They weren't really kids anymore, Leia reflected with a pang of sadness. The twins were very nearly eighteen and Anakin, while only sixteen, was growing up faster than she thought was fair. Anakin especially had matured so much in the past year, and while she'd enjoyed watching her children transform into young, mature adults, she couldn't bear the thought of how much of their lives she'd missed. And that was making this harder than it already was.
Leia stroked her flat belly, reaching through the Force for the tiny, innocent life nestled deep within her. From what she could tell, the new life was still growing, still healthy and thriving, safely stored inside mother. In the midst of her anxieties, Leia had found enormous comfort in feeling her and Han's child continue to grow while she and Han waited.
They'd called Luke immediately after, Han explaining that Leia was 'frustrated with her slow recovery' and that 'it would really help if she could just see the kids once'. It wasn't all a lie. She'd been worrying for her children since she'd been able to think coherently after leaving Duro and arriving on Corellia. She'd watched Holonet news clips and heard about the Vong's ultimatum and the so-called Peace Brigade who threatened to hand over any Jedi they found in the name of some artificial peace. Han had assured her time and again that Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin were all safe with their uncle and aunt on Coruscant.
Solemn, and likely fearful for his sister's state, Luke had agreed to send the Solo kids to the Kuati medcenter where Leia had been transferred. She still felt guilty for not telling him- he'd been the first she and Han had told both when Leia had become pregnant for the first time with the twins and with Anakin. But, after talking about it, she and Han had agreed. Their children were much older now, and they deserved to know first. Besides, her brother and sister-in-law were next in line to make the announcement to.
"How do you think they'll react?" Leia wondered aloud for the umpteenth time in the past couple weeks.
Han was just coming out of the room's small refresher, still wet from his sanisteam. He came to sit beside her, leaning forward in the chair positioned at her bedside. "You're still worried about how Jaina will react?"
"I feel guilty, Han."
"You shouldn't."
"I can't help it! Han, I can't imagine going about this the same way we did with the twins and Anakin. Now that they're older, now that I've seen how it affected each of them, all that time apart-"
"Leia-"
"We did what we thought was best for them. I remember that. I remember how we were both convinced that the best thing we could do for them was send them away. I don't know how I feel about it now. I don't know if we made the best choice then, but I can't imagine going through that again. What that did to me and Jaina? How Jaina thinks I feel? I don't think I could possibly go through that again. And it makes me feel awful because I know it isn't fair to her."
"Jaina's growing up. She's gonna' have to figure out how she feels about this for herself. As for us, for you, you shouldn't feel guilty." He leaned forward in his seat and took her hand. "Just like you said, we did what we thought was best for the kids. It would've been amazing to have had more time with them when they were little, but they survived what we chose. They're still alive. And I'll take that over something we don't know what the outcome may have been."
"You're right," she smiled bitterly. "But I can't go through that again. Han, if we make it, if this child makes it, I can't do that a third time. I want this time to be completely different. Is that fair to Jaina?"
"That's for her to decide, mull over. If she's mad, she's mad, but if that's what you want to do, that's what we'll do." Han turned her hand over in his, palm up, and kissed her there. "But I don't think she'll be mad."
"No?"
Han shook his head. "Nah. She isn't as mad at you as she'd like you to think."
"You're kidding."
"She really doesn't want to be mad at you, Leia. You think she's Daddy's girl? Sweetheart, it makes her sad she missed that time with you. She looks up to you. Jaina hates this- tension as much as you do. One of the two of you just have to be tough enough to say it out loud." He squeezed her hand between both of his. "But she'll be excited, I think. Definitely surprised, but excited. All three of them will."
Equal parts joy and amusement, Leia laughed. "Do you remember when Anakin was little and he really wanted a little sibling?" Without further prompting, Han chuckled, and Leia knew he did remember. "For his fifth Life Day when we asked him what he wanted-"
"He just wanted a baby brother."
"And we swore to each other he would be our last one."
"Looks like he's finally getting that Life Day wish after all." Then, Han looked at her, a partly mischevious smile lighting up his eyes.
"Stars, Han! I can't believe we're doing this again."
"Relax, sweetheart. We'll make it." He stood, pushing back his chair. Instinctively, Leia cringed as she remembered what came next. Han left her side to pull out a repulsor chair and parked it beside her bed. "Ready?"
"I hate this part," she murmured.
"I know, but you always handle it well. I promise I'll make it quick." Without a moment's hesitation, Han slid his arms beneath her shoulders and legs and lifted her from her bunk into the chair. She groaned into his shirt the whole time, hanging on tightly. "It's over." Han kissed her cheek. "The kids will be here any minute."
