A/N: Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I had almost given up on this story!  I can't believe it's so long since I've updated.  Thanks to those of you who reviewed and kindly encouraged me to continue.  This story isn't exactly the "quick fix" that many romantic fanfics are, so I hope you'll bear with me till the end.  I can only partially blame Darth Real Life for taking so long on this, though.  There were certain things that I did in this chapter that I was very hesitant about doing, since I was unsure how it would turn out.  I got halfway through and chickened out and didn't come back to it for a long time.  I'm not sure if I made the right decision, but I guess you'll have to judge for yourselves (though keep in mind that there's more story coming!).  Anyway, a big part of what I was hesitant about also makes this chapter earn its R-rating.  Don't worry – I tried very hard not to put in too many details and I think (I hope!) it comes across more as something to think about than as something to feel.  I wrote it in a very detached way and it's meant to be read that way as well.  I'll save the other stuff I have to say for the end of the chapter. Chapter 6 - Distractions

Luke didn't see Mara again for another two days and only then at a briefing with Leia, Karrde, and the High Command.  Between Luke's schedule (preparing for his return to the Academy, trying to convince the Senate that he hadn't made everything up about Nirauan, and spending some much overdue quality time with Cay and Callista) and Mara's schedule (discussing her future plans with Karrde, arranging her business responsibilities so that she could take off time for Yavin, and helping to keep things running smoothly between the Empire and the New Republic) there was very little time to talk over the next few weeks.  It was only after the official ceremony marking the signing of the treaty that Mara was able to free herself up long enough to come to Yavin.

Luke made a real effort to keep in touch in the meantime, making sure to at least leave a message for Mara every few days.  To his surprise, Mara reciprocated, contacting him frequently, even if it was just to glare at him over the holonet and tell him that her latest problem was somehow all his fault.  He sometimes managed to get her to smile before she got off, sometimes he didn't, but she always called back with the next crisis.

"Why don't you ever call when something good happens?" he complained, lightheartedly, to her about a week before he left for Yavin.

"What would be the point?" she countered, leaning across her table for a stray, but apparently vital, data pad and tucking it carefully into the stack on her shelf.

Luke laughed.  "I wouldn't mind knowing that you're not going completely crazy over there."

Mara narrowed her eyes at him.  "And what if I am?"

Luke gaped.  "Are you?"

"No," she answered, with a shrug.  "But your entire purpose as a friend is to amuse me when I'm having a bad day."

Luke raised his eyebrows.  "So, basically, I'm your personal clown."

"Basically," Mara agreed, ducking suddenly out of sight with a cry of triumph.  She reappeared a moment later with a large grin and another data pad clutched in her hand.  "There.  You have now witnessed something good happen in the life of Mara Jade.  I've been looking all over the place for this thing."

Luke ignored her.  "So now I'm curious, what's your purpose as a friend?"

"To make you feel accomplished," Mara replied without hesitation.

"Excuse me?" Luke choked out in surprise.

"You keep me from going crazy.  Now don't you feel accomplished?"

"No."

"Damn!  Do you realize that you're expecting me to redefine my entire role?"

Luke laughed, but he was trying internally to decide whether or not to voice his concerns.

He must have been more obvious than he thought, because Mara sighed loudly.  "Out with it, Skywalker."

Luke opened his mouth, but found himself hesitating.

Mara watched him for a few moments, then dropped her eyes, shifting uncomfortably.  "I was just kidding, you know."

"About what?"

Mara rolled her eyes.  "Our roles," she said dryly, still not looking at him.

Luke looked at her intently, trying to discern her emotions through her facial expressions since he didn't have the force to fall back on at such a distance.  "I knew that," he said, finally.  "I just… "  He hesitated again, but quickly went on when Mara looked up to glare at him.  "You know that you can tell me if anything's bothering you."

Mara continued to stare at him without answering, trying — Luke thought — to look expressionless.  But something had flickered in her eyes when Luke spoke and he knew that there was more going on than frustration with business.

"You don't have to say anything," he said placatingly.  "But I won't be upset if it's … you know, if you're having second thoughts about coming to Yavin."

Mara tilted her head to one side and raised an eyebrow.  "You wouldn't be upset?"

Luke shook his head.  "Of course not."

Mara raised a second eyebrow and Luke felt his cheeks warming up; being this close with Mara had its drawbacks.  "All right.  I admit, I might be a little … upset is a strong word … disappointed, I guess."

To his surprise, Mara smiled warmly at him.  "Thanks."

Luke blinked.  That was not the reaction he had been expecting.  "For what?"

"For saying you'd be disappointed if I didn't come."

