CHANGES

by Una

Summary - This little fic is set BEFORE *Cold Equation* in my own private
Alternative Universe, and tells the story how Mara came to bunk at
Skywalker's apartment and deals with a mission that still haunts Luke. Also
Callista makes an appearance ... but by name and back-flash only.

Disclaimer: The characters and situations of 'Star Wars' depicted in this
story are legal property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Timothy Zahn,
and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement intended.

Rating: NC-17

Special Thanks go to Sherry, beta reader, friend and all time favourite
fanfic writer, who punches the monkey as well as kicks my butt :) You rock,
gal :)

Chapter One - Passages

It had been stifling warm all day on Coruscant and Luke Skywalker enjoyed
the soft breeze of the evening as he sat on his balcony. All day long, he
had negotiated with the Senate to acknowledge his academy to train Jedi and
when he had returned to his apartment here in the former Imperial Palace,
he had felt sweaty and tired.

After a shower, he had prepared some Cin'chi juice which was now resting in
a coolant carafe on a small table nearby. He sat comfortably propped back
in a chair with his legs resting against the balcony railings. Artoo, his
astromech unit, was chirping nearby and Luke was holding a somewhat one way
conversation with him in the dusk of the Coruscant summer day.

A small ripple in the Force reached the Jedi Master and his somewhat tired
expression lit up. Mara Jade was approaching his apartment and from her
signature in the Force, she felt just as tired and sweaty as he had felt
only a couple of hours ago.

*Hey, Jade*, he sent her through the Force and grinned when he felt
her snort.

*Skywalker, open up that door,* she retorted and with a flick of the
Force he opened the door before she had reached it. He listened as the
Master Trader entered his apartment and for the umpteenth time, he felt a
lingering gratitude that his friendship with Mara Jade had survived his
little tryst with Callista. They had not seen each other for a complete
standard year after a quarrel over Callista. At that time he had been angry
with Jade, but over time and especially after Callista had left him, he had
seen the truth in his friend's words. They had met again only two years ago
when Mara Jade had once again hauled his Jedi butt out of a hot
situation. It had been awkward at first but now their friendship was back
on track.

He listened to her soft footsteps and looked up when she stepped onto the
balcony. She was still wearing her flight suit with her heavy all duty
jacket and a black carryall which she now unceremoniously dumped onto the
floor beside him. He reached over and after he had prepared another glass
of Cin'chi juice, he handed it to her.

"Have a seat, Jade," he said and tilting back further with his chair he
nursed his own drink.
Slumping into the chair beside him Mara exhaled softly and tried to prop
her legs up on the railing as well, but came up short. Stifling a chuckle,
Luke flashed her a grin when she sighed in exasperation and moved the chair
further towards the railing.

"One day, Skywalker, one day you'll break your neck when I kick that chair
out from under your butt!" Mara growled but both felt that it was a
good-natured threat. After Jade had settled herself, she closed her eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Jade," Luke retorted, a laugh evident in his voice.
Mara opened one eye and tilted her head towards him, flashing him a warning
glance.

"Wonderful to see you in such a good mood, Farmboy, but I cannot share the
sentiment," she quipped and rubbed her throat and collarbone tiredly while
she sipped on her drink.

"Bad day, huh?" Luke asked and leant towards her. She indeed looked tired
and worn. *You look tired, Jade,* he sent through the Force and
Mara grimaced.

*You would too if you had spent half of the day scouring the city in
need of a room. Some blasted conference is being held and there is no way I
will get a room till tomorrow,* Mara returned likewise, she decreased
her barriers in the Force somewhat and let herself being submerged in the
gentle warmth and soothing presence of the Jedi Master.

I need that now, just for a little while before I return to the
Fire, she thought and sipping her drink, she turned her head completely
to watch the Jedi Master at her side. 
For the first time she had arrived she noticed he was not wearing his
customary Jedi Blacks, in fact he was wearing little more than his work-out
pants. For a moment, Mara Jade held her breath as she watched the muscles
of his stomach clench and unclench as Skywalker breathed. She was
mesmerised by the beauty of it and like all the times before when she was
caught unawares by the physical and mental beauty of the Jedi Master, she
felt the almost insurmountable urge to touch him, to touch the muscles on
his stomach, on his chest, wanting to let her hands touch and caress the
soft tanned skin, the scars that covered it and kiss away any lingering
pain caused by them.

She shook herself almost brutally from her reverie. Gods, you really are
tired, Jade! she scolded herself and shook her head slightly as if to
clear it. Fastening her gaze on the spires of the city before her, she bit
her lip in confusion. This is Skywalker, not some Sol'anni wrestler you
can goggle up and down.

Mara Jade exhaled softly and set down her glass down before closing her
eyes. Fastening the grip on her barriers, she tried to block out the
soothing presence she had revelled in only minutes before. I must be mad
and sun stroked to even consider the Farmboy being sexy ..., she chided
herself and almost missed the gentle caress on her skin as Luke extended a
hand and brushed a stray lock out of her face.

A flicker of soft blue lightning exchanged between them when skin touched
skin and Luke drew away in shock. Jerking her head away out of reflex, Mara
almost toppled over with her chair. Only both their Jedi reflexes prevented
her to break her neck, and as she straightened in the chair again only her
pride was hurt a bit.

"I'm sorry, Mara, I didn't want to startle you," Mara heard Luke's
apologetic remark but she only shrugged. Serves me right to let my guard
down around the Jedi Master! she scolded herself and made herself to
face Skywalker. He really looked sorry and despite herself one corner of
her lips curved up in a smile.

"Thanks to your good reflexes nothing major happened, Skywalker, but don't
do it again," she retorted harsher than she had intended. Sighing, she
pushed herself to her feet and straightened the jacket. "I better get going
now, the bunk on the Fire beckons me."

Luke, who was still shaken from their exchange earlier, rose to his feet as
well. "Stay!" he blurted out and both looked at each other with more than
shocked expressions on their faces.

"What?" Mara gasped, she doubted she had heard right but she had to confirm.

Luke grinned sheepishly and a slight reddish tint was creeping up his neck
and face. "I mean, I have a spare room. You are tired and sore and the Fire
just doesn't offer enough comfort. Otherwise you wouldn't stay in a hotel
most of the time you are here," even to himself his words sounded jumbled
and more fit for a farmboy than a seasoned Jedi Master.

"I guess what I'm saying is, till you have found a hotel room, you can stay
here in the spare room. I can guarantee the bed is softer than the bunk on
the Fire!" He remembered her constant complaints about her bunk and
although it was comfortable when in Hyperspace, it was more of a torture
instrument if the Fire was docked somewhere.

"Now what would you dear sister say, if she knew that you are letting
strangers - and women at that - bunk in your room, Skywalker?" Mara tried
to joke. She was still stunned at the offer. From what she had noticed over
the years, Luke was a very private person. Even when he had been together
with Callista he had insisted on her having her own set of rooms.

It couldn't have been out of modesty, Mara thought as she revelled
in the information.
*You sure, Farmboy?* She asked him through their Force bond and Luke
nodded at that.

*Yes, you are in need of a good night's sleep and a shower and I have a
big bed and a fresher, seems a good deal.*

*A big bed, huh?* Mara couldn't help but rib him and laughed softly
when his already reddened face colour increased.

"Okay, I'll take the spare room gladly. So lead the way!" she demanded in a
mock bow. Apart from the living room and the balcony she had never seen
much of Luke's apartment. In fact she had always wondered how the other
rooms where furbished but she had never had the courage to ask.

"Here is the spare bed room," Luke said as he led her to a closed door off
to the left of the door that obviously led to his bedroom. Mara exhaled
softly when she saw the white washed room with its floor to ceiling
transparisteel window and a comfortable looking bed in front of it. The
room could have been cold with the white walls if not for the light touches
of sandy browns, reds and oranges of the drapes and cushions that gave the
room complete warmth and friendliness. 
She wondered if that had been Callista's doing.

"She never stayed here, Mara. If anything it is Aunt Beru's doing. She had
a similar working room back on Tatooine and I always liked how the colours
played together. It reminds me of the sunset on Tatooine." Luke replied gently.

For once Mara was glad he had picked up on her thoughts so easily as she
surely wouldn't have asked the question aloud.

"It's beautiful, Skywalker," Mara said as she reverently stepped into the
room. She walked over to the window and watched the air traffic beyond. "I
always thought the view from your balcony is breathtaking but this ..." she
motioned her hand towards the view of the great spires of the old Jedi
Temple. She looked back over her shoulder when she heard a sound and saw
Skywalker as he had put her carryall onto the bed and was zipping it open.

"What are you doing?" she asked with an amused raise of her eyebrow.

Luke looked up at her in surprise then down at the bag and his hands that
held up some flimsy material of sorts. "I wanted to help you unpack..." His
voice trailed away when his mind registered what exactly he was holding in
his hands. It was some lacy camisole, stuff that was so maddeningly female
that he dropped it as if he had burned himself.

"I - I'm sorry, Jade, I did not think ..." Luke muttered and stepped back.

"Obviously, Farmboy," Mara grinned. If any other man had done as Skywalker,
the man would be dead or unconscious by now, but she was not angry with the
Jedi Master. She doubted it had been intentional, no she knew for certain
that he had no ill intentions, he had just wanted to help and his reaction
to the underwear had just been too funny.

Let's play with him a bit, Mara decided and strolled over to where
Luke was still standing. Reaching out, she picked up the camisole where it
had fallen on the bed and held it against her slim figure.

"Would you like to see me in this, Skywalker, shall I model it for you?"
she asked huskily and stepped closer to the young man. Her hips slightly
swaying and her head titled in a very sexy way.

"Ja-Jade," Skywalker stuttered and raised his hands in defence. "I'm sorry,
I didn't think... I was just going to help, that's all..." Luke's shock and
panic was evident and Mara decided it had gone far enough.

"Relax, Farmboy," she said and stuffed the little lacy thing back into her
bag. "I was just kidding you." She almost physically felt him relaxing at
her words and for a short moment their eyes locked.

What Mara Jade saw in those blue eyes both surprised and shook her to her
deepest roots. Not only was there panic but deep shock and pain in them and
once again she wondered what really had happened to him before she had
rescued him out of the former Imperial base two years prior. It had been
one year after their quarrel over Callista and afterwards Luke had not
seemed to be the same man he used to be. At that time she had thought it
was because of Callista had left him but with his reaction now she wasn't
so sure anymore.

"Okay, Farmboy, show me the fresher. This Master Trader is in dire need of
a shower, and I'm not talking about a sonic one either!" Mara said, trying
to diffuse the tension that had built up.

Luke was glad when he heard Mara's words and not trusting his voice overly
much, he nodded and led her over to this own bedroom which was similarly
furbished but here the colours of the Tatooine sands were even more evident.

"The fresher is over there. Just make yourself comfortable. I'll get some
extra towels," Luke said hastily and stepped over to one of his build-in
wardrobes. Extracting too fluffy towels from it, he set them inside the
refresher on the counter and left Mara alone just as she returned with a
small vanity case.

"If you need something, just holler," Luke said. "I'm in the kitchen ...
How about some Nerf steaks?"

"Sounds good to me, Skywalker. And you better still have some of that
Cin'chi juice!" Mara called out after him before entering the refresher.

Luke chuckled at that. *Why, Mara, I never knew you are such a
sweet-tooth,* he send her through the Force and felt the red-head snort.

*You better believe it, Farmboy and if you have drunk all that juice
when I come out you'll pay for it ...or make a new carafe full of it.*

Luke sent her a mental ribbing into her ribs and he could hear her gasp out
loud in the fresher. Feeling happier than he had a few minutes ago ...Or
the whole day, he added silently, he sauntered off to the kitchen,
preparing dinner.

+++

Mara stepped under the soft spray of the shower and sighed loudly when the
warm water hit her tensed muscles in her back. She still marvelled at the
events of this day. She had never have guessed that Skywalker would offer
her lodgings, albeit short term but she was so desperate to sleep in a soft
bed for once that she had gladly took him up on the offer.

You are full of surprises, Skywalker, Mara thought to herself as she
vigorously massaged her scalp and washed her hair. When she ended her
ministrations she wrapped herself into one of the towels that the Jedi
Master had given her.
Sending out a tendril of the Force, she made sure that the Jedi Master was
not in the room beyond and when she felt his presence and located him in
the kitchen she slipped out of the refresher.

"Five minutes, Jade!" she heard Skywalker call out and Mara grimaced. As
easily as she could locate him, he could locate her, perhaps even more easily.

"I'll be there, just don't start without me, Farmboy!" Mara replied and her
eyes met Skywalker's as his head appeared from around the corner to his
kitchen. "I know your Tatooine stomach!"

Flushing, he winked at her and disappeared into the kitchen again,. Mara
had felt a tingling sensation when their eye had met and her reaction to
his bare chest came back to her in a rush. The red-head tried to suppress
the blush that crept up her cheeks as she stepped into the spare room.

