The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

Part One

It had taken years, but their relationship had slowly evolved from a tentative truce to a solid friendship. Not really certain of his motives, Luke Skywalker had always been compelled to maintain contact with Mara Jade. Perhaps he felt it was his duty to track all Force users, to train them if he could, to monitor them if they refused. Maybe it was because Mara was the only one that understood his heritage, his brush with the dark side, and was not repulsed on some level by his parentage. Mara Jade did not fear him and held no awe for his power. He liked that she viewed him as just a man.

Or maybe it was simply because he genuinely enjoyed her company. She was a quick intelligent and passionate woman who was extremely particular about her companions but once given, she was unswerving in her loyalties.

Mara's job as Talon Karrde's second in command required her to perform many tasks, including a requirement to make appearances at various social functions. Luke had discovered that Talon had been unavoidably detained on a supply run in the Outer rim territories and was sending Mara to meet with one of the New Republic's trade representatives in his place.

Luke's astromech droid, R2D2, had notified him the moment her ship, the Jade's Fire had appeared on the Coruscant landing manifests and he was ready and waiting for her as she exited the ramp of her ship.

"Now why am I not surprised to find you waiting for me?" she asked, a teasing gleam lighting her sharp, green eyes.

"The Force?" Luke quipped with a grin.

Mara sighed. "I don't have time for this right now, Skywalker."

Luke's face fell and he sighed.

Mara chuckled. He could be so predictable. It was good to see him after so long. They hadn't met like this for months. "I have to go and check in with my contact, and then I'm free until the meetings are arranged."

"Tomorrow then?"

Mara nodded. "I think I'll be free then."

"What about meeting for..." Luke thought about saying, 'dinner and dancing,' but he didn't. Instead he finished with, "a sparring session in the Palace gym first thing tomorrow?"

"Good idea. Give me a chance to beat you."

Luke laughed. "You can try."

"There is no try, Jedi Master," Mara returned snippily, her nose in the air and then spoiled the effect by laughing at him.

*********

Luke eyed Mara as she stood across from him, her hands relaxed, her body at the ready. He hesitated, not wanting to harm her. At the last minute, Luke suggested that they put aside their customary lightsabers and practiced hand to hand combat. She nodded, slightly confused. Mara had agreed to this sparring session, because she had not had an opportunity to have a worthy opponent for lightsaber combat since the last time she had met Luke for a practice. Luke usually enjoyed their sessions, because it was the only time he was able get a run for his credits. This last minute change had startled her, but she was not adverse to the challenge. She couldn't remember the last time she had tested Luke's skill at unarmed combat.

Mara could see the Jedi was lost in thought, his focus not on their fight. Deciding that she would get no better opening, she lunged at him. At the last moment, Luke deflected her attack, but not before falling heavily to the ground. Slightly winded, he gazed up at Mara's satisfied smile.

"Your mind was parsecs away," she admonished lightly as she bent down to lend him a hand. "That could get you killed."

Luke smiled wryly, acknowledging the fact that she was right. He got to his feet with her hand clasped in his, her face just a few inches from his own. Their bodies were so close, he could feel the heat radiating between them. Luke's body tightened, and his heart thudded in his chest. Her eyes were the most beautiful shade of green, he thought. Just like the new leaves on the tree outside his window on Yavin IV.

"Sorry, I got distracted." Luke said, and the breathless quality to his voice made her wonder exactly what he had distracted him.

Mara's eyes widened fractionally and she backed away. "The Jedi Master? Yoda's prot?e distracted? I'm shocked."

"Come on, Mara. I might be the Jedi Master, but I'm not perfect. Being nearly perfect, however, has its drawbacks. Still, I know I always have you to remind me that I'm just a man." Luke teased.

Just a man. Mara felt her breath freeze in her chest and no amount of willpower seemed to be able to loosen her lungs. She found her voice from somewhere. "Nearly perfect. Not even close, Jedi Master Skywalker."

He seemed to realize that his joke might have been too much and reddened slightly, "Sorry, Mara. I have had enough of the Master for awhile. I've been at the Academy too long."

"All that devotion and respect just not enough for you, hmm?" she asked mockingly.

He shrugged and grinned. "It's not really me but I try not to let them overdo it. So what are we doing here then?"

"You're the one who suggested that we spar." He glanced away, and the breath eased from her chest. There was a slight tremor in her hand that hadn't been there before. Mara glanced down at her hand, noting that it wasn't visible.

"I know. But it's been such a long time since we've visited." Luke smiled slightly, "You never had a problem with seeing me as Luke Skywalker, allowing me to forget the dark robes for a while. I need that from you. I get workouts at the Academy all the time. I don't really need the exercise, though you challenge me more than anyone else."

"So all this wasn't necessarily because you needed a workout?" Mara shook her head in disbelief. "We could have just met for a meal." She met his gaze.

A look of surprise crossed his face.

"Don't tell me you didn't even think of that?" Mara's eyebrows drew together.

He gave a sheepish shrug. "I didn't think you would want to meet socially..."

"Why ever not? We meet socially." There was a faintly defensive note to her voice.

"I know but it's never just you and me. It's you, me, and the trade delegation. You, me, and Karrde's people... And I did need to burn off some energy, but why don't we go to eat when we're through here."

Mara smiled widely, "Alright, but I get to choose the place and you buy."

"If you think that's going to put me off, you're wrong." Luke laughed. "It's a deal."

He started circling her carefully, and Mara could sense that he was being cautious for her sake.

"Don't underestimate me Skywalker. I can hold my own."

His blue eyes danced. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"I don't mind reminding you of your imperfect status every so often," she teased. Luke groaned, knowing that she was reminding him of her earlier victory.

Luke waited and after a moment of circling each other Mara lunged again. This time he responded so quickly, Mara found the breath knocked out of her and Luke looming over her prone form. She gave him a grudging smile as she slowly sat up. She felt a twinge in her back, but she would be damned if she let Skywalker become aware of it.

A look of concern crossed his features and he knelt down beside her, his weight on his knees. "Are you alright, Mara?"

She turned her head to give him a reflexively scathing remark and found the words drying in her mouth. His face was so close she could feel his sweetly smelling breath stir the tendrils of copper hair that had come loose at her forehead. Mara could see the faint variations of blue in his eyes as Luke's pupils grew large and dark and she saw his mouth relax. Those eyes searched her face, as if seeing her for the very first time. They stayed like that a little too long for her comfort.

Luke shook his head, this time the one to feel embarrassed at his reaction to her. Could she sense it? Her face flushed. Luke offered his hand to her and Mara turned her head aside pretending not to notice.

She rolled to her feel. "I'm fine."

"If you're sure?"

She shrugged.

They walked slowly apart to resume their ready stance facing each other. Mara had the distinct impression that neither of them were focused on their combat any longer, but they continued as if they had not noticed that something had happened just a moment ago. What it was exactly, Mara couldn't say. She shook her head, attempting to clear her thoughts as Luke made his move, his hands grasping her body firmly.

They continued to grapple until they were both breathless, realizing that neither could claim victory of this particular contest. Mara was about to renew her attack when Luke raised his hand stopping her. "I think I've burned just about all the energy I can spare."

Mara relaxed smiling widely. "I though you'd never concede defeat."

"Hey! I never said anything about conceding." A mock wounded expression crossed his features.

"If that makes it easier for you to sleep at nights, you just keep believing that, Skywalker." Mara said as she began to gather her gear.

Luke shook his head ruefully. She really could be infuriating sometimes. Mara smiled devilishly at him and then laughed out loud. His irritation evaporated at the uncharacteristic lightness that surrounded her. He could feel her humor and he enjoyed seeing her so relaxed.

They made their way to the changing areas and in a short while were on their way to a restaurant.

Mara had suggested a remote restaurant that specialized in Tatooine cuisine that Luke had never visited before. It was called the Outer Quadrant, both a pun reflecting the varied menu as well as a good description of its location on Coruscant's city grid. The proprietor was a Twi'lek who had emigrated from Tatooine, and utilized a staff entirely of droids. It was not crowded, and they elected to sit at a table on the rooftop terrace. The city lights gave the Coruscant night sky an almost purplish glow. The restaurant was well away from the traffic lanes so the lone couple sat undisturbed in a companionable silence.

Mara slowly sipped the house brew while Luke drank his usual hot chocolate. He saw her gaze linger for a moment on the steaming draft, but when he silently offered her a taste, she shook her head.

He shrugged nonchalantly and continued to sip the warm beverage.

"The next time you need a part for your X-wing, let me know, I'll make sure you don't pay above market price again." Mara said.

He smiled slightly and said, "He had an honest face, besides I didn't sense any deception on his part."

"I don't think he was trying to rip you off; he just doesn't have my contacts or resources."

"Not everyone is as successful as you are." Luke said.

Mara made a face at him.

"What is it?"

"Successful? You think that's an apt description for my life?"

"How would you describe your life?"

"Adequate."

Luke leaned forward, his hot chocolate forgotten to cool in the night air. "Why only adequate? You have a thriving livelihood, devoted friends, and the talents and skills to do anything that you want."

"Not anything."

"Tell me what's wrong, Mara."

"You're right, Skywalker. I'm so damned successful I can hardly stand myself. Now can we let the subject drop."

"Something is wrong. Don't brush me off. I want to help, if I can?" Luke reached across the table and took Mara's hand. She jumped slightly, her eyes going wide at the contact. Luke held on, knowing that he was pushing the boundaries of their friendship, but he also knew that he had uncovered something very important and was determined to get this out in the open. She'd been there for him so many times. He wanted to return the favor.

They were silent for a long moment. Mara's gaze settled on his hand, she slowly grew accustomed to the foreign feeling of his fingers grasping her own. The sensation was unsettling and at the same time eminently comforting. She dropped her gaze to the galaxy pattern in the table cloth, and traced the starlines with the tip of her free finger.

She sighed heavily. "I should be happy, I know. I have friends, my own ship, enough credits to buy just about anything I could possibly want, but I still feel as if something vital is missing."

"I know that feeling too," Luke admitted.

She pulled her hand out of his grip, feeling that they were edging into territory that was almost too personal to bear and if she maintained physical contact with the Jedi she would be unable to continue. Luke seemed to sense her feelings and did not protest when she withdrew her hand.

"I live alone. I have no family to call my own. I don't even know who my parents were. I don't think I'll ever marry, and I recently realized that I will probably never have children to call my own." She laughed bitterly, "Who would have thought that me, Mara Jade, would ever want to have a family."

"Why shouldn't you? You're a beautiful woman with a lot of love to share. You would make a wonderful mother."

She snorted at that and met Luke's gaze, "I think you're the only person in the entire galaxy that would ever think so. Let's face it Luke. I'm not exactly mother material. I was the Emperor's assassin. Could you see some man trusting me to be alone with his infant child? I could always lie, hide from my past, but you know that I could never be happy doing that, denying who I am, who I was."

Mara stood up, as if trying to escape the subject of their conversation. Luke's voice arrested her, "I always wanted to have a family too." Mara turned to face him and saw his eyes lose focus. "I've dreamed of children . . .my children." His voice was low and full of emotion then his eyes refocused on Mara's face. "Sometimes I thought it might come to pass, but I've learned to accept that my fate lies in another direction. I'm the Jedi Master; my job is to oversee the newest generation of Jedi. It's selfish of me to desire anything more. I should be happy training other people's children to knighthood."

Mara sat down heavily in her seat, disturbed by the resignation in his tone. She took his hand without realizing what she was doing, "That's a load of bantha fodder and you know it. Don't tell me you've given up on the idea of having a family? You'll find someone some day. You're a wonderful, handsome man that any woman would be happy to call their husband."

Luke's eyes cleared and his gaze went from their joined hands to Mara's earnest face. He didn't think he had ever felt anything so powerful in his life. There was a roaring in his ears, so loud that he could hardly think. His Force senses were swimming at him, demanding that he pay attention. When he focused on them, they seemed to urge the words out of his mouth. "Would you?"

"What?" She asked startled, her eyes going wide.

"Would you?" Luke's grip tightened on her hand.

She tugged ineffectively in an attempt to free her hand from his grasp, her face going red then white. "Would I what?"

He clutched at her hands, not allowing her to back away. His gaze was intense, unwavering, "Would you be happy with me as your husband?"

He could feel her shock hit him and he couldn't blame her. He was equally surprised, but filled with a new determination.

"You! Are you insane? Are you sure that was just hot chocolate you were drinking? You're not making any sense."

She persisted in her effort to free her hands, but he held fast. Normally, she would have had no problem pulling free, but the combination of his touch and his words seemed to have made her strength ebb completely away. She sat back, stunned. A part of her, so hidden, so buried, that she almost didn't recognize it, was thrilled at his question. Could she ever consider Skywalker for a husband? The idea seemed ludicrous, but it also made a logical kind of sense. They were both Force users that desired to have a family. Neither one of them seemed likely to find a mate. They were friends and if she were honest with herself, she was attracted to Luke. Her body heated at the thought of taking Luke to her bed. She would be lying to herself if she said she'd never considered it, but Luke and her coupling....

Their children would be powerful.

"If we had children together they would be very strong in the Force, maybe too powerful." Mara said, almost absently.

Luke smiled. "We would have to train them to control their power, not an easy task, but it would be quite a challenge. . . .and if they were part of a loving family it would be easier. Love grounds you, it tempers power..."

Mara yanked her hand free and stood up. She said, "What the hell are we saying? This is absurd. I'm not going to discuss this anymore with you."

"Promise me that you'll think about it, Mara." Luke pleaded, getting to his feet.

"Think about it!" she almost screeched the words. "You want me to show you my medical records? You want to look at my teeth and make sure that I'd make adequate breeding stock? Damn you, Skywalker. Damn you to hell." Mara knocked her chair aside and stalked away. Her fury was so strong that she couldn't even see where she was going. She pushed a serving droid down the stairs as she stormed out of the restaurant and away.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Was the meal not to your liking?" the droid called after the enraged woman as she left the restaurant.

Luke ran his fingers through his hair, going through their conversation in his head, wondering what had come over him. It seemed so clear to him. It all made a perfect sense. Why couldn't she see that? Then he realized that she had opened up to him in a way that she had never done so before and he had repaid her confession by essentially insulting her. Why did he think that Mara would want to have a child with him? But the more and more he thought about it, the more he was sure it was the right thing to do. Both he and Mara were lonely. They both desired a family. They were friends and if he was honest with himself, he had always had a bit of a crush on the lovely woman. They were both Force users and he knew with an absolute certainty that there would be no one else in the galaxy that could ensure that he would never get bored. And the idea of having Mara as his lover was not an entirely unappealing notion.

He grinned, unable to help himself.

"Can I get you something else, gentle being?" The serving droid asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"No, I think it's about time that I help myself."

********* The Arrangement
Part Two
by Rhea

Mara managed to avoid Skywalker for a week, returning his calls only when she was certain he was unavailable only to leave a brief, perfunctory message in turn. She couldn't stop thinking about their conversation and after the shock dulled and her anger ebbed, she wondered if perhaps she had been too hasty in her refusal.

Her days became filled with thoughts of family, images of holding a child, performing mundane chores with Skywalker, and at night her bed seemed oddly cold and empty. Mara was attracted to Skywalker, but could there be passion between them? She had to find out before her thoughts could progress. She could not bed down with someone in passionless, impersonal duty just to produce offspring. She did not have it within herself to do such a thing and she certainly would not forge the unbreakable bond, a child, with a man without any true hope of happiness.

Mara realized that these thoughts meant that she was considering Skywalker's impulsive suggestion and no longer dismissing it as ridiculous. In fact, as more time past, the more the idea seemed viable, even reasonable. It was late at night, but she somehow doubted that Skywalker was sleeping. Resigned to another sleepless night, Mara sat up and began to dress.

*********

After missing her first few return calls, Luke realized that Mara was avoiding him. He couldn't blame her. They had moved beyond the comfortable and familiar into unknown regions of their sometimes stormy relationship. He couldn't dismiss the idea. As he continued to think about it, the more he wondered why the idea had never occurred to him before. Luke couldn't seem to concentrate on anything else and he was getting very little sleep. His dreams were becoming more and more heated and the harder he tried to suppress them, the worse it got. He was fairly certain that Mara was unaware that he was having erotic dreams about her and he knew as long as the hope that Mara might considering his suggestions, these hauntingly seductive and sweetly erotic images would continue to fill his slumber.

It was strange, really, how suddenly everything had shifted. He had always acknowledged Mara's beauty, but had never really considered her on a romantic level. Well, not openly. When someone had a death mark against you, it tended to keep you from becoming too friendly. But that was in the past. He tried to understand what had changed, and after meditating on it for a long while Luke finally had his answer. It wasn't that he had altered so much as she had. She was still the same Mara Jade he had always known, but she no longer held any real hostility toward him. They were good friends, and she had admitted that she found him handsome. He remembered the way she had earnestly asserted that any woman would want him as her husband. Would she? Luke had felt something there behind her words that had touched him.

Besides, the idea of having children of his own was incredibly appealing. He had resigned himself to the fact that he was not to have his own offspring and tried to content himself with his sister's family. But the moment the hope had resurged to life the lack felt suddenly like a raw wound. Luke had numbed himself so that he no longer felt the pain of this loss, but that anesthesia had worn away, leaving him wanting.

All of these thoughts were going through his mind so that he no longer even saw his Sabaac hand change. The game had moved on and what had once been a winning hand was now a complete loss.

"Space control to Luke, are you still there buddy?" Han's voice finally penetrated the fog and Luke glanced around the table to the seated players. All eyes were on him, with the exception of young Jacen who was still engrossed in examining his card hand.

They were seated in a Sabaac hall, nestled in the shadow of the old Imperial palace. Most of the furniture was old Republic, worn, but still stylish, attesting to the grace of that bygone era. The air filters kept the room relatively free of smoke and various alien intoxicants, leaving behind a muted carbon smell. The ivory walls gleamed and every table was filled. Beings from every region of space clamored at the gaming tables, for a chance to get rich. It had been quite an accomplishment for Han Solo to acquire this table.

It was Luke's turn and the other players waited with barely contained patience for him to make his move.

When Luke laid his cards down, Lando positively oozed satisfaction.

"I fold." Luke stated.

Han continued to gaze at the Jedi a touch of concern in his eyes but there was no denying his eagerness to continue with the game. Luke suspected Han believed he had the winning hand. Talon Karrde leaned back in his seat waiting for this round to end so that he could join the game. Five days after Mara had arrived on Coruscant, Talon's pilot had landed the Wild Karrde at the Spaceport. Luke had invited Karrde to join them in hopes that he would learn something about Mara's current status.

Luke had already verified that Artoo would notify him the moment the Jade's Fire requested clearance for departure, so he knew that she was still on the planet. But this precaution was probably unnecessary, since he could still feel her proximity, her light in the Force.

The game continued without him and Luke turned to Talon Karrde, "How long are you planning on staying on Coruscant? When do the trade talks end?"

Karrde glanced around the table, and when he was reasonably sure that the others were too engrossed in their game to take note of their conversation, he returned his attention to the Jedi seated beside him.

Talon's eyes twinkled but he answered seriously, "Don't you have that question wrong? Aren't you really asking how long Mara is planning on being on Coruscant?"

Luke felt his jaw drop before he closed his mouth, a sly grin edging his mouth as he said, "You sure you don't have any Force ability, Talon?"

Talon chuckled, pleased that he managed to read the blond man correctly, surprising him. He had taken a leap, acting on intuition. Mara had been moving in a haze the last week. Her concentration was off, and she had made a series of minor errors that he would have dismissed easily if any of his other staff had done them, but for Mara Jade they were an anomaly.

When Luke had asked him to join their Sabaac game, he had wondered if the Jedi had noticed her strange behavior as well and intended to talk to Talon. It didn't take the smuggler long to realize that Skywalker was in a similar state of distraction. Whatever had happened to cause Mara's change in behavior, involved this particular man.

"You'd be the one to answer that one, Skywalker." Talon said.

Luke shifted uncomfortably in his seat, before visibly regaining his poise.

"You don't survive very long as a smuggler without a healthy dose of intuition." Talon continued.

Luke nodded slowly and succumbed to asking the inevitable. "So how long is Mara staying on Coruscant?"

"How long do you want her to stay on Coruscant?" Talon asked curiously.

"We have some things we need to work out, and I was hoping that I would get the chance to resolve them before she headed off planet."

"I think I could arrange that, but for a price." Talon said.

Luke narrowed his gaze and asked, "What kind of price?"

"I need to know that you aren't going to force Mara into doing something she doesn't want to. I don't want to find out that you've been pushing her to train as a Jedi against her will, or that you intend to send her on some mission against her better judgment. I don't know what's gotten into her lately, but she can't seem to focus on anything lately and her performance has gotten me worried. It's just not like Mara to allow things to interfere with her job."

Luke smiled broadly, lightened by the knowledge that despite her angry departure from the restaurant, she had continued to think about his suggestion. He could hardly think of anything else.

He was weighing his words when Jacen whooped in triumph "Just pile all those chips over here."

"Well, I'll be ..." Lando muttered.

"You little scoundrel," Han said proudly, shoveling his credit chips over to Jacen's side of the table.

Luke shook his head and then said under his breath, "It's personal."

Talon raised an eyebrow and Luke blushed slightly, wondering if saying that had just piqued the man's curiosity.

Han turned to the two of them and said, "Are you in?"

Luke shook his head, rising to his feet, "No, it's late. I think I'll head home."

Jacen seemed about to protest, then seemed to think better of it. "See you later, Uncle Luke."

The Jedi nodded to the table, waving slightly to them so that they would remain seated. "I'm glad you could join us, Talon. I'm sorry that I'm heading out so soon."

"Don't worry about it, or anything else."

Luke nodded in understanding and made his way from the Sabaac table. He thought about heading toward Mara's apartment, knowing that if he called her, it would continue to go unanswered. When he glanced at his chrono, he realized how late it was and decided it would be better to wait until the morning. He made his way back to his aprartment.

Luke punched in the code to his room and the door opened with a hiss. Mara's presence seemed to grow stronger, so that it almost seemed as if she were very close . . .so close in fact. . . . .

"Mara?" Luke stepped into the room and glanced about the shadowed entryway.

His astromech twittered something, but there was something about the droid's tone that was subdued.

He moved cautiously in the room, the dim lighting raising slightly. A shadow moved and the Jedi's gaze was drawn to a low slung couch seated below a wide window displaying the Coruscant skyline. A wide, open window.

A low breeze swept through the room, and Mara's soft voice said, "I didn't want to wait in the hallway." She swung her feet from the couch to the ground, sitting upright.

Luke smiled in the darkness. He was too amused to be annoyed, and he wondered vaguely what she had said to Artoo that made him stand meekly in the corner of the room. He decided to act as if it were the most natural thing in the world to find Mara sitting in his darkened living room. Luke pulled off his brown robe and hung it in the entry closet. "I wouldn't have wanted you to, Mara," he said gently.

He scanned her as best he could through the Force, attempting to get a read on her state of mind. He had to admire her shields. No one could become such a blank slate as well as she could, but through persistence he caught a tendril of unease.

Mara stood up and said, "Would you like a drink."

Luke chuckled at her audacity, and answered, "Sure, what ever you're having."

Mara had already done a quick survey of the room, so moved with infinite ease to a small bar and poured two glasses of water. When she had decided to come to Luke's apartment in the middle of the night, she had given little thought to her own reaction to the Jedi's close proximity. She silent cursed this oversight. Ever since that night a week ago, her thinking had been a muddle. Mara should have met him in broad daylight at some public place to further their discussion. The dimly lit apartment in the dead of night lent an air of intimacy that made her uncomfortable. Her gaze darted surreptitiously to the calm Jedi, and she was absurdly proud that she was able to hand him the water glass without betraying the slight quaking in her limbs.

Luke took the glass and gestured for her to join him on the couch. He lifted his face to the cool breeze, but his eyes never strayed from her face. He remained silent waiting for her to speak. A part of him, was thrilled that she was here. He tried to keep the joy contained, not wanting to let Mara know how eager he was that she might accept his proposal. He wanted to maintain a modicum of pride, if she had in fact intended to decline his offer. He doubted, however, that she would come to his apartment at this time just to refuse. Mara seemed content to sip her water in silence as the time slipped on.

Luke found himself relaxing muscles that he hadn't even known he had tensed and a small smile tugged the edges of his mouth.

Mara sensed his lightened mood and she shrugged slightly.

"I've thought about our conversation the other night." Mara whispered.

