Chapter 20

Gracelin sat beside Luke as they waited to see a healer. She watched everyone that entered the med center. She knew she was nervous when she started biting at her nails.

"Go get something to eat; besides your nails." Luke told her.

"I'm not hungry." She replied with a small smile.

"You didn't eat breakfast and it's almost lunch. I know you're hungry."

"Gracelin sighed and then smiled. "Okay, do you want anything?"

"No." Luke watched as she got up and left. It was then a man walked up to Luke/

"Luke Skywalker?"

"Yeah; Javon?"

"Yeah." Javon sat next to Luke. He put his hand out. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you too."

"Where's Gracelin?" Javon asked.

"She just went to get a bite to eat."

Javon sighed in relief. "We should really talk before she gets back. I want to get the story straight. I wan to make sure Nomica didn't lie to you."

"Okay." Luke was a bit confused.

"About three of four weeks after we married we found out she was pregnant. It wasn't until after Gracelin was born did she tell me that she wasn't mine. And she left no question to it."

"So that's when you got a divorce?"

"Actually, no. For two months I tried to work through it. It's just hard when you've been lied to about something so important as your child."

"Gracelin said you moved out the day after she came home from the hospital."

"That's true, but Gracelin was born premature. She was in the hospital for two months. After I moved out, I made an effort to still be a father to her. In my mind I was her father. No offense. I had been there through everything.

"After two years I couldn't do it any more. I couldn't let her call me 'dad' when I knew I wasn't it."

"So you distanced yourself?"

"That was all I knew I could do. I wish it could've been different. My wife didn't want me to come today but I just have to know."

"I'm almost a little afraid of what my wife would say if Gracelin turned out to be mine."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. I guess because we've always wanted kids of our own and as of yet haven't had the privilege."

Luke noticed that he no longer held the man's attention. Javon was starring directly at Gracelin. And she, she in return was rooted to where she stood, just starring back.

"She's changed so much. She's beautiful, like her mother." Javon mumbled.

Gracelin soon regained her courage and started walking again. As she neared Javon stood. It was her father, at least she hoped he was, that she hadn't seen in nearly sixteen years. Both stood in silence for a few moments.

"Hi, um, Javon." Gracelin said not really sure if it was a good idea to call him 'dad.'

"Hello Gracelin. I trust you've been well."

She looked to her arm in its sling. "Except for getting shot, I've been fine."

"I heard you got married."

"I did."

"I wish I could've been invited."

Luke coughed, "So did I."

"It was a very private ceremony."

"You eloped?"

"Well, yeah, it was all that could be done at the time. When we get back to Corusant, we were thinking about doing it all over again; with everyone there."

"I look forward to getting my invitation."

"Dathe?" A medical droid called before escorting the three down the hall.

"Just tell me!" Nomica demanded.

"No! I'm not going to. That's their business. If they wanted to you to know then they'd have told you." Jacen wasn't going to let her bully him. The woman in front of him had ripped his heart out and thrown it on the floor and went threw it with a lightsaber. She might have ruined the one thing that had made him happier than anything else in a long time.

Nomica had woken up and wanted to talk her daughter. Only Gracelin had left early that morning with Luke. It killed Nomica not to know were they were and what they were doing. "Jacen, just tell me!"

Jacen looked Nomica straight in the eyes. "Why should I?" The hurt was evident in his facial expression and voice.

"She's my daughter." Nomica replied in an almost pleading tone.

Jacen's face contorted into one of disgust. He couldn't believe she was using that as her argument. "She's my wife!" With that he left the common room for the sanctuary that was to become Gracelin's old bedroom.

"I give up!" Nomica said throwing her arms in the air.

"They'll be home soon, dear. You can ask them when they get here. But if they don't want to tell you, I think you need to respect that." Greyton informed his wife as he flipped through a holo journal.

"You're right. I don't like it, but you're right." Nomica sighed.

