Almost a month after Han's visit Luke shows up to a date wearing a dress shirt with a spread collar. So long turtle necks, you shan't be missed. He looks at her that moment and guides her hands over certain areas of his neck, shoulders and back. His skin is smooth, unblemished by the scars of battle. There's no lust in his gaze, only resolution to accept the consequences of this moment tinged with fright. It's some sort of test but it's purpose is lost to her. What do you gain from this, what are you showing me that I can't see? He falters a bit as her hands touch his chest. His eyes dare her to keep looking as he unbuttons the shirt. The man has no right to hide those abs from the free world. He sighs in relief, looking to bystanders like a prisoner who's just been released from death row.

"Congratulations, you passed."

"Farmboy, I don't even know what test I was taking."

"If you don't mind my chest, you can see my father. The man insisted on proof that you wouldn't barf when you see him. He's kinda paranoid. The twin's birthday party is next week. Mom wants to meet you there."

"Will Terminator Leia be there as well?"

"Sadly, no. She and Han were called to deal with some political issues that went over my head. They had their own cake with the twins to make up for it. But the rest of my enormous family will be there. "

"Anything I should know before meeting your family?"

"My aunts will try to feed you a bakery if you let them, my niece Jaina is a little shy and Artoo's coming along. "

" You're not sitting me next to the dog are you?"

"No, that's Winter's spot ever since he was a puppy."

"You gonna tell me why your father's afraid of me puking on sight?"

"Next to him, I look like Brad Pitt."

She decides fair is fair and presents Luke and Winter to her cousin Korkie. They get along smashingly. Korkie tells her to marry the man as quickly as possible. And then he gives her a loaded gun in case he's wrong. He's a Kryze, no doubt about it. Winter begs her not to introduce Korkie to Luke's adopted brother Galen or his wife Juno. She makes no promises. They make the necessary arrangements and leave on friday for Jacen and Jaina's birthday party. Luke apologizes in advance for the countless death threats she'll receive from his friends and family as they drive to Naboo. There's not a pavement for miles around.

"Welcome to Naboo: population of 435 humans and 800 cows."

"Did we go back in time? This sort of place doesn't exist in the 21st century."

"We've had contractors try to put cement over the years but Dad scares them all off. Do not anger my father unless you're suicidal."

So that's where Leia gets her temper from. I wonder what Luke and Leia's mother is like. She'll find out soon enough. Her own mother is a mystery she'll never solve. Her earliest memory of the woman who birthed her consists of clumsily walking towards her and falling before she can catch up. Great-uncle Palpatine is the one who picks her up from the ground and kisses her forehead, then he kissed her on the lips. It sums up their fledgeling relationship perfectly. Seeing Luke and Winter talk so fondly about their mothers makes her jealous for a moment. They stop at a house that looks like it came out of a country poster. Artoo jumps out of the car window to pounce on a little boy playing outside with Han's hair and eyes.

"Uncle Luke, help me!"

"I'll be there in a moment Jacen, you can last that long."

"If I die, Mommy will kill you."

"If you die, you don't get any presents."

At the prospect of no presents, Luke's nephew stands up and commands Artoo to sit down. Boys will be boys. Luke calls her "Lady Mara of New York" when he introduces her to Jacen. The boy laughs and says her hair is prettier than his sister's. Ah, the bluntness of youth. He runs to the house screaming "they're here!" with lungs so strong he might have a career in Theatre. A beautiful woman with greying brown braids and friendly eyes comes to greet them. Hollywood missed a Oscar winner with this one. The color is different but Luke's gaze is identical to the woman's. It's no surprise to her when he says she's his mother Padmé. The same light that shines in Luke is present in her. She asks him to get his father and bring Mara to the aunts. He heads upstairs, kisses her cheek and leaves her with a swarm of middle aged women who gush over the fact that Luke brought a girl. Their names are similar for the most part: Sabé, Dormé, Eirtaé, Rabé who is Winter's mother, Teckla, Moteé and Breha. What was Luke's grandmother thinking when she named her daughters?

They offer her every pastry God ever made. And remind her of the other fine uses of knives should their beloved nephew be harmed. Luke wasn't kidding, these women are amazons. She mouths "help me" to Winter but she just grins and goes off to play with the children. She wonders if this is payback for confiscating her Andrea Bocelli CD. Luke's uncle Owen saves her from saying no and potentially hurting their feelings. Unlike Padmé, Luke's father Anakin only has an older brother. So no more aunts at least. Except for Owen's wife Beru, but she's practically a saint. They put her to work fixing the fence. It feels good to be useful. Once they've finished Beru leads her back to the house and gives her lemonade in the kitchen. A blonde, middle aged man is sitting at the kitchen table, he's gazing at Padmé the way every woman wants to be looked at. When she sees Mara, Luke's mother taps him on the shoulder and the man fixes a hearing aid she hadn't noticed. The man has no legs and his left arm is stiff. He moves his wheelchair and Luke's eyes are staring back at her. So this is Luke's father.

"Luke wasn't lying, many an artist would paint your portrait Miss Jade."

"Oh, so you're the one who taught him all those old-fashioned compliments."

"My son loves unconditionally, regardless of whether or not we deserve it. He's fallen in love with you. Abuse that love and I will end your miserable life, am I clear!"

"One question: how are all of you going to kill me? Cause I think there'll be a line at this point."

"You have a dark sense of humor, you're dangerous, unusual and I can tell you have issues buried under that mask deep down. You'll fit right in with us."

She chooses to take his words as a positive response. A little girl comes forward and asks who she is. Mara blushes when Jaina calls her uncle Luke's girlfriend. His niece pushes her grandfather's wheelchair out of the kitchen, claiming that he needs playtime. Luke comes in and tells his niece to be careful with her grandpa who replies that if the Gulf War didn't kill him, playing with children won't finish him off. Galen gets criticized by everybody but Anakin for buying the twins toy guns. The rest of the day is uneventful. Except when the twins catch them just before they leave and start singing the kissing song. The Skywalkers are reckless, overprotective, unapologetic misfits and Mara loves them for it.

Notes

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