The silence continued to stretch on and Luke nodded slowly. "I'm not surprised. I've thought about it too."

"I don't know if I can do such a thing," she muttered then gave him a look that was almost shy. "If you still want to that is." Mara continued carefully.

Luke set his empty glass on the end table, his gaze unyielding. "I haven't been able to think about anything else. I had hoped you had come here tonight to accept my proposal."

"I'm not accepting." Mara said softly.

Luke sighed heavily, feeling something inside of himself crumple at her words. "It was rather sudden I guess."

"But I'm not rejecting it either," she whispered quietly. "I have some... no," she hesitated before continuing. "I have many reservations."

A new hope burned inside of him. "That's something, at least." He said softly. "I know my suggestion came as a shock. Having reservations means that you are thinking seriously about it, not rejecting it outright. I certainly wasn't expecting it either, but it feels right to me. I know we can make this work." Luke insisted.

Mara shifted uncomfortably on the couch and then finally said. "We've never even kissed and here we are talking about making a child together."

Understanding dawned inside him, and Luke felt suddenly self conscious and more than a little bit embarrassed. "You're right; I never considered that you might not be attracted to me."

"I didn't say that." Mara stated as she set her glass down on the opposite table.

"No," he murmured slowly, his voice deepening. "You didn't." Luke looked at her for a moment and then leaned forward, closing the distance between them. His eyes met her green gaze and he watched as her pupils grew large. With his thumb he brushed her lips and she parted them slightly in response. Her skin was incredibly soft and her tongue flicked out moistening her lips. The air became heavy around them, sweeteningly thick, making it hard to draw breath.

He brushed his lips against her mouth, lightly, her sweetly exotic scent filling his nostrils. His skin tingled with awareness and his Force senses soared. He moved again, over her mouth, placing his hand on the side of her face and deepened the kiss. She sighed, pressing into him. He felt dazed, his awareness centering on this one spot, the feel of Mara against him, her Force presence filling him so that he felt as if he were caught in tailspin diving out of control to some unknown destination. But instead of experiencing a sense of vertigo, he was exhilarated. He crushed her to him, passion for her consuming him.

Mara was surprised at the sensations coursing through her. She felt as if she had never been kissed before, not really. She was no innocent, but she had never felt so stimulated in her life. She buried her fingers in Luke's hair, holding him in place as she deepened the kiss, pressing her breasts against his chest so that she could feel the thudding of his heart in time with her own wildly racing pulse. Their tongues dueled; their lips caressed. Both of them were lost in the maelstrom of passion, all coherent thought becoming impossible. She wanted more than anything in the world to feel all of him against her, to take him within her, to complete her.

Luke's mouth trailed down the side of her neck and Mara moaned, clutching at his hair, tugging lightly. Luke closed his eyes, his breathing labored, and paused. He sat up and gazed down at Mara, her head thrown back, her eyes closed. Her lips were red and slightly swollen from his kisses. Her eyelids fluttered open and her hand flew to her mouth in a combination of desire and surprise.

She raised her head and Luke sat beside her, his hair tousled, his rasping breath coming in short gasps. He closed his eyes, trying to regain control of his body, his pants uncomfortably tight. Mara sat up, her senses refusing to settle, her mind spinning. She absently straightened her black tunic and briefly thought about giving into her body's desires and urging Skywalker straight to his bed. It would be so easy, now aroused as she was, to forget about the consequences of their actions.

When Luke opened his eyes to regard her.

Mara said, "I think that was a definite yes."

He smiled in male satisfaction and she could sense that he was fighting with himself.

"You don't have to stop." She continued.

He was tempted, he really was, but he shook his head. "Yes I do. I want to do this right."

"That was some kiss." Mara breathed, unable to keep the awe out of her voice.

"I think we could be very compatible..." he hesitated but ploughed on. "...sexually. A good thing if we want to have children."

The mention of children brought Mara out of her stupor. She wasn't thinking about an alliance with Skywalker because she loved him. It was for companionship but most importantly of all - to have a child.

"My answer is yes."

"Good," he smiled warmly. "When I said I wanted to do this right - I meant it."

He stood up steadily and went over to Artoo. A small panel opened in his dome and the Jedi retrieved something. He returned to the couch and presented her with a small ring with a green glimmer gem sparkling in the center.

"Marry me." He said.

Mara caught her breath and for a moment she could almost believe that Skywalker cared for her.

"I never said anything about marriage," Mara said.

"If we're going to have a child, I'll accept nothing less."

Mara took the ring with a shaking hand and nodded. "I figured as much. All right, but I don't expect you to pretend to love me. The whole point of this, is that I can't live a lie."

Luke said nothing as she slid the ring on to her finger.

Finally he broke the silence by stating, "I don't want Leia and Han to know that you really don't want to marry me, that this just a mutual arrangement to have a child together."

Mara didn't deny that she was reluctant to marry the Jedi. She wasn't prepared for that level of commitment. But she knew that if she really wanted a baby with this man, that this was the only way. "No one forces me to do anything, remember that." She answered. "I really don't care what others think, but I don't want to shame you. No one needs to be aware of our arrangement. I can play a part; I just ask that we be honest with each other."

Luke nodded and took her hand. His smile was small, but genuine. "You won't regret it."

Her breath caught in her throat, and she got to her feet. "I know. I guess I'd better go home now, it's almost dawn."

She picked up her cloak, but Skywalker's voice stopped her, "You can stay."

"I thought you wanted to wait."

"I haven't changed my mind, as tempting as it is, but we should get to know each other better. We'll be living together, sharing our lives and that is bound to be difficult for us both. Besides, I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight."

Mara glanced at the door, undecided. She turned back to Skywalker. "I don't know. . . ."

"I'll make you breakfast."

She smiled and dropped her cloak. "You certainly have a way of convincing a woman to do what you want."

Luke waggled his eyebrows, "You've seen nothing yet."

*********

The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

*********

Part Three

It would have been easy to believe that nothing had changed if it wasn't for the way the air seemed to buzz between them. They bantered and argued good naturedly just as they always had, and Mara wondered if Luke was trying just as hard as she was to regain a sense of normalcy between them. But something had changed. Things were already different. Whatever happened they could never go back.

They discussed the best way to proceed with their plans as if they were talking about raiding a newly discovered Imperial fortress and not planning their very own wedding. Luke felt a little uneasy about this way of doing things, but there was no alternative. It had to be battle worthy. They talked of strategy and their approach, how they would imply that there had been something between them for a long time and had only now decided to get married. How they would avoid the press as best they could and start making a point of going to public places as if they were a true couple anticipating the date of their nuptials.

The overall galaxy was easy. Skywalker's family would be more difficult to convince, but they decided that the best way to overcome this hurtle was to tackle it early. First, they would have to establish that they were an item before they could inform the Solo household of their intended marriage.

"Just be yourself. Don't do anything you wouldn't normally do." Mara advised the blond man.

Luke nodded, wondering exactly what that meant. "I don't know how I normally am around you. I mean you're my fianc?ow."

"Ah, but they don't know that yet, and I think it's too early to tell them. They'll know something's up if the first time they see us together as a couple we tell them about our wedding." She shrugged. "The first rule about setting a scene or playing a part is to keep it as near to the truth as possible. We're friends and have been for years. A touch here and an extra smile there, should convince people quite easily."

"I suppose."

"There have been rumors about us for years."

"Have there?" Luke gave a small whistle. "A lot of beings without enough to do."

"Like saving the galaxy?"

"Somebody had to do it, Mara," Luke said with a wicked grin, his eyes sparkling. "You're right, of course. We have time, we don't have to rush this. Just as long as you don't get cold feet and decide to back out."

Mara looked affronted and then grinned. "Then you're just going to have to be on your best behavior."

Luke groaned and glanced at Artoo, "Can you believe this? She's going to be holding this over my head until our wedding day."

The astromech droid twittered something and then rolled away.

"Believe me, Skywalker, I'll find something else to hold over your head after the wedding." Mara teased.

He impulsively grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it, and Mara hissed in surprise.

Luke suppressed his first reaction, to release her hand, feeling that he really had no right to do such a thing. And yet he knew that everything had changed and if he felt like doing such a thing, then he would. She was going to be his wife and yes, they didn't love each other but he would be damned if he treated her like a casual friend. She and everyone else would have to get use to him touching her affectionately. He'd often seen the way Leia and Han interacted with one another. Luke wanted nothing less, he would take that as his blueprint. Han and Leia would not believe it otherwise.

He regarded her intently, weighing his words carefully. "You're my friend Mara, but things have changed. We're going to be a family; you're going to be my wife. I don't expect you to love me, but I want to have as normal a marriage as we can. Do you think that's possible?"

Mara hesitated, her eyes wide, "I. . . . I don't know. I'm not sure."

"The chemistry is there, but you cannot flinch every time I touch you." Luke released her hand and although his face betrayed nothing, she could feel his disappointment.

She opened her mouth to respond when Luke's com unit beeped. He glanced at the unit and then at Mara. "Go ahead," she gestured.

Luke answered the call. He was greeted by his sister. Her hair was arranged artfully piled on top of her head, and she wore a tasteful form fitting white tunic, ready for the day. "Luke, I'm sorry to call so early. I hope I didn't wake you up. I wanted to ask if you would like to meet me for lunch."

"We were awake. I just finished making Mara breakfast."

Leia's mouth worked for a moment, but issued no sounds.

Luke could see his sister trying not to think the obvious and failing.

"Mara's there?"

"Yes," Luke said carefully. "She... er stayed over."

Leia flushed slightly suddenly seeing Mara standing behind her brother. "Mara!" And then her diplomatic training kicked in and she composed her features, "You heard me invite Luke for lunch? Of course you're invited as well, Mara. I'd love to see you."

Mara smiled to herself, realizing that the woman had drawn the obvious conclusion to her appearance in the Luke's apartment at this time of the day. She also realized that her hair was slightly disarrayed from their kiss and she had never thought to fix it. Rather than try to correct this assumption, she decided it would be in their best interest to cultivate it. She approached the com unit monitor and slipped her arm around Luke's waist. She looked up into his eyes, leaning into him, and said smoothly, watching Luke's face, "We'd love to."

Mara could detect his surprise by the slight widening of his eyes, and a minute tensing of his muscles, but he shielded it remarkably well. He smiled at Mara, a slow, lover's smile, relaxing and pulled her more firmly against him. Mara felt a warmth spiral in her belly, and her pulse accelerated. Luke then turned to face his sister. "What time would you like to meet us?"

Leia was flustered, but she did an admirable job of maintaining her aplomb. His sister cleared her throat almost imperceptibly and Luke's smile got just a bit brighter. "Would you rather meet at our house? I can try to beg out of the council meeting scheduled for later this afternoon."

"I know you don't have a lot of time today and I wouldn't dream of disrupting your schedule. We don't mind meeting you in the usual place." Luke dropped a casual kiss on the top of Mara's head, and smiled warmly at Leia.

If his sister had any lingering doubt as to the nature of their relationship, it had disappeared with this gesture.

Mara was surprised at how much she was enjoying the feel of being pressed against Luke's body. The kiss on her head was chaste, but it pleased her on some level. She began to move her hand against his back, rubbing slowly, not really registering that it would go unseen by his sister.

Warmth radiated from Leia through the Force. "I look forward to it. It's been awhile since we've had an opportunity to talk. One o'clock then?"

"One o'clock." Luke confirmed.

Leia smiled and the monitor went blank.

Mara was enjoying the feel of him too much to pull away, and Luke seemed equally reluctant to withdraw from their casual embrace. They stayed standing like that for a moment, Mara's hand continuing to move against his back. He looked down at her, smiling slightly. Her hand stilled, and her face flamed. She recovered quickly, and dropped her hand.

"That went rather well, don't you think?" Mara asked.

Luke smiled broadly, "Better than I could have imagined." His head dipped toward hers and Mara was afraid that he was going to kiss her. She pulled away, confused.

"I guess I'd better go home to change clothing." Mara said.

Luke was about to protest and then seemed equally bemused. He nodded, "I'll pick you up at a quarter to one?"

Mara nodded and almost tripped over Artoo in her haste to leave the apartment.

*********

Mara did not even consider napping before their lunch date, there was no way she could sleep now. She pulled off of her clothes the moment she entered her apartment and stepped into the fresher. She stood for a very long time under the stream of hot water trying to cleanse her thoughts.

But she kept saying to herself over and over "Skywalker kissed me." And "I'm going to marry him." Like a mantra, with each repetition, the unreality of it all bombarded her, but the unexpected pleasure she had found in his arms made her yearn to repeat the experience. If she had known things could be that good between them, she would have found a way to seduce the man years ago. Their one kiss could have lit up the whole of Coruscant with the electricity it had generated.

Somehow, even though the gem wasn't that large, the green glimmer stone kept refracting the light, reinforcing everything that had happened that night. She momentarily debating whether she should remove the ring, but she kept it on despite the fact that its presence could make things awkward with Skywalker's sister. Mara tried not to think of why it felt wrong to remove it. It wasn't as if she should harbor any sentimentality over the simple piece of jewelry. Skywalker had purchased the ring in an act of practicality, certainly not love. She felt a hollow pang quiver deep inside her, and Mara began to scrub her face furiously, effectively stemming the flow of her thoughts.

She stepped out of the fresher and began to dress. Mara took care with her appearance. She garbed herself in an attractive green gown with black accents edging the material. It was a bit more formal than necessary for her meeting, but she didn't want to feel underdressed in Organa-Solo's presence. Luke's sister was always immaculate and Mara didn't want to feel at a disadvantage - not this time.

She had a meeting scheduled at three, but she didn't anticipate their lunch interfering with her itinerary. When her meeting was done, she wanted to take a break from work. She needed some time to herself, a chance to come to terms with everything that had happened. She saw that she still had more than four hours until one, and sat down at her desk beside her com unit. She began to catch up on some correspondence.

*********

Luke experienced a momentary panic when Mara did not come to the door. He pressed the bell for the second time, still nothing. He stretched out with the Force to locate her presence and then chuckled. He used the Force to enhance his memory and used the door code, and was vaguely surprised that it worked on the first try. He entered the room slowly, sensing her and knowing exactly what he would find.

He grinned broadly in relief when he saw her slumped on the desk next to an inert com unit. She was deeply asleep. Luke knew she must be exhausted to continue to sleep past the door bell and his own approach. A wave of tenderness engulfed him and he wanted to call Leia and cancel their lunch. He had an urge to lift Mara up in his arms and lay with her on the bed to sleep the afternoon away.

He considered it for a moment, but she stirred, sensing his presence.

When she realized she had fallen asleep, she jerked her head upright and glared at Skywalker. "It's your fault that I haven't gotten any sleep for this last week," she grumbled. "If you have any compassion in you at all you'll get me a cup of caf."

Luke chuckled and wisely held his tongue as he moved to her kitchen unit while she disappeared into the fresher. When she emerged, her lids were still heavy, and he thought she had never looked sexier.

"We have some time. I came by a little early." Luke said reassuringly as he handed her a steaming mug.

"Bad habit- punctuality," Mara muttered into the dark brew, but she smiled slightly showing that she was just teasing him. "How did you get in here?"

"Force enhanced memory," he explained. "I didn't want to wait in the hallway."

Mara's smile grew wide and she gazed at him over the rim of her mug inspecting his appearance. He was garbed in a black tunic, pants, and boots, but the cut was finer than his normal day to day clothes that bespoke of quality. His hair was neatly combed, and his eyes alert as they took in her appraising glance.

She set down the mug and said almost reluctantly, "You washed up pretty nicely."

He smiled at the compliment and said, his voice warm and almost a little hoarse, "You look absolutely beautiful."

She turned her head away, trying to hide her flush. Since when did she become so transparent that her skin changed color at his slightest word? She controlled it quickly and turned back to face him, knowing that she hadn't hidden anything from Skywalker.

"Should we get going?"

He nodded.

They left together without another word.
The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

Part Four

Leia Organa Solo had secured a table for them by a panoramic window. The commissary was buzzing with activity, numerous beings taking a break from their busy schedules to consume a meal in the New Republic's official cafeteria.

"Luke... Mara..." Leia began to rise when she caught sight of their approach, and Luke gestured for her to remain seated. He leaned down to give her an affectionate hug and Mara stood back smiling politely.

"Hi sis. Recommend anything?" Luke asked eyeing her plate of food.

She winced and said, "Anything vegetarian. I think they have a Wookiee working the grill this shift. All the meat dishes are practically raw."

Luke nodded and began to head in the direction of the self serve area, he gave Mara a look and she said, "Just get me whatever you're having."

He smiled, hesitated slightly, his gaze going from Mara to Leia and back again. Then he left them alone.

"That's brave." Leia commented as Luke disappeared into the crowd.

Mara sat across from her and smiled. "I have eclectic tastes," she responded. They could see a landing platform just outside their window with various ships either landing or merging back into the busy air traffic.

"I'd say you have pretty good taste." Leia said gesturing slightly in Luke's general direction.

Mara was prepared for Leia's curiosity, but was surprised at how quickly she got down to business.

Mara raised an eyebrow and gave her a satisfied smile. "Uh hmmm," she agreed.

Leia reddened slightly but she continued determinedly, "So how long have you two . . . ?"

"We've known each other for years. I think we were both surprised when it finally happened." Mara said evasively, not wanting to lie and hoping that Skywalker would return quickly.

"I'm not," Leia said, giving Mara a direct look across the table. "Do you love my brother?"

"You don't pull your punches, do you?"

"When it comes to the well being of my family, no."

The silence stretched on and Leia said, "You still haven't answered my question."

Mara weighed her various responses, her eyes going to the ring glimmering on her hand. Leia caught the direction of her gaze, and she gave a little gasp.

Luke's voice interrupted the stillness that surrounded them despite the murmur of the other diners, "Has my sister finished her interrogation?"

"Don't worry. I've experienced worse." Mara said as she accepted the plate Luke slid in front of her. He sat down beside her, and her awareness seemed to become focused on the side of Luke's leg as it casually pressed against her leg, and the way his arm pressed ever so slightly against her own.

Luke could sense his sister's surprise and saw her stare at Mara's hand. He glanced down and understood immediately. The ring. He had forgotten the ring when he had agreed to meet Leia. They had decided to not reveal their wedding plans until a later date - after they had already established themselves as a couple. He wondered if Mara had forgotten to remove the jewelry, or had deliberately decided against taking it off. Although it made things more difficult, he was pleased that she still wore the ring. Luke wasn't really adverse to accelerating their timeline.

Luke met Mara's questioning gaze and he sent her through the Force, *Should we tell her?*

*We have to say something. It's up to you, she's your sister.* Mara replied.

"Am I correct in assuming that congratulations are in order?" Leia's voice interrupted their silent dialogue.

Luke grimaced slightly and turned to regard his sister, "I'm sorry Leia. I didn't want to tell you like this. It just happened so quickly."

He took Mara's hand in his and said to Leia, "Mara has agreed to marry me."

Leia was silent for a long moment, her back stiff and her emotions in turmoil. Finally she said, "This is rather sudden."

Mara couldn't blame her for her surprise.

"It might seem that way, but I believe it's the right thing to do," Luke attempted an explanation. His voice was earnest, his eyes shining.

Leia's eyebrows shot up, "You're not pregnant are you?" she asked Mara.

Mara's ire rose quickly. She had to admit the conclusion was not really that far fetched. From Skywalker's comment about doing the right thing and the scene Leia had witnessed this morning in the Jedi's apartment, it made sense.

"Mara." Luke said soothingly, tightening his grip on her hand. He could feel Mara's temper rising and he felt as if he were quickly losing control of the situation.

But she couldn't help the anger that filled her at the slightly accusing tone in Leia's voice, "You find the idea of us having a child together, abhorrent?" Mara asked heatedly.

"No, no." Leia quickly back peddled and then realized how rude her comment must have sounded, "I just thought. . . "

This was too much for Mara. The proposal, the way Skywalker was holding her hand solicitously, the way her blood threaded through her veins like quick silver, and the implication that she had trapped the Jedi in marriage by seducing him and then becoming pregnant was just too much. She suddenly longed to be away from the both of them, to escape the tumultuous emotions that the Jedi evoked in her, and return to the calm she had started to accept as the norm in her life.

Mara yanked her hand free and stood up. "What's between Luke and me is our business. If we decide to have a child together, we aren't going to ask for your permission." Mara glanced at her wrist chrono and saw that she still had plenty of time until her meeting, but she said, "I'm late for a meeting, so if you'll excuse me." And she left her plate of food uneaten as she stalked away.

Luke jumped to his feet and ran after Mara. He grabbed her by the shoulders and she tried to shrug him away. "Don't go," he pleaded.

"Go back to your sister. We'll talk about this later." Mara assured him.

Leia stood up at the table, but kept her distance.

"Tell her whatever you want, Skywalker. For right now, I'm done." Mara turned on her heel and walked away.

Luke watched her disappear, and Leia placed her hand on her brother's arm. "I'm sorry, Luke."

The waver in Leia's voice caused him to glanced in concern at his sister and he was surprised to sense the sorrow in her. "It's all right, Leia."

"No. it's not. I shouldn't have said that. I love you, brother. You deserve all the happiness in the world. I was just so surprised. You getting married . . . and with Mara. I had no idea that you were even dating her until this morning."

Luke smiled wryly, "I didn't even know that we were getting married until this morning. We have this... connection like none I've ever experienced." That wasn't a lie.

Leia persuaded him, her features softening. "Go after her. We can talk later. Come to my house tonight for a dinner celebration. I'd like to get the chance to apologize to her. I was rude."

Luke shrugged, but needed no further urging. He kissed her quickly and said, "Thanks, Leia."

*********

Instead of heading in the direction of the assembly hall which was the location of her next meeting, Mara walked quickly to a small garden that was hidden just off the main entrance. Luke caught sight of her ducking into the small alcove that led to the verdant chamber and hurried to catch up to her.

When he neared the entrance he slowed, trying to organize his thoughts and regain his composure. Ever since their meeting more than a week ago, Luke had been having a hard time maintaining his usual calm. His thoughts were in turmoil, his emotions spiking sporadically at the slightest provocation. He gathered the Force around him in a protective mantle and took a deep calming breath. He walked forward.

"This meditation garden was planted by the Jedi Order over a two hundred years ago." Luke said as he entered the enclosed area. The multicolored transparisteel ceiling created a rainbow of colors streaming down overhead to illuminate the rich growth of tropical plants and fragrant flowers.

Mara sat on the single bench in the corner of the room, and glanced up at Luke in surprise.

"I thought I was the only one who still knew about this place," she said softly.

Luke walked in measured paces toward her, absently touching the green bushes and the petals of the large flowers. His eyes never wavering from Mara's face.

"It was designed by Jedi Master Domino Salar in an attempt to bring perfect balance to the natural world. When the sunlight hits the transparasteel design directly overhead, the colors fuse to create the purest white light I've ever seen. It's utterly breathtaking."

"I know," Mara said.

Luke sat on the bench beside her and Mara twisted the ring on her hand in agitation. "I should have taken this off."

Luke reached forward taking her hand, halting the uneasy gesture. "I'm glad you didn't. Leia didn't mean to be insulting or hurtful. She was shocked; she didn't mean the things she said."

"I know. This hasn't gone at all like we planned." Mara pulled her hand out of his grip and began to pace the area in front of the bench. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. How do we know that the rest of our plan won't fail in the same way? I might never be able to be the kind of wife you want, and I know I'll never be the kind of person you deserve to spend the rest of your life with."

"Mara." His tone arrested her and she stopped her pacing and turned to face him. He rose to his feet and stood a little too close for comfort. "I never had any illusions that this was going to be easy, but I've made my choice. And I have no doubt that I've made the correct decision. Right now, I'm more concerned that I don't disappoint you."

She swayed toward him. Mara's eyes searched his and she did something that later she would be unable to explain. She leaned forward and kissed him. There wasn't an audience to witness the kiss and she wasn't trying to prove their sexual compatibility. She just kissed him.

Mara threw her arms around his neck, pressed her body flush against his, and claimed his mouth. Luke was startled, but he responded quickly his mouth meeting hers, his arms going around her to hold her tightly against him. The heat consumed them and it wasn't long before they were both regarding each other breathlessly, desire pulsing between them through the Force.

Mara said, "I'm not concerned about disappointment."

Her words served to remind Luke of the strictly physical nature of their arrangement. He smiled, taking care not to allow his disappointment to show on his face or through the Force.

