My Soul Laid Bare
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A/N1:AU story!
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A/N2: I do not own Star Wars.
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A/N3: This story is intentionally short, so please enjoy as it is. Also, it falls within the 'Legends'
Timeline but is AU in nature.
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Prologue:
Everything was just perfect: the guests were all in attendance, the cake was a piece of art, and the decorations seemed to glitter with a life of their own. The general buzz of expectation filled the air as attendees awaited the beginning of the event that had been months in planning.
Yet still, when she looked at her reflection she knew that she'd strung him along for far too long. She still didn't know why she had said yes when he'd popped the big question: she hadn't even figured out her own life, how was she supposed to start a new one with someone else?
She still didn't have the Force, and it had been well over a year since the Eye of Palpatine had been destroyed. Why hadn't she walked away from him on Nam Chorios like she'd planned? Why hadn't she turned her back on him then, and saved herself the heartbreak she was about to give him when she didn't walk that aisle?
Instead of leaving him permanently then, she had taken one look into his blue eyes and had felt her resolve crumble into dust. She'd walked to him, her feet moving of their own volition until she was hugging him to her.
His arms had wrapped about her, and she didn't need the Force to feel his happiness that she'd come back to him.
She'd said yes without thinking when he'd proposed to her a few weeks later, and that very night had lain awake in bed, wondering why she'd agreed to it.
In order to keep herself from thinking about the fact that she didn't really want to marry him, she'd thrown herself into the planning. She'd been part of everything, and hadn't slept much…
But, as it always did, time slipped away and now here she sat, wearing the most gorgeous wedding gown she could have imagined… and more than ready to walk out the back door.
Because she couldn't face him… she couldn't look into his eyes, because she knew her resolve would again crumble. This time, she needed to be strong. She needed to leave… and to learn to live without Luke Skywalker.
And as much as it would hurt him, he would one day see that she was doing him a favor.
Closing her eyes as a few tears escaped, Callista Ming stood, feeling like the coward she was acting like… and snuck out the back way.
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"Kid, you gotta relax," Han remarked with a smirk as he watched Luke Skywalker fidget like a school-boy. "You don't want to be all worked up and sweaty when Callista takes your hand, do you?"
Luke blanched, wiping his hands on his pants and trying to be subtle about it as the sea of eyes watched.
"I don't know Han…" Luke murmured to his brother-in-law. "I just can't shake the feeling that Callista's hiding something. I've tried to get her to open up, but she assures me each time that it's just wedding jitters."
Han's smirk slowly grew into his famous lopsided grin. "And what do you call what you're doing now?"
Luke chuckled, grateful for the tension-breaker.
"You're right, Han." He took a deep, steadying breath, trying to steady his fluttering heart. "There's nothing to worry about."
"That's the way to think." Han gently patted him on the shoulder.
Luke nodded, still a little shaky from nerves. When the melody playing in the background changed from lobby-music to the march chosen by his bride for the wedding party, Luke straightened, swallowing nervously.
Why, if there's nothing to worry about, do I feel so ill-at-ease? Luke asked himself as the bridesmaids walked the long aisle.
His heart lightened a touch when his twin sister walked in as Callista's Matron of Honor. Leia Organa Solo looked resplendent in her glistening gown, and her face showed how happy she was for her brother.
Luke beamed back, sending her a mental nudge in the Force. She winked at him in return and took her place.
The ring-bearer and flower girl walked the aisle with as much seriousness as children could. Once the path was littered with flower petals Luke cleared his throat softly, ready to see his beautiful bride.
He breathed deeply, feeling the first stirrings of misgivings in his heart when the woman was late in taking her cue. He threw the barest hint of a glance in the direction of the cameras positioned all over the room.
What a story the reports would have to tell if by some freak accident Callista left him standing here like some love-sick fool. He shook himself mentally and waited patiently, assuring himself that there was a very good reason that the bride was late.
Maybe she had to use the refresher. Luke thought, pleased that he'd come up with a plausible solution.
Force knew that answering nature's call in a wedding gown had to be an adventure all on its own.
He swallowed a smile, not wanting to appear out of sorts before his audience. His musings were cut short when Iella Antilles, standing in the back with her youngest daughter, slipped out to check on the missing bride.
Luke couldn't help himself… he followed her search with the Force; wanting to know if he'd been correct in his guess. But when Iella suddenly grew sorrowful and worried, Luke began to fear the worst.
She appeared at the back and caught Wedge Antilles's eye from where he stood in Luke's groomsmen line-up. The minimal shake of her head was all the confirmation Luke needed to know the truth, and when her gaze flicked to Luke's her eyes were blinking rapidly as if to ward off tears.
Wedge leaned in to whisper to Han, who stiffened and made to turn to Luke. But to both men's' surprise, Luke was already turning from the altar.
"It's okay guys, I already know," Luke whispered as he tried to reach the exit that led to the ready room for the men.
It didn't take long for the guests to figure out what had happened, and before anyone could blink, Luke was suddenly swarmed by many of the closest holo-journalists.
"Master Skywalker, was this expected?"
"What will you do now, Luke?"
"Will you go after Miss Ming?"
Voices flooded into his hearing, some friend, some foe as his groomsmen held the journalists at bay long enough for Luke and Han to get inside the small room and close the door. A desperate knock a few seconds later sounded, and Han knew it could only be one person.
Luke didn't take notice as Leia was let in and a few holos were flashed between the cracks of the door to catch a glimpse of the broken-hearted Jedi Master. But to Han and Leia's shared alarm, Luke simply sat on his chair, staring into space.
"Maybe it just hasn't sunk in yet," Han suggested to his wife in a whisper.
"Han… this is going to break him," Leia worried back in an even tone.
And with those final two words, Luke felt something in him shatter. He crumpled forward onto the desk and buried his head in his arms, sobbing out his grief in great heaves.
Leia, crying for her brother, knelt beside him and gathered her twin into her arms: drawing him away from the cold, unfeeling wood and into her warm, loving embrace. Luke burrowed his face into her shoulder, wetting her dress with his salty streams of tears.
Han felt his own heart crack just a hair and he stepped up to Luke and placed a supportive hand to his shoulder, not bothering to stay dry-eyed.
Damn you Callista, Han growled to himself.