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Title: Enjoying the Moment
Author: kimara
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Mara and Luke
Spoilers: Balance Point
Disclaimers: Everything belongs to George. I'm only playing with them. No harm intended.

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Mara sat on the floor of their quarters on Yavin, frustration and annoyance radiating from her being. She should have been content just to be here with her husband, enjoying even a few days of semi downtime. The Yuuzhan Vong had stalled in their relentless effort to take over the galaxy and were currently stopped at their latest conquest, the planet Duro. Luke had decided to make a brief stop at the Academy while NR intelligence conducted constant surveillance to try to deduce where the enemy would strike next. Although the younger students had been relocated to a hidden site months ago, the Jedi continued to use Yavin as a congregating point. The various Knights and older apprentices came as often as possible, to share ideas, feelings and intuition about their current fight for existence.

Mara rubbed her palms comfortingly over her expanded belly, basking in the presence of the miracle that grew within her. She and Luke had waited so long for this child and had been caught in disbelief when it had actually happened shortly after Vergere's remedy had brought her disease under control. With the remnants of her illness and the galaxy's current state, the fact that their son grew healthy and safe was a gift from the Force. She pressed her palms to the floor and pushed herself into a standing position.
The lightweight sleepshift clung to her sweat covered body as Mara moved to the window. They had arrived here during the hottest time of the year and unlike her husband, who had grown up on a desert planet, she hated the heat and humidity of the jungle world. The climate control in their quarters cooled the air slightly and pulled the worst of the humidity from it but that's wasn't nearly enough to make the temperature bearable. She stood looking out at the thick foliage trying to decide whether to shower or attempt meditation again, when the sound of the door opening drew her attention.

Luke looked at the bedraggled form of his wife and sighed. The heat had been affecting her much more on this visit, more than likely from the strain of the pregnancy on her body. She had even begged off the meeting he attended this morning, not having the energy to move. He gave her his most sincere smile and asked. "Feeling any better?"

"Does it look like I'm feeling better, Skywalker?" Mara retorted sarcastically. She grabbed the heavy plait that hung in her neck and held it against the back of her head.

Luke sighed. Mara's mood had become progressively darker since they had arrived three days ago and he had been at a loss on how to improve it. Suddenly an idea came to him and his expression brightened considerably. "Mara, shower and get dressed. I'll be back in a few minutes."

The look on Luke's face told her that he was cooking something up in that cute little head of his. "What are you planning, Skywalker?" Mara asked with hint of impatience.

Luke smiled. "Trust me, you'll enjoy this. Just be ready when I get back."

Mara watched her husband leave their quarters then moved to the refresher. She didn't know what he was planning but anything that might take her mind of this miserable heat was worth a try.
Mara washed under tepid water, dressed in a sleeveless tunic, leggings and short boots and was replaiting her hair when Luke returned. He tossed a filled backpack to the floor and exchanged his robe and tunics for a lightweight workout shirt. He secured the pack over his shoulders and pulled his wife to her feet. "Ready?"

"Wherever you're taking me better be cooler than here," Mara said with a smirk. She followed him out of their quarters and was surprised to see a speeder bike standing besides the building.
Luke climbed onto the bike and patted the seat behind him. "Climb on."

"You aren't serious," Mara spat out, rubbing her hands protectively over her expanded abdomen.
"It's not that far but I didn't think you would want to walk in this heat," Luke answered patiently. "I'll go slowly and be very careful."

Mara acquiesced and shifted carefully onto the seat behind him. True to his word, Luke drove the bike at a reasonable pace, maneuvering very carefully among the jungle foliage. They rode in silence, both enjoying the peace and beauty of their surroundings. She couldn't help but smile when the bike finally exited the jungle into a large clearing. The sight before her was both familiar and very welcoming. She leaned forward as much as the baby would allow and whispered, "thanks, Farmboy."

The clear blue water of the small lake and the warm, golden sand covering the closest shore were very inviting. The roar from the small waterfall at the edge of the lake was music to Mara's ears. Luke had brought her to the lake for the first time a few months after their wedding and they had come to this secluded spot many times during the years since. She smiled at the memories of the times they had made love on the grass, on the sand, or on the rocks behind the waterfall. In a life filled with trials and tribulations, they had always tried to make the most of their intimate moments.

