A/N: There is E rated content near the end of this chapter that you can read on AO3.

Ahch-To, 12 ABY

Mara hadn't thought twice when Luke told her he found the location of the first Jedi temple, nor that he wanted her to go with him. She was his only apprentice at the moment, the others having finished their training in the months after she'd arrived. It had been odd at first, training with others only to then have Luke's undivided attention. But they'd fallen into easy camaraderie, sharing not only lessons but meals, and she'd even joined him on some trips to Coruscant and Chandrila-all under the guise of not wanting her training to lapse, of course.

She enjoyed training with him, but more than that, she enjoyed being with him. Now her training was coming to an end, and she didn't know how to feel about that. Relieved, proud, nervous; all those feelings coalesced around her as they emerged from the Jade's Fire and stared up at the main island on which they'd landed. Ahch-To was a planet mostly covered in water, with mountainous islands and archipelagos making up the only landforms. It was beautiful and peaceful, with the aura same as Ossus, but the Force was more amplified here, like a living thing. Which it was, for a Jedi.

As they started the treacherous and steep climb to the top of the island, another feeling came to Mara's mind. "I don't know how I let you talk me into this," she muttered, careful not to slip on the slick steps.

Luke, leading the way, grinned at her over his shoulder. He wasn't wearing the usual black attire or Jedi robes he wore during training, but rather a simple spacer's jumpsuit that almost matched hers. It made him look deceptively normal, which is how she'd come to think of him over the past year. "Aw, come on, now. It wasn't like I had to twist your arm."

"You might have, if you'd told me I'd be climbing a damn mountain to get to this temple."

"So you'd let me come here alone and get the glory of discovery all by myself?" He clucked his tongue. "I doubt it."

She laughed despite the burning in her thighs. "You're right. I wouldn't." She reached out into the Force for strength, not surprised when Luke's presence brushed against hers. "But if this place is so secret, why did you take me with you, really?"

Luke shrugged. His back was straight and he betrayed no sense of fatigue from climbing up the island. At one time, that would have pissed her off. Now, it only spurred her to follow him. "Same reason I told you about my father," he said. "Because I trust you. Because you're a Jedi now. And you deserve to be here, too."

"I'm not a Jedi yet." The rejoinder was typical of the past month or so, as it became obvious she was nearing the end of her training but hadn't jumped the final hurdle. It wasn't as frustrating as she would have expected, mostly because him not knighting her meant she didn't have to think about what came next.

"That's the other reason I brought you here," he shot back, his smile obvious even without looking at her.

Mara swallowed hard. She wasn't kidding that she had no idea what would happen after he completed her training. The other Jedi Knights had either returned to their families or resumed their previous occupations, joining them on Ossus every once in a while to discuss galactic affairs and where the Jedi might be needed next. Mara had no family, and while Karrde would be overjoyed to have her back in his employ, she had no desire to return to that sort of work, or even resume her role as head of the Smuggler's Alliance.

That revelation almost made her stumble off the steps. She clenched her fists and focused on the climb, and nothing else. Finally, they reached a saddle near the top of the island and she grunted in Luke's direction. "Was this my final test, Master? To get to the top without losing my breath?"

Luke chuckled. She respected his training and his status as her teacher, but she only called him Master when she was annoyed. It had become a running joke during their training. The only thing worse was when she spit out his surname, Skywalker. "That would be too easy. You've always excelled at the physical aspects of being a Jedi."

He wasn't lying. Lightsaber sparring, hand-to-hand, even starfighter combat had been easy for her to master. Trusting her instincts came naturally thanks to her time as the Emperor's Hand, although she'd had to learn to recognize that it was her instincts, not Palpatine's voice, she heard inside her head.

Meditation was still a bitch.

They continued their trek toward the top of the island, and Luke stopped suddenly. "We're almost there."

She followed his gaze. A stone structure was carved into a cliffside, with a ledge outside of it, a large rock overlooking the ocean. She poked him in the back, causing him to stumble slightly, and moved in front of him. "Then why are we stopping?"