It is just Skywalker, she reminded herself but try as she might she
could not get rid of the image of the play of his muscles beneath sun
tanned skin.
+++

TBC

yes I know most of you are waiting for Collateral Damage part nine but I'm
a bit in the dumps with this one, so I continued the prequel to CE and CD <lol>
Remember ? Changes part one was the scene with Luke sitting on his balcony
and Mara watching his *rippling stomach muscles* <g>

Here is chapter two of Changes - the first part can be found at
www.different-worlds.net in the Star Wars section.

Summary: Shortly set after The Last Command, Mara visits Coruscant, but
because of a senate's meeting, all the hotels and guest rooms are full.
Luke, recovering from a recent mission he and Mara had been on, invites her
to stay at his apartment in the spare room. This fic is just to show how
much their trust and friendship grows and lead up to the events of Cold
Equation and Collateral Damage.

Rating: G

Thanks go to Sherry, my relentless beta reader and friend. She uses the
whip when I'm lagging (shows the whip marks on her back - See?) and keeps
me sane <G> Thank you my friend :)

-------------------
Changes

Chapter Two - Friendship

Luke had returned to the kitchen but the image of Mara clad in only one of
his towels would not leave his mind. He had thought she would wear her
usual attire not something as intimate as a towel and a familiar though
long forgotten feeling surged through his body.

"It's just Jade," he whispered to himself as he stirred the contents in the
pan but try as he might the image of a freshly showered Jade wrapped up in
a towel still danced around in his mind. Luke wondered if her skin felt as
creamy and soft as it had looked like and frowning he tried to suppress
this errant line of thinking.

But the image lingered and with a sigh, Luke squeezed his eyes shut to get
rid of it but the image of her towel clad body seemed to have burned into
his retinas. With a groan, he let the fork fall into the pan and braced his
arms against the edges of his cooking unit.

A Jedi feels no passion, he recited silently, calming his troubling
thoughts with this little mantra. He didn't know how it had happened but
recently he had these little out takes as he called them every time
he was around Mara. He didn't know how or why he had them, but if he didn't
get them under control, he knew he would pay dearly for it. After
all, he chided himself silently. You do not romance Mara Jade
without loosing a limb or two.

"You okay, Skywalker?" Mara's voice cut through him like a lightsaber and
he whirled around, staring open-mouthed and round-eyed at her, like a baby
Bantha caught in the lights of a landspeeder.

"What?" he managed to choke out. Mara was standing just under the door jamb
to the kitchen, her arms neatly folded across her breasts, pushing them
involuntarily upwards so that Luke was graced with a nice view of her ample
cleavage peering up from beneath the soft shirt she was wearing.

"Skywalker, you really are skittish. I asked you if you are okay, but
obviously you are not," Mara answered his question and walked over to him.
Suppressing a groan he turned towards his cooking unit again.

"I'm fine ... I'm just not used to having someone other than Artoo around
the apartment, that's all," he managed to say, congratulating him silently
upon that feasible reply.

"Farmboy, if you feel uncomfortable with me staying here, I can return to
the Fire," Jade said and leant against the counter not far away from
where he was staring into the pan. "I know how awkward it can be, I always
feel like that when I stay aboard the Wild Karrde nowadays. It's
sort of home but not really home and I always think I invade Karrde's
privacy... So if you rather stay by yourself, I can understand that ..."

"NO," Luke almost yelled and sighed when he noticed her raised eyebrow.
"No," he repeated more softly again. "I was just surprised that's all. I
like having you around, Jade," he added sheepishly.

Mara grinned at that, and bent forward to look into the pan. "Well if you
like that, you should feed your guest properly, because if you keep those
steaks in there, they are inedible soon."

The Jedi Master followed her gaze and quickly served the steaks before they
burned too badly.
He had set the small kitchen table earlier and motioned Mara to sit down.
He had already poured her a glass of Cin'chi juice just like she had
ordered and he grinned when he saw her eyes lighting up. In a way,
he thought, It will be interesting to have Mara as a sharer. I never
knew she liked sweet things and it is a chance to get to know her better
... as a friend.

"So where is Artoo, I didn't see him around?" Mara asked after she had
helped herself to a fair share of the food on the table, but still not as
much as the Jedi Master.

"He is with Threepio, it is their weekly get together, and when you
were in the shower he trundled off by himself. Threepio briefs Artoo on all
the things happening in the Solo household and vice versa, though there is
not much to talk about from Artoo's point of view," Luke said and sipped at
his drink.

"Well, Goldenrod doesn't give Artoo a chance to have anything to share
anyway," Mara retorted and watched the Jedi sitting in front of her. Mara
had known the Jedi Master had some particular strange tastes but the blue
liquid in his hand piqued her curiosity.

"What is this?" she asked, pointing her fork at the blue milk-like
liquid in this glass.

"Inuoie milk, it's from Tatooine," Luke replied and proffered the glass
towards her. "Here, it doesn't bite," he added when Mara drew back slightly.

"Milk?" Mara asked again, raising an eyebrow. "That looks more like ...
like ... I don't know what it looks like, I haven't ever seen something
like that."

Luke grinned at the droll expression on her face and held out the glass
closer to her. To his surprise Mara bent forward and instead of taking the
glass from him, she put her lips against the rim and let Luke tilt it back
slightly. The Jedi Master was so surprised by her behaviour and complete,
unknowing trust, that he almost let the glass drop when he saw her licking
her lips. Immediately, the image of her clad only in that towel appeared in
his mind and he had to use all his will power to hold on to the glass,
while Mara took another sip. Quenching the passion that threatened to
destroy his calm, he tore his gaze off her lips and the rosy tongue of her
mouth he concentrated on her as she drew back into her chair again.

"Verdict?" He asked softly and saw Mara nodding.

"A bit richer than normal milk but tasty," Mara said and Luke let out a
breath of relief.

"Want some later?" he inquired and Mara nodded.

"But I want it straight, not as hot chocolate ..."

Both burst out laughing and Luke spilled some of his milk. "No way, even I
wouldn't drink it!"

"Glad to hear that, Farmboy," Mara said and smiled. She was still surprised
as how easy it was around him. She had felt awkward around him since his
split-up with Callista and she had always doubted they could return to
their easy banter way back from Wayland. But here, sitting in the Jedi
Master's kitchen, it seemed as if their friendship could be resurrected.
Mara Jade was glad, because more than once in the past two standard years
she had regretted the things she had told him about Callista. Not that
they had not been true, she told herself silently. Callista turned
out to be the body snatcher she was, but I hurt Luke and I would gladly
take that pain back.

She watched as Luke dug into his food, eating with an efficiency that
reminded her of him handling a lightsaber. Jade had to smile at that.
Ever the farmboy.

*I can't change my upbringing, Jade*, she heard his voice in her
head and for a moment a deep fear threatened to break to the surface of her
demeanour. She quickly caught herself and smiled shakily.

*I wasn't admonishing your upbringing, Farmboy,* she spoke through
their bond. *I was merely commenting about your insatiable hunger ...
and now stay out of my head.*

Skywalker's head snapped up and for a moment their gazes locked. Blue eyes
met green until Mara thought she had to close her eyes against the
brilliance of his deep blue ones.

"Sorry, Jade." Luke whispered sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. "I
always forget not to pick up on your thoughts."
+++++
After their dinner, where Mara helped Skywalker clear away the used dishes
and cutlery, the young man felt at a loss.

Sure, he had spent many days and nights with Jade together on various
missions but never had they shared any down time and having a decidedly
female companion in his bachelor's quarters threw him off a bit. When Jade
told him she had to check some of the lists she had brought, he was almost
grateful.

"Sure, do that, I just go back onto the balcony," Luke said and sauntered
off into the general direction of the sun-filled balcony.

Sitting in the late evening sun, which was already setting in the far
distance of the Manarai mountains, he could hear Mara moving inside his
apartment. At first, he frowned at that but after a while he felt a
soothing calm coming over him and for the first time since Mara had come
this afternoon, he could control those images rising in him and sat back in
his chair.

Strange, he thought, I never thought I'd actually feel
comfortable with someone moving around in my apartment without me in
there. He had to grin to that. Even when Callista visited me I was
anxious of her not to go on snooping.

Sipping on his Cin'chi juice, Luke relaxed even more when he heard the soft
beeping of a data pad, as Mara seemed to scroll through page after page.
The sound actually lolled him into a soft slumber and he was surprised when
he felt her voice, unusually soft, inside his head after a while.

*Can I join you?* Mara sent to him through their Force bond and he
sent her an affirmative nod.

When Skywalker opened his eyes all he could see at first were bare feet,
and when he opened his eyes fully, he had to blink against the glare of
the setting sun that was reflected from the other living towers of Coruscant.

Flopping into the seat beside him, Mara Jade filled her own glass with
Cin'chi juice and drew her legs up to her chin. Luke almost gaped at her,
because he could have sworn he had never seen her that relaxed and without
her obligatory blasters strapped to her thigh and wrist.

"I'm always amazed how beautiful such a moloch of a city can be," Mara
commented softly and turned her head slightly to look at Skywalker. "Must
be a far cry from where you are coming from, huh?"

Luke straightened and nodded. "Yeah, Mos Eisley and Anchorhead never had
this beauty, there were more a necessity."

He watched Mara carefully and for the umpteenth time he knew her, he
wondered what she had been like when she was a small child. He knew she had
been raised in the Imperial Palace and from her comments earlier, he
concocted that she thought of Coruscant as her home.

"Is it still the same like you used to know it ... I mean this place?"
Skywalker suddenly asked and bit his lip, when he felt a flash of regret
coming from Mara.

"Yes, and no, Farmboy," she replied. She juggled the ice cubes in her glass
and balanced the glass on the top of her knees in front of her.
"Things have changed since the Empire went down, but some things haven't
... I don't know," she looked over to Luke and their gazes met for a short
moment before both looked over the scenery of the city in front of them. "I
guess the city itself hasn't changed much ... or maybe I'm the one that has
changed." She shrugged her shoulders, the movement disturbing her drink and
the ice cubes jingled together with a soft sound.

"I was not allowed to go into the city unguarded. As a matter of fact, all
my childhood memories about Coruscant are about places like this one.
Balconies, arbours, landing pads.
Most of the time I spent my days secreted away in training rooms deep in
the bowels of the Palace here anyway." Mara closed her eyes for a short
moment while images of her childhood days appeared before her mind's eye.
Days had been tedious and challenging at the Palace. Early on in her life
she had to learn that life at the Palace was also dangerous. People,
servants she knew and had started to trust were likely to vanish in the
middle of the night only to be rumoured to have been executed. Yes, many
things have changed, she thought.

Luke could feel the pain emanating from her and for a moment he considered
reaching out a comforting hand, but he decided against it. He wanted to
have a limb left after all.

"Sounds pretty grim," he said softly which earned him a snort from the red
head across the small table.

"It sounds worse than it actually was, Skywalker," Mara tone a tad too
sharp to cover up her own regret and pain. "I didn't know any different, so
I didn't know what I'd miss." The young woman bit her lower lip.

Rising gracefully to her feet, she sat the glass down with an overly loud
crack before she turned to face the young Jedi.

"Anyway, I better turn in, Skywalker," her usually cool demeanour securely
in place again.

Luke rushed to his feet but hesitated. He knew she was tired but he didn't
want to end this evening this abruptly. He couldn't put a finger to it, but
he wanted to spend the evening with Mara Jade, he wanted to get to know her
better.

"What?" Mara asked, rising an exasperated eyebrow.

"I thought we might just talk," Luke blurted out and blushed. "You know, we
never ... ah ... forget it, Jade."

Mara watched the deep blush on the Jedi Master's face then leant against
the railing of the balcony, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Out with it, Farmboy, what is it?" she asked.

Luke sighed and shook his head. With his back to the cityscape he hoisted
himself up easily onto the marble balustrade that surrounded his balcony
and dangled his feet.

"I just thought ... as you go looking for a hotel tomorrow, why don't we
talk tonight. You know we never seem to talk," Luke hesitated slightly,
then continued. "You know like friends' talk, do friends' stuff."

Mara Jade almost gaped at him but she caught herself and smiled. So the
great Skywalker is lonely, she thought and the way Luke's head snapped
up, she knew he had picked up on that.

"I'm not lonely, Jade," Skywalker snapped and blushed when Mara rose an
eyebrow that signalled Stay out of my head! clearly. "Sorry."

Silence spread between then as thick as a slab of durasteel, until Mara
sighed softly and rubbed her eyes wearily.

"All right, Skywalker," she said and grinned at his dumbfounded expression.
"Let's have a friends' evening. So what do you want to do?"

"Let's go out and have dinner? My treat!" Luke said and Mara laughed at that.

"Trust you and your stomach to come up with dinner ... and, no, Skywalker,
that would be a date not a friendly get together." Her green eyes sparkled
when grinned.

"A date?" Luke asked, his cheeks flushing brightly. "No ... I mean ... that
wasn't what I had in mind."

"Relax, Farmboy," Mara replied and stepped over to her glass she had left
on the table earlier. "We could play a hand of Sabacc and have a look at
what the holonet offers on holo dramas. And, of course, we could open a
bottle or two."

"Jedi don't drink, Jade," Skywalker said with a grin and watched as Mara's
face screwed up in disgust. "But I guess I can join you for a drink or two."