"It's true," Luke insisted forcefully.

Mara's smile widened and she chuckled.  "I know.  That's why I said thank you."

Luke smiled back at her.  "So … are you having second thoughts?"

Mara closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat.  "I don't know," she said slowly.  "Not second thoughts, no.  I guess," she opened her eyes to look at him uncertainly, "I guess I'm just a little nervous about it."

"About how I'll be?"

"You?"  Mara seemed genuinely surprised at the idea, to Luke's relief.  "No, not you.  It's everyone else I'm worried about."

Luke looked down at his hands.  "Callista's on your side too, you know."

To his surprise Mara laughed.  "Well, I'm not really worried about Callista either.  I was actually hoping… "  She seemed to hesitate and Luke looked up at her curiously.  "I was hoping that Callista might take charge of my training."

Luke felt like someone had just punched him in the stomach.  For a moment he couldn't seem to catch his breath.  He was vaguely aware that Mara was looking at him somewhat worriedly.

"Unless … do you think she wouldn't want to?"

There was a strange silence, then Mara was speaking again.  "I guess it was a bad idea.  Forget I said it…  Skywalker?  Hello … Luke?"

Luke somehow managed to find his voice again.  "Wh-what …why?  I thought that I would be in charge of your training.  I mean, I know your abilities and capabilities better than anyone.  And … and I thought we worked really well together on… "  Luke stopped and tried to force himself to react reasonably instead of emotionally.  "But it's up to you, of course.  I'm sure that Callista would be willing to… "

Mara was holding up her hands at him and he ground to a halt.  "Skywalker, I just figured that Callista might be able to relate to me better since we have certain similarities in our background and … and we're both women.  I know that shouldn't make much of a difference, but my impression has always been that she has had more success training Leia than you have.  Besides, I figured that you might be too busy to devote much time to me and… "

Luke stared at Mara as she spoke.  He had a hard enough time understanding his own relationship with Mara, let alone the strange connection she seemed to have with Callista.  It was something, he decided, he should speak about with Callista.  As for the rest of it…

"Mara," he interrupted her.  "Mara, I have no problem if you want to train with Callista.  As long as she's willing, that is.  But I'd still like to be involved, if that's all right."

Mara nodded with a smile.  "All right.  Serious discussion over.  I really am going crazy over here, trying to get Shada prepared for when I leave.  Tell me how Cay's doing."

They had ended the conversation with a few Cay "incidents," as Mara called them.  Cay had asked about "Aunt Mawa" only once since Mara's visit, but seemed to have forgotten about her (or just put her out of her mind) in the weeks that past without another visit.  Mara, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy a steady diet of Cay stories.  This meant that Luke paid better attention to Cay's various pronouncements and tantrums — he needed material for Mara.

The day before they left for Yavin, Cay was in an uncharacteristically sulky mood.  She seemed to be feeling more put-out than anything about the packing going on in the apartment, but at the same time she didn't act out as she usually did when she was upset — by making as much noise as possible.  She just sat on the couch watching Luke move about, with her thumb in her mouth and her other hand stuffed under her shirt, playing with her bellybutton.  Luke tried not to look at her — he hated it when she did that, but he didn't have time for a confrontation.

Callista had much less packing to do, as she wasn't going to be staying on Yavin for more than a few weeks.  Her duties as the Jedi Council Emissary in the Senate required her to spend much of her time on Coruscant.  She came out of their bedroom, carrying a small satchel and stood watching him place a few extra items in his own case.

"Think you've got enough in there, Luke?" she asked, a playful grin on her face.

Luke rolled his eyes, but grinned back.  "I actually plan on staying on Yavin for a while, you know."

To his chagrin, Callista's smile faded.  "I would if I could, Luke.  You know that.  But I really need to be here… "

"Callie, it's all right," Luke said quickly, getting up to go over to her.  He took her hands in his.  "I understand.  Really, I do.  Besides, you'll be there for the next month, won't you?"

Callista shrugged.  "I hope so."

Luke let go of her hands and took a small step back, glancing uncertainly at Cay, who didn't seem to be paying any attention to them.  He knew better. 

"Leia told us they could spare you for a month," he said quietly, hoping he didn't sound accusatory.  "Three weeks, at the very least.  We can send someone else if we need to."

Callista smiled gently at him and took his face between her hands.  "I just meant that I would have to come back if I was needed, Luke.  That's all.  You know that I want to be with you and Cay, don't you?"

