The Morning After is a follow up to Surprises and Sweets that will tie in and include some references to a darker storyline that I have in the back of my head. I will eventually put it down in its entirety at some time in the future, hopefully. But for now...

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The sensation of baby Solo rolling inside the princess drew her out of a light state of slumber. Leia winced and shifted at the uncomfortable jab of what was most likely an elbow or foot, pushing up insistently underneath her ribs. She took a few shallow breaths and smiled as her daughter's movements changed to slower stretches, seemingly returning to calmness. Placing her hand on her belly, Leia reached out with her mind to enfold her daughter in loving reassurance. Mommy loves you so much, sweetie, but let me rest a little bit more; we're guaranteed to have another busy day ahead of us...

There was no chance of falling back asleep again, but resting - without someone jumping on the bed or having tiny fingers trying to pry her eyelids open – was a rare treat not to be squandered. Even Joakim, who usually would be calling for her from the nursery, was still surprisingly silent.

Take advantage of this while you can. So the princess convinced herself to recline a while longer before her mind would inevitably start bombarding her with tasks on a to-do list that never seemed to shorten. As she pulled a crumpled sheet underneath her arms, Leia's attention was brought to her husband's snoring form next to her. She successfully muffled a giggle against a pillow, studying Han with amusement; he was the picture of satiated contentment, lying on his back and sprawled out across the pile of tangled sheets, with his lips occasionally curling upward at the edges.

Last night had been awe-inspiring, and not just the Surprise and Sweeting activities for the little ones; the tender lovemaking they had shared, after the children had been tucked away for bedtime, had been absolutely phenomenal.

But even more important was the fact that over the past several months Han had been true to his word. No alcohol. Not one drop. And everything has been wonderful between us...

While watching the rise and fall of his chest in peaceful slumber, Leia ruminated on the events from roughly seven months ago. Liquor had become a dangerous fuel that fed Han's explosive temper, during a period of time that had been the lowest point in their marriage. And some of my poor decisions added to the fire; still that was no excuse for...

The princess took a cleansing breath and clamped her eyes shut for a lengthy period of time, hoping to suppress the painful memories now returning to squeeze again and again at her heart. Han's work-calloused hands, gently rubbing up and down her arm drew Leia's eyes open to focus on his disheveled countenance staring down at her.

"You okay?" Han inquired with furrowing eyebrows as he brushed a few stray hairs away from her beautiful face. In the back of his mind he wondered if his wife had been having a bad dream – and if that dream involved him.

The princess' bright smile was the distraction she hoped it would be to her husband, breathing a mental sigh of relief while watching his facial features relax and a familiar, crooked smile return to his lips. Their relationship was well on the course of mending, and she wanted a respite from wading through the misery of earlier months.

"Your daughter was kicking me in the ribs, that's all," Leia groused with a light giggle before burying her cheek against his broad chest and inhaling deeply. "And...I was thinking that we had better stop procrastinating and finally choose a name for our baby."

Han carefully draped her long cascade of velvet hair over the back of a pillow before gathering Leia in his arms. Her protruding belly pressed against his, and he chuckled at the sensation of their daughter pushing back against his stomach, a subtle hint she would be entering the world soon. "I guess we have some time to negotiate right now, since the kids are still sleeping - even Joakim hasn't hollered out for you." Han shook his head incredulously at the fact that the chubby eighteen month old still hadn't figured out how to escape the confines of the crib yet; his siblings were first rate escape artists by that age.

"Up until this point, you haven't exactly been very helpful in the name-selection process," Leia chided while playfully poking him in the ribs.

"I'm sticking by my guns this time. I want you to decide, Sweetheart - you let me name Joakim," Han reminded Leia as his fingers continued ghosting over the stretched-taut skin of her abdomen.

"I thought of a first name the other day... Mia-eille," the princess suggested, eyes misting with expectation at Han's response to her choice. It wasn't necessary for her to translate Han's native language, but she did anyway. "Beloved, forever. She's a blessing to us, a gift," Leia reiterated through a tearful smile. She watched the wave of emotions roll across her spouse's features, the significance of the name apparently not lost on him.

