyes open. The twins froze in place, and stared as he turned towards them.

"What's going on?" he whispered. "I'm sorry I…Anakin?" he croaked, noticing the child hanging from the window. He took a deep breath. "Calm down, sweetheart. I'm going to use the Force to lower you to the ground. And then I want a rational explination for this."

Anakin loosened his grip on the windowsill, letting himself fall at last, and was amazed when his Uncle effortlessly floated him towards the carpet. When he was standing on firm ground, he wobbled over to the bed, clinging to Luke's arm.

"I was scareded," Anakin told him, and Luke smoothed his cheek.

"I'm sure you were," he replied. "Now what were you doing hanging from the window?"

Jacen and Jaina glanced at each other. "Well, Anakin wanted to open a window, but he couldn't reach," Jacen explained. "So I let him stand on my shoulders, but he lost balance. I fell down, and he was left hanging from the window."

Luke stroked Anakin's hair. "Well, you could have woken me, and I would have used the Force to open it."

"Plus, you might catch cold if the window's open," Jaina told Luke, suddenly remembering. Luke smiled.

"I won't catch a cold from the cold, honey. That's just a myth."

"What's a myth?" Anakin asked, climbing back ono the bed. Luke hugged him, kissing the top of his head.

"A myth is a type of story that is told for so long, and seems so real sometimes that people start to believe it." He glanced at the twins, who seemed to be pondering the idea.

"Oh," said Anakin. "Aren't you hot, Uncle Luke?"

Luke smiled weakly. "I'm a little cold, actually," he admitted, and the twins clambered onto the bed with him.

"We'll keep you warm, Uncle Luke!" Jaina insisted, and soon they were all snuggling against him, being mindful of his surgical scar. When the kids were comfortable, Luke spoke again.

"Did you know your parents have agreed to stay a little longer?" he asked, and all three of them gasped in surprise, staring.

"Ooooh!" cried Jaina. "How much longer?"

Luke kissed her. "About two weeks."

Anakin stuck his thumb in his mouth, just as Jacen pumped his fist in the air with a, "Cool!" and Luke managed a laugh.

"We shouldn't let you talk so much, Uncle Luke," Jaina said, noticing how the speaking was really taxing him. Luke took a deep breath, cringing in pain. Jaina smoothed his forehead with her small hand, brushing his hair away from his eyes. Luke closed them, gritting his teeth. Eventually, he drifted off again, and the kids decided it wouldn't hurt to take a little nap as well.

When Han and Leia returned to the room about twenty minutes later, they stood in the doorway smiling. Anakin slept at the food of the bed, while Jacen and Jaina both snuggled up to their Uncle's side.

"I don't know what they would have done without him, Han," she whispered, and Han kissed her.

"That kid is amazing," he agreed. "no doubt about it."

"They're his little cuddle bugs," Leia chuckled, gasping as Han wrapped his arms around her waist, dipping her back a little.

"You're my little cuddle bug," he teased, and she stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "Well, since Luke and the kids are clearly out of commission, shall we, your worshipfulness?" he winked, and Leia snorted.

"I'll never grow out of that nickname, will I, nerf herder?" she kissed his lips, and gave his behind a little squeeze. "Go on," she laughed, and the two made their way to their quarters.

Author's Note: Many thanks to Jelp4 for helping me out with this chapter. Again, the poem "Baby Button Eyes" belongs to Toni Morrison. Thanks for all of your feedback so far! I really appreciate it. :o)