Luke stopped the speeder bike near the edge of the sand, jumped off and helped Mara carefully from the seat. Once she was standing, he quickly pulled her into his arms. "I thought you could use a little pampering," he said after pulling his lips from hers. "I have my comlink, but told Kam only to call in an emergency." He released her then pulled the backpack from his shoulders. He opened it and drew out a number of items. He laid out the thick comforter under the shade of a large tree and helped his wife to sit down on it. He pulled out cooled containers of sparkling fruit juices, cheeses, melon and other fruits and a small triangular box of Eldorian chocolate. After placing them at the edges of the blanket, he knelt beside Mara and pulled off her boots. He kissed her lightly then asked. "So what would you like to indulge in first, my love?"

Mara placed one hand behind his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. When she pulled back, her green eyes shone with mischief. "We have all afternoon?" she asked in a teasing tone. When Luke nodded, she added, "and I get to be pampered by you all that time?" Her expression evolved into a combination of playfulness and lust. She planned on making the most of this private time. She kissed him again, allowing all her emotions to flood their bond as she probed his mouth. When they separated, she leaned back on her hands and smirked. "I will start with some melon and a glass of juanaberry fizz." Luke placed the glass in her hands and brought an orange piece of melon to her lips. She nipped lightly at his fingertips as she pulled the fruit into her mouth.

Mara's playful expression and the exaggerated way she sucked the fruit into her mouth sent spikes of tension straight to Luke's groin. He fought to rein in his lust and keep his libido under control. Even with the immense changes in her body during this final segment of her pregnancy, she was still the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. The slightest glimpse of her creamy skin or the most innocent action could harden him instantly. When she was being intentionally provocative, like now, it took ever bit of his Masterly skill not to just press her onto her back and take her.

It took a great deal of effort but Luke managed to keep his control while they enjoyed their picnic. Once the food was discarded, he filled her in on the information from the meeting and they talked about a few things but mostly they just sat in silence basking in each other's undivided attention.

Luke rested his back against the trunk of the tree and Mara was lying with her head in his lap. After a few minutes, she was so still he thought she had fallen asleep. So he jumped in surprised when she sat up suddenly and pulled her tunic over her head. "I'm ready for a swim, Farmboy. You?" she asked as she rose to her feet. Her leggings were tossed onto the blanket before her husband could even reply. "Coming?" she said seductively as she looked down at him.

'Quicker than you think,' flashed into Luke's mind unbidden as he worked to bank down the waves of arousal flowing through him. "I be there in a minute," he said as he reached to unbuckle his boots.
With a quick nod, Mara started walking towards the water, making sure that her shapely, nude butt was directly in his line of sight. She could feel his eyes upon her and was very aware of the effect she was having on Luke. The feelings of love and lust coming across their bond were affecting her as well. There had been so little private time for them lately that she didn't want to waste even one moment of their afternoon. She walked into the water up to her waist before turning back towards the shore. She was thrilled to see that Luke had finished shedding his clothes and was at the edge of the lake. Within seconds he was standing before her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately. When he released her, she pulled back a bit and met his passion darkened eyes. "I thought the point of swimming was to cool off, Skywalker," she teased.

"I'll make sure you stay cool," Luke replied with a wink. He took her hand and led her into the deeper water. Once they were standing in chest deep water, he placed his arms under her hips. "Lay back, Mara," he said huskily as he directed her movements. After she had stretched out onto her back, he used a touch of the Force to keep her securely above the water line. He leaned down and brushed his lips lightly against hers. As he moved them to her ear, he whispered, "don't move." He nipped lightly at her earlobe then moved across her face to the other side. Once he had kissed every inch of her face and neck, he began his trek downward.

Mara struggled to comply with Luke's request to remain still. His touches were electric and it had been so long since they'd had the opportunity to explore each other. She knew that he enjoyed bringing her pleasure and would continue until she pushed him to the final step. For now, she would lay back and bask in his caresses.

Luke caressed Mara's breasts very gently, lost in taking in their various changes. They had definitely gotten fuller but the coloring and shape of the nipples was what mesmerized him. He kissed and licked gently at the darkened buds, relishing the sounds of passion that escaped from his wife's lips. He moved down until his head came to rest on the rounded expanse of her abdomen. He stayed very still, listening and feeling for any movement from their unborn son. He had just about given up waiting so that he could move closer to Mara's paradise when he felt her stomach jump. The suddenness and intensity of the movement caused him to step back in surprise. After a few moments, he placed his hands, palms down, onto her abdomen and waited. It took only a few seconds before he felt the movement again. It wasn't like the baby was kicking or pushing with his arms. It was a very strange sensation, almost like the baby was jumping. After feeling it for the third time, he attention was drawn away by the sound of Mara's soft chuckling. "What was that?" he asked in confusion.

