Hello Everyone,
SailorLeia here, at your service! I hope everyone out there is having fun! This is my second attempt at a fan-fiction...that I'm actually posting...So please be kind! If you haven't read my first story, don't worry, this one stand on it's own... and if you have read my story "The Loveless Bride," you should be prepared for the craziness! My favorite kind of fan-fictions are the ones that have a lot of interaction between my four favorite characters! Han, Leia, Luke, & Mara... So I decided that my second story will be about them! This will be based on Luke & Mara an AU exactly 3 years after Callista left! CALLISTA FANS BEWARE!!! This first part is in Luke's point of view. Hope everyone likes it!
Standard Disclaimers Apply you know, I do not own these characters, and I didn't make any money writing this...in fact I lost some... do you know how much paper cost these days?
Dedicated to my parents, for their unconditional love and support. Not to mention, for being my editors before each post! Love you guys! On with the show!
"Take Your Pick!"
Chapter 1: When Friendship Sucks!
I just don't get it... I can't seem to win without losing. The past three years of my life have been weird enough. And just when I think it's safe to say things are finally going back to normal... suddenly my life is a shambles again!
It all started when my life seemed to be falling apart, all around me. Three years ago, today, I realized Callista was never coming back. I returned to my home, the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV, broken-hearted and defeated. It rained all week, and all of the jedi training areas outside were flooded. I just sat in my apartment mourning, as if someone had died. On the Friday of that terrible week, something amazing happened.
Someone knocked on my door... I didn't feel like company, and wasn't making any move to answer it. Until a presence in the force brush my senses. I jumped to my feet, hopped over my couch, and went running to the door. There stood Mara Jade, dripping wet, with a broken umbrella in hand. She was soaked to the bone her clothes clinging to her slim form like another skin. Her eyes filled with tears and she greeted quietly, "Hi Farmboy."
My own eyes' welled up with tears and all I could manage to choke out was, "Mara." Then I grabbed her into a tight hug, lifted her, slightly and brought her inside. Ever since I started dating Callista, I never saw Mara anymore. I was beginning to think I had lost my best friend. But there she was, just when I needed her most, like always. She got me all wet, but I was so glad to see her, I didn't care. After I made her go dry off and change, we a had a good long talk.
She explained that she was supposed to go on five more missions for her boss Talon Karrde, and then come to Yavin to FINALLY complete her training. Then she had gotten the news of Calli's departure, and me giving up on searching for her. "Karrde let me go early, so I could be with you. You look like you could use a friend about now. He had to double my number of missions left, so now I have to complete a total of ten missions, before I can become a full-time Jedi Knight. But I wanted you to know I'm here for you; whenever you need me."
Then, after much arguing over the matter, I finally got Mara to agree to even stay in my apartment; in the spare room across from me. The strange thing is, when we went outside to get her things from the Fire... the rain had stopped, and a full moon was shining bright in the sky above us. She moved in and turned my life around. We had so much fun, every night; there was something to laugh about. It was like we had never been apart, in fact, I felt closer to her now, than ever before. I just don't know what I would have done if Mara hadn't come back when she did. I never would have made it, without her, and she'll never know how important she is to me. I could never explain to her, it's all too complex for words.
I was slowly teaching her a few things about the force here and there too. It was six months before she left on a short mission. She had become more dedicated to becoming a Jedi, and wanted to get these last missions behind her. She continued to slowly get one by one, out of the way. Each time she left, my home felt so empty, I would count the days till she returned. Then she'd come back and stick around for a while before taking another.
As long as Mara was there, even staying in for the night was an adventure. She would even accompany me to go see my family on Coruscant... Which Callista wouldn't do in a million years. Han and Leia now consider her family as much as I do. Jacen and Jania are the cutest part though. They always call her "Auntie Mara," no matter how much we try to tell them she isn't really their aunt. She would play with them, read to them, and they loved every minute of it. On the few occasions I saw them, when Mara wasn't with me, she was all they talked about.
A few weeks ago, Mara finally left on her last mission for the Smuggler's Association. Karrde warned us that her mission would take a month, if not longer, to complete. We hadn't been apart for that long since Mara came to stay with me. So I was a little reluctant to let her go. But she assured me everything would be fine, kissed my cheek, and blasted outta here. I went back to my apartment; wondering what I would do with my time while she was away. That is when I received my brother-in-law's "SOS."
