The More the Merrier

The landscape was fresh, clean, covered with a heavy blanket of snow that had been accumulating for days on Valeria. The striking Willasa trees that lined the path leading to the grand home, looked like mythic figures, as their thick, graceful limbs lowered under the weight of the new snow and ice cycles dripped in glorious display.
The speeder maneuvered through the drifts and soon the rising figure of the large white house loomed into view. It's massive pillars sheltered the deep porch from the full effects of the winter charm, but frost nipped at all windows and a sense of peace and warmth radiated through the Force as the family approached.

"Jeez Kid, I think this house gets bigger every time we visit." Han quipped as the speeder stopped close to the front.

"It does." Luke smiled back. "Mara had an addition put on in the spring. Remember?"

"Yeah, well, if Leia and I were making additions like you and Mara then I would be building on too."

A deep blush covered the blonde man's face and Han laughed heartily at the image.

"Oh Han, leave him alone." Leia intervened on her brother's behalf. "Come on sweetheart. Your brothers and sister are waiting for us." Stepping down and taking the small hand of her daughter, the former Princess smiled smugly at her husband and started for the front door.
Luke chuckled and ran after his twin, anxious to get back to Mara and to share the holiday with his family.

Entering the spacious hallway, Leia and Han were accosted by three young teens that bounded toward them enthusiastically.

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

"I knew the weather wouldn't stop dad." Jaina squealed and jumped into her fathers waiting arms.

"Hey." A pouting girl with long, straight blond hair and large hazel eyes looked up expectantly.

"What's wrong squirt? Think we forgot our little sister?" Anakin asked and picked the child up with ease, twirling her through the air.
"Why don't you guys show your parents to their rooms? I'm sure they want to get settled." Luke interjected amidst the flurry of embraces and greetings.

"Sure, and you probably can't wait to go in and see if Aunt Mara managed without you for the last hour." Jacen quipped with his father's easy grin.

"Hey now, don't go teasing your Uncle." Han added with mock sincerity. "You know how fragile his wife is. I'm sure she's fallen to pieces in his absence."

Loud gales of laughter sounded from all three Solo males and Leia shook her head in defeat as she ruffled the hair of her oldest son.
"Come on you two." The small woman directed at her sons. "Help your father with our luggage."

"Me?" Han pointed to his chest with a great look of confusion.
"Yes you," his wife countered good-naturedly and turned to go up the stairs. "Tell Mara we'll be down in a few minutes Luke."

"Will do," he called after and noticed that his small niece was attempting to hide behind his legs. "Hey, what's this?" he asked as he bent to the child's level.

"I wanna see Aunt Mawra and the giwrls, I don't wanna west."
"Ohhhhh, I see." Luke smiled. "Well come on, let's hurry and I bet your mommy doesn't notice."

"Okay," she whispered conspiratorially.

Taking the girls hand Luke moved through the large rooms that opened into one another and maneuvered them to the skillfully designed doors that separated the living room and kitchen. Rich wood and brilliant glass formed an intricate pattern and the side control brought a sudden gush of air as the double doors slid out of sight and revealed the harmonic picture within.

"Dahlia!" Luke's second child called and ran from her mother's side to greet the young cousin.

"Pad..." The fierce hug knocked the words from the youngster and she found herself covered with luxuriant auburn locks as her cousin hugged her tightly.

Luke looked up and saw his wife rub her protruding stomach as she placed a decorated cookie on the tray of the hover chair holding their youngest son. His chubby hand took the offered treat and he smiled softly up at the beautiful woman as he attempted to shove the entire cookie in his small mouth.

His twin sons were seated on high stools and leaning heavily over the middle island. Their identical blonde heads were close together as they attempted to decorate the tray of cookies Mara had placed before them. Covering his laughter with his hand, Luke noted that more of the icing was on their small faces than was actually making it onto the cookies. However, Mara didn't seem to mind and kissed a stray lock as she passed them.

His oldest daughter was seated on the counter near her mother and stirred a large bowl diligently. She looked up with emerald orbs that always brought a smile to her father's face and grinned.
"We're helping Mommy."

"Good girl," he said and moved over to the counter to sample the baked goods. "I knew I could count on you to look out for her while I was gone."

Two pair of identical green eyes rolled simultaneously at the blonde man.

"Oh Daddy,"

"What?" he inquired easily.

"Mommy can always take care of herself."

"And Daddy can always worry." Luke concluded with a chuckle and circled his wife's waist.

