Chapter 11

/Jag? / Jag woke from where he had fallen asleep and the sound of Jaina voice.

/What is it Jay? /

/Come on up, we're about to exit hyperspace, in about five minutes. /

/Be right there. /

Jag made his way to where Jaina was sitting in the cockpit. "So what are we going to tell them when we get back?"

"We'll tell them the truth I guess. I don't really see any way around it. How else are we going to explain this ship?"

"Good point." Jag sat down in the copilots seat, waiting to come out of hyperspace to Mon Calamari.

"Coming out of hyperspace." Jag and Jaina watched as the ship reverted it self out of hyperspace.

"Um… Jaina? How exactly do we plan on getting past the squadrons and landing?"

"Umm…I hadn't really thought that far. But we should be all right for now. We're to small and far away to be a threat."

"Ha, Jaina we just kinda came into the middle of a training exercise. Twins Suns is headed this way at full speed, and their s-foils are locked into position."

"Kriff!" Jaina jerked the ship in the opposite direction despite its complaints. Thankfully the ship was fast enough to at least avoid the x-wings.

/Kyp! Kyp it's me, us, Jag and I. Would you please stop trying to kill us! /

/Jaina! What the kriff happened to you! We could feel your distress a few days ago, and with the report…. Your mother is in a nervous wreck and Wedge practically put Han in house arrest. /

/It's a long story. I'll tell you when we get back, if y'all don't shoot us down first. /

/Oh right, sorry. /

"What's going on?" Jag asked staring out of the view port as the x-wings slowed down, and came into an escort position around them.

"Kyp."

/Jaina, follow us in. You're clear to land at the special ops docking bay. /

/Right. /

/Wedge will be waiting. /

/Thanks Kyp. /

/No prob Goddess, glad to see you in one piece. /

Wedge was sitting at his desk going over a report from the Corellian sector when a captain came in.

"Sir, we've just gotten a transmission from Durron. He's bring in a Yuuzhan Vong ship, he says the goddess is on it."

"Jaina! Did you give them permission to land?" He asked jumping up from his desk grabbing his comlink.

"Yes sir, the special ops docking bay. Colonel Celchu is headed there now."

"Thank you!" Wedge yelled behind him as he sprinted for the docking bay.

He activated his comlink and typed in a number he new by heart.

"Antilles."

"Iella, Jaina and Jag are back there headed to the special opts docking bay."

"I'll be right there."

"Solo here." A gruff voice replied as he typed in a different number.

"Han, Jaina and Jag are back. Special opts docking bay."

"Whoa! I'll be there in 5 minutes. Solo out."

He rounded the last corner as he called the last person. "Solo." Came back a very hushed voice.

"Leia sorry to interrupt your meeting but Jaina and Jag are back, special opts docking bay, just wanted to let you know."

"Thank you, tell Jaina I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Right, Antilles out."

Wedge walked into the docking bay just in time to see both Iella and Han rush into the door.

"I wondered how long it would take y'all." Came Tycho's voice from the corner.

"I wouldn't be able to keep Han from being here even if I wanted to." Wedge said walking over to his good friend.

"Your probably right." Tycho said as Han and Iella reached them.

They stood in a relative silence until they heard the door open. Han hoped that it would be Leia, but was secretly disappointed as Winter come running through the door.

"Winter! What are you doing here?" Tycho asked as he ran towards her.

"You really think that I was going to miss this? Not after all the reports that we've been getting. Hi Han, Wedge, Iella." She said as she reached the crowd.

They fell into a light pleasant chat until Iella screamed out. "Look there it is!"

They broke through the Mon Cal atmosphere with ease as they slowed their descent. As they got closer to the special ops docking bay Twin Suns broke off and headed back out to patrol.

/Thanks Kyp /

/No problem, good luck/

/Jedi don't believe in luck. /

/Yea, but Solo's do. /

They landed and pulled off the cognition hoods. Jaina looked out of the view port at the small crowd waiting them. "Mom's not here." She said with a sad smile, almost to herself.

"Hey, you all right?"

"Yea, it's just she's never here. It's no big deal, I understand she has a job to do…and so do I. We'd better go."

They walked towards the ramp and, as Jaina was reaching to open it, Jag stopped her.

"Jaina wait. I just…I just want one more minute of this. Of us, being alone, being ourselves, no games or charades, just us."

Jaina turned around and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm going to miss this."

"Me too."

"As much as I hate to say it, we better go. Wedge is starting to get impatient."

"Right, endless questioning, oh joy! This is going to be so much fun."

Jaina smiled as she opened the ramp. She walked down in putting her Goddess face in place. She got maybe two steps off the ramp before two strong arms lifted her up off the ground in a hug.

