She didn't wake to her mother's cries but the echo of them. The Force called for her attention like silverware tapping away at a glass. Tap, tap, tap. Something's wrong, the Force was telling her. At first, it was a vague feeling, a simple, general notion that Jaina recognized as well as her own face. Jaina took a calming breath, letting herself wake up before she reached out, delving deeper into the Force and searching for more of an explanation. At once, her mother's presence came to mind and Jaina became aware of Leia's alarming state. Her aura flashed with fear, guilt, a profound sadness that could never truly fade. A scar that would never heal.
Then, Jaina was awake and she heard the screaming. From her room, she could even hear the boards and rackety springs of the bed scrape against each other in protest of the body spasming across the mattress.
Jaina threw aside her bedsheets and broke into a sprint down the short corridor. She tapped at the door with the Force and had it rising open for her before she could see it. When she ran in, she saw her mother thrashing on the mattress, her legs and arms tangled up in the sheets while she gave an unending, guttural, throaty scream. Jaina's first response was to jump on top of her, holding her down to prevent her from injuring herself. "Mom," she spoke firmly, holding her head between both hands. "Mom, wake up. It's me." She threw herself into the throes of the Force, grabbing Leia with her and making her feel the warmest, most reassuring feelings she could send. The shock woke Leia and she sat up with a startled gasp, panting. "It's okay. I'm here. It's me."
Jaina had dealt with her mother's nightmares several times before, but she still wished her father were here. He had years, decades of experience of helping Leia through tough nights and horrid nightmares and he was much better at comforting her in these situations. But he was gone for just the weekend, out visiting Chewie's family on Kashyyyk, leaving his wife and daughter to have a weekend together. Jaina knew her mother's nightmares to have a spontaneous when not constant history, but it still took her by surprise and she didn't know where to start in guessing what this one was about. That's where her father always started.
"You're here!" Leia panted, reaching for her daughter's hand, pulling her closer.
"Of course. I'm sleeping in the guest room, remember?"
Leia ignored this explanation, reaching up to stroke Jaina's hair. "You're still here."
"Mom. What happened in your nightmare?"
Leia finally looked her in the eyes, a darkness looming in her gentle brown irises. "I lost you too," she cried quietly.
Jaina's face fell. She didn't know what to say to comfort this mother who had lived to see both her sons die, so Jaina forgot about words. She pulled the blankets over so she could lie with her mother. Wordlessly, Leia calmed and held her daughter close. Jaina noticed, amused, that she began playing with her hair between her fingers like she used to do when Jaina was a small child. She just let her until her breaths evened and mother fell asleep holding child. Her only child.