"Why are you pacing back and forth like some kind of wild lizard?"

"Because I'm nervous," Ezra told her.

"…Why would you be nervous? We're just telling our crew our little bit of news. They'll be happy."

"Well I know that," he retorted, biting a loose piece of skin on his finger. "But once they find out you're pregnant, they'll know we've been doing…things"

Sabine let out a disbelieving laugh. "Are you serious? Things? First of all, what are you, twelve? Can't refer to it as 'sex'? And second of all, we've been married for close to a year now and they have all walked in on us in quite compromising positions before. I think everyone already knows what kind of things we do to each other."

"Okay but that doesn't make it any better!" he exclaimed dramatically. They're family, and yeah I know they know we have sex, but this is like acknowledging that fact and then they'll—"

"They'll be thrilled," she said, cutting off his rant. If she let him, he'd go on a tangent that'd last hours. "This is a joyous occasion. Trust me love, they'll be through the roof with excitement."

"What's a joyous occasion?" the booming voice of Zeb rang behind them and Ezra squeaked, halting in place. He spun around to see the entire Ghost crew striding towards them.

"In one moment, Zeb," Sabine said after hugging him. She gestured to the table next to them. "Would either of you like some tea first?"

"Absolutely," Kanan said. "I could use some refreshment after the meeting we just had. Those damn ministers are liable to talk me into an early grave."

The smile on Hera's face as she sipped her tea suggested Kanan wasn't wrong.

"So what is it, you two wanted to speak to us about?"

"Hold on, let me just get something real quick." Sabine pulled out a small box and placed it in between the three beings. "If you wouldn't mind opening it, please."

Zeb eyed the box suspiciously. "Are we meant to share it?"

"Oh just open it, you three" Ezra said, slightly annoyed by their response. When two sets of hardened eyes fell upon him, he shrank back into his chair. "P-please," he murmured.

Zeb pulled at the neat bow on top, undoing the handiwork. Taking off the lid, he squinted down at the object in the box, a frown pulling at his lips as he tried to figure out what it was. He passed the box off to Hera as he thought it over. It only took another second before a grin tugged at his lips.

"No," he exhaled in disbelief. "Are those—?"

"Mhmm," Ezra nodded, his smile mirroring his friend's.

"Hera?" Sabine kept her gaze on Hera, waiting for her reaction.

The Ghost's captain was quiet for what felt like an eternity. Eventually she looked up at them, her face unreadable.

"You're with child?"

Sabine nodded, her upper teeth worrying her bottom lip. Perhaps she was wrong. Perhaps Hera wouldn't be all that excited about this. Maybe if—

She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, a smug grin on her face. "I knew it."

Twin cries of exclamation echoed throughout the room from the married couple.

"What?!"

"Excuse me?!"

Hera just shook her head in confirmation. "I had a feeling you were pregnant. And that that would be the reason you asked us to come here today. Which reminds me," she turned to Zeb. "I believe five credits are owed to me."

Zeb rolled his eyes and shook his head in chagrin. "Yeah, yeah, I'll get you your money by tonight."

Ezra and Sabine stared at them with matching expressions of confusion and incredulity.

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute," Ezra said. "You bet on this?"

Hera shrugged. "Just because I'm a General, doesn't mean I can't have a little fun every now and then."

"Is that even like, ethical for the two of you to do? I mean, you just gambled on your potential godchild."

Zeb said, "Absolutely."

"Wait," Sabine interrupted, "I'm still confused by how you knew."

"I was pregnant before, remember?" Hera said. "Last time we visited, you had your clothes let out by the tailor. You practically ran off at dinner that night, clutching your stomach. And you haven't sparred with a single person the whole week, practicing only by yourself. Not to mention your brother has gotten quite protective over you recently."

"For the record, I could feel the baby with the Force." Kanan said. "But I didn't tell her."

"Zeb, I can't believe you would even take that bet," Ezra remarked. "I thought you were smarter than that."

Zeb rubbed the back of his neck ruefully. "You know I have a problem turning down a challenge. This was too close to that for me to refuse."

