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Luke watched as the stars became streaming lines, and felt the jolt as they jumped to hyperspace. He lifted his gaze from the view-port and looked at his daughter as she spoke. ? Why do you think he didn't attack the republic or the academy?" she asked.
"He was too crazy to manage it affectively. He wanted to. I have no doubt of that, but his mind just couldn't wrap around it," Mara said.
"That poor man," Mirelle murmured.
Luke nodded, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. "Some people just can't be saved Mirelle. It took me a long time to finally learn that," he said.
"You look Tired Skywalker," Mara observed quietly.
He opened his eyes, and nodded. "I'll show him to a bunk," Mirelle offered.
Mara nodded, and Mirelle led her father towards the back cabin. She let him sit on one of the bunks with a sigh and turned to leave, but he grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Come and sit with me," he urged. She sat down next to him, her eyes level with his. "You did a wonderful job back there. I'm so proud of you. I hope you know that," he said.
"I know," she said.
"Mirelle, if your mother will allow it, I'd like to complete your training as a jedi. Would you like that?" he asked.
A smile lit her lovely face. "I'd love it. I'm sure Mom would let me. She's always respected you, even if she hasn't always liked you," she said.
The smile faded from his face as he stared at her. "I want you to know, that what happened between your mother and I has nothing to do with you, and that none of it was your fault. I've thought about you so much over the years, and I've always wanted to tell you that, and how much I love you," he said.
She sat silently for a long moment, and then hugged him. He stroked her hair, feeling how soft it was. "I love you too Dad," she whispered, and he pulled her closer. They stayed like that for a long moment and then she asked, "Do you think, that you and Mom could, work things out?" She sounded so innocent, so young.
Luke stroked her cheek. "I can't promise anything. Your mother is an extremely independent woman, but I'll try to see you as often as I can if things don't work out. I still love your mother. I hope you know that," he said.
"I know, I'm glad you do," she said.
"We'll just have to see what happens when we get back to Coruscant," he said. He then began telling her about her aunt, her uncle, and her cousins. He told her about his other friends, and all the other students at the academy. She listened intently, smiling happily and pillowing her head on his chest. At last he looked down, and saw her fast asleep. He smiled softly, kissing her hair. He leaned back against the bunk, and closed his eyes, his daughter in his arms.
The trip back to Coruscant had been a good one. Luke, Mara, and Mirelle had spent the days talking, training, and simply spending time together as a family. There had been something missing though, and as Luke descended the ramp, which led off the ship after Mirelle, he thought he realized what that something had been. He watched as Mirelle greeted her family. They'd sent a message to Leia and Han, saying they wanted to meet them when they landed, and now as Mirelle talked with her aunt, uncle, and cousins he knew he'd made the right decision. "Are you practicing to be a monument, or are you going to walk over and join them?" Mara asked softly from behind him, her tone good-natured, but cool.
He turned, smiling at her. "Are you coming too?" he asked.
Mara shrugged. "Your sister asked me to come. What could I say," she answered. He nodded, and walked to join his daughter.
The dinner Leia had planned for them all had been wonderful. The family had accepted Mirelle as warmly as if they'd known her since childhood, and she'd felt at home immediately. Her cousins had been especially fun, showing her how to do tricks with the force that she'd never even known existed. They brought out a side of her Luke hadn't seen, and one which Mara hadn't seen in a long time. Both parents watched as their girl laughed and made a balled up napkin bounce off the table, hitting Jacen in the face. "She's beautiful," Leia commented softly from her place beside Luke.
"She is, I've never seen her like this," he murmured, smiling as Jaina caused milk to splash her brother.
"Hey, is this gang up on Jacen day?" Jacen asked, holding up his hands.
The two girls looked at each other, grinned, and answered in unison. "Yes," they said, and then laughed.
Mara, Luke, Han, and Leia all left the room before any flying object could catch them and went and sat in the living room. Mara and Luke told about what had happened, and both Han and Leia looked relieved when they heard Salen was dead. Both knew the last thing they needed was another crazy warlord trying to take over their galaxy again. After a time Mara stood. "I should be going now," she said.
"Will Mirelle stay here?" Leia asked.
Mara looked at Luke for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, your brother wants to finish her training on Yavin," she answered.
"Will we see you again soon?" Leia asked.
Mara stood silently a moment. "Perhaps," she said, and then went in to tell Mirelle she was leaving.
