Solstice

By: Patrice

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.

Notes: Before anyone says anything, I realize this is AU and something Owen would never do, but I liked the idea anyway. Takes place sometime in Luke's childhood, ie., he is six or seven. The age is flexible. It isn't betaed so if you find mistakes that's why. That being said: Enjoy!

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Owen was not happy about the circumstances but he didn't have much of a choice. Beru's mother was old and sick. They would have to spend Solstice with her. He and Beru would have liked to take Luke along too, seeing as Jula wouldn't be around much longer, but it wasn't safe to have a young child exposed to her ailments. Luke would simply have to stay home. An additional complication came in the form of the Darklighter's being off planet and unable to take Luke in. The Lars rarely asked for childcare and not finding anyone was starting to irk Owen.
"I guess we don't have a choice Beru," Owen told his sweet wife.
"You don't have to worry about Luke. There's no one better to do this for us."
"But what if -'
"Nothing will happen dear."
She left him to finish packing. "He doesn't know the first thing about Solstice. I bet he doesn't even have the right decorations," he said to himself in his best grumpy voice.

Luke for his part was excited about the following day. He would get to meet someone new and get to open presents. He had been a good boy this season and was expecting some wonderful new things for his Corsec dectective set. That was his latest interest. Flying had become "unpopular" for a time in school and everyone was following the exploits of Quincy McFerrin on the troubled streets of Treasure Ship row. Luke with his overactive imagination had no problem imagining himself there. 'Maybe I'll meet a real Corellian one day,' he thought. He secretly hoped that flying would become popular again since that was his real love.
"Aunt Beru, I've never met this man have I?"
"No, you haven't. But he's a nice man and I'm sure you'll brighten up his holiday. You see he's been alone for along time."
"Oh," he thought a bit, "we'll still have Solstice presents right?" he asked with a little trepidation.
"Of course you'll have some. The sandman has been watching and he knows you've been a good boy." She leaned over to give him a kiss on the top of his head. "Now, what else do you want to take?"

They traveled a good distance to get to his home as he lived on the outskirts of the Dune Sea. Owen and Beru could see that he was outside awaiting their arrival. "Hello there. It's good to see you again Mr. and Mrs. Lars. And this must be young Luke." He turned his attention to the boy getting out of the speeded clutching his night bag.
"Yes this is our Luke," Beru said, taking his hand and pulling him towards the group.
The man knelt in front of the blond boy and held out his hand in greeting. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Ben. We'll be spending Solstice together."
"It's nice to meet you too, Ben," he said in his best and most polite voice. 'Aunt Beru will be proud.'
"I'm sorry we can't stay to chat but we need to be heading on. Jula's waiting." Owen announced.
"I hope she'll get better Aunt Beru."
"I hope so too." She gave Luke a final hug and kiss before leaving for the speeder. Owen followed but not with out giving one last glance at Luke and Ben.

They stayed to watch them leave until the speeder was a spec on the horizon. "Well, young Luke shall we go inside?"
Ben took his hand and led him inside the small, domed dwelling. "Do you know Quincy McFerrin?" Luke asked as he looked around.
"I'm afraid I don't. Is it a holonet character, because I don't have the holonet out here in the Judland Wastes."
"Yeah, he's a Corsec officer and he fights crime in Coronet City."
Ben smiled at his enthusiasm. Luke was quite different from the younglings that he remembered. Thinking about them depressed him so Ben asked Luke to continue his childish explanations.
"He has a faithful droid who's just as brave as he is and helps him solve crimes. He's a detective you know and he has all kinds of gadgets that he uses. Every week he solves some new case. But his boss doesn't really like him cause he follows his heart and not his head." Luke put his hands on his hips and adopted a serious expression. "McFerrin," he tried to make his voice sound lower and more menacing and almost succeeded, "you follow you heart not your head."
Ben had to laugh at the child. It was so long since he had laughed.
"I think they're really friends but don't want to admit it." Luke then fished out a picture book of McFerrin and proceeded to regal Ben with tales of heroics. Ben was more than willing to let the boy fill the silence that had previously dominated his home.

