Violet-Meadows sat on the floor of the Bridgers' suite, clapping her hands as Ezra and Luke twirled their holographic wives. Ezra pulled the image of Sabine close. Silently counting, he stepped backwards.
"I think I'm getting the hang of this." He leaned forward to bring his holoSabine down in a dip- and kept going.
He landed on the floor, flat on his face, glad at least that it was only a hologram of Sabine he had dropped and crushed. He looked up to see Luke catch his foot on a chair, nearly falling as well.
"How am I supposed to dance if you keep distracting me?" Luke complained.
"Sorry." Ezra shoved himself into a sitting position as Violet-Meadows giggled.
"Siwwy Daddy!"
Ezra sighed. "That's me. Silly Daddy. I really thought I was getting better."
Luke offered a hand to help him stand. "I would say at least we tried, but Master Yoda…"
"Yeah. I know. Do or do not."
A soft swoosh announced their wives' return from the Love Commander's hair salon. Artoo shut off the holograms just before Sabine and Mara entered the room.
"What do you think?" Sabine turned, showing Ezra her hair.
"You're beautiful and I love you." Ezra kissed her.
"Now I just have to put on my gown without messing up my hair." She took Violet-Meadows's hand. "Come on, Ezra, I need your help and you need to get ready, too."
"We don't want to be late for the Big Dance Contest." Mara slipped an arm through Luke's. The Skywalkers returned to their suite with Artoo rolling behind. Ezra followed Sabine, his anxiety rising.
Their clothes waited on the wall hangars in the bedroom. He helped Sabine slip out of the casual outfit she was wearing and held her formal evening gown as she stepped into it.
"Fasten me up?" She turned so her back was facing him.
He did up her fasteners, admiring the smooth silhouette of her orange ombre gown. He hugged and kissed her, making sure not to disturb her hair or rumple her dress.
"You sure you don't want to just stay in and snuggle?" he asked, caressing her gently.
"We don't want to miss the Big Dance." She kissed his cheek. "You'd better get dressed."
As he took his tunic down from the peg on the wall, the Loth-kittens began to meow and scratch at the bedroom wall. Absently, he stretched out in the Force to calm them. Their meows turned to purrs and they plopped down by the wall.
"It's okay." Ezra stepped over to pet them. "Do you hear Tricky over there?"
"Ezra, are you dressed?" Sabine emerged from the walk-in closet with a dress for Violet-Meadows. "We need to get the baby ready."
"Just a minute." He quickly changed into the tunic and pants, then helped Sabine dress Violet-Meadows in her triple-ruffled dress with matching bloomers and flower headband.
"My gorgeous girls." Ezra kissed them both. "Let's get the Loth-kittens and see if Luke and Mara are ready."
Sabine handed him the carrier and Violet-Meadows helped him round up the kittens. They seemed reluctant to leave their spot by the wall. As they tucked the last one inside, Violet-Meadows stopped, staring at the wall where the kittens had been.
"Doggy." She pointed a chubby finger.
"Yeah, you sense Tricky next door?" Ezra grinned at Sabine. "She senses him through the Force. Pretty good for a toddler, huh?"
Before Sabine could reply, Violet-Meadows moved closer to wall and smacked it. "Bad doggy. No, no!"
Sabine cocked an eyebrow. "Do I even want to know?"
Picking up the carrier and the toddler, Ezra shrugged. "Maybe he's chewing a slipper or something." He sent a wave of calming Force-energy through the wall to Tricky, just in case.
They found the Skywalkers in the hall. Luke shot Ezra a look.
"Are you ready?"
Ezra sighed. "I'm ready if you are."
Eli and Vah'nya had already claimed a table when the Bridgers and Skywalkers entered the Grand Dining Hall. They waved their friends over to join them.
"You're just in time," Eli greeted them. "Captain Calrissian is about to start the contest!"
"I hope you're all going to dance," Vah'nya added. "It's going to be such fun."
Eli lifted a small holo-recorder. "We met a Chiss from the Hand and he said that he'd be glad to record us dancing for Thrawn. He can get some footage of y'all, too, if you want."
A Chiss? Sabine glanced at Mara. "Is his name Stross? We met him yesterday, while we were ordering supper."