Luke chuckled again, and she refused to think about how much she'd come to love that sound.

A few minutes later, they reached the stone structure. Luke entered first, inhaling deeply as soon as his feet broached the room. "This is it. Can you feel it?"

Mara followed him into the center of the space. It was smaller than she'd expected, but she supposed when it was founded the Jedi hadn't amounted to more than a handful of beings. Just like now. She closed her eyes and reached out to the Force. It was already so much more powerful on Ahch-To, but here in the temple ruins, it was like a fountain of power surging inside her. It was all she could do to remain on her feet. She nodded, unable to speak.

If Luke was just as affected, he didn't show it. He walked in a slow circle, admiring the mosaic on the ground, peering out at the meditation ledge, gazing up at the old ceiling. She imagined he could remain here forever and be at peace. Meanwhile she felt itchy, ready to jump out of her skin to expel that power inside her.

After a cursory exploration of the temple, Luke glanced at her and raised his eyebrows. "Want to spar?"

She drew her lips in a straight line. That was another result of spending almost a year with him-he seemed to anticipate exactly what she wanted and needed in training.

If only that skill extended to what she needed outside of training.

She exited the temple to stand near the meditation rock. "Ah, so the true reason you brought me here finally comes out," she said, unable to keep from smiling.

He grinned and followed her, igniting his green saber first. She followed suit and waited for him to make the first strike, to see what direction he wanted to take this sparring session. From what he'd said to her before, she presumed this would be one of their last. That thought almost made her more melancholy than the idea of leaving Ossus for good.

But Luke didn't strike. He held his lightsaber at his side, watching her expectantly. Right; if she was no longer an apprentice, this sparring session was at her mercy.

Well, she didn't want to disappoint him.

She brought her lightsaber down in a swift overhead arc. His blade raised to meet hers instantly, the green and blue crackling against one another. They locked gazes for a moment, and then she jerked backward to withdraw her saber, side-swiping him and forcing him to jump over the blade. He gave her an appraising look and pressed forward, forcing her around the rock, and she held her weapon in front of her to determine her next angle of attack. But she was too slow and Luke leaped over the stone, sending her backwards with a series of swift strikes. He never held back with her, never treated her like a student in lightsaber combat. Other students might get discouraged by his skill, but she considered it a challenge. If she could hold her own with him, she could beat anyone.

And she refused to hold back, either, because he could take whatever she could give.

She didn't know how much time passed before he extinguished his blade and motioned for a break. She turned off her weapon, a pang of disappointment coursing through her, and took a deep breath before realizing that her heart rate didn't even feel elevated. The Force was so powerful here, sustaining her through the most rigorous training. But while it made her body feel at peace, her mind was running a klick a minute. Sparring had turned off her thoughts, but now that they were done, all she could think about was how close Luke stood to her, the way her skin tingled whenever they brushed against one another, and the understanding in his clear blue eyes whenever he looked at her, like he could see to her very soul.

He probably could. But he probably could do that with everyone he trained.

She took another breath and returned to the temple, closing her eyes and reaching out to the Force. She heard Luke follow her and take a seat on the floor. "You're ready to become a Jedi, Mara."

"I know."

"If that's still what you want," Luke said hesitantly.

Despite her unease, she barked a laugh. "I didn't spend the past year on Ossus to get a door prize."

"Is spending time with me really that horrible?"

"When you wake me before sunrise and keep me up meditating past midnight, yes." But her rebuke was tempered by a smile, and she turned and looked at him again. "You know I want to be a Jedi."

He cocked his head at her. "But?"

She sighed as she sat next to him on the floor. It was better if she couldn't see his face. "What did you envision the Jedi order to be when you set about restoring it?"

Now it was his turn to laugh. "That's the thing-I didn't. After Endor, I knew nothing about the old order except what people like Mon Mothma told me. When I started my travels and learned more about the Jedi, I realized that not only was it not feasible to recreate what had been done in the past, but I didn't want to. Especially when other people started giving me a piece of their mind."

