aniamifan1988: Thank you. :D I like them being sappily romantic too. :p

Anna Skywalker: Oh yes, they realize it. ;) I can't imagine them not. :p Thank you. I don't think Leia would have ever grieved – she just didn't have reason to.

Shawn Pickett: Thank you, I think!

Jedikma: I'm sure I don't. :p I never have breakfast. ;) And thank you! Writing the bit about Anakin/Vader was – well, not fun, but I enjoyed doing it. It's a thing I've never explored before. The subtle things usually come about because I want the reader to be really able to visualize it – if I have a lot of dialogue, I will deliberately add those sorts of things, and if I have a lot of description, I'll usually try to add a thought or something, just to balance things. Thank you again!

twin03: Thank you. :)

Title: Heat Wave

A/N: Many thanks to Jedi-2B and Gabri_Jade for beta'ing. :) Also, I don't know when the next one will be, sorry. ;)

Feedback is, as always and ever, treasured. ;)

*~*~*

"It's the heat wave, kid," Han said wisely, clapping Luke on the shoulder. Luke turned away from the vista of buildings – though on Coruscant, 'building' didn't seem a grand enough word. Leia and Han's apartment had a truly fantastic view from the living room. Of course, there were small, airborne droids patrolling the area and an energy field as security measures, but they were largely invisible.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked, startled.

"Well, it's kind of obvious," Han confided. "Mara is hanging all over you like a limpet –"

"Han," Luke said repressively.

"And you've got that classic-Skywalker-troubled look," Han finished. "So, take it from a me – it's the heat wave."

"You?" Luke muttered, briefly raising an eyebrow. He turned away to look through the window again. Everything was cast in a maroon color by the low-lying sun. It wasn't quite a sunset yet, but it was nearing it – and sunset was hardly easy to define on a planet with such an unusual horizon. "And what does a heat wave have to do with anything?"

"Makes women crazy, kid."

Luke shot him a dark look.

Han didn't respond to the look. He snapped his fingers in an exaggerated gesture of remembrance. "Oh, right – Leia sent me over here to tell you that dinner is almost ready."

Luke nodded. "Thanks." Once again, he turned to look outside. Thankfully, Han took the hint this time and left, presumably to join his wife in the kitchen. Not that he would do much of any importance – Han was not known for his cooking abilities. Neither was Leia, for that matter, but that's what Threepio was for.

Mara had been acting oddly lately. He flushed as he remembered some of the ways she was acting oddly – even Han had noticed. Limpet. He sighed. Besides that, which he didn't really mind, there were the other things. They concerned him more. Luke knew his wife very well, and this was all very new to him. Mara just didn't –

"Luke," came Leia's voice. A hand gently touched his shoulder.

"Hey, Leia," Luke said with a smile. He kissed her lightly on the cheek. She had been in the kitchen when Luke and Mara had arrived for dinner, so they actually hadn't seen each other in a few weeks. "How are you doing? The kids?"

"All fine," Leia said, smiling and patting Luke's arm. As usual, she was dressed elegantly but simply, this time in a pale green dress similar in design to her Senatorial white dress. "And you?"

"Good," Luke said, and he meant it. Nothing exciting – in other words, no crises – had occurred. The Jedi Temple – bringing the Jedi Order back – was going well. Mara was here, and with the children. Jaina and Jacen were still a little nervous around her, but they knew Mara the Burninator had merely been a prank that had turned on them. Anakin loved her, and looked up to his aunt the most of any of the children. They had a special connection, ever since that night – Mara was his confidant, and Mara took great joy in simply being with the boy.

"I'm glad," Leia said simply. "I noticed Mara is a bit . . ." She paused, clearing searching for the right word.

"Out-going?" Luke suggested. Emotional probably wouldn't be too tactful.

"Yes," Leia said with a relieved smile. "That's rather unusual for her."

For a moment, Luke wondered what she would have said had she seen the smoldering kiss Mara had given him before they went into the apartment. Evidently Han had, and had his own opinions on the matter. Luke supposed he shouldn't be surprised – families poked into each other's business constantly, from everything he knew.

"I think she's antsy to get off Coruscant," Luke said hesitantly, not really willing to lie.

"Hmm?" Leia said with an inquisitive and yet commanding expression.

Luke knew better than to argue with that look on his sister's face. "She's been acting a bit odd. Even Han noticed."

"Oh?"

Luke instinctively glanced in the direction of the children's rooms. "She's been having mood swings, eating like crazy, and –" He shrugged, cutting himself off. "I don't understand it."

