Title: Sweet 16, and Never...
Author: JediGirl (aka - Lori)
Setting: You'll see as soon as you start reading
Rating: Whole story: NC-17 -- but this first part is only PG. The good stuff doesn't come until near the end ;-)

A bit of background - This story is kind of a spin off of "So Much to Tell You." If you've read the story, you may remember that Luke and Mara have a conversation about Luke's sexual experience. He mentions his first time during that discussion. So, when this challenge came up, I figured it was the perfect oppurtunity for me to elaborate on Luke's story. Unfortunately I didn't realize that his story would be so elaborate ;-)

Spoilers: None...at least I don't think so. I guess you can say it is kind of a spoiler to SMTTY.
Disclaimer: As you all know, these characters don't belong to me (well, maybe one or two of them, but I'm happy to share them with others if they want them). Most of these characters belong to the great Mr. L and I thank him everyday for creating them and making them a huge part of our lives. I'm doing this...cause AJ made us do it ;-) Yeah, that and because it is fun. No one is paying...I swear!
Acknowledgements: HUGE Thanks goes to my WONDERFUL beta, Michele. I truly could not have done this without her. She is a great source of information and inspiration. And whenever I can't come up with a species or a planet I know I can count on her. Plus she makes me laugh and that make this all worthwhile. Thank you, M.
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HOPE you like it!

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Sweet 16th, and Never...
by JediGirl

A beat-up old landspeeder sped its way across the barren sands of the Tatooine deserts. The buzz of the speeder's engines and the loud blaring sound, of what some would consider music, was the only sound that could be heard for kilometers around. Within the vehicle sat two young teenage boys, their hair blowing wildly in the wind. The boys sang boisterously along with the lyrics of the latest song that crackled from the ancient speakers that were installed into the back of the speeder. They belted out the last words of the melody as the driver, a young dark haired male in his late teens, spun his vehicle to a halt as they reached their desired destination. A dirty, billowing, cloud of dust followed behind them as the repulsor engines kicked up the ever present sand of the bone-dry world.

The boys laughed cheerfully as they both jumped out of the speeder and made their way over to the edge of the subterranean courtyard that was the centerpiece of the old moister farm that was the Lars' homestead.

Within the courtyard, a plain looking woman of middle-aged years, tended a small garden of decorative plants. She looked up as the boys peered down into the courtyard. She couldn't have helped not hear them arrive with all the noise that they had made. She gave them a welcoming smile and waved cheerfully. "Hello, boys," she said in a sweet tone.

"Hey, Mrs. Lars," the driver of the landspeeder called down to her. "Is Luke around?"
"He should be in the garage, as usual," she told them with a smile.

"Thanks!" The boy replied and gave the woman a wave as both teens moved away from the edge and headed for the large domed structure that was the homestead's garage.

"Hey, Luke!" the boy, who had been the speeder's passenger, called as they entered the structure. "You around?"

"Over here," came a muffled voice from the back of the garage where a tattered, two-manned Skyhopper sat in the hanger section of the garage. "Give me a sec. I just want to finish this adjustment."
Luke Skywalker, a boy in his mid-teens ducked his head out of the access compartment of the T-16 Skyhopper he was working on. His unruly, bright blond hair hung in his eyes. He pushed the offending locks away to give him a better view of his visitors. In doing so, he left behind a dark, oily smudge across his forehead. "Hi, Windy! Deak!" he greeted the other boys as they moved closer to the small ship.

"What are you doing to that thing now?" asked Deak.

"Just fine tuning the gyro-stabilizers," Luke replied as he slid the access panel back into place. "The 'hopper felt kind of sluggish during the run we did last week."

"Uh-ha. Sure. Is that your excuse why I was just a wing span behind you in the final turn?" Deak laughed at the young 'hopper pilot.

"That's exac--" Luke began but was interrupted by Windy.

"Don't bother arguing with him, Luke," Windy interjected himself between his two friends. "You know he is just a soar loser.

"Say, why aren't you out doing chores?" He continued before Deak could retaliate.

"Aunt Beru convinced Uncle Owen I should have the 'day off' since it was my birthday and all," Luke replied with a proud smile.

"And you chose to spend your free time working on this hunk of junk?" Deak taunted back.
Luke gave the boy a hard look. "She is NOT a 'hunk of junk'...."