"Hey Dad. Urgh…Dad you're squashing me." Jaina said turning a slight shade of red.

"Oh sorry, sweetheart. It's just that while you were gone we started getting reports about the Peace Brigade capturing you. And somehow I'm getting the feeling that those weren't fictional." He said, putting her back on the ground.

"I'm fine Dad, I'll tell you all about it later."

Before Han could reply Tycho and Winter came up to them. "Winter!" Jaina squealed her name like she did when she was four and threw herself into Winter's arms.

"Hello, my darling. My, I swear you're getting prettier by the day."

Jaina's cheeks flushed slightly as she pulled back. "Oh I'm sure, endless hours of flight and no shower for almost seven days. I'm just beautiful."

"Well it's definitely Jaina."

"Hey Tycho." Jaina said hugging someone who was like an uncle to her growing up.

"I'm glad your okay."

"Thanks." She said pushing back. "This is just like old times. /except Jace and Ani aren't here/ Where's Mom?"

"She got caught in a meeting."

"Oh." Jaina looked over to where Jag was standing to see Iella practically hanging off him.

/Having problems? /

/Help. /

/Baby. /

Jaina walked over to them and hugged Wedge. "Hey Wedge. Iella?" She placed her hand on Iella's back. "Iella are you all right?"

"You'll have to forgive her, we just talked to Syal and Myri a little while ago, and then with the two of you missing, well lets just say that it's been one hell of a week."

"I understand, trust me."

"I'm sorry Jaina, my emotions got the best of me."

Instead of replying Jaina just moved forward and embraced Iella.

Leia ran towards the docking bay where Jaina was landing. She had gotten away from here meeting as quickly as possible and headed straight to the hanger. When she got there she saw Jaina and Iella hanging off each other for dear life. She gently brushed Jaina with the force, Jaina's head snapped off Iella's shoulder and she looked straight at Leia and smiled. She gently pushed away from Iella and slowly and purposely headed towards Leia. As their rocky relationship began to mend, Jaina and Leia had become closer then they ever had, but they still had a long way to go. Jaina then did something unexpected, yet wonderful, she opened herself up completely to Leia.

Leia was suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of grief, regret, joy, love, and forgiveness. Jaina's pace sped up with each step, so that the last few feet she was practically running. They embraced for a long time with neither of them saying anything, just holding each other.

"You made it." Jaina finally said barely able to keep her emotions in check.

"Of course I did sweetie, oh I missed you."

"I missed you too mom."

"Thank you." Leia said and Jaina just smiled in response not being able to think of anything else to say.

"Hey sweethearts, everything okay?" Han asked coming up behind them.

"Perfect." They both replied at the same time, and started laughing.

"Um…while I had the chance I wanted to know…"

/Come on Jaina, just ask your parents out to dinner. /

/Easier said then done. /

/It's not THAT hard. /

/I'll ask if you come. /

/Jaina, maybe that's not the bes-/

/Great/ When Jaina refocused on what was going on in front of her she saw her parents staring at her.

"The force?", "What did you want to ask us?" Han and Leia both said at the same time.

"Yea, well umm, I really don't know why this is so hard but do y'all want to go to dinner with Jag and I tonight?"

Laughing Han replied, "That's what you wanted to ask? Gods I was expecting it to be some life altering matter." He pulled her to himand rubbed her head."

"Sure kiddo, where do you and the kid want to eat?"

"My place, 1900?"

"Sure, we'll be there. Do you need us to bring anything?" Leia asked following Han and Jaina out of the hanger bay.

"No I've got it handled, see you then." Jaina extracted herself out of Han's grip and started walking back to the hanger bay.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm sure that Wedge needs to debrief us."

"That's fine sweetie, we'll see you tonight." Leia dragged a protesting Han back up the hallway as Jaina reentered the hanger bay.

"Jay, I'm still not sure this is the best idea." Jag said a few hours later as they were making dinner.

"There is no way that you're leaving me alone this the endless questions that my father will no doubt ask."

"I understand that, but I don't think your father likes me as much as he acts like he does."

"He likes you, trust me. If he didn't you would know it."

"If you say so."

"What are you afraid of him?" She asked walking up to stand barely an inch away from him.

"When it's Han Solo? Yes." He said wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You just made a joke. Didn't you?"

"Maybe"

"Maybe." She said in a whisper, as he pulled her head up and kissed her. Jaina ran her hands up over his chest to his shoulders before wrapping them around his neck. He began to run his hands down her back /Knock Knock Knock. /

"Ugh. Have I ever told you about the impeccable Solo timing?"

"That one I think I figured out on my own."

