I want to thank everyone for the reviews/followers etc. This chapter came very easy to me, so I hope you all enjoy it.
Chapter 6
It had been two weeks since Leia had told her aunt about the baby. During that time her aunt did everything to avoid Leia. If Celly saw Leia coming down the hallway, she'd turn around. In her limited Force capabilities, Leia could sense the anger coming off of her aunt. She did her best not to let it get to her. Since she told her aunt about the baby, she decided to let the High Council know. Mon Mothma had been in shock at the announcement, but like General Rieekan accepted it. The Bothan, Borsk Fey'lya, was disgusted and was taking Leia's aunt's side, saying that she was a disgrace and should be removed from the High Council.
Leia was sitting in the cafeteria picking through her food, while most of the morning sickness had stopped, occasionally she would still get sick. Mon Mothma came to her and sat next to her. "Leia, dear, are you alright?"
"I just been getting sick again, so much is on my mind right now," Leia told the older woman.
"Your aunt is being difficult," Mon Mothma said.
"I know, but it's not that. I'm thinking about when we get to Coruscant in three weeks."
"Han?"
"How am I going to tell him? If he doesn't notice by time he sees me." Leia smoothed her hands over her belly. In the last weeks Leia had started wearing tunics that were loose around her belly, making her pregnancy more obvious.
"I'll make certain that you two will have whatever privacy you need. Perhaps, a reservation at a nice quiet restaurant," Mon Mothma smiled at Leia.
"That would be nice."
When Han heard the date that the High Council would be arriving on Coruscant, he immediately put in a request for leave. Admiral Ackbar knew the reason was because Princess Leia was coming. He knew how the man felt about the young princess, and granted him leave.
Han was thrilled when he got the approval, and took every opportunity to boast about it. He later joined Luke in their quarters.
"Hey how's it goin' kid?"
"Hey Han, you seem pretty happy," Luke said. He stretched into the Force to get a hint of what Han was thinking, "It has something to do with my sister doesn't it?"
Han slapped his friend on the shoulder, "Guess who's getting leave as soon as the high council gets here." He pointed his thumb to his chest, "Me, and soon I'll be holding the most beautiful princess in the galaxy in my arms." Han smiled his lopsided grin, "Making love…"
"Hey now, that's my sister that you're talking about." Luke laughed, "Am I going to need to start defending Leia's honor?"
"Oh you think you're so funny," Han said as he grabbed Luke in a headlock and ruffled his hair.
Leia checked her quarters for the last time, making sure that she had all of her belongings. She picked up the lighter of the bags and had Threepio pick up the remainders.
"Mistress Leia, by all means I can carry the other bag," Threepio whined.
"It's alright Threepio, I'm fine." Leia walked out of her quarters and they headed towards the docking bay. Leia spotted Chewbacca waiting on her by the Falcon. Mon Mothma had wanted her to join them in the High Command's ship, but Leia insisted that she would travel with Chewbacca.
Chewbacca helped with Leia's bags as she headed for the cockpit. Soon the Wookiee joined her in the cockpit. Chewbacca took his normal seat.
["Take Han's seat, he won't mind,"] Chewbacca told her, ["You're the only one he trusts in the pilot's chair."]
"This ship seems strange without Han, soon everything will be right," Leia said, "Han and I will be back together and we'll soon be starting our family." Leia smiled as she rubbed her belly.
Along with Rogue Squadron, Han and Luke watched the Holonet as the high command arrived on Coruscant. They watched as the delivered the speeches. Han smiled as Leia said what she had to say. He thought to himself, was it possible that she grew more beautiful these past four and a half months, she just seemed to glow.
Han grinned his half-grin and slapped Wedge and Janson on the back, "Well boys, this has been fun, but I have to get ready for three weeks off with the most gorgeous princess in the galaxy." He gave them a short salute as he headed towards his quarters.
Leia walked around her apartment. It was the same apartment that she lived in during her time as a senator. It had belonged to her adoptive father, Bail Organa. The apartment was a mess, not only from her belongings; after she had been captured the Empire had gone through it, looking for further evidence to get rid of the Organa family. Chewbacca had promised that he'd be back later to help her clean up, after he had done some maintenance on the Falcon.