"Can you two go even a micro-second without arguing?" Windy again interrupted the rivals, as he hopped up and sat on one of the counters in the workshop.

Luke and Deak continued to glare at each other, but neither boy said anything.

"Oh come off it you two," Windy continued. "We didn't come all the way out here to debate skills or ships."

"Why did you come out here?" Luke asked as he turned from Deak's dark stare and walked over to where Windy sat. He picked up an already stained cloth and used it to try and clean his hands of the grime that coated them from working on the 'hopper.

Windy sat up straighter and gave Luke a wide smile. "Like you said, it's your birthday. And we didn't think you should spend it puttering around this dusty old farm."

"Yeah," Deak added with a sarcastic tone. "We figured you would have more fun puttering around dusty old Tosche Station instead."

"What are you talking about?" Luke asked looking back-and-forth between his two friends.
"What Deak means," Windy elaborated, "is that the gang thought you could use a proper sixteenth birthday bash, instead of hanging around the farm with the old folks."

"A party? For me?" Luke asked with a surprised expression.

"Exactly!" Windy replied proudly.

"Wow! Thanks," Luke replied with a bright smile, but in an instant the smile disappeared and Luke's shoulders slumped in dejection. "But Aunt Beru is making me a special birthday meal. I can't miss it. My uncle would kill me."

"We figured as much," Windy continued, his smile still planted on his face. "That is why the party isn't until tonight. We can stay for supper and then the three of us can head out to Anchorhead afterwards. The party will probably go really late, so Fixer said we can all spend the night at the station."

"I...I don't know," Luke shook his head as he turned his friend's plan around in his head. "I'm not sure if my uncle will go for it."

"Oh, come on Luke," Deak spoke up in a defiant tone. "You're sixteen years old. You're not a kid anymore. Your uncle has to stop treating you like one."

Luke released a heavy sigh. Yeah, like that would ever happen, he thought to himself. "Well, I guess it can't hurt to ask."

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The three teens entered the courtyard of the Lars homestead from a side passage way. Beru Lars was still at the same task as she was when Windy and Deak had first arrived. She looked up from her gardening as the boys drew closer, her ever present smile still on her face.

"Umm...Aunt Beru?" Luke said as he got within speaking distance of his aunt.

"Yes, Luke dear, what is it?"

"Umm...well...." Luke stuck his hands in the pockets of his baggy trousers and dug at a crack in the courtyard floor with the toe of his boot. "Um...Windy and Deak here wanted to know if I could go to Tosche Station tonight. They want to have a party for me. Do you think I could go?"

"Tonight?" his aunt asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"Yeah, after supper. You know I wouldn't miss your wonderful stuffed dewback," he assured his aunt and complimented her at the same time. It couldn't hurt to butter her up a bit. "And you don't have to worry about me traveling home at night. Fixer said we can all sleep at his place."

Beru put down her gardening tools and brushed her hands off on her work apron. She studied her young ward closely, but did not lose her gentle smile. "I don't know Luke," she told the boy while she tried to discern if he was hiding any alternative motive to his request. "Have you asked your uncle?"

Luke gave a heavy sigh. He was expecting that question, but had silently hoped that luck would be with him and she wouldn't bring it up. "No..." he drew the word out. "I was kind of hoping..."

"That I would do it," the older woman finished his sentence for him. "Come now Luke..."

"But, Aunt Beru," Luke interrupted her, his teenage voice cracking in the process. "You know Uncle Owen would say 'no' even before I opened my mouth. He doesn't let me do anything. But you know how to talk him into things."

"Luke..." Beru said hesitantly.

"Pleeeasssse, Aunt Beru," the boy pleaded with her.

"I have to go. It's my birthday. I'm sixteen! I'm a man now," he boasted. "I should be treated like one."
Beru Lars shook her head at her nephew, but gave him a motherly smile. "To me, Love, you will always be my 'little boy'."

Luke blushed in embarrassment at his aunt's comment. Not because she hadn't said such things to him before, but because she said them to him in front of his friends. He dropped his chin to his chest, but raised his eyes up to look at his aunt and give her a sweet smile.

It was a look that had always managed to melt Beru's heart, even when the boy was into something he shouldn't have been. She folded her hands in front of her and tried to stand firm. "If you are so much the 'man' now, why don't you ask your uncle about the party yourself?"

