Thanks so much for reading! I am almost finished writing the sequel to my other story, Homecoming, and I am at a loss of what to do next... If anyone has any Han/Leia stories they would like to see, message me! I would love suggestions on what to write next!
Hearts may get broken, Love endures.
The noise of the Senator and former Princess of Aldreaan's divorce finally hit the press the week it was finalized. A front-page story that crossed the political news sources and the rags:
Senator and Aldreaanian Princess Leia Organa and her husband Prince Isolder of the Hapes Consortium have filed for divorce earlier this year. The divorce was finalized this week. The Senator's office was reached for comment. "Isolder and I have parted on mutual terms and wish each other the best. This decision will not affect the mutually beneficial relationship between the governments of Hapes and Alderaan or Hapes and the New Republic. I ask for privacy during this time." The news of their parting is not surprising to close friends who say the arranged marriage was doomed from the start. This comes as more and more people are talking about Organa's expected reelection campaign for Senator coming up later this year…
"Can I get you anything at the market?" She looked over her grocery list early Friday morning.
"I can't think of anything you didn't already," Han answered, in between bites of his breakfast. "You know, you don't have to run to market after work today. We could go together this weekend."
Leia sighed and went back to her own breakfast. "What a wonderful idea. And what would we tell anyone we happen to meet? Meet my lover, and don't tell his ex-wife?"
He wasn't trying to rub their situation into already salty wounds. Han bent his head and continued eating. "Well, we have to tell her sometime soon. We've been divorced for a month."
Leia noticed his sunken face. "I'm sorry, honey. We will. It just doesn't make sense for us to go out together yet. None of this has blown over. I'm being followed even more than usual."
"Just tryin' to be helpful."
She bit her lip and reached for his hand. "I know. Anyway, you have an evening with your boys. It's no problem."
She glanced over her list one more time, hoping she wasn't forgetting something. There was one item that was not on her list. She didn't want to put it down, but she knew she wouldn't forget it. It had been constantly on her mind for three days now.
She walked purposefully through the aisles of a particular shop, having already checked off all the groceries on her hololist from the food market. Her last task was to collect the final item on her mental list.
She strolled casually down the aisle, keeping track of her surroundings and making sure she didn't know anyone around her, and nobody knew her. She found the section she was looking for and scanned the myriad of choices she had. This was certainly a first for her.
First Response, Clear Blue, Easy Result…' Easy sounded good to her. She saw another box that said 'six days sooner' and knew that was what she wanted. She quickly took the box and slipped it under her arm as she went to pay.
There were so many thoughts going through her head on her drive home, she didn't know where to begin: happiness, fear, sadness, and then more happiness.
How was she going to tell him? What would he think? They had talked about it in the hypothetical and he said he wanted to have a child with her. But how serious was he and did he expect it to happen so fast?
There was also a chance that she wasn't pregnant at all and that her morning nausea was brought on by something else entirely. But her Force senses told her she was right, that there was a new life growing inside her.
She couldn't question herself now that she was already going down this road. She would know for certain by the end of the day.
Arriving home, her eyes scrunched shut as she sunk into the sofa. She just realized she had a splitting headache. Her grocery items lined the kitchen table and she didn't think she had the energy to put everything away.
She expected Han to be back soon from his evening with the boys. It was that thought that drove her back onto her feet and got her back to work. She cleared the counter and put everything where it belonged. The one box that didn't belong anywhere remained on the kitchen table. She looked at the clock and knew it wouldn't be long now. She would go crazy from just sitting there staring, so she brought out a few of her files and her holopad to pass the time.
Han exited the turbolift and walked to palm the door open. He had a fun evening with the boys. Qi'ra finally agreed they could spend their Friday evenings with their father, as long as they were home by 9:00. This was their 3rd Friday together and Han felt like he was finally getting to know his own kids. Fernik and Vinn were also having fun with their father, messing around in the Falcon, playing in the park, or having greasy food for dinner. Han was finally able to relax and feel like he had an actual relationship with his children. Their evenings usually began with pizza and then they switched off choosing another activity.
