Monday, July 15, 2013

Father's Day Challenge #7, by Blamey77



(I'm pretty sure this is Carrie Fisher on the left but this photo came up in a search for "Han and baby Jaina".  Again, hard to find images of the Solo kids that we haven't already seen.)

This story is submitted by Blamey77 for the Father's Day Challenge. 

Thanks for the submission!  And Enjoy!!


Han had just started working on the hyper drive of the Falcon in his dream when a loud, static-y noise jolted him out of his sleep. The noise was coming from the baby monitor on the bedside table.

One of the babies is awake, thought Han. The noise then increased as another presence made their unhappiness known.

Two babies are awake, thought Han wearily. He picked up the monitor and quickly turned the volume down before it woke up Leia. His wife shuffled a little but didn't wake up for which Han was grateful. It was the end of her first week back at work since her maternity leave. She had come home very exhausted and Han was determined to let her sleep.

He slipped out of their bed quietly and tiptoed into the hallway, closing the door gently behind him. Opening the door of the babies' room, he saw that Jacen had stopped crying and was lying there peacefully but Jaina was still giving it everything she had. Han rushed to his daughter's crib and lifted her out of it as gently as one might lift a porcelain doll. He cradled her against his chest and slightly rested his chin on her head, hoping that the warmth of his skin might comfort her. Jaina's cries lessened. Han swayed in what he hoped was a soothing motion. He stepped on a stuffed animal, resulting in a jerky movement but was quick to return to gentle swaying. Jaina appeared not to have noticed the interruption as her crying had completely faded away. Han's heart swelled, his thumb rubbing circles on his daughter's back. He looked up to check on his other baby only to find that Jacen had drifted back to sleep, his father's presence apparently enough to satisfy him.

That indefinable baby smell filled Han's nose as he shifted Jaina a little higher so that his shoulder was supporting her head. He continued to move slightly in a swaying motion, checking every now and then that Jaina remained calm. Han smiled as he realised that he was unconsciously following the steps of a dance that Leia had taught him.

As Han swayed with his baby daughter, he closed his eyes and imagined them doing this in the future. Him dancing with his daughter, a young woman, looking remarkably like her mother as she followed his lead in a grand reception hall. Time had changed his appearance, too. Grey hair had mixed with his brown hair, still unruly, and lines had crept into his face. Yet Han could only feel happiness as he imagined the picture.

Han opened his eyes when he heard the floor creaking. He looked towards the door to find his wife watching him from the doorway. She tiptoed towards him and peered over his shoulder.

"She's asleep," Leia whispered. Han turned towards the crib and slowly, carefully, placed Jaina back in her crib. When he turned around, he found his wife smiling at him.

"What?" Han asked, softly. Leia's arms slid around him. She laid her head on his chest with a contented sigh.

Han returned his wife's embrace. They stayed like that for awhile before she finally answered him:  "Happy Father's Day, Han."

10 comments:

  1. That was so sweet. Really nice read. Love how he was unconsciously following a dance he learned from Leia. That was lovely.

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  2. Something about fathers and daughters...you captured it beautifully. The exhaustion that's new parenthood is so illustrated, and so is the joy of it. It's a whole new set of challenges for the couple. Thanks for the lovely read!

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  3. Adorable Blamey, there's just something about Han with a baby that makes me all fluffy inside. This really hit the spot. Well done.

    As for the pic, yeah I agree that it's Carrie on the left. She's normally pictured with her brother in a lot of baby shots, but that definitely isn't him.

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  4. Yes, picture of Carrie on the left, it looks like. And maybe some other random celebrity baby we'll find out later :)

    This was very sweet. I agree that Han and a baby just makes me feel warm and fuzzy and I loved it. Loved the swaying her and that Leia came in to check on them, too. Thanks for writing it!

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  5. Thanks, guys! I haven't written anything from the post-babies time period yet, so I was worried that I wouldn't really capture it very well. I tried to balance what I imagined the bad would be (waking up in the middle of the night/painfully stepping on toys) and the good (watching babies grow/paternal relationship).
    I'm relieved that it worked out ok.
    Thanks for the picture! Now to work on a story about Han Solo's birthday. ;) As much as I enjoyed writing for this time period, I think there is something about bickering, unresolved tension-y Han and Leia that is endlessly entertaining to me. Maybe a pre-ESB birthday story? ;)

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    1. That's an interesting idea. Sounds promising, And you did a good job capturing the babies,

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  6. Very cute story. I definitely see him at that kind of adorable dad, not the kind that sends his kids away to be raised by someone else...damn you EU!

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    1. I've taken the kids' names from the EU, and the rest of it can go to hell.

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