"Excellent, now come, oh great, stuffy Jedi Master, let's do friends' stuff."
+++++
Luke had never thought that Mara was actually fun to be with. All the times
before they had only be on missions together and these were not seen as
fun. After they had retreated to his living quarters, Mara had found a pack
of Sabacc cards in her duffel bag which were put to good use.

The Jedi Master had known that Jade was a shrewd Sabacc player but after
only five games, he had lost all the Jocat nuts they had used as stakes. He
watched as Jade raked in her wins of nuts, while popping a nut into her
mouth. She grinned devilishly and Luke laughed at that.

"Remind me never to play with you in earnest for credits," Luke commented
and Jade laughed.

"Ah, I would be really easy on you, Skywalker," Mara retorted with a wink.
"I'd only take off half your credits. So, how much does a Jedi Master earn?"

Skywalker laughed at that. "Jade, you make more money with just a boring
Corellian run in a month than I do in a year. A Jedi strives no..."

"... riches," Jade finished for him and smirked. "I know why I never want
to be a Jedi and that reason is top on my list."

*Don't say it, Skywalker,* Luke heard Mara's warning through their
Force bond and he shut his mouth again. He knew that Mara Jade was growing
tired of his constant reminder of her becoming a Jedi and for tonight he
decided to let it drop. He had too good a time as to blab his mouth and
destroy the bantering mood Jade was in.

"I wasn't going to say anything, Jade," the young man raised his hands in
mock-defeat and pushed himself to his feet. "You said something about
drinks, care for one?"

"What do you have?" Mara Jade queried and followed him over into the
kitchen where she watched him rummaging in a storing cabinet. Luke
Skywalker got several bottles and canisters out and Mara started when he
brought out a strange looking glass container with a deep lilac liquid
swirling in it.

"Skywalker, how did you get this?" she started and picked the container off
the counter. Luke peered over the edge while he still squatted in front of
his storing cabinet and shrugged his shoulders.

"I think Han left it here. What is it?" He got to his feet and lightly
brushed the liquid with the Force. The beverage was strong, stronger than
anything he had drunk during his wild times as a Rogue.

"That, Farmboy," Mara Jade said and held the container against the
artificial light of the kitchen lamp. "Is the best booze this side of the
known regions. If I'm not mistaken this is Anoatian Liqour, you can drink
it either straight, though one glass and you are out or as part of a
cocktail. It would go well with the Cin'chi juice..."

"Anoatian Liquor?" Luke's voice clearly stated that he had never heard of
it before.

"It's rare, but you will love it, Farmboy," Mara said with a wicked grin
and rummaged through his cupboards for glasses. "Can you get me the Cin'chi
juice? And if we don't have much of that one, can you do some more?"

Stunned at first, all Luke Skywalker could do was stare at the woman who
sprang into action as she directed him to get her this fruit or that
utensil. They worked side by side in unison and amiable silence and soon
the young Jedi Master found himself deeply emersed in the calm presence of
Mara working on the cocktails as she had called them.

"So how come you know so much about this stuff?" Skywalker asked after a while.

"I have worked undercover in a bar in the Codru System, so I learnt to mix
all this kind of beverage," Jade replied and winked. "I know about 480
different recipes to mix cocktails, not too bad a cut for a non-pro. Now,
grab some pillows and blankets and let's go."

The young man watched her as she sauntered off with a tray with glasses and
the carafe. Heeding her demand, he grabbed a couple of pillows from his
sofa and a dewback blanket from the closet, then quickly followed her.

"Where are we going?" he asked when he had joined her in the turbolift.

"Patience, Farmboy, you will see soon enough," Mara Jade said as she pushed
the button for the roof top.
------------------

Una

Hi All,

Another chapter .. I'm on the roll :)

Parts one and two can be found at www.different-worlds.net in the Star Wars
section.

Summary: AU!!! FOr the correct timeline please check
www.different-worlds.net (AU Series).
Set after The Last Command and the *Callista incident*, Mara visits
Coruscant, but because of a senate's meeting, all the hotels and guest
rooms are full. Luke, recovering from a recent mission he and Mara had been
on, invites her to stay at his apartment in the spare room. This fic is
just to show how much their trust and friendship grows and lead up to the
events of Cold Equation and Collateral Damage.

Rating: NC 17 for this chapter

A big thank you to Sherry, for beta reading :) Thank you, my friend!

-------------------
Changes

Chapter Three - Nightmares

Mara helped Luke spreading the blankets on the roof top, not far away from
the spot where Luke had given her his father's lightsaber four years ago.
The stars twinkled above and underneath the artificial sea of lights and
the whirling life of the city illuminated their spot as they settled on the
pillows.

Leaning back on his elbow Luke looked up at the stars in the darkened sky,
his glass swirling with a bright pink liquid. He had never tasted anything
like it but it tasted good, in fact it tasted like a mixture of a sweet he
remembered from Tatooine and not as strong as normal liquor.

"Thank you, Jade," he said suddenly and for a moment their eyes met.

"What for, Farmboy?" Jade asked and took another sip of her cocktail. She
already felt a heavy feeling in her head and she knew that the
inexperienced Jedi Master must feel it twice as much.

"For being my friend, Jade," Luke replied softly and closed his eyes.
Inhaling deeply the already night filled air, he let his head fall back,
his whole posture that of complete trust and relaxation.

Jade stared at him, scrutinizing every feature of his face, starting from
the tousled dark-blonde hair that showed the evident lighter shades of
Yavin's sun in them as well as the small worry lines around his eyes that
were now more prominent than a few years ago.

Mara knew she had a part in these lines and she frowned at that thought.
What could I have done to prevent them, if at all? she thought and
felt Luke's presence brushing her mind, barely touching the barriers that
were securely in place.

Her head snapped up and she noticed that the Jedi Master was staring at her
with his blue, intense eyes.

"You know, I really like this," Skywalker said slowly, as if he was testing
the waters. "We never really just sit and relax."

"Well it would have been a bit awkward and downright foolish if we had
during a mission, Skywalker," Jade retorted and lowered her gaze to her
glass she held in her hands.

"I guess," Luke replied and grinned. Pushing himself into a sitting
position, he sat cross-legged in front of her. "But we definitely earned
our down time."

Mara laughed at that, but it was a tired almost worn out laugh and
Skywalker watched her intently.

"You know, I never had any down time," Mara said and looked up at the
stars. "My ideal of a vacation is being in the thick of things. If I have
too much idle time on my hands I think too much ..." she bit her lips and
almost angrily, she dragged her hand over her eyes, rubbing at them furiously.

"And we know that Mara Jade thinking is a secret weapon on its own," Luke
teased her. He could feel the weariness and fatigue in his companion and he
wondered that Mara Jade, despite her cool demeanour must feel as tired as
he did.

That had been the reason why he had left Yavin, to get away from his
weariness and for the past week he had only done what he had wanted, like
trying to sleep in late in which he had not, could not, succeed thanks to
his Farmer's chrono. But some of the fatigue had left him as he had spent a
lot of his time with his niece and nephews.

"Do you ever get tired of all this? I mean, don't you think you need a
vacation and just relax?"

"Sure I do, Farmboy, but I never ...," Jade shrugged her shoulders and
looked up at him. "I never had any real vacation before and I guess I would
just feel tired of it all after a while. I relax when I'm in a hyperspace
jump. That's my real down time, but other than that ... no."

"I know what you mean," Luke replied and slumped back, stretching out on
his back and staring up into the stars, his head propped up by his crossed
hands beneath his tousled head. "I always thought that adventure would be
the thing back on Tatooine..."

"A Jedi strives no adventure," Mara chided softly and grinned when Luke
flashed her a look with a mixture of annoyance and understanding.

"How come you always hand out that Jedi code when it is convenient to you,
but you'll fight hand and foot to come join me at the Academy?" The moment
he had said it, Luke Skywalker knew it had been a mistake. He could see
Mara recoiling from him both physically as well as mentally and he sighed.
"Sorry, none of my business, Jade. Forget that I asked."

"You never quit, do you?" Mara asked and her green eyes burnt brightly like
the most precious Corusca gems.

"No, not when I see you are wasting your potential, Jade. You are very
strong in the Force, you could become ..."

"A Jedi like you?" Mara barged in and shook her head. "No way, Skywalker.
You might be prepared to sacrifice your whole life, but I'm not that dumb!"

"Oh great, thanks, Jade. I didn't know I was such a failure," Luke snapped
back and sat up. Draining his glass he refilled it with the pink liquid
from the carafe.

"Take it easy with the High Riser, that's very strong!" Mara reminded him
and Luke laughed at that.

"I'm a big boy, I know what I can and cannot do or handle!"

"Oh, so it is okay to bug me about becoming a Jedi but it is not okay, if I
just remind you to take it easy on the booze? Now that is double-standard,
Jedi Master!"

Anger was thick between them and as quick as it had surged up in Skywalker,
the quicker it subsided. Luke sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Mara," he said slowly, looking up at her from lowered lids.
After a few more moments of silence, he suddenly asked: "Why do we always
argue?"

The softly spoken question threw Mara into a loop. For long moments their
eyes locked before Mara managed to tear her gaze away. She did not know
herself. Arguing with anybody came natural to her due to her more than
caustic nature. But was it her nature? All her life, she had kept people at
a distance because she had learnt from an early age that anybody getting
close to her was doomed. Either they were sent away or killed.

"Mara?" Luke asked when Jade's silence continued. She looked so deeply
engrossed in her thoughts that it frightened him to some extent. He had
known Mara was not the superficial woman she wanted to project to the
outside world, but that a simple question like his would throw her into
such a deep contemplation was new to him.

I guess we really don't know each other very well, he thought sadly.
Even after eight years she is a stranger to me most of the time.

"Mara?" he asked again, certain that she was ignoring him deliberately, but
when she looked up he could see the sadness in her eyes, as well as a surge
of what ... regret? coming from her through the Force.

"I don't know, Skywalker. Perhaps we are too different," she shrugged. "...
that's why we argue all the time."

"I don't think we are too different, Jade. Rather the opposite ..." Luke
teased her but when she shot him an exasperated look, he tried to bite down
on the laughter.

"Think about it, Jade. We are both almost the same age," he stopped and
frowned. Are we? I don't know Mara's age! For all I know she could be
older than me.

*I'm not, Farmboy,* Mara sent him through their Force bond and Luke
had to grin at that.

"Well, I was right, we are about the same age, Mara," he replied smugly
which earned him another annoyed look. "Okay, let's see ...," he counted
off his fingers. "We are both single, independent, strong-headed ..."

"You forget Bantha headed in your case," Mara joined in and grinned.

"We are both Bantha headed," he conceded and held up another finger. "Have
military training..."

"I more than you," Mara giggled when Luke shook his head with a sigh.

"Attractive, have a sense of ... ouch!" Luke rubbed his head where Mara's
knuckles had connected with his skull. "What was that for?"

"I don't want to be attractive, I want to be feared ..." Mara held a
warning finger up into his face.

"Ever the Emperor's Hand, huh, Jade?" Luke asked and drew himself up on his
knees, their bodies almost touching. "But you are attractive, Jade, and I
... uh-ummm ... well I had my fair share of attention..." Skywalker blushed
furiously when Mara grinned at him.

"The handsome Jedi Master Skywalker," Mara laughed softly. "I've seen the
headlines on the holonews." Mara sat back and looked up at the stars.
When Skywalker looks like that he is so much the Farmboy, she thought.

"Did you know that the Emperor thought you handsome as well?" she suddenly
asked and Luke's head snapped up into her direction.

"He did?"

"Yes," Mara nodded her head and looked at him with a tilted head. "When he
gave me the data pads with your information, he told me clearly not to be
deceived by your handsomeness."

"And were you?" Luke knew he was putting one or two of his limbs on stake
with his question but he had to know.

She shrugged. "All I saw in the holos I had of you was a man who was the
arch enemy of my Master, and thus my enemy. I didn't realize you were
handsome until ..." she bit her lip and threw him an embarrassed look.
"Well, not that I think you are attractive and handsome, Skywalker, so wipe
that smirk off your face. What I mean is, when I saw you at Jabba's place,
you didn't look like the murderer I had come to know from the holos. And
then on Myrkr ..." Mara shook her head. On Myrkr I noticed how
attractive the Jedi Master was! She thought and kept her barriers
securely in place. No use to let him know how much he had affected me on
Myrkr!

"I guess you are handsome ... in that naive Farmboy sort of way."

After a while, Luke shifted uncomfortably and after another look towards
Mara, her head snapped up.

"What is it Skywalker?" she asked.

"Do you sometimes ... think about Myrkr?" Luke asked and suppressed the
blush creeping up into his cheeks. "You know ... about ... the lake?"

Mara almost gaped at him. Of course, he had to remind me of the lake on
Myrkr. Damn you Skywalker, she thought.

"What lake?" Mara managed to choke out and looked away. His eyes were too
intense, too blue for her own comfort of mind.

*The lake where we bathed ...* Luke's voice was but a whisper in her
mind, and she shuddered involuntarily.

