Disclaimer: Star Wars and all the characters mentioned here belong to George Lucas and LucasFilms, and their respective creators. I make no money whatsoever off of this fic.

AN: Don't worry, updates for Forbidden Longing and Dark Descent are coming! :D But in the mean time, here's a little fic I worked on in the past few days. This is based on Andrea's universe for "Forever Destined" (and don't worry folks, I have her permission to do this! XD), but with some minor tweaks added to make things somewhat different. This is a little humor fic that I decided to try my hand at, and I'm rather amused by how it turned out! This isn't meant to be taken too seriously. So don't be offended by it, anyone! XD There's one serious part in the story; you'll know it when you see it, but mostly it's just crazy not-too-serious fun. I tried not to go down that path, but Padme writes herself, and I wouldn't have believed that before, when other writers told me that, but it's true. :) So, I had to allow her that one bit of seriousness. ;)

This is not a Mara bashing fic, or a Callista bashing fic, so please, no Mara bashing or Callista bashing. Don't take it too seriously. ;)

Remember, this is an alternate universe, so things may not match up with the stories as you expect. ;D

No flames, please. Flamers will be submitted to Darth Plagueis for experimentation, and then dissected alive by Darth Sidious himself. *evil look*

Teenage Blues

Luke rang the doorbell to the apartment, nervously holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He was nervous about the upcoming date. Mara wasn't like the usual girls he dated. She was special, and he really wanted to impress her tonight. She was tough, and prided herself on being able to take care of herself. He didn't know if any of the usual gestures he did for girls would be appreciate with her. Should he treat her as an equal? Should he act extra nice for her, as he usually did, to show her he was gentleman? Or did she want some combination of those? He hadn't quite figured it out, and the prospect of it was becoming downright terrifying by the moment. He hoped that she would give him some hints, subtle or not, about it. The last thing he wanted was to leave a bad impression on Mara.

Oh well, if he did, it wouldn't be for a lack of trying. He was going to treat her as great as he could manage, in the best way he expected a girl like her should be treated. The truth was Luke really was just a nice guy, and he wasn't overly aggressive like those other guys at the Temple. She couldn't fault him for his natural personality, could she?

The door opened, and Jedi Master Mace Windu stood before him. "Luke, it's good to see you," the Jedi greeted pleasantly.

Luke bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Master Windu," he said graciously, wanting to show the Master the respect owed to him as a Council member. "I'm here to pick up, Mara. May I come inside?" he asked.

"Of course, come right in," Mace responded, leading him by the forearm into the foyer. He took the flowers from Luke's unsteady hand. "Here, I'll put those in water for her," he said, putting the flowers in a nearby vase. He looked in the direction of his daughter's room, but he sensed Mara was still getting ready for her excursion. He shook his head a little. He would never understand why women needed thirteen hours to get themselves ready for an event.

Luke was getting a little nervous himself. "Is Mara ready?" he asked, feeling his mouth dry a bit. He was nervous enough as about the date, and for Mara to still be getting ready just served to raise his nerves even further. He was nearly a mess. "She's still getting ready. Don't worry, she knows you're coming," Master Windu told him, moving to take a seat on his reclining chair.

"How are your parents?" Master Windu asked him, staring curiously.

"They're okay. Mom's very busy with Senate work, and Dad's busy with his duties, training me and all. You know how it is," Luke said amiably. Mace nodded understandingly in response.

They stood there in awkward silence. There was always an uncertainty to small talk, one both Jedi hated passionately, although they were markedly different in other ways. Mace decided to take a seat on his recliner.

Luke sat opposite him on the couch. Mace decided to break the silence. "Luke, I need to ask you a few questions. Why did you decide to ask out my daughter?" he said, leaning forward in his chair, putting his fingers together.

Luke looked at him seriously. Somehow he sensed his future relationship with this man depended on the answer to this question. "I wanted to ask her out. I like her. She's a nice person. She's a good Jedi in training, and I like that she doesn't take much from anyone. She's not too timid, like some of the other girls I've been out with. I like that she speaks her mind," he answered honestly, hoping Master Windu would sense his honestly. He really did admire Mara in the ways he described, and more.

Mace stared at him curiously, leaning back an arm over his chair. "Is that the only reason?" Mace Windu peered deep into his soul, as if searching for the truthfulness there. Luke shuddered at the glance the man fixed on him. Master Windu was a little intimidating, just like everybody said.

