Well I've run through rainbows and castles of candy
I cried a river of tears from the pain
I try to dance with what life has to hand me
My partner's been pleasure...my partner's been pain

There are days when I swear I could fly like an eagle
And dark desperate hours that nobody sees
My arms stretched triumphant on top of the mountain
My head in my hands...down on my knees

Sometimes it's a bitch...sometimes it's a breeze
Sometimes love's blind...and sometimes it sees
Sometimes it's roses...and, sometimes it's weeds
Sometimes it's a bitch...sometimes it's a breeze

I've reached in darkness and come out with treasure
I've laid down with love and I woke up with lies
What's it all worth only the heart can measure
It's not what's in the mirror...but what's left inside

Sometimes it's a bitch...sometimes it's a breeze
Sometimes love's blind...and sometimes it sees
Sometimes it's roses...and, sometimes it's weeds
Sometimes it's a bitch...sometimes it's a breeze

You gotta take it as it comes
Sometimes it don't come easy

I've run through rainbows and castles of candy
And I've cried a river of tears from the pain
I tried to dance with what life had to hand me
And if I could...I'd do it all over again

Sometimes it's a bitch...sometimes it's a breeze
Sometimes love's blind...and sometimes it sees
Sometimes it's roses...and, sometimes it's weeds
Sometimes it's a bitch...sometimes it's a breeze
Sometimes the picture just ain't what it seems
You get what you want...but it's not what you need
Sometimes it's a bitch...sometimes...it's a breeze
Well it's a breeze...it's a breeze...it's a breeze...

-Sometimes it's a bitch

Stevie Nicks

Garth knocked loudly on Mara's door later that day, which in fact was night. She woke abruptly, a splitting headache forming around her eyes immediately.

" What!" she asked hoarsely.

" A visitor for you madame." Mara grumbled as she wrapped the black sheets around her bare body, tucking in the end just like a towel.

When she yanked open the door she was quite surprised to see Darren leaning against the kitchen counter. ( A/N: And just who did yo think it would be? ; P) Obviousley the shock showed on her face for he inquired.

" Who did you think it would be, Ace?"

" Keisha.", she said truthfully.

" We were going to practice on some of our moves. That's why I didn't put on actual clothes." she said poiting to the sheet. He nodded and grinned at her, while she stepped into the kitchen and began to make a fresh pot of coffee.

" You look like hell. What happened?" she looked up at him groggily, her bloodshot eyes meeting his.

" Tact is not your strong point. I just had a rough night."

" You wanna talk about it Ace?" he said casually, not really caring.

" Not really. Why are you here?" her voice had a bitter edge, which only made his grin broaden.

" We're having a party tonight. I wanted to see if you were willing to come." she groaned at the thought of another party so soon, but nodded nevertheless.

" When are we going?" he sighed in humor and met her eyes once more.

" Whenever you are finished getting ready. So go take a shower and get dressed already." She glared at him as though she were a small child not getting her way, and shuffled to the bathroom.

000

Almost an hour later, Mara immerged from her bedroom in a short plaid skirt, and a long sleeved black shirt. She had on her usual makeup of thick black eyeliner and dark red lipstick. Her red curls were brushed up into a ponytail, accented with a black ribbon.

Darren smiled when he saw her finally walk into the den where he sat, almost asleep on one of the couches. She turned off all of the lights before exiting her apartment with Darren.

They went in his speeder to what looked to be an abondoned warehouse, but Mara was definately mistaken once they stepped inside. The walls had been painted to tell a story through blacklight paints, inwhich the blacklights hung from the ceiling. The floor was covered in a thick blood red carpet, couches and chairs leaning in a few corners. But against the walls sat stacks of satin and furry pillows, along with blankets, so as you could stretch out more comfortably.

Darren wrapped his arm around her waist, and she was not as comfortable with it as she was with Luke. This thought surprised her, and she bit her bottom lip, telling herself it was only from the lack of sleep. Fern walked up to them both, gothed out completely, a strange smoking blue drink in her hand.

" So you actually decided to crawl out of bed and join the world of the living. I don't blame you for sleeping your life away, for life is nothing but a putrid darkness worse than death, draining every soul of its energy before it can make it to the underlife." Fern paused and took a sip of the blue liquid, and Mara gazed wide eyed at the Twilek.

" Right." she said very slowly before being steered away by Darren. For the first time she was grateful to being led away by anyone.

" Forget her, she's a terrible drinker. And even worse when she's high." Darren spoke in a hushed voice to her. They walked up to the second floor where many of the others were hanging. They all nodded or grinned when they noticed Mara walking beside their leader. Someone handed her a drink, and she took it from them, though not really in the mood for alcohol at the moment.