She walked into her bedroom and noticed a piece of flimsy on the bed that she was sure that wasn't there before five minutes ago. She stretched into the Force and could feel the remnants of her father's Force signature. Leia picked up the flimsy and read it. "Father what is this?"
Leia received no response. "Father!" She sighed as the read the flimsy again. There was an apartment number and an access code on it. The apartment was in the same building that she was currently living in, 500 Republica, but was on a higher floor. She decided to run a query on the apartment, she wondered who owned it. At first Leia ran into a wall, as it asked for an access code to access the information on it. She looked at the access code in her hand, and typed it in. Padmé Naberrie, Leia read was the name on the ownership papers.
Leia searched through her mind, somehow the name seemed familiar. Then she remembered that while she was a senator she had made friends with a Pooja Naberrie, who was the senator from Naboo. Pooja had mentioned a time or two that the reason she wanted to be a senator was because of her aunt, who had died many years ago. Leia wondered if Padmé was that aunt, but why would her father give her a flimsy with information on an apartment that should have gone to a relative.
Leia ran a query on Padmé Naberrie over the Holonet. When the information came up she realized why the name seemed so familiar. In the political circle she was known as Amidala. In fact she was one of the people that Leia had modeled her own political career after. There was never very much information on her, except that she had come from the planet Naboo, served as its queen, then as its senator. Her short but amazing life ended at the age of twenty-seven, when she died of unknown causes, taking the life of her unborn child with her. Most of the things that Leia knew about this mystery woman were from stories from her adoptive father, Bail Organa, who had served in the senate with her
Leia went back to the apartment information, wondering why she was practically given the key to her apartment. She pulled of information on who had access to the apartment. No names caught her as significant; most were women, Leia assumed to be servants or handmaidens. She scrolled through the list of names and stopped abruptly on the one name that stood out: Anakin Skywalker, full accesses no restrictions.
'Could it be possible?' Leia thought, 'could she be my mother?' She felt her father's presence in the room, but he didn't appear to her. Getting annoyed, "Father, she's my mother isn't she?" Leia got no response. "Fine, I get it, you want me to discover this on my own. Luke will be here soon, he deserves to know this too, and he'll help me." Leia then looked at the chronometer on the wall; she had to get to the senate building for a meeting.
Leia could sense them as soon as they were planet side. She knew that they were coming to the senate building, probably for a debriefing on the situation, and then hopefully for a leave. Leia stood behind one of the massive pillars, watching the crowd of people coming. She had tears in her eyes when she saw the tall Corellian man and her brother coming in her direction.
Luke could sense his sister's presence nearby. He grabbed Han by the arm, "Leia's around here somewhere," he told him.
Han looked around, hoping to spot the woman he loved, "Where is she?"
The two lingered back from the rest of the crowd. Luke could sense something about his sister that seemed different. It was like her Force signature had grown stronger. They walked further into the buildings passing the massive pillars, Luke then realized that the presence that was in front of him was now behind him. He turned around to see his sister hiding behind one of the pillars. She smiled at him. He could sense the fear in her. He gently laid his hand on Han's arm and turned him in the direction to where Leia was. Leia's fear seemed to grow.
Leia was one that rarely showed her fear; she knew that Luke could sense it in her. She looked at the man she loved, who was now heading in her direction with a smile twelve parsecs wide. Time seemed to stand still as Han closed the distance between them. As soon as their bodies joined in an embrace his lips were upon hers, their mouths exploring forgotten territory. He tightened his embrace around her, crushing her to his body.
Luke stood back, watching the couple's reunion. He smiled as he turned to go to the meeting that he and Han were supposed to be in. His reunion with his sister could wait, better let Han and Leia have some time. But something stopped him, Leia's greater presence wasn't just her. It was like she had two presences, 'how is that possible', he thought.
Han didn't want to let her go. He gave her one lingering kiss after another, he loosened his grip when the thought he felt something kick him. He gave Leia a puzzled look.
Leia looked up at the man she loved, she was afraid, but she knew she had to tell him. At his puzzled look, she put her hand on the side of his face. She smiled, "Oh Han. Something wonderful has happened." With tears in her eyes she said the two words that would change his world forever, "I'm pregnant."
