1 A Whole New Life
By: Luke Skywalker
Summary: Three months after the events in Edge of Victory: Rebirth.
Spoilers: If you haven't read Balance Point, Edge of Victory I: Conquest or Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, then I suggest you return and read this story once you have!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just like complicating their lives more! They belong to the All Mighty Lucas, Zahn and Keyes. Please don't sue!
"This illness," Mara explained. "It came to me again while I slept, this time attacking my womb."
"Did you defeat it?" Leia asked.
"Not so bad an attack," Mara said.
"Then what?" Leia asked.
Mara took a deep breath. "My womb," she said solemnly. Suddenly Leia understood.
"You're afraid you might not be able to have any children," she said. Mara nodded.
Mara Jade Skywalker now found herself laughing at the memory of being afraid that she would never have a child of her own. It had been over a year since the Yuuzhan Vong disease that had threatened her life had infected her for the first time. But even when she had began taking Vergere's tears to cure her, she had done everything possible to keep herself from becoming pregnant. Now, she was glad that all her attempts hadn't worked. She smiled as she looked down at her newborn son. He was wide-awake on her bed, lying on his back. She was lying on her side next to him, her red gold hair falling over him like a canopy. The only sounds in the room came from behind her in the 'fresher where Luke was finishing his shower.
Ben looked up at his mother and smiled his wide, toothless baby smile. Mara smiled back and leaned down and kissed his forehead. Ben was her glimmer of hope that the New Republic, as well as all the people involved in the struggle against the Yuuzhan Vong would be all right. With the Yuuzhan Vong disease completely gone from her body, Mara's fears for the future all receded with the birth of hers and Luke's son. But Ben was definitely his father's son with his blue eyes and slightly darkened skin. He was already so beautiful.
Her son began tugging on a bit of Mara's hair that had fallen into his face. Mara giggled as he began winding the strands through his fingers, as if by touching it he could know what it was. As he came close to bringing the red gold mass into his mouth, Mara reached down and pulled her hair out of his hand. "No, little one," she whispered gently. "It wouldn't taste good." Ben looked at her innocently, then smiled sweetly again. Mara smiled, too and let him wrap his tiny hand around her index finger. He gripped it tightly and Mara stroked his soft, pale red hair.
Suddenly, Mara felt her husband sit on the bed behind her and began running his hand along her shoulder and arm. Mara craned her neck to look behind her into Luke's blue eyes. He smiled down at her and kissed her quickly. When they separated, he was only inches away from her face. "What was that for?" she asked.
"Nothing," Luke said. Mara raised her eyebrows.
"Nothing, Skywalker?" she asked. But before she could go any further, he captured her lips again. The couple pulled away as they heard Ben coo. Luke looked down to see his son's bright blue eyes fixed on him, as if he already recognized his father. The Jedi smiled at the tiny boy lying safely within arms reach of his mother. Mara looked down at her son, too. "It feels so good to have him home," she whispered. "It makes me feel like we now have the family we always wanted."
Luke stood up, walked around to the other side of the bed and lye down on the other side of Ben, sandwiching the boy between the two of them. "Has it really hit you yet?" he asked his wife, trying to sense her feelings. Mara's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.
"Has what hit me yet, Luke?" she asked.
"That you're a mother." Mara looked down at Ben, who was pulling on his white baby pajamas with feet. He was so innocent and good. Mara wondered for a moment how after the life she led before Luke came along, how could she have carried and given birth to such goodness? But, Ben was truly her son. She knew it the moment she had felt him growing inside her. But as far as being a mother went, Mara had been uncertain until a few moments ago.
"Not full force, but I do know that Ben is my son and I'm his mother," she said. She looked from her son's blue eyes into her husband's. "But he's definitely your son, Luke."
"Why do you say that?" Luke asked.
"Just look at him," Mara whispered. "His blue eyes, the tan skin, his smile." Luke looked down at Ben. Indeed, he had blue eyes and tanned skin. But as he kept his eyes on his son, he knew that Ben had as much of Mara in him as he did Luke.
"He has your hair, though," Luke said. Mara looked up at him. She smiled as she saw that all of Luke's attention was no longer on her, but on Ben.
"What about you, Farmboy?" she asked, forcing Luke to look at her again. "Do you feel like a daddy yet?"
Luke bit his lip. He wanted to give a definite answer, but he couldn't. He wasn't sure. He looked down at Ben again. Ben's blue eyes met Luke's and he smiled. Luke smiled back and held out his finger towards the boy and Ben took it. As he squeezed Luke's finger and put his other hand over it, Luke felt the Force flow between him and his son. Luke closed his eyes so he could fully feel the connection. Suddenly, images came to him. A young boy, a toddler, with pale-red straight hair running toward him. Luke opened his arms to the boy and pulled him up to rest on his hip. Luke recognized the boy as an older version of Ben. The image vanished and was replaced by another one. A ten-year old Ben was lying in his bed, his chest rising and falling. He was sleeping peacefully. Luke saw Mara sitting on the bed stroking his hair, which was a little longer and falling in his face, desperately needing to be cut. Luke walked to stand over her and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and smiled. Then the image vanished. A sixteen-year old Ben sat on the couch in their living quarters on Yavin VI. His head was in his hands and Luke sat down beside the young man and put his hand on Ben's shoulder. Ben looked up at his father, tears staining his face. Luke pulled Ben into his arms and his son folded into his embrace, burring his face into Luke's shoulder. Suddenly, Luke opened his eyes and Ben was the three-month old baby he had been. His small hand was still wrapped around Luke's finger. Luke smiled and Ben smiled, too.