Luke gently disentangled himself from her arms and retreated a step. His heart was still hammering in his chest, and he marveled at this woman's ability to effect him so profoundly. He wondered how long this consuming passion would last between them. Surely, this level of intensity had to dull after the first time they made love. It had been too long since he had any contact of a sexual nature, although, Luke acknowledged that never in his life had he been so effected by a kiss.

For the first time since he had proposed this arrangement, he wondered if perhaps he had gotten into something that was completely out of his control. Mara's bright green eyes became shuttered and she touched her mouth with the tip of one finger. She cleared her throat, and dropped her hand.

"Leia asked us to dinner tonight to celebrate our engagement." Luke said with a surprisingly steady voice.

Mara raised an eyebrow at him and Luke hurried on, "We don't have to go, if you don't wish to."

"No. That's fine. I'll meet you there after I get out of my obligations here." Mara assured him.

Luke wanted to insist on arriving at the Solo household with his intended bride, but at the moment he feared that she was on the verge of refusing the entire thing, and he didn't want to push her unnecessarily.

"Fine. I'll be there by Six."

Mara nodded noncommittally and left the small meditation area. Luke stared after her long after she had disappeared. Not for the first and certainly not for the last time, Luke wished he could talk to old Ben Kenobi.

*********
The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

Part Five

Her body continued to thrum to Skywalker's resonance long after the kiss had ended. Mara wasn't sure how she managed to get through her meeting, and she wasn't entirely certain that she didn't destroy all chance of making a profitable trade agreement for Karrde's organization. She cursed herself, unable to focus, not even able to fully remember everything that was said during the meeting.

Mara lost her focus. Instead of paying attention to minutia of New Republic law, disputed trade borders, and the like, she would recall the way Luke had felt pressed up against her, the way his lips had moved over her own, the masculine scent of him filling her lungs and making her head spin. Mara felt a warmth curl in her belly and gather lower in her body and she flushed realizing that she was still sitting in the middle of a trade talk, and she had not heard the last half an hour of debate. She focused with a supreme effort, cursing Skywalker's name and the effect he had on her equilibrium.

When her meeting was finally concluded Mara left in a rush, not wanting to be detained. She walked the short distance to the Solo's residence, her mind continuing to churn. Mara would have to contact Karrde soon before she really did some irreparable harm. She would have to think of some excuse to avoid further negotiations, hell she might even tell him the truth. Mara smiled widely at the thought. She just might do it, just to see Talon Karrde flustered. That man had an uncanny knack for always knowing information a moment before she could tell him anything; it would feel good for once, to be the source of his information.

Mara paused outside the door. Instead of announcing her presence, she moved to the railing so that she could look down the long drop to the lower levels of Coruscant. They were in the upper rent areas of the planet, and the view was stunning. It wasn't six yet and she decided to wait for Skywalker to arrive. She threw her head back and felt the warm current of air tug at the loose tendrils of hair and caress the skin of her face and neck.

Although she wouldn't fully admit it, the very fact that Skywalker did not offer to escort her to the Solo household had hurt. It only reaffirmed Mara's commitment to keeping things safe and platonic between them. That's not to say that she wasn't looking forward to a great sex life with the Jedi, but she realized that she had started harboring hopes that their mutual regard would deepen to a new level, perhaps eventually growing to love.

Mara knew that to anticipate such a thing would only bring her unhappiness. They had a good thing between them. They shared passion and respect. She would not want their friendship to be burdened by unrequited love . . .not that she loved Skywalker . . . certainly not. Mara snorted at the thought. What a ludicrous idea.

Luke sensed the moment Mara was near and slipped from the apartment. Leia was in the other room so was unaware of his departure, and Han had yet to arrive. The children were out for the night, staying at a friend's house.

Luke closed the door quietly behind him. When he saw Mara standing against the railing with her back to him, Luke paused. She was beautiful with her red-gold hair aflame in the early evening light, and her dress blowing in the light breeze, outlining her shapely figure. He was surprised at how open she was, her barriers almost non-existent. Not wanting to alarm her, and basking in the unexpected glow of her presence undiluted by the customary shields, he stood there. He closed his eyes and reached out to the Force, gently, not wanting to startle her.

Her thoughts came unbidden to Luke, We share passion and respect. I do not want our friendship to be burdened by unrequited love . . .not that I love Skywalker . . . certainly not. He felt her snort at the thought. What a ludicrous idea.

Her scorn stung sharply, and Luke quickly withdrew from her, not wanting to hear any more. Luke agreed, they did share passion and respect. What more did he really hope for? They had been honest with each other about their feelings. Mara had certainly never professed to harbor any deep seated longing for him. Hell, he had never even thought of her on a romantic level until last week. He had the occasional heated dream, but that was while he slept.

"Mara!" He called gently, not wanting to unwittingly intrude in on any more of her thoughts.

She whirled around, her eyes flaring wide. "Skywalker." Her shields slammed into place.

He joined her by the railing, not meeting her eye. He tried not to dwell on what he had inadvertently learned, but could not help but feel sad and somewhat resigned. She admitted to not loving him and actually felt that the idea was ludicrous. She had no desire for their relationship to ever move beyond its current state, not wanting to be burdened by the possibility of unrequited love. He could do that, make sure that he didn't fall in love with her, couldn't he?

"Is it all that bad in there?" Mara asked him softly, feeling his morose mood.

"What?" Luke shook his head and met her gaze, "Oh Leia? No."

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." There was something about the way he answered her that allowed no room for discussion. They watched the distant traffic move through the slowly darkening sky in silence for a while.

Mara could almost enjoy the companionship if it wasn't for the feeling that a wall had been erected between them that hadn't been there before. She wanted to reach out towards him, say something, anything to break through this barrier.

Mara raised a hand, grasping for him. She saw what she was doing, and let her hand drop to clasp the smooth railing. "Are you having doubts?" she asked. "About us?"

"No not at all." He assured her, "In fact, the sooner we can get married, the better." He continued to stare out at the slowly reddening skyline, not glancing even once in her direction. Mara studied his profile, seeing him right beside, her but feeling like he was parsecs away.

She straightened her spine with a renewed resolve and said, "Well then, let's get this thing done." She turned away from the view and back to the Solo residence.

Luke entered the apartment right behind her.

*********

Luke was surprised to see Han Solo inside. He must have entered the apartment unseen while Mara and he were talking.

Mara noticed that Luke's entire demeanor lightened when he saw Han and Leia.

"Master Luke, Mistress Jade, it is so good to see you." C3P0 exclaimed.

"Hello, Threepio." Luke responded warmly. Artoo twittered from the corner.

A table was set in the main room with four place settings. "I decided to keep this small for now." Leia said soothingly.

"So you two finally decided to come to your senses." Han teased.

Mara's eyes widened and Luke lowered his head.

"What? Am I the only one who's not surprised?" He laughed.

Luke met his gaze and smiled, "You always were a good gambler."

Han pulled the Jedi out of the room on some pretext, but Mara knew it was a preplanned attempt for Leia to be alone with Mara. Threepio began to make trips from the kitchen to the table, carrying plates of food.

Mara raised an eyebrow at Leia and the brown eyed woman blushed slightly. "I wanted to apologize for the things I said earlier."

Mara began to shake her head, but Leia continued, "I want Luke to be happy, and I want you to be happy as well."

"Don't worry about it; it's in the past." Mara assured her, not wishing to discuss this any further.

"I hope we can be friends." Leia continued.

Mara got a crafty look on her face and said, "Well. . . you can start by planning the wedding."

Leia's eyes danced and she said, "I think that might be arranged."

"A small wedding." Mara added quickly.

Leia seemed about to protest, saw the stubborn tilt to her jaw, and responded, "I'll do the best that I can. Have you decided any of the details?"

Mara shook her head, "We really haven't discussed it. We just want it over and done with so that we can get on with our lives."

Leia scowled but remained silent.

"Leia, neither Luke or I are big on crowds and fancy formalities. We would like it simple and... honest."

Leia smiled and gave a soft sigh. "Yes, that would be beautiful. It's your wedding... if that's what you want."

"That's what we want," she stated, certain that Luke would agree with her.

"Can we come back yet?" Han called from the other room.

Mara and Leia smiled widely and Mara felt that this more than the apology cleared the air between them. Leia said in mock resignation, "Yes, Han. I think the blood's just about dried and only half the china is broken."

Mara's esteem for this woman rose a notch and she chuckled.

Leia said conspiratorially to Mara, "And he thinks he's an expert at undercover work."

"Hey!" Han said as he entered the room. "I'll have you know that I got encased in carbonite only once." He winked at Luke.

"That was once more than anyone else," Luke chipped in, his eyes dancing.

"Good thing I was willing to save your butt." Leia said.

"It was worth it too, just to see you in that outfit Jabba forced you to wear." He turned to Luke and said suggestively, "She still has it too." He turned to Leia and wagged his eyebrows comically at her. She blushed furiously.

Luke hid a laugh behind his hand and smiled at Mara. "I thought you couldn't see it because of your hibernation sickness?" Luke said challengingly.

"I recovered quickly."

The red haired beauty grinned back at Luke, feeling as if everything was once again right between them.

They sat down and ate the dinner, chatting companionably. Every touch that they shared was just a bit longer than necessary, every look held a fraction more than before. It was enough to cause Mara to feel a strange combination of agitation and pleasure. Luke was really good at this. Even she was beginning to believe that his feelings for her were more intense then friendship dictated. Mara played along, allowing herself to give in to the little impulses that she normally suppressed. At one point she rested her hand on his arm, and another time she held his gaze for so long that Han chuckled causing both of them to flush.

By the time the evening was over, their was no doubt in the Solo's minds that Luke and Mara were in love. Mara had no doubt that she was insane. She reminded herself that things would settle down after they were married. They wouldn't need to maintain this level of pretense when they were no longer newlyweds.

Mara knew she was fooling herself. Most of her actions were completely natural, and this knowledge scared her. Luke seemed to be most at ease when he was acting the attentive and loving fianc?He was a caring man, and she knew he wanted a life with a woman who would be comfortable with frequent displays of affection. If it became an issue, she would face it then.

*********

Mara arranged to meet with her boss the next day. Karrde's schedule was filled, but he told her that he would always make time for her. He invited her for lunch aboard the Wild Karrde. She sat across from him in his chamber, the food laid out before them. It reminded her of the first time she ate a meal with him so very long ago.

He raised a glass to her, his eyes dancing with humor. "Congratulations."

"You know?"

He laughed, and said, "I have my sources."

"Han Solo." Mara said wryly.

"He didn't think it was a secret." Karrde said in Han's defense.

Mara shrugged. "No. I guess not. I wanted to ask if you would stand beside me at the wedding."

Talon's eyebrows rose and Mara felt some satisfaction when she felt his surprise. He recovered quickly. "I would be honored."

*********

The next few weeks passed in a whirl. Mara picked out a dress while Leia took care of the rest of the arrangements. Luke and Mara went out frequently, always in public, making a great show for the rest of the galaxy. She made a concerted effort not to read any of the news reports about them.

On a personal level, things between them were not very different from the way they had been for the many years before that fateful conversation. They both avoided activities that required close physical contact, and they didn't kiss even when they bid each other a good night at the close of the evening. Their desire had not faded, however. If anything, it seemed to grow more intense from its denial, but they were both aware that it wouldn't take much for either of them to lose control.

Mara would often catch Luke gazing at her with an expression that she couldn't quite identify, but it would cause her insides to flutter. When she tried to sense what he was feeling, she encountered barriers as solid as durasteel.

Mara enjoyed their time together, and looked forward to the moments when he would call or show up to take her out. She was unaccountably disappointed when Luke told her that he would have to make a trip to Yavin for awhile. He didn't offer to take her along, and she didn't tell him that she would have liked to go.

After he left, the days stretched into weeks with only an occasional holorecording waiting for her when she awoke in the morning. With the time difference between the planets, she didn't want to call and wake him, and she wasn't sure what she would say if she did talk to him.

She easily filled her time, but her mind was constantly dwelling on their upcoming marriage. After much debate, Mara carefully selected a wedding present for Luke. She picked up something for Leia as a thank you gift and on a last minute whim selected something for Karrde as well.

The conference had ended, and Mara finalized some details for Karrde. Leia and Mara met occasionally, slowly building a solid friendship built on mutual respect and a genuine liking for each other. But that did not prevent Mara from dreading the times they met to discuss details of the ceremony. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy Leia's company, nor was it that she hated discussing the wedding plans, but it was Luke's sister's keen eye that made her uneasy.

Leia Organa-Solo was incredibly perceptive, and Mara was afraid that she would detect their deception. Somehow, no matter what Mara said or did, Leia never suspected that Mara was not a woman deeply in love with her brother. She seemed to realize that Mara missed Luke and tried to keep her occupied. Mara did not try to correct Leia, because she was surprised to learn that it was true. She did miss him - she missed him very much.

Leia refrained from asking pointed questions that would be difficult for Mara to answer and for that she was grateful. The wedding plans were well on their way, the invitations sent, and the day rapidly approaching.

Mara began to wonder if Luke was avoiding her. She was just about to get in her ship and blast off to Yavin to face the Jedi when she received a delivery of red roses with a holo message.

Luke's form coalesced in her room and he smiled. The sight of him made her insides quiver. "I'm sorry. I had no idea I would be delayed for so long. I miss you."

The shimmering figure of the smiling Jedi disappeared. He had missed her.

Mara smiled.

*********

The more Luke tried not to fall in love with Mara Jade, the harder he began to fall. He wondered if he had a naturally perverse nature, or if he was drawn to her in an obstinate quest for the unattainable. But he knew that both of these reasons were false. He had an impulsive streak, but he was also very practical. He really wasn't contrary. And he was to be married in two days, after which time, he intended very much to possess Mara Jade. The burning craving for her, the desperate need would finally be assuaged and he could once again find the calm he had worked so long and hard to obtain.

Luke had thought that he just needed some distance. But even at the Academy, he found he was almost obsessed with thoughts of the green eyed beauty. He pushed away the guilt at his departure by rationalizing that Leia was attending to the wedding plans and the time apart would allow Mara some space. He arranged for an indefinite leave of absence from the Academy and began to plan their honeymoon. Unless Mara had other ideas, he knew exactly where he'd like to take her. He began to make the necessary arrangements.

*********

Han Solo met him at the landing platform and grinned as Luke swung out of the cramped cockpit of his X-wing.

"I can't believe you still fly that old thing." He said.

"This from the man who redefines loyalty to a vehicle." Luke said ironically.

Han shook his head, unable to deny it. "I know. I know."

Artoo warbled as he was detached from the droid socket.

"I don't know Artoo. But I promise you that if we leave again soon, we'll be flying in a bigger ship." Luke responded.

Han and Luke walked companionably past the other ships. Luke was garbed in an orange flight suit. Other than a few more lines around the eyes and more silver strands in his hair, Han appeared hardly any different then that day they met in the Mos Eisley cantina.

'What brings you out here?" Luke asked curiously.

"I need an excuse to see my old buddy who also happens to be my brother-in-law?"

Luke raised an eyebrow and they walked through a particularly thick cloud of vehicle exhaust. They could see the large freighter still venting gasses, a mechanic was swearing as he worked in an open hatchway. Solo gave the man a pitying look as they continued to walk by.

"No, you don't need a reason, but I can usually tell when you have one." Luke said smugly.

"I wasn't sure if you'd make it back in time."

"Miss my own wedding?"

"No the bachelor party." Han said with mock aggravation.

Luke groaned.

"I contacted some of your buddies from Rogue Squadron and some of the Jedi have already agreed to attend."

"Han, I don't want a bachelor party." Luke declared, his face wary.

"It's not about wanting kid, it's about needing. I've seen the way you've been staring after Mara. All that longing. Then you run off planet for more than a month. I'd say you need it and for whatever reason your not getting it from your bride to be."

Luke did run, he knew it and a guilty flush stained his pale skin. "It's not like that Han. Things are good between us. Fantastic actually. It's just I wanted to wait."

"You what?!" Han asked incredulously, stopping mid-stride to face the Jedi.

"Until we were married." Luke tried to clarify.

"Is this some kind of Jedi thing?" Han asked, his face a picture of confusion.

Luke shook his head.

"So let me get this straight. First you tell your fianc?hat you don't want to sleep with her, and then you run off planet for over a month only to return two days before the wedding?"

"Yeah." Luke said miserably. "But it wasn't just me - it was a mutual thing. We thought it might make it... more special."

Han looked doubtfully at the younger man and then shrugged and began to resume walking, "Hey kid, It's your life. I don't have to understand it, but as long as you're sure that Mara does."

Luke said nothing and Han shot a wry grin at the Jedi, "If you ask me, which I know you're not, but if you did, I'd tell you to forget about this idea and go see her right away. Stay the entire night with her, if you know what I mean. What does it matter if you're a few days early? It just might be the only thing that'll ensure that she'll be waiting at the altar come the morning."

Luke wondered if Han was right and he shivered as the sensations coursed through him at the very thought of making love to Mara. Should he take Han's advice?

He made his way back to his apartment. Luke took a quick shower and dressed in a fresh set of clothing. The next thing he knew he was standing in front of Mara's front door a dozen red roses in his hands. He fidgeted with nervousness. He could hardly think because the adrenal was pumping furiously through his veins. Luke knew that by coming here today, he was announcing that his feelings had changed, they were no longer purely platonic.

Mara would have to realize that he cared for her, couldn't wait to be near her, couldn't stand to wait for another moment to pass until he saw her, heard her voice, drank her in, and felt her presence. And then he realized that he could stand here for hours and she wouldn't answer the door.

Mara wasn't at home.

Luke clutched the red roses piercing his skin on the thorns. He took a deep shuddering breath and laughed hollowly. He made arrangements for the roses to be delivered with a simple message, and then he shrugged, grinning wryly. At least he'd know where she was on their wedding night- if they had a wedding night.

The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Warning : Rated NC-17. Please do not read if sexual situations offend you.

Part Six

Leia had arranged a last minute bridal shower for Mara at her residence. Most of the guests were really friends of Leia's, since she wasn't aware if Mara had any female friends of her own. Mara received plenty of gifts, most of which involved sexy lingerie. Leia found the entire affair amusing, knowing full well that Mara was uncomfortable the whole while. She really did like this woman; she could be dignified even while the others were urging her to pose with a sparkling negligee.

Leia finally took pity on her and made sure the festivities ended fairly quickly and promised to write all her thank you notes in an attempt to placate her. Mara's mind was not on the party but the fact that the next day was the wedding, and she hadn't seen Skywalker for almost six weeks. Mara swore to herself and after Leia's inquiry finally confessed this fact. Her future sister-in-law was shocked at this news.

"You haven't seen or talked to Luke since he went away?"

"He's sent me a weekly holorecording."

"I know you're going to marry him but that is ridiculous. No wonder none of his other relationships worked if he treated his girlfriends like that."

Mara was edgy and she said to Leia, "If I don't see your brother some time tonight, I swear, I'm not going to marry him."

Leia understood, and she was concerned at this knowledge, wondering if her brother was having second thoughts. She knew the moment he left the planet, that something was wrong, but had decided that the stress of the wedding planning had driven him to seek an escape. That he had left Mara behind, had disturbed her, but she had believed this to be a mutual arrangement because of Mara's need to finish her job for Karrde. Now that she knew this wasn't true, she was deeply concerned for this couple's happiness.

"Han told me that he saw him when he landed yesterday."

"I know," she murmured. "He sent me some flowers." Mara smiled somewhat wistfully, unaware of how revealing her expression was.

"Well, at least that's something." Leia conceded. She was so in love with Luke. For the first few weeks Leia hadn't quite believed that his relationship was real, but Mara without Luke showed how much the red-headed woman did care for her brother. "I wonder what's happened."

"I don't know, but I intend to find out." Mara stood up.

Leia said, "Let me know if you have trouble finding him. Just say the word and I'll get security to be on the look out for him."

"Isn't that an abuse of your power?" Mara asked dryly.

"Yeah, but if I can't ever employ it, what's the use?" Leia answered.

"You know, that's a really good point." Mara agreed with a smile. She went to the front door and then turned to face Leia, "Thanks, Leia. You've been a great friend."

The dark haired woman smiled warmly and said, "Good luck."

*********

Mara slipped through Skywalker's window again, realizing that this was becoming a habit. First she had called here and when he hadn't answered, she had gone down to the landing bay and saw that he wasn't with his X-wing. She hadn't really expected him to be there, but just seeing the ship was a comfort. Mara felt the frustration burn inside of her, and she knew she was fatigued by the stress of the coming day and the doubt that assailed her. Was marrying the Jedi the right thing to do?

It was early evening. Night had fallen and his apartment was dark, lit only by the city lights shinning through the window. She felt like crying. She was so tired, so uneasy, so frustrated, and yes, hurt as well.

She reached out to Skywalker through the Force and was surprised at how quickly she reached him. *Luke?*

He was momentarily startled by the use of his first name, *Mara? Where are you? I've been waiting all day at your apartment.*

Mara felt a rush of relief and somehow this knowledge only made her want to weep more. *I'm sitting in the dark in your apartment.* All this time she had been searching for him and all she had to do was go home. When she thought about it, she realized that she hadn't been home all day. She had gone shopping, arranged a final fitting of her dress, and attended the bridal shower at the Solo's. And why, she wondered hadn't she thought to contact Skywalker through the Force? Then she realized that in her stressed state of mind, she had thrown up a barrier that even the Jedi would have found impossible to breach.

After a brief hesitation Luke's voice asked, *Have you been crying?*

*Of course not,* she mentally sobbed.

*Stay there. I'm on my way.*

Knowing that she had some time before the Jedi arrived, she allowed herself the luxury of tears. Mara thought that the release might clear her system so that when Skywalker arrived she could present herself as cool and collected. He would have no idea what missing his presence had done to her, how she had yearned for him desperately, and she had felt his absence as a kind of rejection. Mara couldn't tell him these things, it would go against their arrangement.

Mara stretched out on the couch, burying her face in her arm, and promptly fell asleep.

Luke had feared that Han had been right and Mara had abandoned the notion of their marriage and had disappeared. He thought it was unlikely that she would leave her ship behind, but not impossible. Whenever Luke had tried to reach out to her through the Force, it was as if she wasn't there. It was a truly awful feeling, and he helplessly waited, knowing that if she intended to marry him, she would return at some point to her apartment, so he remained.

When he had felt her seeking mind, Luke had latched on to the Force tendril eagerly. Her sorrow hit him immediately, and knowing that he was the cause of her pain struck him to the core. He rushed back to his apartment, almost breaking some of the laws of physics to get there sooner than it should be possible to do so.

When he entered his apartment he found her deep in slumber her face turned away. Luke crossed the room quickly and gathered the sleeping woman in to his arms. He could see the tears, still damp on her cheeks, and he felt his heart constrict painfully.

"Oh Mara. I'm so sorry." he groaned, distressed at the sight of the tears on her soft skin. He knew all this was his fault. He'd never seen Mara cry.

Luke tucked her head under his chin and arranged their bodies so that he lay back in the couch with her sleeping body pressed up against him, her head lying on his chest. He brushed the hair away from her eyes, a few hairs clinging to her damp eyelashes. There were dark smudges under her closed lids, her face was pale, and he thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Luke hugged her against him, burying his nose in her hair, and inhaling the intoxicating scent of her. He never wanted to let her go. It was at that moment that Luke Skywalker knew that he was in love with Mara Jade. He hadn't set out with that intent, but it was beyond his control.

*********

Sometime during the night, Mara awoke to find her face pressed against Skywalker's neck. She didn't move, just slowly opened her eyes until she could make out the outline of his face in the dark. Mara marveled that he was here with her, and she was in his arms. He had been gone for so long and a part of her had had wondered if she would ever see him again.

His breathing was even and she knew he was deeply asleep. The feel of his strong arm around her made her close her eyes and revel in this closeness. For the first time since he had left her, she felt at peace. Her mouth was so close to his skin. Mara moved incrementally closer and pressed her lips ever so gently against his pulse. She felt his pulse leap and wondering if it was just her imagination, or if he was aware on some level of what she had just done.

Curious now, she pressed her lips against his neck again, this time allowing her tongue the slightest taste of his skin. The little tastes became more numerous until the pleasure became too much. She was no longer aware of whether or not his pulse was affected by what she was doing, her own heart was making it too difficult to discern another beat. Her hands began to crumple the cloth at his chest, gripping it convulsively as she ran her tongue down the length of his neck. The taste of him, the smell, the feel, all her senses had gone wild and begged for more.