Han's jaw dropped and he gave her the same look that he gave her on Endor when she told him that Luke was her brother. The shocked look then dissolved into a smile. "You're pregnant?" Leia nodded. Han smiled at her then pulled her into another tight embrace. "Oh, gods, I'm going to be a father?" Leia nodded again. Han smiled, "That is the most amazing news I've ever heard." The couple shared a passionate kiss.
Luke then felt that it was time that he greeted his sister. He went over to his sister and her love, he gave Leia a hug. He felt the happiness radiating off of them, and not because they were happy to be back together. They were happy about something else.
When Luke got close enough to Leia he suddenly realized, the second presence suddenly felt undeveloped, like Leia was…
Leia looked at the expression on her brother's face, knowing that he must have felt the baby. She looked up at Han, who smiled at her. "Luke, it's so good to see you again," she said as she gave Luke a hug.
"Leia…" He suddenly knew what he had felt.
"You can feel it, can't you," Leia asked. Luke nodded. She looked at her brother and smiled, "You okay?"
"I can't believe it, it's so soon. You two aren't even…"
"Luke it's not like we planned it this way, I would have liked to been married first," smiled up at Han, "But it seems the Force had something else planned for us."
Han put his arm around Leia, "This woman just keeps amazing me. I think only one thing can make me happier."
Leia smiled up at Han, "Let me guess, we set a date."
"Oh, that too," Han winked at her. "I was thinking more on the lines of taking a beautiful princess back to her apartment…"
"Han!" Leia playfully slapped his shoulder. Luke laughed at them.
Mon Mothma stood in the hallway speaking to the representative from Naboo, Jar Jar Binks.
"Meesa so happy to be back."
"It is good to have you back; do you have any idea when Pooja Naberrie will be returning?"
"Hersa sister Ryoo just had a baby, sheesa gonna be spending some time helping her out." Jar Jar explained. "Itsa sad that her aunt couldn't see thisa day."
"Yes, Padmé was one of our founders, she was one of the reasons I kept going on all these years."
They turned to see a trio coming down the hall, Mon Mothma smiled when she saw Leia in the middle with Han and Luke around her.
"Whosa dey?"
"Ah that's Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker of Tatooine, and General Han Solo of Corellia." Although she knew the relationship between Luke and Leia, she also knew that they wanted to keep it a secret.
The Gungan's eyes fixed on Luke, "Isa hesa related to Ani Skywalker?"
Mon Mothma didn't know that Jar Jar had known Anakin Skywalker, and wondered how they knew each other. "Yes, Anakin Skywalker was his father."
"Datsa impossible, Little Ani was a Jedi. Jedi weren't allowed to have families," Jar Jar said. He looked at the trio coming towards them, "But hesa does look a lot like Little Ani." He looked towards Leia, "Funny shesa look like Padmé."
Mon Mothma had never realized it before, but she was pretty sure that Jar Jar was talking about Padmé Amidala. Leia did look a lot like Padmé. No it was impossible, Padmé's child had died with her, or had they. She thought back, Padmé had a history with Jedi Skywalker, but had they gone as far as having a secret relationship.
Soon the trio of friends made their way over to Mon Mothma. "Leia I see that you have reunited with your friends."
"Yes, and there is something I need to ask you. I know that we're just getting started, but Han and Luke have a few weeks of leave, I was wondering if I could take some time off with them."
Mon Mothma knew that Leia's aunt wouldn't be too happy with her to allow Leia time with her boyfriend, but it had been over four months since they had seen each other, and she was pregnant with his child. "You know Leia, I think it would be a good idea for you to have some time, you have been working hard these past few months." She then gestured to Jar Jar, "Leia this is Representative Jar Jar Binks of Naboo."
"Representative Binks, it's a pleasure." Leia put out her hand and they shook hands.
"Itsa pleasure your highness, forgive me forsa askin, but has anyone ever told yousa look a lot like Padmé Amidala. She wasa friend o mine years and years ago."
Leia didn't know what to say, no one had ever told her that she looked like anyone. This was too much of a coincidence; first the apartment, now this Gungan saying that she looked like the apartment's owner. She suddenly felt light-headed.
