Friendship Is a Form of Love Too.
by Martina

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3  

Disclaimer: The people and situations used in this fic are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd. 

Chapter 1

Strange affection

 

 - “Approaching vessel, this is the Jedi Academy. Please identify yourself and your business”.

 

Mara Jade reached forward while sitting in the pilot’s chair and hit the communication control.

 - “Jedi Academy, this is The Jade’s Fire. Inform Master Skywalker that Mara Jade wishes to see him”.

The reply from the green forest-moon below didn’t take long. And the male voice in the other end changed his formal tone of voice into a much happier one.

 - “Welcome back, Ms Jade. The air is clear of all traffic. You have clearings to land in the main hangar of the Great Temple. I shall inform Master Skywalker of your arrival”.

 - “No need, thank you”, Mara replied while she flew her ship pass the gigantic, orange-coloured planet of Yavin. A small grin appeared in her face.

 - “I have a feeling he already knows I’m here”, she told the man in the other end. - “The Jade’s Fire out”.

 

The forth moon of the gas giant grew larger before her while she made the final decent. Her mind was filled with anticipation and even longing. Something she had never felt before during her previous journeys to the Academy.

But that was because she had never travelled here for this particular reason before.

 

******************************

 

Mara gazed out into the large hangar of the Great Temple, which represented the core of the Jedi Academy of Yavin 4. She stepped out of her ship and looked around. No major activity was going on, as this hangar never seemed to have every time she had visited this place. It was almost hard to believe that more than twenty years ago this had been the very place that the brave pilots of the small Rebellion had lifted off from to face and destroy the first Death Star and by doing so changed the war.

All she saw now was small New Republic vessels and fighters, some of them being attend to by droids and a few personnel.

It was obvious that the Jedi Academy was located far from the busy centre of the New Republic.

Just as its creator had wished it to be.

 

On the other side of the hangar to Mara’s left she recognized two individuals, who both gave her a welcome wave. They were the Jedi Knights Kam Solusar and Tionne, two of the very first to learn the ways of the Force after the declaration of the New Republic.

Solusar had once been one of the resurrected Palpatine’s apprentices on Byss but had been brought back to the Light by Luke Skywalker and now was one of the Jedi Master’s closest and most trusted friends here at the Academy. Tionne had arrived when Skywalker had opened this new school and training ground for the new generations of Jedi and the white haired beauty was a just as skilled musician as instructor of the ways of the Force.

After recognising Mara’s arrival, the man and woman quickly turned their attention back towards each other again. Mara observed them in silence while the two Jedi embraced and passionately and without hesitation or guilt showed their love by kissing each other. Apparently, Solusar was leaving on some kind of mission and the two lovers said goodbye. Mara couldn’t deny that she was very happy for them. She had known them for many years, not closely but still knew them well enough to wish them well. It wasn’t that long ago that Kam and Tionne had declared that they were in love.

She kept observing them until Solusar went aboard his ship and Tionne left the hangar. The two Jedis’ affection had reached her soul. They shared something that Mara had never experienced herself. And that made her sad, even if she didn’t want it to.

 

She pushed the image of the two Jedi away from her mind for the moment and looked around her some more. Her green eyes stayed a moment on one particular fighter, an old X-Wing she was well familiar with. The first time she had seen this X-Wing was the very same time she also had met him for the first time.

 

Him.

The man that had come to be the one that had the largest impact of her entire life. The man that, more or less, had meant the meaning of liberation for the galaxy from Emperor Palpatine’s Dark grip. The man that was the son of the most famous as well as the most feared Sith Lord the galaxy had ever seen. The man that was the twin brother of the Chief of State. The man that alone had returned the former glory of the Jedi, right here at this very place.

Once she had hated this man. Hated him in the belief that he and Darth Vader had destroyed her Master.

Now, her feelings for him were very different. It had taken her a lot of time and for both of them many challenges to overcome this wrongfully hatred she had had for him. But all of that was now in the past. And more than ever, Mara was pleased that she no longer felt any hatred.

He, out of all people, did not deserve her hatred!

 

A familiar beeping sound suddenly caught her attention. A small blue-white astromech droid approached her, rolling over the floor on its three legs. Unlike its Master, Mara could not understand its technological language but she understood that the little R2-unit was welcoming her. She tapped the doom of the meter high droid when it reached her.

 - “You again”, she said and once more looked up, gazing towards the elevator that lead up into the temple. - “Where’s your Master?”

R2-D2 gave a small series of beeping sounds and Mara cursed herself for not understanding because she knew that the droid was answering her question. But her mood quickly changed when suddenly the Force stirred in her and she felt a familiar sensation.

Mara could not hold back the smile. Just as she had foreseen, he did know she had arrived. And now he was getting closer!

 -“Never mind”, she said and tapped the droid once more.

 

The elevator came down. And a black dressed man in his late 40-ees stepped down from it. He was not a tall man, but the sight of him, especially in that black uniform and with his always trusted lightsaber hanging by his waist, was none the less an impressive sight. Years of war, struggles, losses and scars had left their shadows in his blue eyes, yet he appeared strong, determined and wise.

No being but himself truly knew of all the powers he had at his command. No other was known to be stronger, in the Force or in any other way, than this man alone. Yet, his strength and experiences had not destroyed his humble and friendly nature. He kept most of his abilities to himself and revealed as little as possible of what he could accomplish. Through wars and conflicts he had taken lives but only if he had been forced to do so. If he even could avoid using his Jedi abilities at all, he preferred to take that path instead.

He was a living legend, a war hero and a Jedi Master.

And he was the one that Mara had travelled all this way to see.

 

His face seemed filled with delight as he looked back at her. Mara couldn’t resist smiling a little back at him, his always boyish charm was getting harder and harder to resist these days. And that was really surprising since he was otherwise so altruistic and strict about not showing too many feelings because of his role and title as the last Jedi Master.

But for Luke Skywalker, the very sight of this particular woman always brought out the hidden joy in him.

 

 - “Mara Jade!”

Luke’s voice was as delighted as the rest of him seemed to be. Mara sensed in him through the Force that he seemed honestly surprised by her unexpected visit.

And just as happy.

 - “You sure have the tendency to show up unannounced”, he continued while approaching her.

 - “I prefer to keep it that way, if you don’t mind”, she told him.

Luke kept watching her as he approached her. Her red and always wild hair hung loose down onto her naked shoulders. Her familiar black leather pants and armless top seemed almost like a second skin onto her body. Luke tried to avoid staring at her below her eye level. It embarrassed him greatly that his eyes always, by pure instinct, were drawn towards her female forms. Mara was his friend. It was a friendship that had been very hard and taken an awfully long time, not to mention huge amounts of trust, to create.

And, considering her feisty temper, she would probably wren his neck if she ever caught him staring at her that way.

 

 - “Afraid to loose the edge, is that it?”

A feisty temper or not; these days he just couldn’t resist the temptation to tease her a little from time to time. Mara crossed her arms.

 - “Cute, Skywalker!” she snapped in a tone of voice that Luke was very familiar with. But, to his surprise, she suddenly started to sound quite differently.

 - “I’m no Jedi, but I know more than well enough that fear is never any option for a Force wielder. And I may never have turned, but I’ve had enough of my share of the Dark Side in my life”.

 

Once she had been inflicted by the Dark Side. She had served Palpatine as a secret expert assassin with the title as The Emperor’s Hand. Palpatine had taught her how to use and reach out with the Force, but never to such an extent that her training had been completed or that she had totally surrendered to the Dark Side. Only to keep her under his control and command.

It was Palpatine who had planted the assignment to kill Skywalker in her mind. And his destruction onboard the Second Death Star had created the hatred she once felt for the Jedi Master that now walked towards her.

But Mara had never carried out her former Master’s command. Several events and Luke’s very presence in her life had made her realize the truth. She now had totally rejected her formal loyalty to the now late Emperor. She now realized with great pain the abuse she had received unbeknownst from him all those years ever since she had been a little girl.

 

Luke was no novice to all of this. Mara had told him many things during the years and become more and more honest of her past. Yet, to hear her so determinately and freely reject the Dark Side brought warm feelings to his heart. Some he had failed to save. But with Mara he had succeeded!

He, too, had experienced the same Darkness, personally and in others. He had been standing on the very edge of Darkness himself, just like his father before him. But he had resisted and been saved.

Just like Mara had been.

Ironically, it was perhaps the Dark Side that reminded them the most of each other. The very thing that brought them together. And it united them in their struggle to resist its temptation.

They had tasted its seductive juices. They had seen their own Dark Side. And that brought huge understanding to the other.

 

 - “If you only knew how much that pleases me to hear, Mara”, Luke said and sighed quietly in relief.

 - “I think I do know” Mara admitted as he stepped up to her. - “After all, you’ve always been contempt with so little”.

He frowned at her comment.

 - “Now who’s being cute?”

Luke could not deny that she was actually telling the truth. As a Jedi you should never expect any kind of reward. The little you got should be enough for you. That was the way he lived his life and Mara was well aware of it.

But did she have to remind him about it?

 

 - “I hope I’m not interrupting you in your work”, she said suddenly, changing the subject. Luke shook his head.

 - “No. I was right in the middle of a meditation when I felt a familiar presence approaching”.

Mara nodded.

 - “I figured that sneaking up on you would be a waste of time and effort”.

Her emerald eyes suddenly got serious, emotional even. She looked into his eyes with a care that even would have surprised herself if she could have seen it. His hair was shorter these days than what it had been for as long as Mara could remember and his new look suited him. He looked more appealing than before. But that was nothing to what the power of his blue eyes had on her. They reminded her, once again, why she has sought out her old friend. She stepped even closer to him.

And then she put her arms around him.

 

 - “It’s good to see you, Luke”.

 

Somewhat confused, Luke hugged her back. But he felt even more dumbstruck when he felt her arms pull him even closer, deepening the already strong embrace. They had embraced before, but that was no part of their normal procedures. It was something that happened rather at very rare occasions. Luke always wanted to because he cared much for her. But, out of respect for her and her tense past, he always kept his distance and allowed her to make the first move. The last he wanted was to upset her.

Even if so had been the case this time too, this was something totally new for them. Mara didn’t let go of him, she pressed herself as close to him as possible. She rested her head on his shoulder and just kept holding him. And he sensed an emotional urge in her that he couldn’t quite figure out what it meant.

He didn’t mind at all that she embraced him like this and he seized the opportunity to do the same back, which she didn’t object to. But her very unusual emotional affection to him made his alarm bell in his mind ring loud and clear.

 

 - “Is everything all right?”

 

Mara eased her grip of him, clearly noticing the worry in his voice. To a certain degree, she had been as surprised as him to how strongly she had allowed him closer than usual.

 - “Yeah”, she said and let go of him completely. - “Except the fact that I’m bored”.

Luke felt cold and empty when the warmth of her body pulled itself away from him. He would probably never get this close to her ever again.

 - “You’re bored and you travel all the way out here?”

 - “I’ve done more strange things in my life”, she said. - “And just because it’s all quiet and isolated out here doesn’t it necessarily mean that it’s boring”.

 

She answered his question. Yet it felt like no answer, more like a seed to even more questions.

 - “So why did you come?”

 - “I happen to be between jobs at the moment”, Mara explained. - “I have another two days off before Karrde sends me out on a new assignment. I had nothing better to do so I thought I could drop by and check on you”.

 - “That was very kind of you, Mara”.

Not to mention unusual! For every passing second, Mara’s very presence felt more and more like a mystery.

It reminded strongly how he had experienced the very first days with her all those years ago on Myrkr.

 

 - “I also intended to ask you if you’ve got the time to squeeze me in into your busy schedule and perhaps teach me a new thing or two”.

She looked beggingly at him, as if she was uncertain to even ask of such a favour from the already very busy Jedi.

Luke sighed, feeling a little bit disappointed and the teacher in him quickly appeared in his eyes.

 - “I want to remind you, Mara that learning the ways of the Force requires a fulltime commitment and dedication, not just once in a while when it’s convenient”. 

 - “I understand that”, she said. - “But with me that’s how things have to be”.

 

She still refused to stay and fully fulfil her training. Luke hadn’t given up hope on that she one day would change her mind about that but he knew that the odds looked pretty grim. He wasn’t really sure why she refused with such dedication; apparently she still wanted to develop her skills. If it was the fear of turning to the Dark Side she wouldn’t have asked him of this favour, she was clever enough to stay away if that was what worried her.

No. It had to be something else that kept her from finishing her training.

But what?

 - “So, what do you say?” she asked and her green eyes stared almost seducingly at him. - “Do you have the time for me, Master Jedi?”

 

Not farm boy.

Not Skywalker.

She had called him Master Jedi. And with an honest and respectful tone of voice. This was certainly not something that happened every day. And Luke could not deny the unusual change of the situation.

Or that he enjoyed hearing her calling him that.

 

A huge, content smile grew in Luke’s face. He had waited long for her to come to him with this request. And how could he ever deny her such a request now? Or resist the opportunity to take her one step closer to her mastery of the Force?

 - “I’d be delighted to continue your training, Mara!” he said. - “Even for just a day or two”.

 - “Thank you”.

Mara wasn’t ignorant to how happily her Jedi friend wanted to finish her training. She hadn’t come here to finish anything, there wasn’t time for that. But she knew before she had asked that in the end he would do this for her. His desire to make her a Jedi was so much stronger than the rules of right and wrong why someone should be trained.

 

 - “You want to get your stuff?” Luke asked and nodded towards the Jade’s Fire.

 - “That won’t be necessary”, Mara explained. - “I’ll sleep on my ship”.

A sudden look of disappointment appeared in Luke’s face.

 - “We do have a spare room for you up in the temple”, he told her. - “Your usual one”.

 - “Thanks, but since I’m not staying long this time there’s no need”.

His disappointment didn’t seem to disappear, only increase. This wasn’t like Luke at all. And it made her feel uncomfortable. Mara never found it comfortable when she didn’t know where she had him.

 - “However, you could join me upstairs”, she quickly added to get his mind on something else. She reached for his right hand, his prosthetic hand that replaced the real one his father had cut off during their duel at Cloud City. Only a replica, the touch of it still felt totally real and it accepted her grasp, a little reluctantly, but yet without question.

Mara began to drag him along towards the elevator.

 - “The sunset over the Academy is rumoured to be quite beautiful, I’ve heard”.

 

The sunset?

She wanted to look at a sunset?

Luke followed her without resistance, never letting go of her hand until she did so herself once inside the elevator. But he couldn’t stop wondering what possibly could have entered her mind lately. He had never seen Mara like this before. The attitude was still there. But the independent roughness of it was not.

Something was definitely going on that Mara didn’t tell him!

 

 

Chapter 2

Because You deserve It

 

 - “Does it live up to your expectations?”

 - “Very much so”.

 

Her pretty face was shining brighter than the strong light from the declining sun that had just about reached the top of the jungle canopy. And her red hair almost seemed to be on fire as the calm winds grabbed hold of it. Luke felt very calm inside as he saw Mara sitting down on one of the ledges below him of the step-like wall of the pyramid-like temple. She had pulled up her legs and hugged her knees. She was so relaxed. And it had been ages since he had seen her so much at peace for such a small reason.

He could not believe that Mara was just about the same age as he. Right now she seemed so young and full of life.

Just as he himself once had been.

 

Luke walked down the step-like wall of the Massassi temple with grace and absolute confidence as if he had done it a thousand times. Which he probably had, too. Many times he had observed the sunset from the top of the Great Temple.

This was his favourite spot of the entire Academy; you could see all the temples and the never ending jungle in all directions. It was also easy to meditate up here. And it was the best place to observe the sky. It reminded him a lot of when he as a young man had observed the double sunsets back home on Tatooine.

He had left that world behind him. But his love for the sky he always brought with him.

He must have told Mara about this sometime back, that he used to come up here. From where else would she have learned about the fantastic view? Luke just wished that he could recall the exact time when he had told her.

He sat down on one step above from where Mara sat herself. For some reason, he preferred to not sit too close to her right now. Why he couldn’t explain.

