"You awake?"

Mara waited as the sound of rustling covers indicated he was.

"You know I am."

"Guess what Ben said today."

"I'm afraid to ask."

"He wanted to know when he was going to get a brother or sister."

"He just asked that out of nowhere?"

"Well, his exact words were 'When I get a brudder or sisser, mommy?'"

"I knew having Jacen and Jaina visit at the same time would be trouble."

"Yes. They've been filling his head with stories of their childhood. Rather insensitive of them, I thought."

"How could it be? They don't know."

"Are you sure? I think Jacen knows. I remember he kept giving us sympathetic looks."

"I guess ... I guess I didn't notice."

Mara scooted closer, giving Luke a warm hug. "I know. Regardless, what are we going to tell Ben?"

"Why do we have to tell him anything? He's four. He'll forget about it as soon as the twins leave."

Mara didn't answer.

"But you won't forget, will you?" Luke sent a warm caress through the Force. "Mara, are you thinking about ... trying again?"

"You don't think we should, do you?"

Shifting a bit, Luke pulled her closer. "You know how I feel. I don't want to go through that again. I don't think I could. And Force forbid, if something should happen to you ..."

"Luke, I'm as healthy as I've ever been, and ..." Mara turned to lie on her back, staring through the darkness at the ceiling she couldn't see. "I don't want Ben to be an only child, like I was, or Han, or the way you and Leia were raised, for that matter. I want him to have a brother or a sister, or maybe both."

"We had this discussion two years ago."

"Yes, and just because ... Luke, that doesn't mean we should just give up."

"We're not giving up. We're being practical.

"You're being practical. That's supposed to be my job, remember? You're the idealistic, ever-optimistic one."

"Optimism didn't prevent you from miscarrying. It didn't prevent our second son from ..." Luke's sigh echoed in the quiet room. "We should at least wait awhile longer."

"Until when? Until I'm too old to bear a child? That time will be here before you know it."

"I don't think of you as old."

"You're sweet. But unfortunately, nature doesn't abide by the opinions of even the greatest Jedi Master."

"Mara, you know I'd love another child. But the risks—"

"A wise man once told me that life is risk."

"Are you continually going to twist my words against me?"

"Yes." Mara turned once more on her side, one arm snaking around Luke's waist. "We surrender other aspects of our lives to the will of the Force. Why not this?"

Luke's silence stretched out several minutes, straining Mara's patience as she waited for his doubts to melt into resolution. "Why indeed?" he finally said, stroking her side in a deceptively casual manner. "I'm hoping for a daughter."

Mara let him pull her into a passionate embrace, her mind swirling with relief and apprehension at the monumental decision she'd talked him into. She was hoping for a daughter, too.