Star Wars EU Ships and One-Shots

Sick Leave

  Leia was getting tired of all the pointless arguing and bickering. The Provisional Council had been at it for about three hours straight now and no one was any closer to getting their way than when they had started. Leia had given up a while ago, seeing that everyone was too irritated to actually get anything done. She'd put herself to work with running over her reports, going over some last-minute edits, and thinking about every other thing she could be doing right now if she didn't have to be here. Her children came to mind; her five year-old twins and three and a half year-old Anakin. Busy with assignments tasked by her husband's friends, Winter was not watching them today. Instead, Leia and Han had found a decent daycare place and the children were there because Leia refused to have another episode like the last time Threepio had baby-sat.
  Shuddering at the mere thought, Leia suddenly started when her comm rang. The other politicians so deep in their argument, the ring didn't disturb anyone else. Leia quickly slipped out and answered the call. "Organa Solo," she said.
  "Mrs.Solo," a naturally cheery, warm voice responded. "Hello. This is Ferreih from Small Hopes Daycare. Your daughter Jaina has gotten sick and you need to come pick her up as soon as possible, please."
  "Of course," Leia sighed, nodding. "I'm coming."

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  When Leia arrived at the daycare canter, she was quickly greeted by her sons who hurried to tell her how awful their sister was looking. "Jaya face white!" little Anakin told her, pointing back to where a daycare teacher was sitting with Jaina. When Leia looked, sure enough, Anakin was right. Jaina's face was pale and gaunt, her eyes dark with heavy bags. She looked up when Leia approached and uttered a soft, "Hi."

  "Hi, kiddo," Leia responded, her fear mounting. As horrible as it made her feel, Leia still had little parenting experience. Winter had always taken care of the kids and stayed with them on hidden, isolated planets. When faced with even a small weekend visit, Leia was completely out of her comfort zone and overwhelmed with the three children. This new situation in particular was something she'd never dealt with before and it scared her because she had no idea what to do.
  Jaina slowly stood and Leia took her hand, walking out of the daycare. "Let's go home so you can lie down," she told her daughter with Jacen and Anakin following. "Then, maybe, you can eat some crackers and watch your favorite holoshow. How does that sound?" Jaina only nodded, her head leaning against Leia's hip. Leia got the little ones into the speeder drove back home. It was a good half hour drive home . When they did get home, though, Leia went to the back door to check on Jaina and was shocked to see Jaina looking even worse. Leia bit back a  gasp, taking a breath and holding her arms out to Jaina. "Hey, sweetie. Why don't I just carry you, okay? Yeah, I'll carry you upstairs. Does that sound better?"

  Jaina gave a moan in response. Leia picked her up and ascended the staircase to their apartment, careful not to jostle her as she went. Leia handed her keys to Jacen to unlock the door and brought Jaina straight to her bed. She laid her down, tucked her in her blankets and told her, "I'm going to change really quick, alright? I'll be right back."
  She left the boys in the living room to watch cartoons and hurried to change, exchanging her meeting's clothes for sweats and a t-shirt. She went back to Jaina's bedroom. There she found Jaina where she'd left her, but she was now lying in a pool of vomit, her eyes looking dead. She turned up her gaze to meet Leia's and muttered, "I'm sorry I threw up."

  Leia took until then to clam herself. Pulling the sheets off of the bed, she quickly assured her daughter, "No! No, baby, it's okay. It's not your fault. I'm sorry I wasn't here. Let's get you washed up and then maybe we can try some crackers." She pulled Jaina's shirt over her head and dropped it by the door, picking her up. "Wow, honey. You're burning up." Jaina's head lolled, falling to rest against Leia's shoulder. Leia stopped, slowly set her down on her bed again and really looked at her. She looked half dead and Leia was starting to panic. She tried to recall everything her father Bail used to do for her when she got sick, but Jaina seriously looked dead and Leia didn't know what to do. Nervous, she seized her comm from her pocket and keyed in Han's number.
  "Hey, Princess. What's up? I thought you were going to be in meetings this morning-"