They were nearing the end of the four-day flight from Yavin 4 to Coruscant and for the first time in months Luke had found himself laughing, upbeat and looking forward to what the future held. It had been a very long time since he'd felt this way.

When Ben wasn't playing with Darik he was up on the Wild Karrde flight deck totally mesmerized by all the buttons and lights. Luke was impressed with the tolerance Chin had for the little boy's questions. "What's this do, what's that do?" Usually a 6-year-olds inquisitiveness would become old and annoying after the tenth or twentieth question, but Chin and Talon patiently answered all of Ben's inquiries. Talon commented that he was highly impressed with Ben's ability to learn and recall the large amounts of information presented to him.

'He's probably going to grow up to be a pilot,' Karrde had remarked.

Luke smiled inwardly. Ben might not share Luke's genes, but he did have similar likes and dislikes and an obsession with flight was one of them. In that respect he definitely was his father's son. Ben wanted to fly just as much as Luke did at his age. Ben wouldn't become a Jedi, but Luke could see him as a graduate of the New Republic Fleet Academy. Perhaps he would go on to command his own Star Destroyer one day.

The long days of flight also allowed Luke to get to know Darik better. The boy had Luke's looks, but his mother's discipline and methodical personality. Luke noticed that Darik watched people intently; he listened to them and appeared to scrutinize the situations around him. Often Luke would catch Darik staring at him intensely as if he was trying to solve a mystery.

And the boy had incredible strength in the Force. One day Luke covertly reached out mentally to the boy to gage his Force potential and he found himself almost physically shoved back by Darik's startled response. The last time that happened was when Luke tested Kyp Durron. Having two Force strong parents definitely increased Darik's strength in the Force. He would one day be a powerful Jedi.

Luke was pleasantly surprised that Ben apparently taken a liking to Mara. He would find his son following her around, asking her questions about her work as a smuggler and the different places her and Darik had visited. …it was almost like he was desperate for a mother-figure in his life. Luke realized he would need to talk to his son about the current situation. He didn't want Ben to think Mara was going to replace his mother…although Luke knew Mara would be a much better role model for his son than Callista ever could. Still, he should discuss the divorce with Ben.

Luke saw his chance to speak to his son alone after their mid-day meal. Darik had not finished eating and Ben was walking back to the room the two boys shared.

"Ben," Luke said as he intercepted his son in the corridor. "I would like to talk to you privately for a minute."

A concerned looked crossed the boy's face.

Luke laughed. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble." He thought for a moment. "Did you do something that I should know about?"

Ben shook his head innocently.

"Okay, it'll just take a few minutes," Luke said as he guided his son into his cabin and shut the door.

Luke sat down on his bunk and motioned for Ben to join him. The little boy sat next to his father and Luke put an arm around him and gave him a hug. Luke looked down at his son. "How do you like being on the Wild Karrde?"

His son smiled. "It's great. I like Darik and Captain Karrde and his Pilot Chin are teaching me to fly the ship!"

"That's great." Luke said with a smile. "How about Darik's mother? Do you like her."

The boy nodded. "She's nice." He looked up at his dad. "Do you like her?"

Luke nodded. "Yes I do, very much." He hesitated in thought. He wasn't sure how to put this. "Ben, you know mommy and I are getting a divorce, but do you understand what that means?"

He lowered his head and nodded. "Yes. You're not going to live together anymore."

Luke hugged his son tighter. "I know this is tough on you and you miss your mom."

"No," Ben whispered.

Luke looked down at his son shocked. "No, what?"

Tears welled up in the boy's eyes. "I don't miss her. She didn't like me and would yell at me."

This was news to Luke. He never heard Callista yell at Ben in his presence. "I'm sure your mom loves you very much…when did your mom yell at you?"

"When the computer in your room would break. She'd tell me to go to my room while the computer fixing man was there."

Luke's stomach knotted and he could feel a cold rage rising within him. "The computer man was in mommy and daddy's room?" Luke asked between clenched teeth.

Ben nodded. "If I knocked at the door mommy would get really mad at me. The man never fixed the computer. When you were visiting Aunt Leia the computer broke every day and he'd make a lot of noise trying to fix it."

Luke was now trembling in anger. "Well, he was banging on something old and broken that probably couldn't be fixed," Luke muttered through grinding teeth.