Luke caught his sister before she fell, "Leia are you alright?"
"Yes, I just, I just need to lie down." She straightened herself and looked at the Gungan, "Representitive Binks, it's been a pleasure." She linked her arms with Han and Luke and started to pull them along.
"Sweetheart, what was that all about?" Han was very concerned for her, "Is everything alright with the baby?"
"We need to get to my apartment." Leia led them out to where her speeder was parked, she was about to get into the driver's seat when Han stopped her.
"Leia, let me drive."
"No I'm fine; I just need to get home."
They arrived at Leia's apartment. She still hadn't had time to clean it up since her arrival. "Geez what happed here, Leia?"
"Luke after I was captured over Tatooine, Palpatine went through my apartment." She sighed, "I just haven't had time to do anything with it." She sat down on the couch.
Han looked at her, "Well since I have time off, I don't want you to lift a finger, I'll get it cleaned up for you." Han sat next to Leia and put his arm around her, "Now you going to tell us why you almost passed out back there?" He rested his hand on her stomach.
Leia smiled at him, she knew that he was happy about the baby. "When the Gungan told me who I looked like it was a shock to me. No one has ever told me I looked like anyone."
"Well being adopted, it must be hard not to look like anyone."
"Growing up I never looked like any other Alderaanian, I knew that my parents must have been from another planet, but my father would never tell me where. He did tell me one time that my mother was a good friend of his, but never gave me any clues as to who she was or where she was from," Leia explained. Leia then dug into her pocket and handed Han the flimsy.
"What's this?" Han unfolded the flimsy.
"He mentioned that I looked like the owner of that apartment," Leia said pointing at the address. Leia then got up and grabbed the datapad that had the apartment's information on it. "I didn't understand how this got to me, but I do believe that our father has something to do with it, Luke."
Luke looked at the information on the data pad. "How Leia? I don't see anything tying this to father."
"Look at the list of people who have access to the apartment."
Luke looked at the name and then stopped when he saw their father's name. "He had no restrictions on access."
Han looked over Luke's shoulder, "So have you been to this apartment yet, sweetheart?"
"No, I'm afraid of what I'll find there," Leia sat back down, "All these years, with so many unanswered questions, things my father could never tell me…"
Han put his arms around her shoulders, "Hey, I'm sure he did it all for your protection."
"But he lied to me, I looked up to her, I modeled my career after hers. Never once could he tell me that she was my mother, he would tell me stories all about her, but couldn't tell me that she was my mother?" Leia could feel the tears coming; know that it was the hormones that were making her lose control.
"Leia…Bail Organa had to protect your identity from Vader and the Emperor," Luke said. "If Vader had known that you were his daughter he would have been after you like he was me. What would have happened to you if he had known on the Death Star?"
"It's still not fair Luke." Leia let the tears fall and Han wrapped her tightly in his arms. He kissed her temple.
"Hey I've got an idea," Han said, "Let's get cleaned up, go get something to eat, and then check out this apartment."
"Han I don't know if I want to…" Leia said.
"Well, I'm sure you probably want to eat," Han placed a hand on her belly, "I heard that pregnant women eat a lot. You don't have any strange cravings I should know about?"
Leia smiled, "Well I've been having an odd craving for Corellian food, and I have no idea why." Her smile grew bigger, "You know how much I hate all things Corellian."
Later that night Leia and Han lay on the couch watching a movie on the Holonet. Her feet were propped up in his lap and he gently rubbed them. He looked down at his princess and she smiled up at him. He then got a devilish look on his face as he shifted his position to be above her. He lowered himself so that he could kiss her neck and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you," he mumbled into her ear.
"I missed you too," she smiled at him and put her hands on the sides of his face and brought his mouth to hers. He then moved his hands under her tunic, pausing at her belly. They smiled at each other as their lips met again. By now Leia could feel his growing desire to be with her between her legs. She spread them further apart to give him better access. "Han," she breathed heavily, "I want you."
Han positioned her so that he could pull her tunic over her head; he then lowered his mouth to her breasts. "Be patient, princess. It's been four and a half months." He took her breast into his mouth, "This can't be rushed, sweetheart."