Luke groaned and she froze, "Don't stop," he said in a dark voice, barely recognizable it was so husky.

Mara pulled away, too embarrassed to continue, appalled at being discovered. Luke gripped her, holding her still, not allowing her to slide off his body.

"I didn't mean ... I wasn't thinking .. .I'm sorry." Mara babbled.

"Shhh." Luke said, pulling her back against him, holding her fiercely. He didn't care that his body was on fire and it was taking ever modicum of his control to restrain himself. All that mattered was that Mara was in his arms, and she wanted him. She might not love him, but he knew that she desired him and that was as good a beginning as any.

"It's late. We have a busy day tomorrow. I think we should go to bed."

"But . . but I thought you said.. . ."

He ran his hand over her tangled red-gold curls. "To sleep, Mara. We'll work everything else out later."

Mara nodded and she didn't protest when he scooped her up in his arms and laid her on his bed. She kicked off her shoes and he pulled off his shoes and shirt, climbing in beside her. He pulled her up against him and the emotional turmoil made what should have been impossible happen. They slept.

*********

Mara was having the most incredible dream. She was splayed across a firm masculine body, warm lips brushing across her own. She gasped when she felt a hand brush across the skin of her stomach, the crisp hairs of a muscled leg brushing against her own. Mara gave into the sensations, moaned in disappointment when the presence pulled away.

Her eyes flew open to see Luke standing beside the bed, grinning like a little boy. Her gaze had little time to admire his fine bare chest before Luke pulled her from the bed. Mara had to rely on him for support, still half asleep. And then he kissed her. She could sense his eagerness and his pleasure, but she knew that he wasn't intent on making love with her.

She clutched at him, and he said, "Come on, sleepyhead. We have a wedding to attend."

His words were as effective as a laser bolt. Mara's eyes flew open and she felt a momentary panic. "What time is it?"

"Relax, we still have a couple hours."

Mara moaned in distress. "I've got to go." She hurried from the room, grabbed her shoes, and without stopping to put them on, made her way to the door.

"Wait, Mara?!" Luke stood in front of the door, blocking the exit. "We have to talk."

"Not now, Skywalker. We'll have to talk after the ceremony." Mara pushed her way past the Jedi and went out the door.

Luke slumped against the closed door. He closed his eyes realizing that there were so many things that they needed to work out. He regretted his long absence, but he resolved to make it up to her. Luke didn't even know where they would live after the ceremony. Hell, they hadn't even discussed where they would go for their honeymoon. But none of that mattered. Today he was going to marry Mara Jade. She was going to be his, and Luke was determined that he would make Mara fall in love with him.

*********

Leia had been waiting at Mara's apartment a concerned look on her face. When Mara had admitted to staying the night at Luke's apartment, the tension seeped away from Leia's features. While Mara was in the fresher, Leia retrieved the wedding dress. She then assisted Mara in dressing, despite the red head's numerous protestations. An hour later, Mara was regarding herself in a mirror, hardly recognizing herself.

Leia had arranged Mara's hair in a soft upswept style that transformed her features. With tastefully applied cosmetics and the figure-hugging green dress, Mara was absolutely gorgeous. Leia regarded her speechlessly and Mara smiled with uncharacteristic shyness.

"You think he'll like it?" Mara asked Leia, unable to hide the slight tremble in her hands as she brushed her smooth skirt down in a nervous gesture.

"I think it's a good thing that he's a Jedi, because I think it's the only way he's going to be successful in fighting off every man that catches a glimpse of you."

Mara scowled, unwilling to accept such praise, but Leia's words did serve to help banish her attack of nerves.

She could sense Talon Karrde's approach a moment before the bell announced his arrival.

Mara opened the door, and Talon gaped at her. "Wow!"

"Now I believe you, Leia." She turned to Karrde, "I must look pretty good to get that kind of reaction from the usually unflappable Talon Karrde."

"You look positively stunning."

He turned to greet Organa-Solo, but even before he could open his mouth, Leia supplied, "Please, Talon, call me Leia."

He nodded, "Leia, you look quite beautiful yourself."

Leia smiled at the compliment and answered, "That's not necessary, but thank you."

"But true none the less. Are you ready to go, Mara?" Karrde asked.

Mara nodded. "Just a minute. I'd like to give both of you something first."

She went to retrieve two shiny boxes, and presented one to each of them. Talon and Leia glanced curiously at Mara and then at each other.

"After you." Talon gestured to Leia.

Leia opened the box and gasped in surprise. There was a simple necklace with a gold pendant. Leia glanced closely at the pendant to see that it was an Alderaanian friendship token. It was an old, almost forgotten Alderranian tradition to give a close friend such a token. Usually, they were exchanged in pairs, but the intent was there and Leia felt her emotions swell. Tears gathered in her eyes and she threw her arms around Mara in a hug, "I haven't seen one of these in years."

Talon Karrde smiled and then he opened his box. Nestled in black velvet was a pair of white firecrystal cufflinks and a single matching earring. He glanced curiously at Mara and smiled, "They're beautiful" a slight question in his voice.

Mara removed the earring and handed it to him. Talon put it into his ear and Mara took a cufflink and whispered something into it.

Talon laughed heartily.

Mara explained to Leia, "It's a two way communication device designed to go undetected by standard sensor sweeps."

Leia smiled and said, "Now I know not to accept a gift of cuff links."

"You think I'd give these little babies away?" Talon smiled. He turned to Mara and said, "I have something for you as well. You don't have to use it tonight, if you already have other plans."

He handed her a piece of flimsy. Mara inspected the formal scroll and recognized it as a paid reservation for the Honeymoon suite at the Grande Hotel.

She smiled and asked, "How did you ever manage that so quickly?"

"A bribe here, a threat there . . ." Talon said jokingly.

"Thank you."

Leia said, "I'm planning on giving you a gift after you return from your honeymoon." She glanced at the time and said, "You had better get going, that is if you still intend to marry my brother." Then she added as an after thought, "I'll make sure that everything is delivered."

Mara nodded and left with Talon Karrde.

*********

Luke could not concentrate on the events occurring around him, instead his focus was on the Force tendril that connected him to Mara Jade. There was a small crowd gathered in the meditation garden. The multicolored hues lending an air of fantasy to the entire proceeding. Chairs had been placed in rows in among the low flowering plants, creating a pathway up the center. Somehow, the chamber was large enough to accommodate the participants and still managed to maintain an atmosphere of intimacy.

Luke took it all in, committing it to memory. Leia Organa Solo was seated in the front row beside Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin Solo. Chewbacca made a soft noise of contentment, his brown fur gleaming. The command crew from the Wild Karrde was seated together on the other side, Ghent distracted by something, and Page blending in so that he was almost overlooked.

Tionne smiled softly, and Lando Callrisian watched intently for the bride to be. Mirax Horn sat beside the members of Rogue Squadron that were able to make it. Wedge Antilles smiled broadly as he met Luke's wandering gaze.

Talon Karrde stood opposite Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Corran Horn was to officiate the ceremony and just as he was just about to give the Jedi Master a mild rebuke for his lack of concentration a ripple spread through the crowd.

Mara Jade stepped down the center aisle, and began to walk gracefully towards the waiting Jedi.

Luke felt as if he had lost the ability to swallow.

Han Solo gave a small, low whistle, and Luke knew he was the only one who could hear him, "Don't forget to breathe, kid." Solo whispered

The Jedi wanted to ask the former smuggler how he had known that his breath was arrested in his chest, but he couldn't spare him the effort it would take to speak. Mara Jade had always been beautiful, but right now she was spectacular, and she only had eyes for Luke.

C3P0 sat towards the back and exclaimed, "Artoo Deetoo, it's about time that you came, the guests have been waiting an interminably long time for you to arrive."

The small astromech droid trailed behind Mara and he turned his main sensor array away from the protocol droid in an obvious sign of irritation.

Mara was enraptured by the image Luke presented as he waited at the end of the aisle for her. He was dressed in a dark suit, not a Jedi robe, but it's cut immediately brought that to mind. His hair was neatly combed away from his face, and his eyes shone with the most brilliant blue light. She could sense that her appearance had stunned him, and she felt a wave of satisfaction knowing that he found her attractive.

*This is your last chance to back out, Jedi.* Mara's voice drifted into Luke's mind.

*Not a chance, Jade.* Luke responded heatedly.

Later both Skywalker and Jade would have to rely on other's accounts of the ceremony and how touching Horn's words were, the beauty of the setting. Both were oblivious to everything but each other. Han had to nudge Luke to take the ring from Artoo. Luke slid the gold band on to Mara's finger. Mara told herself that she could examine the simple design when she wasn't standing in front of a crowd of people.

She took Luke's hand and slipped a matching, but larger ring onto his hand. And for the first time, Luke was grateful that his left hand was not the one he lost. Being right handed had made it more difficult to adjust to the prostheses, but at this moment, he was eminently grateful that it had worked out the way it did. He clenched his hand into a fist, enjoying the feeling of the ring digging into his flesh. He wanted to meld it into his skin, to become a part of him, just like he wanted to become one with Mara Jade.

Luke's voice was resolute when he responded to Corran Horn's prompting, "I do."

Mara met his gaze as she repeated the words with only the slightest tremor, "I do."

Just then, the sunlight arched overhead hitting the complex design exactly in the center. The colors combined into a brilliant, pure, vibrant, white light that shone down on the gathering. There was a collective gasp and then Luke heard Corran give permission to kiss his bride. The Jedi gathered Mara up against him and claimed her mouth in a searing kiss. They swayed together for a moment, and then they pulled apart as the light began to shift into its individual colors again.

The crowd stood as one, and the newlywed couple walked back down the aisle hand in hand.

*********

The reception was held in a room at the Grande Hotel. Mara decided to suspend doubts about her future with Skywalker for the rest of the evening. For one day, she would relax and try to enjoy the time spent in Skywalker's arms. Mara would allow herself to believe that the Jedi cared for her and she would permit herself to act on her impulses to touch him, giving herself free reign to do the things she wanted. She knew he cared for her in a certain way - she just hoped it was enough.

After all, they had parts to play and the wedding was their biggest show.

She was careful, however, to maintain her shields and to guard her emotions. The feel of the Jedi, the way his kisses made her head swim and her blood sing could easily confuse her. It could make her believe that she just might have deeper feelings for Skywalker. But she knew that it was nothing more than a healthy lust. Mara was looking forward to indulging her physical craving for the Jedi, and would be careful to make sure that she didn't fall into the trap of allowing her heart to feel something more.

Mara knew that if she fell in love with Skywalker, she would cause herself great pain. Love was too agonizing; she only had to look at the Jedi for an example of that. Callista. She had been there, and he had never once looked in her direction. She knew where she really stood in his heart. This was a marriage of convenience, and she would be wise to not forget this arrangement.

She leaned into Skywalker, as they danced. She looked up into his eyes and he smiled down at her. By the Maker, he felt good. Mara said, "Talon Karrde gave us a wedding present early."

Luke waited for her to continue, "It's the Honeymoon suite at this hotel."

His smile broadened and he asked, "Does that mean that you're ready to leave now?"

Mara suddenly felt vulnerable and uncertain. Luke sensed this up swell of emotion leak past her shields and he smiled gently. He bent his head to kiss her and the passion immediately sprang to life between them like a living thing. All her hesitation evaporated.

When he pulled back Mara agreed, "Let's go."

No one seemed surprised to find that the couple had disappeared, and the party continued without them long into the night.

Mara was vaguely surprised that Luke kept her hand in his even after the lift doors closed and there was no one to see them. She was glad of his constant contact, because as long as her hand was in his, her doubt was muted. She didn't want to question the wisdom of their decision, not tonight.

She didn't honestly wish that she were here with any other man, but Mara didn't know for certain if it might have been better to maintain their friendship as it had been. This arrangement could prove disastrous over the long run. She pulled her hand from Luke's grasp and glanced at him through her lashes.

She then asked without preamble, "Are you certain that we're doing the right thing?"

Something flashed in his eyes that momentarily laid her fears to rest. "We're going to be a happy family. I can feel it."

His answer made her stiffen her back and Luke silently cursed himself at his inadvertent reminder of their decision to have a child together. He wished that he could tell her that he loved her, but her fears about unrequited love came back to haunt him. Unrequited love. That's exactly what he felt. She had been right to fear that he would fall in love with her. How could he not? She was absolutely beautiful. She shone in his heart and through the Force, but Mara didn't want the entanglements and the complications that his feeling would bring.

The lift doors opened and Mara said, "This is our floor."

Mara led the way, and with each step she took, Luke felt her drifting further away from him. He felt the gulf between them continue to expand, causing him to feel a hopeless misery.

Mara produced a key card and unlocked the door. The moment the doors hissed open, something inside of him snapped. Decorum be damned, Luke scooped Mara into his arms. Mara gave a little yelp of surprise, but quickly subsided against him. He had planned to talk with her and come to an understanding. Then he thought he would seduce her gently, but all of that was gone in an instant. He was beyond caring. Luke's despair gave him a desperate edge.

He walked with a steady, determined stride into the room. Luke hauled her to him, pressing her against his chest, and dragged her back against the wall. He took her hand in a fierce grip and pulled her arm above her head. The door slid shut behind them, but neither of them noticed. He kissed her with a fierce unbidden passion, trying to brand her. Mara wanted to protest, shocked at his actions. What the hell had happened to the placid Jedi Master?

He pulled back and struggled momentarily for control. Luke's stormy blue eyes searched her brilliant green gaze. His blond hair had fallen down across his forehead. His face was flushed, and his lips set in a determined line. Luke wanted to say something, anything that would put her at ease. He wanted to sooth her, to deny this terrible aching need, but it was beyond him.

Mara smiled slightly and that was all the permission he needed to continue his onslaught. Luke's mouth locked onto her own, his tongue thrusting deeply within her mouth. Mara moaned a long low moan in her throat, that only served to fuel the Jedi further. She was shocked and more than a little thrilled by the unexpected display of passion, this complete loss of control. No matter how she tried to picture this night with him, if she went through a million scenarios, she never would have come up with this.

Luke pulled his mouth away to draw breath into his burning lungs. He continued to move his lips down her body, lowering her arm. She was his. There was no debating it, and he was determined to prove it to her. They were married, she was his wife, and if possible they would have a child so that he could further cement their bond together. He was filled with a terrible desperation, and he wanted to blot out every thought from her mind, any of her doubts, so that all she had left was desire for him.

But if Luke was trying to dominate her, he failed miserably. He was consumed with this dangerous passion so that there was no denying that he was lost. The small part of his mind that was still capable of rational thought chided him for his lack of control. But it wasn't enough, not nearly strong enough to stop him.

Mara didn't protest however. Instead, she seemed to encourage him, pulling at his clothing, making small whimpering sounds deep in her throat. They clutched at each other in a frenzy, drunk on desire. He was intoxicated by her.

She pulled away from him, causing Luke to stumbled back. He braced himself against the wall with one arm and gulped for air. He watched her for her reaction, wondering if she was turning away from him, rejecting him. His Force sense was a jumble, clouded by his overriding desire for his bride. He took a long, ragged breath in an attempt to steady himself.

"Gods Mara." He exclaimed as he rubbed his hand over his eyes. "I didn't plan our night like this. . .".

Mara regarded him through heavily lidded eyes and interrupted, "Before we go on, I have to tell you, that it's highly unlikely that I'll become pregnant at this point in my cycle."

He lowered his hand and he met her gaze. His pupils were so large his eyes appeared black, "I don't give a damn about a child. I just want you."

Mara's widened fractionally and then she nodded. She reached for the fastening at the back of her dress, and the fabric dropped away. He caught his breath as he saw her standing dressed in a confection of tantalizing lingerie. She was beautiful, even more so if that was possible, now that he could see her female form.

Luke moved forward and Mara held up a hand halting him. She smiled guardedly and said, "You act as if you haven't seen me in weeks."

He groaned and slumped back against the wall closing his eyes. "I guess I deserved that one."

She slowly removed her shoes and slipped out of the rest of her clothing. Luke was surprised to feel her move against him, slowly undoing the button at his neck. His eyes widened when he realized that Mara was standing there without any clothing, her glorious red hair spiraling free. "We can save the explanation until later. Right now, I have other priorities."

He straightened from the wall, his body demanding release. He quickly shrugged out of his clothing. Luke's gaze traveled the length of her marveling at her beauty, wondering how he would ever deserve her.

Mara was doing a similar perusal. There was so much smooth, tanned skin to explore. The way his muscles rippled as he moved. Her eyes grew wide when her gaze dropped below his waist, suddenly feeling a bit intimidated. She allowed her hair to fall like a curtain over her face, obscuring her momentary shyness. Mara Jade was never shy. It was a sign of weakness that she would not tolerate in herself.

There was no denying the way her body was shaking, her legs going weak. She glanced up and met Luke's gaze brazenly and he pulled her up against him. They were both on fire and there was no room for finesse. He pulled her leg up around his waist, pushing her back against the wall. His hands held her buttocks firmly against him. She latched her arms around her neck and gasped when he plunged deeply into her. They stilled, Luke's forehead dropped to rest on the wall just above Mara's shoulder. His eyes were tightly closed and beads of sweat glistened on his brow. Mara moved her face and began to kiss him, his jaw line at first and then he turned in to her so that their lips met.

He began to move, slowly, deeply, the speed increasing slightly with each thrust. Their tongues mimicked the movements of their bodies, with each thrust Mara took an involuntary gasp overwhelmed by the incredible sensations that tingled through her. The feel of him deep inside her was incredibly satisfying and yet she needed so much more. They pulled their mouths apart and opened their eyes, watching the play of emotions on their faces.

She clutched at his shoulders, digging her fingernails deeply into his skin. Luke understood and shifted his rhythm slightly filling her to her core, bracing one hand against the wall so that it would support them and cushion her head against impact as they continued to sink into each other. She used her arms around his neck as a lever so that she pushed up to meet each thrust. Their breathing rasped in unison, the most beautiful song she had ever heard.

The friction of their bodies caused her to feel all the blood drain from her head. She giggled a little and when Luke paused she explained, "I'm getting light headed."

He smiled and kissed her happily. He moved with a renewed fervor, and then all speech became impossible. Mara began to thrash her head back and forth. Luke groaned. He maneuvered them to the ground so that he could use gravity to work with them as he plunged deeper, their bodies shivering with sensation, striving together for that point of bliss. She could feel the moment the pleasure became so intense that she wanted to hold on to it, cherish it for as long as she could. She cried out, feeling it wash over her, wanting it to never end, saying incoherent words like 'please' and 'Luke" and 'Force' over and over.

She shuddered uncontrollably, and Luke convulsed with her, clutching her to him as he cried out in release. Luke rained a series of soft kisses along her face, easing himself off of her. He pulled her upright, into his arms, so that they were seated on the floor of the entryway, slowly rocking together. It was as if they had been moving for so long, that they were unable to suddenly go still.

Luke chuckled softly and Mara pulled back, brushing a damp strand of hair out of her face so that she could see him. "What is it?" she asked.

"We never even made it out of the doorway." He said.

She grimaced teasingly and pretended to be angry with him, "Many credits were spent on this room, I think its only right that we use the bed at some point."

"You do? Do you?" he asked. Pulling her to her feet, and caught her when she swayed.

He scooped her up into his arms and carried toward the bed, he had to turn around at one point because the suite was so large that he had ended up in the kitchen. He eyed the wide kitchen table appreciatively, and at Mara's look he said, "You're sure?"

"Maybe next time. For now, I want a cushion at my back."

Luke looked instantly contrite, and Mara laughed, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find a way to make it up to me."
The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

Rated NC-17

Part Seven

The passionate explosion that had just occurred should have left Luke content. Instead, he was filled with a heightened tension. Imagining how good it would be and actually experiencing the incredibly thrilling sensations was an entirely different matter. He craved to be inside her again, was already addicted to the euphoria she brought him.

Luke wasn't sure if it was the incredibly chemistry between them, the way they seemed to move in perfect synchronicity, or if it was the way his Force senses resounded with pleasure - a sense of rightness to it all. Perhaps, it was the knowledge that the woman he loved was now his wife and he had a perfect right to be making love with her. He hoped to continue doings so for many years to come. He wasn't sure, but the fact remained that his desire for her did not diminish. For the first time, he wondered if he would ever have enough. Luke was a fool if he thought that by making love to Mara, he would clear his system, freeing himself of this mind clouding need for her. He would never be free, he realized with bittersweet longing, and she might never be his, not really.

Mara's voice interrupted his thoughts, "You know, I have two perfectly good legs."

Luke realized that he had been standing beside the bed, holding her against him.

"I've noticed." He said suggestively and then lowered her to the ground, allowing her body to slid against his. Mara could feel his arousal and was both amused and pleased that she had this effect on him. "But I wouldn't mind checking them out just to be sure."

He dropped down to his knees and placed his hands on her hips. He glided his large, slightly callused palms down the length of them. Mara leaned forward, putting her hand on his shoulder to steady herself. When his hands moved upward, they inclined toward her center and he was satisfied to hear a gasp of pleasure when his fingers met her wetness. His mouth moved to take the place of his fingers, and Mara shuddered. Luke wrapped his arms around her legs, in a hug that kept her firmly in place as he explored further.

Mara gazed down at the top of his blond head, feeling him delve deeply into her core. She tunneled her fingers through his hair, luxuriating in the feel of its softness and absentmindedly urging him to continue. He was doing incredible things to her. A green glint of the ring on her hand caught her eye, and she turned her hand so that it would catch the light, all the while Luke was causing her to feel wave after wave of cascading pleasure. She brought the gem closer to her face and without thought brought the ring into her mouth.

The pleasure became too intense and she moaned, releasing the ring, feeling her legs give out from under her. Luke guided her back on to the bed, and she fell back without protest. Luke moved up to cup her breasts with his hands and engulfed the tip with his mouth, sucking gently on the hardened nub. He then moved to lavish the same attention on the other breast. Mara bucked in response, lighting streaking from her breast to the aching place between her legs. She grabbed his face and brought it up for a scalding kiss.

Luke joined her unresistingly, moving urgently against her. Mara was surprised at how quickly she needed him, how desperately she wanted him to join with her. She was certain that she would die, right here, right now, if he didn't fill her.

She lowered her barriers just a bit, projecting her burning need to the Jedi. Luke did not hesitate. He moved between her thighs and buried himself to the hilt. They caught their breath, and their eyes locked in one crystal clear moment. Then they began to move, the sensations so intense that Mara closed her eyes, clutching him to her.

They set a frenzied pace, unable to take it slowly. Her skin was on fire, and the sound of their rasping breathing punctuated by an involuntary moan only served to increase her desire. The things he made her feel and the way that even while he was inside of her she ached for more was unsettling. She should have been frightened by her desire for an even deeper joining, but she couldn't fear this intense pleasure the almost euphoria she felt while they moved as one. Mara absently promised herself that later she would make him beg for her. She would lavish attention on his body, but for now, she was consumed. They moved in that dance, swimming in the sea of pleasure for a long while.

Once she had lowered her barriers, she couldn't seem to maintain them fully. She didn't want to allow Luke access to the most private part of her, and she shied away from delving into Luke's shinning presence. It washed over her any how, and she gloried in him. The beauty of the moment only served to cause her pain, however.

Mara realized that she wanted even more of him then he was willing to give. The sense of his Force presence hinted at what their complete joining would bring, and how even though it would mean a temporary loss of self, they could find joy in a melding beyond the body. She knew this was what she craved and yet it was something that would be denied them. Mara grabbed his face and pulled him in for a possessive kiss. Luke closed his eyes, and surrendered to her unspoken demand. Returning stroke for stroke, he shuddered above her, unable to withstand this onslaught. Feeling his desire peak, drove Mara over the edge as well and she cried out with him, releasing his mouth so that they could breathe.

When Luke tried to pull off of her, she said, "Stay." Urging him to continuing lying on top of her. She gloried in his weight, enjoyed feeling him still joined to her.

He shifted some of his weight on one elbow and wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her on top of him. Mara laid splayed out on his chest, one leg falling between his knees. Her breasts were pressed against his finely muscled chest, and a fine sheen of perspiration made their skin slick. When their breathing slowed and their hearts resumed a more leisurely pace, she shivered slightly in the suddenly cool air.