Mara smirked. "Smart people."

"I'm glad I had the sense to listen to them." He paused to look at the ceiling, then resumed his study of the mosaic on the ground, the balance of power reminding her what it truly meant to be a Jedi, what she had chosen to dedicate her life to. "Right now, there are less than ten practicing Jedi. Not even enough for a Council of old. In a generation, we'll be lucky to have a hundred. We'll never be what the old Order was for the Old Republic."

"Considering what happened to them, that might not be a bad thing."

Luke nodded in agreement. "I've wondered if it's worth it."

She turned to him, unable to hide her shock. Luke was doggedly optimistic, earnest to a fault, and refused to give up on anyone-or anything. "Of course it is."

"Why? Because I'm the last of the Jedi? That's not even true anymore." It wasn't a lie-other Force users had come out of hiding after the fall of the Empire. She'd always known Vader and Palpatine couldn't have eradicated everyone. How many other people like her had slipped through the cracks undetected?

"But you're the first of the new," she pointed out. "The first to do something about it." They'd never built training temples or attempted to restore the Order.

"I know," he said with a sigh. "But sometimes I wonder if I'm the right person for the job. I almost botched it from the start. Now it's almost time to train my nephew and I'm terrified."

"Don't be. You survived training me." Mara nudged him with her elbow, wanting to make him laugh.

Instead he glanced at her, affection and respect shining in his eyes. "My greatest accomplishment so far."

Mara swallowed the lump in her throat, no idea what to say to that. He'd blown up the first Death Star and redeemed a Sith Lord. How did training her compare to any of that?

The realization hit her, forcing her to look away from him. She'd been Palpatine's apprentice, just like Luke's father. He'd given her his father's lightsaber because he said she'd earned it, to show his belief in her, just like he'd believed in his father.

But Anakin had died after his turn to the light side. Luke never got to see his father serving the Force again as a Jedi.

Was that why he wanted to train her? So he could finish what he started with Anakin Skywalker, and feel ready to train his nephew?

She wouldn't blame him if it was true, but the thought made her skin crawl. She wanted him to train her for her sake. Because they'd shared something incredible on Yavin IV, a revelation of the power of the Force.

And late at night on Ossus, when she couldn't sleep, she wondered if there was even more out there waiting for her.

"Now my training's done. So what comes next?" she forced herself to ask again.

He leaned back on his hands. "Whatever you want, Mara."

Whatever she wanted. If she knew what that was, her mind wouldn't be a jumbled mess in one of the most peaceful places she'd ever been. Because what if they were too different? What if they were too much the same? What if too much time had passed? What if they had lost their chance? What if he never wanted her as anything more than a fellow Jedi?

Mara stared at her hands as she wrung her fingers together. She should thank him for his training and belief in her, say she would return to the Smuggler's Alliance, and get on with her life. It was the safe decision, the safe path. One she'd be satisfied with, if not happy.

She stood abruptly, needing to get out of there, needing to move. "Right now, I want to explore the island. It's what we came here for, right?"

Luke rose slowly and nodded. "Right." She could have sworn she saw disappointment cross his handsome features as they left the temple, but maybe it was just his hopefulness rubbing off on her.

Mara couldn't sleep. She'd hoped that being on Ahch-To, a place where the Force almost seeped through her pores, would make her next steps evident. But now she was more confused than ever. She yearned to be a Jedi in ways she hadn't thought possible... but she wanted more than that.

Sighing, she got up from her bunk, got dressed, and left the Jade's Fire. Luke was still asleep, and she left without leaving a note; he'd know where she'd gone.

That was the problem-he knew her so well, but he didn't know what she really wanted.

Or maybe he did, and was ignoring it, because he didn't want to face the future, either.