She came out of the kitchen a few minutes later, thanked Leia and Han for the dinner, and then moved for the door. "I'll walk you out Mara," Luke offered and she nodded. They rode the turbo-lift down to the hanger bay in silence, and Luke followed her towards her ship, watching the tense way she walked. "Mara, don't go," he said at last.
She stopped, and turned to face him. "I'm not leaving permanently Skywalker. I'll be back to see Mirelle," she said.
"Yes but in a way you are leaving forever. If none of what's happened between us meant anything to you I don't believe you would've let me walk you out, and I think you'd be a lot more relaxed. What are you afraid of Mara?" he asked gently, moving closer to her.
She met his gaze. "I'm not afraid I just,"
"I love you," he said softly, moving even closer.
She sighed tiredly. "Skywalker not this,"
"I love you," he repeated, lifting a hand and resting it against her face.
He felt her shaking beneath his touch, and he put his arms about her then, holding her close. "Don't, don't be so good to me. You'll just go away and I'll be alone again. You've always been so good to me don't do this. Not now when you mean so much." Luke thought she didn't realize she'd been speaking her thoughts allowed, or that she was crying.
He hushed her softly, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. "It's all right. I'm not going anywhere. Trust me Mara, I won't leave you. I love you," he whispered, kissing her wet cheek.
She stayed in his arms for a time until she'd quieted, then she looked up at him, her face soft. "Luke I," she paused, as if struggling with the words. He kissed her gently, urging her to say the rest. "I love you. I have for a long time," she said, pulling him close.
"I love you too Mara. I always will," he said. They kissed then, opening themselves up fully to each other, and the force. Feelings, which had been buried and hidden for years, came forward and wrapped around both. At last, they separated, smiling gently at each other. "Should we go back and tell them you're staying?" he asked.
"I think it's a good idea," she answered. He kissed her warmly once more, and then turned. He felt her slide her hand into his and he squeezed it gently. They walked like that back up to tell their family and their daughter.
A/N Yes, this is the end of the story. I think it's nice, and I'd love to know what you all thought of it. Thanks again to all who've reviewed. Sorry for the long wait. I've been sick lately and have had many other pre-Thanks Giving break projects to finish before next week's Holiday. Thanks for your patients, your encouragement, and your support. I couldn't have posted this without your help. Have a happy Thanks Giving and thanks again Meara
Luke watched as the stars became streaming lines, and felt the jolt as they jumped to hyperspace. He lifted his gaze from the view-port and looked at his daughter as she spoke. ? Why do you think he didn't attack the republic or the academy?" she asked.
"He was too crazy to manage it affectively. He wanted to. I have no doubt of that, but his mind just couldn't wrap around it," Mara said.
"That poor man," Mirelle murmured.
Luke nodded, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. "Some people just can't be saved Mirelle. It took me a long time to finally learn that," he said.
"You look Tired Skywalker," Mara observed quietly.
He opened his eyes, and nodded. "I'll show him to a bunk," Mirelle offered.
Mara nodded, and Mirelle led her father towards the back cabin. She let him sit on one of the bunks with a sigh and turned to leave, but he grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Come and sit with me," he urged. She sat down next to him, her eyes level with his. "You did a wonderful job back there. I'm so proud of you. I hope you know that," he said.
"I know," she said.
"Mirelle, if your mother will allow it, I'd like to complete your training as a jedi. Would you like that?" he asked.
A smile lit her lovely face. "I'd love it. I'm sure Mom would let me. She's always respected you, even if she hasn't always liked you," she said.
The smile faded from his face as he stared at her. "I want you to know, that what happened between your mother and I has nothing to do with you, and that none of it was your fault. I've thought about you so much over the years, and I've always wanted to tell you that, and how much I love you," he said.
She sat silently for a long moment, and then hugged him. He stroked her hair, feeling how soft it was. "I love you too Dad," she whispered, and he pulled her closer. They stayed like that for a long moment and then she asked, "Do you think, that you and Mom could, work things out?" She sounded so innocent, so young.
Luke stroked her cheek. "I can't promise anything. Your mother is an extremely independent woman, but I'll try to see you as often as I can if things don't work out. I still love your mother. I hope you know that," he said.
"I know, I'm glad you do," she said.
"We'll just have to see what happens when we get back to Coruscant," he said. He then began telling her about her aunt, her uncle, and her cousins. He told her about his other friends, and all the other students at the academy. She listened intently, smiling happily and pillowing her head on his chest. At last he looked down, and saw her fast asleep. He smiled softly, kissing her hair. He leaned back against the bunk, and closed his eyes, his daughter in his arms.