"All I remember is that I had to wash you, Skywalker. You had your hands
tied!" Jade snapped and drew away. She didn't want to be reminded of that
time. Her mind remembered all too brightly the time when she had held him
at blaster point on Myrkr. Closing her eyes, she tried to ban the images
dancing in her mind.

Their banter continued, but both were apprehensive to stay clear of all
topics that could let to an inevitable argument again. Especially Luke
sensed that Mara did not want to talk about their time on Myrkr, so he
tried to talk to her about other things. But in his mind, the events of
Myrkr came back to him in Jedi replay.

They had been walking through the forest for two days when they had come
upon a lake. They had been both sweaty and tired, Jade even more than
himself, as she had not slept ever since he had helped her out of the
crashed craft. So she had tied his hands to ensure he would not escape
while she took a wash, but that had left them with an even bigger
predicament. He could not wash himself.

Luke grinned when he remembered how she had tied him with his arms raised
to a low hanging tree branch and how her hands had economically scrubbed at
his skin. Luke also remembered that her hands on his skin as well as the
wet tank top she had been wearing had had a very exciting effect on his body.

Clamping down on this thought, he tried to banish the images. When the
night grew colder, they huddled up underneath the blanket, looking up at
the stars. They conversed softly, mostly through their Force bond rather
than with audible words until even those grew few and far between them.

Mara suppressed a yawn but Luke noticed it never the less. He lay on his
side facing Mara, so when she yawned he stretched out his right arm,
patting it invitingly. The young woman hesitated only a moment, before she
lay down, her head resting on his arm. The moment Luke felt Mara trusting
him enough to lie down beside him, he drew the blanket around them and drew
her closer.

For several moments Jade stiffened, but then she rested her hand on his arm
that had encircled her waist and she closed her eyes. Both were fast asleep
in seconds.
+++++
Leia sighed and switched on the com. Earlier in the afternoon, she had
sensed some strange sensations coming from her twin and she was determined
to find out what had disturbed the tranquillity of her brother's equilibrium.

Punching in the code to his apartment, she waited while the com link
established the connection. She was surprised when she heard the soft
trillers and beeps of Artoo.

"Artoo, where is Luke?" she asked and watched the readouts of the little
droid as it chirped and whistled away.

"What do you mean he is not there?" Leia asked the droid. She stretched out
with the Force and all she could feel on the rooftop was the sleeping
presence of her brother but it was not the normal feel she experienced,
something had changed.

"Han," the Skywalker twin said and watched as her husband's head popped out
of the kitchen door.

"You called, My beloved Highness?" he replied with a grin and Leia laughed
at that.

"Can you check on Luke? Artoo said he doesn't know where he is but I have
located him on the rooftop. He feels ... funny ..."

"Jedi hunch?" Han asked. A long time ago he had stopped to question his
wife's sudden intuition and living around a Jedi family had worn off him.

"No, Han, sister's hunch," Leia replied and got up quickly. She walked over
to her husband and put a kiss onto his chin. "Could you check on him, please?"

"I'll go, honey," Han grinned and winked at her. "He's probably day
dreaming again, but I'll check on him." Giving her a last kiss he grabbed
his jacket and made his way to the turbo lifts.

The rooftop lay in shadows, only illuminated by the tall towers surrounding
the Palace and the stars above. The Corellian squeezed his eyes to let them
get accustomed to the dim light and near the balustrade he could barely
make out some bunchy forms on a couple of pillows underneath a blanket.

Han had reached the two sleeping forms underneath the dewback blanket and
he had to grin. The blonde mop of unruly hair sticking out from underneath
the blanket a tell-tale sign that the Jedi Master was indeed sleeping up
here. What surprised the Corellian more were the strands of golden-red hair
that lay beside the blonde tousled head on the pillow.

Looking down on the two sleeping persons in front of him, he had to admit
that they looked perfectly matched. Skywalker lay on his side, his face
hiding in the curve of Jade's neck while his arm was draped over her waist
and Jade's arms were around his shoulders.
Han squatted down and tucked the blanket around the two sleeping Jedi, just
he was used to with his kids.

"It isn't as it looks, Solo," came the soft voice of Mara Jade. Looking up,
green eyes bored into Han Solo, challenging him.

"And how does it look, Jade?" Han replied just as softly while he watched
as Mara disentangled herself gently from the still sleeping Jedi Master.

Sitting up, Mara brushed her hair out of her face, then tucked the blanket
around Luke again before she gracefully rose to her feet. She drew Han away
from Skywalker.

"Not a word, Solo, and you can wipe that smirk out of your face," Mara
growled as she tried to keep her voice down. "Skywalker fell asleep after
he had just one too many cocktails."

"If you say so, Jade," Han drawled and matched her stand as he drew his
arms across his chest. "You two looked pretty cosy together."

"Solo, do you have a death wish?" Mara asked and stepped closer to the
Corellian who could barely contain his laughter. "Because you surely appear
like it."

Han held his hands up and shook his head. "Hey, Jade, relax. Leia asked me
to check up on Luke as he felt strange through their Force bond," he
grinned and motioned with one hand to the emptied glasses. "I guess he is
out drunk, huh?"

"Yes," Mara smirked. "He only had two Anotian High Risers but it sure
knocked him out."

"Anotian ... High Risers?" Han gulped and shook his head. "I knew you would
not give up on killing him, Jade. Do you know how he'll feel once he wakes up?"

"He drank them in a duration of three standard hours, Solo. He will be okay
like a new born babe," Jade retorted and stopped when she realised that her
voice had risen. "He needs the sleep."

"Yeah but in a bed and not a cold floor, Jade," Han retorted and regretted
it immediately when Mara flashed him an annoyed glance.

"Not you as well. Skywalker is a grown man, don't mother him!" she hissed
in a menacing voice.
"Isn't it enough that that wife of yours mothers him?"

"Funny coming from you, Jade, when you tucked him in earlier like he was
Jaina or Jacen," Han chuckled and held his hands up. "Okay, okay, Jade. No
need to tear me limb from limb. Just make sure he gets down to his
apartment later, okay?"

"I will, Solo," Mara promised and moved to turn when Han's hand on her
shoulder stopped her.

"Are you staying on the Fire? Or up here?" he asked. "Leia might
find a place for you if you need room to bunk."

"I already have a place to sleep, Solo, but thanks," Mara replied coldly
and watched as Han Solo nodded, then walked over to the turbo lift doors.
The young woman waited till the doors were closed behind the ex-smuggler,
then she turned back where Luke was still sleeping.

Squatting down beside the sleeping Jedi Master, she gave him a nudge in his
ribs. Even with the cocktails they had shared earlier he came awake with
his arms raised in a defensive gesture. Mara had to smirk at that, she was
partly to blame for this as she had often woken him up on Myrkr in a
similar fashion.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," Luke mumbled and rubbed his eyes.

"Relax, Farmboy," Mara said and in one smooth motion rose to her feet.
Picking up the strewn pillows, she watched as Luke scrambled to his feet.

"Sorry I fell asleep," Luke mumbled and gathered the dewback blanket in his
arms. He exhaled softly when Mara thrust the pillows into his arms with
more force than necessary. "Okay-y," he gasped as he followed her to the
turbo lift. "You made your point."
+++++
Once they had reached Luke's apartment, they quickly said good night to
each other and turned in. Mara stood in front of the ceiling to floor
transparisteel windows and stared out to the city beyond. Skywalker had
given her first takes of the refresher and now she listened to the shower
going on.

Closing her eyes, she recalled the evening. It had been amazing how easy
she and Luke had spent the evening together and yet there was always this
underlying tension. She shook her head and turned away from the window and
stepped over to the bed. The lights had been dimmed, giving the room a
soft, warm glow.

The young woman quickly changed into her camisole and had to grin when she
remembered Luke's reaction this afternoon when he had encountered the soft,
tiny garment. Slipping in between the sheets, she motioned her hand and
switched the lights off with the Force, then snuggled into the pillows.

Sleep did not come naturally. Her thoughts were still in turmoil and images
of Luke and her on Myrkr, then on the rooftop when he had given her his
father's lightsaber as well as their recent stay on the rooftop alternated
before her mind's eye. Especially their talk about their adventures on
Myrkr kept nagging her and exasperated, Mara sat up.

I'll be Kesseled, Mara thought. I haven't thought about it in
years and now remember it as if it had been yesterday. Thumping her
pillow she lay back again and willed herself to sleep. For a fleeting
moment, she felt Luke brushing her mind and despite herself she had to
smile. His calm presence soothing her to sleep.

*Good night, Farmboy*, Mara sent him and Luke smiled.

*Good night, Mara,* Luke replied likewise.
+++++
Luke was back on Myrkr. Even in his dream he could feel the heat of the sun
shining down on him. The rays of the sun falling through the thick foliage
of the jungle trees blinding him as he stumbled over tree roots, pulling
Artoo's travois. He felt sweaty and tired and Jade's blaster poking into
his ribs had left a sore spot just above his kidneys on his back.

For the umpteenth time he asked himself why he had helped her getting out
of the crashed craft. He should have known that she was dangerous, lethal
even, considering how she had expertly shot two Vornskrs earlier.

He had to admit he was in awe. Her cool professionalism as well as her
determination impressed him and her beauty ... he had never seen hair that
colour, let alone such eyes ... had he? Ever since he had first opened his
eyes after she and Talon Karrde had picked him up in his disabled X-Wing,
something in the back of his mind had nagged him, wanted him to remind him
of something, but every time he tried to retrieve it, he came up with a blank.

He was relieved when she called a halt and he slumped tiredly into the soft
grass on the bank of a lake. Luke heard Artoo whistle softly and he tiredly
crouched over his astromech, reassuring him softly that everything was all
right.

"We rest here," the voice was tired, so much he could tell. When Luke
looked up he saw firm, muscular legs in tight combat trousers standing over
him and he had to squint his eyes to discern her face. Up till now she had
used her surroundings to her advantage, always approaching him with the sun
in her back, so that he always had to squint when he looked at her,
blinding him efficiently.

"Can I take a bath?" Luke asked and looked over to the waves that softly
lapped at the small embankment.

"What and let you swim across the lake so you can escape?" Mara Jade
snapped and shook her head, her golden-red mane dancing with thousands of
lights. "I don't fall for such a ploy, Jedi."

Luke sighed and shook his head while he tiredly rubbed his eyes. Without
the Force to sustain him even he had to admit he had limits.

"You could do with a bath as well, Jade. You and I stink, and I don't want
to exit this life, already stinking like a dead carcass."

He watched as the woman in front of him seemed to muse over his suggestion.
With an efficiency and grace that sought its rival, she slid her blaster
into the holster on her wrist and pulled a coil of synthrope from her backpack.

"Take off your boots and jacket!" she ordered and Artoo let out a warning
whistle.

"It is okay, Artoo, don't worry," Luke assured his artificial friend more
out of custom than any real conviction.

"Get to your feet and strip, Jedi," Mara Jade growled, she was getting more
annoyed by the minute. The man was weird, looking after his astromech like
it was a real being. "If you don't get a move on I will use your tin here
are target for me shooting exercise." she indicted Artoo with a curt nod of
her head.

The agitated whistles from the astromech almost sounded like whines and
Mara smirked at that. Taking out her vibroblade, she cut off a fair amount
of the synthrope and watched as Skywalker took off his boots and then his
jacket.

Pointing at the top he was wearing, she let the rope snap. "That too, or do
you always wash in a tank top?"

Sighing, Luke hooked his thumbs into the hem of this tank top and pulled it
over his head. It was a good feeling to get rid of the sweaty garment and
feeling the cool breeze on his skin.

"Hands!" He heard his captor snap and he held them out to her. He watched
as she efficiently and tightly bound his hands together, leaving a good
length of rope. She wrapped the end around her left wrist, then started to
take off her boots as well. Luke blushed when he noticed her stripping down
to her underwear and he was surprised to see a pair of military issued male
underpants covering her shapely behind.

Tugging at the rope she dragged him towards the lake and all Luke could do
was follow behind, trying not to stare too openly at the woman whose
swaying hips captured his whole attention.

"Who would've known," he murmured beneath his breath and gasped when she
gave the rope a sharp snag and he crashed into the lake, head first.

When he came up for air, sputtering and trying to get the water out of his
eyes, she had already advanced into the lake further and squirted cleanser
into her hand. When Luke came back to his feet she tossed the bottle
towards him and he fumbled to catch it.

With tied hands it was a struggle to wash and most of the cleanser dripped
off into the water instead of meeting his skin. Sighing he tried to cup
water with his hands but failed miserably. When he looked up, he almost gaped.

Mara Jade had ducked her head under water and now her tank top was drenched
and left little to nothing to his imagination about the shape and size of
her breasts. In fact, the grey, soft material was almost transparent.

Looking down on his hands again, Luke swallowed. By the Force, she is
one hell of a woman, the errant thought came quickly and Luke blushed
more furiously. Suddenly, his arms were snapped up and he found himself
tied to an overhanging tree, his back scraping against the rough surface of
one of the rocks that bordered a waterfall.

"What ...?" Luke asked and struggled against the synthrope, but managed
only to let it cut deeper into his skin.