She climbed the steps by moonlight, having almost memorized the path after several days climbing up and down the island. The exercise invigorated her, and when she reached the top she was tempted to ignite her lightsaber and practice her katas. But physical activity wouldn't ease her worries. She made her way to the temple and, for the first time, stepped inside completely alone. She stood in the center of the room, spinning in a slow circle, letting the Force flow through her. There was no flash of insight, no spark inside her telling her what to do next. Of course it wasn't that easy. She sat down in the same place Luke had been earlier that day and closed her eyes, settling into the familiar pattern of meditation.

"Please," she whispered, not knowing to whom she was speaking or what she was asking. She thought she'd conquered her past and defeated her demons. That was why she'd finally accepted Luke's offer to train. "Please tell me what I'm supposed to do."

She wasn't expecting anyone to answer. She certainly wasn't expecting to see anyone else in the temple. As far as she was aware, the only other people besides Luke on the island were the natives who kept to themselves away from the old Jedi habitats.

She definitely wasn't expecting to see one of her old nemeses standing in front of her.

She leapt to her feet and brought her lightsaber in front of her, but didn't ignite it. "Shavit!"

Anakin Skywalker threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, Mara. That went even better than I hoped."

Hand over her heart, Mara returned her lightsaber-Anakin's lightsaber-to her belt. At least she hadn't ignited it on him. Not that it would have made a difference against a discorporeal Force ghost. Luke had told her about speaking with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and seeing his former master, Yoda, Obi-Wan, and his father after the Battle of Endor. As he'd recited numerous times, "there is no death, there is the Force."

It wasn't the Force ghost that shocked her, but who it was. She wasn't close with Vader during her time as Emperor's Hand, but they'd had enough encounters to solidify her opinion that she did not like him. He was arrogant and borderline treasonous and barely tolerated her-not a basis for a good relationship when she was barely out of her teens and wanted nothing more than to please her Emperor.

And now his son was her Jedi master.

And, if she was truly honest with herself... she wanted him to be more than that.

She studied Anakin. He looked shockingly young, and she had to remind herself he was only 23 when he'd fallen to the dark side. "I'm glad to give you some entertainment on the other side." She cocked her head. "Although I suppose seeing me with Luke has done enough of that."

He smirked back. "Not the match I would have predicted, no. But I've learned to expect the unexpected."

That explained Luke, all right. Unexpected.

Her mirth dissipated as she lowered herself back to the ground. "I suppose you're here to give me a lecture."

"No lecture. I leave those to my son." That word seemed to stick in his throat. "He's a good teacher."

Mara couldn't disagree with that. "The best."

"So what's the problem, Mara? Why are you moping in the first Jedi temple all by yourself?"

It was so odd hearing him call her by her first name. It was so odd hearing him speak in a normal voice. Yet he felt similar to when he'd been Vader, only with his spirit bathed in light instead of dark. He wasn't what she'd wanted when she'd asked for help, but knowing him, he wouldn't go away until she spilled her guts. And he was a ghost, who would he tell her secrets to? Luke? Father and son had better things to talk about.

She crossed her legs like she was about to meditate. Meditate Anakin Skywalker right out of the temple, if she could. "The problem is what comes next," she admitted, the words tasting sour.

"Ah." Anakin sat down across from her. "That's one problem I didn't have."

The self-deprecating remark should have made her laugh. Instead it made her look away from him, shame filling her. "Because you died, and I didn't. Am I just Luke's way to finish what he started?"

"What are you talking about?"

She gestured in his direction. "You. He redeemed you, something his masters said was impossible. But then you died, so he didn't get to follow through."

"Redemption isn't transactional, Mara."

"No, but I sensed what he saw in me. What he sees in me. Someone who needed help turning from the dark, just like you." She held up his lightsaber. "Why else would he give me this?"

Anakin regarded the lightsaber for a long moment, an unreadable expression on his face. Then he flashed her another amused grin. "If I have to explain that to you, you're more far gone than I thought."

