Part Three

Mara left the bathroom.

She grabbed her bag and ripped it open. Mara began stuffing her belongings haphazardly into the opening. She wiped the moisture from her eyes as a strange numbness began to grip her.

Mara could feel Luke's presence the moment he entered the room. Mara stopped packing and sighed. She schooled her features into a blank mask. She knew that it was useless to ignore him. There was no ignoring Luke Skywalker. There was a void where her heart should be. She was empty.

"You're leaving," Luke stated. It was not a question.

Mara turned to face him. His expression startled her. His blue eyes were stormy and his hair looked as if he had run his fingers through it one too many times, or perhaps it hadn't been his at all but Callista's.

Mara turned away and muttered "I was going to tell you after I had finished packing," Mara could not sense anything from him; his mental barriers were solid as durasteel.

"Why?" he asked, his voice was cold, but had an undertone of pleading. "You were going to tell me?"

"I can't stay here." Mara turned to complete her packing. Luke moved forward and put his hand on the case stopping her in mid-motion. Her eyes flew to Luke's face and was instantly trapped in his brilliant blue eyes.

Luke continued, "You never answered my question. Why are you going?"

A thrill of fear and something more spread through her. Could he sense her feelings for him? She whirled away and closed her eyes.

He walked around to face her. She opened her eyes and said resignedly, "I saw . . .Leia and Han. They're just fine. You don't need me anymore."

"I saw them too," he said quietly.

"Then you must see that I'm finished here. You don't need me."

There was a long pause, then Luke said, "You're wrong." Something in the tone of his voice made her catch her breath. Her gaze flew to his and his mouth and then drifted back to his eyes. She felt a waver in his shields, but not enough to determine his motives.

Mara was angry that even now she was finding it difficult to remain unmoved by this man. How dare he have this kind of power over her. Her gaze strayed again to the curve of his lips and the cleft in his chin. The closer he came to her, the more difficult it was to think clearly.

She was angry and confused. Her pride hurt, and she found herself losing the state of comfortable, unemotional darkness she had struggled to acquire. She didn't want to think about Luke with Callista. If she barely contemplated the scene by the waterfalls, her insides became agonized and she felt as if she would never recover control. Mara just wanted to push that awful event out of her mind, to put some distance between her and this man. She wanted to, but she couldn't, not really.

The words poured out of her mouth. "Look, I really don't want to discuss this. I need to get away." Mara turned towards her pack again. Her movements were jerky, and she silently cursed herself for being unable to still the quaking in her limbs.

Luke moved forward and grabbed her hand, "Your hand is shaking."

"Damn it Luke, Its chilly in here." She tried to yank her hand out of his grasp, but he held it fast.

Luke flashed her a sardonic look and smiled lopsidedly. "The room's climate controlled. It's warm in here."

"Leave it be, Skywalker." She bit her lip, glaring at him.

He began to caress her hand ignoring her attempt to pull it away.

"Please, Mara. Let's work this out." He watched the determined set of her shoulders for any sign of weakening.

"I don't think so," she said, dropping her gaze. She worked her hand free of his grip. "I've had enough of this, of you, of what you do to me."

Luke gazed at her for a moment. Her words pierced his soul with a bittersweet joy. He could feel her pain plainly. He had hurt her deeply, and he wanted more than anything to sooth away her sorrow, to kiss her until she could feel that she was the only thing that mattered to him.

"Why don't you tell me exactly what I do to you."

Her breath came in short gasps. Her heart strained to push her thickened blood through her veins. Mara stared into his eyes unable to contain the roiling emotions within her. Confusion, despair, desire, anger, and a spark of hope all struggled for dominance. Luke caught his breath, pummeled by her turmoil, feeling the depths of her emotions a moment before she could contain them. Mara should have known that he would discover them eventually. It was near impossible to hide something from a Jedi Master.

"Why, isn't one woman enough for you?" Anger flared within her and Mara pushed herself away, "All I wanted was a little dignity, but I guess that's too much to ask."

The Jedi watched her pace across the room, throwing furious glances at the darkly garbed figure. His face was unreadable watching her knowing she needed to vent before he said anything. An explanation burned on his tongue, begging to be spoken, but he that she was not ready to hear him yet.

Mara glared at him, fury sparking green flames in her eyes, "You want me to tell you everything, then. Fine. Every time you're near me all I can think about is you. You're in all my thoughts. I can't even get away from you in my sleep; you practically dominate my dreams. Did you know that I know where you are at any time of the day? I can't seem to help it; it's as if you're a supernova in a sky full of stars. Your presence outshines everyone else's. It's stupid, I know, but I actually believed that we shared something special. But I was wrong."