Luke slumped his shoulders and his lower lip slipped forward. His eyes pleaded to her silently to give in to his request.

The boy definitely knew how to work her. With a sigh, she gave in to his plea. "Well, since it is your birthday and I'm not at all pleased on how fast you are growing up, I'll talk to your uncle for you."
Luke's pout quickly turned to a smile.

"But," she continued, raising a finger and giving it a little shake in his direction. "This is the last time I'll do it for you. As you've stated, you are a man now, and if that is so, then it is time you fought your own battles."

Deak leaned in and whispered into Windy's ear. "He's already fighting his own battles. And his major weapons are those baby bantha eyes he gives her."

Windy coughed into his hand to hide the laugh that burst from his chest.

"Thanks Aunt Beru. I really appreciate it."

"Uh-huh," she replied nodding her head gently. She knew she had given in too easily, but she had always found it hard not to when it came to Luke. The boy did not have the ideal life here on this desert world. It was not at all the life he was meant to lead, but she was determined to make it the best life he could have under the circumstances.

"And I'm assuming that your two 'little' friends here are staying for supper?" she teased good-naturedly.
"Only if you have enough to share, Mrs. Lars," Windy replied politely, as his mother had always taught him. "We wouldn't want to be any trouble."

"It's no trouble at all, Windy dear," Beru said sweetly. "I actually made extra. I somehow knew some extra mouths would appear this evening." She gave her two dinner guests a wink.

"Speaking of which," she continued. "I expected Biggs would have shown up with you two."

"Nah," Luke responded with a small frown and he dug his hands deeper into his pockets. "He's off with his dad on some business trip. He tried to get out of it, 'cause he didn't want to miss my birthday, but his father wouldn't let him. Mr. Darklighter is still convinced that Biggs is going to take over the family business when he retires."

"Yeah," Deak spoke up. "And banthas will fly out of my butt."

Windy elbowed him in the ribs, reminding him that they were in the presence of an adult.

"Well, I don't know," Beru responded, not taking offense to Deak's choice of words. " Biggs is quite charismatic. I think he would do wonderfully following in his father's footsteps."

"Why don't you boys go run off and play," she dismissed them with a tease. "Supper will be ready in about an hour. In the mean time I'll go talk to Luke's uncle about this evening."

"Thanks again, Aunt Beru," Luke said to his aunt as he leaned in and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "You're the best.

"You're welcome, Luke," her replied with a wink. "And make sure you wash up before coming to the table," she told him as she indicated the grease mark on his forhead.

"Will do," he answered cheerfully and turned to head back to the garage. "Call us when supper is ready."

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The three friends returned to the garage where Luke had been working on his skyhopper. Luke picked up a hydrospanner on his way over to the ship.

"You're not going to work on that thing again, are you?" Deak questioned in an annoyed voice.
The blond farm boy gave his friend a confused look. "Why not? Food's not going to be ready for awhile."

"Oh, come on, Luke. Let's at least pass the time doing something fun."
"Working on the 'hopper is fun."

"Only a gear head like you would think that," Deak taunted.

"You didn't feel that way last week," Luke gave him stern look. "When I helped you mount that new stun cannon your dad gave you."

Windy stepped between his two friends. Sometimes he felt like he was born into this universe just to keep these two from killing each other. "Would you two PLEASE stop arguing."

He turned to look at the dark haired boy. "Deak, it's Luke's birthday. Let him do what he wants."

"Fine, whatever!" the boy replied as he threw his hands up in defeat and plopped himself down in a worn chair at a nearby desk. "At least we'll have fun tonight."

"What do you guys have planned, anyway?" Luke asked as he leaned against the workshop's wall, arms crossed, hydrospanner still held in his hand.

Deak fiddled with a random piece of equipment on the desk. He gave Luke a mischievous smile. "Lots, but telling would ruin the surprise."

"Yeah," Windy piped up cheerfully. "And do we have a great birthday present for you!"
"A present?" Luke said with surprise in his voice. "For me? What is it?"

"Can't tell ya," Deak replied. "It's a secret. But let's just say it is something the rest of have gotten, but you haven't." Deak gave Windy a sly wink and Windy winked back.

