Author Note: Wow, so sorry, I got caught up in NaNoWriMo and just completely forgot about this. I am so bad, please forgive me?

This is the last chapter, only the epilogue left. Thanks again for reading!


Chapter 28

"Yes," Luke sat up in bed, "we do."

Mara moved from her position, her weight lifting from the bed and already Luke mourned the loss. He watched as she walked across to a small chair and picked up his robe. "Devin with the Horn's?"

"Yes," he threw the covers back and swung his feet off the bed. "You brought Corran in on this."

"Not exactly," she turned around, tossing him the robe. "Mirax is my friend, she may have dropped a few hints and Corran's a pretty observant guy."

"You always were the sneaky one," Luke commented as he slid the robe around his body, but he did not move. "Why did you want him gone?"

"Because," Mara started to uncharacteristically fidget around the room, picking up small items as she circled, "I didn't want any distractions with what I have to say."

"I'm here to listen," he replied quietly, studying her features.

How could he have not fallen in love with such a beautiful woman? Sure, she wasn't completely stable at times, but all she needed was for her to finally believe in herself, and have someone believe in her, and that was him.

"Where to begin?" she said with a soft laugh, leaning back against a small desk.

"With an undeniable truth?" he suggested.

She looked away for a moment, her voice strong despite the visible tremor, "I love Devin, he's my baby boy."

"Understandable," he smiled at her, knowing that no matter what, Devin will probably always be first in her heart, it was something he had to accept.

"I just," she looked away and up, "I want him to have everything I didn't, a family and a childhood."

"And he will," Luke was as firm as he could be, "no matter what happens."

Warily she glanced back over at him, "I'd do anything for that to happen, Luke."

"Mara," he replied warningly.

"I don't love you, Luke."

He tried to come up with a reply to the blurted statement, but was at a complete loss and simply stood there. Corran had been right, he had taken a big risk and now everything he desired was falling out of his reach.

"I like spending time with you though," she continued. "It's like you said, we can just be in each other's company and be happy."

"It's what friends do," he shrugged, repeating her earlier words.

"I know, Luke," she stood up straighter, "but there is a problem with that."

"Problem?"

"Friends," she paused, taking a cautious breath, "friends don't cross that line, Luke."

"Line?" he uttered before his brain kicked in. "That was once, Mara, and it won't happen again, I can control myself."

"But what if I don't want you to?" she bit out.

He blinked, "What?"

"Truth is," she slumped back against the desk, "what happened between us was good, real good, so much more than I've ever had before."

Staring at her, her emotions a blank to him in the Force, he said, "What are you saying?"

"I haven't been able to get us out of my mind, Luke," she was frustrated now, "and friends don't have those kinds of thoughts for each other."

"Friends don't…" he trailed off, unsure if he should bring up the most apt term.

"You know what it was like for me all those years?" she burst out. "It's one thing to never be in love in that intimate partner kind of way, but I never had love in any form, not from Palpatine, not from any lover, no one!"

Luke shut his eyes, trying not to let the pain he felt for Mara show as she was sure to consider it a weakness. He had suspected that her previous relationships affected her more deeply than anything else, but this much?

"Hey," she felt his hand touch his cheek and he instantly opened his eyes, "you told me to find the truth and what I wanted, right?"

"Yes," his voice went hoarse at her proximity.

"The honest truth," she sighed, "is that I wouldn't know love if it jumped up in front of me in a bright pink flight suit singing Requiem for Love two octaves too high."

He had to suppress a laugh, and instead reached out and rubbed his thumb along her cheek bone. "Sometimes you don't recognize love until you've completely surrendered to it."

"Perhaps," she mumbled and turned away from him. "You want to know what other truths I discovered?"

There was a tone in her voice that he couldn't quite identify, "Yes, please."

"I want to be part of a family," she offered.

"You have a family," he pointed out quickly, "me and Devin, Neva and the others."

"I know," when she faced him, she was smiling. "I want another baby, Luke."

Blinking, Luke's jaw slowly fell, "What?"

"I want to have another baby," she enunciated perfected. "Look, we both grew up as a single child, I don't want that for Devin."

"Another baby?" he asked again, his brain trying to click over.

"Yes!" she made a wide exasperated gesture. "I love Devin but I want a baby that I decided to have, that is definitely at least half of me."

"What are you saying?" he managed to utter.

"Luke," she let out a deep breath, "I don't know if what I feel for you is just loneliness mixed with lust or love, but right now, all I want out of life is to be a part of a real family, with you."

He didn't know what to make of the situation and briefly wondered if he was dreaming. Swallowing hard, "How much of a real family?"

"As much as you'll let me," she slowly stepped forward.

"Don't play with me, Mara," he warned, "my heart has too many scars already."

"I know," she said quietly, still moving closer. "We're married Luke, and the closest thing we've had to a date is going out with my cousins."

"True," his voice trembled, she was close enough now to feel her warm breath on his chest where his robe gaped open.

"I think we should fix that," she slowly ran her hand down his cheek, "do things that couples do, and see what happens."

His eyes bore down into hers, "Everything couples do?"

"Yes," she replied huskily and that's all it took for him to move forward and wrap his arms around her, his lips crushing her as he practically pulled her off the floor.

When he needed to breath he slowly dropped her back to the ground, her body resting against his as her chest was heaving, "I'm sorry, Luke."

"Sorry," he tilted her head up so he could look at her, "what for?"

"For everything," she sighed, "and for the future. I'm broken, Luke, so broken. I don't know if I'll ever be able to love you properly."

"You will, Mara," he kissed her forehead gently, "you just have to quit denying your feelings."

She raised one eyebrow, "Even the lusty ones?"

"Well," he gave her his best Solo grin, "especially those."

"You never cease to surprise me," she started to laugh, and they kissed again, this time more of a gentle exploration.

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, was rarely a spiteful man and never let image and the sludge news affect anything he did in life.

Except for payback.

Days later it was announced that Mara Jade was actually the daughter of Jorad and Lisha Devans and that she had family living on Chandrilla. This is why Mara had disappeared, officially, and since she had spent all her time there, the Holonews couldn't refute it, only apologize.

Many bets had to be resorted and one clever Corellian made a neat little killing betting for the Skywalker's, rather than against.

As for the couple in question, they went on their first date a few days later. Sure it was only a small dinner on top of the far North Temple, but with the Solusar's volunteering to watch Devin, they could enjoy this moment together. It was a small start, but all great things had humble beginnings.