Chapter 21

by Saber Girl Leia

Sorry it's been so long! Comcast is bad! Btw, the chapter title is from the song "Baby Mine" from Dumbo. I didn't even remember that song until I watched part of the movie with my younger sibling last month.

SailorLeia: Thanks! I'm sorry it took me so long! I've been really busy and Comcast clearly hates me.

Mara look-a-like: Glad you like it! Sorry this took so long. Summer is crazy. But there is some Luke in this one...

sg Amidaala: Aww. I never thought you'd say that. Yay, Lukie :D...

Ariapaige: Mara's great! I just read By the Emperor's Hand. It is awesome how she totally brushes off interrogators so that they didn't even realize it :D.

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A few hours later, Ila dove into the shadows behind the hotel building and watched through one of the windows to make sure there was no one in the lobby who would give her away. Finally convinced, she darted inside, and up the elevator to Skye's room.

Seeing Ila on the com, Skye opened it immediately. She shut and locked it quickly behind the Falleen. Ila flopped backwards on the bed.

"Sith, for a moment there I didn't think I'd make it back in time," she panted.

"What took you so long? You knew the times. You know better than to cut it this close!"

"Sorry, Skye, I'm sorry! But it worked out, right? He won't know."

"Unless someone notices that you're panting from all that running!"

"I couldn't leave earlier! Lando Calrissian was there! And he was flirting with me!"

Skye raised her eyebrows. "I said this flirting of yours would get you in trouble someday. What if Katris finds out? She didn't seem like someone who enjoyed being crossed."

"She didn't seem too excited about him, either."

"Still, Ila. You- I understand you don't like Lex. But can't you find somebody to stay with? I would understand if you were looking and just hadn't found anyone yet, but you seem to just like flirting for its own sake!"

"What's wrong with that?" Ila countered. "Lex's not all that terrible, it's just that I didn't choose to bind myself to him! The men around here are free to flirt all they want, but can we? Ha! And he's so krethin' jealous..."

Skye looked disapproving, but did not continue the argument. "Hurry up!" she said brusquely instead. "Wash your face; eat some dessert. They should show up at any time now..."

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Finally back in the hotel, Mara thankfully took off her outfit and put on some soft pajamas. After ascertaining that Lando did not need the 'fresher again for the night, she took the spare pillow and sheet and, locking the door, lay down in the tub. Fortunately for Mara, it was more than large enough for a person to curl up in.

She fell asleep quickly, and slept surprisingly well, considering the circumstances.

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A day went by. Mara wondered when any of this was going to lead to any real investigating of Car'das. When she confronted Lando about it, he insisted that they would be able to drop hints and garner information at a party they would be attending in two days time.

Mara was not sure if she should be glad that they were finally getting down to business, or scared to go anywhere with him again.

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Luke had known he would miss Mara once she left. But he had not known it would feel like this.

Even though he would have sensed her through the Force had she been there, he still found moments when he would forget, and half turn, but she would not be there. Afterwards, he would be more acutely aware of her absence than he had been before.

Ellie clearly missed her, too. The girl would often look about when they sat down to dinner, or when he put her to bed, searching for the woman who was not there.

Luke also regretted that Mara was missing Ellie's progress. The child, whose hair had grown past her ears now, had learned to sit and eat her food, rather than launch it. She would gaze out the window of their apartment and babble at the passing hovercars.

Leia, though also unhappy that Mara was gone, clearly thrilled at the chance

to see and care for her niece. She had been on an emotional high for a standard day after Ellie had first learned her her- An'Lei, in Ellie's words- in the middle of a bath.

Luke knew that Mara's ability to call him was dictated by her mission, but she had promised to call as soon as she could. Certainly, by now she would have found a spare two minutes? If only to say 'I miss you, I love you,' to him and Ellie? He could not call her for fear of giving her away or putting her in danger.

And so still he waited for her to call.

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They had clapped for him, when he had announced their engagement, but now plenty of people seemed set on humiliating Luke.

The Holo was full of headlines about how Mara had set him up and then run off as well as musings on what her mission might be. One insisted that it had proof she was pregnant. Another went so far as to suggest that Luke had murdered her, and this was some plot to make him look innocent.

They all made Luke sick.

He was glad for the small blessing that Ellie could not read yet, and was therefore spared some of the pain.

Hoping he might find something happy within, Luke pushed the button to pick up his com messages. To his surprise, the small hologram that sprang up in front of him was the image of a woman he had thought he would never see again.

Staring at Gaeriel Capiston, Luke entirely missed the beginning of her message and had to start it over.

"Luke," she began, "I should think you would remember me." She smiled. "I heard the news and wanted to congratulate you on your upcoming marriage. I wish you every happiness." She paused. "I just thought you might want to know that you have a lot of supporters out there, forget all those stupid sludge reports. I married an ex-Imperial, and we are very happy. It can work. Good-bye, I wish you and your family balance and happiness." The com clicked off, and she disappeared.

The message gave him hope and a good feeling. Someone cared. Someone wanted their marriage to succeed. But it also saddened him. A woman who had not spoken to him in years called to well-wish him, but when was the last time he had heard from his own fiancée...?

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There, it's up, finally. So what do you all think:D