| << Stand-In Smuggler | Index | Inner Conflict >> |
| Family Life |
Family Life Foreword: It is nine years since the Battle of Endor; the galaxy is at peace. Leia Organa and Han Solo have married and are the parents of three daughters. Luke Skywalker is a married father of two and is fulfilling his promise to pass the Force on to others by training students.
"Okay, now try it."
Luke Skywalker watched carefully as his student pressed the button on his newly constructed lightsaber. When nothing happened, the teenager frowned and lowered his head.
"Don't worry about it." Luke consoled, placing a hand on Nikk's shoulder. "Just keep trying, it will work."
"Sometimes I don't think it ever will." Nikk grumbled, sitting cross-legged on the ground. He began pulling up grass and letting the wind blow it out of his hand. "I feel like I'm failing you."
"No Nikk." Luke said kneeling beside him. "You're not failing me. Maybe you're just trying too hard. Don't concentrate so much on the wiring. Let the Force guide your hands."
"Okay." Nikk's voice was filled with fresh determination. "I'll try it!"
"No." Luke instructed sharply. "Never try. When you only try it means you're only hoping that it will work. When you do, it means that you will believe it will. Do you understand?"
Nikk nodded silently.
"Good now..." Luke stopped. There were screams. He and the boy whirled around to see three children racing toward them. Luke didn't get a chance to stand before two little arms were flung around his neck and a black head of hair pressed against his shoulder.
"Daddy, Daddy, help!" Four year old Kira begged, clinging to her father. "Maryssa and Anaria are going to get me!"
Luke smiled as his nieces ran up, stopping before he and his daughter. Han and Leia's nine year old twins looked dutifully innocent.
"Really? Well maybe I should let them get you!" Luke teased, tickling his daughter playfully.
"No, please!" Kira squealed as her father persisted despite her wriggling. Her cousins just stood silently, watching.
Nikk looked away... at the sky, the trees, his boots, anything. Seeing his serious Jedi Master playing with his daughter wasn't that unusual but he didn't want to appear amused, even if he was.
"Where is your brother?" Luke asked Kira, kissing her forehead before releasing her. It was unusual to see Kira apart from her twin." I though you two were playing together."
"He's playin' with Maia." Kira answered, mussing her father's hair absent-mindedly, "So I came out to play with Maryssa and Anaria."
"What?" Luke stood suddenly, gazing toward frown. "You mean those two are all alone?" His four year old namesake and his sister's youngest were two of a kind when it came to mischief.
"I dunno..." Kira responded with a shrug.
With a sigh, Luke turned to his student.
"I'm sorry, Nikk. That's it for today. It looks like I have to find my son before he gets Maia into trouble.... or visa versa."
Fine Sir." Nikk replied, fighting the urge to laugh, he wanted to get away before Luke noticed.
The Jedi turned his full attention to his daughter.
"Alright. Where are they playing and where is your mother? I thought she was watching you while I worked with Nikk?"
"Mama's with Aunt Leia." Kira announced as they began walking, Maryssa and Anaria skipping ahead.
"Yeah, Mom said the babies were kicking her today."Maryssa volunteered.
"And she asked Aunt Kirowin to help her with her exercises." Anaria finished for her sister.
"Oh." Luke smiled." Well that's where your brother should be. Come on Kira." he urged, as she dawdled in a patch of wildflowers.
When Luke and the children reached the Solo's home they could hear the laughing and screaming before they reached the door.
He stepped inside and gasped.
Toys, books and papers were thrown all over the floor, and sitting in the middle of it all were his son and his niece. From the looks of things the four year olds had had a grand time destroying the Solo's living room.
Kira, struggling to get out of her father's arms, smiled. Her blue eyes widening with anticipation. When Luke put her down she ran over to her brother, picked up a box and dumped it's contents onto the floor, adding to the pile.
Luke had never seen such a mess in his life. Maryssa and Anaria shrugged their shoulders in sympathy and ran to join the other children.
"I don't believe this ... " The Jedi muttered to himself.
Shaking his head, he left the kids alone and strode through the mess to reach the door on the opposite side of the room.
He opened it and couldn't help but smile. His wife and his sister were on the floormats doing their pre-natal exercises.
"Oh, hi Luke!" Leia breathed, glancing up at her brother with a grimace. She thanked the Maker she wouldn't have to do the hated exercises much longer.
"I thought you had training today?" Kirowin puffed, rising to join her husband.
"I did...." Luke explained, sliding his arm around her, "Until Kira interrupted me."
"Oh!" Kirowin smiled knowingly.
"Hey....will one of you help me up?" Leia called, struggling to get to her feet. "It's not easy to move when you'r eight months pregnant."
With Luke and Kirowin's help she got to the bed."
"Oh, that's much better, thanks."
Luke stood grinning down at his sister.
"Leia, you're absolutely huge!"
"Well, thank you!" Leia smirked. "Just you wait. Kirowin will be "huge" in a few months too!"
"Yeah, I know!" Luke sighed, sounding slightly disappointed. "That's what I hate. You women get so big I can't even get my arms around you- plus you take up too much of the bed!"
Kirowin's mouth dropped open as Leia laughed.
"You like it when I'm pregnant!" she teased. "There's more of me to hold. As for the bed....you don't need more than a quarter of it anyway!" With a sigh she sat beside Leia to pat her abdomen. " I can't wait for these two. Twin boys ... I wonder if they will be identical?"
"Probably." Leia smiled.
"I hope not." Luke disagreed.
"Han is anxious for these two to arrive." Leia shifted to a more comfortable position." He's been wanting a boy for a long time."
