Author's Notes: We'd like to give a special thanks to Kat who spent a lot of time beta-reading for us and providing us with great feedback.
DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Keiran stepped through the doorway into her husband's office, her dark blonde hair framing her beautiful face. She clutched the doorframe, eyes closed and face contorted with pain, as she tried not to groan out loud. "Nils, it's time," she gasped. After a moment, her face eased back to its normal calm white features.
The man to whom she'd spoken turned to see the woman that he loved ease herself onto the couch near the doorway. The chatter coming from the monitor behind him abruptly stopped as the person that Nils had been doing business with noticed that his partner was no longer visible. "Are you sure, sweetheart?" Nils asked anxiously, his muscles tensing in anticipation.
"Nils, Nils, where are you? Nils?" the voice on the monitor called frantically.
"Not now, Jules!" Nils threw over his shoulder as he neared his wife. "How long?" he asked as he knelt before her.
From the monitor on the wall, Jules couldn't see what was happening, but he heard Keiran gasp sharply as another spasm of pain started working its way through her. "Oh, my!" he shouted. "Do you want me to call the medics?"
"No, Jules, just shut up!" Nils spit out, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. Then, more gently, he took his wife's hand and asked again, "How long?"
Keiran took a deep breath after the spasm died down and shakily said, "An hour maybe. They're getting closer." She looked down at her swollen belly and ran a hand across it, more for her own comfort than that of the child within.
Jules again spoke from the monitor. "What should I do, Nils?"
Nils glared at the image of his brother on the screen and said, "Get off the line, Jules. We'll see you at the medical facilities. I'm taking Keiran there now."
Jules nodded his brown head. "Right!" he said, and his image abruptly disappeared.
Keiran smiled. Her brother-in-law could be so empty- headed in a crisis and yet sharp as a knife when it came to business. Another contraction cut the smile short as Keiran grabbed Nils' hand and squeezed.
"Are you okay?" Nils asked.
Keiran nodded as the pain eased away again.
"Let me call the medics and we'll be on our way." He rose and activated the monitor, tuning it to the emergency signal. A medic droid appeared before him. It automatically identified him and the reason for the call and then confirmed their arrival in about five minutes, all the while assuring the expectant father that everything would be ready when they arrived.
A small moan from the couch caused Nils to rush from the monitor. "Let's get you out of here. Seems that our little one wants out badly." He wrapped his arm around Keiran and lifted her from the couch and out of the office. He helped her make her way through their living quarters and then lifted her into the speeder.
When Keiran and Nils arrived at the medical facility, they were greeted by a medic droid and a nurse, who quickly admitted Keiran and whisked her off to the delivery room. After three long, tense hours, Keiran gave a final, exhausted push and was rewarded by Nils' voice exclaiming joyfully, "It's a boy!" Nils kissed his wife as their baby son started crying, feeling his heart fill with love.
The nurse that had greeted them earlier upon their arrival brought the baby over to his mother and placed him in her arms. Deep blue eyes squinted up at her, a tiny fist waving in the air.
"He's beautiful, Nils, look at him!" Keiran said kissing the tiny fist.
"Yes, he is," Nils replied, his voice full of pride. He again kissed his wife, placing his large finger in the baby's grip, and placing his other arm around Keiran's shoulders.
As the couple inspected the tiny form that they had brought into the world, making sure that all of his tiny little parts were in order, they both sensed something strange, something that neither one could identify, almost emanating from him. They looked at each other in wonderment and then back at the baby.
The medic droid interrupted the little family's first moments together. "Name of child?" it asked tonelessly.
Again the couple looked at each other. Nils shrugged and then replied, "Benjamin Wade Lars."