I want to thank all my readers for your kind comments. Originally Chapter 4 and 5 were one giant chapter, but I thought it was best having all the chapters about the same size, so I split it in half. Unfortunately, chapter four does end abruptly, so I wanted to post the second part of that chapter as soon as possible. I really want to thank my wonderful Beta, JayCee, for all her help on chapter 5 and 6. I absolutely would not have finished this story without her.

JL

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The Auction—Chapter 5

Luke and Mara spent most of the day riding the rides and reveling in their new more comfortable friendship. Mara couldn't remember a time that she had laughed so much and was so relaxed.

Mara was amazed at how the boredom of inching slowly forward in a queue could loosen one's tongue. They found themselves talking about everything and anything. As the day progressed Mara realized she and Luke had far more in common than she once imagined. She always knew they were both strong, stubborn, Force adepts, but she never realized that they both had similar insecurities, fears and dreams.

They were both orphans. When they were young they both dreamed of one day finding surviving relatives. Mara wished she could be reunited with her parents one day… although she now feared that Palpatine probably killed them to get her. Luke, as a child, dreamed of one day finding his mother. Believing his father was dead, he was always hopeful of locating her. Unfortunately, his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru never told him her identity and he doubted they even knew.

Mara felt a surge of sympathy when Luke confessed his childhood dreams of finding his mother. Mara had frequent contact with Vader, but avoided conversation with the masked Sith. Now she wished she had made an effort. Maybe she could have discovered something about the Dark Lord that she could have passed on to his son. But she knew she was just being foolish. Vader never seemed to be much of a conversationalist. Mara found it ironic that she had more contact with Luke's father than he. Life had a cruel sense of humor.

As the sun slowly set, Luke and Mara realized they hadn't eaten all day. They snacked on candy and junk food, but didn't have a real sit down meal. So they decided to check out one of the park's many restaurants.

"Why haven't we done this before?" Luke asked as he finished up the last of his meal.

"What? Have dinner together? We've done that before," Mara responded.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Eating ration bars while trudging through the Myrkr Forest or through the Jungles of Wayland don't count, Mara. I mean why haven't we ever gone out to dinner in a real restaurant before?"

Mara gave him a measured look. "I don't know Farmboy, you tell me. As I recall you never asked."

Luke shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Mara was right. He never steeled his nerve enough to ask her for this simple privilege. "You could have asked me," he replied quietly.

"I could have, but I would have had to catch you between women. Dragging you away from your girlfriends to save the galaxy is acceptable, but I don't think they would feel the same way if I just wanted to enjoy a dinner and a holo with you."

Luke nodded his head sadly. "Well, there is no reason why we can't see more of each other now."

Mara thought about it. "I guess it would be nice to have more days like this. As long as I get to spend it with the Farmboy and not the Jedi Master."

"Yes, and as long as I get to be with the Master Trader and not the Emperor's Hand," Luke countered.

"I don't know," Mara teased. "The Master Trader isn't known for her dancing skills."

"Dancing skills?"

Mara waved to the waiter to bring them the bill. "Let's put my Ewok doll in a storage locker and then follow me. I just had an idea."

"Why does that scare me?"

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"No, Mara, no!" Luke planted his feet.

"Come on," Mara grabbed his arm. "It'll be fun!"

"I am not going into a mosh pit!" he yelled over the blaring music.

"This is not a mosh pit," Mara laughed. "That's something different."

Luke looked at the nightclub's dance floor full of men and women of varying ages moving rapidly to the fast paced music. "I don't think a Jedi Master should be seen… seen…."

"Seen what? Having fun dancing?" Mara shook her head. "Listen, it's dark in there, no one would notice you and if they did then they would think you're someone who looks like Master Skywalker… who, by the way, was supposed to be left at home, remember?"

"And is the Master Trader known to frequent such places?" Luke countered.

"Catch me and find out!" Mara grinned and slid between two people on the outer edge of the group and disappeared.

Luke shook his head but couldn't help but grin. Taking a deep breath he ducked in as well. People were jumping and wiggling and doing Force knows what around him, and if he didn't have the Force to aid him he might never have found Mara.