Luke glanced back over at Cay again.  This time she was looking at them in a detached sort of way, as though she found them mildly interesting, but her mind was on other — more important — things.  "Of course I know that," he said, looking back at Callista and giving her a small smile.  "I just got worried, that's all."  He shook his head.  "Though I shouldn't be complaining, I'm the one who just got back from a jaunt across the galaxy."

Callista's expression became severe.  "That wasn't a jaunt, Luke.  You were responding to a vision that the force sent you.  That's a serious thing.  Imagine what might have happened if you hadn't gone."

Luke nodded his head.  "Don't worry, I realize that.  Mara would be… "  He didn't finish his sentence, very aware of Cay sitting just by them.

Callista nodded approvingly.  "And don't forget about the Caamas document, not to mention the Thrawn clones.  Luke, if you hadn't gone to Nirauan, we might be in the middle of a losing war right now, instead of signing a peace treaty."

Cay was definitely listening to them now, though Luke couldn't tell how much she understood.  He nodded distractedly at Callista and opened his mouth to change the subject.

"That's why I have to be ready to return if I'm needed, Luke," Callista continued before he had a chance.  "The security of the Republic depends on the willingness of its leadership to sacrifice not only our public lives, but our private lives as well.  Leia is forced to do it on a daily basis with Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin.  We have to be willing to do the same with each other."

This was one of those times a force-connection with Callista would really have been useful, Luke thought, as he tried to think of a way to cut her off without hurting her feelings.  He had wanted for a long time to have a conversation about their roles as parents and partners versus their responsibilities within the Republic.  But he didn't want to have it in front of Cay.

"Callista, you know that I agree with you, but… " he tried.

"Yes, you agree in theory, Luke, but sometimes I think that you don't quite recognize how it might manifest itself in practice.  This is just the sort of thing… "

Cay had let her thumb slip from her mouth and was watching Callista intently.  At this point, Luke wasn't sure if anything beyond yelling would cut Callista off and he was pretty sure that Cay would understand yelling far better than she understood things like 'sacrifice' and 'treaties.'  He usually loved to listen to Callista when she got into an idealistic fervor – it seemed like she could convince anyone of anything – but at the moment all he wanted to do was shut her up.

So he did the only thing he could think of and, mid-sentence, kissed her firmly on the mouth.

The kiss wasn't passionate, or even very long, but Callista seemed completely taken aback by it.  She immediately stopped speaking and stared at him with wide eyes, touching her fingers to her lips.

"Sorry," he whispered to her.  "I want to talk about this … but maybe now's not the best time."  He glanced over at Cay significantly.

Callista followed his gaze and immediately understood.  "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," she said.  "I though you might be upset and I just wanted you to understand… "

Luke took her hands in his and smiled.  "I do understand.  And I'm sorry if I'm not as supportive as I should be sometimes."

Callista smiled impishly.  "To be perfectly honest, I don't mind much that you want to spend more time with me."  To Luke's surprise, she leaned in and gave him a soft, lingering kiss.

She chuckled at the expression on his face as he stared at her.  Then he turned quickly to Cay and, relieved to see that she was back to ignoring them, knelt to continue his packing.

"So Mara said that she would arrive a couple of days after us," he told her, mostly just to fill the sudden silence.

Callista said nothing for few moments as he carefully rearranged his case making room for his toiletries.  Then, she turned away and walked toward the dining area.  "Will you have enough time to get your curriculum planned by then?" she asked, with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"I think I'll make do," he responded in the same playful manner.  "It's you I was more worried about."

Callista looked sharply back at him.  "Me?"

He grinned, looking forward to her reaction.  He knew that she loved teaching at the Academy and was always disappointed when her inability to access the force limited her from doing it more.  "Yeah.  The other day she mentioned that she wants you to take charge of her training.  Not that you actually have to do all of it, she knows that you're a busy woman, but she wanted you to be in charge."

Callista seemed frozen for a moment before shaking her head and reaching into the cooler for a drink.  "I admit that I'm surprised," she said.  "I assumed that she would have preferred your instruction.  You two seem to connect so well through the force."

Luke shrugged.  "I was surprised, too," he admitted.  "But she said that you would be able to relate to her better because of… "  He hesitated, not completely understanding himself.  "Because of your similar experiences.  And I'm not sure that I agree, but she also thought that you might be a more appropriate instructor because you're both women.  You were always more successful with Leia than I've ever been."

Callista waved a hand at this.  "That's because you expect too much from Leia, not because you're male."

"Maybe I expect too much from Mara, as well."