Mara whirled to face Luke, quickly losing the anger that had given her the courage to speak, "Love does make you weak; it only gives you pain. And I'll hate you to my dying day for making me so weak."

Luke moved forward in one fluid motion and pulled her into his arms. Mara had no time to react as his mouth descended on hers. His lips were relentless on her, demanding. She could feel every hard plane and angle of his body pressed up against her. It was as if her senses were suddenly heightened to an excruciating awareness. She could also sense the exultant triumph in the Jedi.

Unable to stop herself, Mara wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with a passion she had not even thought she possessed. Their minds skimmed each other's surface thoughts and emotions, pushing the memory of Callista away for the moment. Mara felt her knees grow weak as she felt the depth of Luke's reaction to her. When he pulled back he did not release his hold on her body. His face was flushed and he was smiling widely not like the Jedi, but like the brash young pilot he once was.

"Am I still standing?" Mara asked remotely.

She realized that if the Jedi had not supported her, she would have melted to the floor.

"I've got you." Luke assured her. He felt giddy with the knowledge that she loved him. He knew it with an utter certainty.

"Are you sure I've still got legs, because I sure can't feel them anymore." Mara joked shakily.

Luke laughed and picked her up and swung her around in his arms. She gasped holding on, a smile spreading across her face as well. He set her down and gazed into her eyes, his face earnest, "There is something special between us, there always has been. I could sense it from the very beginning. It's undeniable. I knew there was a physical attraction between us, but I now know that it's more vital that that. Can't you see that we belong together?" He brushed a curl away from her eyes.

Then Mara remembered the reason she had begun packing in the first place.

Callista.

"It won't work, Luke." She pulled out of his embrace.

He sat down on the bed next to the case and pulled her to stand in front of him. "Why?"

"I saw you with Callista."

A grimace pulled his features for a moment, "I know. Han and Leia told me. I'm sorry that you saw us like that. I never meant to hurt you." Luke reached for her hand and then released it when he felt her retreat. "I'm sorry. It took me by surprise."

"Oh, that makes everything alright then." Mara said sardonically.

Mara grabbed her bag. "I'm glad that we found the Solos. I assume you talked to them and that everything is fine, so I think I can safely say that our mission has been accomplished. It's time for me to go."

"Wait." Luke stood up and pulled Mara into his embrace. "Look at me Mara."

She glanced toward her open case, tempted to throw the rest of her belongings inside until Luke said, "Don't go, please." The feeling behind those words made it impossible for her to resist.

She didn't want to leave him, but she didn't want to feel these emotions anymore either. She was tired of the pain. Mara turned her face away. Luke tried to read her through the Force, and before she could block him out he saw the depth of her despair. "Mara, I didn't kiss her. I didn't even want to see her."

Mara glared up at him. "You could have fooled me. I know a kiss when I see one." Her gaze faltered. She could smell the clean scent of him and feel his heart hammering in his chest. She reveled in his closeness knowing it was unlikely she would ever experience it again. "Luke, I realize that you have a history together and I know that you love her." Mara's voice broke.

Luke opened his mouth but Mara stopped him, "No, let me finish. I understand if you..." This time she could not go on. She lowered her head, but Luke had seen the moisture gather in her eyes. He felt her intense sorrow as if it were his own and felt his heart break.

"Mara." Luke tipped her chin toward him with his hand. He only had one chance to get this right. He knew that if he misjudged, he would lose her. His eyes searched her gaze, searching deeply within their depths.

Mara found it impossible to turn away. She felt as if she were drowning in the blue of his eyes. The Jedi groaned as if he found what he had been seeking. He moved faster than thought, kissing her passionately. Mara tried to pull away and felt the tears leak from the corners of her eyes. His touch was like a drug. Shivers coursed through her body, losing all equilibrium. All thought fled her mind. A small hope began to unfurl within her. If he was so in love with Callista, what was he doing with her?

That's because I love you Mara. Luke's voice answered her, moving from her mouth to give her a series of soft kisses along her jaw. Think what you saw. Was there this much feeling between us. Could you feel the love so strong that you could touch it?

Mara turned her head to look at Luke. He rested his forehead against hers and met her gaze. His breathing was rapid and his eyes were dark as midnight. "I love you, Mara Jade. Not Callista."

"What did you say?" Mara asked, incredulously.

