Future Intentions

A luke and Mara Story
Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the property of George Lucas or Timothy Zain. Anything said or implied in this story has no bearing on anything in the actual Star Wars Universe. Everything here came straight out of the head of a person that has read entirely too much FanFiction and wanted to join in on the fun. I am making no money from this or anything else I do like this. It is just something I am doing to pass the time in my boring life.

Written By: Skywalker's Dream

First Written: May 1, 2000 Found again January 23, 2001

Mara and Leia sat across from each other on the cold stone floor of the Great Temple. Luke was sitting to the right, mimicking their pose with his legs crossed and his hands resting lightly in his lap.

"Now I want both of you two to relax." Luke said calmly. " Clear your mind of all thoughts. Feel the Force flowing through you."

Mara concentrated on Luke's voice and let herself go. She instantly felt the Force pulsing through her, like hot fire running through her veins, adding life to her very being. She felt her connection to Luke spike. Every thought, every feeling spilling over her like gentle waves. It was a closeness she had never felt before, A feeling of intimacy that she was still struggling to get used to. She opened her eyes to find Luke's intense sky-blue eyes watching her, his heart-stopping smile sending a shiver down her spine. She smiled back and quickly closed her eyes once again. Stretching out to the force she could sense Leia sitting across from her, the other students around the Great Temple, the animals in the jungle beyond, but above all that she could feel Luke. Like an extension of herself, she could smell him and hear him breathing. Noticing her distraction she began blocking out her surroundings so she could concentrate on what she had been brought here to do. She blocked out her world, noticing only her breathing, her heartbeat, and her inner most self.

Everything was black around her, but there was a stirring to the right of her vision. She turned to look and the spot turned to light, dim at first then becoming a light so intense that she had to cover her eyes. Slowly, letting her eyes adjust, Mara moved her hand away. Looking around, she saw a mountain off in the distance, and sand all around her. The air was hot andhumid; instantly soaking her clothes making them stick to her body.

"What's going on?"

Mara turned to see who had spoken. Leia was standing beside her, brushing the sand off her slacks. Slacks? Mara thought Hadn't she just been wearing her Jedi robe? Looking down, Mara realized that she was no longer wearing her robe either. In its place she had on a light baggy cotton shirt and a pair of no nonsense kacki pants, similar to Leia. She stood up and looked around trying to make since of why they were here and what they should do next. There was a house not too far away so they started walking towards it. Belatedly Mara noticed that Luke was no where to be seen, he did not follow them into the vision. It seemed that this was to be something Leia and her was to experience alone.

"Any idea where we are?" she said as they approached the house.

"Yes" Leia said, a smile spreading across her face. "It looks to me as if we are standing on the Lar's Moisture Farm."

"Interesting, Well Lets go see what the Force has in store for us today." They heard voices not to far off and followed them to the edge of a drop off. They realized they were standing on the edge of the sunken courtyard. Looking down they easily spotted a very young Luke and his Uncle Owen struggling to move a piece of machinery onto an old rusted cart.

"Now hold that rope tight, Luke boy. Go around to the other side and tie it down."

"But shouldn't we make sure this thing is lever before we try that?" Luke asked.

"DO IT!" Owen yelled.

Luke flinched at his uncle's tone and walked, head down, to the other side of the cart, trying hard to keep the thing from falling over. He tied it down as quickly as possible and was trying to help with the rest of the fasteners, when suddenly there was a loud creaking sound and the bulky metal began to keen to one side. Luke scrambled over in time to get a grip on the equipment and heaved with all his strength trying to lift the heavy machine to free his uncle, who was now trapped underneath.

Mara could feel a tingling in her mind and knew that young Luke was, unknowingly, drawing on the Force to help him free his uncle. Slowly, the machine rose and Owen moved out from underneath it. Standing, Owen first looked at Luke with gratitude, then realization, and then anger.

"What did you do?" he yelled. Mara wondered if he meant letting the thing fall or if he somehow knew that Luke had used the Force.

"Nothing!" Luke shouted, unexplainably defensive. "Sounded like the fasteners snapped."

"No boy! You did not tie the blasted thing down right. How many times must I show you that? You could have killed me."

"But I did. I did do it right," Luke pleaded, taking a step away from his uncle.

"Don't argue with me you ungrateful little snot!" He slapped Luke across the face. "You are so blasted selfish. Never paying any attention to what you are doing. You almost killed me!"

Mara and Leia continued watching as Owen grabbed young Luke by the shirt and punched him in the face. His hand impacting with a sickening clap.

"How does it feel having someone trying to hurt you?"

Luke fell to the ground and tried to get out of reach, but fear was working against him. He slipped in the sand and almost lost what footing he had. Owen strolled over to him and kicked him hard in the stomach. Luke hit the ground with a loud thud and a cloud of disturbed sand blowing up into the air.