"You can't wash yourself, so I'll do the job," Mara Jade said as she
stepped closer to him, cleanser in hand. Luke swallowed as he watched her
squirting the cleanser into the palm of her hand then throwing the bottle
over unto the beach.

Luke shivered beneath her touch as she started to wash him with efficient
and determined strokes but he could not suppress a groan when her hands,
surprisingly soft hands he had to admit, roamed over the expanse of his
chest, the movement almost a caress. His head slumped forward and he
gritted his teeth, when her hands came to rest on the waistband on his
combat trousers.

"Jade ..." he groaned out loud when he felt her stepping even closer
towards him, her wet skin almost clinging to his own as if drawn to it by a
magnet.

"I see the Jedi Boy got pretty excited, huh?" Her voice was like a caress,
husky and with a sexy catch. Skywalker shuddered, when she caressed him
through the material of his trousers, squeezing his erection.

"I ... couldn't help myself, Jade," Luke gasped. Their face close together,
they both basked in the closeness, breaths mingling, lips almost but not
quite touching. "Untie me, Mara," Luke growled when he pushed his hips into
her hands.

The laugh was soft, her breath cooling the heated skin on his face, as he
felt her thumbs hooking into the belt loops of his trousers and yanking him
closer.

"Why should I do that?" she asked in a husky whisper, her tongue flicking
out and licking over the corners of his mouth. A growl rose in his throat,
as he brought his head closer to her and sucked on her tongue.

"Because I could give you a good time," Luke replied while he caught her
bottom lips between his teeth. Did I just say that? he thought but
quickly dismissed the emotion. He groaned into her mouth when he felt her
tugging at his pants, freeing his painful erection from the confines of his
trousers.

Her hands were squeezing him, stroking and caressing him in the age old
rhythm of lovemaking and Luke strained against the tight ropes that still
kept his hands securely in place above his head.

"Mara, come on..." he urged her. "Free my hands!"

"So you can take over? I don't think so, Jedi," Mara breathed and stepped
away from him. Luke groaned in frustration but his breath caught in his
throat when he noticed her wiggling out of her panties. Soon, the black
garment floated on the water away from the struggling couple.

One slender leg wrapped around his waist, while she used her hands on his
shoulders to push herself up. He tilted his hips, seeking the warm, wet
place between her thighs and when they joined both groaned. Luke gritted
his teeth, without his arms to hoist her up all he could do was just lean
back, while Jade rode him. But he could feel that she wasn't satisfied
about their mating as well.

Suddenly, something metallic glinted between her fingers and Luke wondered
fleetingly where she had taken the vibroblade from. Then his arms were
released all of a sudden and he brought them around her, his still tied
hands pulling her towards him. Now they both had the leverage they needed
and both groaned when he slid even deeper into her.

"Yes," Mara whispered. "Yes, Luke ..."

"Oh Mara, you are wonderful ... I ..." Luke groaned and pistoned into her
again. He pulled her close and whirled around, her back against the surface
of the boulder now.

"Yes, Luke, call me what you want, I love you," a voice said and in Luke's
befuddled brain something snapped. There was no water surrounding them
anymore and they laid sprawled across a soft bed. When he looked up, Mara's
face had been replaced by Callista's.

"NO!" Skywalker gasped and tried to get away from the woman who had hurt
him more than any one alive or dead in the galaxy.

"Luke, don't you stop!" Callista growled and tried to keep him back. Luke
lay sprawled on his bed in his quarters on Yavin, panting heavily. "I will
pretend to be anyone, even that bitch Mara who you are so fond of, but
don't stop now, I was so close."

Luke stared at the woman with terrified eyes. He couldn't - wouldn't -
sleep with Callista. He just couldn't bring himself to use his former
pupil's body like this. Of course, Cray was dead and Callista now had her
body, but he felt as if he was desecrating the memory of Cray Mingla.

"Callista ... get out of my room," Luke said, forcing big gulps of air into
his lungs. How did I get into this situation? How could I just let
myself into this? he asked himself.

"Oh you dung-head, always the conscientious Jedi Master, are you?" Callista
snarled, her grey eyes spitting cold fire.

"Call ... you have to understand," Luke started but hesitated, when
Callista stood up, standing proudly naked in front of him.

"You will pay for this, Skywalker. I did not take the risk of killing
myself while taking over Cray's body just to live a life devoid of sex. You
say you love me? Now show it to me!"

She jumped him and Luke had trouble warding off her blows. He could feel
the dark side of the Force swirling around her, feeding her additional
strength in her anger, as she tried to overcome him, intend on getting what
she wanted.

"NO! Callista, anger is of the dark side!" Luke yelled.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
+++++
Mara woke up with a start and a shudder ran down her spine. The dream she
had been dreaming had been similar to the one she had had on Myrkr but the
feeling of despair and shock that had yanked her out of her dream-state was
so strong, she almost felt the pain as it were her own.

"Luke!" she gasped and without bothering to put any clothes on, she grabbed
her lightsaber out of training and ran towards the Jedi Master's bedroom.

Skywalker was trashing in his bed, his mind still in the clutches of the
nightmare he was experiencing and after Mara had made sure that there
weren't any physical attackers, she rushed over to the bed and stilled his
trashing arms and legs.

"Luke, it is okay," she soothed him while she tried to catch his arms that
were fending off an invisible attacker. "Luke!"

"No, Callista, don't do this ... "

Mara bit her lip when she heard the name. Of course it has to do with
that woman! she thought and straddled the Jedi Master to subdue him more.

"Luke, wake up ... you are dreaming ..." she said and kept his arms in a
strong hold while she tried to keep her perch on the still resisting Jedi
Master.

"Go away, Callista, don't do this!" Luke gasped and for a moment Mara was
caught off guard and Luke managed to throw her off him. With a loud thud
she fell onto the floor.

She must have sent her shock through the Force because suddenly, Luke sat
up in bed, his eyes wide open. Cautiously, Jade drew herself to her knees,
her senses fully alert.

"Luke?" she asked, eyeing him closely.

"Ja-jade?" Luke blinked several times than he slumped back onto the pillow.
"Oh Gods!"

Mara cautiously stood up and approached the bed again. She could feel the
feeling of despair and shame welling up in the Jedi Master and she quickly
joined him on the bed, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You had a bad dream, Luke," she explained softly, unconsciously drawing
circles on his naked shoulder. "I felt your shock through the Force and
came here."

Luke had held his breath ever since he had realised that Mara Jade was with
him in his bedroom. Have I tried anything? he thought. Was it
real?

But when he heard Mara's explanation, he let out his breath and turned to
face her. "Did ... did I hurt you?" he asked and Mara had to smile at that.

"I could return the question; Farmboy, you are pretty shaken," Mara replied
and drew her legs beneath her. "And no you didn't hurt me."

Luke returned her grin shakily and sat up. His legs were tangled in the
sheets and when he tried to straighten it out, he realised that he had been
too tired to bother with sleeping pants and he was sleeping as always ...
in the nude.

Oh-uh, if Mara notices I'm in deep trouble, he thought and for the
first time noticed how Mara was dressed. He recognised the camisole
immediately and a blush crept up his cheeks.
The lacy material covered all the important parts of her anatomy but in a
very sexy and erotic way, a lot of things were left to his imagination and
yet with the memory of his recent dream he had a pretty sure feeling of how
Mara looked like.

"Want to talk about it?" Mara's question took him out of his reverie and he
looked at her questioningly. "You mentioned Callista in your dream."

"It was just a bad dream, Jade ..." he answered lamely, trying to hide his
discomfort and also the memory of the Myrkr part of his dream.

"The more you should talk about it, then, Skywalker," Mara said and stood
up. "Freshen up and I make us some caf."

Luke was relieved and he nodded. "Okay, but could you make some hot
chocolate instead?"

"Sure, Farmboy," Mara said and left his bedroom.

------------------
Feedback highly appreciated :)

Una

Hi All,

here is the next chapter of Changes :)

Una
----------------------
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of 'Star Wars' depicted in
this story are legal property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd. and
Timothy Zahn, and have been used without permission. No copyright
infringement intended.

Summary: AU!!! FOr the correct timeline please check www.different-
worlds.net (AU Series).
Set after The Last Command and the *Callista incident*, Mara visits
Coruscant, but because of a senate's meeting, all the hotels and
guest rooms are full. Luke, recovering from a recent mission he and
Mara had been on, invites her to stay at his apartment in the spare
room. This fic is just to show how much their trust and friendship
grows and lead up to the events of Cold Equation and Collateral
Damage.

Rating: PG

Kudos to Sherry for beta reading :) Thank you, my friend!

-------------------
Changes

Chapter Four - Excruciations

Leia groaned and her eyes snapped open. The feeling of despair and
pure fear that had washed over her minutes ago still lingered in her
mind and she shuddered. She groped for the nightstand by the bed and
then remembered the little trick her bother had taught her so she
concentrated and the light in the bedroom came on in a very low
setting.

Rubbing her eyes, she could feel a headache coming on and decided to
get a fresh breath of air on the balcony. Moving carefully out of
bed, Leia smiled when she heard the soft snore coming from her
husband.

She did not bother to take her robe as she padded barefooted into the
kitchen unit and got herself a glass of water. The feelings of pain
and despair still lingered in her mind and she knew it had come from
Luke.

Leia checked the chrono on the far wall of the kitchen and she knew
it was late, perhaps too late to check on Luke but on the other hand
if he needed her help she would be there. Additionally, if he had
already fallen asleep again, she didn't want to disturb him.

Making a decision she set the empty glass onto the counter and walked
through her living quarters, grabbing a cloak on her way to the door.
----------------------
Luke waited till Mara had exited his bedroom, then he made a mad dash
for his fresher. Once inside he rummaged through a small drawer and
found some work out pants which he put on immediately. Relieved, he
leant against the counter, splashing his face with water.

He was still shaken from the dream and he raked his brain why a dream
as exciting and forbidden as this had turned out so badly. And why
did he dream about Mara and him on Myrkr?

Shaking his head he tried to make sense. And why Mara and Callista?
 he asked himself and watched his reflection in the mirror. Am
I afraid that Mara will leave me just like Callista? But we are
friends, we have known each other for more than seven years now. We
have been through a lot ... He frowned at that. So why this
dream now? And Callista? Had she been jealous of his and Mara's
friendship? And had Mara known that?

Shaking his head as if to clear his muddled thoughts he slumped down
on the floor and cradled his head in his hands.

He groped his mind for the last time that Mara had been on Yavin.
Callista had been there and he had been happy to see his best friend
again. Ever since the Eye of Palpatine, she had made excuses
when he had asked her to visit him and Call. But then there was the
birthday of the twins and Jaina and Jacen had insisted on celebrating
it on Yavin with their family and friends and Mara had been invited.

Thinking back to the time, he immersed himself deeply into the Force
and soon the events of those two days replayed before his mind's eye.
----------------------
Luke grinned when he saw the repulsors of the Jade's Fire
preparing to land and as soon as the sleek craft had settled on the
landing pad, he left Callista's site and rushed forward.

He felt excited. It had been far too long that he had seen Mara,
since the events on the Eye. He had been badly beaten up and
when he had come out of the healing trance he had learned that Mara
had already left. It had hurt at that time, not too sure why he had
felt so strongly about Mara where he had Callista now.

Mara Jade walked down the ramp and squinted in the glaring sun. She
had spotted the body snatcher and Skywalker and for a moment a wave
of regret washed over her.

"Mara," Luke waved and came up to her. "Glad you could make it."

The woman smirked at the evident excitement and joy that was
reverberating from the Jedi through the Force.

"Yeah, well, the twins contacted me three times in the last forty
eight standard hours to remind me. You cannot resist Force strong
children."

"Yes, Jaina and Jacen asked about their Aunt Mara twice
today," Luke ribbed her and smiled when he felt Mara's mental groan
at the title.

"They are waiting. Come on," Luke urged her and they walked side by
side towards the woman waiting for them. Mara watched Callista and
even if the woman could not touch the Force, Mara could pick up
easily on her emotions as they were tinged with jealousy, fear of
loss.

Or are they my own? Mara queried herself silently. Perhaps she
herself felt jealous though she did not know where that should be
coming from.

"Welcome to Yavin, Master Trader Jade," Callista greeted Mara and
extended her hand. Jade, not too comfortable when touching even her
closest friends at the best of times ignored the hand of greeting and
nodded.

"Callista," Jade said and shot the woman in front of her a
scrutinising look. She had known Cray Mingla only for a short time
but to see her now, gave her a start. Outwardly, she looked like
Mingla but there was something about the woman - the essence of what
had been Cray was missing, and Mara wasn't too sure she liked what
she felt.

Luke felt the troubled emotions coming from Mara and he frowned
slightly. There was a mixture of suspicion and care about her but
without probing deeper, he could not discern which.

They walked towards the temple, an icy silence between his lover and
his best friend and for the first time since he had embraced the idea
of celebrating the twins' birthdays with all of his family and
friends, he was not too sure if this idea was so brilliant.

I have to watch Mara, I don't want to unleash whatever is bugging
her on Callista, the reminded himself as they proceeded into the
quarters of the fledgling Jedi Academy.
----------------------
Luke's eyes snapped open and he exhaled softly. The memory of that
day two years ago had shaken him to his deepest roots.