Eli nodded. "He knows Thrawn. Funny I've never met him before."
Not really, Sabine mused. Not if Thrawn didn't want you to meet him.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlebeings!" Lando called. "I hope you're all ready to show us what you've got."
Sabine snugged Violet-Meadows in a baby chair, watching as Lando mounted the performers' platform. The Bith musicians sat with their instruments at the ready.
"Tonight's the night you've all been waiting for!" Lando gestured grandly. "Now you might be wondering why we didn't save this contest for the final evening of our time together."
He paused and stepped to the side as a holovid flickered to life.
"Niriktari Bay, folks! Where our three top dancing couples will be heading in a few hours to enjoy the tropical night of their dreams in ultimate luxury."
The image slowly panned around the beautiful beach with its white sands and turquoise ocean, then moved to show three fully-stocked bamboo bungalows overlooking the shore. Gleaming, flower-decked droids stood ready to fulfil their guests' every wish.
"Now, no worries, everyone will have an opportunity to visit the Bay before the end of the cruise, but if you want to spend tonight in one of these lovely bungalows, you'll need to show our judges that you're the best on the floor."
"Beach! Loth-fish!" Violet-Meadows pointed at the holovid, giggling. "Go beach?"
"We'll go…sometime." Ezra eyes were fixed to the holo.
"What, you don't think you and Sabine can win?" Eli smirked. "Vah'nya and I are going to be sleepin' at the beach tonight."
"Are you sure Thrawn will let you go?" Ezra asked.
Vah'nya rolled her glowing eyes. "You'd better ask him, Eli."
"You're right. I'll call him right now." Eli pulled out his comm and moved away from the table. When he returned, he was grinning broadly.
"He said yes." Eli took Vah'nya's hand. "Now we just have to win."
The Vantos took their place on the dance floor, among the other couples.
"Please join us for a Royal Naboean Waltz," Lando invited as the Bith band began tuning up.
"Are you ready, boys?" Sabine squeezed Ezra's hand. "Let's dance."
Ezra's eyes widened. "I…I..can't," he managed.
"Why not?" A sudden fear stabbed at her heart, chasing all other thoughts out of her mind. She caught his other hand. "Are you sick?"
"I'm fine." He squeezed her hands and her initial panic subsided. "It's…just, well, see, Jedi don't dance."
"Since when?" Mara demanded.
"I think what he means is your Jedi don't dance," Luke said sheepishly.
"And what, our Sith don't rock and roll?" Mara shook her head. "You two aren't making any sense."
Ezra's shoulders drooped. "I guess what we really mean is your Jedi can't dance."
"We've been practicing with Artoo," Luke put in, "but we aren't very good."
Sabine looked at Mara. Both women broke out laughing. After a few seconds, Violet-Meadows joined in, too.
"What's so funny?" Ezra pouted. "We're being honest with you. You should appreciate that."
Sabine wiped away tears of laughter. "We can't dance either. We've been taking lessons at Lando's dance studio."
Luke wrinkled his nose. "That's where you met a Zeltron."
"He was one the instructors." Mara patted Luke's hand.
"Last call to get your numbers, contestants!" Lando's voice interrupted.
Ezra stood. "Since none of us can dance, why don't we all go not-dance together?"
He turned Violet-Meadows's chair to face the dance floor. "Watch Mama and Daddy dance."
Sabine slipped her arm through his. "You know, we thought being strong with the Force would make you boys good dancers."
"The Force!" Ezra blinked. "I never even thought of that."
Sabine let Ezra guide her into a waltz position. His arm was gentle around her waist, his hand soft as it clasped hers. Leaning into him, she closed her eyes, relishing the moment. A familiar ache invaded her heart with the memories of their long years apart. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his solid form beneath her, breathing in his warm scent around her. She had found her Ezra.
"I'm here, Bine," he whispered in her ear, "and I'm not going anywhere."
Mara draped her arm over Luke's shoulder, mentally running through the steps of the Royal Naboean Waltz.
"I thought you used to dance when you were the Emperor's Hand." Luke carefully placed his hand on her back. "Weren't you posing as a dancer at Jabba's Palace?"
