December 1924

It was cold when Leia awoke in her bed. Not opening her eyes she moved her body closer to the other side of the bed hoping to find the warmth of her husband. Disappointedly, she was met with a coldness, telling her that Han had been out of bed for a while. Finally peeling her eyes open, her blurred vision adjusted to being awake she went back over to her side of the bed and reached over to the clock on the nightstand which read 7 AM. Ah Leia thought it's a race day.

"Mommy, mommy mommy!" broke the silent reverie as Leia's daughter burst into the room before struggling to climb onto the bed. With a giggle, Leia sat up and pulled her daughter onto the warm bed.

"Mommy I waited until the 'wittle' hand was on the seven just like you and daddy told me!" little Jaina said proudly.

"That's right! You're such a smart girl knowing how to tell time," Leia replied, and began blowing raspberries on Jaina's stomach.

"Mommy that tickles!" Jaina laughed and began moving her body away from her motber.

"Alright, alright I'll stop."

"Guess what today is!"

"Hmmmm," Leia faked puzzlement, "it's a Friday!"

"Nooooo, mommy stop tricking me!" came Jaina's indignant reply.

"Oh! I know what today is, it's your daddy's race day!"

"Mommy no!"

With a final laugh Leia decided to end her daughter's mounting frustration, "Sweetie of course I know what today is! Happy Birthday my love!"

"I five year old!" Jaina proudly stated while holding up her palm.

"That you are my little dove."

I can't believe she's five. Leia remembered when Jaina was born. She had decided to give birth in the hospital, which is very much against the norm of the time. She smiles to herself as her memories take her back to Han complaining that he wouldn't be allowed in the room when she have birth.

"Sorry hotshot, I'll have to weather this storm by myself." Han wasn't that far though, when her friend and fellow nurse Shara Bey, kicked Han out of the room and closed the door, Leia heard the scraping of a chair being pulled right outside. Han would be there if she needed him. She couldn't contemplate that thought too long as another painful contraction washed over her. It was all worth it though, as soon as her daughter was placed in her arms. Her angry pink skin, damp hair, and loud wails didn't register to Leia as she drank in Jaina's face. It was still another half hour before Han was allowed back in. Before then, Leia had never seen Han cry before. He didn't bother swiping away the flowing tears staining his face as a look of pure love radiated from his whole being as he held his whole world in his arms, Leia in his left, and Jaina in his right.

"Ah, sweetheart, isn't she- isn't she just perfect."

"Mommy, can I have my present now pwease?" Jaina's voice drew Leia out of her thoughts.

"No you silly goose! Daddy and I will give you your present together and we have to wait for the race to be over! Besides, your present isn't in the house anyway."

A puzzled expression came over Jaina as she crawled over to Leia sitting on her knees.

"So it's not my new sib- um…, Jaina struggled with the difficult word that she heard her parent's use so often, "my new sivling?"

Leia chuckled, "That would be sibling my sweet. And no. The baby won't be here until June, remember?"

"Ohhhhh."

Han and Leia had decided to expand their little family and give Jaina another playmate. It hadn't taken long for Leia to get pregnant which was slightly disappointing to her as she wanted to have more fun trying.

"What can I say sweetheart? I'm an excellent shot!" Han's words echoed in Leia's ears as she fought back a grin.

"Now come on, you want to see the end of the race right?"
Thoughts of her birthday present quickly flew from her mind as Jaina jumped off of the bed while tugging Leia with her as they both rushed to get dressed and make their way over to Main Street.

The cold was strong in Han's face as the wind striked his body and the sled pulled him further along the trail. While he was bundled in his snow gear, including goggles to protect his eyes, it was still bitterly cold outside. With a quick glance behind him, Han saw the lead dogs of his brother-in-law's sled. Not wanting to lose this race, and mosty wanting to make Jaina proud that her dad won on her birthday, Han issued out a command to the team, "Mush!" followed by a kissing sound, to get them to speed up.