"I don't care, I want you, Han, I need you." She brought his head back up to hers, and wrapped her arms around him, then kissed him passionately. "It's been four and a half months of torture not having you."
"I know, it's been the same for me," he said between kisses.
Suddenly the lights in the living room came on full power, Han and Leia separated as Leia searched for her tunic.
"Oh, gods, your highness!" Winter stood in the middle of Leia's living area with her mouth hanging wide open, she then composed herself, "I had no idea you had company."
By then Leia had put her tunic back on, her cheeks were red. "Winter, I wasn't expecting you until much later." She then smiled at her embarrassed boyfriend, "Uh, Winter, if you haven't figured it out by now is Han Solo; Han, honey, this is Winter."
"General Solo, it's a pleasure," Winter said, trying to contain her laughter as he tried to cover his lap with a pillow to hide his obvious erection.
"Uh yeah, a pleasure, Winter is it?"
"Yes General Solo," she said. "Leia may I have a word with you?"
"Sure Winter." She got up and smoothed her tunic. She looked back at Han, who was still glowing red.
Leia joined Winter in the kitchen.
"So that's Han," Winter said as she entered the room.
"Yes, that's Han."
"You know, I'm glad I got here before Celly. If her opinion of Han wasn't low enough, then if she had walked in on what I just walked in on…"
"You know there is a door buzzer, or you know you could have tried knocking on the door," Leia said as the buzzer went off.
They heard an "I'll get it" come from the living area.
"Winter, I have a bad feeling about this."
Han went to the door to let whoever was at the door. He mumbled that it wasn't fair all the way. The first day he was back with Leia, he was supposed to be holding her, making love to her, not entertaining guests. Didn't anyone think that Leia deserved privacy? All that he wanted to do was take Leia to the bed. He opened the door and he found an older woman in Alderaanian garb on the other side of the door.
"Hello," Han said
"Hello, is Leia here?" The woman looked at Han, "You must be Solo, I heard that you were on leave. So what will it take for you to walk out of Leia's life right now?"
"Excuse me? Walk out on Leia? Never."
"You know as well as she does that you are not good enough for her," the woman said. "Of course I'll allow your father's rights to see the child, but I know men like you, you probably would rather not have anything to tie you down to one planet."
Leia stood with her mouth hanging open; she couldn't not believe her aunt, "Aunt Celly!" Leia breathed heavily, "How dare you!"
Han moved over to Leia and put his arms around her. "There isn't anything that you can do that will make me leave Leia, or my child."
"Leia…"
Leia held up her hand, "Look Aunt Celly, I love you, you're my family, but this man is my family too. He's my child's father and the man that I love. We're getting married whether you like it or not. If you don't like it then," Leia was having a hard time going on, Han wrapped his arm around her, she looked up at him, "then there is no place for you in my life, and if the Alderaanian people can't accept Han, then I can't continue to…"She turned and buried her head into Han's shoulder.
"Leia I can't allow you to give up your title," Celly said.
"Then give Han a chance."
Celly looked at Han, then to Leia. She shook her head and walked out the door. Han helped Leia to the couch, he and Winter wrapped their arms around Leia. Han pulled her head to him and he kissed the top. "It'll be alright sweetheart, it'll be alright."
Leia didn't remember going to bed, she looked over to the other side of the bed and noticed that it was empty and not slept in; which meant that Han didn't stay at her apartment. Leia slid out of bed and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She heard someone come down the hall.
"You alright, your highness?"
"Yes Winter, where's Han?"
"After you fell asleep," Winter told her, "he said that he wanted to go check on his ship and say hi to Chewbacca. He said that he'd be back later."
"But it's late now," Leia said looking at the chronometer revealed that it was only 1700 hours. "Well it seems late."
"You've only been asleep for about two hours," Winter said, "Do you wish me to order you and Han something for dinner, or would you like me to make reservations?"
"I think I'd rather eat here."
"Corellian again?"
"That stuff is giving me such heartburn, but I can't get enough." Leia laughed, "This kid must be more Corellian, than whatever I am."
Winter laughed, "I'm sure we'll figure that out."
Their dinner had just been delivered when Han arrived home, along with Chewbacca and Luke.
