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.

A Big Thank You goes out to everyone who has been reading this story. And even a bigger Thank You to those who have left Feedback. I hope that everyone enjoys the end. It took me years to get over writers block to write the last chapter and Epilogue I hope everyone thinks it was worth the wait.

Sw

Epilogue

'It so beautiful here' Luke thought as he wrapped his arms around his wife. He had never in all his years and the many planets he had been too remembered a more peaceful and breath taken place. With the mountains and crystal clear lake as a back drop it had a feeling of surreal to it. Or perhaps it was the knowledge that his parents had stood most likely in the same exact spot he now stood with his wife that added to the glory of this place.

After so many years of wondering who his Mother had been Luke could smile with joy at being on her home world. At meeting his Mother's family of course the greatest joy, in Luke's life now though were his wife Mara and their daughter Amidala.

Mara couldn't help but return a smile of her own as she looked out at the lake before her. Still finding it odd that this villa belonged to them it was a shock when they had arrived on Naboo and were met by a lawyer a few days later telling Luke of his inherited. It seems that Darth Vader had brought this very villa a few years before his death leaving it to Luke if anything were to happen to him. A small note Vader left explained that the villa was where he married Luke's mother Padme Amidala it said nothing else but those few words told so much.

Hearing crying torn Mara and Luke both away from the view before them and back into the villa to check on their baby daughter Threepio who was acting as babysitter was trying to get the baby girl to stop crying. "Oh thank the maker" were the droids words as he saw Luke and Mara enter the room.

Both had to hold back from laughing now knowing just who Threepio's maker was. Thanks to Luke's Aunt Sola who told him that Threepio had been built but his Father and given to his Mother as a gift. Of course Luke knew once Han found out there would be no end to Han bringing up how now even with Vader gone he was still torment him with goldrod.

Once Ami was in the arms of her Mother she stopped crying. Her blue eyes looking around taken in her new home Mara thought she looked more like Luke then herself. Along with the eyes Ami had her Father's smile and ears. The baby girl's hair or what she had that past for hair was some what strawberry blonde. The best of both worlds Luke had comment about Amidala hairs moments after she was born.

It was no secret that Luke was madly in love with his little girl and Mara had to bite her lip from smiling as she thought it also wasn't a secret just how much in love Luke was with her as well. They came first to Luke and everyone close to them knew that.

Amidala held out her arms towards her Father and Luke eagerly took his daughter from Mara and walked back towards the door they just came in from knowing Luke like she did Mara guessed he wanted to show their daughter the beauty of the lake.

If it wasn't for Amidala they wouldn't be there now so it was only fair she got the tour of the villa. Mara found her self laughing Threepio looked at her and Mara quickly made an exit from the room before the droid asked her what she had been laughing about.

It wasn't the first time Mara found the reason for Luke having found the Neberrie's a little amusing. It was all because of Ami's name. Mon Mothma had come to see the newest Skywalker and when she learned the little girl's name had asked where they had come up with it. Mara had told the former Chief-of-State that it had been Luke's mother's name.

It had only taken a minute before Mon Mothma had said she felt so stupid not having realized something sooner. That she should have because Leia looked so like her Mother that she should have known the moment Luke and Leia revealed they were twins and the children of Anakin Skywalker.

Mon Mothma then explained just who she believed to be their Mother. Padme Neberrie Amidala a former Queen and Senator of Naboo she had died right around the time of Luke and Leia's birth. The timing was perfect from Mon Mothma her self knew that Padme had been pregnant before her death. And she was reported to have had a close 'friendship' with one Jedi Anakin Skywalker.

The piece all fit together Padme Neberrie Amidala had to have been Luke and Leia's Mother. A few days later Mara had convinced Luke she and Ami were well enough to go with him to Naboo and in search of any living relation that still might be there.

There first stop once on Naboo was to pay respect to Padme's grave. From there they learned where the Neberrie family lived. It was a shock to learn that Luke's grandparents both still lived neither were in the best of health but were welcoming when she and Luke arrived on their doorstep with baby Ami. A blood test that Sola had taken confirmed Luke was indeed part of the Neberrie family. A lot of crying had gone on when the Neberrie's learned that Luke was their grandchild and nephew in Sola case.

That had been a month ago a day before Luke had received the news he owned this villa. Mara couldn't help but smile as she remembered Luke trying to tell his grandparents about wanting to come here. It had taken the farmboy about the whole month to finally get up the courage to tell them he was coming here. The whole Neberrie family didn't really want Luke, Ami, or her self out of their sights. Luke had told them it would be better if he left now because they would need a few days to get things ready for Leia's visit. After all she had three kids, three of their great grandchildren that they would have to prepare for.

That had worked and Luke and she along with their baby had made their escape to the villa. Leia couldn't wait to come here as well to see where her parents had been married and Mara was sure she would love it here if Leia ever gets the chance to escape her Grandparents and Aunt to get to come. With only a week of time on Naboo that Leia could get off Mara doubted she would find time to visit the villa this trip. Mara and Leia's relationship was growing while they weren't the best of friends yet they did get along pretty well.

Leia had surprised Mara when she had asked Callista to leave her apartment well more like offered to help Callista to find her own apartment. Leia had told Mara she realized had uncomfortable it made her new sister-in-law feel having Luke's ex-girlfriend living with his sister and her family.

Callista hadn't taken the news of their marriage well after yelling at Luke for leading her on and that he was making a mistake she mostly avoided them at all cost. Of course that started after she had the misfortune of trying to slap Mara who turned the tables on the body stealer. Anakin Solo had been all smiles as he stood up next to his Father as his Uncle Luke's second best man at their small wedding. The boy takes after his father Han and had been rooting and working to get them together. It was only fair Mara felt along with Luke that Anakin get to be part of the wedding party.

The Neberrie's would love little Anakin along with the rest of the Solo children Mara knew they couldn't keep their hands off Ami. Luke's Aunt Sola had said that having Luke and Ami there with them was liking have Padme with them again. Of course she also told them that Luke looked a lot like his Father of what she could remember of the young Jedi Padawan who by just looking at you could see was madly in love with her little sister Padme.

Mara shook thoughts of Anakin Skywalker away that man was to complex to think about. He had done unspoken able things as Darth Vader and yet that same man had saved her life along with Luke's. Mara understood Vader saving Luke's now that she was a parent her self. If anyone tried to hurt her child she would kill them without blinking an eye. But to save a small child when Mara knew he had killed others just young as she had been then. It didn't make sense but when did anything Vader ever did make sense?

Finding Luke in the same spot they had been before over looking the lake with Ami in his arms Mara came to stand beside her family. Even if Anakin Skywalker was to complex to think about Mara said a silently 'thank you' to him without his help she wouldn't be here now with her husband and daughter. And the reason he decided to help her really didn't matter as much as Vader did help.

"We should head back in Ami going to want to be fed soon" Mara said smiling at the look on Luke's face. "I know you want to stay and watch the sunset but I promise we can do that tomorrow."

"I've seen enough sunsets in my lifetime I would rather see the sunrise." Luke said as he followed his wife into their villa. "How about we wake up early and watch it rise in the morning."

Mara knew that Ami always woke a half hour before sunrise wanting to be fed so it wouldn't really be that hard to stay awake that long in order to see the sunrise. Besides the sunrise remind Mara of the life she and Luke would just beginning together that had so much to look forward too just like the sunrise would bring light into the day ahead.

"I like that idea" Mara replied knowing that the life ahead of them was going to be wonderful it was all so clear to her as long as she had Luke and Ami everything was fine.

The End.