With Arms Wide Open

 -- A Luke and Mara Story
Inspired by Creed's Song of the Same Name
by Taramidala (taramidala@aol.com)

SUMMARY: The Yuuzhan Vong have been defeated. The Republic is on the mend.
Luke returns to Yavin to Mara and some life changing news. Just a piece of
good-hearted mush and fluff. If I had my way, this is how the NJO would end.

DISCLAIMER: None of these characters are mine. They belong to George Lucas
and Lucasfilm, Ltd. I am making no money off this story and intend no
infringement on their copyright. The lyrics to the song "With Arms Wide Open"
were written by members of the band Creed and they belong to them and
probably their record company alone. I am only borrowing them for
storytelling purposes. I intend no theft.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this story after being inspired by the wonderful Creed
song, and also, because somewhere in the back of my mind is this sinking
feeling that we may not see this. =( I hope you enjoy this story as much as I
did writing it.

"With Arms Wide Open"

Well I just heard the news today
It seems my life is going to change
I close my eyes, begin to pray
Then tears of joy stream down my face
With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open

Luke stepped out of the shuttle after it landed safely on Yavin Four. He
stood at the top of the ramp just staring at the landscape he used to know so
well. The Yuuzhan Vong had attacked so many months ago, and yet it still
appeared a wasteland. Only recently had Mara and others returned to clean up.

He looked around a few moments more until he saw a lithe figure dressed in
flowing robes coming out to greet him. Mara. It had only been a few weeks yet
it felt like a lifetime. The sun glistened in her hair and her eyes were
shining. The sensation of her presence mixing with his filled him with such
an overall warmth that they'd all been lacking for years. But it was over
now. He had to keep reminding himself that it was all over.

She was nearing him now. There was something different about her but he
couldn't put a finger on it. She seemed peaceful. Happy. And she was so
beautiful to him when she smiled.

"Welcome home," she said as she climbed the ramp to his side.

Luke took her in his arms, enjoying the feel of her near him, the scent of
her hair, and the warmth of her spirit enveloping him. "It's nice to be
back." He held her away. "I missed you," he said, looking into her eyes.

Mara placed her hands on his arms and squeezed gently. "I missed you, too,"
she said. "How are things on Coruscant?"

Luke sighed. "Well, things are finally getting settled. Fey'lya's gone and
they elected Elegos in his place. Leia's giving up diplomacy - again," he
said.

"And that will last a couple of months or so," Mara teased.

Luke laughed. "That's what I told her. She insists that she really means it
this time. She might even stop by here eventually," he said. "It's really
over, Mara. Finally, after all this time."

Mara took his hand in hers and they walked down the ramp towards the Great
Temple. She continued to walk as the passed the memorial but Luke tugged at
her hand and stopped. When she turned around and let him pull her near he
whispered, "I just wish we hadn't had to lose so many."

"Luke, we were at war. It comes with the territory," she soothed.

"No," he said. "It doesn't matter. A life is a life. And…I didn't want to
have to put your name up there."

She tightened her grip on his hand and stared seriously at him. "But you
didn't. I'm well, I'm here, and nothing is going to separate us again," she
said.

"I know," he said. As she raised his hand to her lips to kiss it, he leaned
forward with his other hand and traced the curves of her face, almost still
disbelieving that she was really there. "I don't know what I would have done
had I lost you."

Mara pulled him away from the memorial and to the door of the temple. This
time, she stopped. "Well, it doesn't matter now. None of that matters. We're
finally going to live the life we've always wanted," she said softly.

At that Luke again caught a flicker of something. There was something she
wasn't telling him. "Mara, what is it?" he asked.

She smiled - a bright happy smile - and pulled him closer. "Just stand here
and hold me for a minute," she told him.

Luke wrapped his arms around her and bent his head close to hers. As he shut
his eyes a vision came before him in the darkness. Bright, swirling colors
flooding his senses. When the flashes cleared he saw himself and Mara sitting
outside one of the abandoned temples. They were watching something. The
vision became clearer and he saw what they were looking at so joyfully. A
little boy. Blond hair and the most brilliant green eyes he'd ever seen. If
he concentrated hard enough he could almost make out Mara call his name. Ben -

He broke away from her abruptly, breaking the connection and stared at her,
the child's name echoing in his mind. "Ben," he murmured absently.

"But only if that's what you want to name him. I like it though," Mara said.

Luke stared down at her again, not quite believing what she was saying.
"Ben," he said again. "Our -"

Mara nodded. "Our son."

Well I don't know if I'm ready
To be the man I have to be
I'll take a breath, take her by my side
We stand in awe, we created life
With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open

Luke reached out and drew her to him once more. Not able to speak, he just
held her there: tightly, lovingly, and more peacefully than he ever had. A
son. More than anything in the entire world, he'd wanted a family of his own.
He and Mara both had wanted a family of their own. Now, with the war finally
over, her disease finally cured, they could have all they ever dreamed about.
As he felt her sensing his thoughts and returning his embrace, he buried his
face in her shoulder and let silent tears fall down his face.

They stood together that way for an extended moment, feeling each other's joy
at the prospect that their life together was now whole. Luke lifted his head
up and saw in Mara's tearful gaze motherly serenity, determined hope, and
unwavering faith that their child would have everything that had been denied
them. At that moment, he was filled with more love than he ever knew he could
feel for her.

Mara opened her mouth to say something. Luke silenced her with a kiss. *I
love you.*

Now everything has changed
I'll show you love
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
Wide open
If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he's not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open

Long after they had retired for the evening, Luke held Mara in his arms under
the blankets of their bed, finding sleep was not coming to him. Finally, Mara
rolled over to face him and placed a hand on his cheek, saying, "All right.
Talk. What's wrong?"

Luke opened his eyes and gazed at her in the dim light. "Is this real?" he
asked. "You're going to have to pinch me because part of me still isn't sure
I'm not dreaming."

Mara turned onto her back, took his hand and set it gently on her flat
stomach, that in the coming months would swell as their son grew. Luke sent
out a soft tendril of the Force and was surprised to feel something stretch
out back to him. He answered that first touch with a father's love and felt
Mara join him. Together they bonded briefly, mother-father-and-child, their
little family. "You're not dreaming, Luke. Because if you are, then Force
knows what I've got in here," Mara said, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "No, I'm not dreaming. With a Force push
like that, Ben's pretty strong already," he said.

"So you like the name Ben?" Mara asked. "Because if you don't -"

"What makes you think I don't like the name?"

"No reason," she said. "I'm just making sure you've got an equal part in
this."

Luke patted her stomach again. "Mara, I have an equal part in this. He didn't
get here on his own, you know," he teased.

It was Mara's turn to laugh. "You got that right," she said, running a hand
through her husband's hair.

A silence fell between them for a moment before Luke said softly, "Welcome to
the our world, Ben. Your mom and I have waited a long time for you."

Mara stroked the hand that was still under hers on her belly. "Happy?" she
asked quietly.

He removed his hand and wrapped her in an embrace. As he turned her to look
at him, he whispered, "There isn't anything that has ever made me feel this
way."

She touched his face and pulled it towards her. "I love you," she said.

Luke kissed her once more and they fell asleep in each other's arms. All
three of them.

With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
Now everything has changed
I'll show you love
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
Wide open

FIN.