Han swallowed the lump forming in his throat before leaning over to touch his lips to hers. "I think it's a perfect name for her," he croaked, with the last few words catching on his tongue. He dropped his gaze to examine their intertwined fingers, playing with the fire ruby ring he had given Leia so many years ago...

The same ring she had thrown at him, along with the empty bottle of Corellian Reserve he had drained that horrendous night - the sordid images of his reaction to her ultimatum forever burnt into his conscience. "You're my life - I can't live without you, without the kids."

Cradling his face in her palms, Leia's thumbs stroked his prickly cheeks and coaxed his eyes back to hers. Their relationship, from the beginning, had always been...complicated. "I'll always love you. You know that, don't you?"

"Always?" He asked quietly, as a haunted shadow deepened his hazel eyes.

Leia smiled, nodding wordlessly before pulling him into a series of tender kisses that quickly intensified. They were interrupted by a noticeable tremoring of their oversized bed and a collection of high-pitched giggles, hastily untangling themselves to find Bailey, Jacen and Jaina bouncing near the bottom of the mattress.

"Morning!" "Whatcha doin'?" "Time to get up!" a chorus of exuberant voices erupted, intermixed with squeals as they began hopping their way across the mattress. Han Jr. trailed into the master bedroom holding Joakim's plump hand in his and proudly boasting to everyone, "I helped Joakim out of his crib." He wedged a shoulder underneath his brother's diaper and hoisted the toddler up onto the bed before joining his siblings in the clutter of blankets and sheets.

"C'mon up here by your mamma and I, and settle down before somebody falls off and breaks their neck," Han warned the rambunctious swarm of children, but couldn't help smirking in amusement.

Joakim wobbled across limbs and pillows to Leia's outstretched arms, climbing in her lap to snuggle against her for his typical morning nursing – more so out of habit, verses nutrition. With a pang of sympathy for her son, she silently mused, I'm going to have to wean him soon, especially with Mia-eille coming. Returning his sweet smile, Leia stroked his cheek lovingly before he latched onto her nipple again, plump fingers playing with mommies long hair.

From behind her back, Jaina produced The Little Lost Bantha Cub book, offering it to her daddy to read. The clan crowded around Han, for what was always an animated story telling session, but their entertainment was interrupted by their mother's astonished voice.

"I smell...chocolate...and Breanut Butter bars...and Gummy Gundarks," Leia sniffed, eyes widening in recognition. She shook her head incredulously while meeting Han's confused stare. "No wonder you haven't been clamoring for breakfast," she tilted her head sideways at her guilty looking children with narrowing eyes. "You've gotten into your Surprises and Sweets candy bags this morning, haven't you?" she mildly admonished them with a tiny frown.

It was Jaina that provided the first explanation for their early morning snack. "We wanted to taste jus' a l'il bit, Mommy," she implored sweetly while holding up two little fingers especially close for emphasis.

"And we needed to make sure the candy was still fresh," added Han Jr. "And that Daddy didn't eat too many of our treats," Bailey finished with Jacen vigorously nodding in agreement.

"Wait a second, I don't do that – well, not too often, anyway," Han sheepishly defended his occasional penchant for sweets.

Leia raised a knowing eyebrow at him, skeptically clucking, "Riiiiiiight," before taking a closer look at her children's tiny hands and the edges of their mouths, all of which betrayed signs of milk chocolate indulgences.

"How much was "a little?" Han inquired while desperately fighting to keep a straight face. Han Jr's and Bailey's downturned expressions told him it was more than a few bites. "We're sorry," they answered forlornly in tandem as Joakim giggled, unaware and unaffected by his sister and brother's antics.

"After I finish this story, I'm gonna make all of you a decent breakfast - and you better eat it without complaining. That includes you too, Junior," Han insisted firmly, with a low chuckle following close behind. "Now, get up here," he directed his children, patting his lap with a grin. They all happily re-arranged themselves on his legs or next to him, with Bailey piping up, "Can you make waffles?"

So started another day in the Solo household...

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thanks for reading and reviewing! ox