Chapter Two
by Saber Girl Leia
For disclaimer see chapter one, again I don't own any of it except Ella and the original situations I put the characters into, etc., etc.
I should probably credit Daniel Keyes here also-- Ella is a bit Charlie Gordon inspired, though as of yet not like him. For those of you who haven't read Flowers For Algernon, read it!
MaraJadeSkywalkerJedi: Thank you for reviewing! Here it is.
Mara look-a-like: Yup. Hopefully this chapter will explain some of that a little more thoroughly.
Saber Girl Amidaala: Yeah, I agree. If Callie had died on the Eye, as she does in this fic, we would have all remembered her as a pretty cool person who tragically but heroically died. Luke and Mara could have found each other that much sooner, nobody would have hated Callie, Luke wouldn't have been the depressed I-think-I'll-go-be-a-hermit-now-because-nobody-loves-me guy who we saw for quite a while in the EU... If only we all were pro-fic writers instead of lowly fanfic writers. ;D Of course Luke and Mara forever! Leia and Han too! (and all the other awesome couples which I'm not gonna take time to name right now...)
AN: I've figured out some more about the formatting now, so this should go smoother. :)
AN2: I know Ellie is a little advanced for an infant, but she is in an adult's body, so maybe some of her muscle reactions are already in place or whatever. Also, I have a baby cousin (not an infant, but about five or six months old) so I do have some basic idea of baby stuff. Then again, the adult body complicates everything.
The ship's other occupants made attempts of varying success to disguise their shock. An awkward silence followed, interrupted only by Ella's cooing.
"Are you sure you're up to that right now?" Leia began tentatively, "I mean, you have a lot going on with the Academy, and now with all this happening..." her voice trailed off at the sight of Luke's set face.
Han cut in, "I need to go keep the ship on course. Mara, can you come help me, please?" He stressed the last word.
"Why?" she asked, "What about Chewie?"
"I have a feeling we're gonna need all the help we can get," he muttered out of the side of his mouth. Mara took the hint and, with one last glimpse at the others, followed the ex-pirate back to the cockpit. Which left the Skywalker twins alone with Ella.
"Luke," Leia began again, "I'm just afraid that this will make it even harder for you to get over what happened..."
"No, Leia. Right now, I think I need a purpose to throw myself into. Ella can be that purpose.
"And I don't want my last link with Callie to slip away."
Leia nodded in understanding. "Luke, if there's anything I can do to help, just ask."
"Sure, sis," Luke attempted a grin. He sat down beside Ella. Leia followed suit.
"Besides..." he said, "I helped you with your three-- I like children. You had twins. How hard can it be?"
Leia sighed. "Harder than you know. For one, you're single. Everyone will know you adopted her, so that won't be the problem so much. But Luke, you don't seem to realize-- it seems that Ella is an infant's mind stuck in an adult's body. I don't know how quickly any of that will change, or even if it will-- I don't think anyone would; so far as I know this has never happened before!-- but for the moment, people are going to think she's mentally retarded, and give her a hard time. Which in a way, she is; to an amazing degree if what we've seen so far is an indication. Her mind is years; decades, behind her body."
Luke seemed to take a moment to absorb what his sister was telling him. Ella, her own hair cut close, was taking the pause as an opportunity to tug at Luke's. He took Leia's braid in his hand and began to wave it back and forth in Ella's face. She giggled appreciatively and made grasping motions. This prompted her surrogate father and aunt into a fit of giggles as well.
Mara, deeming that the siblings had had long enough for their sister-brother talk, was headed back to the docking bay. The sound of giggling stopped her.
Giggling? Skywalker giggling! After all that had happened...? Mara wasn't quite sure how to take it. Was this his way of dealing with the whole thing? Or had he truly gotten over his so-called love that fast?
No. Another person, Mara might have condemned as such, but not Luke. She knew he was incapable of not caring. Even for his enemies. She spared a rueful thought for when Mara Jade had been numbered among them. Though, perhaps, he had not been the one to class her as such...
Mara could still feel waves of pain radiating from Luke's subconscious. But, somehow, he had been able to suppress those feelings for the moment. He probably viewed it as the strong, Jedi-ly thing to do. She only hoped Farmboy knew when to stop. Sometimes one needed to grieve.
Leia also seemed happy, as did the strange new sense; Ellie's. Funny, Mara thought, how I've just met her and probably won't see her very often but I've already given her a nickname. And a kind one at that.
The Ex-Emperor's Hand tiptoed to the doorway and peeked in, careful to shield her presence from the Jedi and the Jedi in-training in the room. To her surprise, all three of the room's occupants were sitting on the floor, playing with each other's hair! Not exactly what she had expected.
She was reluctant to interrupt the tender scene. For where do I belong in that? Mara asked herself. Instead, the woman watched from the door.
Skywalker was so good with the baby, or whatever she was. Maybe this was his chance to have a family. Though he rarely revealed such feelings, Mara knew that her friend had always wanted a wife and children of his own. Now, seeing the giant smiles on the faces of both him and Ellie, Mara could not help but hope with all her heart that this worked out. And perhaps raising Callista's child would be a good thing-- with a balance of links to the past and hopes for the future. Luke needed something for himself. He was entirely selfless, giving everything. He deserved a break.
Luke wasn't the only one who was always lonely. But he was the one who deserved a family and would be good to one if he had it. Mara, although she felt that she was well on her way to redeeming herself for her past actions, did not feel that she herself deserved anything so wonderful as a family, and certainly doubted her ability to control her temper long enough to convince a husband and kids to stick around.
Mara walked a ways back up the corridor before dissolving her shields, so as not to alarm the others or let them realize she had been eavesdropping. When she entered the room for real, the others were waiting for her.
They were still sitting with the girl, but no longer touching and definitely no longer giggling, though smiles remained. Am I that repulsive and separate? Mara thought, feeling suddenly and, to her mind, absurdly, close to tears. I do not cry.
"Hey, Mara," Luke ventured, "piloting going well?"
"Yeah," she replied offhandedly.
"We're doing pretty well here, too," Leia said, directing a smile at her brother.
He smiled back, as did Mara. "That's good," she replied in an effort to keep up the banter.
"Come here," Luke motioned her over to where he sat with Ella. Mara complied.
"Ella," he said softly. He repeated it a few times until the girl was focusing on him. Then Luke pulled at Mara's wrist, inviting her to sit with them. With only a brief thought-- what will somebody think of me, of us, if they come in here now? Since when have I cared what they think of me?--she let him pull her down.
In the short time span it had taken Mara to sit down, Ella had become distracted by some lights on the far wall. It took Luke another moment to get her attention again. "Ella, I want you to meet your Aunt Mara."
Mara was momentarily stupefied by the title suddenly applied to her. No one had ever called her Aunt before. Nor mother nor daughter nor sister, and very rarely friend. Momentarily stupefied, but very pleased.
Leia also appeared to be temporarily in shock, but nearly as happy as Mara, if it was possible at that moment. Luke unfortunately took their silence and shock for disappointment and anger. He blushed scarlet. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I overstepped... I shouldn't have said anything... not my place..."
"Luke," Mara gently interrupted him, "I am honored to be called such."
"Really?" he asked, "You're not saying that to make me feel better?"
Mara shook her head. Luke responded with a look full of thanks and... was it admiration, perhaps?
"What do you two think of taking her to meet her uncles, Han and Chewie, and Lando?" Leia asked.
"Just don't introduce her to Threepio before it's absolutely necessary," Mara commented dryly. "We don't want to traumatize the kid." Both Luke and Leia laughed a little.
"Point taken," Luke said, "let's go."
They did.