Alpha
Title; Alpha
Characters; Luke/Mara, Han/Leia, Ben, others.
Rating; G
Warnings; none, other than my Skywalker binge.
Summary; in the wake of death, life springs.
Mara groaned as she lowered herself into the flowform chair across from Leia. "I never thought I'd be in this situation," she muttered, leaning over as far as she could, trying to reach the glass of water on the table. Her sister-in-law was trying to hide a grin as she nudged it close enough for Mara's stretched fingers to grasp.
"Great, isn't it?" she asked.
"Oh, marvelous. My back hurts, my front hurts, and I swear these two are using my internal organs for an extended game of smashball." She laid a hand on her huge belly, because as if on cue one of the twins had kicked. "They've been playing for a couple weeks without stopping."
"When they calm down, you'll know it's getting close to that time, and you should round up Luke and get to the med center." Leia smiled and rubbed her own belly, just beginning to fill out the maternity shirt she wore. "That's what happened with all of mine. And I was sure glad for the break--Anakin was the worst. He used my insides as a punching bag. Little Aric isn't as bad by half. But just thinking about how Jaina and Jacen were--well, it'll all be over soon, right?"
"Less than a month, thank the stars." One of the babies kicked again, and Mara absently rubbed the spot. Though she wasn't sure she could really soothe them in the womb--Ben had always been so singleminded, even before he was born, and right before he'd made his dramatic entrance she'd been too sick to notice. But it seemed to help, as though Aiden and Cara already knew she was there and ready to protect them.
"I can't help it, I think you're lucky to be having them soon." Leia gulped her own glass of water. The planet where they were had an axial tilt and rotation that made it summer in this part of the world, and with Mara so close to her due date, extensive travel wasn't exactly the best plan. "Luke must be beside himself."
Mara snorted. "You'd think he was the one having twins. He acts like it's my first time doing this."
"He's just worried. Last time didn't go so smoothly."
"We don't have the Vong invading this time, and three different doctors besides Cilghal have said that I'm in perfect health. It'll be fine."
"Tell that to my brother," Leia said. "I know Han worries too. We are getting a little old for all this."
"Not that old. Besides, everything seems to be working just fine anyway."
"True enough." Leia sighed. "I think Han's brain stopped working a full half a day when I told him I was pregnant again. He was running into walls, and the kids had to finally grab him and sit him down so he didn't walk right off the edge of a building in his dazed state." She poured another glass of water. "Speaking of kids... how's Ben taking the news?"
"He's more excited than any of us. He's already promised to help with them as much as he can... although considering he's four, that isn't going to be much at first." Mara took a drink from her own glass. "Particularly since I'm not letting this set out of my sight. Except to sleep, when I can."
"And there'll never be enough of that even when they're all Jedi Masters and have families of their own."
"Especially then."
They talked for a long time, until finally Mara insisted on moving somewhere with a climate control unit. Being almost at term on a summery planet wasn't her idea, and she shouldn't have to put up with it.
*
Luckily, she didn't have to much longer. One night, a couple days after she'd stopped feeling the regular internal beatings from the babies, Mara woke up from a dream about swimming to find that her legs--and the sheets, and the bed--were soaking wet.
"Luke."
Her husband, oblivious, twitched a bit in his sleep. Mara smiled, almost hating to have to wake him, but if he rolled over he'd be in for a surprise. Besides, he'd be instantly awake anyway when she told him what happened.
"Luke."
"Mmph?"
"My water broke."
He bolted upright, and Mara almost laughed. Called it.
"Are you--do you feel anything?"
"No, other than wet and squishy." She pushed the blankets and sheets away and swung her legs over the bed, stripping out of the sopping wet sleepshirt and panties and putting dry sets on. "Help me get the bed cleaned up."
"I'll do it." Luke sprang into action. "You shouldn't strain yourself."
"I'll be straining myself plenty soon enough, Skywalker."
"Exactly why you--" he took her hand, leading her past the half-open door to Ben's room and sat her down on the couch "--should rest up."