Beru, Luke's aunt, ran out, tossing her apron behind her. "Owen stop!" she yelled. "This is not helping." He stopped and looked at her, as she walked to him and took his hands in hers. "It's not helping," she said, softer this time. "Go back in the house, I'll take care of this." He nods his head slightly and turns to go into the house. Glancing back, he looked at Luke with a touch of regret then continues on his way. Beru kneeled beside her nephew, "Are you alright?" she asked, trying to help him sit up.

Luke did not answer or accept her offer of assistance. Instead he rolled away from her, a low whimper escaping his lips. Slowly he curled into a tight ball and did not move. Beru continued to kneel beside his still form, caressing his head and shoulders, comforting him with her hands. Eventually young Luke straightened himself out and sat up.

"Are you alright?" Beru asked again, looking him over. From their position above it all, Mara and Leia could see that he had a split lip and other cuts and bruises.

"I don't know...." Luke said, then placed his hands down on the ground, meaning to push himself up, but flinched and instantly cradled his right hand.

"No...I guess I am not...Why does he do that?" he asked, tears streaming down his face.

"Luke," Beru said, carefully looking over his hand. "You know him Luke, he only wants to help you. To make sure you do what's right."

"And he thinks this is way?" Luke exclaimed, the shock showing clearly on his youthful face.

"Yes Luke, he does. Now up with you," Beru commanded lovingly, while helping him to his feet. "Get yourself over to see the doctor, and do try to stay as far as you can from your uncle today. You will see, things will be fine."

With a look of deep pain that Mara suspected ran deeper then his injuries, Luke headed up the stairs and to his land speeder. Mara and Leia turned and started following in the general direction as Luke raced out of the yard. The ground beneath them began to shift and the surroundings blurred and snapped into focus once again. They found themselves standing on a packed dirt walkway surrounded by sun-stained buildings in which all individuality had been blasted away by many fierce sandstorms. There were people walking past them talking, and occasionally, turning to enter one of the buildings.

Parked along the street was Luke's land-speeder. Looking around Mara could see that Luke was no where to be seen.

"Look Mara," Leia said from her side. "I recognize that boy." Following her gaze, Mara noticed a group of five scruffy looking teenagers approaching from the far end of the street. "The one on the right," Leia pointed out, indicating a dark haired boy in serious need of a refresher. Looking closer she noticed they all looked like they had spent just a little too long out in the desert without a refresher. "He looks a lot like Biggs Darklighter," Leia told her.

"Galvin's cousin?"

"Yes. He died at Yavin 4 saving Luke when we attacked the first Death Star."

"Luke told me about him. He said they were friends growing up." They watched the teens laugh and talk as they made their way down the street.

"So what do you think about this, Mara? Did Luke ever mention to you that he was...abused...when he was young?"

"Never," Mara stated. "You would think he would have told one of us." Mara frowned. This is something we need to talk about, Skywalker. No more hiding things from me, She thought.

"Hey look, Wormy!" one of the teens shouted, heading for Luke's land speeder. One of them was reaching inside to open the hood.

"Wait Fixer," Biggs said, looking hard at the building in front of him. "I don't think we should mess with Luke today."

"And why is that?"

"Why is he here?" Biggs asked, indicating the building. The sign read Dr. Sparsa Medical Clinic. As if on cue, Luke ducks out of the door. His lip was cut and swollen. He had a cut under his left eye, his right hand was bandaged up and he looked pretty badly knocked around.

"Dear sky's!" Biggs exclaimed, rushing over to him. "He really did a number on you this time, didn't he? Are you alright?"

"Um...Yea...I will be," Luke said timidly.

"So what is his problem, Wormy, anyway?" Teddy asked. "What did you do this time?"

"Who knows? I really don't know what set him off this time...But what can I do?" Luke asked with a helpless shrug. Fixer's eyes went wide with shock.

"What can you do? Get the hell out of there, that's what!"

"And go where!" Luke yelled. Mara guessed from the shocked expressions on everyone's face that was very uncommon for Luke. "They'll send me to Carmoley, where they can hide me away until I die. No thank you! At least here, with him I have a little freedom. A chance to get off this rock." Luke took a deep breath, calming himself down and got into his speeder.

Camie looked at Biggs flashing her most mischievous smile. "I know just what he needs," she whispered to him. "You guys go find something to do for a while." She slinked her way over to Luke, placing her hand under his chin forcing him to look at her. "Such serious words from such a handsome face..."she said teasingly. "You need to get your mind on something else."

Luke watched her as she climbed in behind him and made her way to the seat to his right.

"Let's go someplace where we can talk," Camie said, leaning close and hooking her arm around his. Luke swallowed hard.