"Yes, he's very good at that," Mara quipped and placed a kiss on his cheek as he leaned over her shoulder and took a bite of candy.
"Aunt Mawra."

"Hi," Mara stooped, though Luke frowned, and hugged the child.
"I don't wanna west." Shaking her head, her golden locks, inherited from her uncle brushed back and forth.

"I know how that is." Mara deadpanned and gave Luke a withering look. "Why don't you help us with the Chrolish cookies?"

"Oh yea!" The tike cheered.

"You can help....".

"Not us," Lars turned to look at the petite child next to his mother. "We don't wike giwrls."

"Lars." The tone of her voice was all it took and the tike furrowed his brow and turned back to his twin.

"She can help me." The voice of their second born child called.
"That's my girl." Mara praised and then picked her niece up gingerly as Luke's eyes widened in fright

"Mara!" Moving quickly behind his wife he pulled his niece from her arms.

"I'm not an invalid farmboy," she countered.

"You're about to give birth," his voice rose in apprehension.

"I've given birth to five children before, I think I've proven I'm above all this pregnancy frailty."

"Then humor me."

"Daddy, we're over here." The voice of his auburn haired angel called from the table where an explosion of dough and cookie cutters met his eyes.

Shaking his head, he saw his wife's hand in the order that kept his large family sane. She had a station for each child, with a task and encouraging words to keep them focused. It never ceased to amaze him how she managed them all with what seemed like ease.

"I have several cleaning droids to help out," she quipped, hearing his thoughts.

Artoo rolled past as Luke placed Dahlia next to his daughter and Tianus bounded in to add to the merriment.

"Hi Uncle Luke." The boy called with his father's smile.

"Tianus, would you hand me that canister?" Mara asked, not turning around.

"Sure Aunt Mara."

"Tianus wook!" Lars prompted, pointing to a large cookie he had just finished.

"Looks good. Can I eat it?"

"Um...." The little blonde head lowered as he pondered his cousin's request. "Wewl, um....it's my bestest one....um....okay."

"Nah," Tianus rubbed the boy's head and pulled a stool up next to him. "Maybe we should save it and show it to Uncle Macor. You know how he loves cookies."

"Okay!" Lars agreed excitedly.

Mara leaned down next to her son and kissed his cheek.

"It was nice of you to offer though, sweetheart."

"I wove Tianus." Lars looked up at her matter-of-factly.

"I know you do," she winked at her nephew and squeezed her son's shoulder.

"I'll be a Hutt." Han Solo bellowed as he walked into the kitchen. "Who would have thought you to be the domestic type Jade?" Laughter followed but was cut short as Mara turned her infamous glare on the tall Corellian.

Still, Han couldn't help appreciating the vision she made. It was a far cry from the Mara Jade he had met so many years ago. A deep blue leather skirt hit her a little higher than mid-thigh, revealing two shapely legs, which were covered in matching tights and leather boots. Her rounded stomach was covered in a soft blue sweater that hugged her breasts slightly but gave a little room around her expanding waist. Long curls were pulled back with a scarf and she somehow looked younger than the first time they had met.

He shook his head and patted his brother-in-law on the back as he took a seat next to his niece and daughter.

"No wonder you got so many kids running around, Kid." The emphasis on the nickname struck the Corellian as humorous. "With a wife that looks like that..." A low whistle rang out through the kitchen.
Luke smiled proudly and peeked over his shoulder to catch another vision of his love.

Just then two twelve-year old boys ran into the kitchen and stopped abruptly next to Mara.

"Aunt Mara, can we take the speeder bikes down to the pond?"
"Boys, I've warned you not to be running in here. Your Aunt is pregnant and..."

"Go." She interrupted, knowing that no one wanted another lecture from her husband. "But Obadi I don't want any Force tricks when you're down there, it isn't safe."

"But..."

"I said no."

"Aunt Mara," Anakin tried, knowing his Aunt sometimes couldn't resist his charms.

"Pregnant or not boys, if I find out you were on that pond doing Force shoves and flips I'll make you both one with the Force."

"And I'll help her." Leia responded from the kitchen door.

"You two have been out maneuvered." Han chuckled and shared a smile with his brother-in-law.

"Don't worry boys, it's happened to the best of us." Luke added with merriment.

The boys moved, a little dejectedly, to the closet and retrieved their coats and hats.

"Be back by supper." Mara called as they walked out the door. "Don't you want to go too?" she asked her nephew as he helped Lars paint another cookie.

