Beyond - Legends Sea of Flowers (L/M, H/L, OCs... AU) (update 1/22)

Title: Sea of Flowers
Author: DaenaBenejn42
Characters: Luke, Mara, Ben, OC's, Han, Leia, Solo Kids
Timeframe: a year and a half post Obsessed With Flowers
Disclaimer: Star Wars still owned by Lucasfilm. All praise to 'em.
Notes: This is the sequel for http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/22710435/p1/?388]Obsessed[/url] With Flowers and was inspired by ginchy wondering if we?d see those characters again, JediFalcon (thank you JediFalcon!), positive response to Flowers, AND the http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/26891244/p43/?1062]MMM[/url] challenge. Enjoy.




It was a dark and cloudy day as she sat on the bench and watched Ben play on the equipment in the play area. Mara glanced up, noting the texture of the clouds, and nodded to herself. It was going to rain today. A few more minutes, and she'd gather Ben up and start for the apartment. Something was nagging at her, and she wasn't quite certain what.

A few minutes later, she stood up. "Ben! Time to go!"

Ben came over to her. "But I want to stay."

She held out a hand, smiling. "It's going to rain. That means it is time for us to go inside now."

He took her hand unenthusiastically. "Can we come back tomorrow?"

"I'll think about it."

Ben frowned as she led him to the parked speeder. She almost seemed to be laughing. That wasn't right. "What's funny?"

"I have something to tell your father," Mara told her son and she helped him into the speeder.

"Is it funny?"

Mara chuckled. "Yes and no... need to stop by a florist."

"Why?"

She didn't answer as she buckled him in and got into the speeder herself.

~*~*~*~

She sighed as she sat alone in the Academy mess hall, aimlessly stirring her food around on its tray with her fork. He hadn't called. Worse than that: he had missed her call. Their scheduled weekly call, and he missed it. It wasn't the first time, as their schedules sometimes conflicted, but usually he called the next day. He didn't, and still hadn't.

She sighed again, and moved to stand up. It wouldn't do to stay here, moping for an hour and not eating anything. It was just... the day was important. Their anniversary and her lifeday fell on the same day. Today. She missed it once due to being ill, and was determined not to miss it again. And he had... darn him.

Suddenly, she felt an impossible presence and her head snapped up to look around the room. It couldn't be... could it? No. Could have been her imagination, making her feel things she wanted. She snorted indignantly to herself and shook her head. "Silly Force."

"What's so silly about it?"

She froze at the stunningly familiar voice and slowly turned to find... "Samir?" Blinking twice, she nearly fell into his arms. "You're here!"

Samir took her into his arms and they stood there, in the middle of the mess hall, not caring that people were staring at them. "Did you think I'd miss it?"

"Well no, but..." She pulled away and looked up at him. "You didn't call and I wasn't able to reach you."

He smiled down at her. "I spent three or four days in transit or I would have called, Renna."

Renna glanced around, suddenly realized that people were watching, and blushed. "Think we could take this somewhere more private?"

"I don't see why not."

~*~*~*~

Luke had just laid Riana down for a nap when Mara arrived home with Ben. "How was it?"

"Fine," Mara answered as she shut the door behind them. "Got drenched between there and here."

Luke took a moment to wonder what Mara was holding in the container before bending down and helping Ben out of his jacket. "Did you have fun, Ben?"

Ben nodded. "I wanted to stay longer. Was having fun."

Luke smiled. "I'm glad you had fun." He glanced at Mara and noticed the expression in her eyes that usually meant she wanted to talk to him alone, nodded, and turned his attention back to Ben. "Go check on Riana, but don't wake her up." When Ben was safely out of earshot, Luke looked at Mara. "What is it?"

She handed him the container. "Open it."

Luke opened the container and frowned at the contents. "Flowers?"

"

 

i've been dying to get to this one all day... with the title Sea of Flowers I had an idea of what it was Squee! Squee! Samir is a sweetie proposing to Renna like that after she'd thought "Where is he?" And Mara having another baby--yay!!! Riana's a lovely name. Yikes!! Leia!!! hope she doesn't have amnesia If you're keeping a PM list, could I be on it?

 

This looks as if its going to be another winner. I really like the universe you created for these characters. Just the right amount of angst and romance and nothing at all pretencious. I so looking forward to more.

 

Mara's pregnant Loved the scene between Ben and Mara But Leia I hope it isn't too bad

Looking forward to more Great start

 

eeep, I'm late! But it's great to see a sequel to this. Glad I spearheaded it, so to speak. I hope to learn more about Mara's past and her family and see more Skywalker family time!

 

Aww, sweet proposal. I love Mara using the flowers as a signal to Luke, there. And ack, Leia! Hope she's all right.

Can't wait for more, Daena. Please keep me on the PM list.

 

If this is AU, I hope you don't kill off anyone, like those profic authors.

Hurry up and post the next chapter! Leia's been hurt!!!

 

Jade_eyes: Am keeping same PM list from Flowers... which means, yes, you can so be on it. (Amnesia? Um... will get back to you on that...) Thank you, Jade_eyes.