She shifted, willing herself not to blush, but it was a losing battle. "You don't understand." She didn't know what to call him. Certainly not Lord Vader, but Anakin felt too familiar. "You have no idea how jealous I am of you for killing Palpatine."

"As jealous as I am of you for surviving, I imagine."

She snorted. "But you beat him... Anakin," she forced herself to say, to acknowledge the feat he'd been able to accomplish, something she never got the chance to do. "You threw him down a reactor shaft. You said no."

"You're a Jedi, Mara. What more evidence do you need that you're no longer his servant?"

She scoffed. "Of course I'm not-that's the point. The only reason I'm here right now is because he's dead."

Anakin raised his eyebrows. "If that's true, why aren't you with the Imperial remnants, or the First Order?"

Mara jerked her head up at him. "First Order?"

He held out his hand. "Don't worry, I'll get to that in a second." He moved closer to her. "Why didn't you join them?"

"Because they weren't Palpatine."

"Maybe at first. But since then, you've fought against his influence every single day. He raised you, Mara. It's almost impossible to break free of that. I only did it because of Luke."

"That's one thing we have in common."

"No. Luke might have been the catalyst, but you are here now because of you. You made the choice to start a new life after Endor. The reasons don't matter anymore. You're a Jedi. Isn't that enough of a victory against him?"

She took a deep breath. She didn't want to think about her status as a Jedi as revenge against Palpatine. It meant more than that. When she'd used the Force with Luke on Yavin, it had felt like a revelation. Like destiny. Was she really afraid that if somehow, Palpatine returned, she'd go running back to his service?

No. She'd turned her back on him after Operation Cinder, even if it had been due to a bruised ego. Her revelations afterwards only solidified her mental defection from the old Empire. And then there was Moraband...

Anakin moved closer and took her hand. She almost jerked away, surprised he could touch her. He looked so real, not like how Luke had described Force ghosts previously. "So, Mara Jade. What comes next?"

She growled and pulled away. "Luke's been asking me the same question. I came here hoping to find answers. Instead the Force sent me you."

Anakin didn't take offense. "Because I'm the only person you'd listen to when they said you were being an idiot."

"Excuse me?"

"You've been avoiding your feelings about Luke because you wanted to become a Jedi on your own terms. It's admirable, of course. And Luke would never have done anything while he was still your teacher. But he's not anymore."

She could not be having this conversation with Luke's father. She rubbed her face, willing him to go away, but he remained firmly in front of her. "Like you're the right person to be giving advice about running away from your feelings."

"Exactly. Look what happened to me when I refused to confide in people."

"That's a low blow."

He spread his hands. "It's all I have." He stood and moved about the temple, inhaling and exhaling slowly, like he was reveling in the light. "Being indebted to people doesn't mean you don't choose your own path, you know. You've already made amends with your past. Why do you keep running from your future?"

Because for so long, she lived for the Emperor. Afterwards, all she had was herself. She'd learned to accept friends, and colleagues, and even fellow Jedi... but that was very different from anything she felt about Luke.

And surrendering part of herself to another person was still terrifying, even if she wanted it more than anything else in the universe.

Mara stood and moved to the entrance, staring out at the ocean. She hugged her arms around her chest, to shield herself from the chilly night air and the intense vulnerability. No matter what the man behind her looked like, he'd always been one of the most intimidating people in the galaxy to her.

Hot tears stung her eyes but she didn't bother to wipe them away. She was past such pretenses. "I don't know if he wants me because I'm me, or because I can be a Jedi." It was an important distinction. Some people would claim that Luke was the Order, but she knew differently. She knew the man behind the Jedi, and that was who she wanted to stay with.

It was the question she'd been afraid to consider since she realized her true feelings for him. Of course he'd wanted to train her as a Jedi, of course he'd wanted to help rid her of her demons. That was the kind of person Luke was. He wanted to help everyone.

Didn't mean he wanted her.

