Author's Notes: I want to thank everybody who has been reading this fic. I really appreciate all the reviews. I may not be able to update this fic for another two weeks after this chapter. I am going on vacation and will not be near a computer. I promise to get Chapter 26 posted when I return in August. I think I can finish this ficwith one or twomore chapters and an epilogue.
Thanks again to everybody who has been reading!
JL
A few years had passed since the sensational news of Luke's love life and family hit the holopresss. The story was that Jadie was Mara's sister, discovered long ago, but kept quiet since she didn't want to be caught up in an obviously painful situation of her family. Through Mara though, she met Luke, and the two fell in love and got married.
After Jadie's untimely death due to a tragic shuttle accident, Luke decided to reveal all.
But that wasn't even close to how the holopress tried to spin it around, but the Skywalker/Solo family ignored it as best they could.
The point is, they were still a family, and while the pain would never go away at their loss, at least now it had died down to a dull ache.
Location: BlazeN Blasters—Children's' eating establishment and family fun center, Coruscant.
"Can it get any louder in here?" Han yelled at Leia over the din of hundreds of video and hologames and an equal amount of small children running about, screaming on the top of their lungs.
Blaze N Blasters was one of the most popular kid's restaurants on Coruscant, specializing in various kid-friendly foods from across the galaxy. This particular restaurant sported dozens and dozens of booth seats interspersed between the various hologames of the establishment's gaming center. Also in the restaurant was a small dance floor, where, currently, a dozen or so young children were hopping up and down to the music as they tried to hug or get their holo taken with some unlucky employee wearing a large gray Womp Rat suit.
"What's that supposed to be?" Han asked Leia as they sat at one of the many booth seats surrounding the madness.
"That's Bucky the Womp Rat," Leia glanced past Han to where he was pointing, "the restaurant's mascot."
Han gave her a look, "So can you explain to me the reasoning behind having a large, hairy, disease-ridden, vermin to represent an eating establishment?"
"I don't know," Leia laughed, "but the kids love him. Can you believe Luke's twins are four-years-old today?"
"Yeah," he smiled, "it seems like yesterday that we held them for the first time," he then looked around, "where is Luke anyway?"
"I'm not sure. The last time I saw him he was bringing Owen to the 'fresher."
Han nodded. "I will take a walk around to see if I can find him."
Slipping out of the booth, the Corellian pilot elbowed his way through the throng of sugar-buzzed youngsters, when he found a very concerned looking Mara Jade staring up at the ceiling.
"What's going on, Jade?" Han asked gazing up also.
"I'm looking for Ben," she said, sounding a bit anxious. "He followed his cousins up into that plastic pipe maze on the ceiling and now I am not sure where he is. I can sense his presence up there, but I think he's lost."
Han looked up at the ewok-size tunnel maze bolted to the ceiling. It was very similar to the small tunnel systems his son Jacen used to keep his small pets in while at the Jedi Academy.
"Well," Han uttered, "if he's lost, you can go up there and get him. Don't look at me to run to the rescue. I'd probably get stuck and the emergency squad would have to come and cut me out. That would make great fodder for the press."
"Mom!" the voice of a young boy could be barely heard over the noise of the restaurant.
Mara looked up expectantly, searching for the source.
"Mom!" the call came again.
"Where is he?" Mara said impatiently.
"There!" Han said while pointing up and to the right where three-year-old Ben Jade stood at the opening of one of the plastic tubes balancing himself precariously over a 6-foot drop.
"Watch this, Mom!" he called out before he jumped off the ledge.
Mara could only gasp as her adopted son landed headfirst into a pit of plastic balls and then slowly sunk down under the synthetic orbs. After a few seconds he reappeared laughing hysterically.
"Stang!" Mara exclaimed as she sat down into the nearest booth seat available. "That boy will be the death of me. He truly is a son of a Sith," Mara said in obvious jest, the love in her eyes for her son being all too apparent.
Han chuckled as he sat down across from her. "That may be, but I think you have a soft spot for sons of Sith," he said as he nodded toward the 'fresher where Luke and Owen just exited.
Mara blushed slightly, turning away from Han. "Maybe."