Despite her complaining, Luke took care of the cleaning up, brought her a blanket and some hot chocolate, and when Ben got up because of all the fuss and stood in his doorway demanding to know what was going on, Luke picked up his son and explained the situation. Upon which, Ben got overexcited, and when the noise reached alarming decibel levels, he was seated next to his mother with another cup of hot chocolate and told to work on his concentration exercises.
Mara smiled, watching her four-year-old's face scrunch up in concentration as he tried to lift the little foam ball in front of him. It helped her keep her mind off the twinges of pain she was starting to feel. Not full contractions, because once those started there wouldn't be any way to ignore them short of a hypospray painkiller or Jedi techniques, but enough to let her know that it wouldn't be a long time.
Sure enough, as the sun was setting, an exhausted but happy Mara shifted Cara in her arms as the little girl finished up her first meal. The infant was mostly asleep, mouth working almost subconsciously as she turned her head away.
"Finished?" Mara murmured, stroking the little girl's cheek. A secret smile curved her lips upward; amazing that she who had once killed so blithely could now create such life.
Luke padded over, Aiden held against his shoulder. The little boy was sound asleep, hands fisted in his father's tunic. "How is she?"
Mara looked down, used the edge of her thumb to wipe away a droplet of milk hanging off her tiny lips. "Sleeping now. How about you, farmboy? You were pretty excited there for a while."
Luke's cheeks went pink. "I was worried. But everything turned out okay."
"It did." Careful not to disturb Cara too much, Mara shifted so that when Luke settled himself next to her, she could rest her head on his shoulder. Together, they looked at their twins. "Think we're ready to do this again?"
"If we weren't it wouldn't have gotten this far." Luke kissed the top of Mara's head, nuzzling gently when he laid his cheek on it. "Love you, Mara. Get some sleep. I'll keep an eye on these two and make sure they don't run off."
Too tired to argue, Mara closed her eyes, and felt the warmth of their bond wrap around her.
Characters; Luke/Mara, Han/Leia, Ben, others.
Rating; G
Warnings; none, other than my Skywalker binge.
Summary; in the wake of death, life springs.
Mara groaned as she lowered herself into the flowform chair across from Leia. "I never thought I'd be in this situation," she muttered, leaning over as far as she could, trying to reach the glass of water on the table. Her sister-in-law was trying to hide a grin as she nudged it close enough for Mara's stretched fingers to grasp.
"Great, isn't it?" she asked.
"Oh, marvelous. My back hurts, my front hurts, and I swear these two are using my internal organs for an extended game of smashball." She laid a hand on her huge belly, because as if on cue one of the twins had kicked. "They've been playing for a couple weeks without stopping."
"When they calm down, you'll know it's getting close to that time, and you should round up Luke and get to the med center." Leia smiled and rubbed her own belly, just beginning to fill out the maternity shirt she wore. "That's what happened with all of mine. And I was sure glad for the break--Anakin was the worst. He used my insides as a punching bag. Little Aric isn't as bad by half. But just thinking about how Jaina and Jacen were--well, it'll all be over soon, right?"
"Less than a month, thank the stars." One of the babies kicked again, and Mara absently rubbed the spot. Though she wasn't sure she could really soothe them in the womb--Ben had always been so singleminded, even before he was born, and right before he'd made his dramatic entrance she'd been too sick to notice. But it seemed to help, as though Aiden and Cara already knew she was there and ready to protect them.
"I can't help it, I think you're lucky to be having them soon." Leia gulped her own glass of water. The planet where they were had an axial tilt and rotation that made it summer in this part of the world, and with Mara so close to her due date, extensive travel wasn't exactly the best plan. "Luke must be beside himself."
Mara snorted. "You'd think he was the one having twins. He acts like it's my first time doing this."
"He's just worried. Last time didn't go so smoothly."
"We don't have the Vong invading this time, and three different doctors besides Cilghal have said that I'm in perfect health. It'll be fine."