Luke sighed to keep himself from trembling. "Well, I'd kinda like to know her better. I, I can see myself having a relationship with her. She's a whole lot better as a person than most of the other people I've come across," he said, hoping he wasn't coming across as ingratiating to what Master Windu wanted to hear. "To be honest, I'm surprised she accepted," Luke laughed a bit, privately laughing at himself despite the situation. Master Windu raised an eyebrow in response.

An intrigued look. "Really?" Mace remarked, surprised. "Why?" he asked curiously. "It's not like the Skywalkers don't have the reputation to satisfy anyone," Mace pointed out, wanting to know more about this seemingly strange lack of confidence.

Luke shrugged his shoulders casually. "Honestly, I just never thought she would accept. She's never shown interest in it before. I've wanted to go out with her for a long time," Luke said, surprised at how honest he was being with the father of the girl he liked. "But she never showed any interest in it. Even until last week, we were fighting like enemies who're occasionally friends. Then today I ask her out, and she said yes suddenly, after all these years," Luke said, looking as baffled as Mace was by the weird situation he was describing. "I don't know what I did, to get her to agree all of a sudden, but I thought it would be foolish not to accept it. I just want to get to know her better, without her punching me all the time," Luke laughed a bit, and getting Master Windu to chuckle a bit too. He knew they were playful punches on Mara's part, but it didn't change the fact they hurt like heck when she was as strong as steel.

Mace leaned back in his chair with raised eyebrows. "So all you want is to get to know my daughter better?" he asked, keeping his tone light and genial. Luke nodded seriously. "Yes, sir," he said, hoping he might have made a good impression on Master Windu. Mace smiled a bit and Luke dared to hope that he would soon give his blessing to date Mara. But there was something a little unusual about Master Windu's smile, and Luke began to feel nervous. Mace Windu laughed to himself a little. "I really thought you were smarter than that, boy, to try to pull that stuff on me," he said disdainfully.

He started up out of his seat. "Do you really think I'm going to give you my daughter so you can go out and use her to satisfy your own twisted desires!" Mace roared at him, emanating a wave of anger as he stared down the teenager with smoldering eyes.

Luke was flabbergasted. "What? But I didn't…" he began to stammer.

"I know you all, boy," Mace interrupted, glaring deeply. "And while you're an excellent Jedi Knight in training and I respect that, we both know there's only one thing you want from my daughter," he accused, staring viciously at the blonde haired young man. "Listen closely: if you think you are going to go out with my daughter, think again. If you ever think about hurting her, I suggest you reconsider your position. I will kill you in an extremely painful manner beyond anything you can imagine, understand? I wish crush you into bits and cut off certain parts that define your identity, and then I will throw you into the river on an uncharted planet where nobody will ever find you. Understand? I will bury you," Mace Windu promised darkly, making it clear he was deadly serious about the threat.

Luke stood up from the sofa. He began to back away from the Jedi Master. Whatever had happened to Master Windu was so sudden, it left him bewildered at the change, and he couldn't believe the things coming out of Master Windu's lips.

Mace stared at him in detached interest. "I'd get out of here if I were you. If you ever come near my daughter again, you will not like the result," Mace reminded him, glaring at him one last time for good measure. He could see the boy was stunned beyond belief. Mara soon came down and joined her dad in the living room, right next to him. She was dressed in a casual tunic, and seemed to be looking forward to her night out. "Well, talk to her," Mace told him, looking down at his daughter, and the smirk was audible in his voice. He seemed to be daring Luke to say something that was against his wishes. Mara stood in anticipation, like she was waiting to see what wonderful thing Luke would say to her.

Luke was frozen in disbelief. What was he supposed to do now? This whole night had taken a night for the bizarre, and now Mara was looking at him with obvious expectation. He knew he could not say what he really wanted to Mara, or Mace would explode in anger. His daughter being next to him probably wouldn't do much to deter him. Through all the muddled, frightened sensations he was feeling right now he realized there was only one plausible option.

Luke trembled as he spoke. "M-Mara, I'm sorry, I can't go out with you tonight," he said, noticing the tremor in his own voice and being unable to stop it. He was trembling all over and cold sweat was breaking out all over his body, which thankfully the Jedi tunics and trousers he was wearing hid from view.

Mara was immediately shocked. "What?"

"Look, I was wrong to ask you out on a date. I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends," Luke said, hoping he hadn't just signed his death sentence. Mara would probably kill him for this when they met next time, but all he could think about was getting away from this psychotic lunatic who was threatening him! The instinct to escape was more powerful than he had ever felt it before.