"Fool," he chided himself softly. At that time he had thought that
Mara had been jealous. He had even thought that she might have
feelings for him. "Of course, that was not true ... but perhaps Mara
already sensed that Callista would leave me."

Hanging his head, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. Why did those
memories have to creep up into my mind now? What use was there to
them? he asked himself.

When he felt like facing Mara again, he sent forth a tendril of the
Force and located her in the kitchen. Luckily for him, her mind was
relaxed, only a small streak of concern showing over his nightmare
but otherwise, she felt calm.

Luke exhaled softly and squeezed his eyes shut. He was glad that she
did not feel too agitated. He knew that she had nightmares as well,
and even more haunting than the one he had experienced just now. But
what disturbed him was that the nightmare had started with something
very familiar. A dream that had started to haunt him ever since Myrkr
and had returned every now and then.

Shaking his head, Skywalker squeezed his eyes shut. This has to
stop, he told himself sternly. If Mara ever finds out I have
erotic dreams about her, she'll see to it that I never venture into
erotic territory again, dead or alive.

But try as he might, he could not shake the images that had haunted
him for more than seven years now and recent events, especially
Mara's almost non-existent sleeping attire, did not help much to find
his calm again.

"A Jedi knows no passion," he muttered softly for the second time
this day and he had to grin. I have been far too long without a
woman, I'm overreacting, that's all, he admonished himself and
for a short time he considered taking Lando up on his offer as the
Ex-Baron had once invited him to a trip to one of the more notorious
night clubs on Coruscant.

"Probably not such a bad idea, Farmboy," he murmured to himself.
Bracing himself, he walked back into the bedroom where he was greeted
by the warm, rich aroma of hot chocolate.

Mara had moved one of the high-backed chairs beside his bed and was
waiting patiently. Luke groaned inwardly when he noticed she had not
bothered to change. Shapely legs were stretched out and propped up on
the edge of his bed while the flimsy grey material of the camisole
was hugging her breasts and the rest of the body.

Slipping into his bed he put several pillows against the headboard
and propped himself up before he took the offered cup from her.

"I hope I prepared it right," Mara's voice seemed so unnatural in the
otherwise quiet room.

"Did you use my recipe?" Luke asked and grinned when Mara rolled her
eyes.

"Yes, three spoonfuls of chocolate powder to one cup, it's easy ...
even for me," Mara replied with a smirk and watched as Luke took a
tentative sip. His face lit up and Mara knew she had used the right
mixture of choc and milk.

She gave him a few more standard minutes to settle in, and she in
turn needed the time to sort through some of the questions that
burned in the back of her mind.

"So want to talk about the dream?" Mara asked, trying not to look too
eager.

Luke stared at her, debating with himself if he should tell her what
he had dreamt. No one knew just how his and Callista's relationship
had deteriorated before she vanished without a trace. Of course, he
had loved her but somehow he had kept Callista at a distance. He had
known Cray and try as he might he was always reminded of a living
corpse.

It is embarrassing, Luke thought. I had everything, a woman
who loved me as much as I loved her and yet ... he shook his head
and looked up, meeting Mara Jade's curious gaze.

"I'd rather not, Jade, sorry," he replied and watched the brief flash
of hurt crossing her face.

"I see," Mara murmured and stared down into her cup of hot chocolate.
Luke groaned inwardly, and moved forward. He grasped her hand and
squeezed it lightly.

"You have to understand, Jade, it's rather private. Nothing I'm
really proud of."

Mara mused about his answer. Outwardly it sounded feasible, but deep
down inside her she knew he was lying, and that feeling hurt.

Doesn't he trust me enough to share his nightmares with him? Why
can't he reciprocate? she thought bitterly and thought back about
a time when he had helped her through one of her more harrowing
nightmares, those that concerned her family and how she became the
Emperor's Hand. She had shared her dreams with him, hesitant at
first, yes, but after a while she had told him about the nightmares
she experienced in every gory and awful detail.

Silently shaking herself, she tried to focus back on the Jedi Master
in front of her. Perhaps he thinks Callista is too private even
for his best friend to know. Perhaps he thinks I would desecrate her
memory, the thought came quick and unbidden and even though she
tried to suppress it, her anger flared up, at Skywalker, at Callista,
and at herself.

"What I don't understand, is that you are still mourning her. She
left you, Skywalker, and that you are still having nightmares of her
leaving you is ridiculous," Mara snapped impatiently before she could
stop herself. Anger is better than this pain!

They stared at each other and for a moment Luke was tempted to tell
her the truth. But it was too painful to relive the event shortly
before Callista had left him. He was not proud of it and the
attempted rape was still too painful and too embarrassing to admit.
 I better let her believe I still love Callista, he thought
and nodded.

"I'm sorry, Jade, but I love her ... her leaving me still hurts."

Luke did not see the flash of anger and regret in Mara's eyes as she
stood up.

"Well, two years is a long time, but who am I to tell you what to
think or feel," Mara said through clenched teeth and with a
frustrated sigh, she turned away from him.

Who am I indeed? she asked herself, while she started to push
the chair into its original position. I kept my distance when
Callista turned up in his life, I don't know what happened.

You don't know because you couldn't bear to see them happy
together, a little voice nagged in the back of her mind. You
couldn't bear to see Luke happy with another woman!

Closing her eyes, Mara tried to shut out the little voice, ignoring
the Jedi Master who was still sitting on his bed behind her. She was
angry at herself and for a moment she gave the chair an angry shove
when it didn't budge.

"Jade," Mara jumped when she heard his voice right behind her. She
whirled around and almost collided with Skywalker. She had not heard
him move from the bed and she gritted her teeth.

"I understand, Skywalker, you still love her and have nightmares
about her leaving you. Who am I to understand that?!"

Luke frowned at that. He didn't want to argue. He remembered a
similar argument with her two years prior. The very argument that had
ripped them apart, and they were still trying to overcome that gap,
tried to be friends again.

"Don't belittle yourself, Jade," Luke said and tried to sent her some
soothing thoughts, but Mara Jade didn't want to have any of it.

"Your words, not mine, Jedi!" she snapped and averted her face when
she could not bear the intense, searching stare of the Jedi Master.
Both knew exactly what she was referring to but both were too afraid
to go there. They were both not proud of the last time they had
argued over Callista...
----------------------
Mara just stared at the Jedi Master and snorted. The light coming
through the windows had visibly darkened and she knew just like the
gathering thunderstorm outside, she was about to snap as well.

Seeing that body snatcher Callista fawning all over her Jedi
Master Skywalker, as Callista referred to Luke, had made her
sick and when Callista had had that little girl's talk with
her, Mara's patience had worn down to non-existent. She had even
snapped at Jaina when she had asked to visit the Fire.

"Do you really, honestly, think she loves you?" Mara asked and when
she saw Luke's face contorted with anger, she briefly considered
stepping down ... but this was too important she had to make him see,
make him understand what kind of a woman Callista really was.

"Have you never asked yourself how Cray's family feels about this?
Have you turned a blind eye on the distress of that family? How would
you feel if your daughter, sister and child would be alive but not
really your kin? Callista did a very abominable thing, she snatched a
body that is not rightfully her own ... and for what?"

"She loves me and I love her," Luke answered through clenched teeth.

"Callista doesn't love you, Farmboy. She doesn't know what love is
otherwise she wouldn't have snatched that dead body of Cray's,
hurting innumerous people by doing so," Mara growled.
"Callista is in love with the image of the great almighty Jedi
Master, she doesn't love you. If she really loves you, don't you
think she would have let you go? But no, instead she snatched a body,
that didn't belong to her and stays with you. She's old enough to be
your mother for Sith' sake! Not even the Emperor was that ruthless!"

"MARA!" Skywalker hissed and stepped closer to her. "One more word
and I promise you'll regret it."

"What? Are you threatening me, Jedi Master?" Mara
snorted. "The truth hurts, Skywalker, and deep down inside yourself
you know that I'm right. You know that it was wrong to take Cray's
body and that Callista doesn't love you."

"What do you know about love, Mara? Isn't it ironic coming from you?
You who doesn't know love?" he taunted and Mara flinched at his words.

Suppressing her anger, she stepped closer to him, their bodies almost
touching each other.

"I might not know love, but I can see if people hurt others or not,"
Mara snarled and her face was only inches away from his. "Count
yourself lucky, Skywalker, that I don't want to hurt you. I have
easily killed for less!"

"And we both know how hard it is for you to kill me, right, Jade?!"

Afterwards, Luke didn't know what had hit him, though he had a pretty
accurate guess that his face had met with Mara's elbow.

"Sithspit, Jade, you broke my nose!" he whined and watched Jade who
was standing above him.

"Be grateful it is only your nose and not your neck, Jedi!" Mara
opened the door only to be faced with Han and Leia. When Leia saw her
bleeding brother she brushed past Mara and rushed up to Luke. Han's
gaze wandered from Mara to Luke and back to Mara and with an raised
eyebrow he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You don't want to know, Solo!" Mara replied to his unvoiced question
and without a final look she walked out of the academy's building,
out of Skywalker's life.
----------------------
Luke stared at Mara, knowing full well she was thinking about that
day 2 years ago and he regretted that they had never talked about
that time, talked it through like normal best friends would. After
their quarrel Mara had left in a hurry, not even inquiring in the
slightest if she had indeed broken his nose or not. She had just
taken off and it had been over a year before she had turned up in a
secret surgery room with Lando at her side.

During their escape, they had not acknowledged their need to talk and
after their return to Coruscant, he had been too out of the game as
to confront her about what happened. By the time he had come out of
the bacta tank, Mara Jade had taken off again ... with Lando.

He still recalled the twinge of regret and anger he had experienced
when Han had told him. It had been a slip of the tongue, nothing
more, but it had hurt. Mara and Lando. Despite his valiant tries to
persuade himself that they matched perfectly, both ex-smugglers and
with a contact or two to the Empire, his heart had screamed at the
thought of them together. Lando and his Mara ...

Skywalker frowned at that ... He still could not bring himself to ask
her if the rumours were true, if she indeed was or still had any
intimate relations with the Ex-Baron, even if she pretended to hate
him.

Mara was caught in a similar line of thinking. She still hurt from
that last quarrel with Luke on Yavin Four. She had felt embarrassment
and shame that she had physically struck out at him. But she knew
that he had gone too far, this time the urge to actually kill him had
been overwhelming and only her steely grip on her emotions had
prevented her to pull her blaster from its holster and kill the Jedi
Master in cold blood.

She shook her head slightly, the wild mass of red-gold curls moving
around her head and shoulders like a living being. Let bygones be
bygones, she thought and her head snapped up when she heard
Luke's voice clearly inside her mind.

*Why? We never talked about it, and we have to, otherwise it will
always pose an obstacle in our friendship!*

"I don't think so, Skywalker," Mara snapped and rubbed her eyes
tiredly. "Look, I knew it was a bad idea staying with you here, and I
really appreciate the offer, but I think it might be better if I
return to the Fire," she raised her chin up and straightened
visibly. "I didn't come here to argue with you, let alone fight with
you. Your nightmares about Callista are no concern of mine, they are
yours, and yours alone. Forget that I ever asked, but I thought that
after you helped me through with one of my own I'd repay that debt."

Luke gawked at her. Her signature in the Force had changed
considerably. Only a few minutes ago, there had been defiance, even
anger in her signature, but all he could sense now was a dulling
feeling of tiredness and ...

Pain? he asked himself. Feeling at a loss, he cast his eyes
down. I should have told her the truth, he reminded himself,
But no, you had to put on your Jedi mask!

"I'm sorry, Mara," he whispered almost inaudibly, but Mara had heard
him nevertheless. He was the perfect image of someone trying to put
himself at the mercy of his attacker and that really riled her up.

"Oh for Sith' sake, Skywalker, don't grovel!" she snapped through
clenched teeth. "Your life is private just as mine. No excuses needed
that you protect what you hold dear against strangers."

"But we are no strangers, are we, Jade?" Luke snapped back. "We are
more than strangers! Well, at least I think we are!"

Mara stared at him. She knew he was right, but she could not bring
herself to admit it. The evening spent with Skywalker had reminded
her that her life was devoid of laughter and companionship. True, she
had friends and business partners, like Talon Karrde and others, even
the Jedi Master was her best friend, but she wanted more. And those
two were not able to give her that. Karrde had been her boss for so
long that she felt gratitude for him and a sense of respect, but to
think of him as more than a friend was out of the question and
Luke ...

She mentally wagged a finger at herself. Luke Skywalker is still
in love with another woman, probably always will and I think more of
myself than to settle for second best. Besides, he is Jedi. Jedi and
Ex-Imps don't mingle well, she told herself sternly but frowned
when she thought about it. Why do I even consider Skywalker? I'm
certainly not interested!

But why did you have those dreams of him on Myrkr? A voice in
the back of her mind whispered back.

She did not know.

"Skywalker, we are friends, but not as much as we might have
thought," Mara started, almost hesitant. "We are a good team when on
missions, but look at us ... this is the first time we had any down
time together and we are at each other's throats most of the time."

