Chapter Eleven: Better With Friends

"You know that you will probably have to either answer your comm, show your face or lift your shields at some time," Leia pointed out as she perused over a datapad.

"What's your point?"

Leia sighed and Mara kept flipping her single credit, trying to avoid Leia's piercing politician stare. "My point is that you can't just spend all your downtime hiding out in my office."

Mara feigned a look of horror on her face. "Disrupting you, am I, Mrs. Solo?"

Leia's datapad beeped and her eyes thankfully returned to whatever politician datawork had been submitted.

Mara enjoyed the obvious internal conflict Leia was currently experiencing. She hadn't had as much Jedi training as she had and Mara was always looking for an outlet to exploit that.

"First, I wouldn't marry that nerf herder even if you paid me, secondly, you know you are most welcome here but I sincerely doubt that you actually think you aren't disturbing me."

Mara sighed. Leia was right—she knew that her being here was an inconvenience but she no longer felt welcome at the Temple since she had stormed out a standard week ago.

"I'm sorry, Leia. After all that's happened, I just don't feel right."

Leia tore her eyes away from her datapad and placed it on top of the huge pile next to her terminal. "I hardly blame you, Mara. At least you confronted the issue head on. If I found out I was related to a Sith, I would probably be in a state of denial."

Mara shrugged. "You play with the hand you're dealt with. I guess I just didn't make a very good move with mine."

Leia smiled warmly. "And yet you could still probably beat Han in a game of Sabacc with your eyes closed." Leia took a deep breath. "Both Dad and Obi-Wan have commed me asking about—"

"No," Mara said tersely. "I have nothing to say to either of them right now."

"I thought you'd moved past it," Leia chastised gently. "From what you told me, I gathered you and your dad worked things out."

Mara rolled her eyes. "Yes but that was before they refused to look me in the eye when the rest of the Council practically tore me a new one."

If Leia was shocked by Mara's use of non-Jedi like language, she didn't show it.

"They were probably outnumbered," she reasoned. Mara stopped flipping her credit and threw it hard against the wall.

"Whose side are you on anyway? Mara whined. "Stop using your political mumbo jumbo on me."

"Stop making excuses and hiding from the Force and every Jedi on Coruscant," Leia snapped back.

Mara was impressed. "Good call."

Leia smiled wryly. "I try."

Mara was very grateful to Leia for the hand of friendship she had extended to her since she had been grounded. Leia had done nothing but listen to Mara and offer well-meaning advice but despite this, Mara still felt as if her world was closing in on her.

Her grounding was indefinite so Mara had taken the opportunity to catch up with her life outside the Jedi Temple. She had placed her secret datapad in a place she knew her father wouldn't find it and had left a note in her room and left the Temple to explore Coruscant.

Being grounded hardly meant expulsion from the Order but Mara wanted to separate herself from the Temple while sad and dark thoughts haunted her. She had kept up with her oath as a Jedi and continued to make her skills useful by visiting the Coruscant Public Med Centre, the Children's Home and even snuck into the Halls of Healing to assist Cilghal of her own free will. The week away from the Temple had helped Mara find some measure of peace but had failed to raise her spirits enough for her to feel better.

Leia's office holo began flashing and Mara eyed the information. Leia's eyes went from the holo to Mara. "I don't have to take it."

Mara waved her off. "It's no secret I'm ignoring him. Go right ahead. He is your father after all. Not all of us need to be fighting!"

Anakin's image filled the holo. "Leia," he greeted.

"Hi Dad. Something I can help you with?"

Mara was relieved to see she had altered the angle so her own presence was hidden.

"Tell Mara that Luke will be docking in about an hour."

Leia acted surprised. "But—"

"She's not as clever as she thinks she is. If she's not going to talk to us, then she should at least talk to Luke. And Mara—"

Mara cringed with the knowledge that her Master could still seem to track her every move.

"Your father is worried sick about you. He might think it wise to give you some space and leave you to your own devices but I'm not so easily fooled. Just...let him know you're okay and you're alive. You also need to be back at the Temple next week. Master Yoda has some training for the both of us to complete."

Mara looked away from the holo.

"And you, my sweet Princess," Anakin continued. "Your mother wants you home at 19:00 for dinner. Don't be late or she'll send Threepio."

"Always a pleasure, Dad."