It was a few moments before Mara realized why everyone was giggling and laughing in such an annonymous way. She noticed a joint beng passed around from person to person, the nasty stench of the Kashyyk leaves' smoke hanging in the air. She hoped that when it came to Darren, he would just decline and brake up the smoking circle, but she was once again that night, mistaken.

He laughed and inhaled deeply, as though it was an everyday activity for him, before trying to hand it off to her. Mara shook head head quickly not wanting to even touch the joint. So with a disappointed look on his handsome face, Darren passed the joint to Fern who sat on the other side of Mara.

000

The night did not pick up as it went on, sadly, to Mara's disappointment. It had been two hours, and four joints later when Darren began to really act up. Mara was having a hard time keeping her asthma under control with all of the smoke around her. But now she had a bigger problem; keeping him under control.

His arm had slipped around her waist again, and he was trying to pull her onto his lap. She finally fought her way out of that sticky situation, when his hand just so happened to feel its way down to her gluteous maximus- aka. her bum. Mara slapped his arm hard, but he then caught her wrist and pulled her into a sloppy kiss. Her arms were flying around her as she tried to push him away, failing miserably until she managed to hit him in the head with a nearby flashlight. He sat back and swore, rubbing the back of his head.

" What the hell woman!" he nearly screamed at her, his words slurred.

" What the hell is wrong with you? Where do you get the idea in your head that I want you feeling up on me?" she screamed back, just as loud.

" Because you're mine! The moment you signed up with us, you have signed yourself over as my property. I am your leader, and your master." she gave him that priceless glare that said; are-you-a-psychopathic-moronic-being?

" I am not your property. You know what, you'r ejust not in your right mind right now. I'll forgive you later once you're sober again. Until then, try not to jump off any bridges." Mara grabbed her bag and ran down the steps, though right into the middle of a scenic game involving boys playing baeball with their activated lightsabers. Though she tried to keep out of their way, one of them ran straight into her, his weapon activated in his hand, burning her leg when he knocked her down. She let out a hiss of pain, trying to hobble to her feet and out of the door.

It was just her luck that she had an injured leg whenever she needed to walk home. Not daring to look down at the oozing and bleeding burn, she just tried to limp out of the bad neighborhood she had managed to find herself in. She would have breathed in a breath of comfortable air, if not being for the fact that her lungs were spasming. Feeling it was safe to lean against the building, she dug out her inhaler from her purse and pressed her mouth over it, breathing in the cleaning medication.

It seemed as if she would soon need it again, though, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping around, mara noticed the familiar face of Han Solo.

" Oh thank goodness, it's only you. And then thankfully it is you. It's nice to see a familiar face right now." he looked concerned and helped her stand up straight, before speaking.

" Mara, why are you all the way out here? And are you ok, you look really pale?" she shook her head, coughing before she managed to get the right words from her lips.

" I was at an Imperial party, and they started getting high, and then my leader started to feel up on me, so I told him off and went to leave. But downstairs I accidently got burned with someone's lightsaber." tears of pain were forming in her eyes, and her voice was thick. She turned slightly to show Han her wound and he gasped quietly in horror.

" Well, no wonder you're pale. It's defiantley bleeding badly, and you've probably already lost alot of blood just from walking around on it. We need to get you to a doctor or someone tonight." she shook her head slowly, declining the offer.

" It can wait until morning. I just need to get home."

" No, it can't wait. That kind of injury can get infected very easily. You could get gangreen if not treated right away, and beieve me, that is deadly." As she began to sway on spot, he helped her balance.

" But, there aren't any hospitals around here, and all of the doctors offices won't be open until morning." she said weakly.

" I know someone who can help. He's extremely experienced with tendidng fight wounds. C'mon, we need to get there quickly." he picked her up off of her feet and began to walk quickly towards the side of town where she lived.

000

Han knocked on an unfamiliar and strange door, of which she realized was attached to an actual house. Not an apartment, but a house. Han let her stand on her own feet again, though made sure she could actually stand. Mara was shocked when Leia Skywalker answered the door, her long brown hair down, cascading around her pajama clad waist. A look of surprise and mingled shock wavered in her eyes when she saw who was standing at her door.

" Leia, we need to see your dad. Mara's been injured." Leia quickly nodded and ushered the two inside, running out of the room to fetch somebody. Han helped Mara sit down in one of the chairs in the kitchen, standing over her guardingly.

Luke quickly ran in a moment later, with an older man behind him. The man stood about six foot three, with blonde curls that fell almost to his shoulders, and the same startling blue eys that Luke had. He was extremely handsome, just like his son, and no doubt the warrior that he once was still burned within him. The only thing was, was that he was still pulling on a shirt when he walked into the room.

