A/N: Here's more!  And just to make clear: Don't worry, this is an L/M fic—I just don't hate Callista J

Thanks for the reviews!



That is what I imagine love to be:
incompleteness in absence.

Goncourt


Chapter Two: Homecoming


As soon as they got off the lift, they could see her tall, slim figure coming toward them.

She floats, he had once said to Leia, trying to describe Callista's walk. It wasn't that she was exceptionally graceful, but that movement seemed so natural to her. Strange for someone who had been without a body for so long.

"Luke!" He heard her call out, as they approached. He felt a wide smile form on his lips and he quickened his pace.

Callista.

At that moment he could think of nothing more than seeing Callista and touching Callista and feeling the way Callista made him feel.

He hurried down the hallway and in a moment she was in his arms. The feeling of rightness—with himself and with the world—tumbled over him. Everything was fine, everything was good; there was nothing at all to worry about. He inhaled her scent and pressed her more tightly against his body, feeling her breasts pushing against his tunic.  He wanted take her inside to worship her body.  He could almost taste her lips against his, could almost feel her soft skin beneath his hands…

Keep it to yourself, Skywalker; I'm really not interested!

He flinched and immediately pulled away from Callista, feeling blood flow into his face. For a moment there, he had forgotten all about Mara, all about Nirauan. All about everything, in fact, except for the beautiful woman facing him. She looked at him, smiling, but confused.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, running her fingers lightly over his jaw.

"Yes. I just…" He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I wasn't shielding very well just now and I don't think Mara appreciated it."

She laughed lightly, but Luke saw some surprise in her eyes as they flickered over to Mara, who was taking her time catching up to them.

Stepping around him, Callista extended her hand to Mara. "Mara," she said. "I'm so glad to see that you're alright. We were very worried."

Mara nodded and reached out to grip Callista's hand. To Luke's surprise, he could sense nervousness coming from Mara and he noticed that she didn't quite meet Callista's eyes.

But when Callista was clearly about to pull her hand away, Mara held on. Callista looked at her expectantly.

"I…" Mara cleared her throat and tried again. "I just wanted to thank you for…for letting Luke fly off to give me a hand…"

To rescue you, Luke couldn't help sending.

Mara paused for a brief moment to glare at him, before re-focusing her eyes on her hand clasped in Callista's. "Rescue me," she amended, smoothly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Luke noticed Callista glance swiftly over at him. He turned to grin at her, but she already had her attention back on Mara.

"Anyway, I'm sure it wasn't easy having him away like this. So…thanks," Mara finished lamely, finally releasing her grip.

Luke could tell that Callista was somewhat taken aback by this suddenly gracious side of Mara, but she recovered quickly. "I admit that I was worried about Luke…about both of you. But I couldn't let him ignore his vision." She grinned suddenly—that somewhat mischievous grin Luke had come to associate with her open wit. "Besides, I haven't figured out a way to control Luke yet." Her grin grew wider. "I'm still working on it."

Mara's eyebrows came up and, for the first time, she looked directly at the taller woman.

You seem to be doing just fine, Luke heard faintly in his mind, before he quickly shut off the unconscious connection. He didn't think he'd been meant to hear it and he certainly wasn't in the mood right now for an argument with Mara. No matter how much a part of him may have wanted to tell her off.

He shunted his irritation to the side and cleared his throat, breaking what had become an uncomfortable silence between the two women. They both turned to him.

He was caught off guard for a moment, realizing that he didn't have anything to say. "Um…I hope it's alright. I brought Mara over because she wanted to…"

He felt a surge of panic from Mara and stopped mid-sentence to look at her. She quickly stepped in.

"I actually wanted to discuss a few things about the Academy with you. But if now's not a good time…I'm sure you wanted some time alone with your family…"

"Oh no, it's perfectly fine!" Callista said, quickly, though Luke could tell that she was extremely curious about what Mara could possibly have to say about the Academy. "I wasn't sure when Luke would be getting back, but I have some food prepared. There's more than enough for all of us. We could talk over dinner."

"Thanks," Mara said composedly, but Luke had to hold back a chuckle when he heard the mental equivalent of a stomach growl from her.

Mara must have sensed his amusement, however, because she pinned him with a glare. "At least, some of us didn't spend three quarters of the debriefing scarfing down telti cakes."

"Hey, those things aren't bad, once you get used to them."

"Actually, Luke," Callista interrupted. "Telti cakes were first developed to wear down the resistance of uncooperative prisoners."

"Yeah," Mara continued, without missing a beat. "Why do you think they always serve them when you're waiting to talk to Security?"

"Are you serious?" Luke asked, feeling his eyes go wide.

Both women nodded.

"Face it, Skywalker. You'll eat anything."

"No, I…There are lots of things I don't like. Callista, tell her…"

He turned to find Callista, smiling widely, her eyes twinkling with suppressed laughter. He turned back to Mara. She had one eyebrow raised and one corner of her mouth twitched.

He looked back and forth between both women in shock. Had Callista and Mara just joined forces…to tease him?

The chuckle that Callista had been keeping in suddenly burst out. "Come on, Mara," she said warmly. "I'll show you in."

Mara walked past Luke to accompany Callista down the hallway.

Luke stared after them for a few moments before shaking his head roughly and following after.


I'll post more tomorrow—sorry so short ;)