Mara was bewildered. "But, I don't understand…"

Luke was rushing. "Look, my mother needs me to help her with some things. I don't have time to stay. I'll see you in the morning at the training session," he said, as he rushed towards the door.

"Oh, Luke," Mace called to him; Luke turned around in fear. "Don't forget about your training session tomorrow morning. We're very proud of the job you've been doing," Mace smiled at him, a mischievous look in his eyes. Luke stared at him in bewilderment, before deciding to get out of there, wanting no part of whatever was going on in Master Windu's head right now.

Mace smirked at him, watching as the door closed shut. Oh, that was too easy. His daughter was distraught next to him, wondering what had happened, but Mace wasn't concerned about that. She would get over it eventually. In any case, he had fulfilled his mission. No young Skywalker boy was going to be getting into his daughter's pants tonight, no way.

Satisfied with the outcome of his plan, Mace Windu retired for the evening. He had a gorgeous, very sexy redheaded wife waiting for him.

Anakin was reading a large datapad on his recliner when the doorbell to their front door rang. He got up to open the door, waving his fingers in a small use of the Force. Luke came rushing into the house, looking visibly haggard in a seeming state of shock that alarmed his father.

"Luke? What are you doing here! You're supposed to be out with Mara," Anakin said in shock, surprised that he was home early, and downright shocked at the condition his son was in.

Luke looked pale as he answered. "Dad, Master Windu threatened me. He said I was only interested in Mara for my own selfish reasons, and that he would kill me I came near her," Luke said in a rush, getting out the truth right away. The look in Master Windu's eyes was frightening, and he would never forget it, as long as he lived.

"What?" Anakin shouted. "That's ridiculous. Master Windu should know better than that," he protested, appalled at what he was hearing.

Luke shrugged miserably. "Yeah, well, apparently I'm a scumbag who only wants one thing from his daughter, and he's not going let me have it," he said, sighing at the impression the Jedi had of him.

"That's it, I'm going to settle this. Don't worry, Luke, I'm going to settle this," Anakin assured him, intending to get his cloak and march right to Windu's house to straighten him out. But Luke put a hand on his forearm to stop him.

"No, Dad, forget it. It was a stupid move, anyway. I should have never asked Mara out," Luke protested, feeling dreadfully tired. "Mara doesn't like me that way, and even if she did, I'm not going to spend every waking moment looking over my shoulder for a psychotic Jedi Master. I have enough problems sticking to all my training," Luke said, "I don't need this on top of it."

"Luke," Anakin said, not believing Luke was going to give up on this. Was he really throwing away the promise of love and a fulfilling relationship because he was afraid of a father? What kind of son was he raising? His thoughts turned toward Master Windu. What the hell was wrong with that man? Legendary Jedi Master or not, he had the urge to go to that apartment and punch the man right in the face. The dark thoughts were formidable, forcing him to dwell heavily into his self-control to hold him back. They didn't notice the form that had taken position in the corner, monitoring absolutely everything they were saying.

"Eh, now I know why Master Windu's so scary," Luke remarked, shaking his head. If Windu was this intimidating in the Council meetings, it was no wonder everyone was so damn scared of him. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed," Luke sighed. He was tired from this whole ordeal; he just wanted to go to bed and forget it ever happened tomorrow.

"Good night," Anakin said, looking over in puzzlement as Luke headed off to his room. This whole situation was bizarre and unexpected, and he didn't know whether to berate his son for being what he would normally call a wuss, or whether to go to Windu's apartment and break that stern face of his.

Padmé came up to stand on the side. "Well, well, it looks like you got a taste of your own medicine, Ani," she stated smugly, smirking at the leather clad Jedi.

Anakin looked incredulously at her. "What? Padmé, Master Windu was way out of line to say those things to our son. He should know Luke is a trustworthy man," he protested, not appreciating her levity about this.

"Well, how is he to trust Luke? For all he knows, Luke is just one those scum-filled, dirty minded boys who is going to take one thing from his daughter and leave. Face it, Anakin," Padmé stated pointedly, "your son is just like all the other boys you steer away from Leia, wanting only one thing." She arched her eyebrows, giving him a pointed glance.

Anakin looked at her in disbelief. Was this the same woman he had married on Naboo?

