Once Skywalker had convinced himself that Callista's trachea wasn't about to collapse, he turned and glared at me accusingly.

With a strained voice, he conjured words to mirror his look, "You could have killed her, Mara." He shook his head and leaned warily against a support pillar.

I returned his glare half-heartedly and defended myself, "Skywalker, you and I both know that if I'd really wanted to kill her, I would have." I shifted my gaze to Callista, "No offense."

Callista glared at me as she dramatically massaged her neck. "None taken," she replied in a sarcastic rasp.

I gave Skywalker a look that said, 'I told you so' and pinched my nose as I tilted my head back.

"That's not the point! What were you doing attacking Callista in the first place?" He drew both his hands slowly down his face before shaking his head and letting out a long sigh of frustration.

I frowned and let go of my nose, "She was being uncooperative," I paused, considering, then added, "And she gave me sass."

Again, the Jedi Master sighed as he looked back and forth between Callista and me, trying to make sense of it all. Finally, his gaze rested on his former lover. I could see the distant pain in his eyes threatening to take over, and my expression darkened.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Calli?" He croaked.

Suddenly, it was like a miracle of the Force had healed her injuries. Her throat seemed to give her no more trouble, and she actually got down on her knees in front of Skywalker and pleaded, "Oh, Luke! I thought I was protecting you. I just wanted to see you again, to explain myself. I've…I've made such a terrible mistake! Luke, I never stopped loving you. Please. Please, give me another chance to make you happy."

I stood there gaping as a haunted expression passed across Skywalker's face. The pain she had caused him was still fresh in his memory and I read it as plain as if he'd shouted it out loud. Even with the ysalamiri blocking the Force I could tell he was hurting. He closed his eyes for just a moment before speaking, "No, Calli. Our time has passed. I've moved on. I told you this when you tried to see me before. I told you I didn't want to see you again."

"But Luke, I still…I still…" she persisted.

He let out a long breath, "Calli. We might have had a chance if you had stayed with me and we had worked through it together. But you didn't believe in us. I know, now, that you're not the one for me. I'm sorry to have to cause you any pain, but I at least owe it to you to be honest." Skywalker bowed his head and when he lifted it again, the strength was back in his eyes.

He looked over at me with a fresh determination before speaking, "Come on, Mara. Let's go."

My eyes widened and I glanced at Callista, whose face was now wet with tears, as I wordlessly followed Skywalker from the mess hall. I stopped just shy of the threshold and turned back to the weeping girl. I wanted to say something…anything, I opened my mouth just as she let out a heart-wrenching sob and buried her face in her hands. With a last look of confusion, I closed my mouth, turned back to the exit and jogged a few steps to catch up with Skywalker.

"So…you going to tell me why you were hiding from me here?" I asked, following half a step behind him.

"I wasn't hiding from you, Mara. In fact, I followed you here." The Jedi kept his eyes forward.

"What are you talking about, Skywalker? I followed you here." I was getting impatient again, and it was showing in my tone.

Skywalker stopped unexpectedly and I walked right into him, re-injuring my nose on his shoulder blade. "Dabbit, Jedi! Dat HURT!" I exclaimed, pinching my nose again to keep from splaying more blood down my front.

Skywalker turned around, got one good look at me and burst out laughing.

My eyes darkened in annoyance, "Dat's right, Jedi. Keeb laughing. You won't hab dat bleasure for buch longer." Somehow, my nasally voice didn't sound all that threatening, which just caused him to laugh even harder.

Tears started to squeeze from the corners of his eyes and he tried to speak, "Sh…she r-r-really gotchoo good!"

Skywalker was clutching his side, nearly doubled over in laughter when I shot him my best glare and stepped past him. I don't need this.

I continued on to the docking bay and boarded the Fire. I went straight to the cockpit and started up the preflight sequence. I simply didn't want to think about Skywalker right now, I was too embarrassed about how I'd acted in front of Callista. My cheeks flushed as I replayed the events in my head.

"You know, I wouldn't have pegged you as the jealous type."

The voice came from behind, startling me enough to cause me to jump slightly. I didn't look back, instead I focused on priming the repulsorlifts, "Whad are you doing in here? I thod you cabe in your own shib."

Skywalker plopped himself into the co-pilot's seat and turned to face me, "I did, but I'm leaving it for Callista, so I'll need a ride."

My head snapped towards him in surprise, "Whad? You're gibbing her your shib?!"

The brave Jedi Master cringed, "Ooooh, does that still hurt?" He jumped out of his seat and dashed out of the cockpit calling over his shoulder, "Hang on a sec,"

"Blast id, Jedi! You didn't answer be! Get back here!" I winced and resolved not to yell again until my nose had healed.

Hurrying back into the cockpit, Skywalker sat back down in the co-pilot's seat, "Don't worry, it wasn't my X-wing or anything that good. Just the first piece of junk I could commandeer from the hangar on Coruscant. Here, let me see,"

I cocked an eyebrow as I turned in my seat to face him, "See whad, by broken face?" I could feel the swelling was coming on aggressively.

Skywalker scrunched up half his nose and pulled a wet towel from somewhere. "I'm sorry if this hurts," he said apprehensively, then dabbed at my face with the towel.

I tried to pull away, but he grabbed the back of my neck and held me in place, "Stob it," I demanded.

"I'm just going to clean you up a little until we get away from all these ysalamiri and you can heal properly," he countered.

"Skywalker, I cad do dis byself," I insisted.

He paused with the towel in midair to make is point, "But I can do it better, so just shut up or this is going to hurt,"

I scowled and rolled my eyes but let him continue administering his treatment. I studied his concerned face while he tenderly wiped dried blood from mine. His eyes were filled with such caring, such devotion, it scared me. What had I ever done to deserve such emotions from this man? No, it was too much for me.

I swatted his hands away dismissively, "I…we've got to get going," I said in an almost normal, albeit unsteady voice.

Visibly deflated, Skywalker stood up, "Of course. I'll let you be alone for a while."

Staring out the viewport, I nodded, then returned to my preflight duties. How many times am I going to do this to him? How many times is he going to let me? The words he'd said to Callista when she begged him to take her back, 'you didn't believe in us.' Did I not believe in us?

I finished with the preflight and took the Fire out into open space. A few moments later, the coordinates were punched into the navi-computer and the stars stretched into starlines. Making a decision, I took a deep breath and stood up. What kind of hyperspace jump would this be, if I didn't learn a little bit more about myself?

I walked out to the common area where Skywalker was seated on the acceleration couch. He glanced up as I entered the room and offered me a questioning look.

I stood in the doorway for a moment before joining him on the couch.

The Jedi laced his fingers together under his chin and braced his elbows on the gaming table in front of him.

"I guess we have a lot to talk about," I started, tucking my legs beneath me on my seat. I was relieved that once I had finished cleaning the blood off my face and we'd left the ysalamiri behind, my voice had returned to normal, even if my nose still hurt like the blazes.

Skywalker twisted his head towards me and wrinkled his brow, "Do we?"

I reached over and gently grabbed his chin, pulling his face closer to mine. When his eyes were close enough that I could count the individual flecks in them, I leaned in and kissed him.

A moment later, Skywalker was desperately trying to catch his breath, "Yeah, I suppose we do," he replied.