"You know, there is something I always wanted to ask you," Han said seriously. "Why did you name him Ben? You never knew the old man."
Mara was silent and Han thought she wasn't going to answer. "I didn't name him after Kenobi," she finally said. "That day Connor brought the baby to me, I was terrified. I really didn't think I was ready to be a single mother or if I wanted that obligation at all. Luke offered to take the baby, but that felt wrong in the Force."
She paused for a moment to check the location of her son, seeing he was okay, she continued. "That night I meditated on it, and I saw… I am not sure if it was a vision of the future or a vision of a possible future, but I saw a young man and me—a handsome young man with blue eyes and fiery red hair. In that vision I called him Ben. He turned to me and," Mara hesitated briefly, "… he called me 'Mom'."
"So, it was a Force thing?" Han asked.
Mara turned to him, "I don't know if it was all the Force," she said as a slight smile graced her lips. "When I held Ben in my arms for the first time… It felt right. It was almost like things were now the way they should be in the galaxy… or, at least, getting there."
Han gave her a confused look, "What do you mean by 'getting there'?"
"I don't know exactly, it just seems like…" Mara shook her head, "like something is still missing."
Smiling he knew exactly what was missing from Mara's life. "I think the only thing missing from your life is a certain Jedi Master."
Mara didn't react in the normal hostile manner he expected but instead sighed sadly, "Han, that's not going to happen. Luke is still trying to overcome the loss of his wife. And since we disclosed to the public he was married to my younger sister, how would it look if he started dating me?"
"You two need to stop worrying about the press," the Corellian rolled his eyes and scoffed, "I mean how much worse could the gossip get anyway? There are already rumors that Ben is really Luke's child. You've read the holozines!"
"Oh yeah," Mara groaned, "those reporters have some imaginations." Mara sat back in her seat as she started counting off on her fingers the various sleazy holoreports involving her and the parentage of her son. "First it was said that Ben was fathered by Luke after a torrid affair, then there is a report that Ben is actually the son of Talon Karrde, another blames Face Loran, Ghent, Aves, and even Lando!" Mara said and then started laughing, "I am surprised Jacen and Anakin haven't been dragged into this mess."
"Well, they are still a bit young and you are technically a part of this family now," he tried to look as if he was seriously contemplating the concept, but then laughed. "Even gossip holozine reporters aren't creepy enough to insinuate you were having an affair with an underage family member."
Laughing, "My favorite pairing was when the Galactic Exaggerator reported that Ben was the love child of Wolf Drake."
Han was a fan of Wolf Drake; he was the number one holo action hero and voted the most handsome human in the galaxy… at least according to Celebrity Holozine. Han wasn't too sure about the accuracy of that particular publication since he barely made the top twenty on that list.
"Yeah, I read that report about you and Wolf. Have you even met the man?" Han asked.
Mara shook her head, "Sadly, no."
"I wonder how that rumor started?" Han said.
Mara gave him a self-satisfied look, "It was costly, but a bribe here, a bribe there…"
Han burst out in laughter, "You started that one?"
Mara smiled smugly.
"You are too much, Jade," Han laughed.
"The way I figure, if the reporters are scurrying around trying to figure out who the father is, they won't look too closely to the fact that I never appeared pregnant."
"Yeah," Han said as he sat back in his seat, "I wonder why they never picked up on that?"
Mara shrugged. "I am not in the public eye enough for them to know for sure. I claimed that I had Ben on ship in Wild Space and registered the birth on the planet Lamaredd. The locals on that planet are not known for their paperwork accuracy or accountability. And if Ben's maternity ever comes into question I will submit to a DNA test. As Connor once told me, genetically speaking, I am his mother. But I don't think it will ever come to that. The press is rapidly losing interest in this story."
"Mom! Mom! Mommmy!" Ben yelled as he ran up to Mara interrupting her conversation with Han. Mara turned in her seat so she could scoop up the toddler in her arms.
"What do you need, Ben?" she said as she gave the boy a gentle squeeze and a kiss on his forehead.
"I need more credit tokens."
"What!" Jade said shocked, "I just gave you 50 credits worth! What did you spend them on?"