Luke tightened his grip around her, and pulled a blanket from the bed and over their bodies. She settled against him, comfortably warm and reached for his hand. They twined their fingers together. With each breath he took, Mara's face rose slightly on his chest and then fell when he exhaled. This soothing motion, and the compete repletion that she felt made it almost impossible for her to keep her eyes open. She wanted to talk with him, to discuss their future, ask him why he had left for so long. But she was too tired to form words.

Luke's hand trailed up and down her spine and he said languidly, "I don't know how long we have this room for, but I thought we might go to Yavin for the rest of our honeymoon. I have this small place far from the Academy where we can be alone."

Mara's first instinct was to protest. Yavin! It would be just like Luke Skywalker to want to take her to the Jedi home world on their honeymoon. But the idea of spending many days alone with Skywalker was very nice indeed.

"Hmmmm." She agreed sleepily, and then drifted into unconsciousness.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Luke woke up and found it impossible to fall back asleep. He gazed at the woman sleeping beside him, a feeling of tenderness coming over him. He loved her so much, he couldn't quite believe that she was his wife.

He certainly had no complaints about their sexual compatibility. Luke was pleased at the way Mara had responded to him but somehow he felt she was keeping part of herself away from him. She maintained a defensive barrier so that their joining was purely physical. When they were making love, he had tried to reach out to her through the Force, only to be rebuffed. Mara was maintaining her barriers, not allowing him to connect with her on a deeper level. Perhaps he was expecting too much. Only Force users would be able to link on such a level. He laughed derisively at himself. He should be happy with what he had, and there was no denying that it was great

What did he expect? Had he actually believed that he would make incredible, passionate love to Mara and she would be so overwhelmed that she would instantly fall in love with him? Yes. That had been his hope and he saw the futility of it now.

Luke pulled on a pair of sleep pants and made his way to the window. They were on an even higher level than Han and Leia's apartment. He was actually able to make out the faint shimmer of stars in the sky; the lights of the city were so far below them. His eyes gazed long and hard at the small glimmering sparks, usually finding peace when he beheld their light. They failed to comfort Luke; his inner turmoil was too great for those distant lights to provide any solace.

Mara awoke to find the bed empty. Luke's dark silhouette was outlined in sharp relief against the faint stars in the sky. She unconsciously reached out to him through the Force, sensing his sorrow and distress. After what they had shared, his emotions jolted her. Mara doubted he could regret their love making. She knew he had been as effected as she, but was he now lamenting his choice of bride? Did he wish that he were here with someone else? Callista perhaps?

He sensed her questing mind and its quick retreat.

Luke swung around to face her. "Mara."

"Couldn't you sleep?" She asked, coming to join him by the window, dragging the bed sheet as a make shift robe. He smiled tenderly down at her, and Mara couldn't quite believe that he wished that she was someone else. Could he?

"I thought I'd make something to eat."

"Didn't eat at the reception?" Mara asked.

"Nope. And if I recall, you left your plate untouched as well."

"I had things on my mind other than food." Mara answered.

"Oh really?" Luke asked pointedly.

"Yeah." She replied slowly. "I kept wondering if I had paid the docking fees for the Jade's Fire."

Luke smiled slightly and prompted her, "Oh?"

"And then I wondered if I had transmitted the latest meeting minutes to the Wild Karrde."

"Yes, I can see how that could bother you on your wedding day." Luke agreed.

"Then there was the shipping manifests. I might have put down the wrong date on them. Karrde hates it when those things get misfiled."

Luke nodded sagely.

Then Mara smiled, "But I guess I was mostly worried about the coming night with a certain man who was now my husband."

Luke admitted shyly, "I was terrified."

"You were not." She protested.

"I was," he insisted defensively, "Not about making love, although I'd be lying if I said I had no concerns that I might disappoint you."

"Never." She insisted.

He smiled and put his arm around her in a hug, pulling her close against his side. "But I was terrified that you'd decide that you had made a mistake."

"Even after the wedding?"

"Well, I was somewhat reassured after we exchanged vows, but I didn't know for sure that you really wanted to go through with this until after we made love."

Mara didn't quite know how to respond to this. 'We made love.' She gazed out at the stars and then she said slowly, "We made a contract with each other. It was too good a deal to pass up." But Luke's words continued to sound over and over inside her head. 'We made love, we made love.'

Luke dropped his hand from her arm, reminded once again of their arrangement.

Mara wondered why her words seemed to hurt him. She tried to reach out to him, but his barriers were in full force. She smiled tentatively at him and said, "I want to get cleaned up and then maybe we can see what's in the kitchen."

She turned away. Luke watched as she closed the door behind her.

When Mara emerged from the fresher with her hair hanging in damp tendrils and wearing a soft shimmering robe, she saw that Luke had made a picnic for them on the bed. He had placed a tray on the quilt. Precisely cut cheese and fresh bread were arranged on the tray. Fresh berries and cream were in a bowl, and a container of olives, bits of chocolate, and a decanter of honey wine were arranged attractively on the tray.

She slid across the bed. Mara folded her legs, sitting on the other side of the tray. She was unable to contain a smile as she took in the scene. Luke was seated across from her, his shirt still lying in a crumple by the door, his chest bare. His feet were tucked under his crossed legs, his tanned skin gleaming in the muted light streaming through the window of the slowly graying sky. With tousled hair, gleaming blue eyes, and a tentative grin he was irresistible.

Mara commented, "This is quite a spread."

She could feel his pleasure at her words, and the faint lines around his eyes crinkled as he grinned. Luke handed her a piece of cheese, in a gesture that seemed to say, 'help yourself'. She took it and enjoyed the sharp flavor.

Mara picked up a piece of chocolate and held it to his lips. His tongue flicked out, capturing it, and bringing it into his mouth. Her mouth went dry at the sensual way he moved his mouth, and his eyes gleamed knowing full well the effect he was having on her.

"You want to try it?" Luke asked.

She nodded, expecting him to do the same for her. Instead, he leaned toward her and kissed her, the taste of the sweet still lingering on his tongue. His lips stroked gently over the soft flesh of her mouth, tongue dipping tantalizingly within its depths. She responded languorously, drawing the kiss out, savoring the sweetness of this caress. Mara felt the need coil deep in her belly, building a silken tension.

When they pulled back, he felt as if he wanted to sweep away the food tray and make love to her again. Luke had never really thought of himself as a sexual person before. Until he had first touched Mara, he believed that he could not be transported outside of himself, losing himself within the vaulted heights of passion. He had known pleasure before, but never this need bordering on obsession.

Control... control. He must learn control. He could almost hear Yoda's voice admonishing him. He doubted the diminutive Jedi Master would rebuke him for his inability to resist this flame haired beauty.

Mara recognized the hooded expression in Luke's eyes and felt a responding streak of fire flash through her body. The empty feeling in her stomach and the remembered sorrow that she had sensed in the Jedi, tempered her, however. "You keep that up and you're going to starve your new bride. I'll die of hunger before the honeymoon's over."

Luke smiled gently and said, "You'd better satisfy your hunger then, before I decide to satisfy mine."

Mara gaped at him, unused to these teasing jests from the Jedi. "Skywalker? Is that you? 'cause I can barely recognize you in this kind of mood."

Luke suddenly got flustered and blushed.

"Hey, It's all right. I'm not complaining." Mara assured him. "I just didn't expect it, that's all."

"I didn't expect it either, Mara." Luke said, recovering quickly and taking her hand. His voice had taken on a deeper tone, and implied so much more.

Mara felt her whole body begin to tremble and she wondered if he were going to tell her that he loved her. Could he really feel something more for her than friendship and lust?

But what if she were wrong?

Luke would never tell her that he didn't share her feelings, that he still pined away for a love that had left him long ago. Thoughts of that time he spent with Callista still haunted her. Luke had loved Callista, and had told Mara that on more than one occasion. When Callista had left he had been devastated. Mara's heart had bled for him, unwilling to see him so hurt. Yet she was glad too, feeling that Callista had been unworthy of the Jedi Master.

How would Luke react if he had an inkling to the feelings that were becoming more and more difficult for her to control? If he shared them, there would be no problem. But if he was still in love with Callista . .. .Would he regret their marriage? Or would he merely hide his true feelings? He had such a noble heart; she knew that if he had any idea of the emotions that were coursing through her, that he would try his hardest not to hurt her. She could not stand dishonesty between them.

Suddenly wary of him sensing her thoughts, she narrowed her eyes and reinforced her shields.

Luke mentally flinched when he felt Mara retreat from him, feeling as if he had been slapped. He tried not to let the hurt show, but his heart felt like an aching wound. He made an effort not to share his pain with the red haired beauty.

When a shuttered expression closed over Luke's face, Mara wondered if he had sensed the train of her thoughts. Sith! This was too much. She jumped up, and began to wander the suite.

She started speaking, saying inane comments about what a wonderful place they were in. She began to point out features in the room, knowing full well that neither of them were taking any heed to the senseless words pouring from her mouth. Mara mentally despised herself, wondering what had come over her.

Skywalker had turned her into a babbling idiot.

Luke sat unmoving on the bed watching her as she paced the room, suddenly talking about the various amenities of their suite. He narrowed his gaze, studying her. Then he cautiously stretched out with the Force toward her. He caught a fragment of her emotions and relaxed slightly. Mara was nervous. He tried to think what had happened to suddenly set her off. Why was she acting so strange?

'I didn't expect it either, Mara.' He had said.

Luke swore to himself, realizing that it sounded like he was about to admit his love for her. He almost had too. Luke had come so close to admitting everything that was in his heart. She must have suspected this and wanted desperately to stop him.

She didn't want his love. Mara was a fiercely independent woman, and she didn't want to be entangled by clinging emotions that she could not share.

Mara swung around to face him, her face flushed and she opened her mouth to speak. "Look at me. I'm a fool, Skywalker."

Luke rose to his feet. "If anyone's the fool, it's me."

Mara narrowed her gaze at him and said, "We said we'd be honest to each other. You are beginning to regret this marriage aren't you?"

Luke's frustration made his anger rise quickly. "We both knew what we were getting in to the moment we agreed to this arrangement. My goals, my needs have not changed, even though . . ." Luke paused.

"Go on, say it! Even though you're in love."

Luke's face contorted, and he clenched his hands into fists. "I can't control my heart Mara." Luke said. "But I promise you that my feelings won't interfere with our happiness."

She knew it, and it was like a blow to her. He was still in love with Callista. He had just admitted it. He knew that he could not have the one he truly wanted so he had settled for her. They had been truthful with each other from the very beginning, and she had asked for honesty.

Sometimes the truth hurt.

The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

Part Eight

Mara took a slow, deep breath while Luke watched her guardedly. He wondered how she would respond to his admission that he loved her. He hardly dared to hope that she would tell him she shared his feelings, but he couldn't help but hold his breath as she struggled to form her response.

"You're right. I'm overreacting. It shouldn't affect our plan adversely." And then she continued in a small voice, "I just can't help but feel bad for the way you feel."

Her words struck him to the core, and he struggled to maintain his equilibrium. "I don't want your pity, Jade." The Jedi said scathingly.

Mara wanted to correct him, to tell him that she pitied herself, not him. She wouldn't say such a thing, however. Mara didn't want Luke to deny his feelings for Callista, just to spare her. She would be a lot more comfortable with the knowledge that whatever they shared was true, that they didn't exist in a world of half truths. Mara wanted to know where the Jedi stood, so that she did not read something into his actions or words that wasn't really there. She wanted to guard her heart against the possibility of loving him. Mara did not live in a dream world where everything worked out the way she would like, she wanted to be fully aware of her reality and her husband's heart.

"I don't want you to pretend to feel something that you don't. I want you to be honest with me." She studied him for a moment and then continued, "I care for you, and it hurts me to see you in pain."

Luke felt something within him loosen. Mara was giving him permission to express his love, even though she didn't share it. And she was admitting to having some feelings for him, even if they didn't go as deeply as he would have liked. Luke's expression softened, encouraged by her words. "I'll worry about my heart."

She froze, feeling that he was trying to warn her that his heart wasn't her concern, but his own. She managed to control her feelings, not allowing them to leak through to the Jedi Master.

He moved closer and pulled her into a hug, "We're going to be alright, you'll see. It doesn't matter if we don't share love, but I have faith that it won't prevent us from finding happiness. We have a lot of things going for us." Luke thought of Mara leaving him, realized that even if she didn't love him, he would want her in his life. Half of Mara was better than none of her. He would take whatever he could get and hope that in time he would have it all. He had to have hope.

*********

By the time the sun had crested over the Manarai mountains, Luke and Mara had already begun the journey to Yavin. The process of gathering their belongings, checking out of the hotel, and preparing the ship for departure had served to cover any lingering tension that remained from their recent discussion. The shipboard routines had forced them back into a well known pattern. It blunted their hurt, filling their minds with familiar and comfortable tasks.

By unspoken mutual consent they made no mention of the revelations they had shared, having no idea that instead of coming to an understanding they had only managed to further the confusion.

Once the Jade's Fire was in hyperspace, Luke and Mara lapsed into silence. It was not strained but it was far from comfortable. Desperately seeking a way to lighten the mood, Mara stood up and said "Come with me."

Luke followed her, some what hesitantly. She led him to the main cabin in the back, switching on the overhead lumina so the entire room was bathed in a soft white glow. A panoramic window dominated one wall, showing a magnificent view of the passing starlines. An oversized bed piled with plush nerf hide blankets was centered in the room. A door on the right lead off to the fresher. Their flight bags rested at the base of a small end table.

Luke watched as Mara took her bag and opened it. She had left her hair unbound and it hung to the cinched waist of her white flight suit. The white accented her creamy skin and made her hair seem all the more brilliant. The lightsaber that had been his father's swung from her belt. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and Luke experienced a familiar bittersweet pang as he gazed at her.

Mara pulled a shiny cloth bag from her luggage and smiled broadly at him. Luke returned her exuberant grin feeling his heart lighten at her joy.

"I realized I never gave you my wedding present." .

"I wasn't looking for anything, Mara. You agreed to marry me and that was present enough."

"I have a wedding present for you, so accept it."

"Yes, Ma'am."

She sat down on the edge of the bed and handed it to him. The bed shifted as he sat beside her, accepting the gift silently.

She watched as he started to work the ties free. He glanced up at her with a smile that was both eager and a little unsure. The brilliant blue of his eyes never failed to amaze her. He wore a charcoal gray tunic with matching pants and black boots that reflected the overhead lumina. His hair was still just the slightest bit damp around his ears from his shower that morning, appearing a dark blond against the somber tones of his outfit. Mara returned her attention to the gift, and immediately became transfixed by his deft fingers as they began to remove the contents of the bag.

He gave a short laugh as he withdrew a small medkit.

Mara began to explain, "I tried to think of something that you would need." She teased. "I made sure it had plenty of bacta patches and pain relievers."

"Something I would need, huh?" he asked as he set the kit aside. He could still feel something in the bag and reached inside to withdraw the other item. "So you're still planning on killing me?" he teased in return.

"If I was planning on killing you, I wouldn't buy you a medkit would I? Why undo my own handiwork?"

"Good point," he conceded.

Luke pulled out a rectangular box. When he lifted the lid, he saw an expensive wrist chrono. It was constructed of a non-reflective black metal. He pulled it out of the box to examine it closer. It was more of a computer than a chrono, and he saw it had a small port in its side that was identical to those used in small snub-nosed fighters.

"I made sure when I had this constructed that if something were to ever happen to the main drive on your X-wing, this unit could perform the processes that your astromech isn't designed to handle. It even has enough power to provide a surge that could restart a stalled engine. Although, I wouldn't count on it working more than once." Mara shrugged, "I figured I caught you sitting dead in space once. I don't want to think it might ever happen again. The small power cell is solar powered. It should recharge whenever you're planet side."

"Mara, it's amazing." Luke managed past the constriction in his throat. It was an incredibly useful and thoughtful gift. He was fascinated by its design and looked forward to examining it further at a later date. He flipped it over and saw that there was an engraving on the back. He brought it closer to read, 'May the Force always be with you Luke - Mara'

He felt tears build behind his eyes and he closed his fingers around the chrono into a fist. Without thought, he pulled Mara to him and hugged her. He was overwhelmed with emotion, his Force senses swelling toward Mara. Mara's own sense joined him for a moment, to sway with him. Luke continued to clutch her tightly against him, his free arm wrapped around her. His fingers tangled in her hair, and he squeezed his eyes shut

She withdrew through the Force, and he pulled free, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Mara was both pleased and embarrassed by his emotional outburst. Luke rose from the bed and said, "I have something for you too."

He pulled a box out of his bag and presented it to her. She pulled out a piece of flimsy. Mara gave him a curious glance.

"I kept thinking about what you said, not having any family, not even knowing who your parents were. I had hoped that I could track them down for you. I hope you don't mind but I took a DNA sample from a strand of your hair and had the Coruscant census computers track down your heritage. Unfortunately, I could only find mention of your mother and she's no longer alive. That's her biography. It's sketchy at best. Records from that period were often incomplete."

"The galaxy was in chaos - it's not surprising." She absently twined her finger around her hair, wondering why she had never thought to do the same on her own. Mara glanced again with renewed interest. She read the name, "Margura Jayde." She said out loud. "Whoever my father was, she must not have ever taken his name."

"Speaking of which, what do you want to do?"

Mara shrugged, "I don't mind being a Skywalker."

Luke gave her a winning smile that melted her heart. "Thank you."

He gestured to the box, "There's more."

Mara set the flimsy aside to read through it later. She pulled a green glimmer stone locket hanging from a gold chain. She compared it to the ring and saw that it matched, the stones were identical in shade.

"I bought them as a set. After we had the discussion that night at the Outer Quadrant restaurant, I had hoped . . . Well, anyway, the color reminded me of your eyes."

Mara was touched. He had bought this even before he knew that she would marry him. She had wondered about the ring, but had decided that it must have been a family heirloom. She had no idea that he had actually purchased it just for her. It made the ring seem even more special. Forget Callista, she told herself. This was for her. Mara Jade... Mara swallowed. Mara Jade Skywalker and she had married him.

Luke leaned forward, his arm brushing across her chest as he helped her to put it on. He glanced up, his face inches from her own and then showed her a small latch. A metal panel swung on a hinge to project a blank holoprompt. "It has a small holo player inside. You can store up to ten images. I figured I would leave the choice of images up to you."

Luke was immensely pleased at Mara's reaction to the gifts. He had tried to get her something that would make her happy. She continued to gaze wonderingly at the amulet, and the idea that the piece of jewelry affected her, gave him hope.

The extremely thoughtful and personal nature of Mara's gifts to him touched Luke deeply. It made him wonder why she seemed so closed off from him. She seemed to be shying away from him, trying to conceal how she felt. Mara had always valued her privacy highly, but it didn't explain the way she seemed to be actively blocking him out.

The closer he got to Mara, the tighter her shields became, and this more than anything began to cause his mind to race. Luke had little trouble recalling the numerous looks and gestures they had exchanged when they were alone that could not be for the benefit of an audience.

He had relieved these experiences when he lay awake at night, cherishing each memory. There was the time she had told him that any woman would marry him, the way she had rubbed his back while they were talking to Leia on the com unit, the numerous looks, and loving way she had touched him on more than one occasion, and the absolutely wonderful way she had trusted him utterly with her body when they had made love.

Mara had admitted to having the wrist chrono fashioned specifically for him, and had even made a point in accepting his Jedi heritage with the engraving "May the Force be with you." Although it wasn't exactly a declaration of undying love, he knew she was striving to show that she embraced that part of him. He knew that this was the first step toward Mara excepting her own Jedi heritage, and although it would not be easy, he was immensely proud of her.

But whether she realized it or not, he was convinced that Mara Jade .. . . Skywalker, felt deeply for him. Luke was almost certain that she was in fact in love with him, but for some reason, Mara was actively denying her feelings. She either feared to be in love, felt unworthy of being the object of his love, or was oblivious to the true depths of her emotions for him.

Mara saw that Skywalker's gaze had lost focus and seemed to be communing on some other level. He was either lost deeply in thought, receiving some sort of Force vision, or both.

"Luke? What is it?" Mara asked, "What's wrong?"

Luke focused his gaze on Mara and the look he gave her caused her stomach to flutter.

He would have to show her that their love was nothing to fear, that he loved her desperately and would never leave her. He would allow her time to accustom herself to the knowledge that she shared this powerful emotion. Every time he verbalized his feeling, bringing them overtly to her notice she shied away.

He would have to tread carefully. But the incredible joy that engulfed him, thrilling him could not contain. Luke burned to tell her again how much he loved her, but he knew that it would be a mistake. Instead of giving her joy, his words would only cause Mara to retreat again. They had just recovered most of the territory they had lost from his last declaration. He had no desire to repeat that blunder. He would just have to show her, instead.

"Everything's wonderful." He took her face in both of his hands and kissed her softly. His Force sense wrapped her in warmth. He had proven to her that they shared passion, now he would show her that they shared love as well.

The Jedi's kiss stunned her. Mara grew lightheaded and swayed against him. Luke wrapped his arms around her, lending her support. His warm, clean scent made her senses spiral. She wouldn't be surprised to learn that the ship's artificial gravity had failed, she felt so light. Mara ached for Skywalker, but it wasn't a purely physical need. She wanted more of him, to be with him, to share everything with him.

Their lips caressed lightly, tenderly. Luke's hands roamed soothingly along her back. And when he pulled back, Mara gazed at him in astonishment. Luke smiled tenderly at her, and she wanted him inside of her, not just because she was filled with desire, but because he completed her.

Luke felt his entire body tighten with need at her expression. He could sense her desire mingled with surprise. That his kiss could astonish her after everything they had shared was a good sign. Mara couldn't be amazed by their mutual desire, not after last night. If it wasn't the way she felt physically that was causing her reaction, then it must be the way she felt emotionally.

He wondered if he should give her some space to prove to her that his kiss was not just a prelude to his physical need for her. He should get up and move away from the bed. They had so much that they needed to discuss. But when Mara closed the distance between them again, claiming his mouth, Luke knew that he would not be able to resist her.

They kissed. They caressed. They touched each other every where. And when the need became excruciating, they joined their bodies. They moved together, Luke plunging into her, his weight on his arms, his hips grinding into Mara's. She gasped, clutching him to her, urging him to dive even more deeply. Luke kissed her passionately, so sweetly that Mara pressed her mouth against his shoulder, muffling a sob.

They made love slowly, tenderly, taking their time exploring the length of their bodies, watching the play of emotions on their faces as they moved in the exquisite rhythm of desire. There was an added intensity to their lovemaking that stirred them acutely.

Mara pushed Luke onto his back, to straddle him. She felt something within her ache for him, something beyond her body's desire. She wanted him badly, and Luke was eager to give in to her needs. She rocked against him, causing wave after wave of pleasure to ripple through them. Luke watched her through heavy lidded eyes, the very sight of her made it difficult for him to maintain control. He cupped her breasts and drew one into his mouth.

Mara threw her head back, rocking against him, crying out. Luke shifted his hands to her hips, continuing to suck deeply. He bucked up into her, pulsing deeply within her. They cried out in unison as they shattered against each other, shuddering convulsively. Mara collapsed on to Luke's chest, her hair falling into his face. Luke clutched her against him, holding her in place, trying to keep her with him for as long as possible.

He felt something damp against his shoulder and he could feel something tingle through the Force. Luke shifted her to the side, pushing her hair away from her face. There were damp trails streaking down her face. The sight caused both a pain and a ray of hope to streak through him.

"Hey." He said softly, using the pad of one finger to brush the tears away.

Mara shook her head, as if to deny that she was crying and then seemed to realize the futility of the gesture.

With the back of one hand she wiped furiously at the betraying moisture and said, "I don't know what's come over me."

But Luke had a pretty good idea. He would be surprised if she didn't realize at that moment that she loved him, but were they tears of joy or of some darker emotion?

He wanted her to recognize her emotions, to no longer deny them so that they could freely express their love, so he asked, "Do you think that there's a reason for your tears? I think if you search within yourself you'll find the answer."

Mara's eyes grew wide. Did he know that she was in love with him? She felt a ripple of shock course through her. Since when did she fall in love with this Jedi? But she knew the answer. The very first moment she laid eyes on him.

But why if he didn't love her would he want her to acknowledge this? She had to have misunderstood. He wasn't talking about love, he was talking about a child. Was she acting emotionally because she was pregnant?

She tried to sense within herself but could not detect a glimmer of new life. Perhaps it was too soon to sense a baby within her, but not too soon for her body to start to change. The idea that her tears were the result of hormones and not the realization that she was in love with a man whose heart belonged to another, was an appealing notion.