Callista shook her head and began to sip at her juice.  "No.  The reason why you expect too much from Leia is because you view her as an extension of yourself.  The council almost never apprenticed relatives to each other for that very reason.  You see Mara's potential, so of course you get frustrated when she refuses to actualize it, but you certainly don't expect too much from her.  Unless… "  Callista looked at him thoughtfully.  "Perhaps you do view Mara as some sort of surrogate sister.  You do relate to her very strongly on an emotional level."

Luke sat back, considering this.  Finally he shook his head.  "I'm not sure.  I don't think of Mara the same way that I think of Leia.  It's a very different connection.  She's not my sister, she's my friend."

Callista tilted her head to the side.  "The way that Han is your friend."

"I guess … but … maybe it's a combination of Han and Leia … and something else too.  Ideas, maybe?" he wondered out loud.  Callista looked at him strangely.

He hurried to explain.  "I can share ideas with her, not just experiences like I can with Han or emotions, like I can with Leia.  And we work off of each other very well.  It's not just that we're friends… "  He grinned suddenly with comprehension.  "We're a team!"

Callista smiled at him and nodded resolutely.  "Mara's wrong," she said decidedly.  "You should train her.  The relationship you just described is exactly what a master-apprentice relationship is supposed to be."  She raised a hand forestalling his objection.  "I'll still take charge of her training curriculum if she really wants me to, but you should definitely be her master.  I don't think that there is anyone who could do a better job than you could."

She continued smiling and Luke couldn't help but smile back, despite his reservations.  But he wasn't sure that he agreed with her.  He was very glad to be training Mara, he'd been looking forward to it for a very long time, but he had been in master-apprentice relationships before and they weren't anything like his relationship with Mara.  She was too much of an equal for him to view her the same way he would another apprentice. 

On the other hand, maybe he was wrong.  Maybe masters and apprentices really were supposed to be on a more equal footing.  Callista certainly had more experience than he did.  Besides, Ben always seemed to remember Anakin Skywalker as a friend more than as a student.

He stood and forced himself to concentrate on his packing, mentally going through the checklist of his toiletries and where he could find them.  He opened his eyes as he sensed someone close by and a moment later Callista brushed past him on her way to their bedroom.  But the momentary touch was far from casual.  She had pressed her breasts against his arm and her hips firmly against his wrist, trailing a hand well below the waistline on the back of his trousers.

She stopped by the doorway for a moment and turned back to say, in her husky voice, "I forgot to pack something," before moving into the bedroom.

Luke's mouth went dry and he found himself checking Cay.  She was still awake, though her eyes were heavily lidded, and she wasn't looking in his direction at all.

Callista hadn't been…  They didn't even have time…  It was the middle of the day and … and Cay was sitting right there.  He stood uncertainly for a minute, before deciding to get what toiletries he needed from the bedroom first.

When he reached the doorway he saw Callista pulling something red and silky from her dresser.  She drapped it over her forearm without a glance at him and brushed slowly past him again out into the hallway.  He steadied himself against the doorpost and reminded himself that she was just giving him something to look forward to.  They certainly couldn't do anything now.

But he turned almost involuntarily to watch her and immediately wished that he hadn't.  She had her back to him and was bending over at the waist to pack the nightgown into her satchel.  The skirt she was wearing was extremely modest, but the material managed to accentuate the long smooth lines of her legs when she was bent like that.  Not to mention a few other body parts.

He forced himself to turn back to the bedroom and walked swiftly over to his night table to snatch up his comb and deodorant.  Keeping his eyes on his feet he returned to his case to pack them away and then hurried to the bathroom for the rest of his things.

He was leaning over the tub for his shampoo when the door closed behind him.

He took in a few deep breaths before turning around, reminding himself once again that she didn't want more than a few kisses, if that.

She was leaning against the sink with a small smirk on her face when he straightened up.

"Have you got everything?" she asked in a deceptively casual tone of voice.

You're a Jedi! he reminded himself firmly and almost immediately he felt the physical tension leave his body.  He could play with her now as casually as she was playing with him.

He grinned.  "Not exactly.  There are a few things in the medicine cabinet that I might need," he said, pointing directly behind her head.

Something – annoyance? – flashed across Callista's face, but the next moment she was arching her back against the sink seductively.  "I suppose you'll have to get them, then," she said, managing to sound innocent.

His control firmly in place, Luke found that he could enjoy their little game and he pressed her firmly against the sink with his hips before reaching around her with both hands to get his things out of the cabinet.  As soon as he had everything, he pulled away.  "That's everything," he announced, expecting a chuckle in response.

He didn't get it.  Instead, she continued to gaze at him.

He rolled his eyes and leaned in to give her a thorough kiss – which she returned with fervor – before turning to go.

