Chapter 2

The sun of Coruscant was already high in the bustling city sky when Han's eyes opened. He pulled the sheets off his head and peered over the top of them hesitantly.

Yes, it was the room Padmé, (My Mom, he thought with a huge grin,) had settled him into last night. It all hadn't been a dream.

Han yawned and stretched, gazing out of the window at the passing traffic. A cheerful beep from his left almost made him jump.

But it was just R2-D2, who's little silver dome swivelled from side to side, as it often did when he was being friendly.

"Good-morning to you too, short-stack," Han said, half-way through another yawn.

Artoo bleated a raspberry sound at the boy and trundled out of the room, the door sliding across as he exited. Han folded his arms over his chest and wondered what would happen next.

As if on cue, the door slid across again. This time it was a young woman that looked suspiciously like Padmé, only with slightly more tanned skin. Dressed in a velvet purple gown with pleats, she was holding a tray bearing food and smiling kindly at the boy.

"Good morning, young Han," She greeted, walking with practiced grace over to the bedside table, where she placed down the laden breakfast tray, "I hope you slept well after last night's escapades?"

Han looked at the young woman inquisitively, as the tanned young woman sat on the end of his bed, "Yeah, I did. Where is my Mo...Senator Amidala?" he corrected warily.

The woman folded her hands on her lap, "Your Mother has already departed to attend the Senate. She explained everything before she left. Padmé would have woken you up, only you were sleeping so peacefully, and she had been awake since Jedi Skywalker departed earlier this morning." She held out one of her hands.

"We can be introduced? My name is Elle, I'm one of your Mother's handmaidens."

Han tentatively shook the perfectly manicured hand, "I'm Han Solo. But I guess you know that all ready," he took the tray down from the bedside table. "So, you're like a double for my Mom?" He asked, taking a spoonful of the cereal.

Elle nodded, her dark hair was pulled up into a simple bun that shifted slightly as she inclined her head, "Something like that. We also attend your mother, helping with her hair, make-up, and clothing. And generally keeping her safe.

"Should the times be dangerous, yes, we do step in as decoys."

Solo took a bite out of the flatbread beside the cereal bowl, it was spread with some sort of tart, sweet jam and Han decided that he liked it. "So there's more than one of you?" He asked with his mouth full.

There seems to be a lot of people living here. But then again–as Padmé had told Han when she settled him into bed last night– Mom was once a queen of Naboo.

The dark eyes of the woman were gently amused at the purple jam spread across Han's face, and she reached over to wipe it off with a cloth, "There are currently two of us. Motee is with your Mother..." Elle smiled again.

"It's a little strange, I was expecting to be explaining such things to a baby."

Han's eyes widened, "Hey! At least I don't need a diaper change every few hours," he jokingly defended himself. The young woman giggled at the lob-sided grin as she got to her slippered feet.

"Padmé warned me you were a charmer," Elle walked over to a wardrobe and pulled out Han's old clothing, which had been mended and cleaned.

"After you've cleaned up, you can dress in these for now. Today, we will meet up with your mother in the plaza outside the senate. We'll then go shopping for new clothes and anything else you need."

Han finished off the last of his toast and reached for the decanter of blue milk, "Mom told me that Anakin lives in the Jedi Temple. Do you suppose we could go see him as well?" He asked hopefully.

Elle cocked her head to the side. "Don't you know anything about the Jedi, Han?"

The boy shook his head, the milk decanter half way to his mouth.

Elle then patiently explained everything she knew about the Jedi Order, and that lead into letting Han know that there was a war going on, the Clone Wars to be specific. And that his foster father was a General in the Republic Army.

Han took all the information rather well, and soon after he curiously he demanded, "Does that mean that I'm caught up in all this now?"

The Handmaiden nodded, "I'm afraid so," she said, mildly puzzled at why the boy's face suddenly ploughed into a wide grin.

"Hyperspeed!" Han crowed, almost upsetting the tray and Elle in one, as he punched the air.

"That is socool. I mean, not the whole thing about Mom and Anakin not being together, and the whole war and all. But it's like being in the middle of a holo-drama! Senators and Knights...wow!"

Han placed the tray in Elle's hands and jumped out of bed, scrambling to gather up his clothes. The woman wordlessly watched the small boy —clad in one of Anakin's way over-sized tunics— make a bee-line for the en-suite 'fresher door.

"I'm going to the 'fresher. Breakfast was great, thanks!"

The tussled brown-haired flash darted out the door and Elle sighed.