"I do now," Luke said, answering Mara's question. He looked up at her and saw that she was crying. He removed his finger from Ben's grasp and touched her arm. "What's wrong, Mara?" he asked. "Are you okay?"
"That was so sweet, Luke," she said, her voice shaking. Luke's eyes narrowed. "I saw what you saw. He was talking to you."
"Do you think he knows something that we don't?" Luke asked. Mara shook her head and looked back at Ben.
"I don't know, Luke." She touched Ben's small, soft, delicate arm. "I do know that he knows that we love him." Ben looked up at Mara and smiled. She smiled back and kissed his forehead, his cheek and his ear. The small boy giggled under her kisses. "That's right, Ben," Mara whispered. "We love you."
"And we'll give you everything," Luke continued. "You're our whole world, our new life." Luke picked Ben up from off the bed and had the boy stand on his thighs as Luke reclined back on a couple pillows. Ben leaned forward after a little while of balancing on his feet with his father's comforting hands under his arms. Luke let Ben lye down on his chest with his head resting on Luke's collarbone. As the baby began to drift off to sleep, Luke felt Mara scoot in so she was snuggling against Luke's shoulder.
"You look so happy," she commented. Luke glanced in her direction and found her emerald green eyes boring into him. He smiled at her.
"I am," he said. "I have everything I've ever wanted in life. You're cured and my son's healthy. We're going to try to get the academy started again and…" Luke chuckled softly. "Anakin is trying to form a relationship with Tahiri." He kissed her forehead. "Besides the Yuuzhan Vong presence, my life is perfect." Mara smiled and claimed his lips.
"I love you, Skywalker," she whispered, beginning to drift off to sleep. Luke slipped his arm around her shoulders.
"I love you, Mara," he said. "And I'm never going to lose you." He saw Mara smiled before she fell asleep. He leaned on her head and closed his eyes as well, comforted with the presence of both is cured wife lying next to him and his newborn son asleep on his chest. Finally, the fighting at a standstill and the two most important people in his life safe, Luke could rest easy.
To Be Continued…
By: Luke Skywalker
Summary: Three months after the events in Edge of Victory: Rebirth.
Spoilers: If you haven't read Balance Point, Edge of Victory I: Conquest or Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, then I suggest you return and read this story once you have!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just like complicating their lives more! They belong to the All Mighty Lucas, Zahn and Keyes. Please don't sue!
"This illness," Mara explained. "It came to me again while I slept, this time attacking my womb."
"Did you defeat it?" Leia asked.
"Not so bad an attack," Mara said.
"Then what?" Leia asked.
Mara took a deep breath. "My womb," she said solemnly. Suddenly Leia understood.
"You're afraid you might not be able to have any children," she said. Mara nodded.
Mara Jade Skywalker now found herself laughing at the memory of being afraid that she would never have a child of her own. It had been over a year since the Yuuzhan Vong disease that had threatened her life had infected her for the first time. But even when she had began taking Vergere's tears to cure her, she had done everything possible to keep herself from becoming pregnant. Now, she was glad that all her attempts hadn't worked. She smiled as she looked down at her newborn son. He was wide-awake on her bed, lying on his back. She was lying on her side next to him, her red gold hair falling over him like a canopy. The only sounds in the room came from behind her in the 'fresher where Luke was finishing his shower.
Ben looked up at his mother and smiled his wide, toothless baby smile. Mara smiled back and leaned down and kissed his forehead. Ben was her glimmer of hope that the New Republic, as well as all the people involved in the struggle against the Yuuzhan Vong would be all right. With the Yuuzhan Vong disease completely gone from her body, Mara's fears for the future all receded with the birth of hers and Luke's son. But Ben was definitely his father's son with his blue eyes and slightly darkened skin. He was already so beautiful.
Her son began tugging on a bit of Mara's hair that had fallen into his face. Mara giggled as he began winding the strands through his fingers, as if by touching it he could know what it was. As he came close to bringing the red gold mass into his mouth, Mara reached down and pulled her hair out of his hand. "No, little one," she whispered gently. "It wouldn't taste good." Ben looked at her innocently, then smiled sweetly again. Mara smiled, too and let him wrap his tiny hand around her index finger. He gripped it tightly and Mara stroked his soft, pale red hair.
Suddenly, Mara felt her husband sit on the bed behind her and began running his hand along her shoulder and arm. Mara craned her neck to look behind her into Luke's blue eyes. He smiled down at her and kissed her quickly. When they separated, he was only inches away from her face. "What was that for?" she asked.
"Nothing," Luke said. Mara raised her eyebrows.
