Until I Can Cry No More
The night was cold, so they had to throw some extra blankets on the bed. They didn't mind too much, it made thins more cozy, more romantic. The cold winter nights were lovely on Coruscant. Mara slept in Luke's arms comfortable, the most comfortable sleep either of them could remember for a long time. Luke opened his eyes, not sure why he had awaken from his peaceful sleep. He kissed Mara softly and slowly lifted himself from the bed, hoping not to wake Mara. Hit with a momentary chill, he walked a little faster to the 'fresher.
Luke left the fresher and found himself absently wondering into the nursery where his son slept. He walked in and was hit with cold instantly. He looked up and noticed the balcony window open. But, it had been closed!? He rushed over to shut the window and noticed the crib was empty!
"Mara!" He cried in horror.
"What," Mara walked into the nursery, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Cavalli is gone!"
Mara felt her knees weaken under her weight. Luke was right there to catch her when she fell. He held her there in his arms as she was crying uncontrollably. Luke found himself doing the same. They'd waited so long for the blessing their son was, and now it seemed to be taken away. He was gone like the leaves in the fall. Life just wasn't fair.
He pulled Mara's face up. "Mara, we can't just sit here."
"Where do we start Luke, we haven't got any idea who has him, let alone where they took him, " she said between sobs.
"Oh, I think "who has him" is a little easier then we thought."
"Who Luke?"
A year and several months prior
Mara cradled her newborn son in her arms. He slept quietly letting out soft coos every so often as she rocked him. Luke sat beside her, an arm wrapped protectively around her. She looked up at him, he was gazing down at his first child. He looked so happy.
"You three look so cute!" Leia said entering the room where Mara was staying.
Luke looked up at his twin. "We do don't we?" He laughed.
The two women laughed as well.
"So, my love, what is his name?" Luke asked planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
Mara smiled and kept her gaze on the young addition to their family. She didn't look up when she spoke to Luke.
"Cavalli Jade Skywalker," she said.
"I like that." He replied.
Mara smiled and placed the boy in his father's arms. For the first time, Luke Skywalker held his son. It was a wonderful feeling. Mara patted the side of her bed where she had made some free space for Luke. He stood, holding the boy safely in his arms and sat down with her in the bed. His sister took out a holocam and focused it on the happy couple and their new son.
"Smile!" she said.
Luke and Mara both looked up, and he held Cavalli at an angle so Leia could get his tiny face in the picture.
"1 2 and 3!"
Leia snapped a holo.
Present Time, 1 hour and 20 minutes after the kidnapping
Luke found himself staring at that holo. Nothing else going on around him seemed to register. The building could explode now, and he's never notice. All he could focus on was this image... they were so happy.
"Hey, are you alive?" Mara asked taking a seat next to him.
He smiled and looked up. "Yes, I am... remember this?"
She took the holo he handed her. She smiled and felt her nose sting from on coming tears. He put his arm around her for comfort.
"I miss him Luke, we have to find him, we have to!" She cried.
"Well considering we don't even know where to start looking for the Vong or Cavalli... it will be difficult... but we will Mara, we will."
She threw her arms around his neck and held him as she cried. This was the worst feeling she'd ever had. She didn't know how long she could take it. Luke felt the same way and she could feel it. It was tearing him apart.
She just wanted to find her son. She wanted him to be safe in her arms again. Was that too much to ask?
"Hey we've got an in coming message!" Han cried.
Luke looked at her and Mara looked at him. This could be their clue.
They stood, still in each other's arms and walked toward the holo comm. Han opened the message and an image appeared. It was Nom Anor.
"Ahhh Skywalker's... I assume you already know that I have your son. And you will probably come to find him. This of course will not be made easy for you, that is of course, unless you want it to be. I am willing to bargain, the Jeedi Skywalker for the boy. But, it is up to you. I cannot guarantee that the boy will be unharmed, but the quicker you are to agree to my terms, the more likely his chances of remaining healthy are. We'll be expecting you, Jeedi!"
The image was gone. Luke slammed his fist against the console!