The lead dog, a beautiful husky with a brown coat and a white belly heeded the command and made sure the other dogs followed. Han grinned as the seven dogs immediately began to pick up speed. It was so important to have a good lead dog, and Chewie fit that bill perfectly. The lead dog was responsible for heeding his master's orders and making sure the other dogs on the team followed them. Chewie and Millenia were the two huskies that lived in the house with Han and his wife. Han didn't see a problem with having eight dogs live in the house but Leia was another matter. In the distance he could see the small town of Nome approaching.

Han was a dogsled racer and a breeder of Siberian Huskies. But since dogsled racing didn't pay a lot, Han was a carpenter and he occasionally made deliveries between the towns in Northwest Alaska. But nothing compared to the feeling of racing. He was thankful of Leia's income as a nurse, which helped a lot. The thought of Leia sped Han on even faster as Nome got closer and closer in his vision.

"I can see them mommy I can see them!" Jaina was excitingly shouting and jumping around the edge of the main road where the majority of the town had lined up on both sides to see the outcome of the sled race.

"Just wait till she sees what her birthday present is," Winter mused to Leia.

"Oh, hush you! I don't want to give her any hints!" Leia jokingly chided.

Winter was Luke and Leia's cousin, who had arrived in Nome last week to be there for Jaina's birthday and to help Leia with her pregnancy as it progressed.

"Oh please, look at her. She's oblivious." Jaina was indeed unaware of anything going on excluding the mushers who were coming closer and closer to the finish line.

"Mommy, do you think daddy will win?"

Leia was just about to reply before the question was answered by Han being the first one to cross the finish line with Luke a few seconds behind him.

Jaina gasped, "Yay daddy!" She went to go into the road before Winter pulled her back to safety.

"Be careful Jaina, we have to wait for the other racers to arrive, we don't want you to get trampled by the dogs, right?"

"Okay Aunt Winter," the little girl conceded but her lower lip stuck out in a pout.

"Cheer up little dove, pretty soon you'll see daddy and then you can open your present!" Leia reminded her while grabbing her hand.

With a squeal Jaina began pestering her mother for hints of her present. Engrossed in their conversation, The trio didn't see Han approach Jaina from behind before she let out a shriek as Han lifted her up onto his shoulders, Chewie and Millenia at his side.

"Happy Birthday princess!" Han croond to his daughter.

"Daddy! You won, you won, you won!"

"Well of course I did! What, did you think Uncle Luke was going to beat me?"

"Very funny Han," a new voice piped in as Luke Skywalker strolled up to the group.

"Uncle Luke!" Jaina began kicking her feet against Han's chest begging to be let down so she could greet her uncle. Han was quick to comply and Jaina ran up to Luke and gave him a hug.

"Happy Birthday Jaina!" Luke exclaimed while ruffling her hair.

"Uncle Luke, do you know what mommy and daddy got me for my birthday?"

"You know Jaina, what makes you think your mom and dad got you a birthday present?" Luke joked.

"That's not very nice!" Jaina stamped her booted feet on the snow and crossed her arms looking like the spitting image of her mother, thought Han, even down to the braids. Leia herself was in a white snowsuit with a tan vest, and her hair up in braids like a crown wrapped around her head. Jaina was dressed similarly.

"Okay, okay princess, let's go get your present before you blow a gasket."

Jaina's brow furrowed, "Daddy, what's a gas-ket?"

Before Han could answer Leia asked, "Han where are the rest of the team?
"Ah, Wedge lost my bet with him so he's putting them back in the lodge for me."

"You're making Wedge put back his team and yours?" Winter was incredulous.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist Miss Ice Queen. You're just upset that your boyfriend lost."

Winter began sputtering, "Wedge is not my boyfriend!"

"Okay, we're not having this argument again. Come on, let's go give Jaina her present."

"Alright sweetheart." Han leaned in to kiss his wife on the mouth while Jaina covered her eyes in disgust.

"Ew gross."

"Yeah you two, stop kissing and give the girl her gift," Luke joked.

"Okay, say goodbye to Uncle Luke and Aunt Winter, Jaina," Leia told her daughter. "You'll see them later tonight at dinner."