Leia gave him a look of amused caution. "You don't, do you? And Mara?"

"Does she, you mean?" Luke asked, blinking. "I . . . I don't think so. I don't think she's really thinking about it."

Leia nodded, and put her hand on his arm again, squeezing lightly. He looked into her eyes, but his sister – the diplomat, the one who always knew what to say – looked like she was at a loss for words. "I think you and Mara should carefully examine . . . examine . . ."

"Leia, is this supposed to smoke like this?" Han called, peeking out from the kitchen. All Luke could see was his head and part of his shoulder.

Leia whirled, alarmed for her carefully prepared food. "What?" She quickly rushed over and disappeared into the kitchen. Han shrugged at Luke, and disappeared as well.

Wondering what Leia had been planning to say, Luke sighed. He and Mara had been married for two years now, and while Mara continued to surprise and entrance him, this was unexpected purely because it was unexplainable. That Mara had sides of her personality most did not see was known very well by Luke. She was reserved – whether because of personality or upbringing, he didn't know – but now that reserved nature seemed to be falling away, and then coming back at random moments, and Luke was at a loss to explain it.

But any thoughts of that were pushed out of Luke's mind when Mara entered the living room, from the hallway that led to the children's rooms. She was dressed in a slightly formal, but feminine, tunic and pants that were a dark green. Even darker than her eyes – it served to make her eyes appear brighter, and the green contrasted beautifully with her unbound red hair. Luke smiled at the sight of her and relaxed.

She came over to him silently and kissed him deeply, lingering. "Hello," she whispered, smiling serenely. She looked radiant, and for a second – or a little longer – Luke wanted nothing more than to get lost in her eyes.

Mara put her arms around his waist and pinched his butt.

"Mara!"

Mara grinned. "After dinner," she promised smokily.

"Okay," Luke managed.

"Luke? Mara? Dinner is ready," Leia called from the dining room.

Mara smiled.

"Thanks," Luke said. With a glance at Mara, he took her hand and they went to the dining room. Unlike the light tones in the living room and entrance area, the dining room was decorated in darker colors of navy and green. The kids scrambled into their seats, Leia sat down sedately, and Han plopped into his chair. Mara and Luke settled in last, sitting next to each other. He noted that Mara noted with displeasure that they were seated with their backs to the entrance. Old habits die hard. It wasn't really formal – it was just family. They tried to do this at least every few months, as a handle on their often hectic lives.

As the food was passed – some kind of delicious green pasta, Luke discovered – they talked about current events and told stories. The children continually begged for stories of adventure, but more often than not Han would only tell humorous ones, though occasionally he would start off on a story of mischief – always quickly turning to another at a stern look in Leia's brown eyes.

Eventually, the talk turned to the Jedi.

"It's going well," Luke said. "I'm rather relieved, really. It's a lot harder than I expected in some ways – and we had our share of disasters." He was downcast for a moment, but at Mara's nudge he shrugged and shot her a grateful look. "Mara's with me, though."

Mara smiled slightly, starting to act more like her normal self. At least temporarily. "I have to keep you out of trouble," she said sharply with a smile to soften the words. "You seem to find it everywhere."

"I do not," Luke protested. "It finds me."

She waved her fork at him. "So what, trouble has heat-seeking capabilities like missiles now?"

"Why heat?" Anakin popped up.

Mara blinked.

"Why would it seek heat? I mean, wouldn't it have to seek Uncle Luke –"

Mara scrambled at the onslaught of a child's logic. "Well, it's not like your uncle doesn't have any heat . . ."

"Mara!" Luke said, blushing.

Anakin looked confused.

"The heat that any living being has," Mara added, shooting Luke a quelling look, but a smirk was growing on her face.

"So," Leia said brightly, with her own quelling glance directed at Anakin's questioning face, "what about the weather?"

With plummeting hope, Luke watched Han enter the conversation.

"Ah, yes, the weather. The heat wave," Han said knowingly, glancing at Luke. "Odd thing for Coruscant. The air conditioner for this building failed the other day."

"Yes," Leia said, ignorantly – and unwisely – grabbing onto the topic. "It took them hours to fix it, and it was miserable in here in the mean time."

Han stabbed his pasta with his fork. "I'm sure Mara knows all about the heat wave," he said casually. "I mean, what with the fact that heat waves affecting –"

"Han," Luke grated.

The children watched with confused interest.