By the time Han and Leia made it downstairs, Han pushing her in the repulsor chair, all three of the Solo kids were waiting. They'd agreed to meet in a quiet lobby on a lower floor of the medcenter. They all jumped up from their seats- bulky couches with fluffy cushions one might sink right into.
Leia felt a relief unlike any other at seeing her children safe and unharmed. The last time she'd talked with them was on Duro, but Anakin hadn't been with them. She'd seen all three of them when the entire Solo family plus Mara and Luke had rendezvoused at Corellia, but she only had blurry memories of kissing each of her children goodbye before they raced her off on a repulsor sled.
She offered a watery smile as she and Han approached- but none of them offered smiles back.
Leia released a breath she'd been holding since Duro, and she reached out to her children. "Jaina. Jacen. Anakin. Fierfek! I'm so relieved you're all okay."
Appearing less than relieved, Anakin stepped forward and took his mother's hand, staring at it rather then her. "Hi, Mom." He kissed her atop her head, relinquishing a hug when she pulled on his arm.
Hesitantly, Leia noted, Jaina and Jacen approached to hug her for themselves. Their hugs were brief, gentle- weak, Leia may have liked to joke. However, none of her children seemed to be in the joking mood and it put Leia on edge. Perhaps, now wasn't the best time to make the announcement when they were already so clearly distressed.
The kids traded hugs with their father as Han told them how much he'd missed them and how glad he and Leia were to see them. "It's been a while since we've all been together like an actual family, hasn't it?" Han tried to laugh. Jacen smiled uneasily and Jaina swallowed thickly. Anakin wouldn't look at his mother.
They all returned to their seats on the couch and Han brought Leia's chair up close to them.
"I've really missed you three," Leia told them. "I've been so worried! Since I heard about the warmaster's threat-"
"Don't worry too much about us, Mom," Jacen assured her. "We've kept safe."
"No reassurance can make me worry any less. It's my job."
No response. The three siblings traded a few looks between themselves, eyes big and gloomy in the dark light. "You called us here," Jaina finally broke the silence. "All Uncle Luke said was that you wanted to talk to us."
Han nodded. "There's something we need to talk to you guys about and we wanted to sit down and tell you guys first."
The area's fog of unease only grew thicker as Jaina's posture turned rigid and Anakin refused to look at Leia.
"Before we tell anyone else," Han added. Jacen took a sharp breath, and Han paused.
"Wait!"
Leia startled at Jaina's exclamation, breaking from her reverie to look toward her daughter curiously. She was struggling enough as it was to find the words to tell her daughter and sons, she didn't need another crisis to interfere in their lives. Her heart skipped a beat, climbing up her throat.
"I know what you brought us here to tell us."
Doubtful, but caught off guard nonetheless, Leia gaped. "You do?"
Jaina nodded tentatively. "I …" She took a breath and shook her head. "Anakin thinks you're dying."
"What?"
Suddenly startled, Anakin looked up with crazed eyes and pointed back to his sister. "So does Jaina! Or, she did. And Jacen, too!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on here. You thought we called you guys here to tell you that I'm dying?"
"Well, … yeah." Urgently, Anakin looked to his brother for support. "That's what Uncle Luke made it sound like."
"That's what Uncle Luke thinks," Jaina said. "You should tell him what's really going on. He's scared."
Leia tilted her chin skeptically. "But you think you know what we have to say? It sounds like you were as worried as your brothers here."
"Uncle Luke is going out of his mind. You need to tell him- about the baby."
Finally, Jacen broke his silence. "Baby? What baby?"
Struggling to regain her composure, Leia stuttered, "Wait, Jaina, how do you know?"
"I- had a vision. When I was at Kalarba, right after I went EV."
"You had a vision about the baby."
Jaina nodded. "Of a child. Of our family at peace, happy. Even before we realized you were on Duro, I knew everything was going to be alright." Then, something opened up between mother and daughter that startled Leia more than it should have. It was Jaina's doing, she realized, as her daughter opened herself to Leia, opening up the unfulfilled bond they shared.
And Jaina smiled at her.
It was small and delicate, but so genuine and beautiful that it brought a fresh tear to Leia's eye.
"What baby?"
Leia's attention returned to the moment at the sound of her elder son's voice. Seeing his utter, innocent confusion, she laughed. They'll be excited, Han's reassurances from earlier echoed in her ear. Surprised, but excited.
Jacen repeated, "What baby?"
Without another moment of hesitation, just as Leia felt her husband's hand reaching to take hers, she told her sons, "Ours."
