Title: "You look Tense"

Summary: A collection of AU moments between Luke & Mara and how their friendship progressed over the years and how they have helped each other relieve 'tension'

Rating: M

He knocked gently at her door. When no one answered he pushed, quietly letting himself inside. He heard the fresher turn off and he made his way to her bedroom. He felt her shields up tight but there was a crack in them and in the crack was a bit of distress. It unnerved him. Worried him.

"Mara?" He called gently, rapping on the door post and he let out a breath as he came face to face with her. "Are you ok?" he questioned, her frame covered with scrapes, her hair damp around her skin as a set of clean clothes clung to her. She had just returned from her Jedi Trials. She had made it. They hadn't had a chance to debrief her yet. That would come tomorrow but he felt it… felt the change in her. She had done it. She had become a Jedi Knight. His eyes watered a bit, he was so proud of her. He should have left her to recover but he couldn't. He was worried for her. Worried for his best friend. She wasn't another Jedi to him… she would never be just another Jedi.

"Luke…" her voice choked and he quickly rushed towards her. She met him in the middle, their arms rushing around each other. He felt a sob tare through her and he held her tighter, gently kissing her red gold curls.

"I am so proud of you," he breathed into her ear when suddenly he was slammed against her bedroom wall. He blinked. "Jade?" He questioned quietly and her eyes caught his, full of emotions she was trying to quickly subdue.

"I need you to erect a barrier around us," she quickly demanded and he narrowed his eyes curiously at her. "Because if you don't they are all going to hear our screams," she promised and his eyes widened as her frame dove for his. Her lips were hard and aggressive and he did immediately what she asked. It had been a long eight months. Eight months of not showing partiality, of not having her friendship but rather a normal master-student relationship. Eight months of definitely not doing this. She was tarring at his Jedi robes, her need screaming out to him through their bond that suddenly felt complete. She had done it… He felt her barriers drop and her force sense rush to him and they crashed together. He groaned, his hands gripping at her as their senses greedily devoured each other. He joined in, aiding her rush and frenzy as his mind soothed her own. She pushed against him forcefully and he grabbed her lifting her and turning. Her back slammed against the wall as he pinned her there and she groaned at the interaction. She needed this. Needed it to be this way and he knew exactly how it was effecting her through their bond. Their bond. It felt like it finally clicked into place, that each time they had done this before had just been a training for when it finally could be done properly.
"Stop thinking so much," she fussed heatedly and he grinned at her.

As the onslaught slowly came to an end she wrapped around him, her breathing hard and labored as her legs clamped at his waist.

"Don't leave me Skywalker," she cried into his ear and he shook his head quickly, turning them to lay gently down with her on the bed. "Please don't ever leave me," she begged, curling into his embrace and he felt the desperateness of her plea through their bond.

"Never," he promised faithfully sending a rippling of confirmation to her and she sucked in a steadying breath trying to calm her heart. "It's over Mara," he comforted. "You did it. You are a Jedi Knight," he breathed but her head had rested against him, her breathing evened out as her arms and fingers clung to him. They lay silent for a few minutes, wrapped around each other, their grip tight.

"Good, because I really hated calling you Master Skywalker," she said finally and Luke laughed their grip not lessoning. She made him laugh often.
"I really hated it too," he whispered into her hair and she closed her eyes, reaching out through the force to him and he let her. She explored his memories, his emotions and their friendship. He never thought her the sentimental type but she seemed to dwell on where they had been and the weird adventures they had been on together.

"I have to leave Farmboy," she whispered against his shoulder and he continued to hold his emotions in check from her. While their bond seemed to be overwhelming there were still parts of them locked from each other. It needed to be that way for their sanity. "You have to send me back to the Smuggler's Alliance," she finished and he closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath.

"Was there a different plan than that? That is what we had been discussing," he agreed and her eyes flicked open to meet his own.
"It's not that I wouldn't," she whispered and he tightened his hold on her. She let her respect and affection for their friendship flow to him through the force. They were friends and she liked being around him. Yet, while it was a comfort to be near him her sense of duty overtook personal comfort and he nodded understanding that too well.

"You can't tell anyone I'm a Jedi. No Ceremony. I'll just leave next week after Horn joins the order," she whispered and his eyes widened. She felt his emotions rise as he wanted to defend her. She was a Jedi Knight, she had earned it and the world deserved to know. She soothed him through their bond, her fingers gently touching his lips.

"They will. Not yet. You know I will uphold the code faithfully," her voice was soft and low. Soothing and he pressed his forehead against her own. "A Jedi in a smugglers world wouldn't last very long and there are things left for me to do there. Things I could make a difference with," she reasoned and she felt him give into her. She smirked a bit realizing he would always give into her.

"Not always," he growled and she smiled, her eyes closing, enjoying the warmth he was flooding to her.

"I am a Jedi, Skywalker," she whispered and she felt his joy and thankfulness burst through her on all levels. His hands gripped tighter, his forehead pressing lovingly into her own as their force sense mingled and rejoiced. They reveled together in that. For two people who never embraced many of their emotions this onslaught was becoming exhausting. Yet, neither retreated. A barrier was around them and they were hiding in it from the rest of the galaxy for this one moment of rest. He felt her start to fall asleep and he pulled a blanket over both of them. She made an annoyed noise and he quickly wrapped his arms back around her and smirked as she went silent. *I'll miss this,* he heard her voice in his head and he closed his eyes, letting her breath waft over his chin.

*You always have a home at the Jedi Academy,* he soothed and she buried deeper into his embrace.

*I mean you,* she responded back quickly and she smiled feeling his burst of emotions at that then their quick subdue.

"You will always have me," he whispered and she smiled.