" What happened?" he asked her, his words not rough, but instead were very gentle, out of understanding.

" I was burned by a lightsaber in a kinda freak accident." he nodded, and contiued to talk.

" Where is it?" she had difficulty showing him where it was, for the fact that she was sitting. So having her lie on the floor, she rolled onto her side against her will, and bit down on her lip hard as he probed around the burnt tissue.

" Well, it's a very bad burn, but I've delt with worse. It's formed a bad gash, and that's how you've lost so much blood. I have to sterilize it real qick before I slap on a bacta patch." Luke knelt beside her, trying to calm her as his father cleaned the wound as gently as possibe, though it still turned out hurting like a bitch. When he finished, he rose to his feet and then helped her to hers.

" Thank you so much. I'm sorry that I was a nusence, especially at this time at night." he seemed to find something funny out of her words because he began to laugh heartidly as he settled himself ontop of the countertop.

" You deffinately weren't a nuissance. It was no problem." she was still confused by his laughter.

" What's so funny?"

" Oh, the fact that it's been awhile since I've had to stitch up someone." Anakin answered, his laughter fading, but a smile still remaining on his lips.

" Where's mom?" Luke asked.

" I left her sleeping. She never was good at this kinda stuff. She'd always pass out or throw up." he answered his son, hopping off of the counter and grabbing a glass of water.

" Oh. It's quite amazing how you two ended up married, since how you're both completely different." Anakin smiled grimly at his son, a distant knowledge hovering in his bright blue eyes.

" So you're Anakin Skywalker." she said slowly, pulling herself into a chair.

" Yes, I'm Anakin Skywalker. Surprised? You were probably expecting some kind of demonic person in all black, reining the gates of hell to walk in. Did I disappoint you?" she smiled, knowing exactly what he was feeling at that moment.

" Not quite how I imagined you to be, in the way you just proposed. I pictured you, well, like an older verion of your son, but more mature. So no, you didn't disappoint me. But I am definately surprised at the fact you of all people had to doctor my burn."

" Yeah, well, no big deal. If you're that interested I'll tell you another time, but it's late. So Luke, will you drive her home?" Luke nodded in response to his father, and looked at Han.

" Hey man, do you need a ride?" Han shook his head, grinning.

" Nah. I was out earlier to just walk around and think. I still have insomnia, so I'll just walk home." Luke waved to his father and friend, and then helped Mara out to the speeder before climbing in himself.

000

" So what actually happened? And why do your clothes smell like Kashyyk leaves?" she groaned and shifted her head to where she looked at him when she spoke.

" They were all smoking joints around me. The party got a little too wild, and then Darren started to feel me up. So after pounding him, which no one will remember, I decided to leave, getting burned by a lightsaber during a drunk's game in the process of it all." his hand reached over and caressed her cheek soothingly.

" That feels good." she said softly, her eyes closed.

" You're not going to start purring, are you?" she laughed at his comment and shook her head.

" Why don't you smile more often?" he asked her, and took his hand back for a moment to steer.

" There's not all that much to smile about, now is there." she spoke softly, her eyes distant.

He had never really thought of it like that. She explained the rest of the directions to her apartment, and they sat the remainder of the ride in silence.

000

Finally he parked and helped her stand and walk until they stood in front of her door. Mara swiped her key through the slot, unlocking the door.

" And welcome to my apartment." she said sarcastically and hobbled inside. Luke stepped inside behind her, noting how lifeless it was. This was what she came home to everday, an empty and quiet apartment, no family or friends waiting for her. he understood sso far that her father was never home due to work, but that was the majority of what he knew.

She pushed the door to her room open, and he followed her into the large bedroom. He looked around the room, noticing all of the framed pictures with ribbons or newspaper clippings, all of them for her. And then Luke turned and saw the large trophy case, filled with many dazzling awards.

" Wow, you've won alot." mara grew bright red when she realized what he had found.

" Please don't tell anyone about this." she spoke frantically. he was confused at her behavior, when most kids would be gloating over their winnings.

" Why?" he asked her.

" Nevermind, alright. Thanks for all of the help and everything. I'm sorry for causig you trouble." she said moodily from the lack of sleep.

" You weren't a problem. Please try and get better soon." he bent down and pressed his lips to her forehead tenderly, before turning and heading out of the door.

A/N: So, waddya think? I know, this chap was a bit unrealistic with the wound and everything, but I was kinda at a loss during this chap. So please review and leavve your comments. Things will soon be getting darker, along with more romance. Remember, there's a fued going on, so with the romance of these two, comes many dark times. ; P Love Ishbu girl