"Well it's not my fault," Luke started but a deadly glare from Mara
Jade made him stop.

"That could be questioned, Skywalker. But anyway, I better go. Thanks
for the shower and the bed," Mara answered and turned.

Luke's stupor only lasted for a few seconds before he hurried after
her. He caught her forearm and whirled her around.

"Is that all? Thanks for sharing but I have to go?" Luke growled and
shook her slightly, his fingers digging into the soft skin of her
naked arms.

Mara's defensive mechanism went into overload and her instincts took
over. She twisted her arms, blocking Luke's increasing grip and she
tried to shove him away, but the Jedi Master had thought she might do
such a trick and held on to her as if his dear life depended on it.

They struggled with each other, both knowing where to find an opening
in the other's defenses and soon the struggle had grown into a full-
blown fight, with kicks and hits that would have inflicted severe
wounds if the two participants had not had Jedi reflexes.
----------------------------------------------
Mara felt a strange emotion coming from Luke through their Force bond
and she whirled around to face whatever he was staring at. What she
had not noticed was that Luke still held on to her flimsy camisole
and the noise of tearing fabric was overly loud in the silence of the
room.

Luke groaned when three things hit his senses at the same time:
first, Mara's full body length pressed against his tall frame;
second, the hand that had held on to the flimsy material earlier was
now cupping an antagonizingly female and very naked breast. And
third, Leia standing in the doorway, not too far away from them with
a frown on her face.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything?!" Leia's voice was clear and
hard as durasteel as she watched the struggling couple with squinting
eyes.

"LEIA!" both Jedi gasped and the Jedi Master blushed furiously and
lowered his lids, while Mara struggled to recover some dignity by
hooking the rest of her torn sleeping attire over her exposed breasts.

"Sithspit, Skywalker, let go of me!" Mara growled when his hand still
held on to her, pinning her effectively against the Jedi Master's
body.

Luke tried to focus, he really did, but the sensation deriving from
Mara's more than half-clad body, shot through him like one of
Palpatine's Force lighting bolts. And with the recently experienced
first half of his dream still fogging up part of his brain, he was
more than reluctant to let go of her.

Leia waited and watched her brother with an incredulous stare. She
felt embarrassed to have obviously walked into a love spat between
her twin brother and Mara Jade and wondered where that feeling of
pain and despair had been coming from earlier.

Well, well, well, little brother, you have a lot of explaining to
do, she thought as she waited.
-----------------------------------

Hi All,

yep .. changes is finished ... there is the last chapter :)

Disclaimer: The characters and situations of 'Star Wars' depicted in
this story are legal property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd. and
Timothy Zahn, and have been used without permission. No copyright
infringement intended.

Summary: After Leia has barged into a very awkward situation, Mara
and Luke have to face some truths.

Rating: G

And many many thanks go to Sherry. Thank you for being such a good
understanding friend. {{{{{{{{{{Sherry}}}}}}}}}}

Okay on with the story ...

Chapter Five - Peace

Mara stopped struggling after her initial shock had worn off.
Struggling only helped to grind herself into the embrace of the Jedi
Master and his burning hand that still cupped her left breast.
Swearing beneath her breath, she felt herself going rigid, staring at
Leia, Senator of the New Republic and a very angry twin sister to the
man who was still holding her to himself rather intimately.

But what surprised and shocked her even more was the tingling
sensation racing through her and a soft glowing light exchanging
between them. The touch of the Force was not discomforting but in the
given circumstances, it was uncalled for.

"Let go," she managed to demand softly, only for Skywalker to hear
and to her utmost surprise, he immediately let go of her. Mara
slumped forward but out of training she caught herself.

Two hands gripped her shoulders and when she looked over her
shoulder, she met the wondrous stare of the Jedi Master.

*You felt it too?* she heard Luke's voice inside her mind and
she gave him a curt nod. Gathering as much of her torn garment as she
could, she flashed Leia a haughty smirk and turned toward the first
door she saw. Unfortunately, it was Luke's bedroom and when Mara
noticed she cursed beneath her breath.

"Sithspit," Mara growled and leaning against the closed door, she
quickly scanned the room.
Seeing Luke's earlier discarded tunic, she quickly made her way over
and shoved her arms into the tunic that covered her from her neck
down to mid thigh.

She extended her Force sense towards the two persons outside the room
and Mara gasped when she felt the barely contained laughter coming
from Luke.

"I'll be Kesseled," Mara muttered annoyed. "This is not funny,
Skywalker!" She extended her senses more and when she was sure she
had a strong hold on her emotions she ribbed the Jedi Master hard
through the Force.
+++++
As soon as Mara had made her exit, Leia had lashed out at her brother.

"You and Mara Jade?" Leia said and shook her head. "I thought you
were more sensible than that!"

"Leia, you are jumping to conclusions. Mara is staying here as a
guest," Luke replied and hid a smirk after he had noticed that Mara
had turned towards his room instead of her own. After all, Leia was
right, it looked like Mara and himself were an item.

"Oh do I?" Leia asked and crossed her arms over her chest. "She just
vanished behind your bedroom door, so don't take me for a ride in the
Falcon, brother mine."

Luke's anger had worn off and was now replaced by an uncontrollable
urge to laugh. He had to admit that the whole situation was extremely
funny and hysterical. He tried to hide the smirk and almost toppled
over when he felt the not too gentle ribbing through the Force.

*Jade!* he sent her and felt her snort.

"Luke, was is it?" Leia asked alerted, when she saw her brother
flinching.

"It's okay, Leia," Luke breathed and straightened. "It's what I
deserved."

He held up his hand and motioned Leia over to his couch where he
seated himself opposite her. "Go on Leia, you can cross-examine me,
but know that Mara and I are just friends."

"I won't cross-examine you ... I ..." Leia's anger fell flat when she
remembered the despair coming from him earlier. "I just feared you
had made another mistake ..."

The twins' gaze locked with each other and Luke knew what his sister
was referring to .. that he had made another mistake like the one
with Callista.

"Don't be silly, sis, I have learnt my lesson," Luke whispered softly
and broke the connection. "I had a nightmare and Mara woke me up. We
then talked and we got into an argument," he broke off when he heard
the soft thud of his bedroom door and a whirl of red-gold and black
appeared in the corridor leading to the spare guestroom.

"Mara," Luke called out, sending forth a tendril of the Force, but
Mara's barriers were slammed tight against him. What he could feel
was that she tried to ignore him deliberately. When he had seen Leia,
he had come to a decision. He would tell her about Callista, the
complete shabby truth that only Leia and Han knew about. When Mara
was about to return to the spare room, Luke stood up without even
noticing it and willing her to turn around, he used the Force.

"Skywalker, you use the Force one more time on me and I kill you for
good, and I don't care if your sister and the whole NRI come after
me!" Mara was all sparks and spittle. She hated scenes, especially
in public and she considered Leia Organa-Solo public, even if she was
the twin sister of her best friend.

"I'm sorry, Mara, but you won't listen to reason if I'd ask you to
join us," Luke said, not a hint of regret in his voice. "Now that I
have your undivided attention would you please join us? Leia won't
bite."

He flashed his sister a smile and for a moment, Leia got the fleeting
feeling that he actually enjoyed baiting Mara. She just wasn't sure
if it was such a good idea, given the circumstances. Earlier she had
seen that there was no way Mara was wearing any concealed weapons,
but she had been sure to have seen Luke's old lightsaber in her hand.

"Luke," Leia uttered warningly and turned when she heard the snort
coming from the fiery redhead. But to Leia's surprise, Mara came over
to them and seated herself in the only other unoccupied chair, her
arms crossed in front of her chest as if to say dare me.

"So what now?" Mara challenged. "Do you want to hear that Skywalker
and I had hot, wild sex, before you barged in unannounced, Madame
Senator?!" Only Mara could give the honorary title a decidedly
nasty ring to it.

Both twins gasped and Luke's head snapped into Mara's direction. For
a long moment their eyes locked and the tension between them was
palpable.

*There is no need to get nasty, Mara!* Luke admonished her.
*Leia knows nothing has happened, riling her up again does not do
us any good ...*

*Us?*, Mara shot back. *There is no US, you better get on
with whatever you want to say so I can leave!*

Leia heard Luke's sigh of exasperation and she hefted expectant brown
eyes onto her brother, she felt his intention before she could had
even reached out with the Force towards him and with a gasp, she
blurted out. "No, Luke!"

Luke Skywalker smiled sadly at his sister and shook his head. "It is
time, I have to let some more people know why I have those
nightmares ..."

Mara Jade watched the exchange between the twins and she had the
nagging feeling that this was something important and that she would
probably be let into some dire Skywalker secret.

I don't want to be part of this, Mara thought and prepared to
get to her feet, the minute she heard anything she had no business to
hear. Skywalker made it quite clear, we are all private persons
and some things should stay private!

"Skywalker, look," Mara started and both twins turned toward her.
Jade fidgeted unconsciously and tried to re-establish her cool and
calm demeanour. "What ever the big secret is, I don't want to know.
As you said, Callista is private and it is none of my business. You
had a nightmare, you woke up, end of story," she pushed herself to
her feet and straightened. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a long
day tomorrow and I need to get a bit of sleep on the Fire."

"Mara, this is important, so please stay."

If she had not known better that Skywalker wasn't foolish enough to
use a Force trick on her, she could have sworn that her reaction to
his soft plea would stem from just that .. a Force trick. But
curiosity had always gotten the better of her, ever since her
childhood days, and even with the Emperor trying to quench this
little streak of her character, she had to concede that she wanted to
know what this was all about. With a sigh, she nodded her consent and
sat back down again.

"This better be important, Jedi," she growled but even to her own
ears it sounded not at all threatening.

Luke sat back and watched the two women in front of him. He should
have come clean about all of this a long time ago, but somehow it had
never been the right time.

"Mara, you asked me about Callista ..." Luke began, shifting
uncomfortably in his seat. "Remember the day when you came to Yavin
IV and we had that argument over her?"

Mara shook her head. Not about that time, she pleaded with
herself and tried to shut out the pain that was trying to overwhelm
her.

"Skywalker, it wasn't an argument, we had a full blown fight over
Callista, and I remember breaking your nose. You don't want to warm
up old stories, do you?" Jade asked with a heavy sigh and she looked
up, first at Luke and then at his sister. "Look, I'm sorry, for what
I said and did back then, it wasn't my business then and it isn't my
business now. I overreacted, and that's it. Perhaps I should have
apologised a long time ago, but better late than never."

Leia was astounded. She had never seen or heard Mara Jade apologising
for anything and that had to be the first. She still remembered
clearly the blood gushing from Luke's broken nose, and for a moment
she had feared Mara Jade had at last fulfilled her threats and killed
Luke. Only later she had found out from Jaina that she had felt them
arguing over Callista and that she too felt the way Mara Jade did ...
what exactly she felt and thought, Jaina never told her though.

Now this could be very interesting Leia thought and bent
slightly forward.

Mara felt as if she had been put up on the spot and the hairs at the
small of her neck raised in silent warning.

"Mara, no need to apologise for something I found out the hard way
later on," Luke surprised both women by saying. "You were dead right
about Callista, she only loved ... the Jedi Master and the power that
comes with such a title..." Squeezing his eyes shut, he gathered his
thoughts. "Callista and I ... never had ... a close relationship and
after you had clobbered some sense into me I knew why I had felt
apprehensions not to have deepened our commitment toward each
other..."

"Luke ..." Mara said but a raised hand from Skywalker let her
hesitate.

"No, Mara. You need to know the truth, you deserve as much, my
friend," Luke said and his blue eyed stare almost pinned her to the
spot. "Callista and I never ...," he stopped when he felt a furious
blush heating up his cheeks. "We never ..."

Mara had heard enough for her own good. She shook her head and rose
to her feet again, this time ignoring both Luke's pleading look and
Leia's outstretched hands.

"It's none of my business Luke, I don't want to hear it. I'm sorry,
that my words had caused a rift between you and Callista's
relationship, I never thought my words would actually change
anything." Rubbing her eyes furiously, Mara willed herself to remain
calm.

Battling between her curiosity and the urge to flee this situation,
she shook herself mentally. I have to get out of here! she
told herself, some deep fear growing in the pit of her stomach.
Ignoring the two twins, she made her way determinedly to the spare
room.
+++++
Leia just stared after her. Even with her not too fully fledged Jedi
senses, the Senator had picked up the tell-tale signs of stress
coming from Mara Jade.

But why? she asked herself. I never had her pegged as the
apologising or regretting type and now she not only apologised to
Luke, she regretted ever talking to him about Callista.

Looking up she met Luke's intent gaze and for a moment she focused
her mind on him but the barriers he kept so tightly around himself
were up stronger than ever.

"Luke, what happened?" Leia asked softly, not only asking about the
time when Mara had decked him but also referring to tonight.

Luke shrugged his shoulders, the light playing on his skin and for a
moment he raked his hands through his hair that was already too long
to befit a Jedi Master.

"Leia, I don't know," he answered slowly, and raised tired eyes to
his twin. "I guess Mara and I are not made for vacation ... well not
spending it with each other. We always end up arguing."