 

 - “I think it even tops the sunset on Coruscant”, Mara said. - “Maybe because it’s so much more quiet here. And, of course, there are no trees on Coruscant”.

The sunset on Coruscant was always breathtaking. Yet, Mara really liked this one here at Yavin even more. Here there were no gigantic miles long sky scrapes. No endless traffic in all directions. No stress. It was just peaceful. It was green and blue and all kinds of natural colours. You could hear the sound of animals. You could even hear the wind blowing.

And she could feel herself as a part of all of it.

 

She was a big city girl.

But there were really only in places like these that she felt life around her.

Apparently, her connection to the Force was increasing by just being here.

 - “You’ve chosen a beautiful place for your Academy, Luke”.

 

Luke grinned a bit, aware that she was too busy to watch the sunset to see him. She had been here many times before but she had never taken the time to absorb the beauty of this forest moon. But she had finally done so now.

And that meant that there might still be hope for her to change her mind about perhaps finishing her training!

 - “Can I persuade you to stay a bit longer then?”

 

His question had been bold, yet clever. He only hoped that she wouldn’t see through the real intention of his question, at least not too quickly. Knowing Mara, she would probably on pure impulse object to his request. Now when she seemed so rarely accommodating he didn’t want to push it away. Patience, as always, was the key here.

 - “I wish I could but I’ve already promised Karrde”, Mara said without braking her eye contact from the declining sun. - “I never break a promise”.

 - “As you wish”.

 

Luke wasn’t really disappointed. He had gotten worse results before. At least, she hadn’t seen through him this time.

However, he couldn’t allow such a golden opportunity pass him by. Mara never did anything for no reason. And her visit here puzzled him. One thing was certain; she had not travelled all this way just to look at a sunset.

 - “Do you want to tell me the real reason why you came, Mara?”

 

Mara didn’t stir. She kept looking ahead as if she hadn’t heard him or ignored him. But the truth was, she was surprised it had taken him this long to ask her that particular question.

And now when he finally did, she suddenly got a bit nervous.

None the less, she would not be rude by not answering him.

 - “I needed to see you”, she said in a low voice.

 

Once again she was talking in riddles, answering him by not giving understandable answers. Luke understood that he had to dig deeper. He could sense the nervousness in her, quite easily too. And when Mara Jade was nervous something was not as they used to be.

 - “But not just to learn new skills in the Force, right?”

No answer this time. He pressed further, making it clear to her that he wanted a more open dialogue.

 - “You said you were bored when you arrived”.

 - “I was”, she said and finally moved, if just a little. She turned a little towards him but still didn’t meet his eyes.

 - “I had to get away from Imperial City for a while”.

 - “What’s happened?”

 

Mara wasn’t ignorant to why he was so curious. Or to his concern in his voice. It had not been her intention to worry him. Yet she had suspected that he would be.

She turned towards him even more and looked up to him, finally facing him.

 - “Nothing major”, she said honestly. - “A few nights ago I went to one of my favourite clubs and I met this good looking, charming guy. One thing lead to another, you know”.

 

Yes, he knew. Luke knew how Mara spent most of her free time; she often told him about it too. Mara liked to meet men. When she had time for it, there had been at least one quick affair at almost every port. At least, that’s how it sounded like.

Probably there weren’t as many men as she made it sound like. But Luke knew that they existed, though. And for some reason, Mara never seemed embarrassed to tell him about it. Never in detail, but she always felt compelled to tell him that she lived her life. Something she often pointed out that he should be doing as well. And Mara wasn’t the only one doing so.

He was happy for her. She had every right to enjoy her life and her freedom, he knew the value of that and how precious it was.

 

Still, every time she told him about it, he was in agony.

Luke didn’t know why it always felt so uncomfortable every time she told him about her latest conquest. Who she was seeing was not his business. And he was glad that she was living her life the way she wanted it to be.

Still, it never felt pleasant to listen. Sometimes, like now in this very moment, it was even a bit painful.

 

 - “But it never leads any further than that”.

 

Her last comment caught his attention. He felt that her nervousness grew larger within her. Luke realized that she was trying to tell him something.

 - “I thought that was the way you wanted it”, he stated, trying to make her open up even more. - “No commitment. Nothing lasting”.

Mara nodded.

 - “I used to want it that way”, she said. - “But I’m not so sure anymore”.

 

Her uncertainty expanded even further. Mara knew he could sense it from her. There was no use trying to block it from him now. She turned her head again, facing away. She could not stop now. Luke would not accept that and she knew how stubborn he could be. Besides, it was because of this she had come here. Luke was listening. And she needed to ease her burden.

She sighed before she begun to speak.

 

 - “I’ve never had a real relationship in my whole life, Luke. And I’m tired of seeing men that just see me as something fun to kill a few hours with”.

Her voice was suddenly filled with anger and disappointment. That gave her the guts to face him again.

 - “You’d be amazed how many pilots, space jockeys and traders there are out there that really has no brain capability what so ever. Blast, I’m so fed up with them! I needed to get away from all that a few days. That’s why I came here”.

 

Luke did not want to find relief in her disappointment of her situation, but somewhere deep inside it felt good hearing her say these things. That she was beginning to realize that her one-night-stands really had no greater meaning. That they didn’t make her happy. He wanted something much better for her.

Who ever these guys were, he knew she was way too good for them.

 - “I, too, often have the need to run away from it all”, he said, knowing that she already knew that too. - “And I’m glad you decided to come. You’re always welcome here, Mara”.

 - “I know”.

 

She knew that very well. And she felt better now. It had taken her many years and a lot of swallowed pride before she had admitted to herself that talking to Luke, about anything, usually always made her feel better. He would never deny her a confession. Or support.

And today it felt better than ever before.

 - “I guess I was in need of a friend right now”, she confessed.

Suddenly she observed him in silence. And her face once more became emotional, just as it had been down in the hangar after her arrival.

Just before she had embraced him.

 

 - “And you are the best friend I’ve ever had”.

 

It turned dead silent between them. None of them spoke. They just kept observing each other.

Luke trembled. He had always known that Mara regarded him as a good friend. But never to such a strong degree. Her best friend, she said? This he had never expected, not from her.

She was not lying. She was not joking either. He sensed that clearly from her. She was dead serious.

And it had touched him deeper than what he ever would have anticipated.

As her words begun to sink in he desperately tried to gather his thoughts. As much as her honestly made him tremble to the bone he did not want it to go away. He was witnessing a side of Mara now that he rarely had seen.

If ever.

 - “I bet that was hard to say”, Luke finally managed to utter.

 

 - “Not so much as you may think”.

Mara saw his obvious confusion. In a way it amused her. This man had faced more dangers than several did in a whole life time. He had seen the deepest darkness and defeated it. And yet his knees buckled when she confessed to him that he was her closest friend.

But she couldn’t blame him for this confusion. Luke truly was her best friend, closer than Talon Karrde even, but she had never been good at making that obvious to him. Rather the opposite.

She wasn’t really sure why she suddenly had told him this. It was nothing she had planned. It just came out of her. But she did not regret it. She should have told him that a long time ago.

 

 - “Despite everything I’ve put you through you still want me around”, she continued, suddenly feeling a little guilty. - “Not many men have had such high thoughts about me. Or cared less”.

 - “You should perhaps consider looking for other kinds of men”, Luke said. He wasn’t criticizing her. Just giving her an advice. And Mara knew he was.

 - “Believe me, I have considered that”.

 

It became more and more clear to Luke now what this whole discussion was all about. Mara had obviously reached some kind of crossroad in life. She was no longer sure if she would continue along as always or dare to start over in a new direction.

Mara had come here for guidance. And to ease her heart. Luke felt suddenly very special. Because she had chosen him to open up to. And he would not let her down!

She was in need of familiar faces, not the ones of strangers one after another after another. As independent as she was, she was in lack of feeling secure.

Luke knew all about these things.

He knew it very well.

 

 - “What about Lando?”, Luke asked carefully. - “I think he still has an eye for you”.

He had always known that Calrissian had been interested in Mara. Nothing peculiar about that, most men that Luke knew were interested in her. Mara and Lando had never been more than friends and working partners, but rumours had been running around from time to time that they were in fact a couple. And he had always found their friendship as peculiar as obvious.

Deep down though, Luke somehow knew that Lando Calrissian wasn’t really the right kind of man for Mara either. Somehow, no one seemed to be. But Lando was at least someone she knew and the possibility for a steady relationship for her didn’t seem impossible with him.

Lando would care for her, which was Mara’s greatest need in life.

And that was the least Luke wished for her.

 

Mara smiled a little as she thought of their mutual, elder friend. Luke was sweet suggesting this to her. He was really trying to help her. But, unfortunately, she was going to disappoint him.

She shook her head.

 - “As long as he’s just looking I don’t mind”, she said. - “There’s nothing wrong with Lando; he’s a very nice man. But I don’t think he’s really what I’m looking for. He reminds me too much of the types of men I want to avoid”.

Her answer didn’t surprise Luke. She was right. Lando was a good man but sometimes he was too charming for his own good. Like all the guys Mara had seen seeing during the years. Charm gets you far but in the end, without anything serious in-between, you get bored. Which, obviously, Mara must have been since she brought all of this up.

 

 - “What kind are you looking for, then?”

Luke held his breath. He had wanted to ask her that for as long as he could remember. And now, finally, he had found a moment to ask which didn’t include that she would twist his arm off.

 

 - “Someone I can trust. Someone I know I can always return to. Someone who’s just as much my friend as my lover”.

 

Her words and her voice carried a strange mix of calmness, care and seriousness. Just as the look in her eyes had done ever since her arrival. Luke could not remember if he ever had witnessed Mara so open and honest since she had told him the reason why she once had hated him and wanted to kill him.

But this time she spoke of completely different things. And it warmed him inside to see that the compassion he always had known lived inside of her actually could come out through her rough shell.

 - “Friendship is a form of love too”, Mara continued. - “As a Jedi you must know that”.

Luke nodded but said nothing that would interrupt her. To hear her say these things was almost more than what he had ever hoped for. And he would never forgive himself if he said or did something that would make her stop.

 

Mara was pleased that he didn’t say anything. Yet, his silence frightened her. Did he agree with her? Did he understand what she was saying?

Or was he just being polite by not arguing with her?

 - “Naughty girls need love too, you know”, she mumbled while her gaze dropped to her feet.

 

 - “I’ve never considered you as one of those, Mara. And I never will!”

 

The seriousness in his voice brought her attention back to him. She could tell that she had touched his feelings with what she had told him here this evening. His blue eyes looked at her with a penetrating stare. And even though his voice revealed the concern within him, it remained calm and focused, as always.

If this was what once had confronted Darth Vader on the Second Death Star, then there was no wonder that Anakin Skywalker had emerged within him. No one could resist the emotional determination of Luke Skywalker!

Not even Mara Jade.

 

 - “You are kind, Luke, but you don’t have to protect me from what I used to be. And, in some ways, still am”.

The old guilt fell upon her again. Mara never liked it when it did that. She had broken all ties with that life, yet it always managed to return to her.

She had done all she could think of to put her Imperial life behind her and in many ways had been successful. But some habits never seized. She always returned to her old self.

And that frightened her.

 

A great sadness filled Luke’s heart when she told him this. For he knew all too well himself what she went through. He felt it himself every day, the never ending reminder of the Dark Side within him which he once had let loose. It caressed him like an ice-cold hand, its touch was impossible to ignore and left you trembling. It never went away. He gazed upon it every time he looked upon himself in the mirror.

But, just as he had done when he broke free of it when Leia had rescued him, Luke fought back. From then on it had been an every day battle. He had sworn to never become like his father, and after still nearly doing so he now knew how to fight and resist. Luke was now aware of the traps and of his own weaknesses. If you knew of the danger you could also avoid it! And he had put it all into a successful use in his teaching.

Serving as Palpatine’s apprentice had not just given him mental scars for life but had also given him great knowledge of the Force. And most of all wisdom.

That’s why it hurt him now when Mara spoke this way. Because she was not fighting as much as he did. It seemed more like she was surrendering to her situation instead of trying to change it. That she accepted that she would always be what she once was.

Or she had simple become too tired to fight back any longer.

That brought Luke great pain. Because he knew that she no longer was what she once was.

Not at all.

 

 - “Don’t do this to yourself”, he warned. - “I know how easy it is to allow yourself to be haunted by your own past. But you shouldn’t let it do that. You have honour, integrity and you value loyalty. And you may hide it from others but you can’t fool me. You have a heart”.

Mara trembled all over. Luke had given her credit before but never so strongly. She gazed back into those penetrating blue eyes and for once found herself almost melting before him.

No, Darth Vader could never have had any chance against that! There was no way!

 - “You’re everything but naughty, Mara. You’re a lady. I mean that”.

 

Suddenly, Mara almost found it difficult to breathe. She was never the type to blush, but she could feel how her face turned red. Was he able to see that!?

Embarrassed and moved by his compliment, she tried to cover her face.

 - “Now you’re spoiling me”, she mumbled.

 - “No. I’m merely being honest”.

The feelings she was trying to hide were no mystery to him. Luke’s policy was never to deliberately read another individual’s mind or scan for feelings, unless he had to. Besides, Mara was strong enough to resist and block him quite well if she wanted him off her mind.

But he hardly needed to use the Force at all to tell what Mara was feeling right now. All her skilled discipline had gone right out the window. And her body language alone was revealing enough. And that was because she rarely received kindness from anyone. And when she did, she hardly knew what to do with it. Or how to respond.

 

 - “I value your friendship greatly, Mara”, Luke continued. - “And you are very right in that friendship is a form of love as well. I always encourage my students and fellow Jedi to love. Compassion and friendship might be the greatest love of all”.

Mara kept blushing; still she could not hold back the smile that emerged in her face. She looked at her friend and a small giggle managed to escape out of her.

 - “You over-romantic you!”

 

Luke burst out into a small laughter as well, which only increased Mara’s own giggles. Soon, both of them were laughing along, feeding the other’s laughter. Mara had accused Luke of many things during their over 15 year long friendship but never to be a romantic. Mara wasn’t wrong about that fact; they both knew she was right. But that she, out of all people, had used such a term of description had been more humorous than intended.

And Skywalker’s always joyful laughter was irresistible to her; it was so contagious she could not resist laughing herself.

After a while they managed to settle down again. Luke dried away some tears of joy from his eyes while Mara turned her attention to the declining sun that had just about disappeared by half behind the horizon by now.

 - “So, what about you, Skywalker?”

 

Luke turned puzzled.

 - “What about me?”

 - “How’s your love life doing? A man that carries so much love inside of him shouldn’t keep it to himself”.

Skilfully, and quite unmerciful too, she had changed the subject to her own favour.

 - “I just told you, I don’t”.

 - “You know what I mean”.

 

That famous, determined seriousness of hers had returned.

 - “A relationship. An affair. A passion besides the ways of the Force”.

Luke sighed, as he always did every time anyone brought this particular subject up. And people had a habit for doing so.

 - “My dedication to this place and to my students leaves very little time left for me to think about such things”.

Mara frowned. This was not the first time she had heard this excuse. His Mastery of the Force did not just give him great power.

It also gave him something to hide behind.

Noticing her reaction, Luke realized that Mara would need more than that as an explanation.

 - “Besides, not many women would stand to put up with me and my way of life”.

 

 - “You still haven’t heard anything from Callista, then?”

 

Mara had put it as a question. But it sounded like a statement. And it hit Luke’s heart with such force that it hurt to his very core. It wasn’t Mara that had hurt him, though. It was the memory of Callista Ming.

 - “No”, he answered softly. - “Not a word”.

 

Callista.

The woman that once had been a Jedi Knight.

The woman he many years ago had met as a spirit aboard the ship The Eye of the Palpatine.

The woman that had been permitted to use one of his now late student’s body, so she would be able to live with him.

The woman that had lost all her Jedi abilities and connection to the Force because she had chosen to be with him.

The woman he loved.

The woman that had left him.

Years ago.