"I'm glad I ordered extra," Winter said. "It's good to see you again Chewbacca," she put her hand out, "and you must be Luke Skywalker, it's a pleasure to meet you, Master Jedi."
"It's a pleasure, Winter," Luke said.
They gathered around the table and Han made Leia a plate, he took his place next to her.
"So, Leia, I was thinking that we set a date," Han said. "I know you probably still want the big wedding and all, but let's face it; with our schedules I doubt we'll ever have time to plan it that way."
"You're right Han, if we tried to plan something big who knows if we'd be able to pull it off." Leia placed her hand on her belly, "I would like to be married before our baby arrives."
Han placed his hand on top of hers and smiled, "How about before I have to go back?"
"Leia I think that would be a good idea," Luke said.
Leia seemed to think about this, "So we'll be married in less than three weeks?"
Han took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth, "I want to be married to you, Leia."
Leia smiled, she could feel the love radiating off of him, "I want to be married to you too, but there is something I want to do first."
"What's that?"
"If this Padmé person that owned that apartment is really my mother," she looked at Luke, "our mother; then we have relatives out there that don't know that we exist."
Luke got what Leia was thinking, "You want to go to Naboo and find out more about her."
"I just have to know. I served on the senate with Pooja Naberrie, she could possibly be our cousin," Leia said. "It's just something I need to do."
"Alright, sweetheart," Han said, "When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as possible; do you think you can have the Falcon ready in the morning?"
"I can have her ready tonight."
Leia looked out of the cockpit's canopy at the blue and green planet before them. So this was Naboo. She couldn't help but be reminded of her home planet. Han looked back at her and knew what she was thinking of.
"Reminds you of Alderaan, doesn't it?"
"Yes, so much," Leia said. "When were you on Alderaan?" Leia had never known that Han had visited her planet.
"Oh I'd say about five or six years before I had picked up some wet behind the ears farmboy and old Jedi." Han leaned back into his seat, "As I recall, I got chased off when it was revealed that I was a smuggler, even though I wasn't smuggling at the time."
Leia chuckled to herself, "Yeah, father wasn't too fond of smugglers." Leia suddenly became interested in something on her skirt. "He probably would have reacted a lot like Aunt Celly, when he found out about us."
"He wouldn't have liked me would he?"
"Probably not, but he was different than my aunt; he would have trusted my judgment and he wouldn't have stood in our way if we wanted to be together. He once told me that all he wanted for me was to be happy."
Han squeezed her knee, "You are happy, right?"
She smiled at him, "Yes, you make me happy. When we get married, and have our baby I'll be even happier."
He smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her, when Luke and Chewbacca joined them in the cockpit.
["Can't there be one place in this galaxy where you two aren't playing kissy face?"] Chewbacca roared.
"Hey, you forget who you're talking to buddy, this is my ship," Han pointed his thumb at himself, "and this is my girl," he then pointed his thumb at Leia, "and I'll make out with her where I want to."
"Han it's alright," Leia said, "We're sorry for offending you Chewie."
"No it's not alright sweetheart, every time I try to get romantic with you, we get interrupted."
"I'm sorry you haven't gotten laid since…"
"Okay, I can't handle this talk; you're my sister and you're my best friend. I cannot take the talk about you two having sex," Luke said as he threw up his hands.
Han put his hand on her belly, "Well how else do you think you're getting little Jedi nieces and nephews?"
Luke got up and stuck his fingers in his ears and started saying "La la la not listening," as he left the cockpit. Chewbacca rolled his eyes and stalked out of the cockpit after the young Jedi."
"Han you're terrible," Leia said.
"But we're alone again." He leaned in to kiss her.
Leia dodged him and pointed at the controls, "I think we're being hailed by traffic control."
They landed without incidence. They docked at the spaceport in Theed.
"Well, sweetheart, where do we start?"
"I guess the first thing that we do is contact Pooja," Leia said. "She's a public official, she shouldn't be too hard to contact."
As they walked through the streets, Leia took in the beauty of the city. Although she had never been to this planet, it seemed so familiar. Perhaps this was where her mother came from. She looked at her brother who seemed to be having the same thoughts. Then they noticed the stares from the people, and it wasn't that they were strangers, Leia could sense that the people recognized them.