And despite all her bravado, her belief in herself, her acceptance of her place in the Galaxy since Endor, the part of her who'd been raised by Palpatine—the tortured and abused little girl—feared Luke wouldn't give up his place in the Galaxy for someone like her.

Anakin approached and placed his hand on her shoulder. It was warm and gentle, like he was truly there-and considering how the Force felt on Ahch-To, he was. "That doesn't sound like the Mara Jade I knew."

She swallowed down her tears, because if she let herself begin to cry she didn't know if she'd ever stop. "I'm not her anymore. Haven't been in a long time."

"Exactly." Gently, Anakin forced her to turn around. "Be honest with yourself. Do you really think Luke doesn't want you? Or are you just scared?"

I'm not scared. The reaction was automatic, but the words wouldn't come out. She gazed up at him, again taken aback by how young he looked. What would his future have been like if Palpatine hadn't twisted his mind? What would his life have been like if he'd made different choices?

Anakin might have gotten the opportunity to kill Palpatine, but she was the one who had the chance at true victory: a life with the man he'd ordered her to kill.

She turned away to stare at the ocean again.

She didn't know if she deserved to be happy after everything she'd done, after everything she'd been. It was the true reason she never allowed herself to consider a path forward with Luke.

But now, she couldn't not think about it. Perhaps it was because she was at the first Jedi Temple. Perhaps it was because she was a Knight now, and the Force was speaking to her. Or perhaps it was because she'd finally learned to let go.

Maybe it was all of those things.

She'd been brave enough to step away from the Empire, to join Karrde's crew, to organize the Smuggler's Alliance, to start Jedi training. Every one of those steps brought her here. She couldn't let fear get in the way of her final step.

She finally understood her last test. She knew what she had to do.

She turned back to Anakin. "All right, Skywalker. You made your point. But first," she poked him in the chest, "you need to tell me about this First Order."

Luke woke before daybreak, not surprised to sense Mara's presence far away. In the past few days she'd taken to leaving the Jade's Fire in the middle of the night to trek around the island, returning after before sunrise and pretending she'd been in her bunk the entire night. He didn't ask about anything she'd found, either physically or mentally, leaving her to discover the truths he brought her to the island to find.

Part of him was buoyed that she trusted him alone with her ship. The other part of his heart sank every time they began their daily training without her confiding her misgivings. He thought the past year had brought them closer together-closer than he was with almost anyone. Either he was mistaken about that, or about Mara's desire to be honest with herself and the Force.

Or maybe she just didn't know what she wanted yet.

Every night, Luke had rolled over and pretended to sleep, to give Mara the space she needed to figure things out. That morning, however, something urged him to leave the ship and find her. He didn't understand why, but he'd long ago stopped questioning those instincts from the Force. He rose and dressed, bringing his lightsaber but no other provisions. Artoo, standing guard near the boarding ramp, tweeted at him before he hit the controls.

"I'm fine, Artoo." Luke patted the droid's shiny dome. Mara hadn't protested bringing Artoo along, which had surprised Luke. Even she admitted that with their history, they might need someone to watch over them. "Just going to check on Mara."

Artoo beeped in response, something about Mara being able to take care of herself. Luke didn't doubt that; she'd proved herself in spades long before she agreed to train as a Jedi. But coming to someone's defense wasn't the only purpose of being a friend.

He climbed the winding stairs along the island, honing in on her presence, not wanting to take her by surprise-not that she wouldn't sense him awake. He found her outside the Jedi temple, sitting on the meditation rock and staring out at the ocean. She didn't turn around as he approached, but her presence was sharply honed with awareness.

"Mara? Is everything all right?" It felt like a stupid question to ask. By the straightness of her spine and the tension in her grip on her knees, her entire demeanor was coiled, ready to fight. But not a physical enemy, or even an enemy at all.

She didn't answer right away, and he let the silence stretch between them. He moved closer until he was standing beside the rock, and dared a glance at her face. Her eyes were open, bright green eyes shining at the deep blue sea, but unfocused, like she was watching something far away.