And during all that time, Luke had waited desperately for her to return to him. And he had not been close to any woman since the day Callista had left.

He hadn’t loved since that day.

Not passionately.

 

Mara gazed carefully over her shoulder up to him. Luke wore the same tragic look on his face as he always did when anyone mentioned Callista’s name. The more time passed by, she could not deny that she began feeling pretty much the same as he over the matter. With the difference that she had not plenty of nice thoughts left over for Callista’s part.

In fact, sometimes that woman could fill her with rage! Even in her absence.

And it was Callista’s absence that was the reason to both her own and most of all Luke’s upset feelings.

 

 - “Can I be honest with you?” Mara asked.

 - “Has there ever been a time when you haven’t?”

Luke knew that Mara would never accept no for an answer. He did not feel like talking about Callista, especially not now when Mara’s surprise visit had put him into such a good mood. But it would be impossible to stop her from doing just that so he could just as well let her and hope she would drop the subject and continue along with something else.

Mara knew he wasn’t making back flips of joy to talk about this. But she felt the urge to do so. Not to upset him. But to make him see reason in this madness. She had tried before but failed.

She had to keep on trying.

Mara rose up and climbed up a step and sat down again right next to him.

 

 - “I know what Callista means to you”, she stated carefully. - “But I do not like what she’s doing to you”.

She wanted to get right to the point. The hard part was not to hurt him in the process. And with Callista involved, that was nearly impossible to avoid.

Just as a stubborn child that refused to pay proper attention after being caught, Luke did not look at her when he answered. And irritation was obvious in his voice.

 - “Callista has made her decision. I have to respect that”.

 - “Respect?” Mara spat. All efforts to try to handle this in a political manner were already light-years away.

 - “Why should you respect that she left you to your own solitude!?”

 

Her outburst broke his coolness.

 - “No, that’s not what happened”, he said firmly. - “She didn’t leave me, she just left me behind”.

 - “What’s the difference?”

Mara’s green eyes almost glimmered with concern for her friend. She knew all too well how much Luke cared for this woman. But just as well she also knew how much he suffered from doing so.

 - “When are you going to realize what she’s doing to you?” she asked in a calmer voice.

 - “She chose her pursuit of the Force instead of you! And she’s been gone for years now. She does not deserve your loyalty. And not your respect”.

 

Mara had never really liked Callista, Luke had always known that. First he had suspected it, and then he just knew. Why he was never just as sure of, though. Callista had never done Mara anything. Except leaving him.

Mara wasn’t making false accusations. Callista had left this place, had left him, in her attempts to try to regain her lost connection to the Force. Luke had done everything he could think of to help her find her abilities again, but all attempts had failed. And when Callista had discovered that perhaps the only way to succeed was to in fact give in to the Dark Side, she had left Yavin 4. She had left so that Luke wouldn’t witness her possible fall. She had wanted to save him from that pain.

Because she loved him.

Mara, though, did not see it that way. She did not see Callista’s reasons as good enough to leave. What puzzled Luke the most, though, was that Mara spent so much endless time and energy to even bother about his relationship with Callista. Mara had taken it all so personally.

 

 - “From your point of view I can understand why you see it that way”, Luke said and gazed into Mara’s eyes, trying to figure out what reason lied behind all that anger in her about all of this. - “But Callie and I shared a bond that was unique. I don’t want to destroy or betray that”.

It had been very unique!

Luke had not even heard of such a connection before. Onboard The Eye of the Palpatine, he and Callista had made an emotional connection that was beyond everything physical. If she hadn’t been there, Luke wasn’t sure he would have been able to survive the ordeal on that mission. In her spirit form and with the Force still available to her at that time, it had felt as her essence had been one with his won. It was a pleasure beyond all belief!

A love beyond all reason!

 - “The Force brought me closer to her than I’ve ever been to anyone. After all this time, that is actually what I miss the most”.

 

He had never wanted to admit it to Callista, but once the Force had abandoned her when she had entered Cray’s body, making it into her own; she had just not been quite the same anymore as she had been on that ship. It wasn’t the body. It was the lack of the Force.

The connection was gone. The love was still present, though. And for a few months, Luke had loved more passionately than he ever had done before.

But Callista’s life here at the Jedi Academy had almost immediately become difficult. Surrounded by Jedi in training and living with a Jedi Master, she was constantly reminded of the power she had lost. She had tried to overcome it by teaching Luke everything she knew about the Force and her knowledge had given him deeper insight. But her own, however, began to change in time.

 

When Luke had begun talking about having a deeper relationship with her, perhaps even the possibility to create a family, Callista had been doubtful. Not because she didn’t want to or didn’t love him. But she had the opinion that since she had lost her Jedi abilities, they risked to have children that would not inherit the Force as well. A Jedi Master could not have a none-Force sensitive offspring. It was better to have none at all in that case.

This had been the first true setback for Luke, besides the frustration of being helpless to help her regain what she had lost. He wanted children. He saw the joy that Han and Leia had because of their three children. He loved Jaina, Jacen and Anakin immensely as if they were his own, but he was their uncle, not their father. He longed for children of his own. But Callista wouldn’t give it to him.

And then she had left.

All Luke had left now was the memories and the solitude.

 

Leia had in fact run into Callista shortly after her departure and had been taught some new skills in handling her lightsaber. But since then there hadn’t been a word from her anywhere. Luke didn’t know what had become of her quest. Had she succeeded? Had she failed?

Was she even alive?

He did not know.

Yet he waited.

He waited and hoped.

That was all he could do.

 

Many had pointed out to him that he shouldn’t go on like this. Everybody saw how heartbroken he was, except himself who refused to acknowledge it. Leia had tried to make him date some other women, every time in vain. And the more years passed by, the less important the need for love and pleasure seemed to be. Luke had given his work his full dedication instead. And he absorbed himself in the third rule of the Jedi Code:

There is no passion; there is serenity.

That did not remove the pain of his loss.

But it gave him comfort that he had a reason to lean upon.

 

Mara, just as most of the people around him, knew of his pain as well. She could even feel it at times herself. The Emperor had deeply developed her skill to connect with other Force-sensitives’ minds over great distances. And not even Luke, with all his strength, could sometimes keep her out.

She had never forced herself into his mind, though. She would never do that. That would be an equal crime as to a rape, if it was done without permission. She didn’t have to enter his mind anyway. His pain was always evident in his eyes, which were like little gateways into his heart.

Once she had spoken to Callista in private, telling her to take care of Luke. To never hurt him. Now she felt betrayed by the former female Jedi. And Mara never took betrayal lightly.

 

 - “Your loyalty to her is honourable”, she said and meant it. - “But it’s also destructive! Because you give so much and receive nothing in return. Your love for her is nothing but a prison. You deny yourself your right to be happy”.

Carefully she reached out for his hand and squeezed it. She thought he wouldn’t respond or perhaps would even draw away. Instead, he squeezed back, without hesitation.

 - “And it’s very difficult for me, as your friend, to watch you suffer so inhumanly”.

 

She had never told him so honestly of how she felt. And Luke had no idea that his own pain had such a huge impact on her as well. He struggled to hold back the tears that wished to appear.

 - “She’s not coming back, Luke”, Mara stated gently. Immediately, Luke removed his hand. That was the one thing he did not want to hear!

 - “You don’t know that”, he mumbled while trying to find control over his feelings. Mara, however, did not give up that easily.

 - “Not even you can deny the small odds of her ever returning. If she truly loved you, as much as you love her, she would have returned by now. Or never had left at all!”

 - “You don’t understand, Mara!”

 - “How can you be so sure of that?”

 

Luke observed her in silence for a moment. What he was about to say was perhaps not the kindest thing to say.

 - “Because you have never loved, Mara”.

His words hit her hard.

 - “I said I’ve never had a real relationship”, she corrected. - “But I do know what it means to love someone!”

Luke felt dumbstruck. Not just because he knew he had offended her but also because she had never told him about that before. Her lack of reasons to love was why he didn’t want her to continue seeing all kinds of men for just a night’s pleasure. This was a whole new revelation to him.

 - “What I don’t understand, however, is your behaviour”, Mara continued. - “What is it that allows you to forgive her over and over again, despite how much her absence hurts you?”

 

Luke took a deep breath. How many times had he told this, over and over again? Why did everyone seem to refuse to understand?

 - “Loosing her Force abilities was devastating for her”, he said, as he had done numerous times before. It now started to feel like an ever going speech, like something he used over and over again for his Jedi students. But he was not in class now. And Mara was no student.

 - “And since she was living here, with me, it just made her whole life even harder to endure”, he went on. - “In the end it pushed her to make a decision”.

A decision which he, alone, carried the heaviest consequences of.

 

 - “I know. But it would never have been mine!”

 

Once again, her totally unexpected honesty took him completely off guard. By all the stars of the Universe, what was she saying to him?

Mara turned to him again and found his blue eyes staring at her and his whole being seemed to gasp. If she hadn’t been such a coward and told him this many years ago, then he wouldn’t be staring at her looking like a fool.

But Luke was no fool.

He was only ignorant to her true feelings for him.

And the blame for that was totally her own.

 

Mara knew she couldn’t leave him hanging by the edge like that. And she also wanted to finish what she had to say.

And it felt better than what she’d ever expected to ease her mind.

 - “Despite everything that’s happened between us, Luke, or will ever happen for that matter, I will never put the Force ahead of my friendship to you! That’s a promise!”

 

A tiny smile of happiness and gratitude appeared in Luke’s face. Every word she said was true. He sensed it clearly in her. And he knew that she always kept her promises!

What ever happened, Mara would never leave him. She would never abandon him.

She would never hurt him like Callista had.

Somehow he had always known that. But to actually have it confirmed made his entire being shiver. And it reminded him of the deep down, hidden feelings he always had felt for this woman.

Feelings that he really never had understood.

Or correctly, had never dared to understand.

A great relief fell upon him. What ever their friendship would take them from here on, it would never be as it had been before this day. And it would be better!

Just as he always had prayed for!

 

 - “Look, I didn’t come here to badmouth Callista, but someone must help you see reason”, Mara continued gently. - “I understand that it’s painful. The truth always is, I sure know that”.

She knew that very well. And so did Luke.

 - “Yeah. It is”, he agreed.

The truth had been kept from them in different stages of their lives by others. And once it had emerged it had changed them forever. Perhaps the power of truth was the greatest connection they both had and shared.

And maybe that was why it also always managed to overpower them so strongly once it reached them.

 

With a gentle gesture, Mara put her hand on Luke’s shoulder. He could feel the light touch of her fingers through the black fabric of his Jedi outfit. And her friendly touch suddenly made him feel almost feverish.

 - “You live your life to the fullest as Jedi Master and you do so very well”, she explained.

 - “But you’re forgetting yourself in the process. You won’t admit it, but you’re lonely”.

She paused before she continued.

 - “It would do you good to see a new woman”.

Luke frowned.

 - “Now you’re starting to sound like my sister”.

 

Mara couldn’t control her outburst of laughter. She knew that Luke’s sister had tried in vain to set up dates for him. But that Luke compared her to Leia Organa-Solo, the Chief of State of the New Republic was utterly amusing. Especially since she and Leia did not have much at all in common.

 - “Me and Leia don’t always agree, especially not regarding you”, Mara stated. - “But for once we seem to do so”.

Back during the days when Mara had sworn to kill Skywalker she had once confessed to his sister of her intentions. Since that day, Leia had always kept a suspicious eye on her, even if she now knew that Mara would never hurt Luke.

Still, the two women maybe did have one thing in common after all.

They wanted to see Luke Skywalker happy again.

 

Old memories suddenly came back to Mara. During the years she and Leia had slowly begun to be more open to each other. And one moment above all others came back to her now.

 - “You know, she once told me a long time ago that when she rescued you from the Dark Side and Palpatine’s hold on you, you had told her that the ways of the Force is not a solitary path”.

Luke’s stare came back. He had absolutely no knowledge of this.

 - “Leia has told you about that?”

 - “Only briefly. And because I asked her to”.

It was a very touchy topic for him, something he preferred not to discuss with anyone. He didn’t mind that Leia had told Mara about it, Mara had her own experiences of the Dark Side and of Emperor Palpatine. She would never look down on him for his own sins.

But he was surprised, though, that Leia had told her without ever telling him she had done so.

 

 - “But my point is; what you told Leia that day reminded me of something similar the same wise man once told me as well. That the battle will never have to be fought alone”.

Yes, Luke remembered. He remembered both moments. And he understood what Mara was getting at.

Mara gave him a little smile. And her fingers gently dug themselves into his shoulder even more.

 - “You should listen more to your own words, Master Skywalker. Because you’re not wrong”.

 

Luke met her sweet gaze and observed her in awe. She definitely knew more than what she gave the appearance of.

 - “I didn’t know you paid so much attention, Mara”.

 - “Well, when you have a Jedi as a close friend, it’s really hard to avoid listening. And it can be damn annoying at times, too”.

Luke smiled briefly at her words. Mara always had such different ways of expression. He also sensed how her hand kept caressing his shoulder. And it was starting to drive him mad! During all the years they had known each other, actual physical contact from her was extremely rare.

And today he had already received more than what he had in years.

 - “Usually, however, I don’t mind listening”, she concluded.

 

 - “I haven’t changed my point of view of what I told Leia that day”, Luke said while gazing out over the jungle and the now the almost disappeared sun. He thought back to that moment when Leia had managed to drag him away from the Dark Side and prevented him to become just like their father. The gratitude for that and the unconditional, powerful love he had for her saw no boundaries. Luke loved his sister above all others. And he was proud of it too.

He reached out with the Force and sensed all the lives around him. He could feel the heartbeats, every breath, everything that grew. He was a part of all this wonder, as they were a part of him. Just as Master Yoda once had told him, they were all luminous beings. And that knowledge always gave him piece.

 - “All beings are connected through the Force”, Luke said. - “In a sense, none of us are ever alone”.

 

The touch of Mara’s hand on his shoulder became more direct and it broke his concentration.

 - “Yet, you are alone, Luke”, she reminded. - “I see it more clearly every time I see you”.

Once more he was using the Force as a shield to hide his feelings. She would not let him do that.

 - “I know why you seek solitude. But that is no solution that will make your pain go away”.

 - “I’m not in pain”, Luke objected stubbornly. Immediately he felt how his words tasted badly in his mouth. He imagined that his father must have felt the same bad taste as well from time to time. For Anakin Skywalker had too denied reality in fear of it.

 

Mara sighed, feeling quite disappointed. For she knew he was not at all honest with her. It was, perhaps, easier for her to acknowledge the truth since she was not affected by it directly as he was. But he was a Jedi Master. Ignorance was not the way of a Jedi, even she knew that.

And his lack of honesty was also hurtful. Because it reminded her of another Master she had known that had lied to her from the very beginning.

And she did not want to be reminded of that.

 - “Do all Masters always find it so easy to lie?”

 

Luke knew what she was gaining at. His eyes glared hurtfully at her. He, too, did not want to be reminded of him. Palpatine had hurt them both far enough. And that she was now suggesting that he was just like the late Emperor was not fun to hear at all.

Still, it didn’t upset him. Luke could not blame her for that.

 - “It’s the path I’ve chosen”, he said firmly. - “For me to walk on it I must make some sacrifice. A life without rewards, without remorse and without regret”.

 - “But it’s not what you had wished for. Are you sure you don’t suffer needlessly? There are other ways, Luke. Other paths that you might take”.

 

Luke shook his head.

 - “What you say might seem like wisdom. If it wasn’t for the warning in my heart”.

 - “Warning? Against what?”

The memories of the Dark Side emerged once more from within him.

 - “I tried another path once and it almost meant the end for us all! I will never do that again!”

 - “I’m not suggesting that you should turn to the Dark Side, Luke”.

 - “I know that. But I don’t dare to make any such risks again, there’s too much at stake. My path is not easy, but it is for the good of all. If an existence in solitude is what destiny asks of me, then I can only accept it”.

 - “But for the love of the Force..!”

Mara shook her head and buried her face in her palm. Was she ever going to get anywhere with this man?

