I'm going to Disneyland tomorrow, a.k.a. Corellia Land, on a sort of spur-of-the-moment thing, and then I'll be gone until late next week for summer advising at my college (it feels weird to type that), so it'll most likely be awhile until my next update. But stay tuned, I might just get an update in! Thank you all for reading, and if you read, please reply! I lurve reader replies!
Vampirehelsing – Thank you! A recommendation, eh? Sweet! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
CowgirlBlondie – I'm glad you liked it! Hehe…your boyfriend must wonder what in the heck is going on! Too funny. I'm glad you like the way it's going! There are still over a dozen chappies left, including some of my favorites. So it's not done yet!
JillieRose – I'm glad you like it! Warm and fuzzy is my specialty. Believe it or not, I actually agree with you about the letter. I do believe I was listening to the Backstreet Boys when I wrote that part a couple years ago, and it was around Valentine's Day, so…yeah. I thought about deleting it when I reposted, but I was too lazy to come up with something else. I'm glad you liked the part in ch. 26 too! Hopefully your work allows you the time to catch up!
Mousewolf – Those Skywalkers, indeed! Whatever will the galaxy do with them? Thanks for the recommendation, and for continuing to read and reply to my story!
Dovasary – I'm glad that this story made you feel better! Ooh…summer camps. I did my share of babysitting, so I know how crazy kids can get. Good luck! You'll see the baby in this story, and maybe the Solo kids when they're older if I do more after this. I've been really lazy about writing new fan fiction, though, so don't count on it anytime soon. And your brother stepped on your computer? Ack! Stupid brothers. Was it on purpose? With my brothers it probably would be, or at least it would have been back in the day when they were less "mature."
SailorLeia – Thank you! I'm glad you're continuing to enjoy this! The story should get funnier pretty soon!
Jade Skywalker – No problem! I know how life can be. Here's some more - I don't want you dying on me!
Chapter 58
Several hours later…
As Leia was not very far into her labor, the doctors had instructed her to leave her bed and walk around the halls of Medical for a while. She thought it rather amusing that it was suggested that she do exactly what Han had warned her against. Han was walking along with her, but he was looking at her as if she was going to burst at any given moment. It was excruciatingly annoying. Luckily her crowd of "mother nerfs" had left her, per her order. For a while she had had a troop of worried men behind her, following her in case she fainted or something equally appalling. Luke, Chewbacca, and Ty had been among them, but she had banished them to the waiting room, where they would be greeted with holovision reruns and chairs that had probably been specifically designed to be uncomfortable.
So now she was shuffling down the halls, trying to focus her mind and "letting the Force flow through her." It was fairly difficult with a doting husband by her side, asking her how she was every few seconds, but she was able to feel her child's presence in the Force, which brought her a sense of peace. She was attempting to lessen the pain of the contractions, however, which she was not having too much success with. Whenever a contraction hit she would lose her focus, and the techniques that Luke had taught her (how he knew about these techniques she really did not want to know) would escape her. She was starting to regret declining the doctor's offer of pain medication. But still she walked, occasionally stopping and clutching her abdomen when a contraction hit, and then continuing in her trek down the monochromatic hallways. The lights were beginning to bother her, and she was feeling tired, but she wanted to do anything that would keep her away from "the bed of the dark side" as she had dubbed it.
"Are you okay, Leia? Do you need anything?" Han asked, hardly even waiting for a response, as his mind was so full of worries and thoughts of the future that everything had become a sort of surreal dream.
"Quiet would be nice," was her succinct response.
"Hmm?"
"Could you please be quiet, Han? I'm trying to concentrate."
He came out of his trance to provide a sarcastic comment. "Concentrate? On what – the ground?"
"No – I'm trying to clear my mind and open myself up to the Force. It would be easier if a certain husband wasn't always asking the same question over and over and getting on my nerves."
"Oh, glad to know that I'm so appreciated," he sighed.
She looked at him seriously. "Of course I'm glad you're here, and I would be worried if you didn't constantly ask me how I was doing, but could you maybe just calm down for a moment?"
