For all his efforts, Nimbi had managed to maintain a small frown of disapproval, but Leia nearly laughed at the doctor's clear happiness. He offered his congratulations with a genuine, beaming smile, but then returned to his gentle frown, very abruptly turning the mood. "The bacta treatments are working wonders for your legs, but you still have a ways to go. It will be difficult to continue the recovery process for your legs while also monitoring your pregnancy."
Leia nodded, her mood to laugh quickly fading. She'd known this conversation was coming soon enough. "I understand that, but this child- is everything to us. Their health comes first." From beside her, Leia felt her husband bristling in disagreement, but he remained quiet. She squeezed the hand of his which lay in her lap.
"Leia, I can give you my word that I will do everything I am physically able to, but you must also understand the risks, the chances. The odds are stacked against this child. It's hard enough for a completely healthy human female over 35 to carry a healthy child to full term. It isn't my wish to scare you, but I do believe it's better to remain pessimistic."
"We understand the risks-"
"If you truly understood the risks, you would agree that it is better to focus on your recovery. The fetus-"
"Our child," Leia insisted.
Nimbi had no response.
"Please, Dr. Nimbi. My husband and I are perfectly aware of the risks of my pregnancy. But this is our child and we will do everything we can to deliver safely."
Without smiling, Nimbi offered a nod and responded curtly, "Of course, Leia." With that, the doctor took his leave.
Han sat at Leia's bedside, both of his hands perfectly tangled with hers. Gently, he pulled free, leaving his wife with a tender kiss to her forehead. "Han?" she called out for him as he left her side, voice more brittle than Han had ever heard it. But he was already hurrying out the door, following Nimbi in his pursuit.
"Hey." Han forced himself to keep his voice low, but he was struggling more than he'd even anticipated. "Hey!" He quickly caught up to him, but Nimbi kept going. "Mind telling me what the kriff that was?"
"I had clear orders for your wife to be resting."
"Really?" Han's chuckle managed to hold some genuine amusement. "That's what you wanna' focus on?"
"Your wife's condition was already precarious. Adding a pregnancy to the equation only complicates matters. I told you before; it's doubtful enough that she'll be able to walk again."
"But that wasn't what she needed to hear."
"I didn't realize I was in the business of trading meaningless reassurances."
"But there have to be better tactics than telling her we might as well give up now."
"Captain Solo," Nimbi turned reluctantly. "As a med-professional, it is against my basic morals and against the oath I took to make promises that I cannot keep."
"We're not asking for a promise, buddy. Trust me. We know this could end badly. No. We know this could end. It could end any moment now. All we're asking is that you help us make the chances as good as they'll get."
"And I told you- her body is busy enough fighting off the infections and restoring tissue-"
"Then, you'd better help her. You think you'll stay in the Jedi Order's good graces when something happens to Master Skywalker's sister under your supervision? Think again, buddy. All we're asking is that you try. And that makes the two of us a lot nicer than those Jedi."
Han returned to his wife's room to see that their daughter had stopped by for a visit. Jaina stood at her mother's side, eyes already cast his way. "Did I interrupt something?" Han smirked. "Some girl talk?"
Jaina rolled her eyes. "Uncle Luke and Mara are coming in just a few minutes. So, you better have your lines memorized."
"Yeah, what are we gonna' say, sweetheart? We never talked about this."
"I have an idea," Leia concedes, reaching out to her husband. "And I'll tell you what I'm thinking right after you tell me what you said to Nimbi."
"Don't worry." Han left another kiss on her forehead as he settled into the chair at her right side. "I sorted him out."
"Han. He's only doing his job."
"His job is to make sure that you and the baby stay healthy."
Leia turned her attention to Jaina, about to ask their daughter to leave when the young woman nodded. "I'll go find Uncle Luke," she quickly suggested. "I'll be back in a minute."
Leia waited through a breath once Jaina was out the door before she sighed to herself and turned a look on her husband. "Now isn't the time to be getting optimistic anyway."
Han shook his head. "We're not having this conversation. Leia, we aren't having this conversation now."
"We're going to have to have it eventually. You and I both know the risks."
"What happened to just three minutes ago? You were just as ticked at Nimbi."
"And I'm reminding myself to be realistic."
"You said the baby feels fine."
"Things could turn in a heartbeat. Nimbi is aware of that and he's only doing his job." Leia cast her gaze to the door. "I can feel my brother and Mara. They must be in the messenger now."
Shoving back his frustration, Han looked at the door too. "What are we gonna' say?"
"I was thinking, maybe we shouldn't say anything at all."
"You're kidding, right?"
"It won't take him long to notice. Just- say hi and wait for him to catch it. I give him a maximum of two minutes before he notices."