 - “Why can’t you Jedi ever do things the simple way?”

 

Luke had to hold himself from actually laughing. Her words were identical to the ones he had heard many years ago from another rouge Jedi just like Mara, Kyle Katarn. Perhaps not so strange since Mara had trained under Katarn’s tutelage for a short while.

And he now gave Mara the exact same answer as he once had given Kyle.

 - “If the ways of the Jedi were easy, Mara, there would be millions of us instead of dozens”.

 

Of course he would say that! Why wasn’t she surprised? The Jedi Master seemed to know of every evasive manoeuvre in the book regarding the things that belonged to his backyard.

But she refused to give up this time. She couldn’t give up!

Not this time.

 

 - “And many of those that are Jedi are nowhere near your level of solitude. Your sister is happily married. Kam and Tionne have found each other. Kyle has found his happiness with Jan Orrs. Frankly, most the Jedi of today are happy. Except you”.

She caressed his shoulder again. If she continued that gentle touch, Luke wasn’t really sure what he would do. The touch wasn’t just being friendly and supportive.

There was something else.

Something more.

 - “If they can find it, then why can’t you?” she asked - “Your life is hard to live far enough as it is. And you can only last to a certain point”.

 

Her hand suddenly moved from his shoulder to the back of his neck. And there it caressed him, over and over again. Luke could not hold back the small gasp of satisfaction that managed to escape. He struggled to keep all other feelings at bay. Her touch, her massaging movements, felt incredibly good! He could not recall the last time he had received such a touch.

He wanted to close his eyes.

He longed to release the moan of pleasure that wanted to break free from within him.

He hoped she would never stop!

 

But if she didn’t stop he would never be able to resist.

And what exactly was he resisting?

Why did he respond in such a way?

Why had such a powerful lust, a lust he thought had been gone since years back, emerged so easily and quickly from such a simple thing?

And why was he so afraid to show how he felt?

 

Her fingers felt like heaven! Her grasp was strong but moved gently. Luke could not hold it back anymore. Mara was no fool, she must know of the pleasure he felt and was trying to hide from her.

He began breathing more heavily and his eyes became half closed. Mara smiled vaguely. She was being victorious!

Finally she had managed to reach him where he always had kept her out!

And, just as she had suspected, he wanted what she gave him.

 

She kept massaging his neck. His muscles were hard from long years of struggle and no relaxation. She increased the pressure of her grip a little bit and another small gasp escaped from him. Perhaps her touch was a little bit painful right now but he still enjoyed it.

Her fingers slowly found their way a little bit up into his hair. Mara easily felt how he trembled now. But also how he had locked his mind with the Force, allowing her no entrance inside. But his struggle was in vain.

Mara already knew of the turmoil inside of him.

And to create it had been the whole idea from the beginning.

 

Her hand returned back down to his neck. Luke still didn’t move. He hadn’t moved a muscle, not an inch, since her massage had begun. He had completely surrendered to her touch. Never before had Mara Jade ever had so much control of him.

 

 - “You’re very tense, my friend”, she whispered softly. - “You could use a nice, long screw”.

 

His now almost entirely shut eyes flew open. He turned to look at her once more. When he did, her hand moved away from him completely. Luke felt almost abandoned once her touch disappeared. But he realized that his sudden reaction perhaps could have frightened her.

No. Mara wasn’t frightened. Not her. Not of such a thing. That fact made him feel even more abandoned now.

Her suggestion both puzzled him and yet it didn’t. Mara’s eyes were dead serious. She was not mocking him.

She told the truth.

She said out loud what they both knew he deep down wanted. And needed.

To deny that would be offensive to them both.

 

 - “Probably”, he honestly admitted, not feeling at all as embarrassed by her words as he first had thought he would be. - “But that alone is not the answer”.

 - “Believe me, I know”, Mara said. - “But it’s a start. And just what you need, I think”.

Luke could not believe that he actually had such a conversation, especially with her. They were talking about each others sex lives. He never did that with anyone.

So why did it not feel strange talking to Mara?

Was it because she understood? At least somewhat more than the rest?

Luke did not know.

All he did know was that he would be more confused than ever once this day would be over.

 

 - “Why do you feel the need for me to teach you when you’re already gifted with such intuitive powers?” he asked jokingly. Mara shrugged her shoulders.

 - “You are the Master. You tell me”.

Silence fell between them again. Both gazed towards the now almost entirely disappearing sun. Darkness quickly fell over the Academy now.

 - “I know you mean well, Mara”, Luke said suddenly. - “You all do”.

He knew everyone around him wished the best for him. And he knew he constantly was disappointing them or feeding their concern. But what was he supposed to do? He was pushed into a corner. Mara was right; he was trapped by his feelings for Callista. But to turn his back to her was a thought too terrible to endure.

Luke buried his face in his hands.

 - “I know I should break with Callista”, he continued. - “But so far I haven’t found a reason why I should. And until I do I will not betray her”.

 

The determination in his voice did not pass Mara unnoticed. Defeated, once more, she nodded sadly to herself.

 - “If that is your decision I will respect that”, she said. - “It just hurts me to see you like this, that’s all. You are too stubborn for your own good”.

 - “You shouldn’t worry about me, Mara. I’m fine”.

Mara shook her head.

 - “No, you’re not”.

She kept looking into those blue eyes of his. They drew her to him and he wasn’t even aware of the power he had over her. She hesitated. No, no more hesitation! She had been dragging this out far too long!

Slowly she pulled herself much closer next to him. So close that their bodies made contact.

 - “That’s why I’d like to give you something, if you will let me”.

 

She came even closer. Her arm was suddenly around his neck, pulling him to her. Luke jerked back a little, totally unprepared by this sudden action on her part.

 - “What are you doing?”

 - “Sch…”

Mara put two fingers onto his lips. Luke stopped resisting and said no more. Right now he wasn’t able to do anything. Except staring back into those green, beautiful eyes of hers.

She was so close! He could feel her breath on his face!

What was she doing?

Mara removed her fingers and drew herself even closer.

 - “Just for once, trust me”, she whispered. - “Just this once…”

And then she kissed him.

 

Her lips made a gentle contact with his. She lingered there, simply letting this new sensation embrace her. Then she began pulling back again. But the contact had barely broken before she felt his objection. Luke followed her movement, wouldn’t let her stop. She had not intended to go further.

But now she couldn’t resist!

She pulled herself back to him again, increasing the kiss. Luke’s heart was pounding. And when he felt her tongue slowly enter his mouth he could no longer hold back the desire.

A small, innocent and desperate moan pushed out of his lungs and he met her tongue with his own. His response made Mara moan herself. Her gasps of pleasure just kept feeding his own.

It was so long since he had felt the taste of a woman! And Mara tasted lovely!

The kiss grew even more intense. The passion increased. But their lips kept moving in a slow pace. There was no force, no demand. Merely giving and pleasure.

Luke’s mind was spinning. She was kissing him! And this was no friendly kiss!

It was the kiss of a lover.

 

Her hand behind his neck kept holding him close. And her other hand gently touched his face. Self he did not dare to move, even if he longed to touch her. If he did she might draw away. He could not afford that. He let her have her way.

If anyone were to harm him in this very moment, that would not had been difficult. Right now, Luke could not sense anything else but the pleasure she was giving him. His entire being rested in her hands.

He felt bold enough, though, to keep kissing her back. He let his tongue meet hers again and again and pushed it into her mouth as well. Her moans in response to this boldness kept encouraging him. Luke no longer cared why she kissed him, only that she did!

And he didn’t want her to stop.

 

But she did.

As slowly as it had begun, Mara drew away from him.

Luke gasped for air and slowly opened his eyes again. His heart was running like a hyperdrive. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe.

Mara smiled gently. She seemed almost shy. She was still only a few inches away. Her eyes looked at him in a way he never had seen before. In her eyes he saw what he himself felt. Desire!

Luke could still feel the taste of her. And that taste was already driving him crazy.

 - “Why..?” he finally asked in a trembling voice.

 - “Because you deserve it”, Mara whispered back and caressed his cheek once more.

 

She pulled away and gazed a last time towards the sun that now had basically disappeared behind the canopy of the jungle. Only a few streams of light remained.

 - “It’s getting late now”, she said and rose to her feet. - “I’m going back down to my ship. I need a little snack”.

She leaned down and put a gentle hand onto his shoulder once more.

 - “Do not fear to come to me if you want something”.

 

Then she started climbing back up to the entrance of the temple. She did not look back. And Luke did not look at her as she disappeared. He was still unable to move.

If any other woman had moved this close to him and kissed him he would have responded differently. But the woman this time was Mara Jade.

Mara Jade!

How could this be?

The woman who once had wished him dead.

Now this woman had given him a gift. A small but powerful gift.

 

Luke suddenly jerked, as if waking up from a dream. But he was not dreaming. This was truly happening.

Now alone he finally let out the gasps that he had so long struggled to hold back. He felt cold and warm at the same time. He brought his hand to his forehead and realized he was sweating. And that he was deeply aroused!

It had taken him so many years and so much effort to learn to ignore his needs. In just a few seconds, Mara had made that entire discipline go away. And the most amazing thing of all was the fact that he was not even upset about that.

The darkness of night was enclosing him but all he saw now was light.

The light in her.

The light in himself.

He had not seen such light in a very long time.

It was only a sparkle, small and fragile. But it was there. Mara had enlightened it. Now it relied on him if it should go on living.

 

He suddenly remembered her last words before she had left him alone to embrace what she had given him. Luke stood up and went inside. He had a goal but found himself unable to focus. He knew what he wanted but was aware that it was impossible. This couldn’t possibly happen again.

His arousal was the result of an over a decade long solitude. Mara had kissed him, yes, but nothing more. She knew of his solitude and had wanted to make him feel better. Therefore he wanted to do something for her in return. And he knew just the thing!

 

The last streams of light of this day disappeared behind the horizon. The night had come once more to Yavin 4.

 

******************************

 

Mara searched around in the kitchen cabin of The Jade’s Fire for something to eat but realized that she wasn’t really hungry. That had just been an excuse to create some distance between him and her.

 

She stopped everything for a second and fell back to the moment when he had kissed her back. She had honestly never expected that Luke would do that. Nor that it would feel as good as it had.

It had never been her intention to kiss him so deeply and passionately. It was only supposed to be small and symbolic, nothing more.

But it had turned out to be so much more.

Luke’s desire for more had affected her. And she had gotten carried away.

She did not regret it. Not at all. She had even more now accomplished what she had set out to do. The ball rested with him now. It was up to him how the game should continue.

And that could be anything between nothing and everything.

She suddenly felt a sensation through the Force. He was close!

 

She left the kitchen and smiled with satisfaction when she found Luke inside of her ship, leaning against the wall close to the entrance, waiting for her.

He had a look in his eyes she had never seen before, at least never aimed at her. The shyness he had shown up at the temple was all gone. He smiled back at her and seemed to be up to something. Something playful.

In fact, this new, happy and joyful look was a very appealing change in the Jedi Master. And Mara liked it a lot.

 

 - “You decided to come after all”, she stated, still a little bit surprised that he had. She mentioned nothing of what have happened and neither did he. His penetrating eyes, suddenly so full of life, told a different story, though. What she had given him was very much left in his thoughts.

 - “Since you’re staying here for such a limited time I see no point in not taking advantage of the little time we have”, Luke said and grinned even more. - “The night is still young”.

He was suggesting something. He wanted something. Mara took a few steps closer. Two could play this game. It was a game she was very good at. No man had ever resisted so far.

 - “What do you have in mind?” she asked challengingly and put her left hand by her waist. His response was immediate. She could literary feel how his eyes undressed her down to her naked skin. She knew that Luke had looked at her in such ways before but had always hidden it.

Now he hid nothing.

 - “Something I know you’ve wanted for a very long time”, he answered.

 

Mara gasped. Was he really suggesting what she was thinking?

Had she truly been so successful?

Had she actually been able to break through all that Jedi discipline of his?

Had one kiss from her been enough for him to make him realize that he needed to live as well?

 

Luke held up his lightsaber before her.

 - “To have a practise duel with me”, he continued. Mara had been at him for years to have him perfecting her skills with the lightsaber. So far he had said no, for several reasons. Mostly because he wanted her to perfect her other Jedi skills first before she took up her sword. It was a matter of security, mostly for herself.

But this time he found no reason to refuse her.

 

She sighed deeply to herself. He had suggested the next best thing.

Mara did everything in her power to conceal her disappointment. Well, she wasn’t really disappointed; she had waited long for this offer.

But she had waited for something else much longer.

 

 - “Alright” she agreed. If that was as far as she was able to push him, that should be enough for her this time. She had not expected to be successful at all when she decided to come here.

Pleased with her acceptance, Luke turned half way towards the exit of her ship, eager to get started right away.

 - “Good. Bring your lightsaber”.

Mara reached out both her hands and two lightsabers landed in each hand. She held up both to him for him to see.

 - “Blue or purple?”

 

For the first time since he had entered her ship, Luke seemed a bit surprised. He looked at the two lightsabers. The one in her right hand he was very familiar with, it had been his own for a few years and before him it had belonged to his father. The one she held in her left hand was the one she had used while being the Emperor’s Hand.

 - “You carry both with you?”

 - “In my business you can never be too careful”, she said. - “After all, where would you have been without your own?”

She had made a good point. But to see her old weapon that had once served the Emperor he had not expected.

 - “I didn’t even know you still had your old one”, he pointed out to her.

 - “I never got rid of it, “she explained. - “I prefer to have the odds on my side. Why have one when you can have two?”

Luke grinned. She was thinking like a Jedi and yet she did not at all. He wondered where Master Yoda’s old rule about do and do not would fit in on Mara.

Because it never did.

 

 - “Blue or purple?” she repeated. Luke looked back and forth to the two lightsabers. It didn’t take him long to reach a decision.

 - “Blue”.

Mara grinned. She knew he would pick his old weapon. He was still strongly emotionally connected to it. He had fought against his father at Cloud City with this weapon. And it had been his first gift to her.

However, it had not been his greatest gift to her.

That was something quite different.

She put the other lightsaber away and attached the one he had chosen to her belt. Luke was already halfway outside.

 - “Where are we going, anyway?” she wondered. - “Just outside?”

 - “No. Since the sun has set I don’t want to cause the other students too much disturbance, they require and deserve their rest after a hard day of training”.

Luke looked over his shoulder towards her and that boyish and playful look was there once more.

 - “I was thinking of a more secluded area”, he said. - “Follow me”.

In this moment, since he was giving her such strong gazes of desire, Mara would follow him where ever he would ever go. Even to the darkest regions of the Dark Side if she had to. Just if he kept looking at her that way.

 - “As you wish, o Jedi Master”.

Chapter 3

Truly, Deeply

 

 - “Well, here we are”.

 

Mara looked swiftly over to Luke next to her and then walked passed him into the area which he had lead her to.

They had entered the large temple to the south, on the outskirts of the Academy area. Kyle Katarn had told Mara about this temple once. Many years ago, Katarn had both retrieved his old lightsaber here and also fought his final battle against Desann, a former and fallen student of Skywalker’s. The temple was uninhabited, nothing more than a haze of corridors and booby-traps. The rest was all ruin.

Like the large room which Luke had now led them to. They were at the very top of the temple. Basically only half of this room remained. Most of the roof was gone and a great gap in the outside wall faced the jungle surroundings outside. And inside of the large chamber laid great pillars and big chunks of rock all over the floor and on top of each other that had fallen down when the roof and walls once had caved in.

The Jedi Academy had survived several attacks during the years. Afterwards, the destroyed buildings had been repaired. Except for this temple. Luke preferred it better the way it now was. It was the perfect training ground. And this room was excellent for lightsaber training.

 

Mara walked slowly into the dark chamber. No artificial lights existed here, only the light from the stars and the planet of Yavin which cast a strange orange light over the whole place.

At the far end of the chamber had a kind of balcony been created when this room had collapsed. All that remained was a small fraction of a wall to the right; the rest had fallen to the ground outside. The warm jungle air of the night swept across the room. It was much cooler than during the day but still warm.

