The mystery woman from the last chapter won't be indentified for a little while, so people will just have to keep thinking it over ;)
Leia and Han invited Luke, Anakin, and Padmé over to their apartment for dinner. They planned to share Leia's news with her parents.
Luke was distracted most of dinner. Padmé watched him worriedly. "Luke, dear, are you alright?"
Luke looked up in surprise as all eyes at the dinner table turned to him. "Yes, Mother, I'm fine. Just a little tired. I was up late talking with Obi-Wan about Maridun."
Anakin steepled his hands. "Yes, it's very interesting. I was sure you'd find something there."
"So were we," Leia sighed. "Everything we found out led us there, and then a dead end."
"It's very unfortunate. Of course, I'm sure the next team will get a little further. It's quite an important thing, finding out whether there is a Sith clan." Anakin shook his head with a sigh.
Padmé directed the conversation away from missions before Anakin got more upset. "Leia? You and Han had something to share?"
Leia exchanged a breathless smile with Han, reaching over to take his hand. They faced her parents. "Yes," Leia agreed. "Han and I are having a baby."
Padmé covered her mouth as a gasp came from her lips. Her eyes showed the huge smile on her face. Anakin grinned, laughing slightly. "Are you trying to make me feel old, Leia? Your mother and I are hardly old enough to be grandparents."
Leia smiled at her father, patting his hand. "It's okay, Father." Han squeezed her hand, his own smile on his face.
"Did you hear that, Artoo?" Threepio excitedly asked his astromech counterpart. "Mistress Leia is pregnant!" Artoo warbled happily.
"Luke?" Padmé asked her son, "Did you know about this?"
Luke smiled guiltily. "Well, yes. While on Maridun, Leia and I figured it out. It was actually the oddest thing. One of the first mornings we were there, her presence felt different, as if it had grown. Eventually we realized what it meant."
"I hope you'll refrain from future Jedi activities until the baby is born," Padmé told Leia casually.
Leia frowned. Anakin was frowning also. "But, Mother, this is an important time. We need every Jedi possible."
"Yes, Padmé," Anakin agreed. "Leia is one of the strongest Jedi at the current time. We need her fighting alongside us, when we do find this clan."
Padmé's face paled slightly, but she couldn't tell her daughter how to live her life- she was a grown woman now. Han had other ideas, however.
"There'll be no risking the baby's life, Leia," Han told her sternly.
Leia sighed, not wanting to get into a fight in front of her family. "We'll discuss this later."
"Oh dear," Threepio commented quietly.
There wasn't much conversation after that. The air was thick with tension. Once dinner was finished, Padmé and Anakin left after quietly congratulating Han and Leia again. Luke followed soon after.
Leia disappeared into the 'fresher, leaving Han to sit on their bed, waiting for the argument to start.
When she didn't immediately come out, Han frowned. He stood and listened to the noises inside the 'fresher. Retching sounds met his ear.
Without giving it a second thought, Han palmed open the 'fresher door, finding Leia hunched over and throwing up into the toilet.
A break in the sickness came, and Leia sat back, grimacing. "That's disgusting," she complained, looking up at Han. "I thought morning sickness came in the morning."
Relief washed over Han as he realized it was pregnancy sickness. He didn't know much about pregnancy anyway, but he had forgotten it caused nausea. "Speaking of morning sickness, and the baby…" Han trailed off.
Leia sighed and stood, turning the sink on, splashing water on her face. "Can you give me a minute first?"
"I just love having to schedule fights," Han muttered, rolling his eyes and leaving the refresher.
Leia forgot what she had been about to do, following Han. "It's not a fight, Han! We were going to discuss, not argue."
Han turned to her. "Admit it, Leia. They're practically the same thing."
"No, they're not." She sighed, running a hand down her face. She sat tentatively on the edge of the bed. "Let's just talk calmly about this, okay?"
Han blew out a breath, but nodded and sat opposite her on the bed. "Leia, how can you actually think it'd be okay to be out there, fighting and putting a strain on yourself while carrying a child?"
Leia's gaze fell to her lap, where she was idly playing with her wedding ring. "I need to do my duty, serving to protect others. Han, even though marriage is lawful now, Jedi business still comes first."
Han cupped her chin and lifted her face. Their eyes met. "I'm sure the Council will understand. You're pregnant, Leia."
Leia shook her head. "It's more than what the Council thinks. It's a moral thing, Han. I swore to protect those that can't protect themselves-"
"Which includes this baby. It can't protect itself. You have to protect them, by keeping safe yourself."