"I saw your father," she said.

Luke inhaled sharply, and he couldn't stop a small smile from gracing his lips. A million questions went through his mind, but he only voiced one: "Are you okay?" She had known him only as Vader, and no matter how many times they discussed his turn to the light side, he could sense her skepticism and disbelief about how he could forgive so easily. Leia was the same way. He didn't blame them-what Vader had put both of them through was ten times worse than losing his hand. But he did wish he could make them understand.

Mara blinked, and when she opened her eyes she looked back at him, laser focused and every ounce of her alertness on him. "You're not mad?"

Luke frowned. "Why would I be mad?"

"He's your father. Don't you wish you could see him?"

"I have before. I've made my peace with everything that happened."

Mara's mouth twisted like she tasted something sour. "But I haven't."

"That's not what I said. But we never stop needing to learn about ourselves, even after we become Jedi, Mara."

She glanced at her hands, contemplating his words, and slid off the rock. "Did you know this would happen? You didn't put him up to this, did you?"

Luke bit his lip to stop from laughing. "If I was going to convince someone to appear to you as a Jedi trial, it would not be my father. But I'd hoped we would have some sort of breakthrough here, as powerful as it is in the Force." The energy field, as Obi-Wan had once described it, always surrounded him, but here on Ahch-To it was like it was seeping into his very pores.

Mara gave him a sharp look that he couldn't quite comprehend. "Yeah, well. You could say that happened."

He cocked his head. "What did he say to you?"

"Among other things, that I was being an idiot."

Luke's eyes widened. "It's a good thing he's already dead."

Mara's eyes flashed with mirth, and it made warmth flash through Luke's body. "I asked you what happens now that I'm a Jedi. You said that I get to choose my path."

"Of course, Mara." He hated the thought of her leaving, but she was no longer his student. Hadn't been for some time, if he was honest with himself. "I'm the first of the new Jedi Order, but I'm not its ruler."

Mara smiled at him. "I know. That's why I agreed to train with you. Because you're different." She looked down for a long moment. "So you'll just let me leave?"

"You know I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to. But why would I?"

"You went through the effort of training me. I assumed you'd want me to stay at the end."

"Of course I want you to stay. But I always knew it was more likely that you wouldn't, and I had to be okay with that. You'll always be a Jedi and have a place in the Order, no matter what you do in life. Training you wasn't an investment to cash in on. I trained you because I wanted to teach you. End of story."

It was the truth. Mara was strong in the Force and the galaxy was better with her as a Jedi. He'd known that from the first time he'd laid eyes on her.

But it wasn't the entire truth. It didn't encompass the breadth of his feelings for her. Feelings that couldn't get in the way of her training.

Training that was now over.

It was silent for a long time. "But if I did stay... would you want me to stay with the Order? " Slowly, Mara raised her gaze to meet his, her green eyes as piercing as he'd ever seen. "Or with you?"

Her question almost sent him stumbling backwards. He had never allowed himself to consider such an indulgence. When he first met her she'd been a mystery, then a potential student, then a friend. Then she became his actual student, and any personal feelings had been eradicated from his mind. They had to be, in order to give her the training she deserved. Besides, Mara was fiercely independent, a result of her previous life, and he couldn't begrudge her that. She deserved that, too.

But now, with her words echoing through his mind, he couldn't deny his attraction, his desire. And, if he was being truly honest with himself... his love. He knew what his friends said about him: that Luke Skywalker thought the best of everyone, that he loved all his friends, that they were family to him. All of that was true, but romantic love was different. After Endor, it was something he never thought would be possible. He had too many burdens, his life was too dangerous. Who would want to spend their life with someone who'd dedicated himself to the Force?

Then, he met Mara. And she kept coming back into his life. After training her, they'd always be connected, no matter what she chose to do next. But could he go back to only seeing her on missions, or occasional trips to Ossus, or just exchanging friendly messages whenever they felt the urge? Over the past year, he'd spent almost every waking moment with her. She was more than an apprentice. More than a friend. More than a confidante.

