Disclaimer & Notes – I don't own anything pertaining to StarWars. This story is purely for fun. This is an AU story, but I tried to keep it true to the ideals behind the original universe and story while adding an interesting twist.

Skywalker:

Prologue

Luke sat on his bed, his legs dangling over the side, swinging absently while his attention focused on the slightly rumpled square of paper in his hand.

The nine-year-old sighed out loud as he mulled over the problem at hand…

'How to get his uncle to sign the permission slip.'

It was a problem because Uncle Owen never let Luke do any of the extra activities at school! Whenever his class took trips to the spaceport, or out to see the local wildlife Uncle Owen made him stay in the tiny school library and study while the rest of the kids had fun. It wasn't fair!

With an exasperated sigh Luke flopped on his back and stared up at the ceiling, the boy sighed again and fought back the lingering stinging gathering in the back of his eyes that forewarned tears.

Crying didn't get you anywhere. That's what Uncle Owen told him.

Aunt Beru stood in the doorway silently, drying her damp hands on the pale blue dishtowel while gazing at her little charge a small frown creasing her weathered face.

She knew what this was about, Luke had been hiding that permission slip under his pillow for days now and she had caught a glimpse when straitening the bed covers yesterday morning after Luke had left for school.

Aunt Beru folded the dishtowel with the crisp movements of someone who had just made up their mind about something. This time she had to intervene.

She under stood her husbands reasoning behind restricting Luke's activities, but there came a time when a little risk was more than worth the trouble.

"Luke .." she said walking into the room, hiding a smile when the little boy jumped and quickly sat up hiding the slip of paper behind his back.

It was rare to catch him off guard, usually her nephew knew when someone entered the room, and to Beru the fact he hadn't heard or felt her enter was just another sign of how upset the child was over this field trip.

"What? Yes Aunt Beru? I did my chores already, really!" Luke quickly chirped up, his impossibly blue eyes wide and feigning innocence.

Beru sat on the bed next to Luke and smiled knowingly.

"I trust you did Luke. I just wanted to talk to you for a minute."

Luke swallowed back a flash of guilt at lying to his Aunt.

He really hadn't done ALL his chores….

"Well, I did most of them anyway…….. I just have to dust the cooling unit before it gets dark." The blond boy admitted almost immediately unable to leave the lie hanging between them.

Beru smiled lovingly and set a hand on Luke's head of unruly blond locks "Well then, just make sure you get that done before your Uncle comes in from the left field." She cautioned thinking about how endearing her nephew's open personality and innocence was.

It was nearly impossible for the boy to lie to her. Luke had such a good heart. At times she wished more than anything that Owen would learn to look past Luke's parentage and see the boy for who he was in himself.

"Um…., what did you want to talk about?" Luke asked after a moment of silence, curious now that he knew that he wasn't in trouble for lying and not getting his last chore done yet.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about your school's field trip to Fire canyon tomorrow." Aunt Beru said mater of fact making Luke nearly fall off the bed in shock.

Catching his balance Luke quickly rushed ahead to state his case "I know that Uncle says that Field trips are a waist of time, and school, and credits, but this one is really educational."

Luke sprung to his feet and gestured excitedly with his small hands "There are a lot of geological stuff to study, and fossils ! If only Uncle would listen I'm sure he'd……"

Aunt Beru held up one hand silencing the nine-year-old mid tirade. Her heart lurched slightly as Luke's exited little face crumpled.

Luke was sure of what was coming next. The lecture he had heard so many times about how his time was much better served in other, worthwhile tasks.

But his Aunt caught him unbalanced again "I was thinking that maybe I should sign the slip and we wont bother your Uncle with it this time. The condensers have been giving him a harder time than usual and I think he needs to focus on his work don't you?"

Luke felt his hopes rise so fast his chest actually hurt and he tossed his arms around Beru's neck with the exited babble of "Oh yes! He should concentrate! Really, really…..REALY! I can go!"

Luke bounced on his toes looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

Beru laughed and hugged her little charge noticing how he fairly vibrated with happiness, yes this was the right thing to do…Owen would understand once she talked to him about it.

"Yes Luke, Now you had better hurry and finish your chores, dinner is almost ready and you want to get a good night sleep before tomorrow's trip don't you?"

"Oh yes! Yes Ma'am…Wheeeeeeeee!" Luke ran out of the room more eager to do his chores than ever before in his young life.

Meanwhile Aunt Beru picked the slip up off the bed and slipped it into her apron pocket keeping the image of her smiling child firmly in her thoughts the farmwife reminded herself once again that this was the right thing despite what her husband might think. After all, what could happen?