Chapter 29

"What do you mean, 'really happened'?" Jacen asked cautiously. He noticed she was now crying. "What happened, Kristea?"

Kristea wiped at her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "I lied to Gracelin."

"What?"

"Umm, Sabè, she didn't, umm, pass in her sleep." Kristea choked out before a fresh set of tears raced down her face.

"She didn't?" He asked, more to himself.

"No." Kristea got up and walked toward her bedroom. She returned shortly with a single piece of flimsy. "They found this." She handed it to Jacen. "Security doesn't have any leads." She tried to stifle a sob.

Jacen read what was written:

Let this be a warning to Milady's two granddaughters.

"I don't understand." Jacen told her.

"I didn't either, at first. The one thing that threw us for a loop was the 'two granddaughters.' She has three grandsons but I'm the only girl."

"Then what is this talking about?"

"I didn't think about it until Gracelin said something about the attempts on Corusant. And you said it yourself, we don't look alike. Whoever it was didn't mistake Gracelin as her granddaughter."

"It had to have been someone close enough to know how Gracelin felt about Sabè."

"I was afraid of that." Kristea said starring at the ground.

"That would mean they knew Gracelin before I did." Jacen thought aloud.

"But that would mean it's someone close, from here on…"

"Naboo." Jacen finished for her. "Sith! I have to get her out of here!" He turned to run and called back, "You better pack your things, you're coming too!"

He ran into the room he, Gracelin, and Maria were sharing. He quickly palmed on the light and grabbed a sleeping Maria out of bed.

The sudden light after total darkness woke Gracelin. "What's going on Jacen?" She asked sleepily.

"Get up! We have to leave now! I'm going to go waked Luke. Go downstairs and wait for Kristea."

"Jacen, what's going on?" You're scaring me." She said, now fully awake.

"Whoever it is is from here on Naboo. We need to leave now."

Gracelin got out of bed quickly as she could and got dressed. She went downstairs to see Kristea had somehow got stuck holding Maria. "Do you know what's going on?"

"From what Jacen told me, whoever has been trying to kill you is from Naboo; and trying to kill me too."

"This doesn't make any sense!" Gracelin grunted.

"It doesn't matter if it makes sense." Jacen said as he stepped up and took Maria from Kristea. Luke followed behind carrying their bags.

"Where are we going to go? Corusant isn't safe and neither is Naboo." Kristea asked a little frightened.

Jacen looked to Luke, "The Academy?"

"I have to go back to Corusant. I have a Senate meeting I have to attend in two days time. Plus, I'm not supposed to be off planet." Gracelin grimaced as she realized what she had just said.

Jacen abruptly turned to look at his wife. "You said the healer said it was alright that you make the trip!"

"Jacen quiet down before you wake the whole house!" Gracelin tried to silence him.

"I don't care." Jacen handed Maria to Luke. He grabbed Gracelin's wrist and pulled her into the kitchen for some privacy. "What has been going through your mind lately, Gracey?"

Gracelin saw how upset he was and could feel it through the Force. "Jacen, I'm sorry, I just…"

"I realize you wanted to come but you have to think about the baby." He said more harshly than intended.

"Jacen, I'm sorr…"

"What if something happens!" He said more concerned than angry.

Gracelin had begun crying. She hadn't expected him to yell at her, he never had before. Although, she thought, I deserve it.

Jacen hadn't meant to lose his composure, he hardly ever did. At seeing her tears he immediately felt guilty. He pulled her toward him and held her close. "Gracey, I'm sorry." He kissed the top of her curls. "I'm just worried about you."

"She pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I know. I've been acting irresponsible. I just, I'm confused I guess."

"Confused about what?" He asked as he tucked away a stray hair behind her ear.

"What I'm suppose to do! What I shouldn't do! Why Sabè had to die. Why someone is trying to kill me!" Jacen tried to comfort her with his embrace. "Why won't Nomica speak with me?" She whispered into his tunic between sobs.

"I don't know, Gracey." He whispered back. She had never shown disappointment and concern that Nomica hadn't replied. But he could hear the hurt in her voice now. He could feel it radiating off of her as well. He felt his own eyes begin to tear up from her pain. "We could always find out." He suggested. "If we don't find out now, we'd have to wait two months until the baby is born."

Gracelin pulled away, with a new determination in her eyes. "If we find out now, then we can go back to Corusant. I'll stay put; I'll do whatever the healers say. I promise."

Jacen kissed her forehead and led her back into the common room where Luke, a sleeping Maria, and Kristea were waiting. "We have to make a quick trip before we leave for Corusant."

Luke noticed how red both their eyes looked. "Where are you going?"

Gracelin just headed toward the door. "We'll be back in an hour, two at most." She waddled out the door, pulling Jacen behind her.

Gracelin pressed the door pager again. She was nervous about seeing her mother again. She was glad she had Jacen with her.

The door slid open and Greyton stood before them. A large smile spread across his face. "What are you doing here?" He asked excitedly and gave her a hug. "Everything is alright, isn't it?"

"It is." Gracelin's smile was just as big as Greyton's. That was until what Greyton did next.

"Nomica!" He yelled into the house. "Nomica, come see what the shaakdragged home!"

Nomica stopped in the doorway and had a shocked look on her face. "Gracelin! Wow! This is unexpected."

"We're leaving within the hour." She explained.

"You should've told us you were coming." Greyton said. He then noticed the tension between mother and daughter. "Come Jacen, I think we should let the women talk."

"I agree." Jacen followed Gracelin inside.

Nomica stepped outside and allowed the door to slide shut. Before she could open her mouth Gracelin started.

"Why? Do you want to forget I ever existed? What about your grandchild? Will she have to have someone else be a grandmother to her, like I did? Maybe Mara could do it." She knew the last statement would hurt her mother.

"Gracelin, it's hard, okay?" She said in a harsh tone. "My only little girl got married and I wasn't there! Now my baby is having a baby of her own!"

"And she's scarred to death! She doesn't quite feel comfortable asking her mother-in-law; so she tries to make up with her own mother but she ignores it!"

Gracelin decided to stop the shouting match and referring to herself in third person.

"I'm petrified, Mom. Someone is trying to kill me, I don't know who or why. I've needed you and you weren't there." Gracelin began crying.

Nomica embraced her daughter. "I'm sorry." She said into Gracelin's hair.

"They've been quiet for sometime." Greyton commented.

"I hope they aren't trying to ignore each other to death." Jacen tried to lighten the mood.

Greyton chuckled, "With those two, I wouldn't doubt it."

Around this time the main door slid open and both women walked in.

Jacen could tell, just by her stance, that something good had happened. Gracelin sat on the arm of the couch beside Jacen.

Nomica planted herself next to her husband. "I've got some vacation days built up." She squeezed Greyton's hand. "So, I'm going to be taking that time off from work." She paused again and smiled at Gracelin. "I'm going to go to Corusant."