He couldn't tell her those things. Her choice had to be hers, free from persuasion. He didn't want her obligation; he wanted her love.

Then again, would she be asking him this if she hadn't finally realized what she wanted?

Maybe she'd been scared, too.

Their eyes locked again, and he finally allowed his true feelings to flow through the Force. He had fallen in love with Mara Jade long ago. He thought he had been willing to give up a chance at a relationship, but that wasn't fair to him-or to her. She deserved to make her own choices, but she also deserved the truth.

She deserved everything.

He moved closer, reaching inside himself for every ounce of strength he could muster, and brushed his hand against hers. "With me. Mara, I-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his words before she grabbed his arm and crushed her lips to his.

He tasted like the sun. Mara kissed him like she needed him to breathe, years of suppressed emotions bubbling to the surface, and she no longer cared if they were obvious to Luke. His feelings bled into hers, merging and coalescing in a way she'd never before experienced and never wanted to end. She didn't know how much time passed before she forced herself to stop, resting her forehead against his and placing her hands on his face.

"I love you." She wanted to say it first, one final victory over her old life. Once, she would never have accepted someone else saying those words to her, but now she wanted to shout them from the top of the island so the entire galaxy could hear. "I love you," she said again, and the words sounded foreign but so right to her ears. "I love you."

Luke laughed against her, his arms wrapped around her shoulders, fingers brushing the end of her braid. "I love you," he responded, the awe evident in his voice that she had said those words first, and then they were kissing again. I should have known Mara Jade would never do anything by half measures. His words were like a whisper in her mind, and she didn't shy away from the sensation. She'd grown to not only expect but desire his sense in the Force over the past year, and now she never wanted it to go away.

She would never have been able to leave him on Ossus.

They stumbled back inside the temple, mouths on each other the entire way. Eventually he broke away and kissed along her jawline, her neck, up to her ear. His breath was hot as he nibbled her lobe and her knees almost buckled. Sensing this, Luke maneuvered them so Mara's back was against the wall, and continued his ministrations. She tangled her fingers in his soft hair and squeezed her eyes shut against the sensations threatening to overwhelm her.

He loved her. It was obvious now-the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, the way he said her name. Coming from anyone else, she would have rolled her eyes at his reverence and put up those old defensive patterns that kept everyone at bay. But now, she wanted this more than anything. She wanted him more than anything.

.

.

.

As their hearts slowed and breathing calmed, the enormity of their actions hit her. It was another moment where she would have once been tempted to run away, but instead she clutched his sweaty back and kissed his chest. With anyone else, she might have been embarrassed that they'd done this in the first Jedi temple, but with him, it felt right. Everything felt right.

Eventually, the sun peeked over the horizon and light streamed inside the temple. Mara squeezed her eyes against the brightness. "We should get back to the ship," she murmured, not really wanting to move, but knowing this moment had to end eventually. Especially after what his father had told her earlier. She was a Jedi now, and they had more investigations to do.

"Mmm," Luke said noncommittally, holding her close with one arm and throwing the other over his eyes. "Legs are jelly. Don't think I can make it down the island. Have to live here now."

"At least we don't have to come up this time."

He grinned at her. "Already did that."

Mara poked him in the side. "And don't you forget it."

"Never want to." He gazed at her then, reaching out to her with the Force, and stroked her cheek. "So tell me. Are we going back to Ossus?"

She shook her head. The Organa-Solos were on Chandrila at the moment, and besides celebrating her new status as a Jedi, she needed to tell Leia all about this supposed First Order. She'd tell Luke on the way, after they came down from their mutual high. Plus, she supposed Solo would want to make good on some bets about his brother-in-law's relationship status, and who was she to deny family? "No. Take me to Chandrila."

Luke's smile turned genuine and he kissed her one more time. "As you wish, my love."

My love.

She could get used to hearing that.