Felix stood behind Magdalane's chair, in the Senate chambers. They'd very much enjoyed their honeymoon, but the same increase in fighting that had Miriah's crew working overtime also had the diplomatic corps in overdrive. Felix, as usual, was watching everyone and everything, ever vigilant to any threat, so when he heard the chirp in his earpiece that signaled an incoming communication, he almost jumped out of his armor. He walked a few paces away from the table, so he could respond, but he smiled when he heard Maura's voice.
"Hi Maura, how are you and the babies?" he asked softly. They'd been told about the bedrest and knew that Miriah was handling things, though they hadn't talked to her. Mags was putting in long days, and hated to call when she got back to the ship late.
"We're good, but I'm worried about Miriah. She's not sleeping, some nights at all, and even though she's exhausted she can't fall asleep. I wanted to see if Mags had any ideas to help her."
"She's still negotiating, but they should take a break in about an hour, I'll get her to call you," he promised. He knew the bad effects of insomnia, he'd had to have a soldier sedated because of it before.
Magdalane knew something was up, her force sense told her Felix was concerned about something. She'd seen him talk to someone, but figured it was a comm from the ship, so when he told her about Maura's call, she sighed and shook her head.
"Poor Miriah, she's never had an easy time sleeping. I'm not sure I can even use the force to help her sleep, it's never helped her before, especially after going so long without it." She sat quietly for a moment, and called the Stardancer.
"Corso, hey, how's it going?" she asked when he answered. "You've talked to Miriah recently?"
"Hey Mags, yes I know she's suffering, I'm working to get to her but it will be tomorrow before I can," he answered. He'd been thinking about her all day, wondering if she was still able to function.
Magdalane looked relieved. "Good, then I don't need to leave here just yet. We were coming to Dantooine in a few days anyway, but I really want to finish this and not have to come back here." She laughed softly, "I can just imagine them, the pregnant woman who can't get around well, and the clumsy insomniac. Please, Corso, let me know they're both okay when you get there?" He assured her that he would .
Corso docked with Carrick Station late that afternoon, took the datapad with their manifests and travel to the customs officer, and looked for Aric. He found him on the shuttle pad, sending out a detachment.
"I'm ready," he told Corso, as he shook his hand in greeting. "I hear they're enjoying each other's company, but the whole sleep issue is worrying Maura, and, I'm sure, you. Let's go see our women."
Corso smiled, glad Aric was ready to move out. Bow had things ready when they returned to the ship, and they were in the hyperlane before they knew it.
It was the wee morning hours when they landed in their hanger on the ranch. Corso and Aric left the crew sleeping aboard the ship, the auxiliary power unit running all the systems they'd need. Risha knew how to get into the house anyway, Corso thought, so they should be fine. He and Aric set out on speeders to Aric's house. What they saw when they arrived had them shaking their heads and trying not to laugh. Maura was sleeping on what looked like a mountain of pillows, her hair braided in a hundred ways, her toenails pink with green dots on them. Miriah was sitting by the window, her head leaned on it, seemingly in a trance, not blinking but not moving either. She still had on Corso's shirt, with nail polish streaked on it, and she was holding the pink bear with the tutu from the babies' room.
Aric showed Corso which guest room Miriah's things were in, and he walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, and a small smile played on her face. "I knew you'd be here early, "she said softly, collapsing against him. He picked her up and carried her to their room for the night, not letting go of her even when he put her in the bed. He managed to kick his boots off and held her close, murmuring words of love to her until he felt her relax against him in sleep. Kissing her forehead, stroking her hair and down her back, he realized that he felt complete, like something he didn't realize was missing was suddenly clicked in place. Corso settled in to sleep, content.
Aric gently unbraided the mess of hair, smiling at his sleeping wife. When he joined her in their bed, she opened her eyes, thinking Miriah had finally given in to sleep. Aric kissed her, telling her to go back to sleep, but she was so happy he was there she just couldn't.