"So?" he asked.

"On occasion," she winked back.

The music changed again to something with a pounding base and everyone started to jump up and down waving their arms in pattern. Mara was bouncing away and Luke just shrugged and joined her.

At first he couldn't understand the point of the jumping or the arm waving, after all, most everyone looked ridiculous. But as the energy and heat pulsed through him in rhythm to the heavy beat vibrating through the group, it was almost… erotic.

Then the music slowed down just slightly and everyone stopped jumping. Unsure what he was supposed to do next he looked around to see all the men pretty much standing still, though rocking to the beat. Luke realized he was already unconsciously doing that. He then saw that the women were dancing around the men, shaking their hips and moving their bodies sensually. This brought his eyes to Mara.

Mara was doing the same thing, with him. She had her eyes closed and her fingers running through her hair, piling it high. Her breasts and hips swayed back and forth quickly to the beat and her body was a hair's breath from his. He was amazed at how fluid she was, how she matched perfectly to the music and was as graceful as a ballet dancer.

Of course, he was running through the technical side of things to keep his mind off the fact that this was extremely erotic and turning him on.

Matters weren't helped when she lowered her arms, spun on her heels and leaned her back into him as she swayed. Unable to stop himself he ran his hands down her shoulders and then slipped under her wrists to travel the distance up touching her sides. Her arms lifted again as he caressed her and he felt her hands lock around his neck. Their bodies moved together with the music and it was like sex.

Lost in the feelings he almost didn't hear when the music reverted to the original beat and everyone went back to jumping till it was over.

The music changed to something that had more of a random beat and everyone started to do their own thing. Mara looked up at him, her face flushed and red, her hair a mess, but she was ravishing. Luke tried to shake the emotions and new feelings he was having towards his long time friend, but he had never seen her like this and he realized he wanted to see more.

Mara was breathless, unbelieving that she had just did what she thought she did with the Jedi Master, no, Farmboy. She'd been touched before in even more intimate ways but nothing compared to the burning heat of his hands on her shoulders and sides, his hot breath on her neck. She could have lost control right then and there, something that scared her, she never lost control.

"It's getting late. I think we should go…" she finally uttered.

"Yeah," Luke mumbled back.

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"Accident?" Mara asked as she tried to peer ahead past the large speeders in front of them.

"I think so," Luke sensed out. "The Emergency services haven't been called. Probably just a speeder-bender."

"Traffic control will take care of it easily then," Mara relaxed back into the seat and stared up into Coruscant's unique skyline.

"They are good at what they do."

"And they don't even have the Force," Mara jibed.

Luke shrugged. "The Force has its place, but I've come to learn that individuals can be just as strong and powerful without it. Take Wedge for example, he could fly circles around me if he wanted to. What?"

Mara was starring at him, blankly. "What happened to the all powerful Force that you keep begging me to become a part of?"

Luke frowned. "At one time I think I did feel that way, that the Force was the greatest power and only it had the ability to create, mend, and destroy. But I grew up. I've seen to many non-Force users do great things. It's not about one's ability to control the force, but the strength of the person in the Force."

"I'm speechless…" Mara uttered.

"You? Speechless? I'll have to make a note of the date," he grinned, winked, and dodged a playful punch thrown by Mara. "I still think you shouldn't ignore the power you have in the Force, Mara. And that's all I'm going to say since the Jedi Master was left at home."

Mara laughed lightly, "I don't think you could ever really leave the Jedi Master at home, Luke… but I do enjoy it when you let Farmboy out of his cage."

He looked her straight in the eyes, "It's who I am Mara, I can't deny it."

"I know," she said in a whisper, turning towards him, drawn to him for reasons she couldn't fathom. Maybe it was the warmth his body extruded in the cold of the night. Perhaps it was the unavoidable question of whether his lips were as soft as they looked to be. In a daze she brushed her lips against his.

A loud noise sounded from behind them.

"Traffic is moving," Mara mumbled.

"Yeah," Luke coughed and shook away the daze that had also came over him. The two sat silently the rest of the ride back, both scared and thrilled at what just happened.