Before he could, however, Callista lifted her leg up across the doorway and propped her foot against the opposite wall.  The wrap skirt split open along her thigh revealing a long, tanned leg.

Another man might have lost it right then, but Luke's Jedi discipline was working overtime to keep him grounded.  He let his eyes skim up her thigh to her hip, then up her torso to her face.  She looked back at him steadily, a wicked grin on her lips.

"Callista!" he complained in amusement.

Her mouth twitched, but otherwise there was no response.

He leaned in again for a final kiss, but it turned into something very different than he had meant for it to be.  Callista reached down and planted one of his hands on her waist and the other high up on her thigh.  Then she began caressing him in a way that was far too intimate given the circumstances.

He managed to free his lips and mumble, "Callista, we should really stop," before she pulled him back in again.

He couldn't bring himself not to kiss her back, but he also couldn't allow himself to let go of his force-induced inhibition.  He finally brought his hands up to her shoulders and pushed away firmly.

"Callie, we can't do this.  We're supposed to be leaving soon."

Her brow wrinkled for a moment, then she brightened.  "It doesn't have to take very long," she said, reaching for the clasp on his trousers.

He laughed, but stayed her hands before they could get very far.  "Cay's in the next room.  She's definitely awake.  What if she picks up on what we're … what if she senses something?"

"She won't know what it means, Luke.  We'll just stay quiet."

She smiled confidently at him and he couldn't help but smile back, but – to her evident frustration – he didn't let go of her hands.

"Or we could just wait for tonight," he suggested.

Callista pulled her hands free in irritation and moved them to his shoulders instead.  "But I want you now," she purred, pressing herself against him again.

Luke leaned his head in till their foreheads were touching.  "I want you, too," he whispered.  "But won't you feel more comfortable when Cay's asleep?"

Callista licked her lips and let her hands stray down the front of his shirt.  "You're the one who doesn't feel comfortable.  Just shield yourself from her."

For a moment – looking down at her lips and her neck, feeling her fingers pulling the fabric of his tunic from his trousers – Luke seriously considered giving in.  But then he shook his head decisively.  "If I block myself off from her, then I won't know if something's wrong."

Callista yanked the rest of his tunic out with a look of triumph in her eyes that he knew shouldn't be there.  "You're the Jedi Master, Luke.  I think you can manage to split your concentration."

Without waiting for a response, she pulled him back in for a fiercely passionate kiss.

For the first few moments, Luke tried to lose himself completely in their love-making.  But every time he tried, his shields would begin to slip or his tenuous connection to Cay would collapse.  So he pulled back somewhat on his physical intensity with Callista in order to focus more on Cay. 

Callista, however, immediately noticed this and reacted by making sure that his body was crying out to respond more fully to her enticements.

He growled in frustration.  "Callista, please!"

"Touch me, Luke," she commanded breathlessly, "don't hold back."

He struggled with himself for a few more moments, before something finally clicked.  Without meaning to, he split off the logic-driven, intellectual section of his mind to shield against and watch over Cay, while the instinctual part of his mind gave itself over completely to his overwhelming physical desires and passions.

While his body worked madly, furiously, to satisfy itself, he sent gentle sensations to Cay over his bond, trying to lull her to sleep.  When he sensed her looking much too interestedly over at his impeccably packed case, he told her under no uncertain terms what would happen if it was touched.

That part of his mind was barely aware of Callista's frantic caresses and kisses, of her arms and legs encircling him and arousing him.  And when their bodies had calmed, their breathing slowed back to normal, it took him some time to reintegrate his disparate awarenesses.

When he did, however, he was rewarded with the sight of a beaming Callista. 

It wasn't until that night as he lay next to Callista on the ship, speeding through hyperspace toward Yavin, that he allowed himself to wonder whether the Old Order had perhaps been correct in their stance on the incompatibility of romance with the Jedi life.  But the thought barely had a chance form itself before he fell into a deep and untroubled sleep.


A/N: I'm not sure how that went over, but let me just state for the record that I didn't mean for Callista to come off as some sort of nymphomaniac.  I'm sure that there are couples for whom a situation like this would be a healthy and positive experience – it's only Luke's Jedi issues that got in the way of this one.  At any rate, I am basing Callista's character on the way that Hambly (and, to some extent, KJA) wrote her, I'm trying very hard not to unfairly make her something that she's not.  Maybe when I'm finished with this I'll write a little essay on what my evidence is for her various character traits ;)

You have hopefully figured out that I am using a physical relationship in order to represent certain issues within Luke and Callista's relationship.  If I were a better author, I would probably be able to subtly hint toward the issues without resorting to sex.  But I'm not.  Sorry!