"My word," she murmured, heading for the exit with the tray in her hands. "That boy is going to be a handful."

-:-:-:-

Padmé watched the other senators leave Bail Organa's meeting room with lowered eyes. One hand she propped up her head upon, and the other she unknowingly rested on her stomach.

Senator Bail Organa looked over at the Naboo Senator with a gentile smile, as Mon Mothma was the last of the Republic Senators to leave. Bail's tall, broad form strode briskly over to Padmé's side, and he sat on the sofa across from her chair.

Padmé looked up at Bail's goateed face with a plain expression.

"You've seemed distracted Senator," Bail's pleasant voice phased it perfectly as a comment, rather than a question.

Padmé returned the smile smoothly, the politician in her returning swiftly. "I have been, a little," she reached up to adjust the left of her twisted braids. "How is Breha?" Padmé changed the subject smoothly to Prince Organa's wife, the Queen of Alderaan.

Bail's dark eyes twinkled a little and he looked down at his hands. "Recovering," he sighed deeply. "The doctors say that it would be impossible for her to ever carry a child to midterm again," Bail disclosed.

Padmé winced in sympathy, and the young woman reached over to touch Bail's tanned hands.

"I'm so sorry," Padmé whispered, she gave Bail's hands a comforting squeeze. "I know it can be difficult. But this war has left behind a lot of children, perhaps the Force has decreed to let you and Breha be parents to an orphan child, who needs you as much as you have love for them," Padmé mentioned.

"I myself have fostered a young boy, just yesterday."

Bail looked up at her with a curious smile, "I didn't know that! Is that why you've been so distracted? What's the boy's name?" He inquired kindly, resting his hands on his knees.

Senator Amidala's smile widened, "Han. He's nine, almost ten. A scamp like I haven't seen since Anakin was a boy…I think he's twice as naughty, though. He and Anakin clashed a little when they met yesterday, but they get along well enough now.

"Elle is bringing Han to the Plaza Café, would you like to meet him?"

The Alderaan Senator nodded, "I would love to," he offered her a hand and Padmé took it gratefully. Getting to her feet alone was getting to be a problem, but she couldn't show that, even though she knew of all the politicians Bail would be the most supportive.

Organa strolled along the carpeted hallway with Padmé, as they exited his quarters.

"So you say that Jedi Skywalker has already met the boy?"

Padmé inclined her head, "Yes. He came by last evening to visit, and tell me all about what has been happening on the front," she shook her head.

"I don't know, I've known Anakin since he was as old as Han, but this war has changed him, inside as well as out." Padmé looked down at the sparkling beads on her sleeves, as they entered the turbolift.

Organa folded his arms and looked down at Padmé seriously as the turbolift doors shut.

"War does different things to different people. I remember seeing you, when you were first elected Queen of Naboo. Rash and too childish they said, and even on the holo-vision I could see in those eyes of yours that they might be right. Then I remember the first time I met you when you came to Alderaan," Bail's tone of voice changed as he recalled.

"Your planet had just gone through the Trade Federation dispute. My sisters and I came to court to greet the Naboo entourage, and you looked so small in those voluminous robes. Then you spoke and I realised that the only small about you was your stature, your eyes were completely different from when I'd first seen them."

Padmé looked away as they walked out of the turbolift into the bustling Senatorial Building Plaza, "You are right. Anakin's eyes have changed," she sighed, dropping her voice to a whisper before continuing.

"Han mentioned Senator Ilibis. Is there any way you can contact him and ask him about Han Solo? He might know more then what the fostering agents do about what happened to Han's parents." Padmé lied through her teeth.

Bail hid from his features the mild surprise he felt, "I expect so. Has the boy mentioned Garm's name?"

Senator Amidala nodded, "Yes, apparently he met him once a few years ago," she looked out at the small café. Motee had left Bail's a few minutes before her mistress, to make sure Elle and Han had arrived safely.

Padmé felt relief, looking over at where the grey hooded handmaidens were seated, because –seated beside them– Han was quite happily slurping some sort of sweet drink through a curled straw. He noticed them and waved enthusiastically, as Padmé and Senator Organa brushed past the tables to reach them.

"Hi!" Han greeted happily.

Padmé bent down to kiss the top of her foster son's head and smiled down at him. "Good afternoon Han," she motioned to Bail. "Han, I'd like you to meet my very good friend Senator Bail Organa. He's the Prince of Alderaan," Padmé introduced the small boy to the towering, Alderaani born nobleman.