Mara smiled. Luke sure knew how to pick the perfect spots.

 

 - “Nice”, she stated and faced him again. - “It’s secluded, alright. Not many will hear or see us up here”.

She placed her hands by her waists and eyed him seducingly.

 - “But that was what you wanted, wasn’t it?”

 

The strange and new playful look in his eyes had not disappeared since Luke had entered The Jade’s Fire about fifteen minutes ago. And Mara could still feel its burning gaze on her body, even in the darkness of night that more and more surrounded them.

Still, also a much more familiar and serious look gazed upon her as he approached her. Mara knew that her kiss before had affected her friend in some kind of way. But above all else, Luke was a Jedi Master. That could never be ignored.

 - “Yes, out of respect for my fellow Jedi”, he answered. - “And for you too”.

 

Luke saw her disappointment. He had hoped she wouldn’t be. But if they were going to do this, discipline was absolutely necessary. The slightest distraction could even be dangerous. If Mara was serious about this then she also have to learn to focus upon the task at hand and clear her mind of all else.

 - “You asked of me to teach you while you are here, right?” Luke continued. - “The Jedi of the old days used to teach individually. Mostly I don’t have that luxury since I’m the only Jedi Master, but I take the opportunity when ever it’s offered to me”.

 - “Really?” Mara wondered. - “You could have fooled me”.

Luke stopped and eyed her a bit suspiciously. She had sounded even more disappointed now than before.

 - “What do you mean by that?” he asked.

 - “Nothing”.

 

She didn’t look at him. And she didn’t want to answer him either. She had already gone through this with him this evening what she was referring to; she did not want to go through it all again. At least not the same day. It was his own fault if he didn’t pay attention or listened to her.

And he had only himself to blame when they now were totally alone and the fire seemed to have come to life within them and he wanted to waste it all by teaching.

Yes, Mara was disappointed. The fire that for years had reigned within her had grown stronger and brighter than ever before since the moment she had kissed him. And he still did not see it!

She had been so sure of that he had, finally. But apparently he had not at all.

 

Still, the last she wanted now was for him to share her disappointment. If he wanted to instruct her, then she would let him.

 - “Look, I really do appreciate that you take your time”, Mara said honestly. - “And I will give you my full attention”.

She unhooked her lightsaber from her belt.

 - “I have to warn you, though. I might be better than you think”.

 

Luke smiled. She was always so full of life. So full of spirit. And she was so self-confident. He knew he was going to enjoy this.

 - “I truly hope so, Mara. I could use some equal resistance”.

For the truth to be known, he had longed for it for quite some time, without the meaning of the risk of not surviving the ordeal. Several of his students and fellow Jedi were skilled with their lightsabers. But, judging from how he already knew how Mara handled her own Jedi weapon, this training session would not so tamed. Mara would do everything to win, he just knew that. And Luke was greatly looking forward to this challenge.

 

He unhooked his own lightsaber while they created a gap between them. He ignited his weapon and the green blade appeared. The darkness around them increased the light from the weapon and Mara could easily see his face now.

 - “Now remember, concentrate!” Luke stated seriously. - “Let the Force guide you. And, above all else, be patient. Are you ready?”

Mara nodded and the blue plasma-beam of light appeared, making her look as she was gleaming blue in the darkness.

 - “Yes”.

They kept observing each other, raising their sabers into a ready position, making a small salute. Luke took a few steps to his right. Mara immediately responded by doing the same, never taking her eyes of him. Good. She was focused. He felt her concentration. And also a great urge to show him what she could do. Luke could hardly hold back the grin.

He would definitely enjoy this!

 - “Then, defend yourself!” he said.

 

Luke quickly decreased the gap between them and made a simple assault against her. Mara blocked him, determination and concentration reigning in her eyes. He continued by attacking her again, all from different angles. Just as before, Mara blocked his weapon long before it would do any harm. They kept the blades locked for a moment and kept their eye contact. Luke gave her a simple nod of content. Her reactions were splendid.

Her skills were much better than what he once had been himself when he had confronted his father the first time. If he back then had had her skill, then just maybe he would perhaps never had lost his hand.

He took a step back and then swiftly moved around her to confuse her and made another assault. Mara blocked the green blade once more and then grew tired of being the passive one. She made an assault of her own which Luke skilfully blocked. She moved against him again and again, only to be stopped each time and then forced to defend herself anew.

The speed increased. The level of skill grew steadily. The danger became more and more evident. Still, the two Jedi were deeply enjoying themselves.

 

The dark was making it hard to see. Sometimes the only thing visible was the blue and green blades of plasma, both swiftly moving, humming through the air as they did so. Mara realized more and more why Luke had chosen this area for their practise duel. He made a great leap backwards up to a fallen pillar and she jumped up after him. Their blades clashed again as they both fought to keep their balance without falling down. Eventually, Luke jumped down again and Mara followed him persistently.

This was not just a mere practise of the use of the Jedi weapon. It was of the body as well. To allow the Force to help and guide you around all the rock and debris in the room when it was nearly impossible for the eyes to see.

Besides, once eyes could sometimes be deceiving anyway.

 

Luke blocked yet another blow from her lightsaber and then backed away a little. Both breathed heavily but neither felt really tired.

 - “Very good, Mara!” he said. - “You’re better than I thought”.

Mara smiled, feeling pleased with herself that she had managed to impress on the experienced Master.

 - “I’ve been doing a lot of practising of my own ever since you gave me your former lightsaber”, she explained. - “Kyle has also taught me a thing or two”.

That Luke had noticed. He recognised a lot of Kyle’s style in her own.

 - “I’ve wanted to impress on you the day when you finally would let me to duel with you”.

 - “That you do”, he said. - “But I think you can do even better. Let’s see how you handle this”.

The playful look in his eyes returned again. Mara’s senses knew instinctively that he was up to something. And in the next moment, a large stone was flying right at her.

 

She had seen it coming, yet his new approach of attack took her a bit by surprise. She made it just in time to move away from the stone as she cleaved it in half with her blade. She immediately returned her attention to Luke and realized that two more blocks of stone were closing in on her; one from her right, the other from the left.

Her sword would not be of any use here. Only an escape would save her. Mara jumped and made a loop forward over the stones as they collided with each other where she had been standing just the second before. A bit frustrated, Mara rose to her feet again. Luke grinned at her, looking completely relaxed where stood.

 - “You are really enjoying this, aren’t you!?” Mara grumbled.

 - “Not at all”, he answered. - “A Master must never take any advantage of his student”.

Mara frowned.

 - “Then how do you explain the silly grin in your face?” she wondered.

Luke shrugged.

 - “Well, I can’t help that you look so ridiculous”.

He could barely contain his laughter. She hadn’t looked amusing; he was actually impressed with her performance. But the rare opportunity to tease her was almost getting the better of him.

 

A spark of great irritation awoke in Mara’s mind. She started to approach him, her lightsaber at the ready again. He would not make a fool of her for nothing!

Luke sensed her dark feelings immediately and he quickly turned serious. He slowly shook his head and Mara suddenly stopped. She realized what he had been doing. Trying her patience. This had been another test.

She calmed down and lowered her blade. Luke smiled again, but now in a supportive way. He was indeed very pleased with what she performed here this evening. She was skilled, she had the focus and she had the physical strength. But above all else, she understood the meaning of patience.

She needed to learn the value of it even more, though. But with proper training and dedication on her part, she would not have the trouble of reaching that level some day. Luke was positive of it.

 

The Force suddenly alarmed him of something approaching him from behind. He swiftly turned around and raised his hand and calmly stopped the huge block of stone from falling over him. He threw a quick look over his shoulder to Mara.

 - “Two can play this game”, she said. Luke gave her an acknowledging nod and then returned his attention to the stone. He fisted his hand and the levitating block imploded upon itself and with a loud crack broke apart into thousands of small pieces.

Mara gasped at this sight. She had seen several of Luke’s abilities before, but that he held such enormous telekinesis strength at his command she had not been prepared to witness.

If he could do that with a big chunk of rock, what wasn’t he then capable to do with a living being?

 - “You have to do better than that”, Luke commented.

 - “Alright”, Mara agreed. - “If you have the guts to hit me with your best shot, Master Jedi!”

There certainly was nothing wrong with her self-esteem, Luke realized. But if she wanted him to kick her little arse, then so be it!

 

He ran up to her again, jumped and made a twisting loop in the air and landed on his feet behind her. Their blades clashed again. Mara blocked him but Luke kept his attacks going, forcing her backwards. Mara suddenly found herself pressed against one of the few remaining pillars that were still standing. Their blades were crossed between them. Their eyes kept staring at each other. Luke kept pushing her backwards and Mara had to hold him back with all of her strength so that the blades would not get any closer to her face.

Sweat began to pour from her temple. Her arms were beginning to shake with overstrain. Sithspit, he was strong!

 

Luke remained still, not increasing his strength upon her. If he did she risked to get fatally injured. He would release her soon enough anyway. But not too soon. Mara would be pissed if she ever suspected that he gave her a fighting chance, even if she knew her powers were well behind his.

She kept up a very good fight even now. A training session or the real thing, she would probably rather die than ask him to stop. Still, he had to make sure.

 - “Had enough?”

Luke kept staring into her eyes. They glared back at him with determination and controlled anger. Normally he would have noticed that. But right now all he saw was their beauty. His breaths became deeper. The memory of when he last had been this close to her occupied all his attention. The sweet taste of her fell upon him once more.

And all concentration was suddenly all gone.

 - “In your dreams, Skywalker!”

 

Luke suddenly felt a totally unexpected pain hit his leg. This took him completely by surprise and his hold on her vanished. Mara, who had managed to give him a hard kick with her boot, seized the opportunity again and gave him a rough push. Luke lost all balance and fell to his back. Mara quickly moved away from the pillar out to the open floor. Luke was already back up on his feet. He felt no anger to what had happened. Frankly, he was now very impressed. Mara had improvised to save herself. And the mind of a Jedi was even more powerful than the lightsaber and mere strength. She would be very powerful if she ever finished her training.

The only thing that made him feel uneasy, though, was the fact that he had allowed himself to be distracted. It had never happened before.

 

Mara kept backing away from him, holding her blue blade in a defensive position. With each step she came closer to the balcony with nothing else but the free air behind her. Luke approached her slowly, feeling his leg hurting a bit each time he put the foot to the floor.

 - “That hurt, Mara”.

 - “Oh, poor baby!” she teased. - “Be grateful I didn’t kick higher!”

Luke gasped.

 - “You wouldn’t dare!”

 - “Oh yes, I would!”

The duel continued again. Luke forced her further out onto the small balcony. The clashing sounds of their weapons echoed into the jungle below them. But none other but the animals of the night could hear them. The rest of the Academy was asleep.

 

Their blades crossed again. But Mara refused to give him the opportunity to trap her again like before. She made a swift move with her blade with all the strength she could master. To the surprise of both of them, Luke’s hands lost the grip of his weapon. The green blade vanished and the handle flew like an arrow through the air and landed right next to Mara.

It was just a fraction of a second, but it felt like endless moments while the two Jedi kept staring at each other in total surprise. Luke was probably the most confused. How could that happen? He had it all under control!

Didn’t he?

 

Mara regained her focus first. Realizing that she actually had the chance to win a duel against this man she impulsively put her foot onto the lightsaber lying next to her so he would not be able to obtain it again. Engulfed by her possible smell of victory, she pointed her own blade in his direction, keeping him away.

  - “Yes! I knew it!” she burst out in joy. She could not figure out how she could have disarmed him so easily. But she had never regarded it as impossible either. Perhaps she was better than she had realized herself?

Either way, there was no way he would retrieve his lightsaber now!

Coming back to his senses, Luke stepped up to her and stopped just before the point of the blue blade. This was not the first time his weapon had fallen out of his hands during a battle. Even his father had done so to him at Cloud City once. And that had not stopped him.

 - “How will you get out of this situation, farmboy?” she mocked.

 - “Like this!”

 

The Force flew through him, giving him a goal, strength, and most of all speed.

Luke moved so fast that Mara never had a slight chance to see his movements until he had already reached his goal. Suddenly he just was right next to her, his hands on her own lightsaber. He pushed the deactivating button and the blade withdrew back into the handle.

His speed, however, had not totally taken her off guard. Mara had survived many years without any use of a lightsaber. With his hands still on her weapon she launched herself forward with her entire weight. This caused Luke to fly over her shoulder and found himself once again on the rock floor on his back. Mara readied herself to attack him again when an unbelievable hold grasped her entire being and raised her above the floor. Grinning her teeth she saw Luke get up once more. And the second after she found herself pressed against the small and remaining wall of the balcony.

This could not be happening! She had been so damn close to win!

 

 - “This is cheating!” she yelled in protest. There was nothing she could put up against such telekinesis power. She knew how to use the Force in such ways herself, but against Luke Skywalker she was powerless in comparison. So why did he fight her in ways they both knew she could not fight back?

Luke gazed up to where he levitated her above the floor. 

 - “No, it’s not cheating”, he explained. - “You defeated me fairly. I lost my focus and got sloppy”.

Sloppy! How the hell could he let that happen!? He hadn’t been sloppy once since he had become a Jedi Knight. If Master Yoda could see him now, wherever his spirit was, he’d be very grumpy.

But Luke knew the reason why. And it was beginning to drive him crazy! He had thought that this training session would keep his mind focused and his thoughts elsewhere. But they all kept returning to her.

To her…

 

 - “Defeated?” Mara grumbled irritated. - “Then why am I the one who’s pressed against a wall like some garbage in a trash compactor?”

The mentioning of trash compactors brought back a not so happy memory to him. And since Luke knew how unpleasant it was he decided to release her.

Without warning, Mara dropped to the floor.

 - “Is that better?” he asked.

Mara raised her eyes and glared almost viciously at him. She had not hurt herself but the whole event had rather hurt her pride above all else. She mumbled something he couldn’t make out, probably a whole bunch of curses he wasn’t familiar with anyway.

She made it back up to her feet and launched herself at him. This started an immediate reaction in Luke, a reaction he had had many times before as Jedi Master. This had not been the first time a student had gotten upset and let it out on him.

 

He approached her just as quickly and grabbed hold of her wrists to stop her assault. His strength was incredible! Mara gasped in pure chock as he pushed her like if she was pure air back towards the wall and held her there. The last time he had done the same when their lightsabers had been crossed had been nothing compared to what he did now. Mara realized that there was no way for her to do anything. Not this time.

Luke had complete control of her now.

And she didn’t even know why.

 

 - “Never attack in anger, Mara!” Luke said firmly - “That’s lesson nr 1”.

 

His blue eyes were deeply concerned, filled with worry of her choice of action. Mara gasped in horror when it came to her what she had done. He had so entirely misunderstood her. She had not used the Dark Side, not even tried to do so. And she regretted deeply that she had made him believe that she had.

She quickly relaxed her entire body, not struggling or resisting any further.

 - “Sch… It’s okay”, she whispered. - “I’m not angry”.

Slowly he started to calm down himself when he realized she was telling the truth. His grip of her wrists lightened, yet he kept his hands where they were. His fingers came to rest in her palms and her own gently embraced his trembling touch. For Luke was trembling.

But not for the reason Mara thought.

 - “No”, he whispered back. - “You are beautiful”.

 

Indeed she was! Even in as little as only starlight she looked enchanting.

She was so close again! And he didn’t want to draw away. But she would never let him remain this close.

She would never let him.

Why had he said that? Said that she was beautiful? It had just popped out of him for no reason. It certainly was not a lie. But it was so stupid! Sithspit, why had he been so damn stupid!? Why did he always manage to push every woman he loved away from him?

 

Loved?

 

Chills suddenly ran down his spine. This realization had hit him many times before during the years. But he had always pushed it away, never dared to believe it or understand it. But he could not hide it from himself any longer, the feelings he always had felt for her.

Luke swallowed hard and just kept looking into those green eyes that had cast such a spell on him. The same incapability to move that had fell upon him before when Mara had kissed him now came back.