The boy looked a bit embarrassed, "I used them trying to get to the end of the trench run hologame. Owen says he will always beat me because Uncle Luke is his Dad and blew up real the Def Star." The young boy blurted out, mangling the name of the space station in the process.
"Oh he said that, huh?" Mara said as she dug into her pockets for more tokens. She handed her son a fist full and then packed his pockets with some more. "Now you go and beat your cousin's high score, and Ben," she lowered her voice, "the trick is you have to turn off the targeting computer before you get to the end and make your shot." She gave the boy a wink. "Before you go back, do you need to go potty?" she asked in a hushed tone. The little redheaded child shook his head. "Okay, go take on that trench run," she said as she sent him off. "And remember to use the Force, Ben," she called out to him, "It will be cheaper that way," she muttered with a chuckle.
Mara turned to find Han grinning at her. "What?"
"Oh nothing," Han drawled, "it's just I never thought I would ever hear the dangerous former Emperor's Hand say do you need to go potty?" Han laughed.
The former assassin gave him a tight smile. "I am often surprised by some of the things I have said in the past three-and-a-half years… words I never thought would be coming out of my mouth. Like, 'Ben! Don't lick the screen door!' or 'No! We don't eat tartiki bugs in this family.'"
"I know how it is, Jade. Raised three of them myself," Han chuckled as he rose out of his seat. "I'm going to track down Luke, oh, remember, bring Ben over to the house after this."
"Don't worry, Solo. I won't turn down a night child-free," she said happily.
Han left Mara's company and made his way across the restaurant to where Luke was sitting.
"Hey, Kid," Han said as he slipped into the seat across from the Jedi.
"Hey, Han," Luke said with a smile, "just making sure the twins don't cause too much havoc."
Han looked over to where Owen and Jemma were riding a landspeeder contraption that moved up and down and vibrated to simulate the movement of a real speeder. At the front of the vehicle was a camera and halfway through the ride a 2D digital photograph of the passengers popped out. Luke sat at the table with at least a dozen grainy photos of the twins mugging at the camera.
"You sure you really want to take them off my hands for the night?" Luke asked Han.
"Sure kid, and don't worry, Leia and I won't be alone. Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin promised to help out tonight. They love their little cousins. And if they get too out of hand I have Chewie and the Noghri as back up."
"I don't know if that will be enough," Luke laughed. "I'll tell you, Jemma and Owen are really excited about having a sleepover at their Aunt and Uncle's house."
"Well, I think it is about time you and Mara got some free time away from the kids. You both should get out, see a movie that doesn't involve furry animated ewoks," Han paused, "maybe have a sleepover of your own."
"Han," Luke sighed, "I know you and Leia are concerned about me getting on with my life," Luke said quietly, "but I…" Luke appeared to struggle for the words. "Dating so soon seems wrong, it's like I am disrespecting Jadie's memory and the sacrifice she made for her family." Luke ran his fingers through his short blond hair his face twisted in grief for his lost love. Han mentally kicked himself for causing his brother-in-law such pain, but how many years was he going to let his grief paralyze him?
"Luke," Han said softly, "Do you think this is what Jadie wanted? Do you think she wouldn't want you to find love again? Do you think she would want your children to grow up without a mother?"
Luke fidgeted in his seat looking exceedingly uncomfortable. "Han, things are not that simple, especially with Mara," he finally said, pausing before continuing again, "Han, Jadie once accused me of marrying her to replace Mara. Mara accused me of marrying Jadie to replace her. If I start a relationship with Mara it would be like they were right. I start off with one and end up with the other." Luke said as he squeezed the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"But you asked her to marry you, kid, twice," the older man pointed out. "You had to have had feelings for her."
"I did, once, but she wasn't interested, and there was Jadie…" he shook his head in confusion, "besides, Mara still isn't interested."
"What!" Han blurted out in disbelief. "Luke, if Mara signaled her interest in you any clearer they would be able to see it from space!"
"You don't know what you are talking about," Luke shook his head, "you said yourself this is the woman who turned down my marriage proposal… twice. She isn't interested in me that way."
Han leaned forward across the table and stared intently at Luke. "Kid, I know women and I can guarantee Mara is interested. Why do you think she followed you to Yavin? She's practically living with you!"