Luke's brows knitted together as he tried to solve the puzzle that his friends had just handed him. Something they've gotten, but I haven't, he thought to himself.That didn't narrow it down much. Alot of his friends had things that he didn't. Not that Luke's family was any worse off then the rest of the inhabitants of Anchorhead.

No one on Tatooine had alot of money, except maybe Biggs Darklighter's family. He lived on the biggest ranch on the planet. But what money Windy and Deak's families did have, they spent as soon as they got it. Deak's parents bought him a skyhopper, practically brand-new, for his 13th birthday. Luke on the other hand had scrimped and saved his meager allowance and whatever money he could earn doing odd jobs around town, for two years straight. With all that effort, he only managed to afford a skyhopper that was nearly 10 years old, and still needed a lot of work before it could get off the ground.

But what could it be that his friends would give him for his birthday? Deak and Windy seemed pretty happy with themselves about whatever it was. However, something deep inside Luke made him feel slightly wary of what this gift might be. With a half smile, Luke shook his head at his friends' smirks and turned back to his skyhopper.

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A little more than an hour later, Luke and his friends sat around an old worn table in the eating area of the Lars' kitchen. Luke's uncle sat at the far-end of the table, eating quietly with his broad shoulders hunched over his plate. He glanced up from time-to-time to eye the youths as they cheerfully talked among themselves. He would shake his head in irritation whenever the boys' conversation would turn to trivial matters or rumors of this or that person.

Beru Lars placed a refilled dish of baked tubers on the table. "Here you go, Windy," she said as she sat down at her own plate of food. "I'm glad you like them so much."

"These tubers are great, Mrs. Lars," the boy complemented her.

"Well, thank you. It is actually your mom's recipe."

"Really," Windy replied with a raised eyebrow and a cocky grin. "Well, you make them much better than she does."

Deak, who sat to the left of Windy, sarcastically rolled his eyes, but gave no verbal comment.
There was a lull in conversation as the teens helped themselves to more baked tubers.

"Luke," Beru's voice broke the silence at the table. "Isn't there something you wanted to ask your uncle?"
Luke's eyes widened in surprise and he almost choked on the piece of dewback he had just popped in his mouth.

"Go on," she mouthed the words to him, along with a supportive smile.

Owen Lars looked up from his plate and put his fork down on the table as he waited for his nephew to speak.

"Umm...Yeah...Ahhh." He looked to his friends for support. Deak urged him on with a little tip of his head in Luke's uncle's direction.

"Speak up, boy," Owen said gruffly.

Luke took a deep breath and sat a little taller in his chair as he tried to build up his self-confidence. "Uncle Owen," he said with a little nervousness in his voice. "The guys are having a party for me tonight at Tosche Station. I wanted to ask you if it was okay for me to go?"

Owen looked at the boy for a long moment. He worked his jaw as he comtemplated Luke's request. Beru had already spoken to him about the matter, but he still wasn't convinced it was a good idea to let the boy go. Sure he had just turned sixteen and by Tatooine law was considered a legal adult. But trouble seemed to find Luke at every turn and the idea of letting him spend the night in town with a bunch of other young people smelled of trouble -- big trouble.

The old farmer dropped his eyes from his nephew and picked up his fork again. He speared a piece of meat with the utensil. "Who is going to be at this party?" he asked just before he shoved the meat into his stern mouth.

"Just some friends," Luke told his uncle. "Windy, Deak, Fixer and some others from town."
"Will Biggs be there?" Biggs Darklighter was several years older than Luke, but had taken the boy under his wing many years ago. He was like an older brother to Luke and was one of the only people on the planet who could seem to keep the cursed teen out of trouble.

"Ahhh...no," Luke said as he lowered his eyes to his plate. He knew that his uncle liked Biggs and counted on the older boy to keep an eye on him. The fact that he would not be at the party only added weight to Owen's decision of not letting him go. "He is out of town with his dad," Luke explained.
"But," Windy interjected before Owen could respond. "He said he might be able to get back in time to catch up with us later on in the evening."

Owen glanced at Windy sternly. Windy quickly looked back at his plate and shoveled more food into his mouth.

"And your friend Fixer is allowing you boys to spend the night?" he aimed the question in Luke's direction. "You will be at the station the whole time? No late night forays into the desert looking for Krayt dragons?"