"No," he returned shyly, "I'd rather help you."

Mara swept a streak of flour from the boys nose and sent a wave of love to him. Though his father had remarried years before, and he loved his stepmother very much, Mara still held the sacred position of mother to the three youngsters who first showed up on her doorstep so many years ago.

"Mara, this all looks amazing." Leia complimented as she walked through the cacophony of children to her sister-in-law. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Ah come on, honey. We want to be able to eat this eventually."
Leia cut her husband a withering glare as she hugged Mara.

"Hey Solo," Mara spoke up. "Where's your oldest son?"

"I don't know, Jade," the mischievous glint in his eyes spoke volumes. "Where's your niece?"

"I don't know," she returned effortlessly. "Where are my brother's?"
A terrified look crossed the Corellians face as he looked to his best friend.

"Hey Kid, where's Jacen?"

"Come on," the young man responded. "We better go find him before the Kenobi brother's find him."

"Seriously, Mara, you should be sitting. Let me help with something." Leia insisted as the men left the room.

"You sound like your brother." Mara returned and bent to retrieve something from the large ceramic cooker.

"Leia help her with that."

"I already am, Luke. Now go save my son and keep him out of trouble, Master." Her dark eyes were filled with mirth during the exchange, appreciating her brother's protective nature that had doubled since his marriage to Mara.

"Aunt Mara we're back!" A flurry of jet-black tresses scurried past.
"I can see that."

"Mommy is coming. The baby fell asleep. Can I do what Qua...."
"Whoa!" Mara caught the child as she slid on some spilled liquid.
Tianus was up and behind his Aunt instantly, prepared to brace her fall if necessary.

"It's alright, Tianus." Mara admitted as she tried to disentangle Macor's daughter from her legs. "Sweetheart, why don't you go tell Artoo to change the disk for us and then you can help out in here."
"Okay." Another flurry of black raced past.

"I wish I had her energy." Leia chuckled.

"She takes after her father."

"Mommy, come look." Dahlia called from the table.

Leia took a seat between the two girls and was pleased when her beautiful niece smiled softly. She had worked very hard to make up for the wrongs she had done and in the past few years had done everything she could to become closer to Luke's daughters.

Both girls favored their mother, in looks and in spirit. They were miniature versions of Mara Jade, and being one year apart could pass for twins if it weren't for the differences in their coloring.

"Aunt Mara, he changed it." The raven streak called once more.

"Thank you," kissing the tike on the head, she helped her up next to her daughter.

"Luke wouldn't like that," A voice called from the doorway.

"Not you too." Mara responded and directed a droid to a mess her sons had just spilled onto the tile floor again.

"Hi Leia," The newcomer called as she walked over to the baby in the hover chair and took one of his hands to play in her own. "This kid looks more like my husband everyday. Be glad you're his sister or I'd be suspicious."

"Speaking of babies," Leia replied.

"He's in the hover cradle in the next room. I thought this gang might be a little too hyper for him until he's done with his nap."
"Where's Vasyinn?" Mara inquired as she took a tray from her sons and replaced it with another.

"He's with his father."

"Thank the Force." Leia breathed.

"What was that?" Violet eyes turned to consider the strange remark.
"Oh, I just meant that..."

"I think Leia is relieved that Macor isn't out hunting down her son."
"Oh." A knowing look crossed the beautiful woman's face. "Yeah, well, the boys don't seem to be handling Ma-Laun's dating age well."

"That's the understatement of the century." Mara quipped and was amused when her baby son laughed gleefully along with her. "Oh, so you've noticed too, huh?"

"I think he likes your laugh, Aunt Mara." Tianus offered with a crooked smile.

"He likes my cookies." Ben deadpanned, causing the women in the room to laugh loudly.

"I'm glad the weather didn't keep you all from coming, Leia." The sultry voice added warmth to the room and baby Win-Cor cooed at the sound.

"So am I. And who knows, with any luck we'll celebrate Chrolish and the birth of another Skywalker."

"Don't rush her." Mara interjected as she slowly rubbed her stomach and took a seat next to her twin sons. "This kid has a schedule all her own."

Ben turned and rubbed his mother's stomach as well, which elicited a smile from the woman.

"She likes me." He said with pride.

"You think so?" Mara teased.

"Mm-hmmm." He nodded conclusively.

"I thought you wanted a brother."

A heavy sigh from her daughter brought Mara's attention back to the counter.