"I'm sorry, Luke," Leia whispered softly and Skywalker grinned.
Reaching over, he squeezed her hand for a short moment.

"It's alright, sis, the situation looked strange. It's just
that ... by not telling her what kind of nightmare I had, we got into
a fight," he shook his head. "She is right, you know. I bugged her
about letting me help her with some of the stuff to come clean. I
argued with her ceaselessly before she ever committed herself to me
to show me those nightmares she had since her early childhood days.
She wanted to give back some of the help and I shunned her."

Luke stood up and walked over to the transparisteel windows, unseen
eyes staring out onto the cityscape beyond.

"I enjoyed tonight, we did stuff that all normal friends do and
because of my stubborn pride she is leaving."

Leia watched her brother and for the first time she got a glimpse of
how lonely her twin brother must be. She knew that sharing a Force
bond with each other gave him strength, but from what she had picked
up between him and Mara, even through her weak fledgling Force sense,
their Force bond was even stronger and it seemed, unconsciously, Luke
was craving for such a bond.

But does he know that such a close bond also ensues other more
physical intimacy? she asked herself and stood up. Is he aware
that it could lead to more heartache?

"Perhaps you can talk her into staying, Luke," Leia commented softly
and smiled when Luke whirled around to face her. "She apologised
which was a first for me. So perhaps she surprises you even more with
staying."

Skywalker grinned at his sister and nodded.

"Thanks sis," he said and walked Leia over to the door. After it had
closed he rested his forehead against the cool durasteel and squeezed
his eyes shut. Mental pain, shame and regret washed over him, almost
choking him.
+++++
Mara Jade had quickly changed into her clothes and now she stood in
front of the transparisteel window in the spare room, staring out at
the thousands of lights throughout Coruscant.

She was still angry, at herself and Skywalker. She felt foolish to
believe that she could have helped the Jedi Master and her resolve to
leave was stronger than ever. Turning around, she checked her
carryall again, then with a last all encompassing gaze, she turned
towards the door. Since their latest quarrel, Mara had kept her
barriers closed up but when she entered the living room a wave of
shame and regret hit her unexpectedly.

Cursing underneath her breath, Mara made her way to the exit but came
short when she saw Skywalker leaning against the door.

Luke turned when he felt Mara behind him and leaning against the
door, he crossed his arms over his chest. Both Jedi watched each
other for long moments, until the Jedi Master broke the silence.

"I don't want you to go, Jade." he said softly, almost inaudible and
Mara had to enforce her hearing with her Jedi powers. "I'm sorry."

Jade shook her head when his words sank in. Although she was prepared
to muscle her way out of his apartment, she stood rooted to the spot.

"Don't do this, Skywalker," the Ex-Emperor's Hand said. "You are a
very private person, I am a very private person. We should accept and
respect that and just go on with our lives, with our friendship as it
is."

Luke looked up and pushed himself off the door. All Mara could do was
stare at the Jedi Master as he advanced on her with feline grace.
Still, even in her anger, she had to admit that her best friend meant
more to her than she could have ever imagined possible.
The compassionate side of her, which had been apparently eradicated
by the relentless training the Emperor had inflicted on her, was
still there underneath the layers of her outward cold demeanour.

"Friends talk about what is bugging them. I told you that long ago
when I wanted to help you with your nightmares and I should allow you
to do the same, Mara. You are my friend."

He had stepped closer, their bodies almost touching. "I'm sorry that
I let my pride come between us, but .. you see ... the dream ... it
started out with you and I ...," Luke shook his head and averted his
gaze. "I just felt ashamed to tell you that ...umm.. I dreamt about
you and then it changed to Callista."

Mara was dumbstruck. When she had come here first, she had never
expected to find out so much about the elusive Jedi Master. Of
course, he was her best friend, perhaps the only friend she had, but
they had never crossed the line where they exchanged the more
personal aspects of their lives. Tonight, it had changed and Mara
Jade was not sure if she liked the influence the turn of events had
on their lives, on her life.

She wanted to tell him all that and more but all that her mind could
come up with was, "You dreamt about me?"

She could see that Luke's facial colour increased and when she probed
his mind, his barriers slammed shut immediately.

"Yes, I dreamt about you ... us," Skywalker said in a low voice. "I'm
sorry, Jade, I didn't .. I mean it was unintentional, I guess my mind
just had to deal with so much tonight that ..."

"That what?" Mara snapped. She dumped her travel bag to the ground
and crossed her arms over her chest.

Luke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Better get it over
with, he thought and motioned her towards his sitting area. I
just have to watch my limbs, if she gets angry. And she will get
angry!

He waited till Mara had seated herself on the couch, then he sat down
in front of her on the small table and took her hands. He had always
avoided touching Mara, instinctively feeling her unease at a more
personal touch, but this time it was important to him that she'd
understand.

"I dreamt about Myrkr," Luke started and prepared himself to be
lashed at but when he probed Mara all he could feel was cold
curiosity, so he continued.

"I dreamt about the waterfall .. and what could have
happened," he said slowly, eyeing her suspiciously but to his
surprise she remained calm .. on the surface, but through their bond
he could feel her barriers being tightened. "It wasn't intentional
but I guess our talk on the roof top triggered something that I had
thought not possible .. and then .. then it changed to Callista. I
guess ... what I want to say is .. that I don't want to lose you. We
are friends, best friends, and I don't want you to go away just like
Callista did but deep down I fear that you might, if you knew the
real me."

Mara had been still through his whole confession and although she did
not like to be touched, avoiding handshakes and other signs of
endearment like a Rancor in his pit, she had to admit that his hands
holding hers had a soothing effect on her.

She had to keep from smiling during his little speech as he reminded
her more of a shy farmboy than the all mighty Jedi Master. It was
good to see that Skywalker was only human, she thought and had to
grin to herself. So he dreamt about me, no big deal. Nothing to be
worried about unless ... she frowned mentally to herself.
Unless he has had the same dream I had before I woke up ... but
that is not possible, he still is very much in love with
Callista.

"So you are afraid I would just leave a friend who is in his core
both a stuffy Jedi Master and naive Farmboy?" Mara asked softly,
laughter evident in her voice. When Luke nodded shyly, her lips
twitched into a grin.

"You really should work on that inferiority complex, Skywalker," she
threw him casually and retrieved her hands from his grasp.
Immediately she felt a ripple of regret coming from him so she raised
her right hand and placed it on his naked shoulder to squeeze it
briefly. "Anyone who thinks of you only in these categories should
get their minds examined. You are much more. Even if you are stuffy,
naive and annoying at times, Jedi."

"Thanks Jade," Skywalker said and gave her a lopsided grin. "I'm
sorry, I didn't tell you before, I just ... I guess ..." he fell
silent when she shook her head, the wild mass of her red-golden
tresses swinging softly by the movement.

"It's okay, Skywalker, everyone has those fears ..."

"Even the great Captain Jade?" He ribbed her and he had to grin when
Mara flashed at him out of green eyes.

"Speak only for yourself, Farmboy," she mocked him but stopped when
she heard his stomach growling. "You can't be hungry again, can you?"

Luke looked at her sheepishly then stood up. "Well it is almost dawn,
breakfast time." He held out his hand toward her and Mara reached out
towards it hesitatingly. "Care to join me for breakfast?"

"Sure, but you cook!"

Luke laughed at the fear in her voice. "Of course, I don't want to
have ration bars for breakfast ... ouch!" He rubbed his head where
Mara's knuckle had hit him the second time in twenty four hours.

"That serves you right, Jedi, I know how to cook, I just don't feel
like cooking for myself, that's all."

"If you say so, Jade," Luke shot back and both walked over to the
kitchen.
+++++
After a scrumptious breakfast of Tatooine milk, scrambled yayagou
eggs and the bachon she was so fond of, Mara stretched in her
chair and leant back. Service at the Skywalker hostel was better than
in a first class hotel, though she had tried to avoid those to keep
her credits together. Mostly she stayed at small hostels that were
scattered all over Coruscant.

During breakfast they had bantered and Mara had to admit to herself
that she enjoyed his company. For once he had let his barriers down
and he was a normal human being with her, which she enjoyed more than
the cool mask of the Jedi Master.

One could think he is still the young pup he was during the
Rebellion, she thought as she watched Luke carefully. That is
better than the all powerful Jedi Master he Force disguises himself
in.

"So, you want to look for a hotel room?" she had almost missed the
softly spoken question and she blinked several times, before she
could concentrate on the source of her contemplation.

"Yeah, I just hope that Senate's meeting was cut short and I'm out of
your hair in a couple of hours," Mara replied and pointed her fork
towards his head. "You know you should see a barber or something,
your hair is too long."

Luke mock-groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Not you as well,
Mara. Leia is already after me, because of that. I like it that way,
besides, it isn't as if any high ranking NR officials visit me on
Yavin ..."

"So you are running around unkempt in those jungles of yours?" Jade
shot back and grinned when Luke shot her an exasperated look from
between his fingers.

He just looked like Anakin - cute! it shot through her mind
and she immediately had to reign her thoughts. Now, now, Jade, you
are loosing it.

*You think I'm cute?* she heard Luke's voice in her mind and
for a moment the deeply rooted fear came crashing back to her. Only
the Emperor was able to penetrate her barriers so easily, and it
still made her uneasy that Luke could obviously do the same.

"Stay out of my head, Skywalker!" she snapped and sighed. Rubbing her
temples and slamming up the barriers against him, she stared down on
her plate.

Luke watched her. He still could not understand the bond between
them. It had been already there when she had held a blaster against
the side of his head onboard the Wild Karrde the first time
they had met. It still amazed him that the bond was stronger than
that to his twin sister.

Or to Callista, he added silently.

He could still vividly remember the bond between the beautiful Jedi
and himself back on the Palpatine's Eye, but although it had
been strong it had to be nurtured by a powerful use of the Force to
keep it established. With Mara it just came natural and he knew that
more than once he had unconsciously trespassed her mind. Not
intentionally, never that. Her voice was always so strong in his
mind, that he sometimes could not distinguish between her thoughts
coming to him through the Force and her actually spoken words.

Skywalker frowned at that. He had never heard about such a strong
bond - only what Mara had told him in bits and pieces about her bond
with the Emperor. Perhaps she has a gift to generate and
enforce, he mused silently but immediately discarded the thought.

Such a gift never works two ways and Mara can just as easily pick
up on my thoughts.

The silence between them stretched and groping his mind for something
to say to her, and getting rid of the tension that was slowly
building up between themselves again, Luke blurted out:

"You looked good in my tunic, Jade, better than I do!"

He immediately groaned mentally. Great, I just put my boot in my
mouth again, he told himself and waited with baited breath.

Mara was first stunned then she understood his try of diffusing the
tension and she laughed. It was a good-natured laugh and after a few
moments of hesitation, Luke joined her.

"You know, Farmboy, every time I think I will kick your butt, you
come up with such a statement. You'll be the death of me one day,"
Mara breathed and wiped her eyes with one hand while the other held
her side.

"Never!" The tone of Luke's voice let her look up and although she
had expected him to grin, his serious expression wiped her own grin
off her face.

"What?" she asked and suppressed a surprised groan when Luke grabbed
her hand and squeezed it almost painfully.

"I'd rather kill myself then let anything happen to you, Jade." The
seriousness and also the fear that laced the voice of the Jedi Master
made Jade shiver.

"Skywalker, be reasonable people die all ..." Mara started but Luke
shook his head.

"No Jade, I mean it. I wouldn't want to live without my friend. We
look out for each other!"

Mara stared at him wide-eyed and after she had retrieved her hand
from his, she shook her head slightly.

"You are too protective, Jedi. You cannot keep everybody out of
harm's way," she felt Luke wanting to say something but she held up
her hand. "Listen to me, Luke. You cannot save the whole galaxy, let
alone me. If my time has come, it will come and no-one, not even you,
should interfere with it."

Green eyes locked with blue ones and for a moment they remained still.

*I just want to keep what's mine out of harm's way, is all,*
Luke sent her and Mara rose an eyebrow at him.

*What's yours?* she challenged him silently and to his grace,
the Jedi Master flushed a deep crimson.

*You know what I mean, Jade. My circle of family and friends ...
and you are my friend.*

"I know," Mara replied softly when she broke off their bond in the
Force. "But you are not almighty, Farmboy. I can look after myself,
you know that."

"I know," Luke answered and heaving a heart-felt sigh he pushed
himself to his feet. "I would still feel better if you stayed here.
You can come and go whenever you want. You know that I'm not here all
the time," he grinned sheepishly when he saw Mara's frown. "I guess I
just am over-protective, it is a bad streak of mine."

"And not the only one," Mara shot back and grinned when he threw her
a nasty look.

"Oh thanks, Jade, nothing better than a friend who reminds you of all
your short-comings," he shot back as he gathered their used cutlery
and plates.

"Oh but, Skywalker, that's why you love me," Jade replied sassily.

The plates and cutlery almost slipped from his hands but he recovered
quickly and turned towards his disposal unit. He knew that she had
meant it in jest, but deep down he knew that Mara Jade was not far
from the truth.

The End
---------
Comments, death threats welcome :)
Una