"I told Callista that what we shared was in the past," Luke replied. His hands framed her face and he gently kissed her forehead. "I didn't kiss Callista. She kissed me. If you had stayed a moment longer you would have seen me pull away and tell her that I was in love with you."

Mara was quiet, her eyes wide. "Oh." She sank down heavily on the bed.

"You should have seen Han's face." Luke laughed, but there was a nervous edge to that laughter. Did she believe him?

"I believe you," Mara whispered, feeling a reluctant smile tug at the corner of her lips.

"Callista was here on her honeymoon. Her husband had gone to arrange for a special meal for them and I discovered her sitting alone next to one of the pools of water. I was shocked, although, she seemed to be expecting me. The next thing I knew we were dancing. I wanted to know if she was happy, I wanted to close that chapter in my life for good, and then she kissed me. She wanted me to stay with her, telling me that she still loved me."

"If she was still in love with you, why did she get married to someone else?" Mara asked.

Luke shrugged, "I don't know. If she really loved me, she would never have left. She was in love with the power that I possessed, the part of herself that she could never regain, her connection to the Force. If anything, kissing her just reinforced how wrong Callista and I are for each other."

Mara did not know how she felt at the moment. She was confused, elated, and still somehow filled with sorrow. She got up and moved to the window. Green, blue, purple, and orange clouds swirled slowly outside the window. She absentmindedly touched the Alderaanian lilies. A light, sweet aroma drifted from their fragile blooms.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you. It certainly wasn't planned. I had no idea that you cared." Luke continued. I hoped."

Mara turned to face him. "And how was I supposed to know that every kiss, every look we shared was not just another part of this charade to pass as a married couple."

He was thoughtful for a moment then turned to regard her directly. "I'm not that good an actor, Mara." His expression was so earnest, that all of her anger evaporated.

"No, I don't suppose you are." Mara smiled wryly. Joy suffused her entire being. Luke Skywalker was in love with her. He didn't love Callista. He wasn't going back to that woman. Instead, he was here with her.

"I'll try not to take that as an insult." He smiled tenderly and tentatively pulled her to him in an embrace. Mara leaned back into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. A wide smile spread across her face and Luke felt the undiluted intensity of her love. He was both humbled and elated by her willingness to lower her barriers enough to share her feelings with him.

"This doesn't feel real." Mara said. "Are you sure that I'm not going to wake up and find that none of this ever happened?"

Luke turned her around in his arms and smiled, "I guess I'm going to have to convince you." His mouth descended on her throat and moved slowly down the top of her dress. His hands grasped either side of her waist and held her steady. Desire shot like an arrow through Mara's body starting at the point where his mouth touched her and streaked to her very core. She closed her eyes and buried her fingers in his hair. She tugged his head back and Luke looked up into her face. Mara bent down and captured his mouth with hers pushing them to the floor.

Luke groaned and captured her face in his hands. "Oh, God, Mara." Luke whispered before his breath became so rapid speech became impossible.

Luke filled her senses. One muscular leg edged between her own and she felt the evidence of his desire. Mara leaned against his hard chest and raised her head to smile down at the Jedi. Her eyes were emerald gems, sparkling in the dim lighting.

"I'm not sure Luke, I think I still need some convincing." She smiled devilishly.

A broad smile spread across his face and Mara could feel the joy swell in the Jedi's heart. Her hair had come undone and spiraled in wild curls around them. Luke grabbed a lock of red-gold fire that had brushed against his cheek and brought it to his lips.

"I love you, Mara." Luke whispered.

A sudden tightness gripped her throat and she felt unable to say what was in her heart, so she decided to show him.

Mara began kissing him feverishly, tearing at his shirt. Moments later her hands roamed the bare skin of the Jedi's chest and back. His eyes were almost black and she could sense Luke struggling hard to control his emotions. He sat up, dragging her with him. He held her still and she could feel him attempting to slow things down.

Mara let out a ragged, disappointed sigh. "What's wrong?"

His neck went limp, dropping his chin onto his chest. "I feel as if I'm going too fast. I feel as if I'm losing control and I don't know what will happen if I do. There's so much we need to talk about, so many things to say. I don't want this to be just a one-night stand." Luke looked up to meet her eyes, "You mean too much to me for me to throw it all away on a night of passion."

Mara straightened to regard him silently. He was afraid.

"Luke." She grabbed his hand and his lips curled upward ever so slightly.

"I love it when you say my name," he whispered.