He didn’t dare to move.

And he didn’t know what to do.

He just knew what he felt.

And that scared him beyond belief!

 

Mara felt all warm inside by his compliment. That was certainly not the first one he had given her this evening. But it was not something he just had said out of the blue; she had heard that in his voice. It was something he had kept hidden for a long time.

She could sense his uncertainty. The last time he had been like this had been right after she had kissed him. And she remembered what kind of reaction that had brought.

Suddenly hope began to live in her heart again.

Had she managed to reach in behind his wall of discipline after all?

 - “I hope that isn’t the reason why you let me disarm you”, she stated. His uncertainty was beginning to affect her as well. She was beginning to tremble. He was so close to her, just a few inches away. And this time it was by his own doings! Not hers.

 - “I didn’t”, he lied. - “If this had been a real battle, I would have been in trouble”.

That, however, was not a lie.

 

 - “Well…”

This time it was Mara’s turn to swallow hard. Her heart was pounding. Her entire being was yearning. Her body was screaming for him to touch her. She longed to feel his hands on her body, caressing her everywhere.

She stared into those velvet blue eyes. Too often while being with another man she had shut her eyes and imagined that it had been Luke instead. But this time he truly was here. This was no dream. This was no fantasy.

It was as if only the primitive instincts of the brain were functioning now. Being ravaged by him was all she could think about. Mara was greatly considering to ask him plain outright to take her, right here and right now.

But could she really ask that of him?

What if it was only she who wanted this?

 - “Shall we call this even, then, Master Jedi?”

 

Luke’s mind was spinning. His pulse was higher than during the entire duel. But the duel had no place in his thoughts in this moment. Just one thing, one thought, one desire existed in his life right now.

He knew he shouldn’t feel like this. He knew it was wrong. He knew he would never be able to return being merely a friend if he allowed himself to do what his aroused body demanded of him. They might ruin their friendship if he followed this through. He would loose her if he did this!

He couldn’t use her like that!

Yet, he would never forgive himself if he resisted her a single second longer!

Luke slowly shook his head. The duel was over.

But the battle inside of him had merely begun.

 - “I haven’t even started yet!” he muttered between breaths.

And then he kissed her.

 

He pressed his lips to hers. His tongue quickly found its way into her mouth and he moaned deeply. Mara had never heard him utter such a pleasurable, primitive-like sound before. She hadn’t even been sure he was capable of it.

Unlike the last one, this kiss was not slow and careful. It was a pure act of desperation, of longing. But it was not forceful or demanding. Just a plead for something that had been denied too long.

Surprised but not rejecting him, Mara happily accepted his bold approach. She gasped with delight when his tongue made contact with hers and she kissed him back with the same eagerness as he. Luke still kept her hands pressed against the wall as if he feared that she would push him away if he let her go. But Mara didn’t struggle. His dominance excited her enormously. Her hunger was finally being fed.

Still, the endless need to feel him inside of her had never been greater. Right now, Mara didn’t care what he did to her, as long as he did it.

 

As quickly as it had started, Luke suddenly broke the kiss. He drew back a bit and let go of her hands. The realization of what he had done had filled him with dread. And his eyes glimmered with tears.

Against his better judgment, he had still tried to take advantage of her.

 - “I’m sorry..!”

Mara took hold of his shoulders. She would not let him draw away. Not this time!

 - “Don’t be!”

Her voice gave away her fear of loosing him. A fear that had hunted her ever since Callista had entered his life. Even now she managed to keep them apart.

Curse that bloody body-snatching bitch!

 

Her feelings, the sound of her voice, her words. They all hit his already messed-up mind like great waves against a shoreline. Her anger and fear was not aimed at him, it was all aimed towards Callista. Like they always had been.

She had pleaded for him not to feel sorry for what he had done.

She had kissed him back.

Kissed him back!

A tear fell down his cheek. Mara slowly raised her hand and dried it off.

 - “Don’t be…” she whispered repeatedly.

 - “Mara…”

He gently kissed the palm of her hand that still was caressing his cheek. She smiled at him and her eyes carried a look that Luke had never seen in Mara before. It was so full of care. And understanding.

And desire.

He sensed it within her now, her own arousal. She wanted him and she was not hiding it anymore. He could not understand how she possibly could get so turned on because of him, but it was a welcome change. It justified his own arousal a little bit.

Maybe it was something that had just happened from the spare of the moment. Perhaps she was trying to ease down his loneliness by giving him some long-awaited intimacy. If so, then Mara was taking the concept of friendship up to an entire new level.

Or she was simply just looking for a new lover. After all, she had told him before how tired she had become of the usual men she had been seeing during the past years.

 

But, no matter her reason for wanting to have sex with him, Luke wanted something much deeper and longer lasting than that. Yes, he wanted her! He wanted her so badly he could hardly gather his thoughts anymore. All he could think of was to be inside of her. And he would treat her like a queen, giving her what ever pleasure she desired.

But as soon as this would happen it would also be over. Mara would move on to the next man. And he would once again be embraced by his own solitude. And his friendship with her would be over as well.

For he would never be able to go back to how things used to be. Mara most certainly would.

But for Luke that was impossible.

 

Her beautiful eyes captured the starlight. She was so lovely. Luke knew he would worship her forever from here on. And he wanted to do so with body and soul.

But if it meant loosing her it just wasn’t worth it. He’d rather be her friend than having nothing at all.

But how would it ever be possible for him to forget all the raging feelings inside of him now?

 

 - “You should never have kissed me”, he whispered. It was no accusation, just plain fact. It was her kiss that had awoken everything. The fear of losing her was almost overpowering.

 - “I can’t go back now! The taste of you haunts me, as the mere sight of you always has!”

Still unable to resist her, he found himself drawn to her once more. Luke took her face between his hands while his temple gently rested against hers.

They were so close.

But it felt like they were endless of parsecs apart.

Luke tried to swallow his blend of frustration and despair. He always lived by doing what must be done, what was the right thing to do.

Why was the right thing to do suddenly so painful?

 - “I beg you; please tell me that that kiss will not become a scar”.

Mara slowly shook her head.

 - “That was never my intention”.

 

She wasn’t blind to his agony. He feared to be hurt and left alone once more. But it had never been Mara’s intention to hurt him as Callista had done. She would never leave him. She hadn’t been able to after all these years so why should she do so now?

Her hands that rested on his shoulders moved slowly towards his neck and face.

 - “I’ve wanted to give you that kiss for a long time”, she said. - “I still do”.

Her green eyes were serious.

 - “I would never risk what we have for just one night’s pleasure. I only want this… if I can have you for life”.

 

Luke heard her. But he could not believe what he was hearing.

Could it possibly be?

Did Mara have no intentions to walk away?

Was that what she had been trying to tell him all along this evening?

 - “You mean that?”

 - “You know I do”, she said. - “Have I ever lied to you? Trust me now, as you once did”.

It suddenly got difficult for her as well to keep the emotions under control. It had not been easy for her either all this time.

 - “You’re not the only one who’s lonely. Please, Luke, don’t leave me. Not again”.

 

He wasn’t quite sure what Mara meant by that. But Luke had no intention to leave her if she needed him. And he realized that she needed him just as much as he needed her.

Maybe his fears were false. Maybe there was no reason to resist.

Maybe there was a way to actually be happy!

 - “I’m not going anywhere”, he promised.

He moved in closer to her again. And kissed her.

 

He kissed her slowly this time, gently and passionately. Mara embraced him and pulled him closer. Luke put his arms around her as well, finally letting go of the passion he had been carrying within for so long. It felt as if he had just been released from a prison from hell. All his fears were gone. He could not remember the last time he had felt this free!

Mara moaned with pleasure the more he held her close. Luke sensed her longing, the same kind as he carried himself. She wanted him and had no illusions of running off. And that was all the encouragement he needed.

He had hesitated up until now.

He would not do so anymore.

He had tried Mara’s patience long enough and Luke did not want to disappoint her.

He would be honest with her from now on.

 

He moved away from her lips and continued to kiss her as he moved all over her face and down her neck.

 - “I want you, Mara. By the Force, I want you! And I long for you…”

Mara gasped loudly by his new and passionate course of action and found herself pushed back against the stone wall behind her again.

 - “I know. I know that now. But what about Callista?”

She felt the powerful jerk he made in his whole body by the mentioning of that name. Luke stopped everything and stared at her almost in horror. Mara didn’t really want to talk anymore, ever, about her. But she had to.

She had to know what Luke’s feelings were. He alone did not have the exclusive right to the fear of being abandoned. What if Callista one day actually would return?

Would Luke reject her then and accept Callista back into his life?

 - “No!” he loudly objected by her mentioning of that name. - “Please, say no more that might make me regret what I want to do”.

Now, more than ever, Callista meant only pain to him. He did not want to think about her. He suddenly felt so betrayed. Mara had been so right. Why would he waste his life on Callista when he already had someone close to him that always had cared for him?

How could he have been so blind?

 

Mara couldn’t tell what the future would be from his words. But she knew for sure that Luke had no interest in Callista Ming right now. None what so ever.

And right now, that was good enough for her.

 - “Then I won’t mention her again”, Mara promised and gave him a small, seducing smile. She rested herself entirely on the wall behind her. A light breeze of air grabbed her hair.

She had waited many years for this moment.

And she was ready for it.

 - “Put your hands on me, Luke”.

 

Luke observed her in silence for about a second or two. Then his hand touched her cheek and slowly began to fall down her neck, onto her shoulder. And then even further down.

His hand moved slowly on the outside of her breast. His gentle touch that she so long had longed for caused her whole body to react. Her nipples hardened and were now visible through the black leather of her top.

Luke noticed it, of course, and moved his hand upward again and rubbed his thumb over this sensitive spot. His other hand placed itself onto her other breast and repeated the same motion. Mara groaned with pleasure as her whole body shivered.

Luke smiled pleased to himself, feeling comfortable that he had given her what she wanted. It may have been a long time since he had been with a woman. But he had not forgotten what to do.

Also, through the Force, he could sense exactly what her mind was begging for.

 

Her female forms filled out his hands and he continued to massage them gently, feeling how her nipples grew harder each passing moment, while he moved closer and began to kiss her again.

Mara put her arms around him again, simply enjoying having him so close and the attention he gave her. Luke’s exploration was contagious and she wanted to touch him too. Her hands fell down his chest and she could feel the muscular body underneath the fabric of his black uniform. Mara hungered to caress his naked skin and explore every curve.

But until she did she had another destination in mind.

A place much further down.

Luke grunted loudly as the sweet pleasure of her hand pressed against his member. Mara kept caressing him, feeling how hard he already was. It was as if her mouth was watered with lust. She wanted to feel him inside of her, and she wanted it now!

Yet, she remained patient. She knew how long it had been since Luke last had sensed the touch from another. And she wanted to remind him of that feeling for as long as possible. She wanted this to be special for him. He deserved it.

Luke pressed himself against her hand, not wanting that glorious touch of hers to go away. Mara could hardly contain her giggle. Even the most altruistic Jedi Master could not resist his own sexual demands.

 - “There’s a lot more where that came from”, she whispered into his ear.

In the same moment, Mara felt how her belt began to unbuckle.

 

She sighed loudly in surprised delight. Her leather pants began to slowly but surly fall down her legs. But how was that possible? Luke’s hands were still caressing her breasts.

Of course! By the stars, he was using the Force to remove her clothes! It felt almost as another set of his hands were touching her! This was driving her crazy! Mara had never been with another Force-sensitive before. She had often wondered if it was any difference.

Already she had been proven that it was.

Her pants were soon totally removed. Even her boots he helped to remove. Soon, nothing but the night breeze touched her naked skin from her waist and down.

Except for the erotic touch of his ‘invisible’ hands that travelled up and down her legs.

Mara closed her eyes. She could not believe how good it felt. Luke was kissing and nibbling on her right side of her neck, leaving tiny suck marks as he went along.

 - “You’re going to find out I’m full of surprises”, he said.

Mara turned and kissed him back.

 - “Will you let me do the same thing to you?” she asked. Luke nodded. There was nothing he would refuse her now.

 

It was maybe not as graceful, but Luke enjoyed it nonetheless as she used the Force to strip off his pants and boots as well. In the mean time, her hands were busy working on the upper half of his uniform, which proved to be a little more complicated than expected to remove. Perhaps mostly because her mere excitement made her hands tremble.

Mara could not deny that she was nervous. She was otherwise never nervous with a man. But now she was so filled with anticipation that she almost felt like a virgin.

She finally pulled the black fabric off him. Except for a thin, armless tank top, Luke was now totally nude. Slowly, but determinately, Mara began to remove the last of his clothes as well. Once the top was off, she finally was rewarded by touching his chest which she so long had wanted to do.

His physic was no mystery to her; Mara knew Luke had a well-shaped and muscular body. All the long years as a Jedi and war hero had given him naturally strong muscles. But to actually and finally be able to touch it was something else. She leaned closer and kissed him there before resting her head against him. His strong arms held her close, his artificial hand moving through her hair, and she felt his hard manhood pressing against her belly.

She kissed her way up his neck and finally met up with his lips. Their kiss grew more frantic again and Mara moaned while she felt his hands work their way in under her leather top to remove it.

 

Luke felt grateful for all his years of Jedi discipline while he slowly pulled the black top over her head. For he could hardly contain himself. He had for so long wanted to see how she looked like underneath. Once the top was off her, Luke’s gaze came down from her eyes to look upon this woman in all her naked glory. Her top dropped to the floor when he looked upon her but he didn’t drop it on purpose.

It fell out of his hand as he looked at her in astonishment.

It felt as if his mouth dropped to the floor as well. She was even more beautiful than he had ever imagined in his fantasies. Luke gasped in both surprise and delight. Her voluptuous, female forms, almost luminous in the white-blue starlight, turned him on even stronger than before, almost making him mad in his arousal. Luke eyed her up and down again and again and could not believe that such a beautiful woman wanted him.

And that he was about to have her!

 - “I must be dreaming!” he said.

 - “Then it’s a good dream”, Mara answered.

 

A smile of content grew in his face. Mara smiled too. Luke didn’t need to tell her what he thought of what he saw; she could see it all in his joyful eyes.

They embraced once more, finally feeling nothing else but their naked bodies against each other and the warm night breeze caressing them. They began to kiss, very gently and slowly at first, their lips hardly even touching each other. Then it intensified, grew deeper as their tongues made contact. Luke’s hand once more caressed her breast, but now with no fabric between his fingers and her skin. Her skin was sweet and soft. He massaged her slowly and his thumb played with her nipple once more, which was rock hard by the erotic attention. He kept doing this while his other hand dropped to her hip and squeezed her butt.

Mara moaned with delight into his mouth as they kept on kissing. She was so aroused now that her legs could barely carry her anymore. She left herself entirely in the hands and mercy of this man now.

And she knew she would never regret it.

This was going to be so good!

 

Luke placed both hands on her hips.

 - “Hold on to me”, he whispered. Mara obeyed and put her legs around him as well as he lifted her and carried her steadily in his arms. He pressed her gently against the wall behind her. This was perhaps not the most romantic way and under other circumstances he would have chosen a more comfortable place. But Mara didn’t seem to care and right now, Luke didn’t either. All he wanted was to make love to her.

He gazed into her green eyes. Mara gave him a small nod. She wanted this. And so did Luke.

Ever so slowly, he entered her.

 

They kept looking into each others eyes, which became more shut the deeper he penetrated her. Their breathing intensified. And finally he was all inside of her, not able to get any further.

Mara burst out a small cry of pleasure as he filled her up. Her arms and legs pulled him closer. She shut her eyes with content, enjoying the feeling of having him deep inside of her. She could swear that the longer he remained within her the harder he became.

Finally! Finally she had him! Finally he was hers!

Finally…

Luke lingered there, not moving and just holding her close. He wanted to embrace this moment for as long as possible, to simply be one with her. It had been so long since last.

The sensation of her was incredible. For being such a sexually active woman she was very tight. Her warm insides enclosed his manhood from all sides, feeding his own arousal and begging him for more.

