Star Wars EU Ships and One-Shots

Mommy's Here

  Jaina's stomach rolled again and she immediately leaned over the bowl. When the contents of her stomach didn't rise up her throat, she let out a sigh of relief and sat back on her knees. She waited to make sure she was done, took deep breaths, tried to calm herself so she could stand again. She wanted to get up, rejoin her mother for an afternoon of shopping, but the queasiness remained and wasn't sure she was ready to stand, yet.

  "Jaina?" she heard her mother softly call before she came crawling under the stall to sit beside her. "You didn't have to come in," Jaina told her, bringing up a hand to hold her forehead.
  "Maybe not," Leia agreed. "But I will because I can. Do we need to go home?"
  "It's never been as bad as today. I was really hoping we could spend today together-"
  "Jaina, if you can't handle it, I'm going to take you home and I'll stay with you if that's what you want."
  Jaina looked up to meet her mother's gaze and, after a long moment, she nodded. She fell against Leia, her head meeting Leia's shoulder like a head to a pillow and she broke into sobs. "I want to go home," she cried. Leia stroked Jaina's head and slowly pulled her up to her feet. "Let's get going then, alright? We'll get you home so you can take it easy." Jaina leaned against her mother as they made it out of the shopping center refresher and Leia hurried her to their speeder, leaving for home.

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  Leia was sitting on one end of Kyp and Jaina's love seat with Jaina lying in her lap. She pulled her daughter's hair back into a pony and left an empty frozen cream bucket at Jaina's feet. The holoscreen was left off and Leia relished the quietness, the chance to talk with Jaina. It felt weird, though. The galaxy was facing a turn of age and peace and, for the first time in forever, Leia had time. And plenty of it. As did Jaina and her and Kyp's first child was the result of it.
  "I'm glad you're here," Jaina told her.
  "Why wouldn't I be?"
  "No, I didn't mean it like that. Well, I did, but I meant it more like . . . I'm glad I have you here. I'm glad I have someone here to help me through this and tell me how this whole parenthood thing works." She brought her hands up to her stomach which was already showing, already bulging out quite a bit. "And pregnancy. I know you didn't have that and it makes me appreciate it even more; having you here." Leia smiled, half sadly, half out of feeling so touched by her daughter's words of gratitude and understanding. "Going through it now," Jaina continued. "I can't imagine going through this without help. I don't even want to think about it."
  "Hey, I figured it out. Eventually. I mean, I may have messed up your childhood trying to figure it out, but you're still alive, right?"
  Jaina chuckled.
  "I guess that's why I've been trying so hard to help you with everything," Leia explained and admitted, finishing up with Jaina's braid. "I remember what it was like to go through this, feeling that new sense of responsibility that's like nothing else, trying to figure out what to do while all my friends were taking notes on what to do and what not to do from me. I understand how scary it gets and I don't want you to have to go through this like that."
  "And I appreciate the gesture," Jaina said to put her gratitude lightly. Her mother had been right at her side from day one, silencing her every fear and assuring her that her and Kyp would make it out just fine. It all had meant so much to Jaina, she could hardly wait until the day her and Kyp planned on revealing the names they'd already chosen for their children.
  "I just want you to know," Leia finished with simple words that meant so much more. "I just want you to know that . . . Mommy's always here."
  "I know," muttering the very same words to her own daughter and son in her womb. Layton. And Lelila. Mommy's always here.