Title: Clear As A Bell

Author: Sw (aka Jeditheskyisblue)

Rating: Teen

Summary: Mara waited too long to accept Luke's offer of marriage or did she?

Author's note: I wrote this for a challenge I believe from a yahoo group about how the Emperor got Mara Jade as a child. I have a whole outline of that but never did get around to actually putting it into the story. Perhaps one day I will.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars and am making no money off of this story. I just wrote it for fun.

Part 4

Mara sat next to Luke as they waited for the doctor to see her. Mara looked at Luke and smiled trying not to let her anger at his insistence that she see a doctor flow through their bond.

Why did Luke have to be the caring type? Why couldn't he be the type that didn't care about past lovers? Mara laughed as she saw Luke inch closer towards her when the person next to him started coughing.

(That wasn't very Jedi like Skywalker) Mara teased her ex. Luke just inched closer as the man didn't stop coughing.

(No where does it say in the Jedi Code that I have to sit next to a sick person?) Luke sent as he pushed the germs the man was sending away from him and Mara with the Force.

Mara couldn't help but smirk at her one time boyfriend. Sometimes you could still see the farmboy in him. She couldn't imagine any other Jedi doing what he had just done. Mara could see herself doing it, but the Jedi? No.

(I guess being around you has rubbed off on me Jade.) Luke sent as the man next to Luke heard his name called. Both he and Mara were relieved to see the poor man go.

Mara elbowed Luke. He looked at her, then took her hint and moved away from her again.

As she felt her stomach start to do flips again Mara closed her eyes. Luke noticed and closed his too. He reached out with the Force and was about to offer her help with what ever she was doing when he felt that presence again. It was the same as last night, but this time it didn't go away. The more he focused on Mara the stronger it became.

Luke opened his eyes. He had a feeling Mara was hiding something from him, and if he was right about what had just crossed his mind he was going to kill her. She had no right to keep that a secret from him.

Maybe she didn't want him in her life anymore but that didn't mean she could keep him away from their child. A smile appeared on his face as he realized what had just happened. He had felt his child within Mara! He was going to be a father.

Mara was so busy trying to keep from throwing up she didn't notice Luke's presence enter her own. But a few moments later, she felt great joy coming from the Jedi Master. As she opened her eyes she saw the brightest smile she had ever seen on the Jedi's face. It made him look like teenager. Mara was about to ask him what had made him so happy when the nurse called her name. As she stood up Luke followed. Mara turned and looked at him.

"No way Skywalker you're not coming in with me," Mara said pointing a finger at him. If she was going to keep her secret there was no way she could let him come with her.

"Mar, please I just want to make sure you're all right," Luke begged. He had to know if the baby was okay.

Mara looked at Luke and he could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't going to let him come with her.

Watching as Luke was about to sit down again, Mara suddenly felt very dizzy and almost passed out. He was by her side before she knew what had happened.

The nurse looked at Luke. "Master Skywalker why don't you help her to her room?" the nurse asked.

Mara's eyes grew wide, but she was to dizzy to really care. She was planning on telling Skywalker anyway. So it looked like he was going to find out sooner then she thought.

"Leia don't you have a meeting this morning?" Han asked his enraged wife. Her brown eyes had a look of murder shining in them.

"I cancelled all my meetings today," Leia grunted. Han was about to ask why, but the look Leia gave him stopped him dead in his tracks. The Kid was in for it this time.

Han knew he should keep his mouth shut and let Luke handle this. But Luke didn't stand a chance of winning, let alone telling his side of where he was last night if Leia stayed this mad. With that thought, Han was going to be a good brother-in-law and try to save the Kid again.

"Sweetheart, we don't know what came up. Luke could really be helping a friend." Han said defending the Jedi Master.

Leia looked at her husband and Han sank down in his chair. "Don't you dare take his side on this Han. Haven't you seen how he's been treating Callista?" Leia asked her bewildered husband.

At this Han knew if he didn't take a stand now on this subject he wouldn't be able to later. So it was time to knock the princess down a few inches.

"Leia, Luke has been treating Callista like a friend." Han stopped then looked at Leia. She looked ready to kill him. At these times, when she lost her temper it wasn't hard to believe that she was related to Darth Vader.

When he found his voice again he continued. "Princess he told both Callista and you, that he doesn't love her anymore. Why can't you just leave the Kid alone?" Han asked as he begged his wife to let Luke have a life of his own.

Leia just stood up and paced back and forth. Her hands went up in the air as she tried to control her anger at Han for taking Luke's side yet again. When did he ever take her side?

"Luke doesn't know what's best for him Han." Leia said hoping that Han would understand now and see things from her point of view. Her husband's eyes almost made her wish that she agreed with him.

"Don't you see Leia, Luke knows what's best for him. Like you keep saying he's not a kid anymore. It's not your job to play Mother to him. He's your brother, not your son," Han said then stood up and left Leia to think about what he had just told her.

It was time for her to accept that Luke Skywalker was a grown up now, and could take care of himself.

Mara looked pale as she stared at him, Luke thought. He could feel her anxiety as they waited for the Doctor.

Maybe he should just tell her that he knew about the baby. It might make her less nervous. It couldn't be good for the baby when her nerves were in a jumble.

"Mar, its okay I know," Luke said as the doctor walked in. Mara snapped her eyes shut. Could he mean that he knew about the baby? If so how had he found out? She'd shielded her condition from him.

But then again he was a Jedi Master and letting her guard drop for a single second would be all that it would take for him to feel Ami.

As she opened her jaded eyes she saw in the ocean blue of Luke's that he did indeed know. So that was why he'd been so happy earlier.

"So Miss Jade, what brings you here today?" The doctor asked. Mara looked at him, then to the Father of her unborn child. Luke knew there was no sense keeping it a secret any longer.

"I'm pregnant, and having really bad morning sickness. Is there anything you could give me?" Mara asked. She saw the Doctor's eyes grow wide then watched as his eyes went from her to Luke. Luke just smiled shyly. Mara couldn't help but smile back at the Jedi. Well, she had gone and done it now. Her plan was falling apart all around her. What surprised her was she found herself not really caring.

At this second, she felt like nothing could hurt her. At least until she heard her former Master's voice saying "Love is pain. And that's all you'll ever have."

"No," Mara whispered, right before she found herself losing the fight to stay conscious.

TBC...