"Something wrong?"

"They keep saying they want a brother." The green eyes of her eldest child smoldered.

"That isn't nisthe." A girl with strawberry-blonde locks lisped as she entered the room.

"Where are your mom and dad?" Mara inquired of the independent tike attempting to crawl into her lap.

"Mommy ouside."

"Aunt Mara." Ma-Laun called before Mara could ascertain Jinnak's location.

"How many nieces and nephews do you have now, Mara?" Leia giggled.

"We can't keep count. Why," a playful spark lit the green orbs. "You and Solo planning on having another?"

"Not everyone wants as many as you and Luke," she returned easily.
"Aunt Mara." The teen's voice rose in frustration.

"Not many have used that tone of voice with me and lived to tell about it Padawan."

Every one of the former assassins children shook their heads at the exasperated adolescent and watched to see what their mother would do. Though she usually had an even temper with the children and their running around or spills or accidents never phased her, they all knew the tone she had just employed and not one would go against it if their lives depended upon it.

"Yes Aunt Mara," the girl ducked her head slightly and then continued with more courage. "But you have to talk to dad."

"Why?"

"Because." She whined in annoyance.

"Whining will get you even less mileage, now try again."

"Aunt Mara, he can't keep following me around and...."

"He can keep doing whatever it is he's doing and that's all we're going to say on the subject." The note in her voice told all that there was to be no more discussion.

"I'm glad you're my daughter's Master." Leia added with amusement.

"Me?" Her youngest questioned with the eyes of her father.

"No sweetie, Jaina."

"Now, Ma-Laun, would you help your two cousins with that mold?" Mara redirected her niece to her oldest daughter's side.

The two girls on the counter, both with raven hair and green eyes, looked up excitedly as their older cousin came to their aid. It was obvious that no small amount of hero worship was afforded to the teen.

"Mara, will you please tell your Padawan that I am her father and will...."

"Already told her Jinnak." The sound of her family bubbling around her was soothing and Mara enjoyed the look of irritation on her brother's face.

"If you wake my son, Jinnak Kenobi, I will expect you to put him back down." Two violet eyes pinned the Master in place.

"Speaking of sons," Leia added. "I hope you left mine in one piece."

"What?" Looking over at the brown-eyed woman, Jinnak let out a deep sigh and ran his hand along his neck. "Oh, um, he's fine. Glad you made it, Leia."

"Luke got there in time, I take it." Mara chuckled and winked at her twin sons. "Keep that in mind boys. When you start liking girls you're going to need to keep your daddy close by."

"I don't evewr wike giwls." Lars said with a repulsed look and shake of his head.

"Me neither." Ben agreed and blew out his tongue for emphasis.

"I like boys." The sweet voice of her second child informed clearly for the room.

"What was that?" Luke asked as he walked through the door.

"I like boys," she returned succinctly for her father.

"Since when?" Knitting his brows, he ignored the giggle from his twin sister.

"Since always." The small girl returned and looked up to see her mother grinning mischievously at her.

"I don't think I like the sound of that." Lifting the beautiful girl into his arms, he looked deeply into her porcelain face that was so like his wife's and studied the intense color within her eyes. "I thought you were going to marry me?"

"I am daddy." Kissing the man on the cheek and eliciting a satisfied smile from him, she continued. "But I still like boys," and as if to torture him further, "And they like me."

Loud laughter rang through the room and Luke turned to see everyone enjoying his discomfort, but none more than his lovely wife.
"You put her up to that didn't you?" He asked as the look on her face slowly told him all.

"Who me?"

"Who else?"

"Take my advice Luke. Keep your lightsaber skills tuned." Jinnak teased as he took his niece from Luke. "If this next one looks as much like her mother as the other two then you're in trouble."

"What's going on? Starting the party without us?" Han bellowed as he walked back into the room.

Two tiny children ran straight into the tall Corellian as they attempted to make their way into the kitchen and join the gaiety of their family.

"So-y." The blonde toddler attempted to apologize and ran straight for Jinnak Kenobi.

Macor picked up his son, who had fallen upon collision with Han and moved over to his sister.

"Just think," Han leaned over and whispered to Luke as Macor teased his sister and rubbed her stomach. "When we first met you didn't have any family left in the galaxy." Extending a hand to encompass the room he continued. "Now look."

"I know. It's great isn't it?"

The door whished once more and Jacen and Jaina joined the crowd as Luke stood back and took it all in.