Solo glanced up at Bail cautiously, taking the offered hand seriously and shaking it firmly.

Organa smiled at the expression on the small face, squatting down so he was at Han's eye-level, "It's nice to meet you, Han," he greeted kindly, the boy gave him a wide grin in response.

"You too. Do you really rule allof Alderaan? I've never met a prince before, you're reallytall. Are all princes as tall as you?" Han asked overtly, to Padmé and her handmaidens surprise and Bail's great mirth.

The Senator nearly fell over as he laughed, "Well, not really. My family used to rule Alderaan many years ago. My wife's family however is the ruling house, I'm her consort," Bail answered honestly.

Han raised his dark eyebrows, "Okay," he responded in confusion, going back to his drink and ignoring the adults as they chuckled at him.

Padmé rested a hand on Han's shoulder. "Well, we must be getting along, I'd like to get some shopping done before the evening rush," Amidala ruffled her foster son's hair. "And someoneneeds a haircut," she pointed out as Han grinned up at her.

Bail was very taken by the idyllic scene, and felt Padmé knew what she was talking about earlier, about adopting children who had suffered because of the Clone War, "I'll take my leave then. Think about what we spoke of today," he took her hand and pressed it gently, before walking back towards the Senate building.

Padmé lowered her eyes, "A good man," she said mostly to herself.

Han watched after him, "He was real nice. Why does he look so sad?" He asked Padmé, who looked down at her foster son quietly.

"His wife is unable to have children, and it makes them very sad," the Senator said simply, offering Han her hand. "Come on sweetie, we have some clothes shopping ahead of us. Then how would you like to visit some entertainment stores? Toys and holovids?" Padmé bribed, after seeing the not too sure look on Han's face about clothes shopping.

The boy nodded vigorously in agreement, almost bouncing off his chair in excitement if the handmaidens hadn't both caught his arms at the last minute. Padmé held over her hand to stifle a laugh, then abruptly rested a hand on her stomach, as the baby suddenly kicked in response to something.

Anakin?

As if on cue, Padmé's dark skinned head of security came rushing over, "My Lady," Captain Typho said, bowing his head curtly. "I thought you might like to know that Jedi Skywalker has just been admitted to the Jedi Council."

The brown haired woman stared in surprise, "Really? Anakin's been made a Master?" Padmé was genuinely caught between confused happiness, and surprised dismay, over the news.

Han got up off his chair and walked to his foster-mother's side, taking her hand in his.

Typho looked at Padmé and sighed, "No, my Lady, that is the curious thing. They let him sit on the council at Chancellor Palpatine's request, but they wouldn't elevate Jedi Skywalker to the rank of Master."

"Oh no," Padmé winced. This would not bode well with her very proud and very determined young husband.

-:-:-:-

The trip back in the speeder through the sunset lit airways of Coruscant, came to a halt at the dock of Padmé's apartments. Han, (happily clutching a few gaming data-pads and other spaceship toys,) was prattling to Captain Typho from the front seat with Motee, while Elle and Padmé sat in the back.

Typho had instantly taken a liking to the little boy from the moment they met. Regardless of his imposing physical appearance, the man adored children and young Solo's curious interest in everything –especially piloting– had Typho amused.

Padmé waited as Typho got out first, and then rushed back to help her out of the speeder. Motee and Elle carrying the shopping were not far behind them, while Han leapt out of the speeder as only a child hyped up on sugar and fun could. He dropped some of his things and bent down to pick them up.

Typho and the handmaidens knelt down to help him, but Han shook his head, "It's all right. I dropped them, I'll pick 'em up," he argued, clutching items to his newly bought long sleeved, cream coloured tunic, as he reached out with the other hand. The adults were slightly taken back by the determined boy.

Senator Amidala chuckled. "Thank you Captain," she dismissed her head of security. Typho sighed as he got to his feet.

"Rest well my lady," the captain departed back into the speeder, Padmé then turned to Elle and Motee.

"Make sure Han's clothing is hung neatly and at a level he can reach, take everything else into the kitchens" she ordered calmly. The handmaidens bowed and entered the apartment.

Han wondered over to Padmé and stood beside her, looking out at the colourful sky before turning to look at his adopted mother, her pretty face awash with the orange coloured light.

"The sunsets sure are nice from way up here," Han commented, not noticing a shadowy figure approach from behind.

Padmé jumped when she felt a large pair of arms wrap around her waist and hold her close.

"The view is definitely very beautiful," the deep, cheerful voice of Anakin shook the both of them out of their revere.