"Our son, Padmé," Anakin emphasized. "Our son. Doesn't it bother you Master Windu said those things to him?"

"No," Padmé said casually, as she shrugged her shoulders. "Because if I know Luke, he won't ever go near Mara again, which means he won't have to deal with Master Windu's threats again. Besides, Master Windu knows not to seriously threaten our son, or else I'd kill him," Padmé said seriously, narrowing her eyes in thought. She didn't appreciate this Jedi Master threatening her son, but she knew he wouldn't really carry out the threat, unless he wanted the Jedi Council to place him in a prison cell for the rest of his life. And truth be told, she wasn't really sure Mara was right for Luke. From what she had heard, Mara was a bit of a…loose person, when it came to relationships. Padmé didn't put much stock in rumors, but Mara was intense, and that was something that worried her. She knew there were abusers who were like that. They were in the Temple, and it always frightened her when she witnessed them. The last thing she wanted was for Luke to get together with someone who would walk all over him, and the line between intense and abuser could become blurred for Mara, crossing it if she allowed that intensity to overwhelm her good judgment. Luke needed someone who was shy, quiet, and with reasonable judgment when it came to important matters. Someone who could match his personality and not overwhelm him with a barrage of spitfire attitude.

Oh well, the issue was over anyway. Luke was never going to ask Mara out again, and that was final. If she knew her son, he was going to carry that intimidation from Mace Windu for the next few years in the near future. It was a bit worrying, but it wasn't like there weren't other girls out there. And to be honest, Padmé wasn't that broken up about it.

She would have to be sensitive around Luke, though. She knew this was going to be a great blow to him mentally, and she couldn't afford to display any negative overtones about Mara. He would get over it eventually, though, she was certain of it.

Anakin looked devastated, though. She was certain in another life, he probably would have taken Mara as his Padawan. They were both rebellious, outspoken, and with a complete disregard for the rules. Yep, they were tailor made for each other. "Don't worry, Ani," Padmé assured him. "You'll find someone else to spar with verbally. You want me to give Scout a call? I'm sure she'd love to come here and lay a few into you," she said, her lips curved in a smile.

Anakin looked at her with a stricken face. "You think this is funny in some way?" he asked, annoyed.

"Actually it is. You can dish it out, but you sure can't take it," Padmé responded, smiling at his annoyance at being bested by another man at this. Ah, Anakin. Sometimes he really was worse than a little kid. She laughed all the way to the bedroom as he looked her over in disbelief, unable to believe the bizarre turn of events this night had taken.

The Council member shook his head. He needed a drink. He called Obi-Wan, to see if he was in.

1 year later…

The Coruscant Starlight Ball was a fundraiser for charity held every year at the largest hall available on Coruscant. The Jedi Council had an invitation to the event, which they always accepted out of graciousness. More importantly than that, though, were the senators and HoloNet media celebrities who came to the event. Anybody who was anybody came to the Starlight Ball, and the attention showered on them by media types was beyond comparison.

Luke Skywalker entered the room with his date on his arm, as HoloNet reporters flocked to the couple. Being one of the Order's star Padawans, any social situation involving Luke was a huge draw for the HoloNet, and this latest development was certainly a scandalous one to a lot of the more interested gossip mongers on Coruscant. Callista, the woman on his arm, smiled shyly for the camera, although she kept her face close to Luke, since she wasn't that comfortable with the cameras. The photographers snapped dozens of photos of them, almost blinding them with the light from the flashes. The two were dressed in their finest clothes, Luke in his black formal robes, and Callista in her finest shimmering silver dress, made of the finest fabrics in the galaxy.

Mara watched them from where she was standing near the drinks table. She was wearing her formal robes too, though nobody said anything to compliment her. They were all focused on Luke and his very attractive girlfriend. Callista had grown her hair out a bit, although she still remained mostly the same as when Luke met her. Mara watched the couple with disgust, as they kissed each other gently and pressed close together in the hall. Callista was shy, quiet, and reserved in her demeanor, everything that Mara wasn't. She was exactly what Luke didn't need. She was the type to agree with everything Luke said, and never once push his buttons. She wasn't a pushover, but she didn't challenge Luke to break out his shell. Neither one of them challenged the other to break out of their shell. Mara scoffed at how shy Callista was around the cameras. The woman was 43 damn years old, and she still hadn't learned to deal with cameras! Chances were Callista didn't even know what the hell to do in bed with a man. Mara would have rocked his world. She knew what to do with a man, even though she didn't have much experience. She would be surprised if Callista brought him to a quiver. Mara had heard a rumor she was married once, but she didn't believe it was true. There was no way someone who had been married would be that shy!