Much more.

And he was going to give it to her.

 

Slowly, he began to move in and out of her.

Mara was the first to exhale a small groan, but Luke was not far behind himself. He found it easy to penetrate her since her juices was lubricating them both. His hands held her hips firmly as he moved, relying on the wall behind her for support. He quickly worked up a steady rhythm, taking her with slow but determined movements.

The stimulating friction that his manhood provided her sent tingling sensations throughout Mara’s whole body, each tingling stronger than the last. She was growing mad with lust. She had been fucked against walls and other things before, but this was somehow totally different. She had never been with a man that she had cared so deeply for. And her feelings wasn’t just affecting her mind, it affected her body as well.

Besides, most men, once reaching this state, had all simply been fucking away and it was all over in a hurry. She had rarely managed to come during those encounters. Luke, however, kept his patience. She sensed the urge in him to take her harder but he didn’t want to make this cheep or swiftly.

He wasn’t just fucking her. This was lovemaking. Mara had always wondered what all the fuzz surrounding lovemaking was all about. Sex as sex, she had always believed. Now, finally experiencing it for the first time in her life, she easily felt the difference. The sexual pleasure was more or less the same, but the deep emotions for the lover increased everything. For each pleasure he received he gave more than the double in return. And everything just felt so right!

 - “Oh, gods!” she gasped in a trembling voice.

 

Her fingers stroked through his hair and she moaned loudly each time he pushed into her. Her sounds of pleasure were like music in his ears. Her own satisfaction excited him greatly. Waves of pleasure flushed over him each time he thrust into her. But right now, Luke was more occupied by Mara’s pleasure than his own. She enjoyed what he gave her and he was going to keep it that way.

Nothing was more important to him now than to satisfy her.

 - “I love you..! I love you, Mara!”

The words that he for so long had wanted to say to her finally escaped from his heart, uttered between moans and deep breaths. Mara opened her eyes and gazed into his blue, so filled with passion and love for her.

 - “I know… I know, honey!”

 

Yes, she knew. Somehow she had always known. Further more; each look, each touch, each kiss and each thrust of pleasure that he gave her made that very clear to her.

With great tender, Luke kissed her lips, continued down to her cheek and began nibbling the side of her neck.

 - “I’ve loved you ever since I first saw you!”

Yes, that was true. He hadn’t understood it at the time, and later he had denied it to himself. But even from the first moment when she had aimed a blaster in his face on Myrkr and sworn to kill him, Luke had loved her. And he had ever since.

Maybe he simply had been naive. Or it had been his unique talent to see through people for what they really were. Either way, somehow he had known she would never harm him. And ever since he had fought back his huge attraction to her.

But no longer!

Now he showed it to her with all his heart and desire. And he had only just begun.

 

 - “Then love me!” Mara begged. She couldn’t get enough of him. Not now when he openly had admitted to her that he loved her. And that realization was overwhelming.

Determined to fulfil her every wish, Luke obediently continued what he was already doing. But her plead urged him to be more bold. And the mere fact that he finally were with a woman again was enough to do more too.

His penetrating strokes became longer, almost to the point of leaving her body before moving back in again. And then he began increasing the speed. Mara responded positively, happily accepting this welcome change. She quickly adjusted to his new rhythm. She arched her body as much as she could in this position, giving him even better access inside her. Luke groaned loudly in approval. He was fulfilling a fantasy of his, he had lost count of how many times he had dreamt about screwing her, and now he was living it out.

His lust wanted him to take her even harder, but he didn’t. If he increased his speed any further he wouldn’t last much longer. He focused on her again, spoiling her face and neck with kisses. Mara’s lovely moans of pleasure consistently kept him going.

 - “That’s right, love me!” he heard her whisper.

 

Luke kissed his way up her cheek and suddenly felt a salty taste in his mouth. Immediately he stopped moving and looked at her with deep concern. Tears slowly came down her face.

 - “Are you all right?” he asked nervously. Had he ever before seen Mara cry at all? No, he hadn’t. She never cried.

But now she did.

Mara drew a deep breath, trying to keep her feelings under control.

 - “Oh yeah..!” she answered him honestly.

His left hand let go of her hip and gently touched her face.

 - “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

He could not sense in her that he had. But he could be mistaken. And he would hate himself if he had caused her any kind of pain.

 - “No, Luke!”

Mara shook her head and put her hands reassuring on each side of his face.

 - “No”, she repeated. - “On the contrary”.

It was tears of joy and pleasure that came down her face. Mara was as surprised as he, but his love for her had totally engulfed her. No one had ever loved her before. And therefore she could not contain her feelings.

She had never felt so special before. Not even her best days serving the Emperor had made her feel this content. Her happiness gave him happiness. Luke needed her. And unlike most men in her life, he gave her respect, even during sex. And not because she forced it out or demanded it.

He gave it to her because he wanted to.

 - “Everything’s fine”, she whispered and kissed him.

Luke began to relax and her erotic movements with her tongue quickly reminded him of his aching erection deep inside of her. Sensing that his worry started to disappear, Mara broke the kiss.

 - “Please, don’t stop what you’re doing”, she begged and moaned in delight when he obeyed her once more. - “It’s so good..!”

 

Indeed it was!

Luke continued as before, yet a little more slowly. His hands squeezed her buttocks each time he pushed into her, sending waves of extra pleasure through her body.

Her tears had made him realize her great need for tenderness and love in her life. His own need for satisfaction could wait; he got plenty of pleasure while making love to her anyway. He totally focused on Mara now. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to make her happy.

 - “My precious Mara…”

He changed the rhythm entirely and began taking her with very small and fast thrusts, leaving little pleasure to himself but lots of it to her. Mara moaned highly by this totally change of pace, enjoying this new friction. She began to tremble and suddenly realized that an orgasm was building up within her.

 - “Yes! Yes..!”

She could not believe that she was going to come so soon!

 - “Getting close?” Luke asked, sensing from her what was about to happen.

Mara tightened her grip with her arms and legs around him. Every muscle in her whole body tightened. And it almost turned black before her eyes.

 - “Dear gods, Luke!”

 

The orgasm exploded within her like a volcanic eruption. With the same amount of force, her pleasure burst out of her lungs as well, almost making her scream in satisfaction. And it just kept on going and going.

Luke held her close in his arms, no longer moving, allowing her to enjoy her climax. He groaned with her as the Force allowed him to sense some of her pleasure as well. He could even sense the powerful contractions of her orgasm within her.

He kissed her tenderly and gave her time to come back to her senses. If Mara would let him, this would not be the last time he gave this to her.

 

 - “You liked that, didn’t you?”

Mara drew a deep breath as the aftermath of her climax slowly vanished. She faced him and his boyish smile made her smile too. She nodded, feeling more satisfied than in a long time. He still held her firmly in his arms, never seemingly getting tired. Mara felt very secure right now. She knew she could trust him with her life. He would, without hesitation, give his life to save her. Not just because he was a Jedi and a Keeper of Peace.

He would gladly die for her if that was necessary, because he loved her.

Loved.

Mara pulled him closer and kissed his cheek.

 - “My lover…”

 

She had never called another man that before. Because none of them lasted or stayed. She had never wanted them to, anyway. She had never encountered a man that was worth attaching yourself to. Not strange since most of them never wanted any attachments themselves.

But this man would stay. And she wanted him near her. Because he was no stranger.

Luke was her friend.

And now also her lover.

 

Mara suddenly realized that Luke hadn’t reached the satisfying peek that she had. He was still hard and erect inside of her. His blue eyes showed patience, but she could still tell that he was eager to continue, longing for some satisfaction of his own.

And so was she!

As wonderful as her climax had been, simply having him inside her like this made her aroused again. Besides, she wanted to satisfy him as well. That was the least she would do for him now.

 - “I want some more”, she whispered seducingly. Damn, she could go on all night if it needs to be. Luke nodded.

 - “Then you shall have it”, he said. - “Come here”.

 

With Mara still in his arms, Luke backed away from the wall. He continued backwards until he reached a fallen, square-shaped pillar that lay flat on the floor. He sat down on the edge of it, getting some rest for both arms and legs, while Mara was now sitting in his lap, straddling him. Their bodies were still as one and Mara could easily reach the floor with her feet. She knew what Luke had in mind and she was eager to give it to him.

Luke continued to hold her close, not wanting to let go. They kissed some more and simply enjoyed the feeling of each other. With his arms and hands now free, Luke began to explore her body again. There wasn’t an inch that he could reach that he left untouched. While straddling him, she made it much easier for him to move his hands on her while still being inside of her. His hands moved all the way down from her legs up to her head. He pulled his fingers through her hair and moved his palms up and down her back. And he once more returned to her bosoms where he massaged, squeezed and rubbed back and forth in all kinds of ways, over and over again.

More and more aroused by this sweet attention, Mara slowly began moving back and forth in his lap. She did not want his erection to disappear and his stimulation made it practically impossible not to move anyway. She leaned herself backwards, providing better access to her breasts. Luke continued to fondle them, enjoying how they filled out his hands. After a few short moments he could not resist any longer. He put his arms around her again for support so she wouldn’t fall backwards, and then leaned forward and kissed one of her breasts.

Mara let out a soft moan, still leaning backwards, comfortably resting in his arms. His lips quickly encircled her nipple and his tongue immediately followed. The tickling sensation spread down her body, turning her on even more. In the mean time, Luke repeated his oral treatment with her other breast.

 

Finally, Mara put her arms around his neck and slowly pulled herself up again. His face remained pressed against her cleavage for as long as it could. Eventually, Mara took his face in her hands and brought it up to her lips for her to kiss. As much as she loved to have his lips on her breasts, she loved to have them even more against her own lips. For long, she had thought that Luke’s kissing skills wouldn’t be that well developed, because of lack of experience. But he had proven her wrong today.

He kissed her as he had never done anything else all his life. He was both passionate and inventive, as well as very gentle and teasing when he needed to be. And Mara could just not get enough of his taste in her mouth.

She increased her movements with her hips back and forth, making them more direct. Luke’s approving groan excited her and kept her going. Her hands began pushing him backwards to lie down on the pillar, insisting that it was her turn to be dominating for a while. He did not protest and did as her urging hands begged for. Once on his back her hands began exploring him as he had been doing on her. Their eyes had gotten well adjusted to the darkness around them and Luke could clearly see her silhouette and her movements. Her small but strong hands moved with great skill across his chest. Luke closed his eyes and simple enjoyed the moment, something he had not done for many, many years.

 

His eyes flung open when he felt her change of movements. Instead of back and forth it was now up and down, providing much greater pleasure for them both. Luke’s impulsive reaction was to sit up and help her but Mara’s hands pushed him back down again.

 - “Remain where you are, honey”, she said. - “Let me take care of you for a change”.

She gave him that seducing smile again.

 - “I know you want this”.

With a loud sigh, Luke rested himself back down on the pillar again, totally surrendering to her. She was so right. He wanted this. He needed it badly.

And he was so happy that it was the woman he loved.

 

Mara moved herself up and down on his erect member with long, determined movements. Once she had established a good rhythm she stuck with it. She closed her eyes for a while and just enjoyed herself, bouncing up and down without any sign if tiring. It didn’t take long, though, before Luke’s sounds of pleasure were exceeding her own.

 - “Yes! Yes, ride me, Mara! Please..!”

Mara observed him with both wonder and joy as she pleased him. She had never seen Luke enjoying himself like this, hardly ever seen him engulfed in anything joyful if it didn’t involve any kind of Jedi business.

But now he was and she was the one that had finally persuaded him to do so. This gave her a sense of pride. She had done what all others had failed. And she had no intention to fail him in the future either.

Her pace increased. And again. And again. Luke now endured the full skill and potential of his new lover. All his discipline and shyness were all gone. His moans were loud and joyful. And all he could think about was his struggle to hold back his orgasm as long as possible.

Because he didn’t want this to end. 

 

Mara suddenly stopped and laid herself down on top of him. She continued to move slowly and much more carefully. She knew from experience that he was getting close. She did not want to deprive him of his release but she didn’t want him to come just yet either. He needed to catch his breath before she continued.

She lingered there, wrapped up in his arms, for a few minutes. Luke played with her hair between his fingers while she rested there, whispering tender feelings to her. Eventually she sat up again. And their lovemaking took form once more. And this time, Mara would not stop.

 

After bouncing up and down in his lap for several glorious minutes, Mara sensed that he was getting close again. She was not as near herself but she didn’t mind. He had already given her a mind-blowing orgasm. Now she wanted to return the favour.

If he only could stop resisting and allow himself to come, that was.

She increased the pace to be sure to convince him.

And that didn’t take long.

 

Luke was about to burst with pleasure. But he knew that she was not ready. And he had wanted for her to come with him. But Mara seemed determined to not let him wait for her.

 - “I don’t think I can… last much longer…” he uttered while fighting back his pleasure.

 - “Give it to me, then”, Mara said. - “I want you to give it to me!”

She wanted dearly to make him come now and if that was inside of her it was even better.

Luke stared at her in surprise. She truly wanted him to climax while still being inside of her. Callista had never let him do that, because of her fear of getting pregnant. In fact, Luke had never released an orgasm within a woman before.

And now when Mara was asking him to he could not resist.

He pulled himself up to a sitting position again and pulled her close to him.

 - “Hold me, Mara! Please, hold me!”

Mara held him and meat the thrusts he gave in return. Once he came she would be there for him.

 

Luke had faced similar physical powers in pain before. But never in pleasure.

His body trembled so powerfully it almost seemed as he was convulsing. And it felt as if he was about to pass out. As he came, he buried himself in Mara’s arms and cried out his long awaited release.

The climax flushed over him like a tidal wave.

It wasn’t just the pleasure that Mara had given him. It was all the long years of solitude and denial of intimacy that pushed out of him as well. Luke didn’t realize until now how badly his body had desired this. He just kept coming and coming.

And Mara was there to accept it all.

 

It felt like ages before his body finally seemed to relax. But once it did, he felt more relaxed than he had done for a very long time. Luke rested his head on Mara’s shoulder; her arms tenderly embracing him, patiently letting him enjoy his climax. Her fingers moved slowly through his hair, sending sweet tingles to every corner of his body.

He still breathed heavily but calmly. All his worries suddenly felt so insignificant. All years of stress and agony didn’t seem to matter. And the weight upon his shoulders had been lifted off him.

Right now it felt like he could accomplish anything! Before, doubt had always been his faithful companion, no matter what he had confronted. But now that doubt was gone. It had been replaced by something else.

By someone else.

Someone that was loyal, strong and honest. Someone who understood the turmoil’s he went through. Someone who would always be his friend and never leave him behind.

It was someone who did not demand him to be strong and powerful at all times. He was allowed to be himself.

 

Mara sensed how he more and more left her body as his satisfaction engulfed him. She still longed for him but that could wait for later. He had been a good lover and deserved his rest. She still remained in his lap, wrapped up in their strong embrace, not wanting to let go of him. And neither did he of her.

Mara’s hand moved down to the back of his neck and began massaging him, just like she had done before while they had watched the sunset. Luke sighed while looking into her eyes.

 - “Mara…”

 - “Welcome to the world of the living, dear Master Jedi”.

Their lips met and they kissed slowly and passionately.

 

Mara kept massaging his neck and down his shoulders. She could feel how relaxation embraced him, which pleased her deeply.

 - “Now you’re not so tense anymore”, she pointed out to him. - “I told you that you were in need of this”.

 - “I had a feeling it was yourself you referred to”, Luke said. - “But I didn’t dare to believe it”.

He looked upon her in awe. And with gratitude. For she had been his strength and courage when he thought that all hope was lost.

 - “You are too good to be true”, he whispered and gave her a small kiss. - “Thank you, Mara. Thank you so much”.

Mara embraced him again.

 - “I thank you”, she whispered and tried to comprehend everything that had happened here today. She was satisfied beyond belief.

 - “You are incredible!” she whispered and closed her eyes. - “Just the way I’ve always imagined you to be”.