He nodded, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders firmly. His goal was to be helpful, and if being quiet was helpful to Leia he was willing to accede to her demands.
Another contraction hit, and Han instinctively grabbed her shoulders tighter as she bent over. This time she was able to use the technique to some success, which inspired a wide grin.
She turned to Han enthusiastically. "Han! You really should stay quiet!"
"And that's supposed to make me happy, why?"
"Because it makes your wife happy because her contractions aren't as painful, she'll be less likely to be angry, and therefore won't take her anger out on you. That's why you should be happy."
"Sounds good," he agreed. "Just tell me if you need me to carry you back to the room or something."
"It would take something really painful to make me want to go back to that bed."
For some reason her statement was placed in the "trust me/I have a bad feeling about this" category, with all the expected effects, and she immediately was overtaken with her most painful contraction yet. Han responded with his quick, honed instincts and lifted her into his arms, clutching her close to him and rushing back to the room.
Upon entering the room a doctor lifted his head from the datapad he was surveying, and looked at the couple skeptically.
"She's going into labor!" Han shouted.
"She's been in labor for several hours, actually," the doctor stated with a raise of his eyebrows.
"No, I mean…you know what I mean," he stammered.
"It's okay, General Solo. You can put her down on the bed and I'll have a look," the doctor replied casually.
"Why are you so calm?" Han nearly shouted.
"Why are you so nervous?" the doctor countered.
"Because my wife is about to have my baby, that's why!"
"Exactly. I've done this many times, while for you this is a first-time experience. I know that you are concerned for your wife, but we must not panic. Let me check her, and then you can decide whether or not you want to want to be terrified."
Han reluctantly sat down next to the bed, clutching Leia's hand and glaring at the doctor as he checked Leia.
"It does indeed look as if she is getting close. Did anyone else in your party want to witness the birth?"
"Well, Luke should probably…" Han began.
Leia cut him off, in-between contractions. "No. Luke told me that though he was sure it would be beautiful, he really didn't want to see that much of his sister."
"He could still be in the room, though," Han suggested.
"Don't worry about Luke," Leia assured, and was about to add more, when she was cut off by a contraction that called for all of her attention.
The doctor began getting everything prepared at the end of the bed, providing a wake-up call for Han and Leia. Before this moment the idea of birth and actually having a child was obscure, and all their thoughts had focused on the future, towards what seemed to be a moment that would never actually come. Now that it was here their romanticized versions of parenthood and babies were crashing to a halt, and the realization of what would soon be their reality draped their minds with panic. Leia began to lose control of her hard-attained focus, and an overwhelming pain washed over her. Han's fear was emanating from him, and in turn affected Leia's state of mind. She tried desperately to take control of her mind, but her attempts only served to cause her to further lose concentration.
Her anxieties were soon somewhat calmed. Han tightly grasped her right hand in his own, and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, providing a protective and loving embrace. At that moment, they attained a mutual understanding and peace in the realization that, no matter what, they would not be alone in the challenges of parenthood. Their whirling minds were calmed, and through the sudden newfound peace Leia was able to fully open up to the Force.
After a moment the couple looked back over to the doctor, who had finished his preparations.
"It appears as if we are about ready to begin," he declared calmly.
"Really?" the Solos asked in perfect accordance.
"Yes. On my mark, I want you to begin pushing," he instructed. "Push."
Both of the soon-to-be parents were caught up in the moment, and the surreal feeling that had previously overtaken them came back in full force. The doctor instructed Leia as Han tried to grasp hold of his senses enough to be her coach in a more emotional manner. The moment was over seemingly as soon as it started - the end signified by the squall of a newborn child.
The doctor brought the baby over to the couple, who stared in amazement at the brand new life. The baby was not cleaned, the brown hairs covering his head stuck together and matted, body covered with what would normally be very unappealing-looking substances, but to Han and Leia he was the most beautiful sight that they had ever seen.
"Congratulations. It's a boy," the doctor said with a smile.