"Tell that to my brother," Leia said. "I know Han worries too. We are getting a little old for all this."
"Not that old. Besides, everything seems to be working just fine anyway."
"True enough." Leia sighed. "I think Han's brain stopped working a full half a day when I told him I was pregnant again. He was running into walls, and the kids had to finally grab him and sit him down so he didn't walk right off the edge of a building in his dazed state." She poured another glass of water. "Speaking of kids... how's Ben taking the news?"
"He's more excited than any of us. He's already promised to help with them as much as he can... although considering he's four, that isn't going to be much at first." Mara took a drink from her own glass. "Particularly since I'm not letting this set out of my sight. Except to sleep, when I can."
"And there'll never be enough of that even when they're all Jedi Masters and have families of their own."
"Especially then."
They talked for a long time, until finally Mara insisted on moving somewhere with a climate control unit. Being almost at term on a summery planet wasn't her idea, and she shouldn't have to put up with it.
*
Luckily, she didn't have to much longer. One night, a couple days after she'd stopped feeling the regular internal beatings from the babies, Mara woke up from a dream about swimming to find that her legs--and the sheets, and the bed--were soaking wet.
"Luke."
Her husband, oblivious, twitched a bit in his sleep. Mara smiled, almost hating to have to wake him, but if he rolled over he'd be in for a surprise. Besides, he'd be instantly awake anyway when she told him what happened.
"Luke."
"Mmph?"
"My water broke."
He bolted upright, and Mara almost laughed. Called it.
"Are you--do you feel anything?"
"No, other than wet and squishy." She pushed the blankets and sheets away and swung her legs over the bed, stripping out of the sopping wet sleepshirt and panties and putting dry sets on. "Help me get the bed cleaned up."
"I'll do it." Luke sprang into action. "You shouldn't strain yourself."
"I'll be straining myself plenty soon enough, Skywalker."
"Exactly why you--" he took her hand, leading her past the half-open door to Ben's room and sat her down on the couch "--should rest up."
Despite her complaining, Luke took care of the cleaning up, brought her a blanket and some hot chocolate, and when Ben got up because of all the fuss and stood in his doorway demanding to know what was going on, Luke picked up his son and explained the situation. Upon which, Ben got overexcited, and when the noise reached alarming decibel levels, he was seated next to his mother with another cup of hot chocolate and told to work on his concentration exercises.
Mara smiled, watching her four-year-old's face scrunch up in concentration as he tried to lift the little foam ball in front of him. It helped her keep her mind off the twinges of pain she was starting to feel. Not full contractions, because once those started there wouldn't be any way to ignore them short of a hypospray painkiller or Jedi techniques, but enough to let her know that it wouldn't be a long time.
Sure enough, as the sun was setting, an exhausted but happy Mara shifted Cara in her arms as the little girl finished up her first meal. The infant was mostly asleep, mouth working almost subconsciously as she turned her head away.
"Finished?" Mara murmured, stroking the little girl's cheek. A secret smile curved her lips upward; amazing that she who had once killed so blithely could now create such life.
Luke padded over, Aiden held against his shoulder. The little boy was sound asleep, hands fisted in his father's tunic. "How is she?"
Mara looked down, used the edge of her thumb to wipe away a droplet of milk hanging off her tiny lips. "Sleeping now. How about you, farmboy? You were pretty excited there for a while."
Luke's cheeks went pink. "I was worried. But everything turned out okay."
"It did." Careful not to disturb Cara too much, Mara shifted so that when Luke settled himself next to her, she could rest her head on his shoulder. Together, they looked at their twins. "Think we're ready to do this again?"
"If we weren't it wouldn't have gotten this far." Luke kissed the top of Mara's head, nuzzling gently when he laid his cheek on it. "Love you, Mara. Get some sleep. I'll keep an eye on these two and make sure they don't run off."
Too tired to argue, Mara closed her eyes, and felt the warmth of their bond wrap around her.