It's Monday in the UK, so...

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"Experience"

by Angela Jade

Rating - NC-17

Disclaimer - it all belongs to George. I'm not making any money from this.

"Hey, Hotshot. Buy a girl a drink?"

A smile lit up Luke Skywalker's face as his gaze traveled up the
orange-suited figure standing before him. "Lana! You're back!" He pushed
a glass of lomin-ale towards her as she slid into the seat beside him.

"Yeah, I'm back. But Reno and Na'Barque aren't," she replied ruefully,
taking a long pull of her ale. "If we keep losing pilots at this rate,
there won't be a Blue Squadron left by next month."

Luke took her hand, gently entwining his fingers with hers. "Do you want
to talk about it?"

She took another gulp of ale then sat back in her seat, sighing softly
as her gaze fell on their joined hands. How long had they been seeing
each other? Two months? Three? Seemed like only yesterday she was
consoling him after the Battle of Yavin. She closed her eyes and leaned
back. "We were escorting a couple of supply ships back from Minos; food,
mostly, and spare parts. Seemed like a quiet run, not too much
happening." Her brown eyes gazed at him, the pain of losing friends
evident. "They came out of nowhere. Two squadrons of TIEs; must have
been ground-based. It was not pretty."

"Dog fights rarely are." He squeezed her hand and smiled tentatively.
"Is there anything I can do?"

Her eyes flicked open and she looked steadily at him for a long moment
before apparently coming to a decision. "Yes, there is. Give me a chance
to clean up then come round to my room. And bring food; I'm starving."

"But Na'Barque..." His words died in his throat as he suddenly
remembered Lana's dead room-mate.

"Precisely," she replied in a soft voice. "I'd rather not be alone tonight."

*****

She had showered and changed into a loose-fitting robe, leaving her
long, brown hair unbraided. Sitting in front of her small mirror, Lana
considered the few cosmetics she owned. Normally, she wouldn't bother
with make-up, but she had a nasty bruise forming where she'd bashed her
forehead on this latest mission, and, for some reason, she had an urge
to look her best for Luke tonight. She regarded her reflection once more
as she dabbed a concealer on the purple spot blooming above her right
eye. Many people had commented on her resemblance to Princess Leia - a
vicious few had even suggested it was the only reason Luke had given her
a second glance - but Lana just couldn't see it. Sure, she had brown
eyes and similar hair, but the Princess was much more self-assured than
she ever would be. They looked totally different. Besides, thought Lana
with a grin, she stood a good ten centimeters taller than the diminutive
Alderaanian.

Luke stood outside her door, first tugging his shirt straight, then
nervously running his fingers through his hair. His other hand clutched
the handle of a box, a long-stemmed white flower hooked round one finger
- his grip tightened as he considered hherr words once more. She didn't
want to be alone tonight. Tonight. Did that mean what he thought it
meant? Did she want him to stay the night? He swallowed the lump forming
in his throat and seriously considered running back to his own room at
top speed. Instead, he gathered up as much courage as he could and
knocked on the door.

The vision that opened the door to him dispelled all his doubts and
worries, and he could feel a slow smile creep across his face. "Hi."
Fumbling slightly, he untangled the flower from his fingers and held it
out to her. "For you."

Lana grinned as she accepted the bloom. "Thank you. It's lovely."
Stepping back, she indicated for him to come in. "Picnic on the floor okay?"

"Sure." He carried the food-box to the small space between the two
bunks, studiously trying to ignore what had previously been Na'Barque's
bed, neatly made with its empty locker standing at the foot. Setting the
box down, he slid to the floor, his back against Lana's bed. "Are you okay?"

She slipped down beside him, her leg pressed close to his, unable to
take her eyes off her bunk-mate's unoccupied bed. "I ... I'm not sure. I
think so. I mean, logically I know our chances of surviving the next
mission are not good, but..." She turned her anguished gaze on him,
tears welling up in her eyes. "She was my wing-mate, Luke. My room-mate.
My friend. I'll never get used to losing people."

His arm slipped round her shoulders and he pulled her close, vaguely
aware of the flower that tumbled from her fingers. "I know. Me neither."
His quiet words acted as a catalyst, and the tears that had been
threatening for so long finally came. He hugged her to him, burying his
face in her hair as he murmured vaguely comforting platitudes. "Shhhh.
Let it out. It's okay." As he listened to her gentle crying and felt her
tears as they dampened his shirt, he mourned the friends and family he
had lost once more. The emotional wounds were not as fresh as Lana's,
but still they hurt.

Finally a quiet snuffling indicated her sobbing had stopped. "Sorry,
Luke," she sniffed. "I thought I'd at least manage to hold off the
waterworks until after we'd eaten."

"That's alright." He smiled tentatively. "To be honest, I'm not that hungry."

She gazed up at him, a thousand thoughts running through her brain.
"You're not?"

Oh, Gods, she was beautiful. His stomach muscles twisted into knots and
he could almost hear the blood pounding through his body. He swallowed
the lump that had formed in his throat. "Not for food, no."