"Bye Uncle Luke, bye Aunt Winter!" Jaina called out to the two as she dragged her parents away, with Leia giving the two an apologetic glance as she was dragged off.

As she glanced back one last time before following her husband and daughter she saw a flash of red embrace her brother in a hug.

"Can I open my eyes now daddy?"

"Almost princess."

The family was in the workshop, where Han had his carpentry business. It was located on Main Street between the post office and the general store.

"How about now?

Han laughed, "Okay, you can open your eyes."

As soon as Jaina opened her eyes, they landed on a hand carved maple sled in the middle of the room.

"A real musher's sled!" Jaina ran over to admire the sled.

"If you have that you'll need one of these," Leia pulled out a fur lined cap, similar to the one that Han wore but this one was yellow with white fur.

"Wow! A real musher's hat!" Jaina put on the cap before running over to Han and Leia, "Thank you, thank you!"

Han helped his daughter tie Chewie and Millenia to the sled.

"Come on Chewie! Mush!" And with that Jaina flew out the door.

"Stay on the sidewalk!" Han yelled out and watched as Jaina shrieked with laughter as she went racing down the street.

"I don't know honey, do you think we should have went with the doll?" Han joked.

Leia smirked at him, "I think she'll learn to like it."

The two were about to kiss before they were interrupted by Rieekan, the town's only doctor, walking into the store.

"I was coming by to wish Jaina a happy birthday but I take it I'll see her later when she's not whipping down the sidewalk."

"Hi Carlist," Leia greeted with a hug. Dr. Rieekan had stepped in as Luke and Leia's father figure after their had parents passed away. He was the only grandfather that Jaina knew.

Han also embraced Rieekan before putting his arm around Leia.

"I wish I had come with just birthday greetings but there is some news that I need to pass on," Rieekan reported as a solemn look appeared on his face.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Han quipped.

"Carlist, what's going on?"

"I got a telegram yesterday from the town of Holy Cross about a little Inuit boy who got sick. I wasn't sure why they were informing me about this until I read the symptoms."

"What were they?" Leia inquired.

"High fever, terrible cough, trouble breathing, and body sores."

Leia's face went white, "Carlist are you trying to to tell me that he has-"

"It's hard to say. I got another telegram this morning that said the boy had passed away. The trouble is, the parents won't let me perform an autopsy so I can't say for certain what he had."

"What are you saying Doc?"

"I'm saying to be careful. You know how quickly sickness spreads. I wouldn't want anything to happen to-"

"Nothing is going to happen to Jaina," Han interjected.

"I know, I know, I just want you two to be careful. And Lelila, you need to watch yourself with the new baby. I know it's hard in our profession but just take extra caution."

"I know, I'll be careful."

Han had had enough with this conversation, "So Carlist, we'll see you tonight at the house?"

"That's right!" Rieekan's tone turned more cheerful, "I look forward to seeing little Jaina, she's gotten so big!"

"I know she'll love seeing you," Leia warmly replied. "I should get back to the house and make it look more presentable."

"On that note, I'll get back to the hospital. Enjoy your day off Leia! And Han, congratulations on winning the race."

With that he walked out the door back to the hospital. Han, spotting Jaina coming back up the walkway, walked outside to slow her down.

"Daddy! I was gonna command them to stop!"

Han laughed, "Next time princess."

"Come on Jaina, you can help me with the house before everyone arrives."

"Mommy do I have to?"

"If the house isn't cleaned we can't have people over and that means no cake."

"No cake!" Jaina got back on the sled where Chewie and Millenia were still tied up. "Come on mommy let's go home and clean!"

Leia quickly kissed Han goodbye, "See you later hotshot."

"Have a good day princess!"

And with that Leia went out the door with Jaina, the latter on her sled, going at a more slow pace so she could still be next to her mom. Jaina began chattering excitedly about what would happen at her party but Leia couldn't help the feeling of dread that was forming in the pit of her stomach as she mulled over the troubling information Rieekan had shared.