Luke closed his eyes and went through some of his calming techniques. It wouldn't help Ben to see his father angry. "So, you're not upset that mommy is not with daddy anymore?"

Ben shook his head. "I'm sorry. Is that bad?" There were tears running down his son's face and Luke's heart clenched.

"No, it's not bad." Luke pulled Ben into his lap and gave him a big hug. "I'll love you enough for two people, Ben."

"I love you, too." Ben cried softly.

.

Luke held his son for some time until he calmed down and asked to go play with Darik. Once he was gone Luke's calm façade crumbled. He paced back and forth in the small cabin like a sand panther, all the time swearing under his breath. He could notbelieve Callista would have the audacity to bring her lover into their marital bed! He had an incredible urge to go back to Yavin 4 and burn the mattress, sheets and anything else Callista or her lover possibly touched.

There was a soft rap on his cabin door and Luke could sense Mara on the other side. He was probably creating a major ripple in the Force. He really didn't want to talk about this now, but he knew Mara rarely took no for an answer. He palmed the locking panel allowing the door to slide open. As he expected Luke found a very concerned looking redhead outside.

"Luke, what's wrong?"

He shook his head. "I'm just finding out more kriffed up stuff that Callista was doing while I was out of the apartment." He ran his hand through his hair. "She was kriffing her lover in my bed while Ben was in the apartment!"

Mara closed her eyes and shook her head sadly. "Did Ben know what was happening?"

"Luckily, no."

Mara moved forward and hugged Luke. He welcomed her warmth; it felt good to feel compassion and love once again. He eventually broke away and sat on his bunk. "Ben told me he didn't miss his mom."

Mara sat next to him. "I guess that's good…especially since you don't know if she'll ever ask for visitation."

Luke nodded sadly. "I can't wait until some semblance of normality returns to my life. I want the divorce to be over and if I never see her again, it would be too soon."

Mara sighed with an air of sympathy. "I know what you mean."

Luke looked over to her and frowned. "I'm sorry you were dragged into this mess. You were doing fine without me."

She reached out and touched his hand in a reassuring gesture. "Things happen for a reason. Don't you find it strange that I was able to avoid you for six years…right up to the point where the bantha poodoo hit the fan in your life."

"I thought you didn't believe in fate…that the Force guides us."

She gave him a gesture of resignation. "Sometimes the so-called coincidences are just too incredible to be just chance. Anyway, I wasn't dragged into this mess. When Darik was conceived you became part of my life…even if you didn't know it at the time. I am a part of this story as much as you are."

He leaned back on his bunk and covered his face with his hands as if trying to shut out the world. Mara reclined next to him staring at the ceiling. "What should we do? What should we tell the kids?"

Luke sighed sadly. "I know people have different opinions on the resiliency of children, but I really don't see any good coming out of telling Ben I am not his biological father."

Mara nodded. "I agree." She turned to look at him. "What about telling Ben that Darik is your son?"

Luke blew out a deep breath. "That's the hard part. Will he be happy, jealous or upset?"

"Maybe we should get the boys together and tell them together." Mara suggested.

Luke thought about it. Darik's paternity was bound to come out sometime… perhaps Mara was right.

"Okay," Luke said, "when do you want to do it?"

"Are you calm enough to do it now?"

Once the anger subsided, Luke felt like all his energy was drained out of him. He was tired of riding this emotional rollercoaster. "I am as ready as I will ever be," he muttered.

She got out of his bunk. "Let me talk to Karrde first and then I'll bring the boys in here for a talk."

Luke slowly nodded his head. "Okay."

.

Mara found Karrde on the flight deck alone. She sat down next to him in the co-pilot seat. He gave her a quick glance, but then turned to face her fully. "I don't like that look on your face. What's going on?"

She lowered her eyes and braced herself for what she was going to say. "Luke and I decided it's time to tell the boys that Luke is Darik's father. I want to know what your feelings are on the matter."

He rubbed his hand through his beard in thought. "The rational part of my mind says that it's something that needs to be done. But my heart doesn't want to lose my relationship with your son."

"I understand." She glanced over to her boss. "What do you think about being Grandpa Talon?"

Karrde laughed. "First you say I'm your husband and now I am demoted to being your father? You dorealize that I am only 14 years your senior."

