A/N: Note that I do not follow any other canon than the films and the Thrawn novels. Oh, and let's just pretend that Callista existed. Other than that, the events with Luke turning to the Dark Side during Leia's second pregnancy, according to me, did not happen. Clarifying this bit to get rid of any potential confusion.
Mara Jade wasn't an emotional sort of person. She didn't like to talk about her "feelings" and she certainly never gushed with tears. All her life, she had been trained to wear a mask over whatever innocence she may have had, and if there were any doubts or insecurities, to get rid of them immediately. So it was understandable that when she learned that she was pregnant, Mara Jade, former Emperor's Hand, had no idea what to feel. Meanwhile, Mara Jade Skywalker, former smuggler and almost-Jedi Master, was just as confused as she was extremely protective. Or, as some would call it, paranoid.
If one asked, Mara would say that the idea of bearing children had never occurred to her before. But she would be lying, for she had, ever since meeting Luke Skywalker, played with the idea of having her own family. Each time before she had begun to realize that she loved Luke, she would discard the idea with one of her more Emperor's Hand-induced sentiments. Even now, she didn't consider herself capable of raising a child. Raising an apprentice? Yes. A child? No.
Unlike sweet, naive farmboy Luke Skywalker, Mara's only parental figure during her childhood had been a certain power-hungry madman, and that was definitely not a good example to raise your children by. She didn't have any experience at all in those "family" areas - she'd never had one to look up to.
Yet now that this was really happening, Mara was panicking. As much as she wouldn't have admitted it before, she did want this baby. Even if she didn't deserve to grow a new life, Luke did. In twenty years she wanted to look back on the world and discover that she created something that was really, really wonderful. Or rather, that she and Luke had created something. One thing both Emperor's hand Mara and smuggler-Jedi Master Mara were both sure of, was that she needed this baby.
The idea that plagued her was this: what if it was actually all a cruel trick by the Force? What if she miscarried and then proved that she didn't deserve children?
She shook her head. She was being ridiculous.
Snap out of it, Jade, she said to herself.
Working on it, she also said to herself. Great. Now she was talking to different parts of herself. Maybe this pregnancy was affecting her brain quicker than expected. Mara remembered Leia being level-headed enough during her pregnancies. Not to mention that the first one had taken place with a war going on.
Just then, she heard Luke coming out of the shower, happy as a clam. He was going to be a father. As Mara thought about that, it suddenly struck her that everyone in the Academy would know. Kriff, the whole galaxy would know if it got out. This was not good.
"Uh... Luke?" She began nervously.
Smiling and damp, he said, "Yes, Mara?"
"Can we... wait a little? I mean on the telling part."
There was pause. Clearly, Luke's chain of thought took some time to adjust to hers. Nonetheless, he quickly realized what his wife meant. A towel draped around his middle, the Jedi Master entered the room, a look of consideration on his face.
"I think it's a good idea we don't broadcast the news. We don't want a Holonet crew standing around the Academy twenty-four seven. Now that I think about it, the only reason Leia's pregnancies weren't as publicized was because there was already enough going on with Thrawn when Jaina and Jacen were born that the press didn't have time. And then Leia was on vacation on that remote island by the time Anakin arrived. You, on the other hand... Yeah, it's better if we keep it quiet. But the Academt will know," he reminded her.
"Unless I shield it. I can do that for about the first two months." Luke sat down onto the bed gently, placing a warm hand on her shoulder - something he was often apt to do when he tried to be consoling. His sister did it too - must have been a Skywalker thing.
"Whatever you feel is best. I know that among all the evil in this galaxy, you rank the media as the devil incarnate. Just allow me to tell Han and Leia - they won't say a word. Not even to the twins and Anakin."
Mara smiled knowingly; the twins, now blossoming teenagers, were becoming better at keeping secrets to themselves. Anakin, on the other hand, had a tendency to let things slip. "Of course," she replied.
"Oh, and Skywalker," said Mara as Luke went to the bathroom to get dressed, "if you ever, in the next nine months even suggest that I wear those stupid maternity clothes, I will vape you where you stand."
"Dually noted," her husband agreed, grinning.
"Good," she smirked. Mara fell back on the bed and allowed herself a small nap - she could care less about assassin training. This was a long enough morning that she should have to go through the rest of the day tired.