It was as if she could read his thoughts. "Luke, I meant it when I said
I don't want to be alone tonight." She bit her bottom lip, her eyes
dropping before flicking back up again. "Before I left for Minos, you
told me you loved me."

"I did. I do." He caressed her face. "I love you, Lana."

His intense expression made her heart leap into her throat. She wanted
to drown in his eyes, this man who meant more to her than any other
person ever had. "I love you, too, Luke."

He was speechless, utterly speechless. Anything he said would only
detract from the moment, so he said nothing, just leaned forward and
gently brushed her lips with his. Closing his eyes, he repeated the
almost-kiss; the third time, her lips sought him out, intensifying the
kiss as her hand slipped to the back of his neck. Deeper and deeper they
sank into each other's presence, losing themselves in their embrace as
that one emotion called 'love' overrode all others.

Finally they parted, seeking oxygen and the ability to cope with their
overwhelming feelings.

"Luke, I ... I want you to make love to me. Tonight."

As he stared into her eyes, he could almost feel her passion for him as
her soul was laid bare. He would do anything for her, anything at all,
but this...? "Lana, are you sure?" He dropped his gaze, embarrassed.
"I've never ... umm ... done this before." Her hand cupped his cheek and
he twisted slightly to kiss her palm before gathering the courage to
look at her again. She was smiling.

"Luke, I've never done this, either." Her eyes followed her hand as it
drifted through his hair. "And before you say it, no, this isn't a
because of Na'Barque's death making me aware of my own mortality or some
other psychobabble bantha crap." Her eyes fixed on his with laser
intensity. "I want to do this. I want to be as physically close to you
as I can possibly get. I want to show you I love you, not just tell you."

"Oh, Lana," he whispered as he pulled her into a tight hug, burying his
face in her neck and hair, inhaling her scent and losing himself in her
warmth. He placed a gentle kiss on her neck, then another, then another,
trailing slowly along her jawline and over her cheek. Her eyes were
closed as he kissed her mouth, but she responded immediately, pressing
her whole body against him as their mouths opened and they tasted each
other hungrily.

Her hands slipped tentatively under his shirt, caressing the smooth skin
of his sides and back - she smiled against his mouth when he jumped
slightly at her touch. But lust quickly overrode humor and she suddenly
found herself unabashedly unfastening the front of his shirt and
slipping it off his shoulders, her hands trailing back over his chest as
her dark eyes met his. Then his mouth was on hers once more, his tongue
probing for entry which she gladly allowed, tasting him and reveling in
his gentle moan of pleasure. When his hands crept slowly over her
breasts, she arched into his touch, begging him silently to strip her
and make love to her. It was as if he heard her thoughts. Her robe
slipped off her shoulders as he helped her stand, forming a white puddle
at her feet which accentuated her nakedness. Embarrassed, Lana dropped
her gaze, convinced she was blushing all over.

Unbelievable. He'd dreamed of this moment, more often than he'd ever
admit to. To stand with a beautiful, naked woman in his arms, a woman
willing to take him into her bed... He swallowed the lump that had
formed in his throat and struggled to stop his body shaking with
excitement. Or maybe it was fear. He tilted her chin up to him with one
finger and lost himself in her eyes. "You are so beautiful, Lana." Her
shy smile melted his heart and he leaned in to kiss her. She returned
his kiss with fervor and he quickly swept her into his arms, depositing
her on the small bed before struggling out of the rest of his clothing.

Now it was his turn to feel embarrassed as his body reacted naturally to
the situation, making it impossible to hide his arousal. He blushed a
deep crimson, smiling gratefully when Lana pulled back the bedcover and
motioned for him to join her.

"Come lie beside me, Luke," she whispered, forcing her gaze up to his
face. It wasn't easy.

He slid in next to her, wrapping his arms around her as she snuggled
into his chest. "Lana, if you've changed your mind, well, that's okay.
I'll be fine, I..." He sucked in a sharp breath as her hand crept under
the cover and settled on his erection, stroking him softly and producing
an inner heat like nothing he'd ever felt before. Then her mouth was on
his, hot and wet, kissing him hungrily until lack of oxygen forced him
to tilt his head into the pillow and break the kiss. His eyes met hers.

"No, Luke. I haven't changed my mind. I'm ready for this, more than
ready." Her eyes, already dark with passion, became ebony pools that
filled his vision. "But I guess if you're not ready..."

He quickly flipped her onto her back, unable to contain himself any
longer. Her moans of rapture filled his ears as he kissed his way over
her breasts, stopping only to suck gently on her nipples before
continuing the trail of kisses down her abdomen. No, he'd never had sex
before. But he'd listened to Windy and Deak and way too many X-Wing
pilots as they'd boasted of their conquests, and he'd picked up a pretty
good idea of how the female body worked. He kissed his way back up
Lana's writhing body and slipped a finger between her legs, delighted to
see her back arch with pleasure as he caressed her clit. The theory worked!