"Yes, I mean no," Luke stumbled over his answer. "I mean, yes, Fixer said we can stay the night and we will be at the station the whole time. No nighttime adventures, I promise."

"Hmmmm..." Owen studied the boys, looking to see if they would give away any hint as to what they had planned for that evening. He was young once. He knew what kind of things boys their age did. And it was never anything good. "Are there going to be girls there?"

Windy coughed, causing the food he just put into his mouth to come flying out and land on his plate. Deak kicked him in the shin under the table in response to his reaction.

Luke turned a few shades whiter as he felt his chances for going to this party grow slimmer, and slimmer. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and responded to his uncle's question. "Well, Camie is going to be there, of course. I'd assume some of the other local girls will be there as well, though."

Owen looked back down at his dinner. "I don't know, Luke..."

"Now Owen, we talked about this," Luke's aunt interrupted her husband, giving him a reprimanding stare.

"I know we have, Beru," Owen told his wife. "I'm just not sure about this. You know what kind of trouble kids their age can get into."

Beru placed both of her hands firmly on the table in front of her and forcefully pushed herself up out of her chair. She glared down at her husband. "Owen Lars, Luke is sixteen years old. He is not a little child and he needs a chance to make his own decisions. If he makes mistakes, we can only hope he learns from them."

"Not everyone 'learns,' Beru," Owen responded in a low voice as he looked up at his wife.
Luke sat stark still in his chair, clenching tightly to the edge of the table. His foster parents didn't argue much, much less in front of company. This did not bode well for his uncle's decision. His heart pounded against the inside of his chest. And what did his uncle mean about 'Not everyone learns?' His guardians had a tendency to talk in 'code' from time to time around him. He always found it frustrating and even more so when he questioned them about it and they just dismissed him.

"We have to have faith in him," Beru whispered, her eyes still locked onto her husband's.

Silence filled the room for what felt like to Luke was a millennium. Owen took a deep breath, expanding his large chest. "Fine," he grumbled as he released the breath and turned away from his wife. "You can go," he directed his words to Luke. "But I want you home first thing in the morning. You got off doing your chores today, but that means there is more than usual to be done tomorrow. You'll need to get an early start."

The shock of Luke's uncle's agreement physically pushed him back into his chair. His jaw hung open with surprise. It took a few moments, but he finally found his voice. "Th...Thanks," he said to his uncle. "I'll...I'll be home just after the first sunrise."

"You best be," Owen again grumbled. "Or there will be hell to pay."

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Once dessert was served and devoured, the boys helped Beru clear the table and then prepared to make their way back to Anchorhead.

"Wow, Luke," Windy said as all three climbed into Deak's landspeeder. "You got really lucky in there. I was so sure your uncle was going to say 'no'."

"Yeah, me too," Luke said in a sullen tone. His thoughts were still on the argument between his aunt and uncle. Why was it that there always seemed to be a controversy when it came to a decision about something he should or shouldn't do? It had been that way for as long as he remembered. As he got older it only seemed to get worse. Why were they so concerned about him? Sure he had gotten himself into his share of trouble, but compared to the 'trouble" that some kids his age got into, his was nothing. But to his aunt and uncle it was hundred times worse. He made a mental note to make sure he proved to his guardians that he could be trusted. That he could make the right decisions when they needed to be made.

"Come on, Luke!" Windy said to his friend. "Cheer up. It's your birthday and we are going to have a blast tonight! And you're going to love your gift."

"He sure is," Deak added with a laugh from the driver's seat. Then he pulled back on the accelerator and they were off.

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Just as the second of Tatooine's suns fell behind the horizon, the three teens arrived at Tosche Station. Luke's mood heightened considerably during the trip from his home on the outskirts of Anchorhead's borders. He found his friends' excitement about that evening's festivities to be very contagious. Deak and Windy seemed to have alot planned for him, but they were keeping 'mum' about the exact details. Luke was still getting a tingle of apprehension at the back of mind. It made him a bit nervous about what these two were up to, but he did his best to push the sensation away. It was 'his' birthday, and his foster parents actually were letting him out all evening to be with his friends. He was determined to have the best time he could possibly have.