But of course they'd be recognized, they had just defeated the Empire. She knew that they'd be famous. They reached the city's information center and plugged R2 in the terminal. The little droid started twittering.
"R2 what do you mean you don't need to ask where the Naberrie's live?" Threepio asked, "Been here before? Oh you outdated trash bin, we've never been here before." Threepio said as he kicked R2.
Leia squatted down to R2's height, "R2 is there something you want to tell us?" The little droid twittered and started down a street.
"I guess he wants us to follow him," Han said.
Threepio stood and crossed his arms, "I can't believe you just want to go off on some adventure, and get our masters in who knows what kind of trouble."
"I think we should follow R2," Leia said.
"You going to be alright walking? We can rent a speeder," Han said with a concerned look on his face.
"Stop being so over-protective, Han. Let's go." Leia started to follow R2.
"Well personally I'm going to stay here, in case R2 gets you lost, you can always use the commlink for the right directions," Threepio stated.
"Nope, goldenrod, you're coming with us. Last time you wandered around without us you got yourself blown to pieces," Han said.
A woman in her early seventies answered the door that R2 directed them too. She gave the group of people a curious look, and Leia realized she had no clue what these people's names were. Han looked at the woman and realized that this woman could be what Leia would look like in about fifty years.
"May I help you?"
Leia decided she'd speak for the group, "Yes, name is Leia Organa, and this is my brother, Luke Skywalker, and my boy-"
"Skywalker? Dear boy you're not any relation to Anakin Skywalker are you?" She thought back to that day nearly thirty years prior when her daughter brought home a young man who looked similar to this boy standing before her.
"Yes ma'am, he was my father," Luke answered for her.
"I knew this day would come," she smiled at the trio, "my mother wasn't crazy after all."
Han, Leia, and Luke exchanged looks. They then heard another woman's voice call from another room "Mother, who is at the door."
"Anakin Skywalker's children, you remember the boy that Padmé brought home," the woman said.
"I wasn't aware that Jedi were allowed to have children," the other woman said as she came into view. She looked at Luke and saw the resemblance, then she looked at Leia, the young woman had her sister's eyes, which were the same as her mother's eyes.
"Sola dear, this is Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and I didn't catch the older man's name."
"Han," Han said.
"Ah, Han," she noted the similar rings that Leia and he wore and noted her swollen stomach and assumed the young woman was married to the older man, "Han Organa?"
"Actually it's Han Solo," Leia said, "Han and I have yet to be married."
Sola smiled at them, "This is my mother, Jobal Naberrie and I'm Sola. I'm assuming that you've come to ask questions about your father, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we only met him once, there's not much information we could give you."
"Actually," Leia said, "We've come to find out about our mother." Leia looked at the two older women, "We have every reason to believe that Padmé Naberrie was our mother."
"That's impossible, my sister's child died with her," Sola said. "You just can't come here making false claims like that."
"I wouldn't have come here if I didn't believe it to be true," Leia said.
"Just leave, Padmé's child is dead," Sola said.
"Now, Sola, let's not jump to conclusions, let's invite the children in," Jobal said.
"Mother, you can't honestly believe…"
"Dear, I'm an old woman; I never had answers about my daughter's death. I know she appeared to be pregnant when she died, but my mother believed that to be a lie."
"Grandmother died, searching for the truth."
"Take a look at the girl, she's my Padmé's little girl, I know it," Jobal told her daughter.
"So how is it that you came to believe that my daughter is your mother?" Jobal remembered back to when her mother had investigated Padmé's death, and wound up dead herself. It was a difficult time for her, losing her youngest daughter and mother so close to each other.
Leia told them about the flimsy that had her daughter's apartment number on it, and how their father's name was on the list of people with unrestricted access and then about the Gungan who thought that she looked a lot like Padmé.
"I know it's not really a lot to go by," Leia explained, "but something just tells me it's the truth. I can't explain it."
"It's the Force, Leia," Luke said. "Both Leia and I are very strong in the Force because of our father."
