Summary: Stories that are based off of ideas I've gotten either from people commenting on Fork in the Road or from my own brain while writing Fork in the Road. OR: probably a bit closer to my original summary of 'changing the Star Wars universe one pregnant male at a time'
Okay people here's the deal. These are either not going to happen in Fork in the Road because of various reasons (wrong POV, Fork in the Road heading a slightly different direction, etc) or are completely alternative universe to Fork in the Road. The connecting threat of them all is that they have been inspired by some part of my writing Fork in the Road (either my own head going 'HERES AN IDEA YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY USE' or people commenting on Fork in the Road with ideas I really wanted to explore but couldn't). Each section will have its own warnings + pairings. If you want to sent prompts go ahead. I'm posting the first one now because I've reached a small snag with Fork in the Road (read: my anxiety's acting up and I'm panicking over like one line for two days) so here's something to tide you over while I go finish it up.
This one is an idea from myself. It's been hanging around since part 1 of Fork in the Road so it's nice to have it actually written down. Although I'm not completely happy with it.
Warnings for this section: mpreg (TBH this will probably be in them all), childbirth (albeit not that graphic), probably some fucked up canon (I foolishly did not rewatch the older Star Wars movies before the new one came out and are now regretting it).
Pairings: Han/Luke; Han/Leia
She holds his lightsaber out to him and he is suddenly struck with the memory of her birth.
They had been on the Millennium Falcon. Some quick trip turned long for a reason that did not survive times decay with the rest (the reason the trip had been made at the time in the first place also long gone – it had been important though). They had been on the Millennium Falcon and the contractions had started. Light, fluttering things they were at first, completely unrecognisable if they had not been coupled with the movement deep inside him. Again, it was nothing exceedingly major. All things he probably wouldn't have noticed if not for the extra awareness the Force gave him.
He had continued with his task at first (unimportant and therefore unremembered). There was no reason to disrupt anyone else for now. He knew how long labour could last and knew he had been made aware of it sooner than most. It could be a day before anything needed to happen. There was no reason to disturb the others.
It was after 10 hours that he started to feel something that could actually be termed pain. His body starting to adjust for the task it would have to complete.
He remembers clearly Ben lying next to him, using his leg as a pillow, when he first made a noise of pain. It was only a hiss but enough to make Ben dart away from him and Leia to turn all her attention onto him. His sister's eyes narrowed as Ben apologised, believing himself to be the cause of his uncle's discomfort.
Luke cannot remember the words he used to calm his nephew down, nor the ones said that tipped Leia off to what was actually happening. A quick, slightly coded (they didn't want to tip Ben off as to what was happening yet) conversation passed between them until Leia was satisfied that they were still a fair way off anything but slowly growing pains from happening. They returned to their individual tasks and Ben returned near his uncle but refused to return to complete comfort (Luke now knew he would have known what was happening – his nephew would prove skilled in reading bodies, both his own and others – could always tell you exactly where the weak point on a person was and exactly how much abuse they could take before they broke).
The next hours grew steadily worse. Luke was glad for the Force sensitivity when he was able to predict when his waters would break. It was a lot easier to clean up a shower then it would have been a lounge.
After that it became more important that the others on the ship were informed about what was happening.
Han panicked but Luke hadn't expected much else from him. He had panicked for Ben's birth and Leia had been in a hospital (with "the best care in the galaxy" – fitting for an ex-princess and galaxy saviour) with that.
Leia on the other hand had scoffed at him and told Han that he had been allowed to panic for his first child, now he was just being ridiculous.
While Han tried (and somewhat succeeded) to act as if Leia's words had snapped him out of his panic and that he was totally in control of the situation, Leia took charge.
Ben was left in the care of Chewie (who was given the task of keeping the ship on course despite Han's near desperate suggestion that he do it) and told to stay in the cock pit and that, "I don't care if we're about the fly into a sun you are not to come looking for us."
Luke gave him a grin and told him that everything would be fine but he should listen to his mother. Ben looked unsure but agreed and from what Luke knows stuck to it.
The three of them soon retreated to one of the rooms in the ship (Luke can't remember which, isn't sure he was particularly aware of which, having started to just follow Leia's directions semi-blindly). Han tried to be encouraging and supporting but (much like with Leia when she gave birth to Ben) couldn't mask the panic from his voice. That left the important tasks to Leia and she performed them to the highest level that could be expected from the circumstances.
In the middle of space Luke Skywalker gave birth to a daughter.
With her bundled up in his arms and Han looking more exhausted than Luke felt she had been given the name Rey.
Now, so many years (and so much pain and heartbreak and impossible decisions) later she stands before him holding out his lightsaber (his father's lightsaber, the one he had lost so many years ago) as if she wants to give it back to him.
Even after all the years he had been alive (and all the training he had done in them) Luke finds himself completely unable to detangle the complex web of emotions he feels at the sight before him. The sight of his daughter, full grown and made strong from hardship, returning to him. There is something like hope that rises in his heart, and something like regret settling deep.