She replied, "It seems unlikely, but I guess its possible that I'm already with child."

Her words arrested his heart for a moment, startled by her train of thought. Could she be pregnant? He was momentarily speechless, and filled with a hopeful yearning. The idea of Mara carrying his child was like a dream come true. He hardly dared to hope.

Luke tried to sense the presence of another life, but did not detect anything through Mara's brilliant light in the Force. If it were true, the fetus would be no more than a day old, little more than a few cells. He doubted that even a Jedi Master could detects an infant so early.

But it was possible that Mara would begin to experience some slight changes. He remembered that Leia seemed to know when she was carrying her children fairly early in their development. As much as he'd like a child with Mara, he was a little disappointed that her emotional display might not be proof of her love for him. Luke smiled hesitantly and said, "I thought you said it was unlikely."

Did he sound disappointed? "But not impossible." Mara replied. Now that he was faced with the possibility of fathering a child, was he beginning to regret their arrangement?

He must have detected Mara's distress because he asked quickly, "What's wrong? You're not unhappy with the idea?"

Mara shook her head immediately, "No, it's just that you sounded disappointed."

Luke smiled widely, "Of having a child with you? Not at all. How could I ever be disappointed in a baby that we created together? It's just that I realized that I kind of like the idea of us having some time as a couple before we have a family."

Mara gave him a strange look and then asked hesitatingly, "You do?"

Luke didn't understand the reason for her look and for the first time, wondered if she still believed that he was only interested in marrying her so that they could have children together. Hadn't she understood that he was in love with her?

He had already tried everything short of saying the words "I love you", and verbalizing his emotions had already proven disastrous. Perhaps he was trying too hard, expecting too much in too short of time. Their marriage had been little more than a business arrangement, and it was only the dawn of the first day of their honeymoon. It was unrealistic for him to expect that Mara's views would shift so quickly. Luke looked deeply within himself, seeing that his feelings were firmly rooted, having grown for a very long time. It had taken him years to realize how much he loved Mara, he couldn't expect that she would come to the same realization at the exact moment that he did.

He had time. Luke had decided their time alone during their honeymoon would be the ideal opportunity to prove their love. Although it was trying for him even after all these years of striving, he could be a patient man.

If necessary, they had the rest of their lives together Surely, in that time, he would hear her say the words his heart so longed to hear.

********

The rest of the journey to Yavin was a time where they adjusted to the quirks of living together. Luke learned quickly not to wake Mara too early in the morning. Mara grew tolerant of Luke's casual nudges to expand her Force skills and took his lapses into the didactic Master role in stride

She was surprised to find that she was not resentful at his determination to teach her things, and was actually rather touched by his eagerness to share his knowledge. This tendency allowed Mara to display some Force abilities Luke had never considered and he adjusted with surprising willingness to student mode. He was not arrogant about his skill in the Force, and she grew aware of all the little things she loved about her new husband.

They would often times exercise in the mornings, eat late lunches, and play holochess late in to the evening until they were both exhausted and fell asleep quickly in each others arms. They would wake up some time in the sleep cycle and make love long into the night.

When they arrived in orbit around Yavin, Luke sat in the pilot's chair assuming the controls. He piloted the ship deftly through the thick trees and settled in a small clearing beside a small ruin.

"Don't tell me you intend to stay there?" Mara asked scathingly.

Luke gave her a secret smile and said, "You're going to have to trust me."

"I came this far with you haven't I?" Mara replied tartly.

Luke smiled at her and grabbed her hand to give it quick squeeze.

"Thank you." He said simply.

Mara opened her mouth as if she thought they were going to argue, and then reconsidered, "My, my, aren't we agreeable today, Skywalker."

He had finished the landing cycle and Luke unstrapped himself from the chair. He bent down to press a warm kiss on Mara's mouth. A breathless moment later, his nose brushing against Mara's, his blue eyes glowing he said "Why shouldn't I be? I have everything I want, no galactic emergency, a beautiful wife, plenty of time, and a warm bed just around the corner."

Mara blushed slightly.

Luke added, "And I finally got you to Yavin without an argument."

Mara pushed him slightly away playfully. "I knew you had an ulterior motive for suggesting our arrangement."

An odd look passed over Luke's features and Mara wished that she could have withdrawn her comment. Then he smiled, the tension gone.

They gathered some supplies and exited the vehicle. The moment they entered the place, Mara began to rethink her original assessment. The old stone was covered in a light wood, giving the place a new, warm atmosphere. It had a fully stocked kitchen, piles of chopped wood next to a primitive but beautiful fireplace, and candles everywhere. There was limited power, and running water, but no cooking unit. A large multi-colored quilt covered a comfortable sized bed in a side room. The retreat was cozy and incredibly intimate.

"You had this for yourself?" Mara asked curiously.

"I had some alternations made in hopes that we would come here." Luke said.

"Alterations?"

"Food, wood, furniture." Luke muttered.

"You mean, just about everything?" Mara laughed.

Luke shrugged.

The set their bags down inside the small bedroom. They reentered the main room where Luke began to make a fire.

She raised an eyebrow, "It's not that cold on Yavin."

Luke shrugged, "To cook dinner."

"There's a perfectly good cooking unit in the Fire."

"I know but this will be nicer, you'll see."

Luke was bent down beside the fireplace, and opened the flue. Mara shrugged, watching the play of his muscles through his tunic as he methodically placed wood into the fireplace. She leaned back on the couch in front of the fireplace deciding that there were certain perks to a more primitive environment.

He glanced at her questioningly.

Mara said impishly, "Just enjoying the view. Have I ever told you what a nice body you have?"

Luke smiled shyly and turned away to continue with the fire and replied, "No, I think this is the first time."

"An oversight, I'm sure." Mara was happy, she realized. They had established a rapport between them, and she had never felt closer to another being in her life. Thoughts of Callista were far away. Here in this place, there was just the two of them. "This was a good idea." She conceded.

Luke replaced the poker and joined her on the couch. Joy at her words radiated from him, and Mara basked in his presence.

They watched the flames slowly devour the logs. The silence was broken only by the crackling of the embers and the occasional shifting of the wood. They both seemed to have forgotten about food opting instead to relish this quiet moment together. Finally, Mara shifted to face Luke and asked the question that had been plaguing her for weeks, "Why did you leave for so long during our engagement?"

Luke replied defensively, "There were things I needed to finalize before we could get married. This place for one."

Mara nodded in concession of this fact, "Yes, I understand that you wanted to do some things, but six weeks with hardly a message."

Luke was about to argue, then nodded, "I know. I'm sorry Mara."

"We promised to be honest with each other. Why did you wait until two days before the wedding to return?"

Luke flushed and met her gaze, "I didn't set out to do that. I just got caught up. I arranged for a permanent leave of absence from the Academy."

"Why ever did you do that?" Mara asked incredulously.

"I knew you wouldn't want to stay there, and I didn't want to stay away from you."

Mara was overcome at what he had done, "Luke." Mara shifted closer, laying a hand on his arm, "I don't want you to do that. You belong at the Academy. I would never want you to give it up for me."

Luke opened his mouth to reply but Mara interrupted, "I know I always tried to avoid coming here, but the truth is I wasn't trying to avoid becoming a Jedi, I was avoiding you."

Luke's eyes grew wide and he said, "Avoiding me?"

Mara nodded, somewhat reluctantly, "I've always been attracted to you , and I was never comfortable with sharing that knowledge. I knew if I was working closely with you, using the Force, you would eventually find out."

"Why would you want to hide something like that?"

Mara gave him a scathing look, "Come on Skywalker. You don't really have to ask that question do you?"

Luke couldn't help the broad grin that spread across his face.

"I figured it wasn't much of a secret anymore." Mara added as an afterthought.

"I just wish I had known a long time ago. Why else do you think I was always encouraging you to complete your training. Partially, because I thought it was a good idea, but mostly because I wanted to see you."

Mara wanted to ask him about Callista, becoming more and more uncertain that he was still in love with his old girlfriend.

Luke saw her jaw tighten, sensed her struggle and he encouraged, "What is it? Tell me, please."

His open expression and faintly pleading look finally forced the words out of her mouth, "But what about Callista?"

The air seemed to suddenly still between them and Mara wouldn't have been surprised to learn that her heart stopped beating until Luke broke the silence.

"Callista?"

She could hear the bewilderment in his voice.

"You do remember her don't you?" Mara could not quite keep the contempt from her voice or her hurt from showing through the Force.

Luke's mouth straightened into a grim line, and he grabbed Mara's shoulders with an intensity that bordered on the painful. "Callista left me. She made her choice and I've moved on with my life. I'd rather that we both forgot about her."

Later, Luke would regret his outburst, but for the moment, he was filled with remembered pain at Callista's betrayal. He had been feeling so good just a moment before, and this unwanted reminder of his terrible luck at love filled him with doubt about his ability to resolve things with Mara.

He was also feeling slightly guilty that he had abandoned Mara for so long during the engagement and that he had ever even dated Callista in the first place. How was Luke to know that if he had just allowed Mara to know of his attraction for her, they might have gotten together years ago? His blunder with Callista might never had happened, but he knew that it was foolish to regret the past. They had both been different people back then, and he was here, now, with Mara as his wife. He couldn't complain too much.

Mara could feel Luke's pain, and all of her doubts resurfaced to life. She wanted him to tell her that Callista meant nothing to him, that he didn't still love her, but these words never came forth. Instead, a shadow crossed over his eyes, and when his grip became too painful, she gave a little yelp of surprise.

Luke released her instantly apologetic, but the damage had been done.
************

The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

Part Nine

Mara stood up abruptly and said, "It's getting hot in here. I think I'm going to take a walk." She rubbed the slight bruises on her arms as she walked away.

Before Luke could say anything Mara was out the door.

Luke jumped up, called his lightsaber to his hand, and clipped it to his belt as he dashed after her. The dense jungle pressed up against the three sides of the retreat and he couldn't see her in the clearing.

"Mara!" he yelled into the thick growth.

"Oh no," Luke moaned to himself. He had the finesse of a Hutt, he told himself.

He stretched out with his feelings latching on to the thin line that connected him to Mara. It tugged him to the North and he set off after her in a run.

It felt good to gain some distance from Skywalker, but Mara couldn't help but wonder if it had been a mistake to leave. There was only one way that he could interpret her departure. He had to know that his reaction to Callista's name bothered her. It was normal, Mara supposed, even if she didn't love him for her pride to be wounded at the thought of her current lover pinning away for a past love.

Mara decided she would be upfront about her feelings. They would be honest. Besides, she knew he would sense her emotions soon enough. She sat down on a large rock jutting from the ground and waited.

When Skywalker caught up to her she said, "I'm here."

His searching gaze immediately flew to her. His hair was disarrayed, his eyes wide and worried. "Mara!" He came to her side. "I'm so sorry Mara."

He tried to say more, but she shook her head and began to speak. "I'm sorry too. It hurt my pride that she can still get that kind of reaction from you. I know" she took a deep breath and continued, "I know that it shouldn't matter. We've always been honest with each other. We both knew that this was a marriage of convenience. So I think it's best if we just put this discussion behind us."

"Mara, You must believe me when I tell you that she's in the past." Luke assured her.

"Don't Skywalker. I know how much she means to you, you don't have to try and spare my feelings."

Luke wanted to deny Callista's hold on him, but he didn't want to let this opening drop. "Your feelings?" he prompted.

She sighed heavily. This was the point of no return. Mara squared her shoulders and met his gaze as if he were her executioner. "I guess I can't keep if from you any longer, and I certainly didn't plan it, but I find that I've fallen in love with you."

Incredible joy and relief filled him. At last! She was acknowledging her love. Things could finally be set right. "I know." Luke said smiling softly, "I'm glad that we can finally be open with each other."

Mara winced and Luke eyebrows drew together.

He continued "I've already told you my feelings, but I'll say it anyway, I love you."

He had already told her that he loved Callista but he would say it anyway to her as well? What kind of response was that?

It was just as she feared. He was trying to spare her pain, not wanting to hurt her. She didn't deny that he felt something for her, but his feelings for her did not compare to what he felt for Callista. They were not of the same magnitude. Luke might want to love her, after all she was his wife, but wanting and actually doing so was another thing. He wanted a family so desperately he'd do anything. . . believe anything to acquire it.

Mara watched him silently, trying to remain detached, not wanting to allow her hurt to show.

He waited expectedly for some sort of reaction, a softening in her expression, a lightening of the darkness that clung to her. Something was wrong here, he could feel it. Luke was confused about this shared declaration. Had he misheard her? Hadn't she just said that she loved him and he told her the same in kind? Why then, did she seem colder, more remote than ever? He moved toward her, intent on pulling her into his arms, but Mara raised a hand stopping him. He tried to sense her, but she was a duracrete wall.

Mara asked, "Then why did you react the way you did back there?"

Her green gaze pierced deeply into his blue. Mara wanted to believe him, she really did and the irony was that if Luke were a less honorable person, she would have. But Luke always put others first. Why would she be an exception? She could see his confusion, and wondered if he really did believe that he loved her. But he couldn't not really. No matter what his feelings for her, he loved Callista more.

She could appreciate what he was doing. He was trying, he really was. He wanted them to be happy. He wanted her to be open about her love for him, and he would cultivate the passion and friendship between them to try and build something more. They were married. They intended to have a family together and to live the rest of their lives together. Perhaps it was best to put Callista in the past, to allow her memory to fade in his mind. Perhaps Luke's feelings for Mara would grow, his love would deepen to be equal to the one he shared with his lost love.

Luke guessed that she was angry with him, and he couldn't blame her. Why had she even brought up Callista in the first place? It didn't take too much thinking to have his answer. Mara was jealous. She really did love him. Perhaps, she just wasn't sure how to go about expressing her emotions for him. It's not as if she ever had a true example during her upbringing.

The closest thing Mara ever had to a father, was the Emperor. This was certainly not an ideal upbringing to learn the ability to express love. Luke was more than happy to show her his love. He would give her time to relax and to become more open with him. Perhaps the Emperor was also the reason for the perpetual Force shields she maintained against him. Mara had told the Jedi that she could hear the Emperor anywhere in the galaxy. He doubted that rasping voice was always a welcome sound inside her head. He shuddered at the thought.

He focused on responding to her question. Why had he reacted in the way that he had? "I didn't realize that it still hurt. I guess I was still reeling from my bad luck with love."

Mara's eyes widened, shocked that he admitted this to her.

Luke saw her reaction and quickly amended, "I'm not talking about us. We have some things to work out, but we both love each other. I have no doubt that we will be a happy together."

She nodded her head, almost reluctantly. She did not regret their decision to marry, regardless of everything. Mara had wanted him when there was no love in the mix. Now that she knew her own heart, she would be damned if she gave up on them. The specter of Callista would be banished forever. That body stealing ghost was long gone and Mara was here. She would not allow Callista to ruin her only chance at true happiness.

**********

It took a day or two but Luke and Mara eventually resumed the easy banter between them. They talked for hours mostly centered on practical subjects such as their living arrangements and their various obligations. They agreed to make Luke's apartment their new home because he had a larger place, and Mara professed to have no real attachment to her place.

"The Jade's Fire is my home." She declared.

Mara did not go so far as to say that she would give up her work for Talon Karrde, but she expressed an interest in suspending it for awhile to finalize her Jedi training. She knew this would please Skywalker, and it would encourage him to resume his association with the Academy. Luke was fully aware of her motivations and loved her all the more for them.

They told each other stories of their youth and with each story that Mara shared, Luke's understanding of his wife grew, hardening his resolve to give her all the affection she had been denied as she was growing up. He reminded himself that her lack of wiliness to reciprocate his love was not due to a lack of feeling, but that she was unaccustomed to expressing herself in such a manner. He hoped that in time she would trust him enough to lower her shields, and finally release the bonds of the past. They made no more mention about their arrangement, although there was no denying that they both thought about it often. It had a tendency to color their reactions or comments at the oddest moments.

They explored the surrounding area of the retreat and even made love on the soft ground beside a winding river. They had fallen asleep only to awaken when one of the indigenous life forms paused to take a drink beside them. Warily, they watched as the creature departed, and they quickly gathered their clothing and made their way back to the retreat.

Each day their passion grew. The memory of the pleasure they shared served to fuel their inexhaustible craving for the other. On some occasions, their exchanges would be slow and sweet. On other occasions, the passion would explode between them and their lovemaking would transport them beyond the realm of reason, leaving them exhausted but incredibly satisfied.

It was only after their supplies began to dwindle that they decided it was time to leave. Mara urged Luke to stop at the Academy before they left the planet. Only after ascertaining that she really was not adverse to going there did he agree. After all, they were already on Yavin, it seemed a shame to come all that way without at least making an appearance.

Once they had left the retreat, Skywalker seemed eager to return to Coruscant. Their visit at the Academy was brief, little more than a refueling and restocking stop, before they were back in space again.

Once they reached Coruscant, Luke made a great show of giving her the entry code. "But if you forget there's always the window." He joked.

Mara was not in the habit of acquiring objects for the sake of possession, never staying in one place for an extended time. It took little effort for her to move her meager collection of belongings into Skywalker's apartment. Eager to have some time alone with her thoughts, Mara encouraged Luke to accept Han's invitation to lunch.

Mara had met Leia for lunch that very afternoon. Leia had given Luke and Mara a wedding gift with the express instructions not to open it until a week before their first anniversary. Leia then gave Mara a small box. When Mara opened it she found an Alderaanian friendship token, the other half to the one that Leia wore.

Mara absently touched the medallion at her neck. The red head had felt the tears gather in her eyes, and the two women had hugged. Mara had said that they were both friends, but she until that moment really felt it for the first time.

Once alone in Skywalker's apartment, Mara moved her computer next to Luke's com unit, and plugged it into the desk. Then, She hung her clothes in the closet alongside Luke's, laughing softly to herself at the numerous dark Jedi tunics and cloaks hanging inside the closet. As she touched the cloth of one tunic, she reflected on how amazingly intimate and binding it seemed to be placing her clothes alongside her husband's wardrobe.

She pulled one of Luke's tunics from the closet, exploring the texture of the dark cloth with her hand. She remembered the last time she had seen him wear this particular outfit. It had been more than a year ago. Mara and Talon Karrde had arranged to meet Han Solo to get some insight into the routes around Kessel and Luke had decided at the last minute to tag along.

Mara remembered the way she had felt when she saw the Jedi. The moment she stood within his presence, she had become incredibly aware of her environment. He had always made her feel more attuned to things, more alive. Mara pressed the cloth to her nose inhaling deeply. It had been laundered, but she could still detect the slightest hint of Luke's scent and an afterimage of his vibrant presence through the Force.

She replaced the tunic and moved to the dresser. She pulled open drawers, attempting to find space for her undergarments. She chuckled when she discovered an old worn, Tatooine desert outfit. She wouldn't be the least surprised if when she pulled the brown, sun-beaten cloak from the drawer, to see the sand of his desert home world tumble to the floor.

She closed the drawer, moving to the next one and found a bunch of keepsakes Luke had collected from numerous worlds. Among the assortment of items, there was an odd red crystal shard that glimmered enticingly in the back corner, a dismantled lightsaber hilt, a droid restraining bolt, a collection of delicate shells, and a holoplate. It was obvious that this collection had sentimental value to Skywalker. Mara pulled the holoplate, grinning slightly and activated the holoprojector.

Her mouth froze in place, her skin becoming icy. An image of Callista appeared, slightly bluish in the holographic rendering. Callista was smiling warmly, and Mara had no doubt that Luke had captured this image. Mara moved to jab the projector off, and hit the wrong button. The images began to shift in a montage of scenes. Some included Luke, but all of them featured Callista. Mara sobbed when she saw an image of them kissing.

A whistle drew her attention to the doorway and she saw Artoo regarding her with his main sensor array. He warbled a definite question.

She dropped the holoplate back into the drawer.

Mara forced a smile onto her face, that wavered only slightly, "It's alright, Artoo. I was just finishing with my stuff." She realized how much she had changed in the last few weeks as she tried to comfort the little astromech droid.

She slammed the drawer closed with unnecessary force, and found a drawer Luke had emptied for her use. She pushed the rest of her belongings inside, resisting the urge to snatch them back and return to her old apartment.

When Skywalker returned, she made no mention of her unwitting discovery. She did not want him to become aware of how this evidence of his inability to let his former love go had hurt her. Luke gave her a long look sensing her distress, but when he questioned her about it she did not answer. The subject was quickly forgotten when Mara launched herself at him, kissing him. Mara wanted to erase that woman's memory from Luke's mind. Surely, over time Luke would release Callista to the past. They made passionate love that night, and Luke never thought to ask again about Mara's odd mood.

It was many weeks later that Mara realized that their love making continued on a nightly basis, unhindered by her monthly flow. Mara arranged for a medical examine the following day. She didn't tell Luke about her appointment, not wanting to share her suspicions until she was certain. She didn't feel sick in the mornings, but she did notice that she seemed to be more hungry of late. Mara had found herself snacking at the oddest hours, but when she sat down to consume a meal, she was oddly full. Well, she would learn the truth soon enough.

*********

Even through the transparisteel roof, Mara could make out the faint lights of the orbiting space traffic. Not quite as high as the honeymoon suite at the Grande Hotel, the Corellian Club Atrium was still a respectable height. Mara observed the family of the bride and groom performing the final preparations for the ceremony. They arranged the chairs into neat rows and placed bouquets of blue aquatic flowers to the sides of the center aisle. Their sweet odor drifted by at sporadic intervals, caught on the eddies of air swirling around the Atrium. Natural gas flames jetted from tall columns along the four transparent walls, and large fountains sprinkled flame like water at artistic intervals throughout the garden. Large birds with iridescent wings fluttered overhead, reflecting the flickering blaze as they past. Their mating calls provided a music that was more haunting than any orchestra could produce.

Luke stood at the end of the small clearing reviewing his notes for the final time. He had agreed to perform this wedding ceremony for a promising young Jedi student, Greere Larrsion. Greere had met his bride to be, Kriliana Phi, when she substituted for the regular pilot who made regular supply runs to Yavin IV. Their attraction had been instantaneous, and their courtship brief, but no one doubted the purity of the love they shared. Krilliana was a young Corellian, who made no effort to hide how very much in love she was with her shy Jedi groom, and from the first moment they had met, she had managed to put him at ease with her charming mannerism and ready wit. No one was very much surprised when the couple announced their betrothal.

Mara was never fond of these affairs, but she enjoyed seeing the happy couple and besides, Luke looked incredibly handsome in his finery. She looked forward to dancing with him at the reception. The air was oxygen rich, making her feel slightly light headed, or perhaps it was the new life form growing inside of her that was the cause of her slight dizziness. A baby. They were going to have a baby.

This knowledge filled her with great anticipation, but it also made her feel unaccountably nervous. Mara had only learned that she was expecting this afternoon, and hadn't shared the news with Skywalker yet. She didn't want to disrupt his concentration from the wedding. Besides, she would never again get the chance to tell him that he was going to be a father for the first time. She wanted to make it a special moment for the both of them. She would wait until the wedding was over. Maybe she would tell him in the quiet moments after their lovemaking.

Mara grinned to herself. Yes, she would wait until later tonight. Skywalker glanced up just in time to catch her grin. He smiled in response, a light question in his sense.

*I'll tell you later, flyboy.* She sent to him in reply to his unasked question.

He nodded slightly, still smiling. Luke continued to watch Mara as she slowly strolled among the tall plants and burning fountains. The light of the fire seemed to make Mara's hair a living flame. Her black dress glimmered with her movements, clinging to her form, making him ache to hold her. Mara was breathtakingly beautiful and she was his. Not entirely, a little voice mocked in his head. He basked in her glowing presence. There was something about her that seemed more alive somehow. Her Force presence was amplified, stronger, and her very proximity soothed his parched soul like a cool drink of water.

Mara found that she could think of little else, but the fact that in seven months she would give birth to a baby boy. Once she became aware of his impending arrival, she could feel his Force signature blaze within her. Their baby would be strong in the Force. He was so much a part of her, and yet she could distinguish his life form individual from her own. She wondered if Skywalker had already detected his presence, but somehow she doubted it. There had been nothing in his mannerism to indicate that he was aware of the baby. Besides, Mara had a feeling that if Luke had discovered this fact, he would have felt compelled to inform her.

She imagined Luke's response to the news. Would he be elated? Happy? Or resigned to the knowledge that his fate was set with a woman that he didn't love? No matter what happened now, she knew the moment Skywalker was aware that he was to be a father, he would never leave her. His honor would never let him abandon his child, so she had won in the end. Callista could never really claim him now.