Mace arrived next to her and looked at where she was staring. "Ignore him, Mara. We've got him focused on his knighthood trials at the moment," Mace advised her. He went along to talk to some representative from a member planet, a visiting dignitary. Mara glowered at him from her place beside him. She had to keep her tongue from lashing out. He knew full well how she felt about Luke, and what it was doing to her to see them like this. Yet he was smug in his satisfying confidence that he had protected his little girl from another big, bad boy. If only he knew that confidence was one day going to result in a humiliating defeat from him.

Mara looked at Mace from where he had departed, narrowing her eyes in growing rage. One day she was going to beat the old man in combat. One of the benefits of Vapaad was that it allowed you a great advantage over your opponent. Jedi didn't age normally like ordinary people did, retaining the ability to fight all the way up until the end of their lives, but they did experience a minor loss of skill as they got older.

She crossed her arms. Mara loved her father, but her father's overprotective attitude was pushing her ability to withstand it. Oh yes, one day she was going to defeat her father at sparring, proving to him that she could take care of herself. And when she did, she was going to reclaim Luke for herself. She didn't care if she had to go up and snatch him right out of Callista's arms, she would show Luke what it was he really wanted. And then she would rock Luke's world, introducing him to sensations he had never imagined existing, and showing him what he could be enjoying for the rest of his life. Mara knew she would satisfy him, even though she wasn't very experienced herself. She researched a lot, and she knew exactly what they would do together once they got together. Oh yes, she would show him what a real woman could do for him, not that pathetic excuse for a Jedi who was buried in her own uncertainty.

Mara shook away the thoughts. It was a plan, but one that would take her several months to execute, if not years. She just hoped Luke still wasn't with Callista by then, or else things would get ugly.

Master Skywalker and Senator Amidala themselves soon arrived in the hall, being greeted by everyone, from the HoloNet reporters to the senators. Anakin was in his formal robes and Padmé was looking elegant as always, in a shimmering gold dress.

She smirked as she saw the parents avoid heading in Luke's direction. Padmé was notoriously displeased with the pairing, and she was making it absolutely clear to everyone. Callista had announced her intention to marry Luke, and Luke hadn't really done much to dissuade that view. Of course he's going to marry her, she takes care of him just like his mommy, Mara thought snidely. She smirked meanly at the young Jedi. I bet she even puts his diaper on in the morning, she thought nastily, the image of Callista changing Luke's underwear suddenly foremost in her mind. It was enough to make her laugh in her mind. Right along with the booties that she knitted for him!

She thought about her earlier thoughts about Luke getting married. She doubted the marriage would last long if it happened. They would likely be one of those couples that kept breaking up and getting back together, in a never ending cycle.

She was getting tired of this, she contemplated, as she watched them interact with the other guests in disgust. The minute the pressing business at this ball was up, she was getting out of here. No way was she sticking around for this, no matter what the Jedi Masters told her. No way was she going to watch Skywalker and his little girlfriend act like they were getting all moony eyed in front of everyone on the dance floor, uh-uh, she denied the notion vehemently.

Luke arrived at the desert table with his girlfriend. He was actually having a pretty nice time, simply talking with everyone else in the hall. Callista had agreed to accompany him, for which he was thankful. He wasn't the most sociable person around, but he was the son of one the most important senators on Coruscant, and he was expected to show up at these gatherings. Callista wasn't the most sociable person around, either, but she had agreed to go with him on this one, and he was thankful for that, since it gave him the chance to see her in a resplendently beautiful dress – a rarity in their Jedi work. He spotted Mara glaring at him from the drinks table, something which was relatively common nowadays. He supposed she was jealous that he had a girlfriend and she was still single. He wasn't worried about it. The blonde woman on his arm whispered something about the hall, and he drew an arm around her close in affection. Callista was one of a kind, and he was truly lucky to have caught her attention, despite the differences between that made others question their relationship. He smiled at the peaceful atmosphere he felt in the room. His dad had been worried about the security, but there were no attempts at assassinating a senator or any mercenaries breaking into the hall, or anything out of the ordinary that he could sense with his powers. Luke smiled at the rarity. No, there was nothing amiss at all. Only a beautiful woman on his arm and the multiple vitalizing signatures of the Coruscant elites around him.