She pressed her hand to her stomach, feeling the presence beneath her hand. Slowly, she nodded. "But, what if I'm needed? With my experience, I'm an asset to the Council. If it comes to a fight that means life or death, I'm fighting. It doesn't matter what you think."
Han sighed. "I suppose that's the best I'm going to get. But, if it does come to that fight, I'm coming with you."
Leia hesitated for a moment. Seeing no other option, since Han had accepted her conditions, she nodded.
He smiled and leaned forward to capture her lips. Leia smiled, glad that they had resolved this without a screaming match ensuing. It wouldn't have been the first time, either.
Han pulled Leia down onto to the bed with him. She obliged eagerly.
Han's body spooned Leia's, his arms surrounding her. She was content to just lay in his warmth and comfort forever.
His hand moved to rest lightly against her stomach, his lips falling on her shoulder. "I love you," he murmured.
Leia placed her hand over Han's, closing her eyes happily. "I love you too."
The next morning, Leia asked to meet with the Council. She wasn't looking forward to telling them that she couldn't fight during a potential to be a desperate time, but she had to. She'd promised Han.
"Something to tell us, you have?" Yoda asked.
Leia nodded, swallowing slightly. "I'm going to have to opt out of any missions for…awhile."
Master Windu frowned. "Why is that? We're in need of your skill and experience."
"Well…"
Yoda smiled. "Pregnant, you are."
Leia nodded guiltily. "Yes. I know it's not the best time, but it wasn't exactly the most planned thing."
Obi-Wan was surprised for a moment. He still thought of Leia as that small baby Anakin showed him proudly years ago. Now, she was having her own.
"Plan enough, you can't." Yoda agreed. "From missions, you will renounce."
"Thank you, Master." She bowed her head slightly.
Leia was dismissed from the Council room.
"She was right," Master Windu sighed, "This is a very bad time. With that Sith clan and…"
Yoda nodded contemplatively. He turned to Obi-Wan. "Talk to her, I sense you want to. Go ahead. Continue to discuss, we will."
Obi-Wan stood and nodded. "Thank you, Master." He left the Council room to catch up with Leia.
Leia paused when she heard someone behind her. She turned and found Obi-Wan coming toward her.
"Congratulations, Leia," Obi-Wan told her with a smile. To her surprise, he gave her a hug.
"Thank you, Master."
Obi-Wan gave Leia a stern glance. "Right now, I'm your Uncle Obi-Wan."
Leia smiled. "Thank you, Uncle Obi-Wan." She hadn't called him that in years, since she was a child.
"How does your father feel about this?"
"About the baby? Or me refraining from fighting?"
"About the baby." Obi-Wan frowned. "Does he care about your refraining?"
Leia sighed. "Yes. He wants me to participate still. I haven't told him yet that I decided not to."
"Do you want me to talk to him?"
"Would you?" Leia asked hopefully.
Obi-Wan nodded. "You need to be spending time with your husband. I'll try to get Anakin to understand."
Leia hugged Obi-Wan happily. "Thank you, Uncle Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan found Anakin with Luke and Artoo on one of the many landing platforms, exactly where Padmé had told him he'd find them.
Anakin turned and smiled as his former master joined them. It was a distracted smile, however.
"Anakin, can we talk a moment?" Obi-Wan requested, throwing a wary glance at Luke.
Anakin frowned, nodded. "Luke, can you check the ship to see if we have everything?" Luke nodded and entered the small ship on the platform, Artoo rolling behind him. "What is it?"
"I talked to Leia, today," Obi-Wan sighed.
Anakin smiled. "Can you believe it? My little girl's going to be a mother."
"Not if she engages in battle."
Anakin's smile melted. "What?"
"Leia has gotten permission from the Council to opt out of any mission until she gives birth."
"We can't go nine months without her, Master," Anakin protested. His eyes darted to the doors leading back inside, as if he wanted to go discuss this with his daughter now.
"She needs to keep her child safe," Obi-Wan stated calmly. "What if Padmé had been fighting while carrying Leia and Luke?"
Anakin sighed. "I wouldn't have wanted her to."
"Exactly."
He sighed again, looking out at the wide expanse of Coruscant. "I just hope it doesn't come to a fight, Master. I hope it can be peaceful, like the Council hopes. For some reason, I just feel like it won't." He shook his head. "When you see Leia again, tell her I give her my best wishes?"
Obi-Wan frowned, looking at the ship curiously. "Where are you going?"
"Luke and I are heading back to Maridun. He feels as though there's something he and Leia missed."
Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "I give you the best of luck then, my friend." He patted Anakin's shoulder. Anakin gave him a slight smile, following Luke onto the ship.