-Heart-

Back on Shedu Maad, with the tutor problems sorted out, Allana is much happier. She visits Jaina one afternoon in her office, and they curl up on the sofa with mugs of hot chocolate to ward off the chill of the rain outside.

After she finishes her chocolate, Allana sets it aside carefully and then snuggles closer to Jaina. "When you and Uncle Kyp have your baby, you should name her after Ben's mom."

Jaina smiled and ruffles her niece's hair. "Kyp and I aren't having a baby, not yet."

The girl draws back, grey eyes skeptical. "Yes, you are. Can't you feel her?"

Freezing outwardly, Jaina frantically reaches out in the Force, scanning herself. Her heart leaps when she finds the tiny flutter of life nestled there, in her womb, so new it has no awareness of anything yet. It wasn't there days ago. How long as it been there? Does Kyp know yet? Only one way to find out.

"How-" Jaina begins, and stops. "Um. I need to go talk to Kyp. Don't tell anybody else, okay? Big secret."

Allana mimes zipping her lips shut. She hops off the sofa and goes off with Anji to do something else. Jaina sits there for several moments, suddenly dizzy.

Then she's on her feet and out the door, robes flying as she dashes down the corridor, reaching out for Kyp. She finds him talking with Kam Solusar and Corran Horn, not far from his office.

"Sorry to interrupt," she says breathlessly. "I need to steal Master Durron for a minute."

Without waiting for a reply, she grabs his hand and literally pulls him from the room.

"Jay?" Kyp asks with a laugh. "What's the rush?"

Jaina drags him into his office and locks the door. Pulling him over to the desk, she hops up to even the height difference a little. Then she catches his other hand and presses both of them to her lower belly.

"What?"

"Feel!" she says urgently.

Kyp extends his senses through the Force. She can feel his energy brushing through her. The moment he finds it, the microscopic heartbeat deep inside her, she knows, because he jolts with surprise.

His green eyes huge, he looks up from where their hands layer together, to her face. Jaina bites her lip.

"You're-" Kyp stops, dumbfounded.

"I'm pregnant," she says.

His handsome face splits in a huge grin. "Pregnant," he repeats.

Jaina nods, and she's suddenly grinning, too. And then she's crying. Kyp hugs her tightly, kissing the top of her head.

"You'd better make an honest woman out of me," she laughs through her tears, "or Dad is gonna kill you."

Kyp laughs, too, but distractedly. He's already reaching again for the tiny life she's carrying, and for her, marvelling at the feel of its heart.

"Our baby," he whispers.

He slides his fingers into her hair, cupping the back of her head as he leans in to kiss her. Jaina loops her arms around his neck and kisses him back, her heart soaring. She only has joy for the new life inside her, no apprehension at all. They've faced certain death and the Dark Side. They can do this together.

Kyp breaks the kiss, presses his forehead to hers. "We're already engaged, so I guess it's just a matter of when."

"Soon. I don't want a big wedding." She tips her head up, brown eyes searching his face. "Unless you want one?"

He shakes his head. "Not my style."

"Okay. Just you and me, then. Maybe Mom and Dad- No, you know what? Let's elope. Let's run away somewhere and just spend a couple weeks lying on a beach, you and me."

He grins. "I'm in."

"You'd better be," she murmurs, then adds, "Daddy."

Kyp's grin is bright enough to light the inside of a black hole.