Disclaimer: Star Wars is the property of George Lucas. I am in no way profiting from this fan fic.

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Mara Jade Skywalker watched as her husband paced the floor of the Errant Venture, his infant son nestled in his arms. The bright glow of the moon poured down through the viewport illuminating them. Luke held the baby snuggly against his chest, rocking from his heels to the balls of his feet to his toes. He padded against the cold deck platting in his bare feet, dressed in sleeping shirt and pants. She smiled as she listened to Luke make baby talk to Ben.

It was the most precious sight she had ever seen. He was absolutely smitten with his child.

She thought about telling him to come to bed and put Ben down for the night, but couldn't find it in her heart to draw him away. Mara burrowed beneath their covers once more and willed herself to sleep.

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Luke gazed upon his sleeping son's face, his heart practically bursting with love. He reached a hand up and gently stroked the baby's cheek with the backs of his fingers. His feelings burned strong for his child, because if he was honest, he'd never experienced this kind of emotion before. When he'd first learned Mara was pregnant he had been ecstatic despite his wife's worries and doubts. His son was indeed a gift. He was a miracle; a light in the darkness of a bitter, brutal, and seemingly hopeless war. He stroked the crown of Ben's small head, and smiling, began to pace the viewport once more.

His son momentarily stirred in his arms, threatening to wake. He gurgled slightly and made a sound that seemed like he was going to start crying. "Shh, shh, shh," He soothed. "It's all right. Go back to sleep." Ben's eyes cracked open into little slits and he began to flail and let out a quiet, uncertain wail. Luke shifted his son in his arms, starting a rocking motion. He'd discovered early on that the motion calmed his infant son. However, tonight, Ben was having none of that. He wasn't going to be placated so easily.

His quiet wail soon erupted into a loud fitful one.

Luke willed himself to be calm. Allowing himself to become frenzied would only escalate the baby's cries, he reasoned.

"Ben, it's all right…Daddy's here." He switched to a gentle bouncing motion, shifting the weight of his feet from heel to toe. He brushed a hand against the baby's soft reddish-blond hair.

The Jedi Master crossed over to the glider chair positioned at the end of his and Mara's bed. He sat back in it gently, and began to slowly rock himself, using his feet to propel the chair. Ben fussed in his arms, still apparently unhappy.

"It's all right, Ben. Daddy's here." He repeated, his hand lovingly cradling the back of the baby's skull. Luke continued to rock the infant back and forth for a good five minutes until his loud cries subsided once more into quiet gurgling.

With care, Luke eased up out of the glider and got to his feet, stepping up to the bassinet that had been placed at the end of the bed. He laid Ben down with practiced ease, making sure to lower the baby's head tenderly onto his small pillow. He eased his hands from beneath his son's body and drew up the tiny blue blanket up over him. Luke startled briefly as Ben let out a quick cry then walked backward and lowered himself into the glider.

He listened to the baby's crying and settled a foot upon the bottom of the bassinet. He rocked it back and forth, lightly prodding it with his toes. Luke watched as his infant son stared up through crystal clear, blue eyes. Eyes which were on the verge of closing—all they needed was a little push. Brushing aside what his wife would say about trivial abuse of his power, he stretched out with the Force and let it flow over his child, gently stroking Ben's mind with his Force aura. He sent soothing thoughts of sleep into the baby's mind. Sleep. Off to dream land… "Daddy's quite tired." He muttered quietly to himself.

Luke left his chin drop to his chest and his eyes close. He continued to rock the baby, all the while beginning to fall asleep himself. His conscious fought against his body's voluntary reaction, but it was a losing battle. He slipped into unconsciousness, his child's sleeping face the last thing he saw.

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"Luke, Luke…" Mara shook her husband's shoulder, trying to rouse him. She frowned when he didn't stir.

She had found him like this after finding her bed was disturbingly empty. Her eyes had been able to make out a limp form resting itself at the foot of the bed. Luke had been lying in the glider, his chin tucked to his chest and face tilted slightly to the side. His eyes were closed peacefully in sleep. His hands had been draped across his belly.