Why did this victory feel so hollow?

Mara wandered toward the back area, watching with some amusement as some of the groom's men encouraged the shy groom to drink some liquor. Greere reluctantly took a flask from his best man, downed the drink in one large swallow, and then smiled widely as they other men cheered. He was a pale man with light brown hair and sparkling gray eyes, garbed in a dark blue suit. A lightsaber hung from his belt. He seemed to relax as the spirits hit his system and Mara could feel his happiness swirl around him.

She ducked away. The seats were filled and the air around them had become hushed. Luke smiled at Mara, when he saw her return. Luke gestured for her to sit in the front row, and after some debate she finally agreed. She took the seat at the far end, leaving the remainder of the chairs for the couple's immediate family.

Luke was the picture of composure, but she could sense his nervousness.

*Relax* she soothed him, projecting to him an air of calm. *You've done this before.*

*I know but it seems so very important.*

He smiled at her, feeling her attempt to put him at ease and he was encouraged by her skillful manipulation of the Force. The chairs filled, and Mara saw the moment Luke's attention was drawn to the end of the aisle. Mara swiveled in her chair to see the groomsmen file down the aisle to wait in front of Luke. Then the bridesmaids completed their processional, followed shortly by a very pretty young woman dressed in pale blue.

The groom's eyes locked onto the woman's gaze and their love was a palpable presence to the gathering. When Mara glanced up at Luke, she saw that his gaze had shifted to examine her face, and she blushed at the intense look in his eye. He smiled, actively refocusing his attention on the waiting couple.

Luke began the ceremony. Mara had no idea what the coupled did, she only had eyes for Luke. She felt incredibly attuned to him at this moment, aware of the slightest variations of his moods. She felt the small life within her flutter through the Force and she knew that her intense focus on the baby's father had stirred the child within her. Luke was made for this kind of thing. His voice was strong, carrying to the furthest reaches of the Atrium, its resonance causing tiny ripples of pleasure to shiver down her spine.

Luke gazed out at the gathered assembly and faltered. His features tightened and his face blanched. Mara felt a tidal storm of shock erupt from him, and then a hastily erected barrier that blocked further thoughts or feelings from her. He stared into the crowd. The silence becoming awkward. The bride and groom exchanged quick looks with each other and then glanced over their shoulder trying to ascertain what had caused the Jedi Master to react so strongly, but they could see no cause for his distraction.

Mara turned in her seat, her eyes going to the place where Luke was staring and felt as if her entire world had exploded, leaving her adrift in the icy reaches of space. There, seated among the groom's family, sat Callista Ming.

The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

A special thank you to Angela (SD) for doing a final beta on this for me! I really appreciate it.

*********

Part Ten

Mara reinforced her own barriers reflexively. She watched as Callista smiled shyly at the Jedi. Mara's heart refused to beat, her lungs no longer capable of drawing breath. No. It couldn't be. It was impossible. But the evidence refused to disappear, despite her frantic desire for this not to be true. Callista still sat there, a knowing smile forming a slight crescent of her lips.

Mara could not sense her, a small Force void hovering in the spot where the woman sat. It suited her, she though maliciously, the coldness, the emptiness. Sith, how she hated that woman. When she'd first met Callista, she hadn't felt anything for her but a small amount of pity. She'd lost her Force ability but she had defied death. Cray had not. Mara remembered that after the Emperor's death her own sense in the Force had begun to atrophy but she'd made a life for herself and had gone on. Mara hadn't sat around bemoaning her fate.

Luke quickly composed himself and continued the ceremony. His hands shook, and Mara could hear that his voice had lost much of its power. Most of the audience returned their attention to the ceremony, but Mara continued to look at Callista. The woman was dressed in an attractive silver dress, flowing down to her ankles. Her malt colored hair was swept up on the top of her head. Her face was scrubbed clean of all cosmetics and her gray eyes turned to regard her. The moment Callista saw Mara, her eyes grew wide and then narrowed. Mara scowled and then returned her attention to her husband at the front.

Luke had seemed to pull himself together and was actively ignoring the outside world as he continued the ceremony. The distance dividing Mara and Luke seemed to stretch. It was as if a great yawning chasm cracked the ground between them growing wider and wider. Mara could not hear a word that the wedding couple exchanged. She continued to watch sightlessly while her mind was in the past. It kept focusing on one moment in time, the memory of Luke rushing to catch Callista into his arms, exclaiming "Yes!"

Rather than being diminished by the passage of time, the pain was even stronger now. She hadn't understood her distress when Luke had reunited with his love after the destruction of the Eye of Palapatine. She had dismissed the pain, refusing to delve into the reason behind her immediate dislike of the woman who had claimed Luke's heart. Mara knew that she should have been pleased that Luke had found happiness.

Later, Mara had reasoned that her reaction must have been the result of the subconscious knowledge that Callista would only bring Luke pain. This might have been a factor, but Mara was aware unequivocally that she now knew the true reason. She was very much in love with Luke Skywalker. Her feelings had deepened over the years, her need for him becoming crucial to her continued existence.

Although Luke was never comfortable standing in front of a crowd of onlookers, this was one of the duties of a Jedi Master that he enjoyed. It pleased him to be instrumental in binding two young lovers to a lifetime of shared devotion. He glanced at Mara, marveling at her beauty once again. It wasn't just her physical attractiveness that drew him, although she did look wonderful. There was just something about her that seemed purer, brighter then anyone else. He smiled, knowing that Mara would scoff at this description of her. He could always identify her Force presence. She shone brightly among all the other lives gathered. The general aura of the assembly filled him with a sense of contentment, until he felt a strange emptiness. His first thought was that something was pushing away the Force. An adept Force user?

Luke glanced up, scanning the crowd for the hole in the fabric of living energy. A woman sat directly in the center of the void and it took barely a moment for the Jedi to recognize her identity. Callista! He felt all the blood drain from his face, and his heart fluttered nervously. A rapid montage of images bombarded him: their shared dreams aboard the Eye of Palpatine, her miraculous survival, their joyous reunion, her insistence that everything must be proper despite the ambiguous nature of her survival, and the slowly building sense that something was not right between them.

He had wanted so much to set things straight for them, but Callista had left him. She had been unable to banish her anger, blaming Luke for the loss of her connection to the Force. Luke had never wanted to tell her that she shouldn't have done the thing that she had the day that she took Cray's place within her body. He had felt too relieved to have her with him, too selfish to care that her act might not have been of the light. Luke was just so grateful that he would have a chance to love the woman who had been a Jedi.

Luke had refused to acknowledge these thoughts until a good year after Callista had left. He had wondered if the reason that she could only touch the dark side was that she had irrevocably betrayed the light. She had gone against the balance of the living Force, reversing death thirty years after the event. He had thought that their love justified her act, that the brilliance of their union would bring light to the dark act. But Callista had never been the one for him, he knew that now. Luke had cared for her and wanted so desperately to know the kind of love Han and Leia shared, but he had not truly loved Callista.

He glanced at Mara and was thankful that she didn't seem to be aware of Callista's presence. Mara gazed at the bride and groom, a distracted expression on her face. Somehow, he managed to finish the ceremony and the happy couple kissed. As they departed down the center aisle, Luke slipped to Mara's side.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, for the first time noticing her emotional distance from him. She had never lowered her shields, but he had been feeling that they were growing closer with the passage of each day. Luke figured it was only a matter of a week or two before Mara relaxed, fully trusting him. And there was something else that was different about her . . . something he couldn't quite identify.

Mara's gaze flew to Luke's blue eyes. Her gaze traveled from his sculpted cheeks to his full lips and down to the cleft in his chin. She gave him an unsteady smile and said, "I think I should be asking that of you."

Her words made him realize that Mara was aware of what had happened to him during the ceremony, knew that Callista was there. He should have guessed. Mara was the one person, even more than his sister who knew him - truly knew him. He glanced up and saw that most of the audience had left the area, making their way to the tables on the far side of the Atrium. Droids had begun to set platters of food on the tables, and the guests were taking seats wherever they could find an opening. He could no longer see Callista, but if he stretched out with the Force, he identified the blank spot among the seated diners.

"I didn't expect to ever see her again," he tried to explain his shock to her.

Mara fought to keep her emotions under control, the battle more difficult under her current condition. She wondered if the other part of that statement remained unsaid, 'and I wouldn't have married you if I had known that she would return.'

Mara said, "I know. Perhaps I should go?"

Luke's eyes widened, "No, of course not. Let's both go home."

Home. That word had such a comforting sound. "No Luke, you can't abandon Kriliana and Greere like that. It would hurt them too much. Let's go find seats before all our choices are taken from us."

Luke paused, debating their options, but knew that they really had no other alternative. He gave a quick nod, and took her elbow escorting her toward the diners.

A curtain of flame surrounded the scattered tables giving additional light to the eating area, warming the cool air to a more comfortable temperature, and providing a sense that they were now in a large dining chamber. There were two empty seats at the main table and the newlywed couple waved them over when they caught sight of the two Jedi. Luke and Mara moved to sit at the great round table. Luke could see no way to avoid this, and reluctantly accepted the offer. He could sense Callista at the table and made an effort to avoid her gaze.

Greere was so happy that the Jedi Master himself had agreed to perform the ceremony, that he had tried to think of a way to thank him for the honor. It was almost impossible for Greere to imagine what it must have been like to be the last remaining Jedi in the galaxy. He knew how much it meant to Master Skywalker to rebuild the order, and to recover the lost knowledge of the Jedi.

He had done some research into his Jedi heritage and had been surprised to learn that a relative, a distant cousin really, had once been a Jedi. It had taken him some time, but he had finally managed to discover that she was still alive and he contacted her to invite her to the wedding. Wouldn't Master Skywalker be thrilled to meet a Jedi of the old Republic? She was miraculously still alive through the use of Force powers that were currently beyond his understanding, had somehow escaped the purge probably due to the fact that she had since lost all connection to the Force. But her knowledge should still prove valuable, and he fully expected Luke Skywalker to be eager to know his cousin. He could hardly wait to see the Jedi Master's face when he introduced him to Callista Ming.

Mara glanced up, immediately locking eyes with Luke's old lover. She allowed Luke to pull the chair out for her, making it obvious that she had come with the Jedi. Callista sat across from them silently watching them as the introductions were made.

When Greere introduced Luke and Mara as Master Jedi Luke Skywalker and his wife the Jedi Mara Jade Skywalker, Callista's eyes grew wide. How the woman could have remained ignorant of their marriage mystified Mara, but she reveled in this knowledge for a moment. She was Luke's wife and going to be the mother of his child. Callista had thrown away her chance at happiness with Skywalker.

But the way that Luke kept glancing at the woman, and the knowledge that he had never stopped loving Callista brought Mara quickly back to reality. What were the chances that in all the galaxy, they would see that woman again? Was this the Force at work? Were Luke and Callista meant to be reunited? For the first time in her pregnancy Mara felt nauseous. She didn't feel sick enough that she feared to embarrass herself, but when a server droid placed a plate of fine cut crillen fish in front of her, she could not even pretend to eat.

Luke shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Greere was flustered, expecting the Jedi Master to show more interest in his cousin. Callista's reaction to Luke Skywalker puzzled him as well. He had the impression that she had followed the Jedi's exploits and would have been eager to ask him about the new Jedi order. She certainly had changed her attitude to his invitation to attend when he had mentioned the presence of the Master.

Greere hadn't been acquainted with his cousin for very long. The way Callista's eyes never seemed to stray far from Master Skywalker combined with the sense of unease he felt when he saw the way Callista glanced at the Master's wife, made him question if he was only seeing the surface of the ocean and not its great depths. His Force senses tingled uncomfortably, and he wondered if he had made a great error in contacting his cousin. Callista's dislike for the red haired beauty was palpable.

Luke ate the meal set in front of him, hardly aware that he had done so until he noticed that his plate was empty. Somehow, he managed to converse with those seated next to him, so that the only ones aware of the tension at the table were the three of them. Mara remained quiet.

Luke saw that Mara had not touched her plate, but continued to sip from a glass of water instead. He felt bad about her loss of appetite, attributing it to the stress of Callista's proximity. Luke was aware that Callista was a sore spot in their relationship, and he wanted to reassure her that she, Mara was the most important thing in his galaxy. They were not free to discuss it openly, however, and he was afraid that in his present state he might say the wrong thing and only worsen matters. He wasn't a natural diplomat.

Callista had come alone. Luke searched his feelings for the gray eyed woman and felt only a sense of nostalgia and a somber sadness. There was some guilt mingled in there as well because he had married Mara, not that he regretted it in the least. The guilt stemmed from the possibility that Callista might not have chosen to live in Cray's body if it hadn't been for him. Seeing her alone made him feel as if he failed in some way. She left you, he reminded himself effectively dampening his sorrow, but he couldn't help but feel pity for Callista.

He realized that he had been gazing at Callista the whole while these thoughts had been going through him. Callista was smiling at him, her expression inviting and more than a little smug. Luke flushed, hoping he hadn't given Callista the wrong impression. He glanced at his wife. Mara stood up, clutching her stomach and hurried away.

Luke felt a wave of nausea wash over him and he knew that it had originated from Mara. The Jedi rose to his feet, intending to chase after her.

He got as far as the partition through the flames before Callista stopped him. "Luke." She called out.

Luke turned to face her.

********

Mara fully intended to leave the wedding celebration far behind. She had seen the way Callista's eyes had devoured Luke, and she recognized the emotion that shimmered in the woman's gray eyes. Desire. Mara had felt the burning in her veins often enough to detect it in another with ease.

She could have dealt with Callista's emotions, but when Mara had seen the unmistakable look of longing cross Luke's features, it had become too much. The panic that had started as a dull ache had imploded within her and she couldn't stand to stay and witness any more. To know that her husband loved another had been difficult, to see it with her own eyes had been intolerable. Mara had to leave or she would do something than she was liable to regret. But once she had gained some distance, her head began to cool. Perhaps she was over reacting. She resolved to go back and face Luke.

Mara retraced her steps taking the turbolift back up to the Atrium. When she stepped out into the garden, she spied a couple standing under the flower arch at the ceremony site. When she neared, she identified the two as Callista and Luke. Shielding herself through the Force, she slowly approached. She heard snatches of conversation. Callista exulted that they were reunited and then she saw the kiss. It wasn't a kiss of farewell. It was the kiss of a new beginning.

Mara was going to be sick. She whirled on her heel and just made it to a small public refresher station before the contents of her stomach were emptied in a painfully violent spasm. She was glad that she hadn't been able to eat. When she managed to reclaim control over her body, Mara moved painfully to the wash stand. She cleaned her face and washed her shaking hands.

It was time to retake control of her life. She would not live forever in the shadow of that damned body snatcher, and the only way to do that would be to keep the knowledge of the baby from Skywalker. If he wanted to go back to Callista she would let him. He need never learn about his son. Mara couldn't go back to Skywalker's apartment. It wasn't home anymore, and it would be the first place that he would look for her, if he ever pulled himself from his lover's embrace.

Her eyes caught sight of the pendant hanging from her neck and she made a decision.

Luke searched for his wife, but could see no sign of her. She had gone. Luke realized that he needed to talk with Callista if he ever wanted to move on with his life. They needed to put what they had shared to rest. He ushered Callista away from the diners and they ended up at the clearing where the wedding had taken place.

Callista's absence to the Force was unnerving. Luke had forgotten how it had felt like a discord note in the harmony that flowed around and through him. Mara's Force signature was like a tantalizing aroma or a seductive song. His expression softened as he thought of Mara. Her presence simultaneously soothed and excited him and he was profoundly affected in every aspect of his being by her.

He would have felt the same even if she wasn't a Jedi? But he knew his answer. Mara's refusal to lower her barriers had confirmed that fact. They had not experienced the complete joining of two Force equals. Luke knew that this kind of joining was possible, and he couldn't deny that he desired that level of fulfillment of total completion. But if he never had that so be it. They had forged a bond more powerful and heartfelt than the one he had tried to make with Callista.

Callista saw the look of wistful longing on Luke's face and she smiled slowly. "Luke. It's been a long time."

Luke's eyes became blue ice chips, hard and cold. "Too long."

Callista didn't recognize the hardening of his eyes. "Aren't you glad to see me?" Callista asked.

Luke considered this and decided that he was, but not for the reason that she thought. He could finally close the wound she had opened all those years ago and dispense with the lingering guilt that had weighed him down for years.

"I'm glad to see that you are well."

"I've done all right." Callista said with false modesty, "I've given up on reclaiming my Force powers. I realize now that I have to move on with my life."

Luke nodded encouragingly.

"With you." She continued, watching for his reaction. Her gray eyes searched his face and she flushed when she saw the narrowing of Luke's blue eyes.

"Callista, I'm married now." Luke said gently and shook his head.

"To Mara Jade." She snored in disgust, "I should have known that she would eventually end up in your bed."

The scorn in her voice made Luke feel all sympathy evaporate. He was filled with a desire to break away and leave this bitter woman far behind.

Luke ground out, "You're my past. She's my future. I have no wish to discuss this any further with you."

Callista's demeanor went through a complete transformation into a loving, sexual woman. "You can't deny that things were good between us." She threw her arms around his neck and Luke tried to pull away without hurting her.

"Not good enough for you to stay. " Luke said somewhat bitterly.

"I've hurt you. I'm sorry, but we can put all of that behind us now that we're together again."

She pressed her lips against his and Luke was so shocked at her bold move, so out of character for the Callista he used to know, that he didn't react immediately. It was only a moment before he pushed Callista from him and said "Goodbye Callista. We're over, and I'd prefer if we didn't see each other again."

Callista stared after him in stunned dismay. Luke turned abruptly on his heel, and began his search for Mara.

***********

When Mara reached the front door of the Solo residence, she turned away to leave. Why had she come here? Mara had grown soft but she couldn't seem to find it within her to return to her ship. If she got into the Jade's Fire, she would be compelled to depart Corsucant. If she left the planet, she would be forever closing the door on her marriage to Skywalker. For the sake of their son, she needed to think before she made such a final decision.

Surely they could make some sort of . . . arrangement. Mara mentally choked on that word.

Leia stopped outside. She had sensed something wrong a moment before, but it was gone now. Mara was standing with her head turned aside. Her face was pale and she seemed strangely small looking in her black shimmering evening dress.

"Mara? What's wrong?"

Mara turned to face Leia There was a bleak expression on Mara's face and her green eyes were bright with moisture. She opened her mouth to speak and found she couldn't She shook her head instead.

"Mom?" Jaina's voice called from the doorway.

Leia took Mara's arm and showed her inside; she promptly waved Jaina away. The young woman took in Mara's expression and grabbed Jacen, preventing him from entering the room. Mara sank on to the couch. Once Leia was certain they were alone, Leia sat down beside her.

"Do you want anything?"

Mara wanted to say 'just your brother's love' but shook her head.

As thoughts of Callista and Luke together filled her mind, Mara felt her stomach flip sickingly. It took almost all of her control but she managed to quell the rising queasiness. The effort cost her, however.

Leia watched as Mara struggled with herself and then she finally asked the beautiful red head, "Where's Luke?"

"With Callista," and with that name her final bit of strength crumpled and the tears fell free of her eyes. Leia gaped at Mara in stunned amazement. Luke had gone back to Callista? He had betrayed the wife that he loved to return to the woman that had walked out on him years ago? Leia pulled Mara unresistingly into a hug, absently smoothing her hair back as if she were one of her children. Mara's sobs racked her body, but she issued not a sound.

"I don't believe it." Leia finally whispered.

"I saw them together." Mara asserted. She pulled away to ineffectively dry her eyes with the back of her sleeve. The sobs had subsisted, but the tears continued to leak from the corners of Mara's eyes.

"Callista came back?"

"She was at the wedding, a cousin to the groom."

"I doubt it was a coincidence that they asked Luke to perform the ceremony." Leia said wryly.

Leia saw Han Solo walked into the room over Mara's shoulder. Leia shook her head at him and Han saw Mara's disheveled appearance and tear streaked profile and exited quietly.

"Luke never stopped loving her." Mara continued, unaware this exchange.

"Not the way he loves you." Leia protested.

"No, he loves her more. I left when I saw them kissing." Mara gulped for air and then sprang to her feet.

She ran to the fresher. Leia followed her hesitantly. She saw Mara through the open door leaning over the sink. Her face was a shade of gray, her hair clinging damply around the edges of her face.

Mara pushed herself upright and smoothed her dress with shaking hands. "Sorry. I thought I was going to be sick"

"When's the last time that you ate?"

Mara shrugged. "This morning. I couldn't eat dinner at the reception."
S
Leia continued to examine Mara closely, and then her eyes widened just a bit. "Does
he know?" she had spent enough time with Han to learn how to lead someone into revealing their Sabacc hand.

"I can't tell him, not now." Mara replied and then she regarded the warm brown eyes and asked, "How did you know?"

"I've had three children myself. I'm quite familiar with the signs. You can't keep something like this from him."

"I know. I just want him to make a decision about Callista first. I don't want to become just another of his obligations."

Leia nodded in understanding. They both knew that the moment Luke knew about the baby he would feel that he had no other choice but to stay with Mara.

"I can't stay here. I'm not even sure why I even came." Mara said.

"Because we're friends. I'm glad you came." Leia insisted. Then she made a decision. "I'll tell you what. Stay the night and I promise you that I won't let Luke see you until the morning. Deal?"

Mara though about it. That should allow her enough time to compose her emotions and strengthen her shields so that Luke wouldn't sense the baby, not yet. "Okay."

"Now let's see about getting you something to eat."

Mara grabbed Leia's arm and said, "Promise me that you won't tell your brother about the baby."

Leia nodded. "Of course, as long as you tell him after your conversation about .. . .Callista."

Mara nodded slowly .

"He loves you Mara. Give him a chance." Leia said soothingly.

"You don't know everything, Leia. Things are .. . .complicated between us."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't say anything else. If you want to know more, you're going to have to get Skywalker to tell you."

*********
The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this work. Thanks go to George Lucas and Timothy Zahn for creating such wonderful characters.

This story is dedicated to Ash Darklighter for her friendship and infinite patience and to Veronica for her unflagging encouragement. Thank you!

Thanks go to Angela (SD) for agreeing to beta this.

Part Eleven

By the time Luke had left Callista staggered by his parting words, the wedding party had begun to dance. The curtain of flame had descended and low artificial lights gave the Atrium a blueish glow. The birds fluttered off with the onset of soft instrumental music and the people began to mill around them. Greere approached Callista and urged her to dance with one of his groomsmen, eager to put some distance between the woman and the Jedi Master. There was something about these two that wasn't right and he had no intention of causing Luke Skywalker any pain.

Luke was only aware that he could no longer feel Mara's presence. He ran in the direction she had disappeared, his lightsaber hilt bouncing against his hip as he jogged. He tried to reach out to her through the Force, but felt nothing but muted pain and nausea. Was Mara ill? Was she in trouble?

He couldn't really blame her for leaving. They should have done so when he had first had suggested that option. Luke hurried home, knowing even before he entered the apartment that she wasn't there. He went inside anyway. He was greeted with an electronic twittering.

"Artoo, have you seen Mara?"

R2D2 rotated his domed head and warbled a negative. He then twittered something that made Luke come over to read the little display unit attached to the droid's dome.

"She what!" Luke asked in dismay.

When the astromech droid repeated himself he sighed heavily. "Can this get any worse? When did Mara see this picture of me kissing Callista?"

Artoo responded slowly.

"But she never said anything." Luke sighed heavily. He dragged his fingers through his hair and asked wearily, "Can you check to make that she hasn't requested clearance for the Jade's Fire's departure?"

Artoo complied immediately, extending his droid arm into an aperture, rotating it slightly. He then warbled something to Luke.

Luke smiled sadly, "Yeah. I'd appreciate if you would make it impossible for her to gain the necessary clearance."

He thought about calling Talon Karrde and debated the other places that Mara might have gone when his com unit beeped.

Luke lunged for it, and was surprised to see Han Solo's face scowling at him. "I don't know what's happened between you and Mara, but I thought you might want to know that she's here."

"Thank the Force." Luke breathed in relief.

"That must have been on hell of a fight, because Mara looks ready to pass out."

"She does? Don't let her leave."

"I'll try my best but I don't think she's planning on leaving just yet."

"I'm on my way."

*******

Leia intercepted Luke before he could enter her apartment.