"Uh…I guess I have to go get the door." Jaina said laying her head on his shoulder.

"I take it that's your subtle way of telling me to get the door." Jaina looked up at him with big puppy dog eyes and with her lower lip stuck out slightly. Her kissed her temple and pushed her farther into the kitchen. "I'll get the door." He saw her grin as he walked to the door. Shaking his head he open the door to find someone whom he had not expected.

"Masters Skywalker, I was not aware that you would be joining us tonight."

"Han invited us, if that's all right."

"No, no, it's no trouble at all. In fact Jaina and I need to talk to you. But later, please, come inside."

"Where's Jaina?"

"She's in the kitchen."

"Is that such a good idea?" Mara asked sitting down on the couch.

"I heard that!" They heard shouted from the kitchen.

Chuckling Jag sat down on the arm of a chair. "I don't think even she could mess this up."

"Kriff!" They once again heard from the kitchen.

"Never say never." Luke said chuckling from next to Mara.

"I'll be right back." Jag walked into the kitchen to find Jaina fanning the air around the oven. "What happened?"

"How should I know? The timer rang and I open the stupid door and smoke came pouring out. I swear this thing is out to kill me."

"Somehow I think we should have gone out for dinner."

"Hey!" Jaina attempted to take a swing of his shoulder but he sidestepped her and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her to him so that she was flush against him with her hands on his shoulders.

They stayed that way until they heard someone clear their voice, causing them to jump back from each other. They looked at the door to see Leia standing there, not even attempting to hide her smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Mom! When did you get here?" She asked extracting her self from Jags grasp to give her mother a hug.

"Just a second ago. Luke let us in and we smelled smoke so I came to make sure every thing was all right. It looks as if everyone is all right, but the food could use a little work."

"There you are." Han said walking into the small room, that was getting more crowded by the minute. "What's burning?"

"Gods! You'd think that you people have never seen food before!"

"Oh we've seen food before, we just haven't seen this." Jag said pointing towards the food.

Jaina threw him a glare and Han took it as the sign that it was time to get out of there. "Come on kid, lets get outta here before she plans her revenge." Han said throwing his arm around Jag's shoulders.

"It's not that funny mom!" Jaina said to a still laughing Leia after Han and Jag left.

"Oh you're no fun." Jaina stuck her tongue out at her and looked around the kitchen.

"Dad took my chef away."

"Well let's see what we can do." Leia said moving forward to take the "biscuits" out of the oven.

Jaina just stared at her. "Mom this is US we're talking about here. You do realize this?"

"Do y'all want some help?" Mara asked entering the kitchen.

"Great, we have to worst cooks around trying to make a decent meal."

"Ah come on. I think a Jedi Master, a chief of state, and an x-wing captain can at least make SOMEHTING eatable."

"Nah!" They all said at the same time before bursting out with laughter.

"Oh no. They only laugh like that when they're planning on doing something." Luke said looking at the door where inside three women were cracking up.

"Knowing Jaina she's probably thinking up someway to torture us." Han said looking down at his hands.

Laughing Jag handed each of them a glass of Corellian Whiskey. "You too look like you could use this."

"Where did you get this! It's practically impossible to find now days!"

"Uncle Wedge."

"Ah must be good to be the general of a famous General."

"It must be good to be the daughter of the famous Han Solo, and the niece of the famous Jedi Master." Jag said smiling slightly and taken a sip from his own whiskey.

"Well, what's this?" Han said in mock wonder. "The kid does have a sense of humor after all."

"We're all going to need a sense of humor after they get done with dinner." Luke said grimacing.

They heard a large crash and more laughing come from the kitchen. "Was it such a good idea to leave them alone in there?" Jag asked looking towards the door.

"Kid, I wouldn't go in there if you paid me."

"So what did you and Jag do after we left? How did you wind up with that Vong ship? Is it Vong? " Mara asked while getting the rest of the food.

"Umm…we we're kinda captured."

"You were WHAT!"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you after dinner."

"Fine, but I'm not letting you leave this room until you tell me what the surge of energy was, after you reopened your self to the Force."

"Oh, it was nothing, I was just fighting Tsavong Lah." She said getting plates out of the cabinet and walking into the main room.

Leia and Mara stood with their mouths hanging open for a moment before rushing into the other room intending to interrogate Jaina. However that thought vanished as they saw an amazing site; Han, Luke and Jag all setting the table, seemingly willingly.

"Wow! How did you manage this?" Mara asked still standing in the doorway.

" Simple, Jag, you just threaten to call his little sister and tell him what all he's been doing for the last few years. Dad, you just threaten to paint the Falcon pink. And Uncle Luke, you just threaten to tell Wes Janson what he wears to bed."

