Title: You Look Tense

Rating: M


He waited patiently as he heard the Jade's Fire engines whirl to silence and the ship settle comfortably on the docking bay. The ramp lowered and he smiled slowly as she sauntered down on tired limbs with a bag slung over her back.

"Hm, I was hoping I wouldn't wake you," Jade mused squinting an eye guiltily at him.

"Then maybe you should try arriving during the day," Luke Skywalker chided and she stilled before him with a smile. "Staying for a bit?" He questioned amused at her bag and she dropped it at their feet.

"I am on mandatory vacation," she admitted with a small laugh and Luke pressed his lips together to keep from flat out grinning at her.

"And you choose to spend it with me," he said with a shake of his head and she nodded.

"Hoping some evil sith lord will emerge and we get to go on an adventure," she smiled and he picked up her bag. He wrapped his other arm around her leading her into the temple and he let out a content sigh.

"You are my best friend in the entire galaxy Jade," he admitted with joy and she grinned leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Also heard Corran Horn was here," Jade mused with a bit of excitement and Luke nodded.

"He is just a few months from finishing up his Jedi training. You know what that is don't you Jade?" He questioned as he led her down a long corridor to the room he normally reserved for her. It was close to his own and one of the few he had operational when she had first visited him. It had been hers since. He had offered her bigger ones but she always declined, not needing much since she never was going to stay more than a day or so. He escorted her inside and she let out a breath. Yavin IV wasn't her favorite. It was humid, sticky and was murder on her hair. He felt her weariness and unease. "You all right Jade?" Luke questioned quietly and she turned to him with a single nod. His alert triggered then and he closed the distance between them, depositing her bag on the ground at their feet. "Something happen? Are you injured?" He asked quickly, his eyes inspecting her and she let out a small laugh.

"I'm fine," she assured and he nodded, his eyes still looking upon her with worry. "Tell me about you and your dinky little academy. Any new and exciting classes?" she offered and Luke pressed his lips together.

"You asking about the academy. Now I am definitely worried," he hissed and she sat heavily, her gaze falling to the floor. It took all of his self-control not to rush to her, to lift her head and demand she tell him what was going on. Her fingers pulled at her flight suit and she unzipped it. She shrugged out of the arms revealing a white tank top and she pulled at the hem of the undershirt pulling it up to reveal her lower right oblique. She fell back against the cushion when she felt his hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back as his other hand moved hers out of the way to inspect the wound there. She closed her eyes in defeat, turning her head away from him. She hid her wince as his fingers slid over the healing scar.

"When?"

"Seven weeks ago," she breathed, wincing visibly now as he ran his thumb down it.

"Why didn't you contact me?" He hissed kneeling before her as he placed his hand over the wound and she felt him start to gather the force around it.

"You going to run half way across the galaxy because some idiot shot me?" She accused and he looked up at her suddenly and she pressed her lips together, touched he would.

"Would you not for me?" He demanded and she smiled weakly at him pushing his hands away gently.

"I'm not the Jedi Master. Plus, it's my job to save you so you can save the rest of the galaxy," she breathed and he leaned his head against her stomach, wrapping an arm around her. She reached out with the force and felt his churning emotions. She was use to them now but when she felt guilt it angered her. "Don't blame yourself," she hissed pushing him off of her and he fell back to sit on the ground before her. She stood, pushing her undershirt down, her flight suit hanging around her hips as she moved towards the little kitchen area.

"I blame you," he mumbled and she closed her eyes with defeat.

"Well, at least we are in agreement about that," she growled and pulled out a bottle of Corellian Whiskey she had stored in there the last time she had been here. She eyed the bottle then quickly poured herself a glass. She shot it back and went to pour herself another when his hand grabbed the bottle from her.

"You look tense," he whispered, his frame already in her space as he pushed her up against the wall gently. Her emerald eyes caught his blue and she let out a breath. Her lips sought his quickly and he responded, his hands pushing her flight suit down her hips before they went to her hair. Her lips continued to slowly kiss him as his fingers expertly undid the braid of her hair, the red gold strands flowing around her shoulders. His hands ran through her tresses possessively before grasping the back of her head and deepening the kiss, pulling their bodies flush against each other.


"Master Skywalker!" Kam's voice carried down the hall and Luke stilled turning to him. "Did you know Mara Jade was here?" He questioned catching up to him and Luke nodded once.

"She arrived late last night. I need to send her to learn some more Jedi Healing techniques," he muttered to himself as he turned continuing on his way towards his morning class. "Has she woke up?" He questioned as Kam fell in step beside him.

"Yes, she has been with Tionne for the last hour."

Luke stopped. Slowly his head turned to his friend and confusion flashed across his features.

"Why?"

"She is taking the Jedi Academy Entrance exam," Kam said, excitement upon his features and Luke chastised himself he didn't feel it off Kam before.

*MARA!*

*A ha… I knew you could talk into my mind. You've been hiding that from me,* her voice quickly snapped back and Luke turned directions heading towards Tionne's office.