It was only moments later that the main door slid open and Gracelin and Luke walked in. Gracelin quickly ran up stairs, ignoring her mother's calls.

Luke however was the essence of calm.

"Where did you two go?"

"Nomica, I think Gracelin should tell you. But I will tell you Javon sends his best regards." With that Luke turned and headed to the guest room.

Nomica's face turned a ghostly white and she felt dizzy. She slowly sat on the couch. She couldn't grasp that the three had sat and talked, together. She laid down the rest of the way down and tried not to think, for a headache was already forming.

Gracelin didn't want to talk to her mother. She was too angry. She knew the lies, had heard her mother's version, and knew the truth. She knew is she spoke with her mother it wouldn't end nicely.

She walked into her bedroom to see Jacen lying on the bed. She stood there for what felt like hours, and just starred. It wasn't until the tears were forming in her eyes did she realize he had stood up and was walking toward her.

He stood only inches away when the tears broke through the dam. She threw her arms around him and he embraced her.

She hadn't said anything, and as much as he was dying to know her remained silent. He allowed a silent, lone tear to escape as he stroked her back. He was trying to be her stronghold.

When the sobs had subsided she pulled back from his grip to look in his eyes. She saw they were red and how tired and worried he looked.

He caressed her cheek; drying some of her tears when she grabbed his hand.

"She was wrong." She spoke barely above a whisper and a smile graced her features.

Jacen felt himself release a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "What?"

"She was wrong! Luke wasn't a match. It turns out what she thought was a lie really was the truth." She sniffled a bit.

"Are you serious?" Jacen wanted to make sure this was real.

All Gracelin could do was shake her head. Before she could stop him his lips had trapped her's. She never wanted to loose this and, now, she never had to.

She pulled away to see the joy in her husband's eyes. "What do we do now?" She asked, uncertain of what the future was going to bring.

"I think we should move to Corusant. It'd be almost a new start. We can move into a bigger apartment, maybe one closer to Luke and my parents, so they can help out with the baby."

"I don't know about Corusant. I'm use to open spaces, nature, there wasn't any of that there."

Jacen was glad to hear her sense of humor back. "Well we could make Corusant our main home. I'll have to be at the academy a lot. And trust me, Gracey, there's plenty of nature on Yavin IV."

Gracelin chuckled. "You know what? I don't really care, as long as its not Naboo."

"I agree." He said as he sat on the bed.

"I want to start packing." Gracelin said bluntly.

"Right now?"

"Yes, I want off this planet and out of this house, as soon as possible."

Jacen could see the anger and hurt return in her eyes. He felt a little of the same. "What are we taking?"

"Not much." She smiled and continued," Most of it wont fit in a couple of months. And most of the other stuff I don't need."

"Okay, so I guess lets start."

After six hours of packing and cleaning and no dinner, they both lay in bed. Jacen was tired but he couldn't help but stay awake. He watched Gracelin as she slept. Thoughts, ideas, and hopes ran through his mind.

"Would you stop?" A sleep voice asked him.

"Stop what?" Jacen asked already knowing the answer.

"Watching me sleep. It's sweet but just a bit freaky."

Jacen couldn't help but chuckle at her. "I want to ask you something."

"I already married you and I'm already having your baby."

Jacen laughed at her response. He turned serious though, "Do you think we should tell him?"

"Tell him, who? And about what?"

"The baby, our baby; about everything that's happened in the past two days or do we say nothing?"

Gracelin didn't want to think about that yet. Wait a second. "Him, huh? You've been a dad for three days and now it's a boy?"

"Well yeah. Why? Do you think it's a girl?"

"Um, yeah. How about we make a little wager?"

"Okay what's it going to be?" Jacen was very much enjoying their time like this, together.

"Loser changes the first 20 diapers?"

Jacen smiled, "Deal. Oh and no help from Threepio." He gently kissed her lips to seal the deal.

Gracelin rolled over to return back to her sleeping state. But before she did Jacen could hear her mumble, "You're going to lose."