"He was the first boy that Padmé ever brought home, she claimed there was nothing between them, that they were just friends," Sola told them. "I saw the way they looked at each other when they thought nobody was looking."
They were interrupted when the door buzzer sounded. Sola went to answer the door.
"Mrs. Naberrie, if you feel that Luke and I should take a DNA test to find out for sure…" Leia started.
"There is no need for that, Leia dear, you're my grandchildren, I know it," Jobal smiled at her, "And you must call me 'grandma'". She looked at Leia's belly then at Han, "And I trust that you, young man will be marrying my granddaughter soon."
"Oh yes, ma'am, in fact we have plans to wed in a few weeks before I have to rejoin the fleet," Han told her.
They were soon rejoined by Sola who came in carrying a baby boy, and followed by two women and a young man. "Wonderful, you can meet the rest of the family," Jobal said.
Leia, Luke, and Han stood as the other people entered the room. Leia immediately recognized Pooja.
"Princess Leia, what are you doing here? Did Mon Mothma not receive my message that I'd be delayed a few weeks?" Pooja asked.
"Yes, Pooja Mon Mothma got your message, actually I'm here for another reason," Leia told her.
"We must all sit down, we have a lot to discuss," Jobal told them. She then gestured to Leia and Luke, "Pooja, Ryoo, I'd like to introduce you to your cousins."
"What?" Pooja and Ryoo said at the same time.
"They are the children of your late aunt Padmé."
It was late in the evening and Leia stood on the balcony overlooking Theed. Sola came around the corner and got a glimpse of Leia, she had the same worried look on her face that Padmé used to get. She still couldn't believe that her sister's children were alive. Leia turned around when she felt someone watching her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Sola said.
"It's alright; I was just taking some time to myself. Thinking," Leia said.
"Is anything wrong?"
"It's just," she put her hand on her belly smiling as her baby moved.
"Are you nervous about the baby?"
"A little bit, Han's been so wonderful since I told him, but I've just never had anyone to really talk about it to. My friend Winter is a good listener but…"
"You've never had anyone with experience with babies to talk with before." Sola could understand her niece's fear. "Come let's sit."
"I was an only child, my adoptive parents adopted me because they couldn't have children of their own, and the only cousin I had was seven years older than me. I've never even been around a baby before."
Sola smiled, "I'm sure Ryoo and Jax would be happy to allow you and Han to take care of Jix for an afternoon." She looked at Leia; she really did look a lot like Padmé, "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not believing that you and Luke were Padmé's children; it's so unfair, that we lost all these years. Why is it that you were sent to Alderaan, while Luke was sent to relatives on Tatooine. Why weren't you sent to us?"
"I wish I knew, I wouldn't trade the life that I had, my parents were wonderful. Aunts a little overbearing, but there was a part of me that always seemed missing," Leia said. "I modeled my career after Padmé, followed her example, Bail Organa allowed it; he would even tell me stories about her. But he never told me, that she was my mother.
"Don't be angry with him, I'm sure he had good reason," Sola said.
"Luke said it was to protect me. I guess he's right, the last place that Vader would have looked for his child would have been right under his nose in the core." Leia rested her hand on her belly, "I still can't help but think of all that I lost not knowing my biological family."
"Ah there you are." Leia and Sola looked up to see Han standing in the doorway, "I've been lookin' all over for you sweetheart." He sat down next to Leia and kissed her temple.
Sola smiled at them, "I'll leave you two alone, I doubt you two get much time to yourselves. Leia, I'll talk to Ryoo in the morning. Goodnight."
"She's going to talk to Ryoo about letting us watch Jix for an afternoon."
"Why, I don't want to watch some kid when I could be spending time alone with you."
"Han, you nerf, neither of us has ever been around a baby."
"So?"
"So, we're having one of our own in a little over four months, don't you think we should get a taste of what it might be like?" Leia glared at him, "At least I would, and I've never even held a baby before."
Han gave her a small lopsided grin, "Alright sweetheart, if it's that important to you."
"Thank you, Han. I knew there was a reason I loved you." She leaned in and kissed him. Han deepened it.
"You know, Leia, I'm sure we'll be left alone rest of the night," he said kissing her earlobe, "why don't you and me go to our room and get reacquainted."