"Nothing, Skywalker?" she asked. But before she could go any further, he captured her lips again. The couple pulled away as they heard Ben coo. Luke looked down to see his son's bright blue eyes fixed on him, as if he already recognized his father. The Jedi smiled at the tiny boy lying safely within arms reach of his mother. Mara looked down at her son, too. "It feels so good to have him home," she whispered. "It makes me feel like we now have the family we always wanted."
Luke stood up, walked around to the other side of the bed and lye down on the other side of Ben, sandwiching the boy between the two of them. "Has it really hit you yet?" he asked his wife, trying to sense her feelings. Mara's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.
"Has what hit me yet, Luke?" she asked.
"That you're a mother." Mara looked down at Ben, who was pulling on his white baby pajamas with feet. He was so innocent and good. Mara wondered for a moment how after the life she led before Luke came along, how could she have carried and given birth to such goodness? But, Ben was truly her son. She knew it the moment she had felt him growing inside her. But as far as being a mother went, Mara had been uncertain until a few moments ago.
"Not full force, but I do know that Ben is my son and I'm his mother," she said. She looked from her son's blue eyes into her husband's. "But he's definitely your son, Luke."
"Why do you say that?" Luke asked.
"Just look at him," Mara whispered. "His blue eyes, the tan skin, his smile." Luke looked down at Ben. Indeed, he had blue eyes and tanned skin. But as he kept his eyes on his son, he knew that Ben had as much of Mara in him as he did Luke.
"He has your hair, though," Luke said. Mara looked up at him. She smiled as she saw that all of Luke's attention was no longer on her, but on Ben.
"What about you, Farmboy?" she asked, forcing Luke to look at her again. "Do you feel like a daddy yet?"
Luke bit his lip. He wanted to give a definite answer, but he couldn't. He wasn't sure. He looked down at Ben again. Ben's blue eyes met Luke's and he smiled. Luke smiled back and held out his finger towards the boy and Ben took it. As he squeezed Luke's finger and put his other hand over it, Luke felt the Force flow between him and his son. Luke closed his eyes so he could fully feel the connection. Suddenly, images came to him. A young boy, a toddler, with pale-red straight hair running toward him. Luke opened his arms to the boy and pulled him up to rest on his hip. Luke recognized the boy as an older version of Ben. The image vanished and was replaced by another one. A ten-year old Ben was lying in his bed, his chest rising and falling. He was sleeping peacefully. Luke saw Mara sitting on the bed stroking his hair, which was a little longer and falling in his face, desperately needing to be cut. Luke walked to stand over her and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and smiled. Then the image vanished. A sixteen-year old Ben sat on the couch in their living quarters on Yavin VI. His head was in his hands and Luke sat down beside the young man and put his hand on Ben's shoulder. Ben looked up at his father, tears staining his face. Luke pulled Ben into his arms and his son folded into his embrace, burring his face into Luke's shoulder. Suddenly, Luke opened his eyes and Ben was the three-month old baby he had been. His small hand was still wrapped around Luke's finger. Luke smiled and Ben smiled, too.
"I do now," Luke said, answering Mara's question. He looked up at her and saw that she was crying. He removed his finger from Ben's grasp and touched her arm. "What's wrong, Mara?" he asked. "Are you okay?"
"That was so sweet, Luke," she said, her voice shaking. Luke's eyes narrowed. "I saw what you saw. He was talking to you."
"Do you think he knows something that we don't?" Luke asked. Mara shook her head and looked back at Ben.
"I don't know, Luke." She touched Ben's small, soft, delicate arm. "I do know that he knows that we love him." Ben looked up at Mara and smiled. She smiled back and kissed his forehead, his cheek and his ear. The small boy giggled under her kisses. "That's right, Ben," Mara whispered. "We love you."
"And we'll give you everything," Luke continued. "You're our whole world, our new life." Luke picked Ben up from off the bed and had the boy stand on his thighs as Luke reclined back on a couple pillows. Ben leaned forward after a little while of balancing on his feet with his father's comforting hands under his arms. Luke let Ben lye down on his chest with his head resting on Luke's collarbone. As the baby began to drift off to sleep, Luke felt Mara scoot in so she was snuggling against Luke's shoulder.
"You look so happy," she commented. Luke glanced in her direction and found her emerald green eyes boring into him. He smiled at her.
"I am," he said. "I have everything I've ever wanted in life. You're cured and my son's healthy. We're going to try to get the academy started again and…" Luke chuckled softly. "Anakin is trying to form a relationship with Tahiri." He kissed her forehead. "Besides the Yuuzhan Vong presence, my life is perfect." Mara smiled and claimed his lips.
"I love you, Skywalker," she whispered, beginning to drift off to sleep. Luke slipped his arm around her shoulders.
"I love you, Mara," he said. "And I'm never going to lose you." He saw Mara smiled before she fell asleep. He leaned on her head and closed his eyes as well, comforted with the presence of both is cured wife lying next to him and his newborn son asleep on his chest. Finally, the fighting at a standstill and the two most important people in his life safe, Luke could rest easy.
To Be Continued…