"OK...Um...Where?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just drive and we'll find a place."

"Uh...OK sure." Glancing at Biggs and seeing him smiling, Luke started his speeder and drove off. Leaving behind the entire scene and all the catcalls following him from his friends. Fixer turned away from it all clearly annoyed

"Slut."

"Slut," Mara said at the same time. Leia looked at her in shock. "What?" Mara asked. "She is...was...whatever. Ask Luke he will admit it readily, she probably would too."

They laughed as the vision once again became blurred and they found themselves facing each other on the stone floor of the Great Temple on Yavin 4. They regarded each other before turning to Luke, who looked pasty white, not looking well at all. He slowly rose to his feet.

"Um...You did great. That's all for today."

"No wait!" Leia said hastily.

"Yeah, I think we should talk about this." Mara continued, getting to her feet and taking his hand. Luke regarded her with pleading eyes and simply said:

"Not now." And he left the room. Mara could do nothing else but watch him leave. She was at a complete loose as to what to do.

"I believe," Leia started saying. "That is we were to do nothing about this, the Force would have never showed us, because clearly this was something that Luke felt he could not tell us on his own." Leia glanced back at the door Luke had exited through and sighed. "Normally I would automatically assume that I was the best person to go and talk to him. But, as hard as it is for me to admit, I think you should go."

"Thank you," Mara said with a smile. Some of her earlier doubt that she would be accepted as an important part of Luke's life, fading. "And if I cannot get him to talk, we can always tag team him. We would be a formidable team to stand up against. One I doubt even the Great Jedi Master could withstand." They both laughed as Mara turned to follow Luke.
**********************

She finds Luke on the roof, curled up on the ledge looking out over the forest. His knees where drawn up to his chest and his arms were wrapped around his legs.

"Luke?"

He did not turn around. Not a muscle twitched. She walked over behind him and when he still did not say anything she placed her arms around him. This time he did react, by leaning back into her embrace. The only sound to be heard was his soft sigh.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, almost too low for her to hear.

"Don't be. You have no reason to be."

"But I am. When I sat you two down, it barely crossed my mind that your vision would be about me, much less about this. I had all but forgotten that part of my life. I feel it is better off buried...It was a shock...Felt like the biggest invasion of my past that I have ever experienced. It was something I wish I had a little time to prepare for."

"I can understand that. But why did you feel you couldn't tell anyone? That you couldn't tell me. You had it so well buried that I had no idea. I thought I knew everything about you Luke."

"It was not that I couldn't. More to the point I did not want to. That part of my life is like an open wound. Heals better when you leave it alone. It hurts too much to think about the things that happened. The things I let happened and did nothing about. "

"So...did that sort of thing happen a lot?" Mara asked slowly, afraid of his reaction. When he did not answer right away, she feared that he wouldn't. But when he did, his answer hurt her more then if he had said it was none of her business.

"Yes," he admitted with a shuddering breath. "Constantly...I have thought about it a lot over the years. I can see now that it was when I used the Force, that he got so upset. Back then I had no clue I was even doing it, but he would hurt me. Even when I helped people, he would hurt me."

Mara could feel him shivering against the arms she had wrapped around him and a warm wetness falling against her hands. And it hit her. The Great Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, adored by the entire galaxy, was crying. Crying for a crime that was committed against him when he was just a boy. A crime that would go unanswered for the rest of his life. She tightened her grip around him and tried to send as many comforting and reassuring thoughts as she could manage.

"He never once tried to explain things to me. He knew. He knew who my father was, what I was. He had to have known, but he never even tried to tell me." He was shacking his head in disbelief. "I am sure that if he had known about the Yashimari and had a way to get them there, he would have made sure to keep them around me. "

"I am sure he was only trying to protect you. Especially if he knew who your father was."

"That's the most maddening part of it all. I know that's why he did it. But it does not erase the pain."

They sat on the ledge in silence for a very long time, watching the sun set behind the trees and the night animals' emerge from their nests. It was full night, the sky full of stars, before Luke stirred.

"You're cold." It was more a statement from him then a question. "Lets go inside and get some sleep. Mara climbed down from the ledge and waited for Luke to follow her. He turned to look back over the jungle one last time.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just letting him know that I forgive him...There is not much else I can do. I cannot hate him, even if I wanted to, he did what he thought was right the only way he knew how. I cannot imagine the burden I was, knowing who I was. The responsibility he had to have felt. I can forgive him for his error in judgement, because I know that if he had known a better way to keep me on the straight and narrow, he would have done so."

"How do you know that?"

"I just have to know that. It is the only way I can convince myself not to keep on hating him. Come on let's go inside." Arm in arm, they walk back into the Great Temple together.