"Extend your senses, Master. I'm sure you can figure it out," Mara said with a smirk. She strengthened her shields so that he wouldn't get a clue to the answer from her. She smiled as she remembered her panicked reaction the first time she had felt the unusual sensation. She watched as Luke closed his eyes and focused his full attention on the baby.

Luke narrowed his focus and extended Force tendrils towards the baby. He felt the bright aura of that developing mind, in some ways like his own, in some ways like Mara's but mostly a unique combination of the two. He continued his probe into the growing body. He checked all his major organs and could find nothing unusual. He was about to pull back when he felt the tiny body jump again. Still unable to figure out the cause, he submerged himself further into his son's surroundings. The pattern was almost rhythmic, the tiny body would jump then would relax for a bit before it jumped again. There was something vaguely familiar about the sequence and after feeling it for the eighth time, he finally deduced the cause. He opened his eyes and looked back at his smiling wife. "He has the hiccups?" he asked, rather confused by his own conclusion.

Mara couldn't contain her soft laughter at the utter confusion on Luke's face. "Yes, that's how I felt when it happened the first time."

"It's happened before? Is that a problem? What is causing it?" Luke asked, this time in concern.
"Yes, it's happened before. No, it's not a problem and I finally figured out for sure just now that he gets them when I drink something with carbonation," Mara replied in answer to all three questions.
"When you drink something carbonated?" Luke asked, more confused now than ever. "You mean like the juanaberry fizz?"

"Yes," Mara replied with an exasperated sigh. "I checked with Cilghal. It happens in some babies, usually caused by something the mother is eating or drinking. He's perfectly healthy." She reached out to grasp her husband's hand and placed it back on her breast. "I thought we were doing something here before your son so rudely interrupted us," she teased. To reinforce her point, she slid her leg sideways and brought her thigh into contact with her husband's waning arousal.

A couple of slight movements of Mara's silky skin against his manhood revived Luke's interest immediately and he slid his other hand down among her red-gold curls. "This was the direction I was headed before your son distracted me," he replied huskily. His hand continued past the curls and two fingers slid easily into her welcoming warmth. He rested his thumb against her most sensitive place as he thrust the digits slowly in and out.

Within moments, she was writhing under his touch. With a groan, Mara reached out her hand and tugged at him. "Luke, please. I want you inside me, now," she whimpered.

Luke kissed the palm of her hand as he walked backwards into slightly shallower water. When he reached mid thigh level, he stopped, spread her thighs apart gently and positioned himself between them. He placed one hand beneath her buttocks to augment his Force hold and pulled her forward. He shifted slightly, using his free hand to guide his movement. Very slowly, he thrust his hips forward and slid into her waiting warmth.

Luke moaned as he filled her, closing his eyes and stilling almost immediately to regain some semblance of control. It had been so long since they had been able to spend time totally focused on only each other. The sensations and feelings flowing between them were so intense that he felt like he was drowning in them. He opened his eyes when Mara wiggled her hips, locking his blazing blue orbs with her passion filled emerald ones. "I love you," he whispered as he began to move again.

The sensations of pleasure flowing through their bodies overtook them and words were no longer possible. Their feelings flowed back and forth through their bond, feeding off each other and building their climaxes. As much as they tried to extend the experience, it was totally beyond their control. The passion swelled and grew until it exploded through them in flashes and swirls of color, light and the Force. They gripped each other as tightly as possible and rode the waves of pleasure in tandem.

When the last shudders passed, Luke pulled Mara to her feet and snuggled her into his embrace. They stood for a few moments, allowing their bodies to become marginally functional again. Once that happened, he supported her and they walked back to their blanket under the trees. He placed her gently upon it and spread out along side of her. He rained light kisses over her face then tucked her head against his chest. He could feel her breathing slow and knew that sleep was rapidly overtaking her. He snaked on hand between their bodies and let it rest on her abdomen. Rubbing small circles against her skin, he spoke softly to the tiny being that he could feel moving within. "Sleep safe, little one. Soon you will leave the warmth and safety of your mother's shelter to come into this chaotic and dangerous world. We will guard you and keep you safe. We will work to bring the Republic back to a peaceful place were you and all other children can grow up safe and secure." As the oath left his lips, he was filled with a serenity that he hadn't known for quite some time. They would find a way to neutralize the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong and make the galaxy safe again. The Force sang within him, reinforcing his faith that although the continuing

the end