She was soaring, melting, shuddering uncontrollably as he touched the
places no-one else had ever touched. When she was finally able to open
her eyes, it was to see his face, sweat-soaked strands of hair plastered
to his cheeks, his blue eyes filled with desire. A desire for her. She
had barely lifted her head from the pillow when it was pressed back as
his mouth met hers. His body-weight shifted and he was suddenly over
her, his legs between her thighs as he kissed her to oblivion.

She was so beautiful, her breath so sweet, her mouth delicious... Slowly
he pushed into her, stopping as she tensed around him. Pain. Ecstasy. He
would last about thirty seconds at this rate. Great way to show a girl a
good time, Skywalker.

Her eyes squeezed shut, she concentrated on forcing every muscle below
her waist to relax. The horror stories her girlfriends had told her of
first-time sex crept insidiously into her mind, and she ruthlessly
forced them aside. This was Luke Skywalker. The most gentle, kind... "Ow!"

"Oh, Gods! Are you okay?"

She opened her eyes and smiled at his worried expression. "I'm fine.
Just a little ... umm ... surprised." Her hands cradled his head and she
pulled him down for another kiss. "I love you."

He moved slowly inside her, determined not to cause her any more pain
and frantically trying not to allow the tidal wave of euphoria he could
feel building inside himself to take over. Not an easy task. He thought
of engineering specifications, planetary statistics, even the mechanics
of moisture vaporators - anything to distract his mind and body. Yet
still he could barely contain his jubilation at making love with the
woman he adored. Her fingers tensed on his back and she lifted her hips
to meet him, whispering his name over and over. Finally, he buried his
face in her neck, gulping in lungfuls of her unique scent, unable to
hold himself back any longer. His cries mingled with hers, echoing round
the sparse room, and he collapsed on top of her, completely spent.

*****

Memories of the one night they had enjoyed together kept him going for
more than two weeks as he was dragged off on yet another reconnaissance
mission with his squadron. He had stayed in Lana's room for over 14
hours, enjoying her company and her body, forgetting about the Empire
and the Rebellion for a while. It was a much more relaxed Luke Skywalker
that finally kissed his lover goodbye as he left for his scheduled
briefing.

But, at long last, it was time to return, and Luke couldn't stop himself
fidgeting excitedly as he watched his hyperdrive counter tick slowly
down to zero as his X-Wing approached the Rebel's hidden base. Nowhere
had ever felt like home since he'd left Tatooine what seemed like a
lifetime ago, but this tiny artificial construct hidden away in a rocky
canyon on a virtually unknown Outer Rim planet was as close to 'home' as
he could imagine, because there was a good chance that Lana would be
there. Waiting for him.

Pushing the hyperdrive lever forward, he glanced left and right to check
his squadron was still intact then began the slow descent into the
planetary atmosphere. A self-satisfied grin settled on his face as
initially the base, then his hanger grew larger in his viewport. First
to land, he was out of his cockpit, down the ladder, and yanking off his
helmet even before the sound of repulsors had died. Running a hand
roughly through his tousled hair, he left his fighter in the capable
hands of the chief mechanic and almost ran for the exit.

She wasn't in the sims, or eating, or in the gymnasium. She wasn't even
propping up the bar, laughing with her friends. Whistling quietly to
himself, Luke strode through the sleeping quarters towards Lana's room,
hoping she wouldn't mind if he woke her up. Logic told him he should
wait until morning, but his heart disagreed.

Knocking gently, he was surprised when the old-fashioned plasteel door
swung inwards on its hinges. Peering into the gloom, he realized Lana
wasn't there and he was just about to leave when something caught his
eye. In the middle of the perfectly made bed lay a small, slightly
withered, white flower.

"Luke."

He spun round at the sound of Han Solo's voice - the tall Corellian was
leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded tightly across his chest.
"What's going on, Han? Where's Lana?"

Han's eyes dropped to his scuffed boots and he swallowed hard before he
could finally lift his head and meet his friend's intense gaze. "Umm,
she had to go on another supply run..."

"When is she due back, then?" Something about Han's eyes, something
about his demeanor ... something wasn't right. A block of ice settled
round his heart, slowly squeezing the air from his lungs. "Oh, Gods,
she's been hurt, hasn't she? Where is she? Is she in the med bay? I have
to see her..." He moved back towards the door, stopping only when Han
blocked his way and laid his hands on Luke's shoulders.

"Luke, I tried to meet you earlier, in the hanger ... but you'd already
left." He forced himself to look at the young pilot's face. "Luke,
Lana's dead."

He'd lost so much already, seen so many people hurt and killed. His
adoptive parents, his mentor, friends and acquaintances, warriors and
innocents - all had played a part in defining who he was and what he
would become. And now Lana was gone...

Another tiny part of Luke Skywalker's heart withered and died.

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And I'm on AIM right now (just after midnight) - if anyone wants to
chat. :)

Looking forward to reading everyone's stories. Love y'all. :)

AJ