Mara smiled. "Luke," she repeated. "I love you more than anything. I've loved you for as long as I can remember and I'll take whatever I can get. We can leave this planet now, go back to Coruscant, Yavin, wherever. But I'm not going to leave you. I'm not going to ever leave unless you tell me to go."

"Never." Luke grabbed her in a fierce hug. "I'll never let you go." She felt her heart leap at his words. Not releasing her, he picked Mara up off the floor and gently laid her on the bed, but Mara still sensed a hesitation in the Jedi. He kissed her, running his hands along the outer part of her thighs. He stilled, closing his eyes. She could sense his struggle, restraining himself and his reaction to her.

"I want you to lose control," the red haired woman insisted fervently.

He opened his eyes to regard her. She slipped her gown down her shoulders until it pooled at her waist.

Luke groaned and his eyes grew heavy lidded. "You are so beautiful, Mara." Then he closed the distance between them, pressing his body against hers - clutching her to him. Luke placed his hand against her temple and when he bent down to kiss her body she felt their combined pleasure enclose them. Her eyes flew wide in wonder and she gasped reflexively. He had never felt anything so wonderful in his life.

Luke grinned and Mara's heart fluttered at his endearing expression. Their hands entwined as Luke's mouths explored the length of her neck and the pulse point just above her collar bone.

Mara's breathing became rapid and she arched her back, pressing herself against Luke's body. When that wasn't enough, she rolled over, pushing him into the bed, straddling him. She ran her tongue the length of his body, down his firmly muscled chest, his flat stomach, into the slight indentation of his belly button. Their fingers were still entwined, palm pressed against palm. Luke tightened his grip convulsively, just shy of causing Mara pain. She smiled fiercely and pulled a hand free to tug frantically at his pants, feeling satisfaction when she heard the cloth tear.

He pushed her back into the bed, kicking his boots free and shrugging out of what remained of his pants. During these quick, controlled movements, his dark gaze was firmly affixed to Mara's. His hair was in disarray, too long, brushing against his eyebrows. His face was tight, his expression intense. Her mouth went dry as her heart thudded against her chest.

She slid the dress the rest of the way from her body, as he climbed into the bed to join her. They stilled, too overcome with sensation to continue.

Luke pulled back to gaze into Mara's face. Her eyes were ablaze, twin orbs of green plasma, lids heavy with passion, lips parted and inviting.

"I've dreamed of this moment for so many years," Luke confessed.

She grabbed the back of his head, pulling him firmly against her mouth. They devoured each other, tongues entangled, limbs entwined. Mara pulled back, and said breathlessly, "I've never dared to dream before."

He groaned, his face flushing as he shared her passion through the Force.

Their bodies joined. Mara moaned, closing her eyes, never having felt such a pleasurable sensation in her life. Mara threw her head back and rocked against him. She reached blindly for him, and their hands once again became entangled. She rode the waves of pleasure, both of them struggling to extend this moment, but neither able to withstand the incredible sensations. Their mouths ravaged each other, their skin became slick from exertion, their hearts pounded, and their blood sang. The cried out in unison as they reached that glorious place at the same moment, united in both body and through the Force.

They lay a long time, allowing their skin to cool. Luke sat up, pulling her into his arms and then he scooped her up and carried her to the bath. Mara felt as if she couldn't move a muscle. She couldn't speak. It wasn't that she was tired, if anything she was more alert then ever before. She was stunned by what they had shared.

Luke stepped into the quickly filling tub, and gently lowered her limp form. The warm water was soothing, and she clutched at Luke, unwilling to let him go. He kept her against him, so that she was pressed against his firm chest. Mara met his gaze.

Luke closed his eyes and held her tightly, afraid if he let go she might evaporate like mist in a dream. They listened to their heartbeats slow and he gradually opened his eyes.

"I'm still here." She assured him.

He tenderly brushed a damp tendril of hair out of her eyes and smiled almost shyly. "And I'm eternally grateful. I never want to leave. I just want to stay here forever making love to you."

"Who said anything about leaving?" Mara teased lightly. She ran a finger along his jaw line and then said, "It's nice not to have to deny the atmosphere of this place."

"You think that's the reason we're together? The setting?"

"Oh come off it, Skywalker. We're together because we're meant for each other. We love each other. Don't tell me you are having second thoughts."

He smiled broadly and began to nip at her finger, "Not at all. Now where were we?"

Mara raised her eyebrow, but there was a knowing gleam in her eye.

They both lost control that night.

Thanks to everyone that left feedback. I really appreciate it. I hoped you enjoyed this story, and I might consider continuing this sometime soon.

Let me know what you think.

R