"Luke, we've got a serious problem here! Your sister has completely lost it! She is 7 months pregnant, moody, weepy, and miserable. I've tired to get her to take maternity leave, but she just won't listen. If she doesn't layoff... there's a big chance we could lose her, the baby... or BOTH! I don't know what to do and even the twins are scared for her. What do you think I should do? Please give me a call as soon as you can. I really need your help."
So I suggested that Leia needs to get off Coruscant. As long as she's there, knowing my sister, and the way that those politicians work, she'll feel pressured to work. A week later, they ended up coming down here to Yavin IV, and aren't leaving until after the baby is born. Leia is under the impression that I want to begin training the twins, and that is the true reason for coming here... otherwise, poor Han probably wouldn't have gotten her down here.
I had just gotten Han, Leia and the kids settled when they asked me to come back later for dinner. So I ran home to take a shower and change into some clean clothes. When I was almost ready to go, someone rang my doorbell. I figured it was one of my administrators or students, but when I opened that door, I got the shock of my life! There stood Callista, smiling at me. She barged in and made herself comfortable before I could utter a word. She really expected to come back and pick up where we left off... PRACTICALLY THREE YEARS AGO! When I brought this to her attention, she began to beg. Claiming she had no where to go, had nothing left, and begged to stay somewhere in the academy even though she wasn't with the force. Just to get her out of my apartment I said she could stay, but not here with me! She would have to stay in a room, like one of my students.
I didn't tell Han or Leia about Calli's return, I didn't want to get Leia all worked up. Even if I just told Han, Leia would have dragged it out of him somehow, so I just kept it to myself. Little did I know that her return would be splashed all over all of the galactic news reports the next morning. Along with a two page spread of our history together, along with announcing where she was staying. Leia was irate about the whole situation, from "having to hear about her brother's love life on the holovid" to "that woman living within walking distance." Truth be known the only reason she didn't go down there, and tear Callista apart... was Han's constantly saying, "Honey, the baby... you shouldn't be carrying on like this... Take it easy, shh!"
Callista came over everyday, and every night we were out doing something. After two weeks, she moved in the spare room beside mine (the one across from me still had Mara's belongings in it). Before I knew it, the month was up and Mara would be home at any time. I hadn't been half as lonely as I thought I would be. Between Calli and my family on top of teaching, I hardly had any time to myself. Last night, Callista even went with me to see Han, Leia and the children. Han and Leia seemed to be okay with it, but strangely my niece and nephew weren't happy at all. They were quite, and Jania actually seem scared of Calli. Little brave Jania; who fears nothing and no one (she kind of reminds me of a couple of women I could name)... till now!
Today, Mara returned, I could feel her presences the very moment the Jade's Fire entered YavinIV's atmosphere. Though, strangely, I couldn't reach her through the force! It was like she was blocking me out! Nevertheless, I went down to the docking bay and greeted her happily, only to have her little pointer finger poked into my chest as she replied with a little sass, "I'm not talking to you!"
"What?" I asked in confusion.
"You heard me, I-am-not-talking-TO-YOU!" She repeated louder and slower, as if talking to a child... that was hard of hearing.
"Why are you not talking to me? What have I done, to deserve the silent treatment?" I asked crossing my arms, also like I was speaking to a child.
"Hmm... Gee, I would tell you, but I'M NOT TALIKING TO YOU!" She turns her back to me thanking the small group of younger jedi helping her with her luggage... who were quite amused, as always to see their master struggle with this red-headed beauty.
"Mara, you're being childish, and immature. Best friends don't do this to each other! Now, what is bothering you?" I asked smooth and calmly as if unfazed by her reply.
Mara slung her bag's strap over her shoulder, and turned quickly. I narrowly escaped being hit by it, in her fury. "You call me 'childish and immature,' then in the same breath ask me to talk to you!? Why should I; if you're the one beginning the name-calling?"
"Mara," I said, clearly beginning to lose my patience. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on here."
"Like you can control what I say, and where I go." She said under her breath.
"I am your master now, so you will do what I tell you to-"
"In the class room, Skywalker, not out of it. Now step aside before I say or do something we will both regret."
"No, Mara! I'll not let you slip by me when there is obviously a problem here. Now tell me what's wrong." Mara reached inside a pocket on of her bag.
"Okay Farmboy, but listen well, cause I'm only saying this once- and it'll be a long time before you receive a reply from me again." She said before throwing a thick little stack of filmsy at me. "That is what is bothering me!" It was all of the reports about Callista and me being back together. I handed it back to her saying simply, "oh, you did hear about that, huh?"