"Is Mara still here?" Luke asked a frantic edge to his voice.

"Yes, but you can't go in there just yet." Leia said coolly.

Luke's eyes narrowed and for the first time since his dash to the Solo residence he focused his full attention on Leia.

"Why?"

Luke's blue eyes were piercing, and she felt a frisson of unease down her body. All traces of her boyish brother were gone. Leia mustered all of her strength, unwilling to retreat in the face of the ominous Jedi Master standing before her. "I promised her that I wouldn't allow you in until the morning. Give her some time to cool off. I doubt you'd get very far with her in her present state anyway."

Luke sighed, suddenly her brother again. His shoulders slumped and his gaze softened. "You're probably right. I just don't know how I'll be able to wait until morning."

Leia darted a glance at the door and then pulled Luke away and toward the railing so that they could talk with greater privacy.

"Mara told me that she saw you kissing Callista." Leia said, unable to keep her voice form sounding accusing.

Luke groaned, "This is even worse that I thought." He threw his head back and closed his eyes. The night breeze brushed against his skin while his mind replayed the scene with Callista. If Mara had seen the kiss, but had not stayed long enough to witness its conclusion or to hear his words, he could understand her distress.

"You mean you didn't mean for Mara to find out about you and Callista in that way?" Leia asked cautiously.

Luke's eyes flew wide and he turned to face Leia, "There is nothing between Callista and me. I would be happy if I never saw her again."

At Leia's confused look Luke tried to explain, "Callista mistakenly believed that I was still in love with her. That she could just show up after all these years and take up where we had left off. She was wrong. I didn't kiss her, she tried to kiss me. I just hope Mara can believe that."

Leia laid her hand on Luke's arm and said, "Mara said something else that I found odd."

"What do you mean?"

"That you didn't really love her, implying that there were other reasons behind your marriage."

Luke turned away causing Leia's hand to drop to her side and said, "I'm surprised she shared that with you."

Leia's eyes went wide, unable to hide her shock. "So it's true?"

Luke kept his back to his sister as he said passionately, "I love her Leia, I always have."

Her shock quickly muted and became confusion, "Have you told Mara?"

"Yes, Of course I have."

"Then why wouldn't she believe you?" Leia continued to probe, determined to get to the bottom of this.

"I thought that she did." Luke took a deep breath and then admitted, "The circumstances of our wedding were somewhat . . .unorthodox."

"Unorthodox? I don't understand."

Luke turned to face his sister and took her hands in his. "I didn't want you and Han to know. I didn't want you to be worried about us."

Leia watched her brother carefully. His blue eyes searched her gaze, and seemed to see her openness and love for him.

Luke continued, "We made an arrangement. We had both decided that we were never going to marry, that we were going to live our lives alone. We both wanted children and we're happy with this thought . . . so we decided to get married to. .. . to have a family."

"You did what?" Leia asked, unable to believe what her brother had just told her.

He dropped her hands and dragged them through his hair. "We made a business arrangement, nothing more."

She remembered they way Mara had been after Luke's departure before the wedding. Leia had seen the evidence of their shared love on more than one occasion, but if they had never openly admitted their love. .. ."But you just said that you love her."

"I know that . . . now."

She opened her mouth in a silent "Oh" of surprise. When she regained her voice she said, "Well, that certainly sheds some light on to Mara's odd behavior tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I couldn't understand how even after you told her that you loved her, how she could still fail to believe you. But it makes perfect sense now."

"I'm afraid that I still don't follow."

"You're too pessimistic, too honorable for your own good sometimes, Luke. Mara probably saw your declaration of love as a way to make it real, not as an indication of true emotion."

His eyebrows drew together about to argue and then he fell silent. Luke thought for awhile. It made sense, and it gave him some hope. He gaze out into the night watching the distant lights of the moving traffic lanes. Then he turned to face Leia with a renewed sense of determination, "What time is it?"

"Nearly two in the morning."

"I would say that qualifies as waiting till the morning don't you?" A slightly devilish grin spread across his face.

"Luke." Leia's said warningly, but made no move to stop him as he entered her apartment.

*********

Mara had been unable to sleep. She pulled out her com link and called to arrange for departure on the Jade's Fire only to learn that her clearance had been rescinded. Skywalker! Mara silently seethed at him annoyed that he had thwarted her so effortlessly. She would just have to show him that she couldn't be stopped so easily.

The room was dark, and she opened the door onto the guest balcony. She contemplated the balcony one story down judging the distance. She could probably jump the expanse without any problem, but the thought of Leia's reaction when she discovered that she had disappeared in the middle of the night gave her pause.

A voice arrested her causing her body to flush and a trembling to radiate out from her stomach to her outer extremities.

"If you're going to run, I don't think anyone will notice if you use the front door." Luke said calmly.

Mara turned to inspect the Jedi. Her eyes ranged over every line, every shadow, and angles of his face feeling as if this might be the last time she ever saw him. He stood with his legs wide, his gravity centered. Mara recognized the battle stance. She wondered if he was preparing himself to leap after her if she jumped.

"Oh, but this way has so much more style." Mara replied flippantly. Half his face was in shadow, but she could see the slight smile that played about his lips. Mara glanced down the long drop then back to Luke.

"Are you planning on leaving?" Luke felt as if he was caught in the grip of a black hole from which he might never pull free. He had to know what she intended, needed to know why she left.

"That depends." Mara replied carefully.

"Depends on what?"

"On whether you want me to go. I won't stand between you and Callista." Mara kept her voice remarkable even. Luke crossed the distance between them, but when he got within touching distance, Mara retreated a step.

Luke halted, and restrained himself from reaching for her. "I don't want Callista. I want you Mara."

Her heart began to beat tripled time, overjoyed by his words. But she cautioned herself that he might be speaking out of duty and not desire. "Because of our arrangement?"

"Because I love you. I don't love Callista. I don't think I ever did and I was never truly happy when I was with her. She agreed to come to the wedding to see if we might be reunited. She tried to kiss me, but I didn't want her. I had already found the love of my life." He emphasized these last words, "You. Mara Jade Skywalker."

He loved her! He had walked away from Callista to find her! She hadn't even told him about the baby and he still wanted to be with her. The up swell of emotion was too powerful for her to contain. Mara gave a little sob and then let go of all of her pain. She released her most private barriers and shared her thoughts and feelings about her husband so that Luke was privy to her insecurities about his love, her longing and desire for him, and mostly her overwhelming love for the Jedi.

Luke caught Mara up in his arms, and they both slid to the ground. Luke cradled her in his arms. Mara began to weep again, silent tears tracing damp trails down her cheeks.

Luke's breathing was ragged and he said brokenly, "Oh Mara. How could you ever doubt my love for you? I thought it was painfully obvious."

"I was blind." Mara chuckled self deprecatingly.

Luke caught her mouth in a tender kiss, tasting the salty tears and projecting all his love to her. By the time the kiss ended, both of their faces were streaked with tears and their eyes were slightly red.

"Let's go home." Luke said his voice wavering slightly.

Mara nodded.

They stood up. Luke pulled Mara close against him, as if reluctant to let her go. They left the apartment in silence, hardly noticing Leia watching them with hope in her heart as they left.
The Arrangement
By Rhea Jediknight

Rated NC-17

Part Twelve

They made the return journey home in silence, always touching, never once breaking contact. Mara studied Luke feeling the love for this man surge within her so that it obliterated all other thoughts or feelings.

The depth of Mara's emotions astounded Luke and made him feel as if he were the luckiest man in the world. He was immeasurably pleased and deeply humbled by her open show of love. He allowed his feeling to shine through to her, no longer concerned that she might reject his display of love.

The moment the door closed behind them, he could no longer restrain himself. Luke pulled Mara to him and kissed her. His lips moved gently over her mouth, his hands tunneled through her hair, undoing the simple braid down her back. Mara gave a little sob and threw her arms around his waist holding him against her body, responding freely. She opened her mouth to him, allowing his tongue entry into her mouth. The kiss was fierce and tender at the same time. They made no move to further this exchanged, but just reveled in the sensations of being in each other's arms. They had finally reached a destination when neither of them had been aware that they had been traveling a long and twisted path.

Their Force senses overlapped, melding in a deeper more complete manner than ever before. They pulled back from the kiss, their noses almost touching, and closed their eyes luxuriating in this incredibly deep communion with each other. Luke's Force signature was bright and focused, pure and true, resonating with love and the very essence of the man he was. Mara's Force presence vibrated with courage and strength, beauty and love and was strangely magnified. Almost as if . . .. ?

Luke's eyes went wide and he asked, "Mara. . . .?"

She watched him through heavy lidded eyes and smiled knowingly at him. Mara knew that he could feel the baby's presence within her. She nodded at him and took his hand to place it gently against the almost imperceptible mound of her stomach, "I think it's time that you meet your son, Luke."

His mouth dropped open and his gaze went from her stomach to Mara's eyes and then back. Her words made everything that he had been sensing lately become instantly clear. It was as if he had been walking through a hazy valley and a strong wind had just blown the mist away. Luke had felt it, earlier at the wedding, he had just been unaware of the significance of the overlapping Force presence he had detected within Mara.

He was going to be a father. Mara and he were going to have a baby!

Luke smiled widely and he bent down so that he could press his cheek against her belly. He reached forward with the Force, gently seeking the tiny life growing inside her womb, and gave a little jump when he felt the responding surge from his son. His son. It was a dream come true.

Mara chuckled and said, "He's going to be powerful, like his father."

Luke slid up her body to pull Mara into a protective embrace and he hugged her against him, a new tentativeness in his manner. "He's going to be a very powerful Jedi," Luke agreed, "Even more so with such a powerful mother, but we'll show him how to control that power, to fully utilize his potential."

He grinned down at her and squeezed her tightly against him. Then he released her, instantly contrite and he said, "Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?"

Mara rubbed his back and said, "I'm not going to break, you know. You had better not begin to treat me like that piece of Tatooine glass," Mara gestured to a delicate crystal sculpture displayed in a recessed alcove in the wall, "or I'll have to go do something dangerous just to prove that I'm still more than capable of taking care of myself."

He kissed the top of her head, suddenly self conscious of how cautious he had become. "But I sensed earlier, that you weren't feeling well. Are you sure that you're okay?"

"Positive. I'm not saying that I might not sometimes be a little over emotional, or that I might not want to look at your cooking the first thing in the morning."

"Hey!" he protested.

She grinned at him, and he smiled back to show he knew that she was joking.

"I had a lot on my mind today, and I guess it just became a bit much."

"I'm so sorry, Mara. I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know, Skywalker."

"How long have you known about the baby?" Luke asked, pulling back to meet Mara's eyes.

"Just today. I wanted to wait to tell you when we were alone."

He closed his eyes, mourning all the events of the day. "If I could only have spared you from seeing her again."

Mara placed a hand on his lips, stilling his words, "No. I'm glad that we saw her."

Luke looked curiously down at her, surprised at her words. She went on to explain, "If we hadn't seen her I might have continued to believe that it was Callista that you really wanted. That it was Callista that you were in love with."

"How could you ever think that when I told you on our wedding night that I loved you?"

"I thought you were telling me that you loved Callista. If you recall, your exact words were that you couldn't control your heart and then you promised that your feelings wouldn't interfere with our happiness." She had no difficulty remembering that conversation. Those words had been branded on to her heart, leaving an indelible mark.

Luke could hear his words and for the first time realized how she could have misconstrued them. "But why did you think I was talking about Callista?" He recalled all her questions about his past with the gray eyed woman and grasped that her insecurity about his prior lover ran even deeper than he had imagined.

He experienced a renewed pang of guilt when he understood that Mara must have harbored feelings for him for a very long time, even when he was with Callista. Luke said in a contemplative voice, "And then you said that you felt bad for the way I felt. I thought you meant that you felt bad for my inability to prevent myself from loving you."

Mara shook her head, feeling the tears well up in her eyes, "No, I was trying to be honest with you, that even after you told me that you loved Callista that I couldn't help but feel bad that you still felt that way about her."

"Oh Mara. What a pair we are." Luke pulled her against him and said into her hair, "Please don't cry."

"I never cry, Skywalker." She denied, even though her voice betrayed her and his shirt became damp with her tears. He kissed the top of her head and picked her up cradling her against his chest as he made his way through the darkened apartment. When they reached the bedroom, Luke laid her on the bed and spread out beside her. Mara settled her head on his arm and they pressed together, holding each other tightly.

They lay like that in the darkness, sharing the warmth of their bodies for a long while, alone with their thoughts. Finally, Luke whispered, "I've always loved you Mara. From the day we met and you were pointing a blaster at my face and I could feel your anger, I knew that you were the one for me. There was so much between us then, so much to get past. I might be the Jedi Master," the way he said the title sounded slightly mocking, "but I don't always know my own heart. Callista was a mistake. If I could do things differently. . . ."

"I love you." Mara said simply, interrupting his monologue.

" . . .I would have never have. . ." Luke turned his gaze from the dark ceiling to the woman whose head lay on his arm. "What did you say?"

"I love you, Luke. I've loved you from the first time that I saw you in Jabba's Palace, all those years ago. Why do you think I hated you so much? I didn't want to love you. I denied that love, at first because I believed you to be the villain Palapatine had claimed you to be, but later because I thought loving you would make me weak . . . .vulnerable."

"It takes courage to love, Mara."

"I know that now. It took us a long time to get here. You've shown me so much, believed in me, gave me hope .. .and love. And now you've given me a son." Mara's voice broke. Her confession along with those last words encircled his heart, making the love in him flow out so strongly, it begged for release.

Luke claimed her mouth in a honeyed kiss. He groaned at her passionate response. He covered her with his body, pushing her deeply into the mattress. Their hands roamed, exploring the length, and they pulled away to shed their clothing. The passion rose quickly. Their lips met again in an even deeper kiss, becoming more intense, but all the while there was a new level of tenderness between them.

The blood burned in his veins, and his breathing became labored. His hands cupped her breasts and then slid down to touch her belly with a sense of wonder. He pulled his mouth away and breathed, "Are you sure its all right?"

Mara assured him, "I'm perfectly healthy and there is no reason to treat me any differently. I'll tell you if anything changes."

"I'll take that as a promise." Luke said, resting his forehead on hers.

Mara agreed, "I promise. Now if you want to keep your wife from becoming irritated, I suggest that you resume what you started."

He gave a half smile that reminded Mara of his brother in law and said flippantly, "Now that's an order I can't refuse."

Luke's mouth covered Mara's and after a breathless moment he pulled back and groaned, "I love you so much."

Mara felt him hesitate and realized that despite his intentions, Luke was still afraid that he might hurt her. She decided it was time to take matters into her own hands. Besides, she reminded herself, she had yet to make him beg. Mara hid her grin as she pushed him back against the bed, none too gently.

"Mara?" Luke asked in surprise and then again, "Mara." This time it was an entreaty as she began to touch and kiss her way down his body, finally finding her target. She took him into her mouth, enjoying the feel of him, her hands roaming over his stomach and then lower, touching him in a stroking motion that mirrored the action of her tongue.

Luke shuddered, at first unwilling for Mara to do this for him, wanting to share his pleasure with her. But soon, he was unable to stop her, lost in the sensations, making soft involuntary sounds of pleasure. She could sense the moment he was about to lose control and slowed down, drawing it out, until he was shuddering uncontrollably and moaning her name repeatedly begging for release.

Mara smiled to herself. She was pleased she had this power over him, and touching him like this had aroused her to a fevered pitch. Before he knew her full intent, she pulled her mouth from him and straddled him, taking him deeply within her. They both grew still as their bodies adjusted to this joining. Mara gazed down at Luke, his firmly muscled chest glistening with a fine sheen of moisture in the dim lighting. His eyes glimmering a brilliant blue in his shadowed face.

Luke could not take his eyes from Mara as she sat astride him, with her hair in wild red-gold tangles around her shoulders. Her breasts full and round, rose and fell with each deep breath she took. Her eyes were heavy lidded, her head tilted to the side as she began to move, focusing on the incredible sensations that rippled through them.

She was warm, and taut around him. Luke thought he would never have enough. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hips as he surged up into her, thrusting deeply. She gasped and shifted upward, and then pushed back down onto him, engulfing him completely in one sure stroke. The pleasure was so intense that he clutched at her convulsively, grinding her against him as he surged into her, and they danced to the rhythm of their bodies, listening to the beat of their hearts.

Their Force senses were open. When Mara felt Luke reach for her, she welcomed it, joining him through the Force. It was like touching a live electrical circuit, they gasped as one. Their minds united, the Force crackled around them with blue flame. They shared their pleasure through their bond, magnifying it to a euphoric intensity. It bordered on pain and they clutched at each other unwilling for this joining to end, unable to prevent themselves from falling over the edge of ecstasy. They could feel the other's needs, knew how to move, where to touch, how much pressure to exert to bring their partner the optimum pleasure.

Mara felt Luke move deeply within her, filling the aching need and cried out, her body convulsing around him. Luke surged up into her, pulsing into her, and then pulled Mara down onto him, so that he could reach her mouth. He kissed her wildly.

Mara thought that she was done, but the kiss combined with their entwined Force senses made her come to a peak once more. She cried out, shattering again, feeling as if she would never be in command of her body again. Mara collapsed onto Luke's chest and he clutched her to him, fixing her in place. The heat of their bodies burned, but didn't hurt. The smell of lovemaking hung heavy in the air, and the sounds of their breathing was hoarse as they struggled to draw breath into struggling lungs. Luke weakly combed her hair back from her face, until the tendrils were away from her mouth and he kissed her long and slowly.

She was exhausted, replete, and had never felt so alive in her entire life. She returned the kiss, pouring her love for this man through the Force tendril that still connected them together. She felt the Jedi stir within her and she was shocked to find herself warming to the thought of continuing their lovemaking.

Mara chortled softly.

"That was amazing, indescribable, incredible." Luke said in awe.

"You forgot, wonderful, fantastic, beyond my wildest imaginings." Mara added teasingly, although she meant every word of it.

"I was getting there." Luke said. "Thank you."

Mara pushed herself upright to see his face, "For what?"

"For trusting me, for lowering your barriers and letting me in."

"Skywalker, you can come inside me anytime you want." Mara said.

Luke blushed furiously at her double entendre.

She laughed at his embarrassment, charmed whenever his more provincial background showed through.

Seeing her amusement Luke grinned, unable to prevent himself from showing his pleasure at her happiness. "You really do enjoy embarrassing me, don't you?"

"I can't help it. You turn such a handsome shade of red." She teased.

He moved suggestively against her, still joined, touching her deep inside. She could feel him harden inside her. Mara groaned, closing her eyes, and shuddered at the sensation.

Luke stopped and when Mara opened her eyes she saw him grin at her devilishly. His eyes were darkened with passion, but they were happy too. "You always have had a powerful hold on me."

Mara's eyes widened and then she flushed in surprise at his words.

The Jedi raised an eyebrow at her as if he had no clue that his words could have had a double meaning. He moved just a little bit as if to demonstrate that he really was aware of what he had said.

Mara clutched at him and said warningly "Luke .. ."

He pushed her back against the mattress, looming above her and kissed her, moving with exquisite slowness inside her body so that she was gasping and trying to urge him deeper, to increase his pace.

Mara had a strange feeling that he knew perfectly well that she had enjoyed teasing him earlier and had wanted to make him desire her so badly that he begged for release. Now she realized Luke was determined to get revenge.

Luke got his vengeance that night, and it was an achingly sweet retribution for the both of them.

**********

Luke and Mara returned to Yavin so that the Jedi Master could resume duties at the Academy, but mostly to keep Mara from taking on potentially dangerous missions during her pregnancy. Luke skillfully managed her training so that it was never too strenuous. He could sense whenever Mara grew fatigued and would shift from physical skills to mental exercises. Mara was perfectly aware of her husband's adroit changes in venue and was both amused and silently gratefully for his wiliness to keep her active and at the same time sensitive to the growing demands of the baby.

They continued to become closer, often sharing surface thoughts without effort, unwilling to suffer a physical distance of any sizeable duration. Luke tuned away many requests for his presence on a mission enlisting the aide of one of the other Jedi. Mara worried that Luke might feel restrained, like a caged mynock, but picking up on her distress Luke had said, "My place is here with you. There is no where else I'd rather be."

The last month of her pregnancy They returned to Coruscant. Leia assisted them in setting up a nursery and even Artoo presented them with a gift of a mobile to hang above the crib crafted of smooth metal disks that chimed gently and glowed with multicolored lights.

Mara was installing some shelves in the room as an afterthought when she felt the first pangs of labor. She continued unabated in her task, ignoring the pain knowing that the labor process was a time consuming affair and she wanted to get everything in order. She doubled over when she experienced a particularly powerful contraction , clutching the smooth wood until the pain eased.

*Mara? Are you alright?* She felt Luke's concern through their bond.

*There's no need to rush, but I think your son is tired of waiting to see the galaxy.*

*Now?!* She felt his surge of panic and she sent him a soothing mental caress that unfortunately was abruptly cut off at the onset of another painful contraction. *I'm on my way.* He insisted.

Mara hissed biting down hard on her lip and when the pain ebbed she began to gather her tools.

When Luke felt the tearing pain coming from Mara he was certain that something dreadful had gone wrong with the baby.

Luke was in the Coruscant galaxy zoo staring sightlessly into the face of a snarling Rancor, when Leia touched his shoulder. "Luke? Are you okay? Brings back bad memories doesn't it?"

Luke glanced away from the caged animal to meet his sister's eyes. Jacen and Jaina had disappeared somewhere in the artificial caves and little Anakin refused to leave the Rancor exhibit.

"What? Oh no." He focused on his sister. "It's Mara. I think she's in trouble."

"The baby?"

"Yeah, But there's so much pain. There must be something wrong."

Leia said, "Would you help me to link with her?"

Luke nodded and took her hand. Leia could sense Mara's pain immediately through Luke's bond with her. Leia refuse to shy away from the awful cramping sensation, recalling her own labor vividly. She had forgotten how much it hurt to delivery a baby, but she could not sense anything awry.

Leia sent soothing waves through the link and she could feel Mara's surprise at her presence. *How's the baby?* Leia asked.

*A little scared but healthy. I guess this means we won't be able to take that trip you arranged for us after all.* Mara gritted out.

Leia knew Mara was refereeing to the wedding gift she had given them. She had made reservations for a trip to Erosia V, a honeymoon destination intending it to be used on Mara and Luke's first wedding anniversary. When the Solos had given them the trip, they had no idea that they would have a child so soon into their marriage. *I can reschedule it for you. Pretty soon this will be over and you'll hardly remember the pain.* she advised sagely.

Mara snorted in response, highly doubting that anyone could forget this . . . sensation.

Leia withdrew and turned to Luke, "As far as I can tell, Mara's labor is progressing normally. She'll be fine Luke."

Luke's nod was jerky and he swiveled on his heel, leaving without another word.

Leia would have liked to have accompanied him, but she couldn't leave her children alone at the zoo. She didn't need to search for them, however. They came to her, their eyes wide and she knew that they were aware of the impending arrival of their new cousin.

Luke arrived at the apartment to find Mara wiping the floor, attempt to clean the damp spot where her water had broken.

Luke urged, "Leave it." And picked her up into his arms. Mara was too surprised to react immediately as he carried her out of the apartment.

Mara glared at Luke and began to protest but the words died in her throat when another more powerful contraction racked her body. She shivered under the onslaught, but made no sound. She focusing her energy on soothing the tiny infant mind inside of her. Luke paused to place his hand on the side of Mara's face, and closed his eyes. The pain lessened and Luke gritted his teeth with an audible clack.

When the contraction ended they both sighed in relief.

"We're only having this one child, understand Skywalker." Mara growled to the Jedi.

Luke regarded her. His eyes were wide in his pale face. "Right." He agreed readily.

The made their way to the med center. The labor was a long process, but they endured it together. Luke was surprised that Mara remained calm through the whole ordeal, never once losing her temper. It wasn't long before Mara was lying back on the bed exhausted but exhilarated. She nursed a freshly washed baby.

Tears streamed down Luke's face and he made no move to brush the moisture away. Mara felt such a surge of love go through her as she stoked the soft blond hair on the infant's head. She gazed up at Luke and felt for once, that she was exactly where she belonged. They were a family. Luke took her hand, kneeling so that his face was on level with their newborn son.

"We're gong to have a dozen right?" Mara whispered, her voice breaking.

Luke's blue eyes widened and then he began to laugh. He had never been happier.

****