Title: Sea of Flowers
Author: DaenaBenejn42
Characters: Luke, Mara, Ben, OC's, Han, Leia, Solo Kids
Timeframe: a year and a half post Obsessed With Flowers
Disclaimer: Star Wars still owned by Lucasfilm. All praise to 'em.
Notes: This is the sequel for Obsessed With Flowers... enjoy. :)
It was a dark and cloudy day as she sat on the bench and watched Ben play on the equipment in the play area. Mara glanced up, noting the texture of the clouds, and nodded to herself. It was going to rain today. A few more minutes, and she'd gather Ben up and start for the apartment. Something was nagging at her, and she wasn't quite certain what.
A few minutes later, she stood up. "Ben! Time to go!"
Ben came over to her. "But I want to stay."
She held out a hand, smiling. "It's going to rain. That means it is time for us to go inside now."
He took her hand unenthusiastically. "Can we come back tomorrow?"
"I'll think about it."
Ben frowned as she led him to the parked speeder. She almost seemed to be laughing. That wasn't right. "What's funny?"
"I have something to tell your father," Mara told her son and she helped him into the speeder.
"Is it funny?"
Mara chuckled. "Yes and no... need to stop by a florist."
"Why?"
She didn't answer as she buckled him in and got into the speeder herself.
She sighed as she sat alone in the Academy mess hall, aimlessly stirring her food around on its tray with her fork. He hadn't called. Worse than that: he had missed her call. Their scheduled weekly call, and he missed it. It wasn't the first time, as their schedules sometimes conflicted, but usually he called the next day. He didn't, and still hadn't.
She sighed again, and moved to stand up. It wouldn't do to stay here, moping for an hour and not eating anything. It was just... the day was important. Their anniversary and her lifeday fell on the same day. Today. She missed it once due to being ill, and was determined not to miss it again. And he had... darn him.
Suddenly, she felt an impossible presence and her head snapped up to look around the room. It couldn't be... could it? No. Could have been her imagination, making her feel things she wanted. She snorted indignantly to herself and shook her head. "Silly Force."
"What's so silly about it?"
She froze at the stunningly familiar voice and slowly turned to find... "Samir?" Blinking twice, she nearly fell into his arms. "You're here!"
Samir took her into his arms and they stood there, in the middle of the mess hall, not caring that people were staring at them. "Did you think I'd miss it?"
"Well no, but..." She pulled away and looked up at him. "You didn't call and I wasn't able to reach you."
He smiled down at her. "I spent three or four days in transit or I would have called, Renna."
Renna glanced around, suddenly realized that people were watching, and blushed. "Think we could take this somewhere more private?"
"I don't see why not."
Luke had just laid Riana down for a nap when Mara arrived home with Ben. "How was it?"
"Fine," Mara answered as she shut the door behind them. "Got drenched between there and here."
Luke took a moment to wonder what Mara was holding in the container before bending down and helping Ben out of his jacket. "Did you have fun, Ben?"
Ben nodded. "I wanted to stay longer. Was having fun."
Luke smiled. "I'm glad you had fun." He glanced at Mara and noticed the expression in her eyes that usually meant she wanted to talk to him alone, nodded, and turned his attention back to Ben. "Go check on Riana, but don't wake her up." When Ben was safely out of earshot, Luke looked at Mara. "What is it?"
She handed him the container. "Open it."
Luke opened the container and frowned at the contents. "Flowers?"
"Yes."
Luke stared at the blossoms for several very long seconds before looking at Mara again, and had to blink when he saw she was smiling. No, more than smiling. Grinning. She never grinned like that. "I don't understand."
Slowly, she took the container out of his hands and set it on the counter. Then she guided his hand to her abdomen. "Feel."
Blinking at the gesture, Luke did as she requested. And then he understood why she was grinning. Wordlessly, he took her into his arms and they shared a kiss right there in the kitchen.
"Daddy? Ri-Ri is... wet."
They broke the kiss and turned to find Ben standing there, staring at them. Mara smiled at Luke. "I'll go see to Riana."
Luke nodded and watched her go. A baby... no wonder she'd handed him flowers. He glanced at Ben. "Are you hungry?" Ben nodded.
Renna led him to an empty classroom. "Why did you come all the way to Coruscant?"
"What? I can't surprise you once in a while?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "It's cheaper to comm."
Samir laughed. "It's not the same and you know it. Besides... I wanted to do something and it couldn't be done via the holonet."
"Oh really?"
"Really." He leaned in and kissed her, and she returned the kiss. They stayed like that for a long minute, and then he pulled away. "Something like that..."
"Mmmm, I see what you mean." She blinked as he pushed one of the desks aside and got down on one knee. "What are you doing?"
"This." He pulled something out of his pocket. "Will you marry me, Renna?"
She stared at him as he held up a ring in the hand that wasn't already holding hers. "You..." There really was only one answer. "Of course." She'd been under the impression that they were as good as married already, but if he wanted to make it official, who was she to stop him? "Yes, Samir. I will marry you."
Leia had just stepped out of a late meeting, tired and upset that she'd missed dinner again on account of politics. They couldn't have waited until tomorrow? She was blearily fumbling with the codes for the speeder when another vehicle landed too close. She did not have time to get out of the way.
Luke blinked at the sudden sensations of pain as he finished making a snack for Ben. "Leia?"
Ben jerked visibly. "She's hurt!"
Mara reentered the kitchen just in time to see Luke dash for the comm station. "Was that...?"
Luke nodded. "It was." He waited for the comm to connect, and when it did, he was speaking a mile a minute, urgent to get the information across.
"Already being done, Master Skywalker," the operator answered him calmly after a slight pause. "As we speak."
Luke turned and shared a look with Mara after the operator disconnected. They shared the same thought: This is not good.