Sabine's attention remained on Hera as she stood from her seat and crossed the room, pulling her into a rare hug. It didn't last very long, merely a few seconds, but she was still surprised by it.

The last time her captain had shown any physical affection towards her was on her wedding day. She had held Sabine's hands in hers and kissed both of her cheeks before telling her how proud of her she was.

Sabine cherished every hug she'd ever received from her. Hera was her hero, her idol. She worshiped the ground she walked on. Her approval meant nearly everything to her.

"My first godchild," Hera murmured, her hand briefly coming down to brush against her tiny bump, so very evident now that the secret was out between them.

Kanan was busy hugging Ezra, clapping him on the back in congratulations. "Just wait until I tell my son about this. He'll be so excited to be an uncle."

"I kinda wish I could be there when you tell him, but I don't really want to leave Sabine in case something goes wrong."

Kanan nodded. "I understand. But maybe the both of you could come down and visit. That way you could tell Jacen yourself."

"I don't—"

"Of course we'll visit," Sabine cut in, pressing herself into Ezra's side. "It's been a while since we've gone to New Aldaraan. I want to see how construction is coming along."

Sabine had personally designed the plan for the New Republic's capital city. It was planned to be a city of beautiful white marble, the centerpiece being a massive domed 'People's Hall', where the Senate would meet, and a giant 'Memorial Arch' dedicated to the trillions who died in the Galactic Civil War. It still had a decade before completion by her estimates.

"We live in Krowest full-time. I figure it's only fair we actually go to Jacen and tell him the news rather than him hear it second-hand."

Ezra grinned, his arms winding around her back. "Hey, if you're offering, then I'm all for it. We could leave right now if you want."

"You better not do anything intimate while there. I would hate for my son to walk in on you two like the rest of us have, and be scarred for life." Hera's scathing voice cut through any joy Ezra had building. His eyes bugged out of his head and he immediately started to sweat.

"Uh, um of course not, Hera, uh…" He was strugging to string together an intelligent sentence. "I just-I, uh, well she-she wants to, uh…t-to go there. I, uh—"

Sabine took pity on her husband as he continued to stammer and stutter his way through incoherent nonsense. Shaking her head, she scowled at Hera. "Hera, would you please stop it? I think you've tortured him enough."

Ezra stared at her wide-eyed as Hera let a full-throated laugh. That was probably something she'd never get to experience again.

"My apologies, Sabine, but your husband is just too easy to torment."

"Well I would have to agree on that one," she laughed.

"Okay I don't like this," Ezra whined.

"You'd think after almost a year of marriage, he'd have gotten used to it by now," Kanan teased, slapping Ezra on the shoulder.

"I'm a married man who's about to become a father soon," Ezra said, puffing his chest out. "I shouldn't be the butt of the jokes anymore."

"Trust me, Ezra," Kanan said. "Becoming a father only makes it worse. Hera, Zeb, and Chopper tease me endlessly. It's a rite of passage every father passes off to his son."

"Yeah, why do you think I torment my poor brother so much," Sabine chimed in. "You boys just make it so easy."

"Okay, you know what? I'm not sticking around to be laughed at like this," Ezra said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Kanan, Zeb, Hera, I'm glad you're excited about all this. Sabine, I'll be home in a few hours." He spun on his heel and strode out of the room.

Sabine fought off a grin as she watched him go. Hera tilted her head, her eyebrows scrunched in bewilderment.

"Where's he going?"

"Somewhere that'll cheer up his mood in an instant." Kanan shared a look with his daughter-figure as they said simultaneously, "Shopping."

Sabine winced and started after him. "I better make sure he doesn't spend the whole treasury."

After Sabine left, Hera turned to the man standing next to her and said, "Strange that he seemed that bothered by our comments. He's usually more easygoing than that."

Kanan laughed and shook his head. "Oh don't worry about him. I don't know which will make his mood improve faster: Sabine or the marketplace."

Hera grimaced. "Hopefully the marketplace. I'd rather not think about how Sabine improves Ezra's mood."

Kanan let out a full-bellied laugh and wrapped his arms behind his wife.

"Oh come on, Hera, how else do you think we're becoming godparents?"

If it was possible, Hera's scowl deepened even further.