Star Wars: Cross Paths Part 3
Thanks to Anon, Guest, Daisy, LOVEM, Elen, Sue, DirksTalia, RedLigth16, JediLukeSkywalker, Elen, princesselsaamidala22 and Connors for reviewing. And to everyone who took your time to read it. You guys are great. Love you all.
Chapter 84 – The Fog
Luke woke up and looked at the clock. It was still early, since it marked 2:34 am. Feeling movement on his left, he look at his wife, who was still sleeping peacefully by his side.
Getting out of bed, slowly, to not wake her up, he went to the bathroom, and then grabbing his robe, since it was a chilling night, he decided to go the kitchen to drink a glass of water, but before that, he went to check on the kids.
Opening the door of his boys bedroom, he smiled when R2, turn to him, making Luke smile and pat his droid friend. The room was illuminated by the light of the boys Life Day's tree lights. Approaching the crib of Luke, he pulled the covers up a little, while the toddler was still sleeping, holding a Life Day's Chewie that was present from last Life Day.
Looking at his 6 years old son, who was sleeping holding an X-Wing, he kissed the top of his head and left the room, heading to the girls one, whose bedroom was also illuminated by their tree lights, and couldn't help by shake his head with a smile on his face, when he saw Alli with the covers up to her middle back, and the 5 years old, on her back with the arms above her head, holding the stuffed toy that represent him, while Padmé had Ines's one. His daughter always had a rough sleep.
Pulling the covers up, and kissing her forehead, he went to his other sweet girl, who was sleeping on her stomach, and kissing her too, he left the room, heading to the kitchen.
After drinking water, he went to the living room. The lights of the big Life Day tree, gave a beautiful light to the room, with the different colors, while he reach the windows and watched outside, amazed by the fact that he could see the other buildings that were closer to theirs.
Smiling, he felt two arms wrapped around his waist from behind.
"Hey gorgeous," he said, grabbing her right hand and kissing it. "I thought you were still sleeping?"
"Well I woke up and I didn't see you next to me, so I decided to have a bathroom break and then check the kids, and see where my husband was." Ines replied kissing his right shoulder and rest her chin on it, looking outside. "This fog is really thick. We can't even see the Temple from here, like we use too in a clear night."
"I know. I was thinking of that. I really hope that the broadcast is right and this start to go away in two days."
"Me too, cause we need to go shopping for the kids presents and to buy everything for the Life Day's Eve. Meaning we need to talk to Aurea, and be in the Temple for the next weeks. Glad that Leia will be here after lunch with Han and the kids so we can discuss everything, including who will go to the dinner."
"We have a lot to do. So in a way this fog came at the right time."
"It will be a very busy week and half for sure," Ines smiled. "So how about we go to bed and have a nice sleep, since it is cold here."
Turning around, he wrapped his arms around Ines waist and pulled closer to him, kissing her on the lips.
"Want to warm you up?"
"Of course," she laughed, and with a nod they went to their bedroom, and getting in bed, they hold each other until they fall asleep again.
During the afternoon:
It was a few hours after lunch, and while Luke, jr, was taking is afternoon nap, his older siblings were in the living room, still in their pajamas.
Ben was laying in the couch, watching his favorite program about the time of the Old Republic, while the twins were in the middle of the living room, making necklaces and bracelets, with a box with all of the things to do that, a present that Grandma Padmé gave to them on their 5th birthday, and the girls loved it.
Luke came out from the kitchen, and running his hands on his son brown hair, he looked at his girls.
"Are you two making bracelets?"
"Yes. We will make a bracelet and a necklace for Iris," Alli looked up to her father, who sit in front of them.
"Want to help, Papa?" Padmé asked.
"Sure. Papa will do a bracelet for aunt Leia." he said kissing the forehead of his twin girls.
"Want help?" Alli asked him.
"Papa already did a bracelet for you the other day, remember?" he laughed, while he grabbed the things for the bracelet.
After a while, the door rang, and press a button, it opened and the Solo Twins came inside running, sitting on the carpet next to their cousins and Uncle, while Han, Leia and Iris came right behind them with 3PO, who was greet by R2, the two friends, heading towards the Tree, with the many colorfully lights on.
"Master Luke and Mistress Ines tree is also so beautiful," 3PO said looking at his own figure hanging on the tree. "And did you imagine I will be on the tree in all the houses of the capital."
R2 beeped.
"I know you are too, but I saved us from a lot of trouble."
R2 beeped again.
"What do you mean I didn't do much. If it wasn't for me, you would be in our dear Ewoks stomach back in Endor, remember?"
R2 beeped
"What do you mean I didn't do anything?"
R2 responded making 3PO staring at him.
"Master Luke did it?" he replied. "What do you mean by that?"
R2 beeped and started to roll off away from the protocol droid.
