I have at least one more chapter after this to tie up loose ends. I want to give a big thanks to all that have read this story and reviewed. I appreciate it.

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Chapter 25

Luke slowly awoke feeling tired and sore, but more content than he could ever remember. He blinked his eyes open and was momentarily disorientated waking up in a room not his own. A broad smile crossed his face as he recalled the night before…that spectacular, wonderful, amazing night before. He rolled to his side and admired the beautiful woman lying next to him. She was asleep, her long red hair disheveled, her lips curved up in a small smile with only a light sheet covering her gorgeous body. He snuggled up next to her and pressed his lips to hers sweetly. She groaned as her eyes fluttered open. "Again? You're unbelievable."

Luke broke out in a shameless grin. "Why thank you. You were amazing yourself. I've never felt this way before." He reached out and cupped her cheek in his palm. "I've never felt this type of connection with another person. The physical, emotional and Force bond we have…it's beyond anything I have ever experienced. I have a Force connection with my sister, but this eclipses that…it surpasses everything." He hesitated for a moment as a sweet emotion swept through him. "Mara I love you. I think the Force wanted us together…I want us together."

She smiled brightly. "I want the same thing."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. Eventually he pulled away and gazed deeply into her emerald eyes. "Good." He grimaced at that lame response, but what he was now feeling couldn't be expressed in words. He rolled over onto his back and stretched his body. "I can't believe I kept up with you at my age."

"Pfffsst," Mara scoffed. "Your age means nothing now." She reached over and ran a finger across his chest. "Nice taunt skin, no wrinkles, no gray hair, superior muscle tone. Master Skywalker you have to stop thinking of yourself as old. You got a new lease on life. You are young again."

"Fate has looked kindly on me." His brow furrowed as he remembered something. "I had a weird dream last night. I dreamt of my childhood on Tatooine."

"What happened in your dream?"

His eyes narrowed as he attempted to recall the transient memory before it faded completely. "I dreamt I was once again a boy on my Uncle Owen's farm. The moisture evaporator closest to our home regularly malfunctioned and would make a thump, thump, thump sound sometimes all night long. It made sleep impossible. I haven't thought about that in decades. I wonder what got me…"

He was interrupted by Mara's laughter. He grinned at her questioningly. "What's so funny?"

"I think I know what got you thinking about your malfunctioning evaporator."

"What?"

She grinned evilly. "I suspect your nephew paid a visit to Tenel Ka last night. The Princess happens to live on the other side of this wall. About an hour after we fell asleep those two started making a lot of noise…for a very, very long time. I'm surprise you slept through that racket."

Luke groaned. "We're going to have to get you quarters in another wing. I don't need a glimpse into my nephew's love life and I am sure he doesn't want to hear us."

Mara's eyes went wide as she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Do you think they heard us?"

Luke laughed. "I don't think the sound goes only one way in these dorms. If you heard them, then they heard us."

Mara brought her hands up to cover a blush. "How embarrassing."

"Don't worry. Jacen knows how to keep secrets." He felt his face heat despite his reassurances. "But it is embarrassing, even if they don't tell anyone else." He looked over to the wall chrono and panicked. "Stang! I have a meditation class to teach in an hour. I didn't make arrangements to get a substitute." He turned to Mara as a feral smile curved his lips. "But…I can cancel if you want to continue what we started last night."

She dropped her head back into her pillow. "I think I need to recover from your machinations. Go on ahead and I'll see you at lunch."

"Ohhh, for a nooner!" His grin was full of hungry anticipation.

She rolled over and smacked him playfully across his bare chest. "You are insatiable…but yes, for a nooner."

He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and found his briefs lying on the ground. He pulled on his clothing and then went over to the other side of the bed and gave Mara a quick kiss. "I'll see you in a few hours."

He walked to her front door and hoped nobody saw him slinking out of her apartment so early in their relationship. He didn't want to provide scandalous fodder to the gossipmongers. He exited Mara's apartment only to find Jacen leaving Tenel Ka's quarters. The two men looked at each other, a blush coloring their faces.

"Umm…I just came by to see if Tenel Ka wanted to go to breakfast," Jacen said while trying to suppress a grin.

"Same here. I wanted to see if Mara wanted to go to breakfast…um just the same way you wanted to ask Tenel Ka." Luke fumbled through the lie knowing his nephew didn't believe one word.

Jacen's gaze passed over Luke's rumpled clothing. "Aren't those the same clothes I saw you wearing around dinner time last night?"

Luke scrutinized Jacen's disheveled outfit. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Jacen laughed out loud before putting an arm over his uncle's shoulder. "Do you want to do the walk of shame together? Maybe people will think we were out on an all night drinking bender?"

Luke laughed. "That would be a worse rumor. I'd rather people think I'm now the smooth and alluring paramour of the lovely Lady Jade."

"Wow." Jacen gave a shake of his head as they walked down the corridor. "I can see the headlines now: Grand Master Skywalker—Ladies' Man."

"Lady…not ladies," Luke corrected while beaming. "Mara Jade is the only woman I will ever want or ever need."

'Now and forever,' he happily thought to himself. 'Now and forever.'