*I hide a lot of things from you. You should be use to that by now,* he hissed back in his mind and Kam tilted his head at the master as he followed quietly.

"Did she not tell you last night that was why she was here?" Kam asked gently and Luke didn't speak until he opened the door to see Tionne and Mara standing talking before him.

"No. She did not tell me that," he said, his voice controlled but Mara almost felt the annoyance from him and Tionne turned to him quickly.

"Master, I need to speak to you," Tionne said quickly and Luke shook his head at her worrying gaze.

"She's accepted," he breathed stepping inside and Tionne's eyes widened in horror.
"But Master," she tried and he felt his lips curl up in a grin.

"Let's see what she's got," he smirked and Mara's lips curled up in a grin. "Welcome to the Jedi Academy Jade," Luke Skywalker smiled and Mara bowed her head at him.

*Aw, I bet you've waited years to say that Skywalker,* she cooed at him in his mind and he let out a breath.

*You have no idea.*

Tionne turned back to Mara Jade, a look of frustration visible on her features before she replaced it with calm. He wanted the ex-imperial in the Jedi Academy, then she would be in the Jedi Academy.

"You can start tomorrow. I'll draw up your schedule," Tionne began and Mara looked at her with a sincere smile.

"Thank you Master Tionne," she breathed with a bow of her head and Tionne was taken aback. She returned the bow. Mara moved towards the door and Luke and Kam easily stepped out of her way.

*Walk?* She asked into his mind as she passed and Luke smiled at Kam who bowed his head at him. She could feel the excitement bouncing off of him and she smirked when he finally caught up with her down the hall.

"Why didn't you tell me last night?" He asked quickly, his boyish grin in place and she grinned at him.

"I think you know why I didn't," she mused and he stilled turning to her causing her to stop her pace.

"Why? Why now? Why are you doing this?" He asked, wanting to know the answers desperately and she sucked in a deep breath and he felt a calm come from her.

"I don't think it's one reason but more many that finally pushed me over the edge. I'd like your voice out of my head is one," she mused and he smirked at her. "It had been a trade deal gone wrong. I had sensed it, something was a miss but I hadn't been fast enough. I tried to protect them but the shot had gone through me and into one of our employees after I failed to stop the first one," she muttered, the agony of that suddenly displaying on her face. Luke watched her patiently, not moving to comfort her as his first instinct wanted, knowing that she needed to tell him this. Plus coddling Mara Jade wasn't really a thing you did. "If I had been more aware, more you," she mused with defeat. "I felt selfish. Selfish that in my pride I had denied my training for so long and it cost other people then I felt cheated. Cheated that he stole it from me so many years ago. That my force ability should have been second nature to me and not just a feeling I use on occasion," she said and then turned, continuing her walk down the hall. He stayed where he was and just let her reasoning wash over him. He felt those emotions with her. He blamed her last night because if she had been a Jedi Knight she wouldn't have the scar and now he truly understood why she blamed herself too. He caught up with her easily, a few minutes of silence passing between them companionably.

"I feel I should probably ask you," she mused and Luke couldn't stop the laugh that left his lips.

"You, ask me before you do something?" He questioned and she shot him a look.

"Jade!" An excited voice called down the hall and Mara grinned watching Corran Horn make his way towards him.

"I can't talk into his mind can I?" She asked and Luke remained silent.

"Horn, how would you like an addition to your class?" Luke questioned and Mara crossed her arms across her chest with a small smirk. "I think I should pair her with you," Luke mused and Horn smirked, joy hitting his eyes.

"It's because she won't kill me like she would the others isn't it?" Horn said amused and Mara winked at him.

"Well, that," Luke smiled.

"This isn't some force vision I'm having is it? Are you really going to join the academy?" Horn questioned and Mara let out a breath.

"Until I get kicked out," she mused and Luke grinned.

"Are you going to call him Master Skywalker?" Horn asked with laughter and Mara turned towards Luke, an eyebrow raised. Before her wasn't the stuffy Jedi master as the world saw but her friend. Her best friend. The farmboy who destroyed the Empire, and though she definitely didn't know it at the time he had set her free.

*Your first class is going to be on shielding,* she heard his voice sigh into her head and her face and mind went blank.

"Taking orders from farmboy may be my Jedi Trial Horn," Mara mused and Corran laughed.

"Well, come on, let me tell you all the secrets," he grinned pointing over his shoulder and Mara nodded easily falling in step beside him. She glanced back at Luke and they both nodded once to each other. Luke turned and walked back to his original destination yet his smile never left. His best friend was finally going to get the heritage she truly deserved.

*Now who needs help shielding Master Skywalker?* Her voice was much sweeter in his head and his feet stilled.

"Sith," he swore and pulled his shields up tight around him. She picked up talking with him rather fast… she would be very fun to train. He groaned continuing his step. She was going to call him Master Skywalker… that hurt a bit as Mara was the only one who seemed to see past him just being a Jedi Master. Hopefully a small sacrifice to pay to see her become a Jedi Knight.