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Chapter Three

"There's something I can't see
There's something different in the way you smile
Behind those eyes you lie." - 3 Doors Down

"I was starting to wonder where you were." Leia commented as her husband entered their small apartment.

"Really, meetings with Wedge never take that long. I mean, after four standard hours you'd think you'd get sick of hearing him talk! Oh, unless it's something really serious…" Tahiri spoke up from her seat next to Leia at the table. She'd been traveling with the Solo's for a few weeks now while Corran was off on some mission or other for Luke. But they didn't mind. Actually, they kind of liked having the girl around.

"Nah, there's nothing bad going on- not that I know of, anyway. He just wanted me to let Jaina know about some new sims they got in, so I headed over there…she got here yesterday, apparently." Han informed them, thumping down into one of the chairs that happened to be near him. They were rather under stuffed and uncomfortable, but hey…it was only temporary.

"Jaina's here?" Leia asked, looking up at her husband. There was a strange tone to her voice, leaving Han to wonder if things were still awkward between his wife and daughter. "I'll have to drop by and see her."

Tahiri's head shot up from the old holos she'd been looking at and she grinned. "Finally, something to do around here!"

Han pretended to look insulted and raised his hands out to his sides, an expression of mock hurt on his face. "Hey blondie…are you calling us boring?"

Leia grinned as a pink tinge appeared in Tahiri's cheeks. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that…well, uh…"

"We understand Tahiri." Leia said, chuckling as she laid a hand on the young girls arm and shot a look at her husband. "Our kids are a lot more fun than old Han here, right?"

Han's mouth dropped open, but for once, a quick response failed him. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and muttered something that sounded a lot like "I'll remember this." Tahiri just giggled.

There was silence for a few moments after that, and Leia and Tahiri turned back to the holos they'd been sorting through. It was a rather comforting sight. Han refused to let himself think that if Anakin were still al-

"Oh, guess who else is here?" The words found their way from his mouth suddenly, startling Tahiri and causing Leia to drop the holo of the much younger twins she was holding. "I ran into him earlier!"

The two women just stared at him, waiting for him to fill them in.

"Alright, I'll give you a hint…Coruscant...Shadow Academy…" he turned toward his wife with a meaningful glance "…the thing in Dhalbreth Square with the glowfish…"

"Zekk!" Leia guessed. She'd been trying to block that memory of Dhalbreth Square, she'd have to thank Han later… "How is he? We haven't seen him for years!"

Han grinned widely. "I know, about three…that's what he told me anyway."

Tahiri had been silent for a few moments now, her bright green eyes narrowed in thought. Absently, she twisted a blonde curl around her finger. Slowly she murmured, "Jaina and Zekk are….here?"

Han nodded. Did Tahiri know something…? "Saw him in the hangar bay with Lowie before I went to see Jaina. Only got to talk to him for a minute or two though."

Tahiri grinned, though Han detected something strange lurking behind those green eyes of hers. "Can't wait to see him!"

"Wow, it really has been years…" Leia commented wistfully, her dark eyes sweeping over the pile of holodisks on the table before her.

"What's been years?"

The three of them turned to the doorway at the sudden sound of the voice, each of them a bit startled. Much to their surprise- and delight, Jaina stood there, grinning at them from the doorway. Han noticed, rather sourly, that Fel was only a step behind her.

"Jaina!" Leia cried happily as she rose from her chair to hug her daughter, followed closely by Tahiri. "I was going to drop by later, but…here you are!"

Jaina grinned again, and she and Fel stepped further into the room, the door sliding shut behind them. Fel nodded to each of them before taking a seat, and Han noted- with pride, he had to admit- that Tahiri merely gave the young colonel an odd stare in return.

"Sorry to just burst in, but I figured I'd visit…now what's been years?" Jaina asked again, taking a seat on the edge of a handy footstool. Her brandy eyes were bright as she looked at them, waiting for a response.

Tahiri seized the opportunity. She had that odd look behind her eyes again, and Han noted with curiosity that she was looking rather quizzically at Jaina. "It's been years since we saw Zekk…he's here, you know."

"Zekk? He's that one with green eyes and the long hair, right?" Fel spoke up for the first time. Leia nodded in response, while Tahiri's green eyes continued to focus on Jaina.

"H-he's here?" Jaina faltered for a moment, and her brandy eyes searched Tahiri. The strange expression that had painted itself onto her face so suddenly was hard to decipher. But then in a flash, all traces of it were gone and Jaina glanced carefully up at Fel. Han mentally cursed himself for ever teaching her to play sabaac. "Well, it has been awhile, hasn't it?"

"It has…apparently Hapes was an entire three years ago. Time passes so quickly…"

Jaina's features remained expressionless, but as far as Han was concerned, the girl was being a bit too stiff. Perhaps too careful.

"That long?" She murmured and then her attitude suddenly brightened as a new thought hit her, "Oh! Dad, about those new sims…"

And just like that, the conversation switched, and they all went on talking… Jaina relaxed a bit more and Zekk wasn't brought up again.

But Han had seen the brief change, and he was sure the others- including Fel- had seen it too. In fact, it seemed to Han that Fel had been glancing strangely at Jaina ever since Zekk's name was mentioned… Han pushed the thought away suddenly. He couldn't be sure of that, he must be just exaggerating.

It was hours later when Jaina and Fel said their good-byes and disappeared down the long corridors.

But still…later that night when he and Leia laid down on their sleep-couch for the night, he could recall with impressive clarity that second-long expression on Jaina's face.