The Jedi Knight's petite wife turned around and smacked the fair-haired man's arm. "Anakin, you startled me," Padmé accused with a happy smile. Anakin kissed her forehead then gazed down at Han with a smirk.

"Heya short-stuff," Anakin ruffled the boy's newly cut hair, "make your Mom buy out a lot of toy stores?"

Han nodded, "Yeah, wait till you see all the great stuff I got," he lifted up the bundle of items in his arms with his lopsided grin. Anakin looked down patiently as Han rummaged through the pile, "Err, yeah here it is." The boy handed him a gaming pad that could plug into the holo-vision, it was a space-fighter game.

"Mom said you're a great fighter pilot, I thought we could play this together!"

Anakin was genuinely touched, and nodded compliantly to the eager young boy, "Sure, it sounds like a lot of fun. Why don't you get Artoo to help you set it up so we can play a bit before dinner?" He suggested, putting an arm around Padmé's shoulders.

Little Solo gathered up his things, "Yep. I'll let you know when it's ready," he went rushing into the apartment at super speed, precariously juggling his new treasures carefully.

The young couple chuckled after him as Anakin lead Padmé over to one of the benches, resting a hand on her neatly folded hands.

"Han's a conversation piece, that's for sure," Anakin commented, rubbing her hands gently. "How are you feeling?" He invoked, brushing back a curl from Padmé's brown eyes.

Padmé smiled up at Anakin, resting her hands on her stomach, "He keeps kicking."

Anakin raised his eyebrows, "He? You always sound so sure of that," he added suspiciously, his wife laughed at the indignant expression on his tanned, handsome face.

"I haven't had any tests, Ani, just call it motherly intuition. Oh there he goes again, feel," Padmé took his hand and placed it on her stomach as the baby kicked. Skywalker beamed with happiness as he gazed up at her, but then his eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Wow, with a kick that strong it has to be a girl," Anakin teased, joining in with his wife's sweet pearls of laughter. He rubbed Padmé stomach, feeling the primitive Force signature of life growing within with love.

Padmé broke the peaceful moment with a gentle tone in her voice, "I heard about your appointment to the Jedi Council, Anakin. I'm so proud of you," she squeezed his hand.

Anakin narrowed his eyes somewhat. "I suppose you also heard that they refused to make me a Master," his jovial voice dropped down to an unhappy melancholy.

Padmé placed her hand against her husband's clean-shaven face. "Yes, but patience Ani. I know that in time they will recognise your abilities," she soothed.

Anakin lowered his eyes and gazed down at their child growing within Padmé, "They still treat me like a Padawan learner, they fear me and my power, Padmé. Thatis the biggest problem." He looked out of the window at the skyline, his blue eyes hard steel.

"I think this war is destroying both the Jedi and the Republic."

Senator Amidala lowered her own eyes. Should I?

"Anakin, have you ever considered we may be on the wrong side?"

-:-:-:-

Han brushed off his hands as he plugged in the last of the sensors. Artoo twittered and beeped. "Yeah, yeah Artoo, you did a great job, c'mon, let's go tell Anakin." He suggested, getting to his feet from his kneeling position, and heading for the lounge, where he had left his foster parents peacefully watching the sunset.

That obviously wasn't the case now, because Han could hear them arguing from this distance. He walked over to the entry doorway, and hid behind the wall beside it, where he couldn't be seen.

Artoo warbled, and Han placed a finger over his lips to shush the droid.

"...please ask him to stop the fighting and let diplomacy resume!" Padmé's strong voice begged.

It was followed by Anakin's loud rebuke, "Don't ask me to do that, Padmé. Make a motion in the Senate where that kind of a request belongs!"

His tone of voice made Han shiver, luckily Padmé's softer voice intervened.

"What is it?"

Han peered over the door-frame to look at his foster parents, and watched Anakin sigh as he paced.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Anakin turned away from her. Han watched Padmé put her arms around the Jedi's waist and rest her head against his back.

"Don't do this, don't shut me out," she begged, Anakin turned around reluctantly and Amidala rubbed her hands along the soft, textured fabric of his Jedi robe. "Hold me," Padmé pleaded.

"Like you did back at the Lake Retreat on Naboo so long ago. When there was no war, or politics, only our love."

Padmé rested her cheek against Anakin's chest, and Skywalker held her close, his mysterious blue eyes staring straight ahead as Padmé closed her own eyes.

Han felt a slight tugging on his pant leg, Artoo had out his grappling claw and was the one doing the tugging.