"Honey, I'm so glad you're here. Corso brought you?" He nodded, his hand stealing down to pat her huge belly. "He has Miriah?" Again, he nodded at her, pulling her against him. "Best part?" he told her, "I'm on leave as of right now. General Garza's orders."
She almost cried she was so relieved. She loved her sister, but she knew that Miriah would have destroyed herself to make sure that Maura was doing what she needed to do. She sighed into her husband's chest, as close as the twins would let her get, and fell back to sleep, his arms around her.
Everyone slept late the next morning, and when Elara arrived for her weekly baby check, she was amazed to find no one in the kitchen. She noted the house was very quiet, and tiptoed up the stairs. She looked in the master bedroom, and smiled when she saw her CO and her XO, sleeping peacefully. She crept back down the stairs, still smiling. Maura needed him here, and he never lets her down, she thought. And I bet Miriah is finally sleeping.
Corso made his way downstairs about an hour later, tying his hair back as he walked. He smiled as he entered the kitchen, smelling the caffa Elara had made.
"Hello Elara, how are things in the medical corps?" he greeted her. "Thanks for the caffa, we got in very early this morning."
"Oh it's the least I can do. Thank you for bringing the lieutenant home, I really think that's the best medicine for Maura right now. Is Miriah sleeping finally?"
"She is, thankfully. I've never seen her get so bad with it before," he told the medic. "We've only been together for a little over a year, but I've never seen her in as bad a shape as she was in when I holoed her a couple of days ago." He sighed, "If I'd had any idea she was going through such a bad time I'd have found a way to be back here." He felt so guilty that he hadn't thought of her not sleeping before he left.
"Don't do that to yourself, Corso," Elara told him. "I've been here every week, and it was so gradual that I didn't notice. I wouldn't have known there was a problem unless Maura had called me about it, wanting to know what to do for her. She'll do better if we can get her back on schedule soon, so don't let her sleep too much longer, then she should be able to get back into a good pattern tonight." He nodded at her, thinking he'd go wake her up soon, and smiled as he thought of how he might wake her up.
Aric and Maura made their way slowly down the stairs, Aric supporting her every step. The twins were kicking and punching, hearing their dad's voice, and Maura's balance was precarious. When she was settled on the couch, Aric followed his nose to the kitchen, greeting Corso and Elara. Corso went up to get Miriah, while Aric gathered things to take to Maura for breakfast.
When he got upstairs, he heard the shower and followed the sound to their refresher. He saw Miriah leaning against the far wall under the water, and quickly shed his clothes to join her. She was still half asleep, so weary still that she couldn't shampoo her hair, because her arms were just too tired still. "Oh sweetheart," he mumbled to her as he pulled her against him. He reached behind her for her shampoo, which smelled like peaches, and lathered and rinsed her hair while she leaned against him for support. She put her head on his chest, arms around his waist, as he soaped her up, massaging her tired muscles as he went. "So tired," she said against his chest. "I know I need to move, if I just start moving I'll be okay, but I can't do it." He turned off the water and wrapped her in a thick towel, then grabbed one for himself. He led her to their bedroom, sat her on the edge of the bed, and found clothes for her, leaving her to dress while he retrieved his own. He untangled her wet hair, and led her downstairs to eat something.
In the sunlight downstairs he could see how thin she'd gotten, her hip bones showing through the soft clingy pants she'd pulled on. By the time she'd eaten some breakfast, he could see a little sparkle return to those silver eyes.
Maura caught her attention then. "Miriah, I hereby order you to go to your house with your husband and rest! "
"Yeah, like I take orders from you," Miirah smirked at her. "In this case, however, I will go home, but for him, not you."
Maura laughed, "Okay, as long as you get some rest." She smiled softly at her baby sister, "Love you, Mir, for doing this and for being here."
"Love you too, preggers," Miriah told her, "I'll always do whatever I can, for you guys and the babies."
Aric helped her onto the speeder, hugged her hard, claped Corso on the shoulder, and said he'd call them with any news. Miriah fell asleep on the ride back to the ranch, leaning against Corso's back, in the mid afternoon sunshine, finally peaceful enough to rest.