Mara smiled at this sight.

He looked positively adorable when he slept this way. It was at times like this, when he slept, that his farmboy nature came out even more. She raised her hand to cup his left cheek and delicately stroked it. "My sweet farmboy…" Her hand dropped and she turned to look at their child.

Ben was also soundly asleep, an amusing mirror image of his father-with the exception of his arms position above his head, his little fists balled tightly. He kicked in his sleep, his head tilted to the side and lips moving slightly. Mara chuckled and reached a hand down to stroke his forehead. She turned her attention back to her husband and sighed. She leaned over placing her hand once more on Luke's shoulder and gave it another tentative shake.

"Skywalker, Skywalker…." She whispered in an attempt to get his attention.

When he failed to rouse himself, she gave the glider a push with her foot. The chair glided backward, jerking to halt as it reached its limits. Her husband came awake, his eyes looking frantic as he assessed the situation.

"Wha-what the?" His eyes focused. "Mara?"

"Yes, Farmboy, its me." She placed her hands upon her hips and sighed.

Luke raised his hand to rub at his eyes. "What-what's going on?"

"What's going on, honey, is that you fell asleep in the glider."

"Oh."

His wife took his hand gently. "Now, I'd much rather prefer you in bed-as I'm sure you would to." She helped him to his feet. Luke stood carefully, making sure not to wake Ben. He looked towards his infant son and then turned his head back to Mara.

"In bed?" He sounded a bit confused.

"All I meant was sleep..." She pulled him along. "We might as well get some while we can."

Luke allowed his wife to guide him back to their bed. She remained behind him, steering her husband by his shoulders. She caught a glimpse of his face, realizing he was half way between sleep and wake. And at this moment, sleep was winning.

He stumbled haphazardly into their bed, crawling across it till he reached his side. Mara watched him get himself into his sleeping position. He turned his body, flopping onto his belly with arms raised above his head. One was tucked underneath the pillow to support his head, while the other lay on top of the pillow. He turned his face toward her and looked at her through bleary eyes.

"You coming to bed?" He asked, his voice slightly sleep drugged.

"Of course." She answered and got into bed.

She pulled the covers over Luke first before getting herself into position. She lay down on her side, one arm tucked under head while her left hand worked to pull her portion of covers up to her chin. She let her left arm lay limp at her side, draping over her stomach. She stared into her husband's groggy eyes and smile lovingly. "Go to sleep, Honey."

Luke's eye blinked as if in response. She reached out to stroke his face, watching his eyes slowly droop shut. "Love you..." He murmured before sinking into unconsciousness.

Mara dropped her hand. "Love you too, Farmboy."

She retracted her arm back and began to close her eyes when she heard a small sound emanating from the foot of the bed.

Ben was awake,

She groaned and lifted herself off the bed. Luke turned in place and began to struggle to get himself into an upright position. Mara placed a hand on his chest, giving him a small shove. "Oh, no you don't. You need sleep. You're about to keel over."

"But you..."

"No." She slid out of bed. "I can take it from here, Papa."

Luke smiled warmly. "All right, Mama." Then his eyes lid shut once more.

Mara crossed over to the bassinet and stared down at her infant son. She placed her hands on her hips as she'd done before. "Honestly, Son, didn't your daddy just put you to sleep." She bent down to retrieve him, shaking her head as she did.

She cradled her child softly and eased herself into the glider her husband had previously occupied. "Now, let's try this again….and this time, let's stay asleep shall we. For daddy's sake, hmm?"

He stared at her through sleepy blue eyes and Mara chuckled. Two peas in a pod, she mused.

"Oh, Ben, if you could only see yourself now."

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A/N: Hope you like this…I'm not sure if this is gonna be a series…but we'll see. Hero won't be out for a while. I ran into a snag thanks to a certain computer. Hopefully I can get it out before then end of next week. Here's praying! Until then, if you liked it review it! And thanks for reading!