"You want to tell me what that was all about?" His voiced floated to me across the silent room.

The words themselves were innocent enough; it was the emotion behind them that caught me off guard. He wasn't being accusatory or demanding, or even wary. Just a calm acceptance mingled with a touch of concern.

"It was nothing," I lied, throwing back the covers and easing myself out of Luke's huge bed. When my feet hit the plush carpet, I wiggled my toes and shakily stood up. How could he possibly understand?

Eyeing my progress from the corner by the door, Skywalker sighed and leaned against the wall. "Mara," he fought the urge to offer a steadying hand, knowing I would flatly refuse it, "You know I can see right through you. Talk to me."

"Blast it, Skywalker!" I shouted, causing Luke to wince, "Don't I get any privacy?" I snarled and had to grab the back of the chair to keep from toppling to the floor.

Ignoring his better judgment, Skywalker rushed to my aid. He stood beside me and tried to hold my elbows to steady me, but I shrugged him off impatiently, "Look Jedi, I don't need your help! I can do this on my own."

Skywalker frowned and took a step back. "I know you can do this on your own, Mara. No one's questioning that. My point is that you don't have to, that's what comes with 'being there for each other'."

I scowled. My frustration was mounting, and I was fighting off panic. That initial look of stunned disbelief in his sister's eyes after Luke had announced our engagement kept replaying in my mind over and over. Sure, she'd tried to sweet-talk her way out of it. She'd even convinced her brother of her sincerity, but I wasn't fooled. And if this was the way his own flesh and blood had reacted…

"Listen, Skywalker…"

"Luke," he corrected me.

I sighed before starting again, "Listen, Skywalker. Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

Confused, the Jedi frowned. "You want me to help you back into bed?" He asked. Stepping closer, he started to usher me back to the bed, but I wouldn't relinquish my grip on the chair, and I planted my feet wide to keep from moving.

"No!" I sighed and closed my eyes, struggling to process these overwhelming emotions. "No, us. You and me. Your sister's right, we're moving a bit fast, don't you think?"

I couldn't see his reaction, but his emotions were broadcast through our bond, and I could hear in his voice that his frown had deepened, "No, I don't think that at all. We know how we feel about each other, and this is the right direction for us."

My eyes started to sting, and I didn't dare open them. I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat and took a deep breath before I managed a whisper, "I'm not so sure…"

"Mara, what are you talking about? Look at me," his voice was dripping with concern.

I couldn't look. I didn't need to. I saw his pained expression in my mind's eye and couldn't bear to see his reaction to what I had to say next. I didn't want to say it, but I loved him too much now to let this happen to him.

The stinging in my eyes increased and I had to squeeze them shut. Even so, I felt a trickle escape. I turned my head slightly so he wouldn't see. No, I didn't have a choice. The Jedi would all be considered a joke, and everything he'd worked so hard to rebuild would be for nothing. I'd had it wrong from the beginning. It didn't matter how he saw me, or what he saw me as. The one person I cared so much about…it didn't make one lick of difference. It was everyone else that mattered. How could a Jedi Master married to an Imperial assassin ever be taken seriously?

"Mara?"

My shoulders betrayed me with a small spasm as I choked back a sob. I had to take several breaths before I could speak with a steady voice, "I…I can't marry you, Luke."

Silence.

More tears escaped down burning cheeks and my whole traitorous body started shaking. I'd never felt this kind of pain before, and it was excruciating. I remained standing solely due to my iron grip on the chair beside me. I felt as if I were being wrung from the inside. My chest was tight, I felt sick to my stomach, and my wobbly knees could barely support my weight.

Just when I thought I would collapse, Luke's arms encircled my waist from behind and he pressed his body to my back with his mouth to my ear.

I lost control. I was racked with sobs and the tears flowed freely, dampening my face and neck. My knees gave out and I only remained upright because of Luke's steady hold. I leaned my head back on his shoulder and cried, really cried, for the first time in my life. I cried for my loss and the injustice of the galaxy. When I'd finally found something good for myself, I had to give it up.

With the tears came a cleansing release, as if I were draining away my frustration and grief. When I was spent, I just stood there in Luke's arms while he rocked me and cooed in my ear as if I were a child.

"Luke…"

"Shhh. It won't be like that, I promise."

"But…"

"Mara, we've been through this already. I love you. Even if you're right about how you think people will react and let me tell you right now that you're not, I wouldn't care. We're right for each other," he said firmly then kissed me gently on my neck, then again on my ear, "this is right."

He was right.

Too exhausted and emotionally drained to argue, I let him continue with his ministrations. Each tender kiss he planted on my skin lent me a tendril of energy that I used to recharge myself. After a few moments, I turned in the circle of Luke's arms and finally looked him in the eye.

"Luke, I…"

He nodded, "I know. I saw how it played out. Although, you were wrong about Leia," my Farm Boy smiled at me and ran his fingers through my tangled hair, "We only caught her off guard."

I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder, snuggling into the crook of his neck. "I guess this new connection between us is going to take some getting used to," I ventured, thankful that I didn't need to explain myself to him.

Luke kissed the top of my head and hugged me tight, "Yeah. But we'll do it together."

I smiled, "Of course, together."

EPILOGUE:

Six Months Later…

His eyes were growing clearer with each step I took towards him. They were a brighter blue than I'd ever seen, and they sparkled with a joy that was impossible to match, even in myself.

I glanced at the man who walked beside me, arm in arm, and blushed when he lightly kissed my hand, "The business won't be the same without you," he said smartly, and I gave him a grateful smile.

All around me were the glowing faces of family and friends; happy and supportive faces that passed no judgment on me, whether it be my past, present or future. Faces that sent encouragement and warmth; faces filled with love. I caught the eye of a man with a lopsided grin standing near the front and laughed as he tossed me a mock-salute.

Growing closer now, I looked back to the handsome man across the gardens and wondered, yet again, how I could possibly deserve such happiness.

"Everyone deserves to be as happy as we are…"

The words drifted across my mind, and I couldn't tell if they had been my thoughts or his. Probably both.

Reaching our destination, my travel companion whispered words of encouragement in my ear and handed me off to the blue-eyed war hero waiting for me at the front of the gardens. Together, we took a few steps towards the Officiant and turned to face each other.

"You look beautiful."

"What? In this old thing?"

I watched with laughing eyes as he glanced downward, taking in the sight of my intricate white gown.

"I could never get tired of looking at you…"

"Let's hope not, you're going to see a whole lot more of me for the rest of your life," I risked a glance at the Officiant, and she nodded at me with a smile.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Mara," Luke slid a shining silver ring on my finger and squeezed my hands tightly, "I love you. Not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you."

A tear slipped down my cheek as I worked a similar ring onto Luke's hand. "Luke, I love you. Not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me."

With bright eyes, we both looked back to the Officiant, who raised her hands in the air, "Then by the powers vested in me by the New Republic, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

I looked back at Luke, my husband, and grinned.

With her final words, the Officiant smiled warmly at her brother and new sister-in-law, "You may kiss the bride."

Luke gathered me in his arms, and I placed my hands on either side of his face. Our lips met and I drank in his sweet taste for the first time in our new life.

"Together," he breathed, and I nodded.

"Forever."

-End-