The night was cold, so they had to throw some extra blankets on the bed. They didn't mind too much, it made thins more cozy, more romantic. The cold winter nights were lovely on Coruscant. Mara slept in Luke's arms comfortable, the most comfortable sleep either of them could remember for a long time. Luke opened his eyes, not sure why he had awaken from his peaceful sleep. He kissed Mara softly and slowly lifted himself from the bed, hoping not to wake Mara. Hit with a momentary chill, he walked a little faster to the 'fresher.
Luke left the fresher and found himself absently wondering into the nursery where his son slept. He walked in and was hit with cold instantly. He looked up and noticed the balcony window open. But, it had been closed!? He rushed over to shut the window and noticed the crib was empty!
"Mara!" He cried in horror.
"What," Mara walked into the nursery, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Cavalli is gone!"
Mara felt her knees weaken under her weight. Luke was right there to catch her when she fell. He held her there in his arms as she was crying uncontrollably. Luke found himself doing the same. They'd waited so long for the blessing their son was, and now it seemed to be taken away. He was gone like the leaves in the fall. Life just wasn't fair.
He pulled Mara's face up. "Mara, we can't just sit here."
"Where do we start Luke, we haven't got any idea who has him, let alone where they took him, " she said between sobs.
"Oh, I think "who has him" is a little easier then we thought."
"Who Luke?"
A year and several months prior
Mara cradled her newborn son in her arms. He slept quietly letting out soft coos every so often as she rocked him. Luke sat beside her, an arm wrapped protectively around her. She looked up at him, he was gazing down at his first child. He looked so happy.
"You three look so cute!" Leia said entering the room where Mara was staying.
Luke looked up at his twin. "We do don't we?" He laughed.
The two women laughed as well.
"So, my love, what is his name?" Luke asked planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
Mara smiled and kept her gaze on the young addition to their family. She didn't look up when she spoke to Luke.
"Cavalli Jade Skywalker," she said.
"I like that." He replied.
Mara smiled and placed the boy in his father's arms. For the first time, Luke Skywalker held his son. It was a wonderful feeling. Mara patted the side of her bed where she had made some free space for Luke. He stood, holding the boy safely in his arms and sat down with her in the bed. His sister took out a holocam and focused it on the happy couple and their new son.
"Smile!" she said.
Luke and Mara both looked up, and he held Cavalli at an angle so Leia could get his tiny face in the picture.
"1 2 and 3!"
Leia snapped a holo.
Present Time, 1 hour and 20 minutes after the kidnapping
Luke found himself staring at that holo. Nothing else going on around him seemed to register. The building could explode now, and he's never notice. All he could focus on was this image... they were so happy.
"Hey, are you alive?" Mara asked taking a seat next to him.
He smiled and looked up. "Yes, I am... remember this?"
She took the holo he handed her. She smiled and felt her nose sting from on coming tears. He put his arm around her for comfort.
"I miss him Luke, we have to find him, we have to!" She cried.
"Well considering we don't even know where to start looking for the Vong or Cavalli... it will be difficult... but we will Mara, we will."
She threw her arms around his neck and held him as she cried. This was the worst feeling she'd ever had. She didn't know how long she could take it. Luke felt the same way and she could feel it. It was tearing him apart.
She just wanted to find her son. She wanted him to be safe in her arms again. Was that too much to ask?
"Hey we've got an in coming message!" Han cried.
Luke looked at her and Mara looked at him. This could be their clue.
They stood, still in each other's arms and walked toward the holo comm. Han opened the message and an image appeared. It was Nom Anor.
"Ahhh Skywalker's... I assume you already know that I have your son. And you will probably come to find him. This of course will not be made easy for you, that is of course, unless you want it to be. I am willing to bargain, the Jeedi Skywalker for the boy. But, it is up to you. I cannot guarantee that the boy will be unharmed, but the quicker you are to agree to my terms, the more likely his chances of remaining healthy are. We'll be expecting you, Jeedi!"
The image was gone. Luke slammed his fist against the console!