Chapter 27

The holonews could say what it wanted, Luke didn't pay any attention to it nor did he have any press conferences. He and Mara had spent every day together for over two years except for the times he had to go on a mission, why couldn't she spend a few days away from him and Yavin? Seemed only fair.

And that's exactly how he played it.

Some believed him.

Some were smarter than that.

"Hey," a voice called through his opened office door, "Luke, can I come in?"

"Sure," he answered Corran as he glanced over to where Devin was happily playing with his stuffed Ewok.

To be truthful, Luke was worried that Devin would take Mara being gone hard because they shared a strong bond despite her lack of training. Surprisingly, all Luke had to do was tell him that mommy needed some time to herself and would be back soon, and he hasn't had a problem since.

It probably also helped that he could feel Mara touch Devin with Force from time to time, her way of checking up on his health. While Mara was supposed to be taking this time for herself, Luke couldn't really fault her for keeping an eye on her son.

Corran was setting himself into the seat in front of Luke's desk before he managed to look away from his son. "What can I do for you, Corran?"

"Those supplies you and Kam were concerned about," Corran pulled out a datapad and passed it over, "Mirax got it sorted for you."

"Never doubted her," Luke smiled, scanning down the invoice list.

"You know," Corran shifted in his seat, "Mara could have dealt with that easily."

"Of course," he shut down the datapad and sat it to the side.

"It's been two weeks, Luke."

"I know," he answered evenly.

The Corellian leaned forward, "How long are you going to let this go on?"

Luke tilted his head and furrowed his brow, "Let what go on?"

"Whatever this is between you and Mara," Corran spread his hands out wide.

"It's between me and Mara," he replied, Corran had to know he wasn't wanting to discuss it.

"But it affects the rest of us," the pilot pointed at the datapad on the desk, "and it affects your son."

"Mirax did nothing she hasn't done several times before and for even less funds," Luke defended himself. "As for Devin, he's a strong kid."

Corran shook his head, "So you've let Mara disappear off to who-knows-where."

"I know exactly where she is," Luke leaned back and crossed his arms.

"You do?"

"Mara is with her grandmother," Luke decided to tell Corran after a moment of consideration, "she lets me know where she is in case of an emergency with Devin."

The pilot blinked, "Mara has a grandmother?"

"Long story," Luke sighed.

"Just what is going on here?" the man was lost but he wasn't giving up yet.

"Corran," Luke stood and made his way over to Devin, "what is going on is something that has nothing to do with you or anyone else. It is between me and Mara."

"You want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," Luke picked Devin up out of the pen and started to bounce him in his arms.

Corran snorted, "Do you even know what you're doing?"

Luke chuckled, "Not really."

"You know what," Corran shook his head and stood, "I give up."

"Sit down," Luke didn't really order the other Jedi, but he was forceful enough.

"Um," the Corellian slid back into the chair, "okay?"

Sighing, Luke walked over to his own chair and sat down. These past two weeks had been hell. It wasn't that work was any harder than usual, or Devin was acting up, he simply missed Mara.

"We did have a fight," he felt good letting it out.

"Married couples fight," Corran shrugged.

Luke shook his head, grabbing Devin's hand as the boy reached for a random stylus, "Not like this."

The pilot leaned forward, "You want to talk about it now?"

"No," he sighed again, running a hand through his hair, "but I know I need to."

"I'll listen," there was a deep sincerity to his voice.

"I know," Luke used the Force to bring over Devin's Ewok doll to keep him occupied while in his arms, "I just don't know where to begin."

"With an undeniable truth?" Corran suggested.

Luke laughed, "Like I'm completely in love with Mara?"

"That works," he said after he cleared his throat.

"You're not stupid, Corran," Luke met his eyes straight on, "you saw that me and Mara only got married because of Devin."

"I might have caught onto something that didn't seem completely on the level," Corran replied slowly.

"The problem was," Luke took a deep breath, knowing he could trust the man both he and Mara considered a good friend, "Mara fell into depression because of the baby. It wasn't planned, she gave up a lot for Devin, and she got stuck with me."

Corran sat back in his chair, his jaw slightly agape, "That explains a few things."

"Yes it does," he shifted Devin to his other leg, "and just when Mara is finally out of her depression I make the stupid mistake of telling her how I really feel about her and she couldn't take it."

"That's why she ran," the pilot nodded in understanding.

"No," Luke shook his head, "I sent her away."

"Come again?"

Sighing, "I sent her away to get her head on straight, to figure herself out, she was too close to the situation and unsure herself what she wanted."

It took long moments before Corran finally replied, "I can see why you did, but it was risky."

"I know."

Corran sat forward, "She might not come back."

"She'll come back," Luke was firm in that belief. "She might not want to be with me, but she will not abandon Devin. She can't even be away a few days without reaching out for him through the Force."

"Still," Corran shook his head, "it was too risky."

"What about love isn't?" he retorted dryly.

"Well," Corran sighed, "you are the Jedi Master. I suppose you know what you're doing."

"Not really," he laughed sarcastically, "but I had to do something."

"Yeah," the pilot replied quietly, then said, "Listen, you're exhausted, let me and Mirax have Devin tonight, you get some rest."

"Are you sure?" he wanted to jump at the offer, though he knew without Mara beside him he'd have another restless night anyway.

"Of course I am," he smiled, "Mirax have decided to have one ourselves, so we could use the practice."

Luke smiled back, "There is no such thing as too much practice."

Luke remembered crawling into bed that night after Corran left with a wide-eyed Devin. The kid loved going places and seeing things, so he was never one to argue with going on a trip, as long as Luke assured him he would be coming back the next day.

The boy was as energetic as Luke was tired, and after tossing off most of his clothes except for his briefs, he collapsed into a restless sleep. At some point though, he managed to completely drift off into the blissful state of dreams. Well, they weren't exactly dreams, just flashes of images that didn't seem to have any coherent pattern.

An older Devin, standing on the bridge of a ship that he couldn't recognize.

Mara crying but not sad.

Hundreds of Jedi standing before him in a location he's never been to.

He turned in his sleep, trying to get comfortable, but found his way blocked. Opening his eyes he was met by two green ones.

"Mara?" he asked as incredibly as his sleep deprivation would allow.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she was laying above the covers, sitting up on one arm, "you seemed like you could use the rest."

"Mara…" he didn't know where to begin.

"I know," she looked away, "we need to talk."