TWO HEARTS BEAT AS ONE

(Yes, I stole the title from U2, and everything else from George Lucas. No, I do not make money on this.)

(Leia's POV)

Today is the day that we're going to visit the medic for an ultrasound study. It will be our first chance to see our baby. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. But Han has taken it to another level. He's been walking on air since we found out we're having a baby. There was no way he was going to miss this visit; he even cancelled flight training in order to be there for it.

I'm only working till lunchtime; Han and I will grab a bite to eat and then we'll head over to the medic. I have not yet revealed my condition to those I work with, but I'm not going to be able to disguise the baby bump forever. And at four months, I've already got one. If all goes well at today's appointment, I'll be revealing the fact to everyone.

I just wish I wasn't so tired. I come home from work and I'm ready to fall into bed. Actually, that's not entirely true. I'm ready to fall into bed long before getting home. I asked my Aunt Sola and she said that usually the fourth, fifth and six months are the months where you have a lot more energy compared to the first three and the last three.

If I'm this tired now, I'm going to be sleepwalking in the final trimester.

Han and I are eat some lunch at the Grill and Swill. I'm starving; I could eat every minute of every day.

"I've seen starving Wookiees eat less," he jokes with me. I glare at him, but he smiles. "I'm glad you're not skipping meals."

Actually, I still have to from time to time, but that inevitably results in my raiding the vending devices. It's not a pretty sight.

Han is impatient throughout lunch. "Han, my love, I want to see the baby as much as you do. But you're making me even more twitchy."

"Sorry, sweetheart. I'm just...I can't believe I'm going to get to see our child, the one we made together."

I have to smile at him. Sometimes he's clumsy at romance, but that's when I find it most endearing. And the boyish, lopsided grin on his face always makes my knees turn to goo. I feel myself growing warm all over as he stares at me with his green-gold eyes.

"I think it's pretty amazing that we're sitting here, husband and wife, a new baby on the way. Believe me, sweetheart, if you'd told me this would happen before I met you, I'd have fallen on the floor laughing my ass off."

"I wouldn't have even thought about it. It's not that I don't like kids. I do. But I never even imagined having them with someone before you."

Han toasts me with his cherry and cola flavored concoction, I with my mineral water that tastes of fresh blossoms. "To our baby," he says.

"To our baby," I smile at him and return to devouring my nerfburger with the works. It's delicious. The first three months, I could barely eat, I was so nauseous. I seem to be getting something of a reprieve; I'm still queasy when I wake up, but the vomiting has stopped, and the nausea is gone once I eat something. And then, the eating doesn't stop. At least this month's visit I'll have gained some of the weight; the medic was concerned at last month's visit that I'd barely gained anything. I think I've made up for it, though. Especially since my nerfburger is vanishing way ahead of Han's.

"I want dessert," I inform Han. I know he's been impatiently tapping his feet under the table as he probably did when he was a little boy.

"As long as we get there on time," he says to me.

"Han, we have plenty of time, love."

"I know, I know, I'm just excited."

"I couldn't tell." Han is pretty guarded about his emotions, but this is one time where he can't keep it in. I actually enjoy it. He's going to be a terrific father. I hope I can be half as good as a mother.

I enjoy my dessert, and Han has the check paid before I'm even finished.

"You ready, sweetheart?" Han asks me.

"I hope so."

"This is going to be great!"

Of course, there is always the prospect of something going terribly wrong, and because of my hyperemesis gravida in the first three months, I am worried. Han keeps assuring me that our baby is perfectly fine, and to hold on to that 'Solo luck.'

Don't get me wrong, I'm terribly excited to see our baby for the first time. Will the baby look like Han or like me? Will it be a boy or a girl? What kinds of talents will she or he have? Will he or she be excitable or placid?

Han hates medics more than just about anything, save for bounty hunters and journalists, but he doesn't seem to have that on his mind right now. He just keeps smiling and squirming like an anxious schoolboy. Under the best of circumstances, Han can barely sit still, but he's exceptionally animated today. He's ten years my senior but I think he'd be mistaken for the younger partner today.

We're brought in to measure my vitals, and the nurse droid is pleased that I've gained five pounds.

"You should see her eat," Han says, grinning.

"That's good," we're informed. "We were a little concerned before, but you're looking healthy." We're sent back to the waiting area.

It seems like forever, but we're finally ushered into a room where the visualization equipment is located. I'm instructed by the medical droid, who's been programmed with a very pleasant voice, to lie down and expose the surface of my belly. She places some cool gel on it, which makes me shiver. Han clasps my hand.

"Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" the droid asks. "We may not be able to tell today, but if we can, the decision is yours."

I look at Han. He shrugs.

"Let's wait and see," I say. The droid runs a probe over my abdomen, which is clearly enlarged.

"I don't think you're going to be able to kid anyone at work anymore," Han says, looking at the stretched surface of my skin.

"I know, I'm not fooling anyone at this point." The room lights are dimmed for getting a better view. The probe isn't painful, but she has to press with some force.

"Sounds good...wait a moment."

Han and I look at each, sudden terror striking both of our faces.

"Don't be alarmed," she says soothingly. "There seems to be two babies in here. Listen, you can hear two heartbeats." We listen, and sure enough, we can hear a pair of heartsounds. She runs the probe more and it becomes evident that we have two babies.

"It's twins?" Han gasps.

"It's twins," the droid confirms. "Leia, you are a twin, according to your history."

"I am."

"That greatly increased the chances of your having twins. I'll try to get a look and see if you have two girls, two boys, or one of each, so bear with me." She does some more angles, keeps moving the probe over me.

"I don't think I can tell what sex they are today, but next time, when they're bigger, we should be able to."

"But there's definitely two in there," Han asks, his voice a little anxious.

"Yes, there are two babies. Congratulations."

I'm in a daze. It was enough of a shock finding out I was a twin, but now I'm having twins.

"You ready for this?" I ask Han as we make our exit.

"Two kids...at once?"

"That's why they're called twins."

"Hmm. I think I'm going to be busy building a second crib."