Chapter 34
Gracelin felt someone's eyes on her. She reached through the Force and new exactly who it was. She allowed her eyes to flutter open and saw Jacen sitting in a chair next to her bed. "Hi."
He smiled at her, "Hello, sleepy head."
"How long have I been out?"
"About five hours."
She closed her eyes and sighed, still feeling tired from earlier.
"Your Mom, Greyton, and Kristea go in about an hour ago. And Ramey got here about forty five minutes ago."
"Ramey's here?"
"Yeah, I was a little surprised too. I was just glad this time he shook my hand and wasn't trying to choke me."
Gracelin smiled, she noticed the cards in his hand. "Your Dad's been in here."
"Yeah. He, Jaina, Greyton, and I played some sabacc."
"Wow, I sleep through all that. You and your Dad usually get loud."
"You were just tired." He kissed her forehead.
Healer Da'Tuva walked in. "I thought I told you six weeks." She tried to joke.
"Yes ma'am. How are my girls?" Jacen tucked Gracelin's hair back.
Her face went solemn, "That's what I need to talk to you about."
"What is it?" Gracelin sat straight up. Jacen sat down on the edge of the bed with her. He put his hands on her shoulders and started rubbing, trying to relieve the tension that had come about with the healer's last statement.
"It's Stephanie. She's having a small problem breathing I think she may have swallowed some fluids and its causing an infection. We are giving her some breathing treatments and we've moved her to the infant's ICU." She paused, not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry, but we're doing everything we can." She then left them alone.
Gracelin looked back at Jacen. Her tears were already leaving trails on her cheeks. Jacen's eyes were red from trying to hold his back.
Gracelin leaned into him and hid her face in his tunic. He gently leaned back so that they were lying down. He rubbed her back and finally released his own tears. "She's going to be alright. She's stubborn, it's the Solo way."
She said nothing but continued to cry into his shoulder. She stayed there until she had fallen back asleep. She was still exhausted from giving birth and this news didn't help.
Jacen slipped out from under her. He felt a need to get you of the room. He walked out to see Han sitting in a chair next to a sleeping Maria and Ramey.
The first thing he noticed was the look on Jacen's face. His hair was messed up and his eyes were red. Granted, that could have been from a lack of sleep but fatherly instincts said other wise. Plus the healer had been in almost a half hour ago. Han hated med centers and now he remembered why.
Han stood up and said nothing. He knew that when Jacen wanted to talk he would. But Jacen wasn't ready to talk. He had been holding it all in.
He had told Gracelin everything would be fine but he wasn't sure he believed it. Stephanie had been the last born and she had been so small compared to Padme. It worried him. Jacen stepped forward and hugged his father.
Han was almost scared of what Jacen would soon be telling him. For now, though, he hugged his son back.
Jacen pulled away and wiped at his eyes to prevent tears from falling. "She's having trouble breathing."
"Who?"
"Stephanie. They think she has an infection in her lungs that's causing it."
He wanted to tell him all the things he knew Jacen had already told Gracelin but didn't. Han didn't really know whether things would be alright and he could already tell Jacen was questioning it. Han knew about how it felt to be a parent worried over their child and remained silent.
"I'm, I'm going to got see her real quick before Gracey wakes up. Um, do you want to come with me?"
"Of course." Han began walking down the hallway with Jacen. They passed by one of the nurseries. Jacen stopped and looked in and pointed.
"That's Padme in the back with the curly hair."
"You do realize there are three babies in the back with curly hair."
Jacen knew what his father was doing and rewarded him with a smile. "She's the only human with curly hair on the back row."
"Well, I figured that was her, but I didn't want to assume."
Jacen just rolled his eyes and began walking again. He followed the signs that lead to the neonatal intensive care unit. When they finally reached the door he wasn't sure he could go it. But he pushed himself and walked it.
There were three other families in there. Another human family, and Ithorian family and a Bothan family. He went over and saw Stephanie asleep in her bassinette. Her's had a plastic cover to keep her warm and help her breath more easily. It had holes in which to stick your hands in.
Jacen stuck his hand in and gently rubbed his finger across her little arm. He was amazed at how soft her skin was. He went to do it again and nearly jumped when he felt little finger wrap around his.
Han smiled at the excitement he saw in his son. He just prayed it would forever last.
She put the finger to her mouth, while her eyes remained closed and started making a sucking noise. "Hungry already?" Jacen asked her. "Always with the food; just like your Momma while she was pregnant. But don't tell her I said that."
After a few more seconds and after realizing that nothing was coming out of that finger she released it. She wiggled around for a bit and then fell back into her peaceful slumber.
"We should get back, Gracey will be awake soon." Jacen followed Han out of the room and into the hallway. He stopped and starred back at the door.
"If you want to stay I'll go sit with Gracelin."
"No." He looked down before speaking again. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"Was this how you felt with Anakin?"
Han was taken back by the question. But glad that Jacen still remembered his brother even though he hardly ever talked about him. "Probably, but by the time we had got Anakin to the med center there wasn't enough time. Stephanie has a much better chance than Anakin did." Han could feel his own eyes watering up at the reminder of that loss.
Jacen kept his head down but put his arm around his father and they began to walk back down to Gracelin's room.
"Go home and go to bed." Gracelin had been in the med center almost 36 hours. But it felt like much longer. Jacen would leave occasionally but would always return within the hour.
He had gotten Jaina to sit with Stephanie because he worried about leaving Gracelin. He hadn't got much sleep and Gracelin could tell.
"I'm fine. I can sleep right here."
"That can't be comfortable, Jacen."
"I'm fine, Gracey, promise."
There's that Solo stubbornness their always talking about. "At least go home and take a shower. Just because I can't doesn't mean you shouldn't. Or go get something to eat."
"Gracey, I'm fine. I think you're tired."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah and its making you feel guilty so you're trying to get me to go eat or sleep so you don't fall asleep on me again."
"Jacen, I love you, but if I'm tired I'm going to sleep. I just worry about you."
"Well you don't need to. I'm fine"
"So you keep telling me."
There was a knock on the door and a small head poked in.
"Psst, Jacen!" was whispered rather loudly.
"Psst, Maria." Jacen replied back.
"Can Momma and me come in?" She whispered again.
"You don't have to whisper Maria, I'm awake. And yes you can come in."
"Hi, Mrs. Semaja." Jacen said as they entered there room. "How have you been?"
"Better but that's me. How are you doing Gracelin?"
"Tired."
"Ah yes. I remember that, of course I'm sure Leia has already told you twins are another story."
"I have heard."
"I made this for you." Maria held up a picture she had drawn.
Gracelin took it from her, "It's beautiful, Maria."
Maria climbed her way onto Jacen's lap. "That's you, that is Jacen, that's me, that's Padme, and that's Stephanie."
"Thank you, I love it." Gracelin leaned forward and kissed Maria's cheek.
"I know you're tired and I have a meeting but Maria refused to go anywhere until she gave you the picture."
"Thank you for letting her bring it."
"You're welcome. I'll see you two soon."
"Alright." Jacen replied as he slid Maria off of his lap. "Behave."
Maria rolled her eyes. "Yes, sir." She gave him a kiss and followed her mother out of the room.
Gracelin starred at the picture. She then looked to Jacen. "Do me a favor?"
"Anything."
She handed him the picture Maria had drawn them. "When you go see Stephanie, tape this to her incubator. I think she'll like it." Gracelin started to tear up again.
"I know she will." He leaned in and kissed her tears away.