"She has skills." Mara said chuckling.

"She learned from the best." Leia said next to her.

"I'm still here you know." Jaina said dryly from the other side of the room.

"I can't believe my own daughter would turn on me like this." Han mumbled to Luke.

"I heard that."

"That's because your ears are too sensitive."

"Watch it, because if you don't I'll make you eat one of my biscuits.

"Oh yea?" He asked walking up to stand in front of her.

"Yea." She said fighting a smile as she climbed on a chair so that she was taller then him. He smiled a mischievous smile before he slung her over his shoulder.

"Ahh! Daddy out me down!"

"Promise not to pain the Falcon pink?"

"Yea, yea, yea. Just put me down!" She said pounding on his back.

"If you say so." He dropped her unceremoniously onto the couch. She looked up at him with a glare. "Hey you said to put you down."

She got up to see the barely-hidden smiles of Luke, Mara, Leia and Jag. "All right all right, now can we PLEASE eat? I'm starving."

Dinner went as well as expected with the Solo's and Skywalker's. There were only minimal threats and no injuries. After they had finished eating Jag and Jaina cleared the table as the rest of them went into the main room. Jag and Jaina entered the room and sat together in a chair that was really only made for one.

"Well I suppose your all wanting an explanation." Jaina said after a few minutes of casual conversation.

"It would be nice, yes." Mara said from the couch.

"Well, after you left, we made our way back to our apartment and started packing, intending to move into your apartment in order to take a much-needed vacation. But, of course, a messenger came to our door and told us that Gallian was expecting us for dinner. So we went to dinner, and somehow they found out what we were doing there, and sealed all the doors. They filled the room with gas and we passed out."

"When we woke up, we were in a cell." Jag said taking over. "They took us to a room with these blinding lights. They did the same thing for I guess about four days; we would be taken to the same room, interrogated, and then thrown back into our cell. I guess about the fifth day we went back into the same room, but no one asked us anything. They just stood there watching. In the course of about 30 seconds the entire room lit up, we were released, and I had an amphistaff up against my throat. Jaina fought with him, by him, I mean Tsavong Lah, while I took down all but three of the Peace Brigadiers. She brought the roof down and we ran out of there."

"We headed to the hanger and found a revolt." Jaina said taking over again. "The shamed ones were taking down all the warriors. Our contact as it turns out was a Yuuzhan Vong. He helped us to the ship we came back in. He said that they had grown it especially for me and that it was an honor to meet me. We got out of there and jumped to hyperspace. And well you know the rest."

"Well, it sounds as if you had an interesting couple of weeks." Luke said being the first to find his voice.

"Oh sweetheart I'm so glad that you're okay." Leia said barely controlling her emotions.

"Thanks mom."

They fell into an easy conversation talking about the events that had taken place in the last few days. Jaina figured that it was getting late and that she needed to talk to Luke before they got so tired that they all fell asleep.

"Uncle Luke? Could I talk to you? Privately?"

"Sure Jaina. What's wrong?" Luke asked once they were in the kitchen.

"Well, while I was fighting the warmaster something strange happened. It's all most like what you and Mara have. But I've never heard of a non-force sensitive being able to do it. Jag and I can somehow communicate to each other through the Force."

"I have to admit Jaina that this is incredibly rare, but you and Jag do have a link to each other. I really have no way to explain it other then it's a gift from the Force. I've only read of one other time that this has happened. It was during the clone wars and it was between a Senator from Naboo and a Jedi. But that's all the information that it gave. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help to you."

"No it's all right I was just curious…and a bit confused to tell the truth."

"I'm sure." He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I know it took me a while to get used to always having Mara in my head. But now I can't imagine living without it."

"Thanks Uncle Luke." She hugged him before walking back into the other room.

About two hours later every one had left and Jaina was lying in her bed. She was utterly exhausted, yet no sleep came. She just kept thinking about Jag and how this was there first night apart in almost 3 weeks. /Gods I miss him and it's only been an hour since I last saw him. / With in a split second she had made up her mind and was getting out of bed. She grabbed her robe and put on her slippers before silently walking out into the hall. She got to Jag's room and reached out to him.

/Jag? /

/Jaina? What's wrong? /

/Nothing, I just couldn't sleep. Can I come in? /

/You're here! / The door opened to reveal a very tired looking Jag. "Couldn't sleep either?"

He shook his head and stepped aside to let her in. Jaina walked over to his bunk and sat down, he followed her over and wrapped his arm around her. She leaned into him and was asleep with in minutes. He looked down at her to see her sleeping peacefully and smiled. Her leaned her down onto the bed and laid down next to her and fell asleep immediately.

End Chapter 11