Chapter 15

"We're going in town. We'll be back in a few hours. Are you listening?" Luke asked standing in the doorway of the guest bedroom.

"I heard you." Gracelin replied sleepily.

"What did I say?" Luke crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Gracelin hated it; her mother often took that stance with her. "Something about going out and being back soon. See I heard you. Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Yes!" Luke just rolled his eyes and walked away.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Gracelin rolled over to get her commlink. However in mid-roll she remembered where she was and that this bed was smaller than hers at home. As she realized the later she bit the floor with a thud.

"Sith!" She let out before getting up to answer the still beeping commlink. "Hello?"

"Are you okay Gracey?"

"Jacen, I was asleep!"

"You fell off the bed, didn't you?"

"How'd…"

"I've done it a few times. It's a wonderful way to wake up, isn't it?"

"Yeah, just wonderful." Gracelin replied sarcastically.

"I think you should hop in the 'fresher and get ready. Then I'll come by and get you. How's that?"

"That's fine. I'll see you in a bit."

"Love you; bye."

"Love you too."

Gracelin set the commlink back on the dresser. She pulled a set of clothes out and laid them on the bed. She went down the hallway to the fresher for a shower.

She got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself tightly. She walked into the common room first, to be sure Luke and Mara hadn't returned early.

Se then wondered into the kitchenette. She looked around a bit and then grabbed a piece of fruit. She washed it off and then took a bite. She heard the main door slide open. She went to go meet Jacen. "You're early."

"Who are you!"

It wasn't Jacen at all. I was an older woman with dark brown hair with little specks of grey.

"I'm, uh…" The fire in the other woman's brown eyes left Gracelin in a state of shock.

"What are you doing in my brother's apartment?"

"Your brother?" Realization hit her.

"And in a state of half-dress none the less!"

"Wait! It's not what you think!"

"It better not be what it looks like!"

"It's not Mrs. Solo. I'm Gracelin, Nomica Darklighter's daughter!" She was starting to wonder if the woman would start to throw things, when her face contorted into confusion.

"What?"

"Luke and Mara are letting me stay here for the week. They left earlier to go in town. Jaina was supposed to come over."

"Nomica's daughter?"

"Hang on." Gracelin ran into the guest room and came out fully dressed. She stuck her hand out, Leia shook it. "Gracelin Dathe." I can leave the Solo out for now, she thought to herself.

"Leia Organa Solo."

"You're Jacen's mother, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"It's nice to finally meet you. I've read about you and heard a lot abut you."

"I wish I could say the same. Jaina told me that she had roomed with you but that was it."

"Well, my visit was, unexpected."

"I see."

The door slid open and both women turned to see Jacen Solo come walking in.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" He eyed Gracelin curiously.

Leia noticed the glance but said nothing. "I was looking for Mara." She crossed her arms over her chest and starred at her son. She had remembered Gracelin's state of dress when she arrived. "What are you doing here, Jacen?"

"Jaina asked me to." He turned toward Gracelin. "She's running a little late."

"That's fine." Gracelin answered.

"Oh," Leia wasn't sure what else she could say. "I apologize, Gracelin."

"Its okay, you didn't know."

Jacen was starting to feel uncomfortable. "Um, well now that you two have met, we should get going."

"Of course, it was nice to meet you and I hope to see you soon." Leia said recovering from her shock.

"I'm sure we will Mrs. Solo."

"You'll see her Mom; she's coming to the ball your making us go to."

"Jacen, we've already discussed it and you have to go."

"Oh I don't mind it too much, now that I got somebody to go with." Jacen draped his arm over Gracelin's shoulders in a buddy-buddy sort of way. "See you tonight Mom."

"Bye Jacen, Gracelin."

Gracelin waited until the door had shut behind them before pinning Jacen to the wall and kissing him.

"Wow! If I'd know you'd react like that I would've introduced you to my mother sooner." Jacen joked.

"Come on; let's go do whatever you had planned." She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Okay."

"I still don't see how you managed it," Gracelin said from beneath the covers of Jacen's bed.

"I'm still not sure either, sweetheart." Jacen answered as he crawled in beside her. "But I'm glad it worked."

"Me, too. I wish it wasn't morning though."

"I know but think: that banquet is tonight. And we'll make our first appearance, arms linked as we walk through the double doors."

"The only thing is, no one will know we're married."

"I know but at least we'll be able to spend the whole night together with no questions asked."

"I might like that." Gracelin snuggled in closer to him. She had just laid her head on his chest when his commlink started going off.

"Ugh!" Jacen reached over to turn it on. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" Jacen had expected to hear Kyp or another young Knight's voice coming through the speaker.

"Jacen, we're in trouble!" But Jaina's is what he heard.

"What's going on?" Jacen sat up immediately.

"They're looking for Gracelin."

"What!" Gracelin squealed.

"Luke called to talk to you. They're freaking out! It'll only take a few minutes before they figure it out."

"Thanks for the heads up, Jaina. Bye."

"May the Force be with you, brother, you're going to need it."

"Oh Sith!" Gracelin was up and trying to calm down. "They're going to be here in a little while aren't they?"

"Probably?"

"I need to change."

"While you do that I'm going to straighten up."

"Throw my clothes in a bag and hide it somewhere."

"Okay! Go change!"

The two separated to attend to what needed to be done. They met up five minutes later in the kitchenette.

"I'm tired." Gracelin said as she leaned on the counter next to Jacen.

"I love you."

Gracelin chuckled, she could tell in his tone. "I need to leave, don't I?"

Jacen laid his head on hers. "How much longer?"

"I'm not sure. I want to tell them but I'm not looking forward to the reactions."

"Me neither. But I'm tired of this, hiding all the time."

"I am too. Do you think we should tell them now?" Gracelin asked a little skeptical.

"Not like this." Jacen answered.

"So we wait?"

Jacen sighed, "We wait."

Gracelin could see the look of her disappointment reflected on his face. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He forced a smile and kissed her forehead. "Come on; you better get going. Have you thought about what you're going to tell them?"

"No, but I'll figure something out."

He kissed her one more time before she walked out the door.

He sat down on the couch when the door pager rang. Can't wait to see how this goes! He had to smile when he heard her voice.

Me too, love.

Jacen got up and headed for the door. He took a deep breath before opening it.

On the other side stood just about all he'd thought would be there. Mom, Dad, Jaina, Luke, and oh no, Mara. That's when Jacen saw what Mara had in her hand. The back of a tunic gathered in her hand, with his wife attached to the tunic.