"Hear about it?! Luke, the whole stinkin' galaxy knows about it! Did you think my mission's location was that remote?! Where I wouldn't notice something as big as this!? Luke, Callista had tons of friends that work for the press, of course, something big like her return was broadcasted like that!" She ran a hand threw her long red hair and asked in a much calmer tone, "Do you still love her... Is that why you let her come back?"
"...Uh... I don't know Mara! A large part of me believed I would never see her again! Now all of a sudden, here she is. Back in my life as if she never left." I said watching her every movement very carefully. She still sounded like the Mara I knew so well. Yet... there was something different about her, I just couldn't put my finger on. The thing that really had me worried, was those green eyes of hers. At times they were more intense than I remembered them ever being. Then she'd turn around they'd be dull as if she was in great pain.
"Well then that settles it... I'll stop by your place for only a minute and get the rest of my things. I'll live in one of the student's quarters, where I belong.-"
I panicked, "Why would you do that? I want you to stay with me... if you think you've worn your welcome that's just not-"
"I am moving... because I would not feel comfortable sharing quarters with Calli. I will not sit back and watch my best friend throw himself at that woman's feet... just to be crushed again!" Tears were visible in her eyes and she choked on them a bit. "I can't watch you tear yourself apart like that! And I refuse to take part in celebrating something that shouldn't even be happening. I will finish my training and take those last few steps to become a Jedi, Skywalker...but other than matters regarding the Jedi, I want nothing to do with you."
I couldn't believe she had said that... I still can't believe she said that. My guard was down and she slipped past me. But before she could escape me completely I ran after her and stopped her, choking on my own tears of frustration. "So that's it... you're dumping me, giving up on our friendship, on me... just because of some girl?!"
"Not just any girl, Luke! That body-snatcher left you once already, she's slimy, slippery, and slutty, I've never trusted her... If you had half of a brain, you, of all people, would be able to figure that out!" She said, clearly frustrated and tired of this.
"Oh, look who's name-calling now! I can't believe you, Mara! Not only are you dumping me after promising you'd never do that; now you're picking on the girl I may still be in love with!?" I asked definitely irritated.
"Yeah, you know what? I hope you are still in love with her! I hope that when she leaves you this time, it kills you... literally!" Then she almost knocked me down getting by me. I called after her, "Oh yeah, well, FAT CHANCE!" The doors closed loudly behind her, and all of the Jedi in the docking bay were standing still, gaping at me in shock like a bantha caught in headlights!
After I got all of the spying jedi back to work... I took a long walk. By the time I got home, Mara had come and gone. Callista was still frazzled by the confrontation, she said Mara wasn't mean or anything, just acted strangely calm. Calli was half afraid Mara was going to wait and try to kill her while she was asleep. Even though I assured her, more than once that Mara wasn't like that anymore. She wanted to know every last detail of what had happened when she saw me. I didn't really feel like talking though, so she wanted to go out somewhere. But I didn't feel up to that either, so I came into my room and I've been here ever since. Just trying to figure everything out, what can I do? How can I fix things with Mara, how can I make her see... and why is this all bothering me so much? Why do I feel like I've been unfaithful to Mara when all that has been between us is friendship?! It's not like we've ever dated or anything. We've always been friends... nothing more... right?
I mean don't get me wrong, it's not like the thought hasn't ever crossed my mind. Mara is a beautiful girl... Okay, maybe gorgeous is a more adequate term for her! She's fun, dangerous, loyal, and has a wonderful personality. I used to enjoy making her laugh; it seemed to come a lot easier lately. Of course I've thought about asking her out before! I didn't though... ever! I didn't want things to get weird between us. She was too dear to me, I couldn't chance losing her. And she never showed any real interest in me before! If she has... well, I don't remember it...
Why am I even worrying about this? I have a girlfriend now... and I'm happy... I think. That's what Mara claimed she wanted all of this time. She just needs to get used to the idea... Like Han and Leia did... and the children... She'll come around. She just needs time to cool off a little. Then everything will go back to normal... right?
What do you guys think? Please review and let me know! I love hearing from all of you, and I really want to know if this plot is a stinker or not! I have been dying to write this and I promise it's gonna get better... for all of you Luke/Mara fans ((AN: Not to mention all of you fellow Callista bashers out there, bless you!))! So please hang in there, bare with me! I hope you all enjoyed and keep reading! Thanks, TTFN, Bye Bye Bye!
-SailorLeia