****************** Chapter eleven *************

"My eyesight's improving," Luke announced as the orderlies hoisted him, dressed in a dripping white hospital tunic, from the bacta tank and to the repulsor stretcher. "See?" he reached his hand out to his wife and touched the vague blur he could tell was her sleeve. "You're wearing dark green today."

Mara tried to smile for him as the sonic dryers dried his clothes and the orderlies began pushing the gurney forward. Visibly, all that was left of Luke's injuries were white bandages on his legs and left arm. His concussion had healed and the damage to his spinal cord had been mostly repaired, although he wouldn't be permitted to walk for another week. The bone-knitters were to come in a day or so. After that, they could only wait and pray that his sight would continue to improve.

The orderlies pushed Luke to his room, moved him to the bed and departed. Mara followed her husband in, taking a seat in the chair next to his bed. "How are you feeling today?" she asked.

Luke's eyes followed the sound of her voice. "Much better," he murmured. "I spent the night in a healing trance--it helped."

Mara nodded. She wanted to ask him if the trance had improved his eyesight at all, but didn't. The doctors had said they would just have to wait and see how much it would get better.

"So, how are you holding up at home?" Luke asked. "Surviving?"

Mara laughed softly. "Motherhood," she smiled, "the new frontier. Here's something the Emperor's training never prepared me for. You wouldn't think that such a small person could bring such chaos to a home, but they can."

"Sounds like fun."

"Yeah well, I can't wait till you get home," Mara told him. "Dirty diapers, mid-night feedings."

"Well, at least I know I won't cease to be needed," Luke commented dryly.

Mara took his hand and softly stroked his fingers. "Don't worry, honey," she said in a sweet voice. "You never have to worry about not being needed."

Luke covered both their hands with his still-bandaged left one. "I love you, Mara," he whispered seriously.

Mara looked up into her husband's eyes, noting with a hollow pain in her throat that he was staring just past her. She squeezed his hand. "I love you too, Luke. Don't ever scare me like that again."

*I promise,* he told her silently, leaning forward to kiss her. Mara accepted, kissing him back, realizing only then how much she'd missed him.

"Sir, it's time for your lunch," a bland, mechanical voice pulled them apart. Mara looked up, flashing annoyance at the too-onebee droid entering the room, bearing a metal tray of unrecognizable food.

"My favorite part of the day," Luke murmured with sarcasm, leaning his head back against his pillows, eyes vaguely focused at the foot of the bed. "Lunch."

Mara watched in silence as the droid wheeled forward. "Here you are, sir," it announced cheerily, placing the tray on a roll-away table and shoving it close.

Luke turned his head toward Mara again and whispered conspiratorially, "Let's sneak out of here and have dinner at the Skydome. What do you say?"

Mara grinned, eyeing the droid. "Why Luke, are you asking me out on a date?"

He looked innocent. "Why not?" he asked. "We're alone, neither of us is doing anything tonight, and my sister's watching the baby."

They began kissing again as the departing voice of the droid announced, "I'll leave you now, sir. Please call if you require assistance."

They parted a few minutes later and Luke groped on his tray for a fork. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really," Mara answered, eyeing the goop. "Whoops-you just put your hand in your creamed topatoes."

"Help," Luke murmured. "Is there a napkin anywhere?"

"Nope. Would you like me to call too-onebee to bring some?"

"Spare me," he muttered, wiping his hand off on the edge of the tray and licking his fingers. He immediately made a face.

"A downside to being blind," he announced. "You can't see what you're eating."

"Um, in this case, I think that might be a good thing," Mara told him.

"Ha, ha," Luke returned, pushing the tray away, leaning his head back against the pillows. "I'm serious about this Skydome idea."

"Well, can I give you a raincheck?" Mara asked. "If nothing else, Leia would kill me if I let you out of here."

"Good point," Luke conceded. "Another time, then."

"Speaking of your sister," Mara remembered. "She helped the kids make you a card which I promised to deliver." She pulled it out sheepishly and handed it to him. "I almost forgot."

Luke took the homemade creation, and ran his hands over the colorful paper, roughly glued and scribbled in shaky child's scrawl. "That's nice of them," he said quietly. "What does it say?"

Mara peered over his shoulder and read, "'Dear Uncle Luke, we miss you. Get better soon. Jacen, Jaina and Anakin.'"

"That's cute," Luke murmured, leaning his head back against the pillows and shutting his eyes. A somber mood had suddenly seemed to come over him. "Tell them thank you for me."

"I will," Mara nodded, eyeing him. "They spent all morning working on it--I'm sure they'll be glad to hear you liked it." When he didn't answer, she took the card and stood it carefully on the nightstand, next to his bed. Looking back at him, she saw that his eyes were still shut. "You okay?" she asked quietly.

Vacant blue eyes snapped open again, regarding her general direction. His expression didn't change. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You look tired."

"I am, kind of."

"Well, maybe I should leave so you can get some rest."

"No," Luke raised his head, his hand reaching for her arm, as if to stop her. "Stay a little while. Please."

Mara nodded quickly. "Of course. If you want me to," she whispered, eyeing his worn features and reaching out to him through the Force. Wordlessly, Luke accepted her mental touch.

"I was wondering," Luke said quietly. "I mean.they're looking for him, right?"

Mara drew back. "What?" she asked.

"The person who bombed the Senate building," he answered, raising his head again. "Are they looking for him? Do they have any leads?"

Mara stared at him, quiet warning bells going off in her mind. Something about Luke's question and the tone of his voice filled her with worry. There was so much they still had not told him about the bombing, so much that still wasn't good for him to know yet. She wasn't sure what she should answer.

"You see," Luke went on. "General Rieekan was here earlier with a bunch of questions that I was not able to answer. He wouldn't answer very many of my questions either. And since I was put in charge of uncovering this terrorist cell before the bombing." he trailed off, staring vacantly at the wadded sheet in his hand. "I just wanted to make sure someone's looking for him."

Mara pushed back her worry and took her husband's hand, her heart aching for the sudden expression of helplessness shining in his eyes. "Yes, Luke," she said quietly. "They are looking for him. They're doing everything they can."

He lay his head back against the pillow and shut his eyes again, seemingly satisfied. He didn't say anything else.

Mara was silent for several long minutes, watching Luke's breathing slow until, finally, she decided, he was asleep.

"Good night, Luke," she whispered, leaning forward and giving him a kiss on the forehead. "I love you."

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