"She's not living with me, Han," Luke said mortified. "She is a student at the Academy. She lives in my wing of the dorm because the rooms are a little larger. She needs the extra space because of Ben."
Han nodded, knowing that was only part of the reason. Mara and Luke had been drawing on each other for support for the last three-and-a-half years. They could easily be mistaken as a family, to anyone who didn't know them.
"Luke," Han said quietly, "you and Mara are good for each other. Why don't you go over and ask her out tonight. See a Holo, go to the gardens, the museums, anything. You'll see that I'm right. I may not have the Force, but I am sure she cares for you deeply." Han paused for a moment before he ventured further, "I think it is more than that. I think she loves you… and I think you love her still. Why don't you take a chance to see if there is anything there?"
"And if she doesn't feel that way about me, it could destroy our friendship." Luke said frankly. "I've already lost Jadie, I can't lose Mara as well."
Han sighed wondering if Luke was even aware of the significance of his own words. "Luke, after all you two have been through together in the last twenty years, I don't think expressing your feelings for the woman is going to tear your friendship apart… even if the feelings are unrequited… which they aren't."
The Jedi Master closed his eyes in thought. "Okay," he said reluctantly. "I'll ask her if she wants to go to do something tonight."
"Great," Han said with a broad smile. "I am going to see if they sell any ale at this place."
"This is a kid's restaurant, Han."
"And that's why I need a drink," the Corellian said with a lopsided grin as he stood up. Before leaving he reached over and gave Luke's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Give love another chance, Luke," he said with all sincerity, then turned and made his way up to the beverage counter.
After Han left, Luke sat silently at his table, keeping an eye on the twins and making furtive glances in the direction of one beautiful redhead across the restaurant.
They had seen each other almost daily in the last three years since Mara came to the Academy to train, but after Luke's talk with Han, he almost felt like a nervous school boy at the thought of asking her out.
This was just so awkward. His wife was Mara's clone, that fact alone couldn't help but color the way he thought about her, and it would affect how he considered any possible relationship with his friend.
Jadie once wondered if he could ever separate the two women in his mind and in his heart. Luke knew he could. He did it with Jadie, he saw her as an individual—the woman he fell in love with and married—not a copy of Mara Jade. Could he make the separation again? Could he be in a relationship with Mara and not think of his wife?
Luke shook his head, realizing he had always seen these two women as distinct individuals. They may have looked the same, but he always saw the differences of their personalities and their souls and he never confused them in his heart. He glanced back up at Mara who was watching her son play a hologame. Luke had to admit he enjoyed her company, but did he want more? Did she? Could he take that step? He wasn't sure.
He had been staring at Mara Jade for sometime before he noticed she was looking directly back at him. Once he realized he was caught he blushed and ventured a nervous smile. He was overjoyed when she smiled broadly and then got up to move toward his table.
"Having a good time?" Mara asked as she slid into the seat Han had vacated.
"Yes, I am. This place is amazing. I wish they had restaurants like this when I was growing up. Although I doubt Uncle Owen would have brought me, even if they did." Luke said casually, trying to hide his nervousness. The prospect of asking Mara out had made him fidgety.
"Same here, I somehow doubt I would have ever seen the inside of this type of establishment during my childhood." She said then started laughing.
Luke cocked his head to the side. "What?"
Mara brought her laughter under control. "Could you picture Palpatine and your father here throwing me a Life Day party? I can imagine how that would turn out. My four-year-old self probably would have ended up having to receive extensive psychotherapy after seeing Vader Force-choke Bucky the Womp Rat or Palpatine frying him with Force lightning after the rodent unwisely tried to get the two Sith Lords to do the Happy, Happy, Happy Life Day dance with him."
Luke couldn't help but chuckle at that particular image. And with the laughter his initial unease faded. Han was right. Mara was his friend; nothing was going to change that.
Before he could change his mind, Luke went ahead and put his heart on the line once more. "Ummm… Mara, tonight, after we drop the kids off, would you like to… oh I don't know, would you like to go out and get some caf or something, that is if…"
"I would love to," Mara said quickly and without hesitation.