Leia and Han had just gotten off the Falcon when Obi-Wan came hurrying over to them. Leia still had a dreamy smile on her face, happy from their vacation. Han was similarly grinning.
Obi-Wan was distressed, however. "Leia, I'm not sure there's a right way to tell you this, but your father and Luke were supposed to report in a week ago."
Slowly, Leia's smile fell. Her eyes were wide with shock, fear in them. "What?"
"Anakin and Luke have been missing for a week now. Padmé's in utter distress. A team of support is leaving in just a few hours."
"I'm coming with you," Leia told him, with an air of finality that stopped any argument he had.
Han shook his head. "Leia, you're over eight months pregnant. You're not going to be any help."
Leia turned on Han, a look on her face of such desolation that it sent a chill up his spine. "They're my father and brother, Han. I can't not help. They need me."
Han opened his mouth to protest, but he knew that he had promised Leia she could go if it came to this. But, there was his condition. "I'm coming with you too, then."
Leia sucked in a breath, but nodded. Suddenly, her face was contorted in pain, both hands going to her stomach. Han's eyes went wide, reaching out to help her stand. "Leia? Are you alright?"
Leia gasped. "The…the…" She swallowed, closing her eyes tightly. "It's time."
Han froze visibly. It was more than half a month early. The twins weren't due for weeks. Apparently, that didn't matter to them.
"We need to get you to the med ward," Han muttered, helping her to walk. Obi-Wan pressed his fist to his mouth, shaking his head. Worriedly, he looked up at the sky.
Inside the birth room, Leia laid on the birthing table, Han by her side. Padmé and Sola stood outside, watching. Sola had been visiting her sister when the news of Anakin and Luke's disappearance had reached them. She had stayed longer, giving her sister support. Then, Leia had come home only to go into labor. It seemed as though everything was happening all at once, and she wondered how her younger sister was taking it.
Padmé was watching the scene inside with a distant look on her face. Either her thoughts were with Anakin, or she was too numb with pain to have much thought. Carefully, Sola wrapped an arm around Padmé. Padmé blinked, coming back to reality and glancing up at her sister. Saying nothing, she turned to the window that showed the birth room, actually seeing what was going on this time.
Inside the room, Leia held Han's hand, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Concentrating, she stretched her mind to touch the twins' minds. It was an odd feeling, knowing that she'd soon be with them, actually holding them in her arms.
For now, she wasn't thinking of her father, or Luke. She was focusing on safely delivering Jaina and Jacen into the universe. Han was anxiously watching the medical droids at the other end of the table. He turned back to Leia, however, when she gripped his hand. The pain of a contraction was clearly shown in her face. Han wanted to help, but there was nothing he could now, except hold her hand and be there.
"You'll need to start pushing," Two-Onebee told Leia as the contraction passed.
Breathlessly, Leia nodded. She closed her eyes and went back to the twins' minds. As she pushed at Onbee's insistence, she felt the tiny minds react for the first time. It was a surprise to her. She could feel their fear and confusion at suddenly being pulled away from the safety of her womb.
She wanted to assure them, tell them not worry, but she couldn't concentrate on that right now. She was listening to Onbee's words and pushing at the same time.
Finally, it was over and Onebee was holding a screaming pink form. Leia swallowed thickly as the baby was wrapped in a blanket and handed to Han. Han had an amazed look on his face. "Jaina," he murmured, looking up at Leia.
Leia sucked in a breath, reaching out to stroke Jaina's soft skin. That was all she could do before a new set of contractions came. Han handed Jaina to a different droid, once more concentrating on Leia.
Leia pushed yet again, squeezing Han's hand as she did so. Again, there was the sound of a baby's cries as she stopped pushing. Exhaustedly, she let her head fall back against the pillow.
"Jacen," Han murmured, as the child was passed to him. Leia lifted her head to smile weakly at her son. He was handed off to the droids to be cleaned up. Han turned to Leia, kissing her softly. She gave him a small smile.
Outside the room, Padmé and Sola watched the scene play out. When the cleaned children were handed back to Han and Leia, a droid came and told them they could come see the children.
Leia was tired, but sitting up, with Jacen in her arms. Han was holding Jaina.
Padmé found herself smiling at the tiny children, her grandchildren. Then, she frowned, realizing Anakin should've been there to see their birth. Anakin, and Luke. Luke would've been amazed, having never witnessed a birth before.
"Mother," Leia said, catching Padmé's attention. "Aunt Sola. Meet Jacen and Jaina."
Reluctantly, Han handed Jaina to Padmé. Sola was handed Jacen. Padmé stared down at Jaina, so new to the world. Jaina's eyes had been closed, but they opened when she was passed from her father's arms to her grandmother's. Padmé expected her to start crying, but she just stared up at Padmé, as if studying her. Padmé smiled softly, running her fingers softly against Jaina's soft skin. She was brought back to Luke and Leia's birth, on Naboo, with Anakin by her side. Anakin…
Shaking her head, Padmé concentrated on the tiny bundle in her arms. Jaina was simply adorable, much like her brother. Padmé glanced over at Jacen, smiling. Yes, Leia and Han were going to enjoy raising their children.