Luke sensed the sudden rush of emotions within her, much more powerful and true than anything he had ever sensed from her before.

 - “What are you talking about?” he asked. Slowly she moved out of the embrace and her emerald-green eyes looked upon him with longing and care.

 - “I love you”.

 

Her words, so honest and true, made Luke tremble. He had dreamt to hear those words but never dared to believe he ever would. He would never demand it from her. But Mara spoke by pure will. And not just her words fell upon him now. Her mind and heart was suddenly open to him, no longer hidden or closed. She kept nothing from him anymore. He did not want to be so surprised by her revelation.

But he was, nonetheless.  

 - “You love me?” he asked and his voice trembled along with the rest of him. - “I thought you hated me”.

 - “You’ve known for years that’s not true”, she said, almost feeling hurt that he still believed that after all this time. - “The kiss I gave you earlier today was nothing compared to the gift you’ve once given me. A long time ago”.

Luke was even more puzzled now.

 - “The lightsaber?”

 - “My life! You gave my life meaning again once you made me realize the truth and that my former existence as The Emperor’s Hand had all been a lie”.

She caressed his cheek tenderly. Luke could see tears forming in her eyes.

 - “How can I not love you for that?” she asked.

 

Luke closed his eyes for a second. He knew that she had been grateful for the insight he had given her about the true meaning of her former life. But he had never even anticipated that it had meant so much to her. But right now he felt the same gratitude from her as he once had sensed from his father just before he had passed away.

It had not been as dramatic, but he realized now that he had done the same to Mara as he had done for his father. He had believed in the good that existed deep inside of their hearts. The struggle to break free, however, had been their own.

 - “You made that realization by yourself, Mara”, he stated.

 - “But I had never done it if not for you”, Mara insisted. - “You have a gift, Luke. A special gift like no other. You see people. You see them for what they really are. You saw me for what I really am”.

Her compliment warmed his heart. Yes, he was quite alone with this ability. When he had felt the good within his father he had thought that was a one time occasion. But it wasn’t. Mara was right, it was a gift. A gift to help others.

 

Her eyes suddenly fell to the floor. An old shame fell upon her.

 - “I’ve tried to drown my longing for you with other men but it just didn’t work”, Mara confessed and raised her eyes again. - “I’m only happy when I’m with you”.

Her gaze seemed to intensify.

 - “I didn’t make love to you to obligate you. If you trust nothing else, trust in this”.

She leaned forward to kiss him.

 - “Trust in us”.

She kissed him deeply, tenderly and with all the love she had for this man. She kissed him just as she had done before on top of the Great Temple. Reluctantly, she finally broke the kiss and then gazed into his blue eyes once more.

 - “I truly, deeply love you, Luke Skywalker”.

 

A tear fell down Luke’s face. Her words filled him with the greatest of happiness. But also with great sadness. Mara had carried these strong feelings for him all these years and he had hardly even suspected anything. And he had never allowed her to love him.

Until now.

 - “Why haven’t you told me?” he wondered.

Mara heard the pain in his voice. There were so many reasons why she had never told him. But in the end there really was just one.

 - “Would you accept the affection from someone who once wanted you dead?”

 - “Yes! Since that someone shows compassion when darkness tries to enslave her. And fights back when her hatred is trying to consume her”.

He sounded like a romantic poet. But he spoke from experience.

And from his heart.

 - “Yes, I would accept that someone’s affection”.  

 

Mara slowly shook her head.

 - “Then I certainly don’t deserve you”.

 - “Mara…”

His voice was so filled with compassion. But that had no power to change the past. Her eyes dropped again.

 - “Besides, I didn’t want to interfere”.

No longer shielding her mind and heart, Luke no longer had any trouble understanding her. Or what all her innuendoes were all about.

 - “Because of Callista?”

 - “Yes”.

She regretted her confession the second she had said it. She had promised him!

 - “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to bring her up again”, she apologised.

 

Luke put two fingers under her chin and brought her eyes back to his own.

 - “Hey, it’s okay”, he promised. - “And you could never interfere, Mara. You don’t ever have to concern yourself about her again. No matter if she ever returns or not”.

He put his hands on each side of her face. He swallowed; fighting back the anger that otherwise would consume him. He had been such a damn fool! How could he have denied his love for Mara and give himself to another that he didn’t love?

It hurt terribly, but Luke realized that he didn’t love Callista. Once, when he had meat her he thought he had. But no more. The love he once have had for Callista had been that out of gratitude, for saving his life on The Eye of the Palpatine and for all the knowledge of the Force she had given him. But there had never been any passion, neither from her or himself.

Maybe Callista had noticed that? Perhaps even suspected that he really was in love with somebody else? Was that why she had left him so easily? And never returned?

And here he was, waiting in vain for someone he didn’t really love! Hurting himself in his solitude and misery and leaving Mara to her agony by refusing her entrance to his heart.

No longer!

He would never deny her ever again!

 

Luke found himself almost drowning in the eyes of the woman he loved as he held her fair face between his hands. Yes, Mara was fair, more than just plain beautiful. Others might not regard her as such but Luke didn’t care what others thought.

Not anymore.

 - “It’s you that I love”, he said firmly. - “It’s you that I want. Not her”.

Mara trembled. The tears she had fought back for so long fell down her face. She had never thought to see the day when Luke ever would give up Callista for her.

 - “Why?” she asked.

There were numerous reasons, all trying to be more important than the other. But especially one seemed greater than most others.

 - “You’ve always been here”, Luke said. - “You would never walk away”.

 - “And I never will!” she promised.

 

Mara could not remember the last time, if ever, when she had cried for so long. All the years of loneliness and despair flooded out of her. Palpatine had taught her to never cry, that was a weakness. Luke let her cry. Let her be herself. He did not regard her as weak.

In his eyes she was strong. Even as she wept in the realization that Callista would never stand in her way anymore and all the anger no longer served a purpose. You had to be strong to admit such deep feelings.

Luke took her face in his hands again and dried away her tears. Her tears did not concern him since they were tears of joy and relief. Besides, he knew how good a good cry meant for the soul. And Mara had cried way too little in her life.

 - “You are the sexiest, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen… in my entire life”, he said softly. Yes, even with tears falling she was lovely. Just looking at her took his breath away.

He finally understood what Mara had been indicating before when she had begged him not to leave her again. Leaving her alone for another, that was. There was no need for her to worry ever again. He would be true to her from now on.

Luke was actually amazed that Mara had still kept her hope up for him. She could just as well have found another man, a good man, by now. But she did not want any other.

 “I’m not worthy of you”, he said.

 

 - “Luke, don’t talk that way!” Mara objected. - “If anyone should have the right to those words it should be me. You are a Jedi Master. I’m… I’m nothing”.

 - “No! Don’t you remember what I told you today?”

Mara nodded. She had not forgotten and those words still warmed her heart. But she was not used to look upon herself as something special.

 - “You have done so much for the New Republic”, Luke went on. - “And I know of the potential that is within you. Further more, you are my everything!”

Still the romantic! Well, rather a romantic fool than none at all.

 - “If more men out there were like you, then we’d have a better galaxy all together”.

Luke nodded but his smile went away when he saw the deeper meaning of her words.

 - “If more men were like me, I doubt you’d be here with me right now”.

 

His jealousy caught her completely unprepared. Up until now, Luke had always kept it secret from her. She suddenly realized what all her stories of her seeing other men must have done to him. She had done so to try to persuade him and inspire him to do the same by seeing some women of his own, but never to make him jealous. Especially since Mara never had had any illusions that he cared that much for her.

If she had known she would never have put him through that.

She would have fought for him much more openly.

 - “I’ve hurt you, haven’t I?”

 - “No”, Luke said not totally honest but he wasn’t lying either. - “But you have put my discipline to the test. Jealousy is a Dark Side feeling”.

Not only had he been fighting his own feelings. He had been fighting the temptation of the Dark Side as well. It had not been easy. But Luke could still confess that it all had been worth it.

 

 - “Well, your days of jealousy are over”, she reassured him. - “You will never have to share me with anyone else. I promise”.

She encircled her arms around his neck once more.

 - “Not when I have everything I want right here”.

 - “Mara, don’t make any commitments that you don’t want…”

She interrupted him before he got time to finish.

 - “I do want this! And so do you”.

 - “That’s true”, Luke admitted. - “But I would never ask you to give up your way of life for me”.

 - “My life is boring without you”.

In fact, her whole existence would have been different if Luke had not been such a huge part of her life. He had been ever since Palpatine had given her the assignment to kill him. And everything since had happened because of Luke’s involvement.

She had maybe not even been alive today if not for him. She could have been another dead, forgotten soul during the Civil War or simply just another anonymous trader out there.

 

Mara started to provide his face all over with tiny kisses.

 - “You are the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me”, she said. - “And now when I finally have you I’ll never do anything that would destroy what we have. If you want me, Luke, then you are stuck with me”.

Luke grinned and grabbed her by the waste.

 - “I do want you..!”

 

Indeed he did.

All these confessions, making out and sweet caresses had made him aroused once more. And it had affected Mara in the same way too.

They quickly ended up on the stone floor of the balcony, tumbling and rolling back and forth. Both already drained in their sweat anyway, they didn’t bother about the hard, dirty floor that had no roof up ahead, except for the dark, starlit night sky. Nor did they bother about the uncomfortable ground. Luke and Mara didn’t even notice.

All they knew was the sweet touch of each other’s bodies.

After their hands and lips had explored each other in most areas, Mara ended up on her back with Luke on top of her. Slowly they made love once more, this time knowing that this night would only mean the beginning.

 

It was beginning to build up inside of her once more and Mara knew that Luke was close to his release as well. She longed to come with him this time.

He was so open to her now, unlike how he had been before. Not only had he kept his emotional distance, his mind had been blocked as well. But now they weren’t just one in body and heart. Through the Force they were also one in soul as well now.

Her climax was getting closer. Just a few more seconds and she would…

 

It suddenly felt as if she had left her body, yet she could still feel it. Nothing seemed to exist around them, not the stone floor, not the temple, not the Academy or the jungle, not even the moon. It was just him and her, in thin air. Everything was soft and light. Peaceful.

She even felt what he felt and he felt her feelings. As if they were truly one being.

 - “What’s happening?” Mara wondered, feeling a bit scared.

 - “Embrace it, Mara!” Luke said calmly. - “The Force binds us together. It’s all right”.

Everything was all right. He had experienced this before, once. With Callista. The incredible bonding that the Force provided two Force wielders already so strongly attached to each other. What Luke had experienced with Callista had been powerful and strong.

But that was still nothing compared to what he shared with Mara right now. Her strength in the Force was not just stronger than what Callista’s ever had been, their love were also much greater.

And for that, the Force gave them the ultimate reward.

Their mutual climax wasn’t just physical. It was in the Force as well. Once it finally past away they were back in each other’s arms, lying on the stone floor.

 - “I never thought I would feel this again..!” Luke uttered before they both fell asleep by exhaustion.

 

******************************

 

 - “Is this the end of my lesson?”

 - “This lesson will never end”, Luke said with a smile as he gave Mara back her lightsaber that had been lying on the floor among the rest of their clothes. Luke turned back to the floor to retrieve his own weapon and the top of his black uniform. Mara, who had worn less than he, was already dressed. Her hair was a mess, though, and both of them were covered with dirt both here and there. Their clothes, as well as themselves, were in need of a shower.

Not that any of that mattered to Mara right now as she gazed out from the balcony to the stars in the sky as she waited for him to get dressed himself. She couldn’t get tonight’s events out of her mind. Nor did she want to.

The joy that embraced her now she had never even thought was possible to feel.

Even less that she would be blessed to be given it.

 

She looked over her shoulder and observed her lover as he was getting ready to leave soon.

 - “Is it because I am such a slow learner?” she asked.

 - “No. Because I love to teach”, Luke said and stepped up to her and kissed her. - “And I love you.

 - “I love you too. You handsome devil”.

Luke gave her a surprised glare.

 - “You can’t possibly refer to me in this state”, he said. Mara burst out into a joyful laughter. Sure, he was dirty, his hair scruffy and his clothes not fully in place. Right now he looked like a homeless slacker with a lightsaber. But she did not bother herself with such details in this moment.

 - “Don’t be so sure, farmboy”.

 

She turned back to the stars above.

 - “I still think you let me win, though”, she stated as she recalled their duel. - “It was all too easy”.

Her last choice of words made Luke remember a similar phrase that Vader once had told him at Cloud City. Oh well, that duel belonged to his past. His deeper relationship with Mara belonged to his future.

 - “When my head is spinning and I only have one thought in my head, I’m very easy to defeat”, he confessed.

 - “What thought is that?”

Mara suddenly felt his arms embrace her from behind.

 - “To make love to you”, he whispered into her ear. His hands moved up to her bosoms and fondled her sweetly. Mara made a surprised groan in pleasure and rested her head against him.    

 - “To touch you, taste you”, Luke continued. - “To be inside of you. All kinds of naughty thoughts, my love”.

Mara didn’t know if this was the farmboy or the Jedi Master who spoke to her. But quite frankly she didn’t care. As long as it was Luke, both sides of him did just as fine.

 - “Never stop having those”, she said.

 - “That won’t be difficult”.

 

Luke started to behave himself and simply held her in his arms now. They had spent several hours up here and they had even been asleep on the floor during one of those. Time flew by quickly.

 - “Do you really have to go back to Coruscant so soon?” he asked, his voice giving away that he wanted her to stay with him.

 - “Yes”, she said, sounding just as disappointed herself. - “But I won’t be gone for long. And I will return as soon as possible”.

She turned her gaze to him.

 - “I have a good reason to do so now. Unless you want to come with me”.

Luke shook his head.

 - “I can’t. Unless there’s an emergency I have no time to leave. I’ve got too many students who require my attention here right now”.

Mara wasn’t surprised. They were lovers now but their regular lives still demanded their attention. They had to figure out a way to combine it somehow.

She turned around to him completely and put her arms around his neck.

 - “Just make sure you save some of that attention for me”, she said and moved closer to him.

 - “Like right now”.

 - “That’s a promise, sweetheart!”

 

Their kiss started tenderly but quickly, on Mara’s initiative, grew much more passionate. She kissed her way down his neck. Luke could not believe it, but yet again he felt how his body reacted and began to desire her once more.

With much effort and reluctance, he took a step away from her. Otherwise they’d risk remaining up here all night.

 - “Oh, please stop this, Mara! Or it was a waste of time to put our clothes back on”.

Mara agreed.

 - “I know, such a waste”.

They both giggled and hugged once more.

 - “Come on”.

With his left arm still around her, Luke began to drag her along. It was time to go back, for some freshen up and sleep.

And perhaps something more.

 

They left the South Temple and headed back towards The Great Temple. They could make out some dim lights but otherwise everything around them was still quiet and resting, except for the surrounding jungle. They walked holding each other’s hands. In a way they were glad that the Academy was asleep. Sooner or later their affair would be known but their first night together they wanted to share only with themselves.

 

Mara heard Luke sigh. Through the Force she sensed that he was thinking about the next day and her departure.

 - “When exactly are you leaving?” he asked.

 - “Tomorrow evening. Until then, however, I’m all yours!”

 - “No time to loose, then”.

 

Luke suddenly stopped and since their hands were attached he made Mara stop too.

 - “I still don’t like the idea of you sleeping on your ship”, he stated and brought her hand to his lips. He smiled seducingly at her after kissing her palm.

 - “Will my lovely student care to share my bed tonight?”

Mara stepped up to him, her face shining with joy.

 - “I thought you’d never ask, my beloved Master”.

 

Master.

She had never called him that before. And she didn’t call him that because she regarded herself as inferior to him as she had been with Palpatine. No, this meant that she would return to him. And finish her training! To be his student. To be his lover.

And continue to be his friend.

They embraced and Luke lifted her into his arms, swirling her around a few times. Yes, they were still friends, which their relationship had always been based upon. And they would hold on to that friendship.

Luke had been right. Friendship truly was a form of love too.

Perhaps one of the strongest of them all.

 

 

The End

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