"I'll see you later, Princess. Bye Mara."

The holo cut out.

"I swear I didn't tell him you were here."

Mara sighed. "I know. At least he hasn't told my father."

Mara finally registered Anakin's message and a genuine feeling of happiness and relief passed over her. She stood and smoothed out her tunic. Before she could open her mouth, Leia's eyes were already back on her datapad. "Tell him I said hello and if he's late to dinner, Dad will embarrass us both."

Mara smiled. "May the Force be with you."

o0o

Mara hoped Luke had checked his messages after he docked. Normally she would meet him at the hangar at the Temple but she didn't want to ruin her self-imposed exile. She looked around Dex's Diner and gave a quick wave to Dex, who was flipping burgers in the back.

Mara had felt Luke land safely and her excitement was growing fast. He had been sent on his first solo mission to a neighbouring system. He had been gone nearly immediately after Mara's meeting with the Council. She was sure that Anakin and probably Leia had filled him in but this was the first time they had spoken since the incident.

Mara felt her senses burst into a happy flame as Luke walked through the door. He spotted her straight away and joined her at the booth. Mara couldn't help but smile. "Skywalker."

Luke broke into a smile. "Kenobi."

"Or should I say, Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, extraordinaire."

Luke shrugged as he slid into the booth. "Rolls off the tongue nicely, don't you think."

Mara kicked him from underneath the table. "So, how've you been?"

Luke just stared at her. "You're asking me how I am?"

"It's been known to happen!" Mara snapped defensively.

A droid interrupted them and they quickly put in their orders. Mara stuffed some credits into the droid's outstretched hand before Luke could even move.

"Mara—"

The droid rolled away and Mara glared at Luke. "Seriously, you're going to argue about me paying a droid? Bigger fish to fry, Skywalker."

Luke blushed and Mara couldn't help but let his light in the Force shine over her.

"Leia tells me that you are avoiding my father."

"Yep."

"And your father."

"Him too," she confirmed.

Luke shook his head. "That is a stupid idea, Mara."

Mara narrowed her eyes. "How do you figure?"

"It's not their fault you were grounded," he said gently, but firmly.

Mara huffed in response as the droid returned with their drinks. "By all means, don't hold back."

Luke leant forward and squeezed Mara's hand. "I know that you've had a rough time but seriously, hiding isn't going to solve anything."

Mara was quiet for a moment. "It's better than facing up to the knowledge that I've just about ruined everything."

"You haven't ruined anything Mara. People make mistakes."

"Skywalker, I'm a Jedi. I'm not supposed to make mistakes—not like this," she said sadly.

"That's a load of poodoo!"

"I believe this conversation started with me asking how you were," Mara pointed out, desperately wanting to change the subject before she reached across the table and either smacked or kissed Luke.

Luke looked at her but he knew better than to fight Mara when she was in a mood. He sighed. "I thought the life of a fully trained Jedi Knight was supposed to be somewhat interesting. It turns out I was wrong."

This spiked Mara's interest. "In what way? Didn't you just go on a mission?"

"To Vandor-3 to help Ahsoka with supplies. Hardly glamorous."

"I'm sure something ridiculously dangerous is just waiting around the corner."

Mara felt a spike in Luke's Force signature and the slight blush returned to his cheeks. "There's uh, something else too." Luke cleared his throat. "Callista and I are over."

Mara couldn't feel for a moment and let the shock of Luke's revelation wash over her. Luke and Callista were over.

"For good?" she managed to croak, surprising Luke with her lack of curse words.

"It wasn't working out. I hear she's back with Geith," Luke offered.

Mara eyed him up. "And you're seriously okay with this? You're not going to spend the next three months on a hunger strike over that cradle-snatching nobody?"

"Mara," he gently chided. "Can't you just say you're sorry and be done with it?"

A smirk appeared on Mara's face. Teasing Luke was so easy and natural—it was easy to forget the shadows lurking in her mind.

"Fine. I'm sorry to hear that you and Callista are over."

Not.

"It still counts if you say it through the Force, Kenobi," Luke pointed out.

Mara looked at Luke over her cup of caf, thinking about the voices that were becoming stronger and more frequent that were haunting her waking moments. A part of her wanted to confess—but the other part forced her to keep silent on the matter. Instead, she sighed.

"That's what I'm afraid of."