Mara chuckled. "Different kind of dancing, Farmboy."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "The kind Aunt Beru wouldn't have let me see?"
"I'm afraid so."
"In that case," Luke pulled her a little closer, "maybe it's the kind of dancing you can do for your husband?"
With another laugh, Mara kissed his cheek. "Maybe I'll dance for you on the beach in the moonlight."
"We'll have to win first."
They began stepping together in time to the music. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 1 and 2, 3 and 4.
"Let's try a spin," Mara whispered.
Luke lifted one arm, releasing her with the other. She flowed out, just as the Twi'lek instructor had said. Luke twirled her under his arm and gently pulled her back.
"Hey, we're pretty good!" He grinned. "I think we can be proud of us."
He swung her in a circle, narrowly missing Ezra and Sabine, who were clutching each other tightly, lost to the world.
"I'm always proud of you, Luke," Mara assured him. "Now let's show the Galaxy what Skywalkers can do."
A gentle bump announced the ship's arrival in real space. Ezra held Sabine snugly in his lap as they sat with their friends, waiting for the results of the judging. He leaned down, gently kissing the nape of her neck. He knew that he had done the right thing at the Battle of Lothal. He also knew that he had caused Sabine unspeakable pain when he left. And he knew he would spend the rest of his life making it up to her.
Even if she had probably blown all of their savings on new clothes.
She turned in his embrace, burrowing into him. He smiled, gently kissing her hair. She lifted her face, angling her head in a silent plea for another kiss. He obliged her with a long, passionate kiss on her lips.
"Ladies and gentlebeings!" Lando once again climbed to the platform. "Our judges have decided and we now have our winners!"
He nodded to the Bith band. Fanfare filled the room as Lando held up the third-place envelope. "In third place- Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Bridger! Congratulations and well done. Your tender performance was truly touching."
The room burst into applause. Ezra could hear Mrs. Pumphrey cheering, "Bravo!"
A second wave of fanfare sounded. Lando lifted the second-place envelope.
"Second place goes to Mr. and Mrs. Luke Skywalker. Well done, Luke and Mara. The judges loved your unique style. And finally,"-
Lando displayed the first-place envelope to a triumphant burst of music. The fanfare faded.
"First place goes to… Mr. and Mrs. Eli Vanto for their flawless performance. In the judges' opinions, you two were absolutely perfect and, frankly, I have to agree. Now if the winners will come to my office, Tendra and I will send you on your Tropical Dream Night."
"We won," Vah'nya squealed. "We all won!"
"Let's go claim our prize." Eli grabbed her and spun her in a circle. "Y'all coming?"
"In a minute." Ezra watched as the far wall changed to an oversized viewport. Taratos IV hung in the distance, its gleaming white sugar sands in marked contrast to the velvety blackness of space. "The sand is so white you can't even see the ocean."
Luke followed his gaze. "Wow. It almost looks like snow." He shivered. "Kind of reminds me of Hoth. That's one place no one would go on vacation."
Rising, he offered his arm to Mara. "Let's go to the beach, Mrs. Skywalker."
"Beach! Yay!" Violet-Meadows began to sing. "Baby Purrgil, doo doo doo doo."
"Purgill don't live in the water, silly girl." Ezra stood, too, easing Sabine into a chair beside him. He picked up the Loth-kittens, lifted his daughter out of her chair, then wrapped his free arm around Sabine, softly tugging her to her feet.
"Puppy come, too?" Violet-Meadows pointed to Tricky, sitting in Mrs. Pumphrey's lap, several tables away.
"Definitely not." Sabine smiled. "Just you, me, Daddy and the kittens."
Author's Note: It looks Jedi do dance, after all. And now our friends are all headed to the beach! By the way, Thrawn's Empire of the Hand and its "capital planet" Niruan are from Legends/EU. I have made some adjustments to the concept, but I did not make it up- Timothy Zahn did!
Also, I have tried to base my portrayal of Sabine partly on the Ahsoka show. Sabine in the Ahsoka show was broken, struggling emotionally and mentally. In this story, she has Ezra back but she can't just forget all her past pain. I wanted to show that she is still healing, with help from Ezra and her friends.
Thanks for reading and God bless you!