" But how does he feel about getting another girl with the boy?" Luke chuckled, sitting in a nearby chair pulling Kirowin onto his lap.
"He says another girl is okay," Leia answered. "But, he want's another boy after this."
"Leia!" Luke blurted in amazement. "You're going to have five kids and you want more than that! You're crazy! We're stopping after these two." He squeezed his wife affectionately." Four kids are enough for me."
Well," Kirowin said, turning to look at him. "I may have something to say about that. I've always wanted a big family."
She and Leia traded looks and Leia was aout to speak when they heard Han's voice in the other room."
Uh-oh..." Luke groaned.
"What's this!" Han roared, surveying the damage.
Four brown heads turned to look at him. Kira and Luke jr. stared at the disarray they had created.
Their Daddy had never yelled at them that loudly!
"Daddy!" Maia cried, jumping up to run to her father. Yelling was part of everyday life at the Solo's. She wasn't scared.
"What happened here?" Han softened, directing his attention to his two older daughters as he pointed to the jumble of toys, pillows and shoes spread about the living roam. Before they could answer, Luke and Kirowin came out of the bedroom.
The women gaped in surprise as they saw the disarray their children had created. Luke simply stood there, grinning. Still amazed at the creative destruction the children had managed in ten short minutes.
Han looked at Luke. Then at the twins, Maryssa and Anaria.
"In all my nine years as a father, I have never seen such a mess! How could you two let this happen? You are supposed to watch your sister when your mother is busy."
"But..." Anaria started to say when Maia interrupted.
"It's my fault, Daddy. Me and Lukie was just playin' while Mommy and Aunt Kirowin were doin' their exercises."
"Then, Maia continued," Uncle Luke, Kira, Maryssa and Anaria came in and...
"OH!" Han growled, turning to Luke. "YOU let them do this."
Luke started to protest but Leia waddled over and spoke instead.
"Alright, all of you! Start picking up. I want everything off the floor understard?"
"Yes, Mama."
"Yes, Aunt Leia." The children obeyed immediately. "Yes, Mom."
Han and Luke just shook their heads.
"They didn't even argue with her." The Corellian whispered to the Jedi,
In short order, the Solo's living room was straightened. Luke and Kirowin had decided it best to take their children home before round two could begin.
"To bed!" Leia ordered her children, pointinq to their rooms,after the family members, had gone."
"Aw, Mom!" Anaria whined.
"Daddy," Maia pleaded, her brown eyes wide with hope. "But I'm not sleepy."
"Maia." Leia repeated sternly, giving them the stern look that said she was in no mood to argue.
"Alright..." Meryssa obeyed reluctantly. She grabbed both of her sisters and pulled them toward their bedrooms.
Kirowin Skywalker picked up her four year old son and set him in bed, pulling the coverlet up over him.
"Alright, time to turn in." She whispered, kissing him tenderly. "Your sister was asleep before her head hit the pillow."
"Goodnight Mama." The little boy yawned.
"Goodnight honey." Kirowin moved aside for Luke to kiss his son as well.
"Night. Go to sleep now." The Jedi whispered.
Kirowin peeked around the covers at her sleeping daughter. She kissed her gently, then she and Luke walked to their bedroom. Once there, Luke dropped, exhausted, into the nearest chair.
Kirowin had put on her nightgown and moved to stand behind Luke's chair. Urging him to move forward slightly, she began massaging her husband's neck and back.
"Tired?" She asked.
"Um-hmm. Ah...that feels good."
Kirowin stopped and slid her arms around his bare shoulders to hug him close.
"You feel good." She whispered.
Luke turned around slightly to look into her beautiful, green eyes. Kirowin smiled as he stood up and walked around the chair to face her. He laced his fingers through her hair, pulling her face to his, he kissed her. A few seconds later he released her, similing seductively.
"I..." Kirowin began. But he put a finger to her lips. Silencing her. With a shake of his head, he walked her backward toward the bed.
She stopped a few inches from it, took his hands from her hair and placed them at her waist. Sliding her fingers throught the soft glow of his hair, she drew him down for a fierce kiss, then fell backward on the bed, giggling. Before Luke could follow, he heard the bedroom door open. Luke Jr. stood in the doorway, a tiny fist rubbing his eyes.
"I had a nightmare, Daddy." The little boy sniffled in a frightened voice.
Luke walked over to his son as Kirowin slid off the bed, straightening her nightgown.
"What was it about?" The Jedi asked softly as he knelt.
"There was a big man in black and he was fightin' with you. You were fightin' with your lightsabers."
"That wasn't a nightmare, son." Luke explained after thinking a minute. "What you saw was the past. You saw what happened when I fought Darth Vader." Luke stopped there, deciding he wouldn't say anymore about his heritage until his son was old enough to understand.
"I thought he was going to hurt me....or you."
"Oh, no, son." Luke embraced his little boy protectively." He can't hurt you or me, ever! He died ten years ago. He will never hurt you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Daddy.
"Good." Luke smiled."Now do you want me to tuck you in?"
The child started to shake his head but stopped as his sister walked in, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"No, Kira can walk back with me." Luke jr. answered. He took his little sisters hand and led her out of the bedroom.
"You were wonderful with him." Kirowin smiled when Luke turned around.
"I think I'm getting used to this." Luke grinned wryly. "Now," He whispered huskily." Where were we?"
Kirowin slid her arms around his neck, drawing his lips down to hers for a hungry kiss before she pulled him onto the bed.
"Well...?" She murmured into his hair.
The bedrocm lights flicked off.
He remembered.
| << Stand-In Smuggler | Index | Inner Conflict >> |