She smiled. "You started young…anyway, I don't see it as a demotion. But seriously, you would have access to Darik as any grandfather would and Darik will finally have what he always wanted, his real dad." She paused realizing that sounded bad. "Not that you haven't been a real father to Darik."

Karrde gave a faint smile. "I know what you mean. Darik has idealized his biological father for a long time. He was the Jedi hero off fighting the bad guys in a far off land. Darik wants the fairy tale ending where his dad comes back and they live happily-ever-after."

"But it won't be a good ending if he doesn't have you in his life." Mara pointed out.

Karrde gave her a steady look. "Are you and Skywalker talking about starting a blended family? Do you think this will end up in marriage?"

Mara sat back in her seat eyes wide. "We haven't considered things that far ahead yet. Does it matter to you?"

"Well, if you two get married…wouldn't I have two grandsons?"

Mara smiled broadly. "Would you like that?"

Karrde nodded. "I think I would. Ben is a great kid. He's without the Force, so maybe he needs a man in his life that he can relate to. Han or I fit the bill. Also he wants to be a pilot. I wouldn't mind having him around when Darik visits."

Mara stood up and reached over and hugged Karrde. She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek and smiled. "Thank you."

Karrde smiled. "It's my pleasure. So when am I supposed to start spoiling them?"

Mara laughed. "As soon as we tell them and it becomes official."

.
Mara found the boys playing ball in the cargo bay. "Darik, Ben, can you come with me, Ben's dad and I want to talk to you two."

The two boys looked at each other nervously.

"Do you think she found out we rode on Sturm's back?" Mara heard Ben whisper to Darik.

"Shhhh." Darik whispered back. "She can hear really good."

Mara smiled as she guided them to Luke's cabin. "Go ahead and sit on the bunk," she told the boys. The boys gave each other an anxious look then took a seat next to each other on the bunk. Mara and Luke pulled up chairs so they could look directly at the children. There was an awkward silence for a moment until Mara eventually looked at Luke. "Who's going to start?"

Luke took a deep breath. "I will." He turned to his son. "Ben, Darik's mom, Mara, and I have known each other for a very long time. We knew each other before I met your mommy. Your mommy and I dated for a while and then she left. This is before we were married. After your mommy left and I started dating Mara." Luke realized that dating was stretching the truth a bit, but he didn't want to explain the circumstances of Darik's conception. "Ben, your mom came back and said she was pregnant with you. So Mara and I stopped seeing each other and I married your mommy so we could be a family."

He turned to Mara hoping she would jump in at sometime. She apparently got the hint and she continued. "Darik, when Luke left to marry Ben's mommy…he didn't know I was pregnant with you. And I didn't tell him until a couple months ago."

She paused and let that sink in. The boys looked at each other confused.

They were not taking the hint, so Mara blurted it out. "Darik, Luke is your real father."

Luke expected either jubilance or crying, but neither happened. The two boys were silent and looked at each other uneasily. "Are we brothers?"

"Yes," Luke said.

"Am I going to have to leave Daddy Talon?" Darik asked anxiously.

Mara moved to sit next to her son. "No, Daddy Talon will always be in your life. He said since your real daddy returned he wants to be your Grandpa Talon. I will make sure you will still see him as much as possible."

Luke looked at Mara in surprise. He was a little astonished that Karrde would take on the title of Grandpa…uncle maybe…

"The only thing that is definitely going to change is you will spend time with your real dad and your brother," Mara continued. "But most of the time you will be with me and Grandpa Karrde like we always were."

Luke was a little disappointed. He was hoping Mara and Darik would agree to live on Yavin 4 with him, but he realized Mara had a career and they didn't have romantic relationship…yet.

Luke looked at Ben. "Ben, are you okay with having a new brother?" Luke could tell his son was overwhelmed by the news. He had a dumbfounded look to him as he tried to process what was being said.

"Do I have to give him half my toys?" Ben asked.

Luke laughed. "I would hope you would share, but no, I am sure Darik has plenty of toys of his own." Luke looked at Darik. "What do you think about me being your father Darik?"

"I already knew." Darik proclaimed quietly.

Mara frowned. "Who told you?"

"Nobody." The boys smiled and pointed to Luke. "We feel the same."

Luke's brow creased. "You mean in the Force?"

Darik nodded. "We feel the same in the Force. And when Mom is around you she feels different. I can tell she loves you almost as much as me…so you must be my daddy."