This night, 5-year-old Fernik chose bowling. It was almost comical to watch a 5-year-old do his best to throw the ball down the lane. Han laughed to himself as he remembered the look of pride on Fernik's face when he beat his father in the last set. 3-year-old Vinn was more excited about the toy he won at an arcade game, but they all had a great time joking around and bonding. He hoped soon they would be able to spend the weekend with him, but there were a lot of creases to iron out before that would ever happen. The biggest crease being on the other side of the door.
"Sweetheart!" He called into their tiny apartment. The living room was dark, but he could see light coming from the kitchen and Leia sitting at the head of the table furiously packing up her holopad and standing quickly to meet him.
"What's wrong?" She was much too stiff and silent for everything to be alright.
She piled her things and then held out her hand for him to join her in the kitchen. "Han, there's something we need to discuss."
He walked slowly over to the table, afraid of what was to come. "Is it Isolder? Did he call?"
She cracked a smile and shook her head. He was nervous, but then again, so was she.
He took her hand in his and placed a kiss on her knuckles. He waited for her to begin, but she just stared at him, making him more anxious. "What is it? You got me worried."
She broke her gaze. "Remember a few mornings ago when I got sick."
He nodded, "You said those eggs we used must have been old."
She remembered thinking that was the explanation. "Maybe, but I was also sick yesterday morning and this morning."
He caught on. "Are you pregnant?" His voice emanated pure hope and elation. No hesitation whatsoever.
She breathed easier after confirming what she thought would be true, he would be thrilled if they were going to have a child, no matter their current circumstances. "I'm not sure yet." She gestured to the test still on the table. "I was waiting for you."
"Oh baby!" he exclaimed pulling her into his arms for a bear hug and kissing her hairline. "You know I'll be thrilled if it's true."
She nodded against his chest.
"And if you're not," he let the hug rock her back and forth. "We will keep trying until the time is right."
How did he know exactly what to say to calm her worrying mind?
"Okay?" He pulled her head back to look into her eyes.
She smiled up at him and nodded. They would be okay.
She turned to the infamous box that would determine their future. Opening the top, she pulled out the test strip and the directions and went through to the 'fresher. She kept the door open as she followed the directions and emerged a moment later to find Han sitting on the bed.
"It says to wait three minutes," she said standing before him and letting her forehead drop to his.
He pulled her waist so she was standing between his legs and wrapped his arms around her back. Naturally, his head was level with her stomach and he placed a kiss there before turning his head and pulling her closer.
"I love you," she whispered into his hairline.
"Love you, too," he responded.
Three minutes went by all too slowly, but when they were confident enough time passed, they made their way into the 'fresher him following close behind her.
She bent over the little test on the counter and read the three-letter word, 'YES +.'
"It says yes!" She turned to him, the tears that had been threatening all day finally came and pooled in her eyes. She lowered her head and covered her face with the palms of her hands.
He knew she was crying when he heard the first sniffle and wrapped his arms around her huddled frame.
"Gods, Leia!" He was still in a state of shock and amazement. "This is what you've wanted, isn't it?"
She couldn't speak. Instead, she nodded her head in his chest. He held her for as long as she needed.
Eventually she removed her hands from her face and wrapped them around his waist. She turned her head to the side so she could speak clearly.
"But, this is not at all how it was supposed to happen." Through her euphoria, she was scared. "We were supposed to have more time with just us. More time to tell Qi'ra and Isolder about us. It's too soon."
"Well," Han moved his hand to her stomach. "Somebody didn't think so."
She huffed. She was trying to seriously consider all the issues they were about to face.
"Sweetheart," he whispered. "We're having a baby! I couldn't be happier!"
She tried to let the worries subside.
"We'll get a plan." He pulled himself away from her and she turned her head to meet his. "Can we just be happy right now?"
She nodded with vigor and stretched her arms around his neck, pulling his lips to hers.
"In the spirit of living in the moment, honey," Leia began backing away from him dragging him by the hand towards the bed, "humor me."
And there the lovers laid, pressed against each other talking and dreaming of a crib surrounded by baby pink walls.