The droid tooted in the binary language which Han could understand a little.

"Yeah, Artoo, maybe you better tell Anakin I'm ready in a few minutes. I'll go wait," he smiled at little at the blue domed droid. "They really love each other, huh?"

Artoo beeped and warbled in response, as the boy walked back into the holovid room with a happy smile on his face, wondering if things would always be this great could wait for later.

For now, Han had a lot to look forward to.

-:-:-:-

Dinner was an argument from the moment Han's plate was placed in front of him. Screwing up his nose at everything Threepio offered him, except for the Nerf spiced stew and buttered tubers.

Padmé ventured that perhaps Han should try some of the crisp salad and other vegetables, so Han grudgingly took some of the salad, but ate only a little of it to appease his foster mother, a grimace on his face.

Anakin seemed distracted and picked at the food with none of his usual gusto, Padmé looked at him with concern in her brown eyed gaze.

"Ani? Is there anything wrong?"

The fair-haired man looked up from where he was swirling his vegetables and tubers together. "Hmm? No, the food's great," Anakin took a large fork full of the mashed up food he'd created and chewed it vigorously, watching Han reach across the table for a piece of flat bread.

Anakin smiled and flicked his fingers, using the Force to levitate the piece of bread Han was reaching for just out of reach.

Han's eyes widened in shock as the bread moved, he glanced over at Anakin, "Did you see that?"

The young man looked at Han, "See what?" Skywalker asked with teasing innocence.

Padmé smiled behind her goblet of sweet-juice as Han pointed over at the flat bread.

"You didn't see it?! The bread moved when I went to pick it up!" Han exclaimed.

Anakin raised his eyebrows and made the bread jump back to its previous place.

"There! It did it again!" The boy yelped.

Padmé watched as Anakin flicked his right hand and the entire plate rose up and started spinning, Han looked at it wide eyed, Anakin smiled and used the Force to lift Han into the air. The boy crying out in surprise, as he flew up a few feet from his seat into the air.

"Anakin!" Amidala admonished. The young Solo looked over at his foster father and stopped mid-yelp.

"Are you doing this?" Han looked shocked as Anakin nodded and waved his hand, setting both the boy and the bread plate back down gently, Han grinned widely as he plopped back down on his chair.

"Wow! How did you do that?"

Skywalker leaned forward, "Many years of training with the Force. You see, Han, the Force is what give a Jedi Knight their power, it's an—" He was stopped mid-sentence when his com-link beeped, he reached down to his belt to pick it up. "Jedi Anakin Skywalker," he answered firmly.

"Jedi Skywalker," the fuzzy voice of one of Palpatine's aids came through the speaker, "the Chancellor has requested your presence. He is in his box at the Galaxies Opera House."

"Right, inform the Chancellor I will be there promptly," Anakin responded, switching off the com-link and smiling apologetically at Padmé. "Sorry about this, but it might be important," he pointed out, looking over at Han, a thought coming to his head.

"Hey squirt, how would you like to come with me and meet the Chancellor of the Republic?"

Padmé furrowed her brow, "Ani, are you sure Palpatine won't mind?" She invoked, Anakin looked over at her with a confident smile, as their foster son shovelled the last of his food into his mouth.

"Nah, I told him about you fostering Han earlier today, when he asked me about wanting to appoint me to the Council. And Palpatine said he would like to meet Han as soon as was possible. This seems like a good time as any, he's not distracted by political mumbo-jumbo."

Senator Amidala hesitated, Palpatine intervened with Anakin and the Jedi?, "All right then," she said reluctantly. Solo grinned at her and Padmé pointed a manicured finger at him, "Be on your best behaviour, sweetie." She ordered pointedly.

Han got out of his chair and rushed over to give Padmé a hug.

Anakin smiled and walked over to them, offering Han his hand, "C'mon kiddo, we'll give your Mom some time to go through some political mumbo-jumbo of her own," he bent down and kissed Padmé's lips. "We'll be back soon as possible. I'll drop into an iced-desserts place and bring back some of that frozen favmiri berry pie you like, for dessert."

Padmé smiled, "Sweet-talker. Be nice to the Chancellor, Han," she watched them leave, Anakin holding onto Han's hand as they exited made happy tears come to her eyes.

Knowing that her husband was becoming a wonderful father already, was beyond any happiness the young senator had yet thought possible. Although the prospect of three children now should be cause for concern, at this moment, Padmé accepted the small feeling of contentment.

Perhaps it will all work out better than we could have ever hoped for.

Thank you for reading.