"Oh, come on. It'll take him longer than that. He'll be too nervous, making sure you're alright."
"He'll make sure I'm okay, healing. With the Force. That's how he'll find it."
"I don't know. Two minutes, sweetheart?"
"Wanna' bet? If I win, you have to apologize to Nimbi."
"And if I win, we're holding off this conversation for another week."
"Vetoed."
"What?"
"Think you're funny? Han, at some point, we need to have a serious conversation about the baby."
"Yeah, I know. That's what I've been saying!"
"A serious, realistic conversation-"
Han stopped her with a kiss on the lips, gentle, yet pleading. And Leia sensed his pain.
"I'm just as afraid as you are," she told him once she managed to gently push him back. "And just as determined. But we can't play pretend forever."
Han kept his lips hovered over hers, taking comfort in the simple sight of her- the warmth returning to her body, the lively blush in her cheeks, the thick tresses of hair regrowing. Han could brush his fingers through it- and he did. He could find sharks, little tangles made from when she tossed her head back and forth in her sleep. It was bizarre how happy such a mundane thing made him. Regrowth, rebirth. Rejoice, for his wife still lived.
Suddenly, Leia shifted in his hold and lifted her chin to look at him, a smile spreading across her face. "Luke and Mara are here."
He wiped her cheek, smirking. "Don't look too happy."
Leia heeded his suggestion seriously and let her eyes droop as if with exhaustion, sinking back into the mounds of pillows Han had gathered for her. In reality, Nimbi had given her an extra dose of painkillers no longer than an hour before, and with the way Leia's eyes were starting to wander the room, Han knew its effects were kicking in. Soon enough, she'd be full on loopy from the drugs.
"Hey." He nudged her shoulder. "Focus."
Leia responded with the quickest and most mischievous grin he'd seen in her.
Just as Leia turned her face back into her pillows, there came a knock on the door and all three of his children entered with their aunt and uncle in tow.
"Hey," Luke grimaced and spoke to Han, though his eyes were on his sister as she slowly turned her neck to watch them enter. Sithspawn, she was good at putting on a show! "Hey," Luke repeated as he arrived at her side. Leia pulled out a pale arm from beneath the sheets to reach for her brother. He looked at the IV line wrapped up her arm and his eyes grew darker.
"Hi," Leia smiled up at him. "I'm so glad to see you." Luke bent and Leia kissed his cheek. "Thank you for watching the kids."
"Don't worry about it, Lei. It was the least we could do."
Mara stepped forward then, and she reached out carefully to hug her sister in-law. "How are you feeling? I felt your pain on Duro. You gave us all quite a scare."
"I'm alright. I'll be fine."
"It was a real close call," Han added, settling back into his seat at Leia's side. "Still a long ways to go in recovery."
Leia shot him the briefest look before she fixed her attention back on her family. She reached for her brother's hand and took it in both of her own. "Don't worry about me. I've missed you, Luke. I'm so glad you're here." She squeezed his hand.
Luke scanned her quickly, taking in the image of her pale complexion, the heavy blankets covering her swollen legs- the persistent, hopeful glimmer in her otherwise dark eyes. "Yes," he nodded. "I-"
Just then, an odd look came to his eyes, and Leia knew he'd found it.
"I've missed you." He blinked, his gaze dragging from her face to her midsection. Her and Han's silly bet momentarily slipping her mind, Leia beamed, calling upon the Force to refresh the bond she and her brother shared. You feel that? Hear it, see it.
Luke frowned, now abandoning any attempts to ignore the anomalous presence. Leia held her hands to her stomach as was becoming habit. She nodded to her brother, introducing uncle to- niece or nephew. Leia recognized the surprise as it flashed across her brother's face- and stayed there.
"Luke?"
"You're kidding."
Rolling her lips over her teeth to hold back the greatest beam, Leia shook her head.
"You're-"
This time, she nodded.
"Oh." The dull exclamation came from Mara, and when Leia turned her gaze to her sister in-law she wasn't wearing the smile she'd been expecting. Instead, her brows were knitted together in- almost disfavor. Her mouth formed a perfectly round 'O'.
"Oh?"
Mara quickly tried to recover, smiling and spreading out her arms, but failed terribly. "Oh, wow! Leia, that's-"
"Uh, we're going to grab lunch," Anakin offered from by the door, pulling along his siblings with him.
"Wait a minute." Mara quickly turned on her heel and switched the lock on the door with the smallest nudge of the Force. "Anakin, how long have you known?"
He quickly surrendered, dropping his hand from the door. "Ah, since the Leafy Green."
Luke caught her eye. "I told you."
Leia pushes herself up on her elbows. "Hang on. What is this about? Wait …"
Mara, giving an over-animated shrug, scrunched her nose. "Surprise?"
