A/N: I have to warn you, Gracelin has a dream and it's not a happy one. I just thought I should warn you, and please don't be mad.

Chapter 26

"Oh, no!" Jacen exclaimed.

"Why not?" Maria asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Some how the three had been the only ones left at their table. During their company's departure, Maria had crawled back into Jacen's lap.

"It's Ord Mantel!" He said shocked.

"I want to go Jacen! Plus there ain't nothing you can do about it."

"I will talk to your mother."

Gracelin sat by and was enjoying their little argument.

"I have to go with her. I can't stay at the med center with Papa."

Jacen hadn't forgotten about her terminally ill father. There was no way he could care for her during her mother's absence. "You'll just have to stay with us."

"I can't! She's going to be there for a while."

"I don't care. You are not going to Ord Mantel."

"But Austin and Auden will be there." She tried to argue.

"That is one reason why you can't go. I know those boys too, remember."

"Come on, Jacen!"

"No!"

So that was that. Gracelin wasn't sure how things would work with Maria staying with them. Especially with the threats against Gracelin herself, but she didn't want to put the child in unnecessary danger. But it had been two weeks since the note had been found and nothing had happened. During Maria's first week stay they got along marvelously. She realized she had worried over nothing.

That was until during the second week of Maria's stay, Jacen was called to the Academy. That meant for a whole week it would be just Maria and Gracelin.

"Where's Maria?" Jacen asked as he got into bed.

"She's in the 'fresher. Jacen I'm not sure I can do this."

"Do what?"

"Watch Maria, by myself. I'm not sure I can do it."

"She's been here a week and a half and everything has been fine."

"She usually comes with me to Senate sessions and then comes home and plays with you."

"You'll do fine. Plus, it'll make good practice." He said nodding to her protruding belly.

A knock came from the door and a little wet head poked through. "Can I come in?" Maria asked a small, timid voice.

"Yes." Gracelin replied from the edge of the bed.

Maria ran and jumped into the large bed. She crawled up to the top and got under the covers next to Jacen. "Are you really leaving us tomorrow?" She asked with a pout on her face.

"Yes, but you and Gracey will be fine."

"I know we will, but I worry about you." She said poking his nose.

"I'm just going to Yavin IV. I'll be back in a week."

"But I'll miss you! We'll both miss you. Won't we Gracelin?"

"We'll think about him everyday he's gone." Her hand went to rub her still expanding stomach.

"And I'll miss both of you too." He hugged Maria and he could feel a burning in the back of his eyes.

"Come on, Maria. It's time to go to bed." Gracelin said as she headed toward the door.

Maria crawled out of the bed and went to Gracelin. She turned back to Jacen. "Will I see you in the morning?" She asked using her sleeve to wipe her nose.

"Of course. I won't leave until you and Gracey leave for the Senate meetings."

"Promise?"

"I promise, now go to bed."

Gracelin guided the girl out, "I'll come tuck you in." Gracelin returned from putting Maria to sleep and climbed in beside Jacen. "She really doesn't want you to go."

"I know, she's always been like this. But it got worse in the past three or four years."

"Why?"

Jacen sighed. "Five years ago her Father was permanently put in the med center. She spent a lot of time at our place. She became like my little sister. Two years ago her mother asked me that if anything ever happened to her, if I'd take care of Maria."

"And you said yes." Gracelin stated the obvious.

"Yeah, I try to keep in touch with them and look out for her."

"It explains the protectiveness. I think it's wonderful that you're doing this. She almost looks up to you as a dad."

"Talor was never really able to do much of anything with her. He was sick when she was born; it's only gone down hill." Jacen said with a saddened expression on his face.

"It means the world to her. She's lucky to have you. I never had a father figure. Javon wasn't hardly ever around when I needed him. And Greyton only recently started acting like my father. I would've done anything to have someone like you to step up."

He put his arm around her. "In a different way I did stand up."

"Yeah, stood up to me! Not for me."

"Well, I was trying to talk to you but you wouldn't stop working on that speeder."

Gracelin laughed at the memory. "I need to go to sleep now."

He leaned over and kissed her temple. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you, too."

Gracelin felt someone shaking her. "What?" She asked groggily.

"Gracey, wake up. Something is wrong."

"Yeah, you're waking me up! I'm going to have to get up at three with the baby." Gracelin rolled over and put a pillow over her head.

Jacen spoke worriedly, "What time is it, Gracey?"

Gracelin sighed. She looked at the chrono on the bedside table. "It's five." She said confused.

"Maybe she's sleeping through the night." Jacen commented.

Fear struck her as she got out of bed. "She's too young to be sleeping through the night." She called back as she ran to the nursery.

Jacen reached the nursery as Gracelin was picking up the baby. She put the baby on her shoulder and started bouncing her. "Please, Sweetheart." She mumbled over and over. Silent tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Jacen took her away from Gracelin. He did the same trying to wake her. He used the Force, but was unable to sense her special signature. Tears started rolling down his face as he lay her back down in the crib.

Gracelin collapsed onto the floor, allowing her sobs to take control.

Gracelin woke up from the nightmare in a cold sweat with tears still rolling down her cheeks. She immediately got out of bed and went to the 'fresher to throw up.

Gracelin sat on the floor, she wasn't able to get up by herself, but she didn't really want to. She leaned against the wall and put her head in her hands.

"Are you okay?" A little voice asked from the door. Maria stood at the entryway. One hand wiping the sleep from her eyes, the other dragging her toy stuffed Gungan.

"I didn't mean to wake you?"

"It's okay." Maria walked in and sat beside Gracelin.

Gracelin put her arm around the girl and let her rest her head on her chest. In a matter of minutes Maria had fallen back asleep.

Jacen walked in, "What's wrong?" He had sensed something was wrong but wasn't sure who it was that was troubled.

"Will you put Maria back on the fold-away?"

"Yeah." He picked her up and disappeared out the door. He came back and helped Gracelin off the floor. "I thought the healer said the morning sickness would be over with."

"I had a nightmare, Jacen."

They walked back to their bedroom. "What was it about?"

"The baby." She said simply. She could already feel him trying to soother her with calming waves from the Force.

He could tell by her stance and tone she didn't want to talk about it yet. So he didn't push it."

As if reading his thoughts, "In the morning, Sweetheart."