Several hours later Luke was outside as the suns were beginning to set. He was making hills and valleys in the sand. His hands were the only tool he used to smooth them into the perfect shape. Small rocks and pebbles were carefully placed in rows and circles. It was a lovely looking design to his eyes and Luke was pleased.
Unbeknownst to him Ben was using this time to decorate his house with little strands of lights and Sun Birds. On one of his checks on the boy he found him staring almost wistfully at the setting suns. 'Like father, like son.' Eventually Luke went back to his sand creations. 'Hope you will like this.' Ben thought as he hurried to finish.

"Will you come and see what I made."
"In a minute, Luke!" He waited till the boy turned towards the house again. When he did he lit the lights. The entire house was lit up like stars had fallen from the sky. Luke marveled at the beauty of it and Ben was very relieved and pleased.
"Ben! It's so pretty." The lights were part of the Solstice tradition; to light up the shortest day of the year. He had seen several displays in his young life but this was the best and brightest. Luke ran in and hugged Ben. "When did you do this?"
"While you were out playing. Do you like it? Did you see the Sun Birds?"
"I love it. It's one of the most beautiful things I've seen." Ben picked him up so he could reach the sun bird models that were out of his reach. "You have blue birds! Most people have red ones. I've never seen blue ones."
Ben gave him a conspiratorial look and whispered, "I got them from an Angel on one of the moons of Iego." Luke picked it up from the mantle. It fit in his had perfectly. "You can have it if you want."
"Really?" Luke couldn't believe he would want to give it away.
"Yes, I'm sure it's former owner would want you to have it." Luke seemed to accept this as he didn't protest anymore.
Ben put Luke back on the ground. "I believe you were going to show me what you had been doing all afternoon."
Luke put the blue sun bird carefully down on the table. "Yeah, you have to see it. It's a map of Coronet City. I think I got everything right. There's the library, and the school, and the Corsec station....."

After dinner they opened presents as tradition dictated. Luke had made a Krayt dragon and Dewback out of paper for Ben. He put them in a place of honor on the mantle piece.
"I have a couple of presents for you along with the ones your aun- uh, the sandman left," Ben told Luke wincing silently at the slip. He got them out of a rustic looking chest in the main sitting room. Luke tore into the wrappings of the one's from Owen and Beru, 'the sandman'. There weren't many as they didn't have much money but what he did receive he liked. Clothes, boots, some new datacards and a new Mc Ferrin speeder.
The ones from Ben were smaller but Luke was sure he would like them too. The first was a datacard about a planet called Naboo. Luke loved learning about faraway places so he couldn't wait to read it. The second was a small spy camera like the one Quincy McFerrin. Luke got an interesting look in his eyes and Ben could only imagine the harassment Owen and Beru would have to endure from that devise.
"Can we play a game?"
"It's getting late Luke, you should be thinking about bed."
"Pleeessse? We can make it a short game. I just want to play with the things I got tonight."
Ben couldn't help but give in. "Alright. We will play for one hour and that's it. Bedtime. Understood?"
Luke nodded and started to move the table with the aid of Ben. "I'll be McFerrin and you can be Dasher Rizzo. He's the biggest bad guy and he's the only one to beat McFerrin....."

An hour later the house looked as if a sandstorm had hit. How they had managed to do that much damage in such a short amount of time was beyond Ben. At least Luke should be tired enough to fall asleep quickly. 'McFerrin' had won this particular round mainly because 'Dash' wanted him to win. The boy took it so seriously and didn't think it wasn't real. The advantage of childhood- unlimited imagination.

Luke settled into bed exhausted from an eventful day. He closed his eyes and dreamed of the best holiday he had ever had.

The End.