Mara raised an eyebrow, easily guessing what Han had intended to say when Luke interrupted. "I have been feeling out of sorts," she admitted, eyes narrowing. "And you may have noticed, but it has nothing to do with the heat wave. Something to do with the Force, perhaps."

Luke breathed a sigh of relief.

"In a manner of speaking," Leia muttered into her plate, apparently unable to keep silent.

Mara honed in on that immediately. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her tone making it clear she wanted an answer. She leaned forward, and her whole body language changed subtly, becoming more aggressive.

"Leia?" Luke asked, just as confused.

"I think Han is right," Leia stated, causing both Luke and Mara to be taken aback. "Jedi – or maybe it's just you two, I don't know – can be oblivious to what is right in front of them."

"Leia . . . ?" Mara said, more concerned in her confusion than angry. She looked at Luke, who looked back at her with similar emotions.

Leia went on, looking at Han this time. "Moodiness, changed eating habits . . ." She raised an eyebrow, and a look of comprehension passed over her husband's face. Jaina and Jacen remained silent and confused. But they apparently realized that to remind their parents of their presence would ruin the spectacle taking place in front of them. Anakin kept his eyes steady on Mara.

Luke went over Leia's words in his mind, then looked at Mara. Examine, Leia had said earlier. He reached out for the Force and felt Mara do the same. It wasn't difficult to turn to face each other – they were sitting right next to each other, and their bond was as deep and steady as ever.

With a gentle nudge, the Force directed their attention to Mara in particular. And for what seemed like the first time, Luke truly saw his wife through the Force – he saw the change in her, and through his eyes, she also saw it in herself. The presence in the Force was tinged with both Luke and Mara's presence, and yet was unique.

"I'm pregnant," Mara breathed, looking into Luke's blue eyes as if she would never break her gaze away.

"Finally!" Han crowed in the background, with Leia quickly hushing him.

Mara's mind was racing, and so was Luke's. When . . . ? It hardly mattered, though for a moment Luke thought inanely that Han was incorrect – there hadn't been a heat wave on Yavin IV. Just the two of them, and that had apparently been enough.

There was a babble in the background, but it hardly mattered as a single moment between them stretched into something far longer, in their minds and in the Force.

Mara was with child. They were going to have a family. They were going to be more than husband and wife, but also mother and father. It was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Luke rose from the table, and held out his hand. Mara took it, as silent as he, and they walked out of the room. He sensed a frisson of fear in her at his silence, but he also sensed the trust – and surprisingly, the patience that both so rarely had. Luke didn't even know why he did it, but it felt right.

Han and Leia followed to the large entrance of the dining room, but went no further, talking with each other and the children, hushing and also watching. Luke and Mara ignored it.

Luke embraced Mara. Her arms went around his neck, her body curved to meet his. He could smell her, feel her – both physically and mentally – and he could sense her joy, confusion, and fear. Neither had often dreamed of having a family, though they would sometimes ache, separately, when they saw one. There was something different, truly special about it, and both had easily sensed that fact.

"Thank you," Luke whispered into Mara's ear, speaking at last. "Thank you."

Her body shook against his, and it was laughter, despite the tears falling down her cheeks. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Han's voice cracked like a whip through the silence of the moment. "So, was it the heat wave that –"

"Han!" From the corner of Luke's eye, he saw Leia slap Han's arm.

"What does that mean, Dad?" Jacen asked inquisitively, walking out of the dining room with his brother and sister to see what was going on. Jaina was grinning at Mara, and Anakin was still rather confused by it all.

Luke looked over, and smiled at the flash of realization on Han's face that was going to have to explain that comment to his young son.

"We were so clueless," Mara said softly, smiling at Luke, meeting his eyes again as he met hers.

"The heat wave must have muddled our heads," Luke murmured.

Mara didn't answer, just smiled again, putting her head on Luke's shoulder.

And despite the confused babble of words – Han attempting to explain his comment to Jacen in any other way but the truth, Leia and Jaina talking about babies, and Anakin tugging on Mara's pant leg asking for explanation – Luke felt serene. He sensed the same thing in Mara. And their child was a bright light in the Force, easily seen now that Luke recognized it.

"So much from just a slap?" Mara asked softly, referring to all the times she had slapped him, all the things that came from those telling moments of attraction, friendship and irritation. Luke could virtually hear her doubts and concerns, her fears and worries – but all of it overlaid so heavily with joy.

It was a rhetorical question, but Luke chose to answer it anyway. "And the lack of a slap."

[fin]