"Came back here, what do you mean by that. R2! Come back!" 3Po said following R2, making the kids laughed.
Han sighed and sat down looking at his brother in law.
"What are you doing?"
"Bracelets with my daughters. Why? Don't you play with your kids too?"
"My small kids are boys, so I play with spaceships and stuff, not making bracelets, kid."
Iris looked at her father.
"Oh really? So you forgot when I was little and you used to play with me, being my client in my hairdresser saloon? I even paint your toe nails many times remember? And you loved it!"
Luke looked at Han and started laughed.
"I see I'm not the only one then."
"Iris, that was between you and me, young lady."
"Wait, you went to work with your toe nails painted?" Ines asked sitting on the couch with a tray with some snacks for the family.
"And with all the colors you image, aunt Ines."
"I wish I could see that."
"You wouldn't, that is why it was my toes and not my hands." Han replied.
Then they heard Luke from the bedroom.
"Someone woke up. Want to help?"
"Sure," Iris said and both went inside.
"Why is she growing so fast. She no longer wants to play with me."
"She is in entering in the teenager years. What do you expect?" Leia replied. "Don't worry, you are still her hero and always will be," Luke said to him.
"And you are still in your pajamas?" Han said looking at his nieces.
The twins looked at their uncle.
"Papa and Mama let us be in our pajamas," Padmé replied moving her head.
"We are not going anywhere. With this cold and this fog outside, so Ines and I let the kids be the way they want."
"I know. We can't see anything, not even the building next to ours." Leia replied looking outside.
Then after a few minutes, Iris came with her young cousin, who just woke up and sitting on the floor with him, she laughed when the 18 months toddler ran towards the tree and pointing to the lights.
"Li!" he said and giggle running back to his cousin.
Siting on the couch, Ines looked at Leia.
"So how is everything?"
"In the Senate everything so far is calm. We are still trying to locate some of Thrawn supporters that we know they are still out there, but we will catch them and continue to be alert."
"Yes, we can't just let our guards down again, thinking that everything will be fine, just like it happened with Palpatine died." Luke replied nodding.
"And since you will stay for dinner, how about we talk about Life Day Eve," Ines said.
"I was thinking the same thing." Leia nod. "Who will go to the dinner besides our families of course?"
"Besides Aurea, Noa and Cindel, we know that Ahsoka invited Hera and Jacen, which is a good idea, since it is the first time they are here in Coruscant and we don't want them to be alone in their first Life Day Eve." Ines answered her sister in law.
"That is a good idea," Han nod. "She is a very good general by the way. Will Din and Grogu be here too?"
"No, they will stay in Nevarro with Bo Katan who will spend Life Day's there," Luke replied.
"Is just me or something is going on between those two?" Han asked, making everyone nod with a smirk on their faces.
"I think you are right," Luke nod too.
"So, we need, once this fog life, to buy everything we need, and talk to Aurea to plan the menu. Since we will have the boys 5th birthday the next day in the Temple too and we can have the same food. We are not going to new food when we know, anyone will eat everything." Leia nod.
"Are you sure?" Iris asked her mother looking at her younger brother Bail, making Leia and Ines laughed at that remark.
"We hope so," Leia said looking at her.
"Well, then we can go to Aurea. Even if she is now leaving in the same building of my brother with Noa and Cindel, which I think it was great. I never liked to see her alone in the temple sometimes."
"And I liked she decided to stay here for Life day this year," Luke said.
"Yeah, she will go with us to Varykino," Ines nod.
"So I'm sure once we talk to her, we can go to the Temple and we can do it. Ahsoka and my mother and Gracy will help too preparing everything," Leia replied.
"I can help too. Or you forget that your twin brother can cook too."
"Besides while all the women need to do stuff. We men can help too," Han said making everyone looked at him with wide eyes.
"Nice Father," Iris said standing up and kissing his cheeks, which made Han smile at that gesture.
Padmé looked to her father.
"Papa, are we going to have dinner in the Temple that day?"
"Yes sweetie, why?"
"How the Ancient Wookiee will leave the presents under the tree if we not here?"
The kids looked at at him. Even Ben, who already knew there wasn't any Ancient Wookiee and that was his parents who put the presents under the tree, even if he would never say that to his sister and cousins.
"Well that is why, we need to be home around 11pm, so the four of you will be in bed before midnight."
"Don't worry sweetie, we will have dinner around 7pm. And before midnight, we will be all in bed," Leia said to her niece.
"Okay. You better," Alli said pointing to her father, who grabbed her and tickle her, making the other kids laughing.
"Then we all have everything planned," Leia nod. "Do you want help for dinner?"
"Sure," Ines said standing up.
"And I will make bracelets for my two girls," Han said sitting on the floor.
"Go Father," Iris said joining Ben on the couch, both of them talking about the program.
How sweet is to see Han and Luke playing with the younger kids.