The trip back to Coruscant had been a good one. Luke, Mara, and Mirelle had spent the days talking, training, and simply spending time together as a family. There had been something missing though, and as Luke descended the ramp, which led off the ship after Mirelle, he thought he realized what that something had been. He watched as Mirelle greeted her family. They'd sent a message to Leia and Han, saying they wanted to meet them when they landed, and now as Mirelle talked with her aunt, uncle, and cousins he knew he'd made the right decision. "Are you practicing to be a monument, or are you going to walk over and join them?" Mara asked softly from behind him, her tone good-natured, but cool.
He turned, smiling at her. "Are you coming too?" he asked.
Mara shrugged. "Your sister asked me to come. What could I say," she answered. He nodded, and walked to join his daughter.
The dinner Leia had planned for them all had been wonderful. The family had accepted Mirelle as warmly as if they'd known her since childhood, and she'd felt at home immediately. Her cousins had been especially fun, showing her how to do tricks with the force that she'd never even known existed. They brought out a side of her Luke hadn't seen, and one which Mara hadn't seen in a long time. Both parents watched as their girl laughed and made a balled up napkin bounce off the table, hitting Jacen in the face. "She's beautiful," Leia commented softly from her place beside Luke.
"She is, I've never seen her like this," he murmured, smiling as Jaina caused milk to splash her brother.
"Hey, is this gang up on Jacen day?" Jacen asked, holding up his hands.
The two girls looked at each other, grinned, and answered in unison. "Yes," they said, and then laughed.
Mara, Luke, Han, and Leia all left the room before any flying object could catch them and went and sat in the living room. Mara and Luke told about what had happened, and both Han and Leia looked relieved when they heard Salen was dead. Both knew the last thing they needed was another crazy warlord trying to take over their galaxy again. After a time Mara stood. "I should be going now," she said.
"Will Mirelle stay here?" Leia asked.
Mara looked at Luke for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, your brother wants to finish her training on Yavin," she answered.
"Will we see you again soon?" Leia asked.
Mara stood silently a moment. "Perhaps," she said, and then went in to tell Mirelle she was leaving.
She came out of the kitchen a few minutes later, thanked Leia and Han for the dinner, and then moved for the door. "I'll walk you out Mara," Luke offered and she nodded. They rode the turbo-lift down to the hanger bay in silence, and Luke followed her towards her ship, watching the tense way she walked. "Mara, don't go," he said at last.
She stopped, and turned to face him. "I'm not leaving permanently Skywalker. I'll be back to see Mirelle," she said.
"Yes but in a way you are leaving forever. If none of what's happened between us meant anything to you I don't believe you would've let me walk you out, and I think you'd be a lot more relaxed. What are you afraid of Mara?" he asked gently, moving closer to her.
She met his gaze. "I'm not afraid I just,"
"I love you," he said softly, moving even closer.
She sighed tiredly. "Skywalker not this,"
"I love you," he repeated, lifting a hand and resting it against her face.
He felt her shaking beneath his touch, and he put his arms about her then, holding her close. "Don't, don't be so good to me. You'll just go away and I'll be alone again. You've always been so good to me don't do this. Not now when you mean so much." Luke thought she didn't realize she'd been speaking her thoughts allowed, or that she was crying.
He hushed her softly, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. "It's all right. I'm not going anywhere. Trust me Mara, I won't leave you. I love you," he whispered, kissing her wet cheek.
She stayed in his arms for a time until she'd quieted, then she looked up at him, her face soft. "Luke I," she paused, as if struggling with the words. He kissed her gently, urging her to say the rest. "I love you. I have for a long time," she said, pulling him close.
"I love you too Mara. I always will," he said. They kissed then, opening themselves up fully to each other, and the force. Feelings, which had been buried and hidden for years, came forward and wrapped around both. At last, they separated, smiling gently at each other. "Should we go back and tell them you're staying?" he asked.
"I think it's a good idea," she answered. He kissed her warmly once more, and then turned. He felt her slide her hand into his and he squeezed it gently. They walked like that back up to tell their family and their daughter.
A/N Yes, this is the end of the story. I think it's nice, and I'd love to know what you all thought of it. Thanks again to all who've reviewed. Sorry for the long wait. I've been sick lately and have had many other pre-Thanks Giving break projects to finish before next week's Holiday. Thanks for your patients, your encouragement, and your support. I couldn't have posted this without your help. Have a happy Thanks Giving and thanks again Meara