Deak pulled his dust covered landspeeder up along the side of the old power station. The three boys merrily jumped out of the speeder and made their way to the main entrance of the building.
Deak stepped up next to Luke as they got to the door. He threw an arm over Luke's shoulder. "Here we are, my friend," Deak said with a cocky grin. "A party for you, which you will enter as a boy, but leave as a man."

"Huh?" Luke responded with a confused look on his face. But before he could get an answer, the door in front of him swished open and Deak shoved him into the dimly lit room beyond.
The occupants of the room all turned in Luke's direction when they heard the door open, and watched as he stumbled in from Deak's push.

"Hey, look everyone," came a voice from somewhere in the room. " The birthday boy has arrived."
"Yeah, and from the way he's walking, looks like he started to party without us, " another voice called out in reply.

Fixer, owner and chief mechanic of Tosche Station, looked up from the game of Sabacc he was playing. "Well, it's about time," he shouted across the room. "We thought we were going to have to have this party without you."

The burly young man threw down the cards he was holding. "I'm out," he mumbled to the other gamers at the table, and pushed himself from his chair. He then crossed the room to greet the new arrivals.
"Sorry Fixer," Deak chimed in as he and Windy joined Luke inside the shop. "We had to hang with the old folks awhile and sweet talk them into letting Little Wormie here, out to play."

Windy and Luke both rolled their eyes and the other boy's cocky demeanor.

"Well since the Birthday Boy is here," came a feminine voice off to one side of the room. "We have to assume you must have kept your mouth shut the whole time, Deak." A small, black haired girl with bright eyes stood leaning against a far wall, with her arms folded across her chest. She gave Deak a menacing glare as she made her way over to the group of young men.

"Ha, ha," Deak responded to her jibe. "You're such the comedian, Camie."

Camie ignored the dark haired youth completely as she gave Luke a friendly hug in greeting. "Happy birthday, Luke," she said and gave him a big smile as she stepped back out of the embrace.

"Thanks, Camie," he responded with a wide grin of his own.

"Okay, okay. Enough of this sentimental bantha fodder," boomed Fixer's husky voice. He slipped one of his strong, muscular arms over Camie's slim shoulders possessively. "Let's get this party underway.
"Khal," Fixer yelled to a stocky, light haired, mechanic sitting with a couple of local girls. "Turn up the audio unit and get this 'boy' a drink."

The group of young people made their way further into the room and joined the rest of the party. Khal handed Luke a small dark colored bottle with no label. "What's this?" Luke asked with a concerned look on his face.

"My own brew," Fixer answered proudly.

Luke gave the bottle a wary look. "I don't know, Fixer."

"Don't be a baby, Wormie. Give it a try." The big man gripped Luke firmly on the shoulder and gave him a nod urging him to drink.

Luke was still reluctant, but had no desire to look bad in front of his friends. He had grown up being ribbed by them just about everyday of his childhood, but he had made a conscious decision that he would earn their respect as he entered into manhood. And what would one drink hurt, anyway? He questioned himself silently.

With the rest of the group still eyeing him, he lifted the bottle to his lips and took a huge swig of the home-spun concoction. The liquid caused the inside of this mouth to tingle-which wasn't too bad-but then he swallowed, and he literarily thought his throat had been burned from his body. His mouth snapped open as he gulped for air, hoping to distinguish the fire that was ranging in his chest. He coughed hard, causing his body to buckle over. He placed a hand on his knee to steady himself as he continued to cough.

He took a deep breath and tried to straighten himself and face the creator of the 'liquid death' he had just consumed. Luke's vision of Fixer was a bit blurry, caused by the water that filled Luke's eyes. Luke rubbed his shirt sleeve across his eyes in hopes to clear his vision. He was only partially successful. "What in the hell is in this?" he choked out. "It tastes like propulsion fuel."

Fixer laughed at the young man's reaction. "Yeah," he agreed. "But after you've had a few, you stop noticing."

Everyone in the room joined in on Fixer's laughter. Luke flushed a bit in embarrassment, but no one noticed since his face was already red from his coughing fit. As the strong alcohol settled into his stomach, Luke could start to feel a warming sensation spreading to the rest of his body. He allowed his lips to curve up in a slight smile as he felt his body begin to relax. The thought 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," fluttered through his mind briefly and he raised the bottle he still held, to his lips and took another sip-this time a much smaller one-and moved further into the room to fully join the party.
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