Hotel Suite of Skywalkers, Saturday Morning

[momslilassassin]

Ben had run into his mother yesterday and there had been tears and laughter and his absolute insistence that she come back to say hello to Ender and the kids.

"...and the kids?"

"It's been a while, Mom. You didn't notice the beard?"

"I thought you were trying something out."

So now Ben was pacing impatiently by the door and trying not to track Mara's Force signature like a creepy stalker.

[OOC: For the family!]

Comments

[endsthegame]

"She'll be here," Ender said lightly. "Sit down."

Bantha had been up at the crack of dawn running around, so obviously he'd chosen now to cling drowsily onto Ender as the tiredness sank in.

[momslilassassin]

"Of course she'll be here," Ben said. "She got out of that...weird lake thing...just to come. She wouldn't miss meeting the kids. I'm just excited."

[endsthegame]

"Then that's double the reason to sit down and consider rescuing the iPad from Val before she gets here," Ender said patiently.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Are you worried she'll judge our parenting?" he teased, replacing the iPad with crayons and paper.

[endsthegame]

"No, I'm worried about what our brilliant children will do," Ender said dryly, patting Bantha on the back.

The boy yawned.

[momslilassassin]

"It looks like he might medal in competitive napping," Ben teased just before his and Val's attention turned to the door a moment before someone knocked.

[endsthegame]

Ender snorted.

"Come on, Bantha," he said, jostling the boy gently. "Your grandmother's here."

[gaveherahand]

Ben opened the door and all but tackled the redhead behind it. "Hello, Ben," Mara laughed. "I've missed your hugs."

[momslilassassin]

"Hello, Mom," he said, clinging for just a second more. "I'd say I've grown but we both know that is, unfortunately, not true. You remember Ender?"

[endsthegame]

"I won't take offense if you don't," Ender said, with slight, wry amusement. "Hi. He does give good hugs."

[gaveherahand]

"You were Ben's roommate, right?" Mara said with a slight smile before turning to see the children. "And who is this?"

[endsthegame]

"I still am, in a manner of speaking," Ender said dryly. But he got up, Bantha still in his arms. "This is Nat, but he likes Bantha better," he said. "And that's his sister, Valentine."

"You have to call me Val," Val informed from the bed, with her crayons. "So you don't confuse me with aunt Valentine."

(She didn't know her grandmother, and she had no problem trying to play stupid kid a little bit until she figured her out.)

[gaveherahand]

"Do you like being Val better?" Mara asked. "Because I'm not going to mix you up with your aunt. I can remember two people being named Valentine."

[endsthegame]

Val shrugged. "I don't mind," she said. "Valentine would be a good writer's name, though."

"I think your aunt agrees," Ender said wryly.

"'Valentine Skywalker' sounds cooler, though."

[gaveherahand]

"Skywalker is a pretty great last name," Mara agreed. "I liked Jade, too."

[endsthegame]

"'Wiggin' is a little problematic where we come from," Ender said tactfully. He smiled at her. "Come, sit down. I'll put Bantha down and get you a cup of tea."

[momslilassassin]

"Bantha was so excited to see you that he was up way too early," Ben said with a fond smile at his son. "We need to work on tactics and strategy a little more."

[endsthegame]

"Maybe when he's a little older," Ender said. "I'd rather he not worry about much more than eating and toys right now."

[gaveherahand]

Mara smiled at Ben a little wistfully. "That's probably our fault," she said. "Ben didn't get much of a childhood."

[endsthegame]

"Neither of us did," Ender said, as he gently moved Bantha down to the bed. "Which is why we and our children are retired from strategy and tactics."

[gaveherahand]

Mara's smile increased. "So no more Jedi missions?"

[momslilassassin]

"I leave that to Jaina," Ben said with a smile. "We live in Ender's universe."

[endsthegame]

"Ben has had enough Jedi missions for a lifetime," Ender said, "I felt."

[gaveherahand]

"I would very much agree," Mara said. "What keeps you busy instead?"

[endsthegame]

"I'm a Speaker for the Dead," Ender said. "I seek out the stories of the deceased and I try to tell them as truthfully to those left behind."

He smiled at Ben. "Ben has the much more important job."