JediMike2372: More's commin' and glad to hear it. As you've not seen this story before, am providing a couple links to related stories set in same AU. Thank you.

JediFalcon: Thank you, JediFalcon.

ginchy: This would be the second time you've inspired something. (Mara singing something was the first.) Thank you, ginchy!

RK_Striker_JK_5: Will do, and thank you, Striker.

PonyTricks: This is set in same AU as Never Trust a Magic Elf, PonyTricks. Am hurrying (life's been a little busy), and thank you.


Now then... stories set in this same AU are the following...

Case of the Missing Holo Cube
The Hard Way
Missing Moment
Lecture Interrupted (MMM)
And With That, We Weirdly Bonded
Wanting to Know... / Ever and Always
The Book of Love (songfic)
To Touch and See
Never Trust a Magic Elf
Moonraker
Obsessed With Flowers
Pudding and Other Disasters
Day Like Any Other


Standing PM List for Obsessed With Flowers/Sea of Flowers... (due to my cold in March, there were no update PMs. Apologies. This will be corrected next update.)

RedGold
BrightFeather
JediFalcon
amidalachick
Courtney_Solo
MirandaFair
Meredith_Kenobi
ginchy
JadeLotus
LilyHobbitJedi
MoeTharen
mavjade
RK_Striker_JK_5
jackyyy17
Vongchild
Trimaj
emeraldshadow
Star_Angel
G__Anakin
TnTornado
Crazydan
ZebulaNebula
TnTornado
BrentusofGath
motoish
maramijade
Jedi_Kassandra
jasa
frankieskywalker
Jade_eyes
JEDIFLYSWATTER
Noelie
strwbrystarshine
Emelin
Allana_Djo_Solo
JediMike2372
PonyTricks
dancing_star

If anyone is on this list and doesn't want to be, please bring it to my attention. Thank you.

 

Oooh thanks for the links!!! I haven't read some of those yet and I just got some great laughs!!!! Potato chips!!! Leaves less of a stain than tomatoes....

 

Jade_eyes: Glad you liked those. Thank you.



Last time, on Sea of Flowers?


Luke blinked at the sudden sensations of pain as he finished making a snack for Ben. "Leia?"

Ben jerked visibly. "She's hurt!"

Mara reentered the kitchen just in time to see Luke dash for the comm station. "Was that...?"

Luke nodded. "It was." He waited for the comm to connect, and when it did, he was speaking a mile a minute, urgent to get the information across.

"Already being done, Master Skywalker," the operator answered him calmly after a slight pause. "As we speak."

Luke turned and shared a look with Mara after the operator disconnected. They shared the same thought: This was not good.


And now, on Sea of Flowers?


"Go," Mara told him without hesitation. Luke blinked at her for a moment, then nodded and rushed out the door. Mara turned and looked at Ben, who was looking up at her in confusion. She could hardly blame him for that. "Let's have some dinner, then round Renna up, hmm?"

Ben nodded slowly. "Okay."

~*~*~*~

Renna's eyes widened as ripples of pain trickled through her Force senses, and she pulled out of the kiss to stare at Samir for a moment. "That wasn't you, and it definitely wasn't me."

Samir frowned. "What wasn't?"

Renna took a deep breath and focused, searching the way she'd been taught... she recognized the person whose pain it was. "Oh. Come on."

Samir was still frowning as she pulled him out into the corridor. "Where?"

"To talk to Mara. Something's happened."

It wasn't the first time he'd been confused by Renna being overly cryptic. "Will there be an explanation, then?"

"Yes."

"Good."

~*~*~*~

Han was sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands when Luke arrived. He stood there for several long moments, taking in that image. Had he himself looked that... small and exhausted? Wordlessly, Luke sat down next to him. Han glanced up and tried to crack a smile. "Hi."

"You don't have to fake it for me," Luke assured him.

"Not trying to, Kid." Han sighed and sat up all the way, then tilted his head in question. "Feel anything from her?"

"Just pain and confusion," Luke told him after pausing and feeling for Leia. "I'm not sure if she's conscious or not. Have they told you anything?"

"Not yet... I left the kids with Winter."

Luke nodded and turned to look around the waiting room, suddenly sensing someone familiar. Someone who shouldn't have been within three dimensions of him, in fact. "What are the McCains doing here?"

"Hmmm?" Han followed Luke's gaze to a woman trying to read a datapad, and his eyes went wide when he recognized her. "Oh." She looked up, met his gaze, and sighed dramatically before standing up and joining them. "Didn't you go home, Elsie?"

Elsie sighed again and pocketed her datapad. "We were permanently reassigned to here."

"You weren't going to tell us," Luke said, surprising himself with the sudden insight. He hadn't gotten to know the woman well, but he did know she liked to keep to herself when she could. "Were you?"

"No, but that's a moot point now, isn't it?" She gestured to the door that led to the emergency department beside the reception window. "I called it in. Saw it happen. She's injured, but she'll live."

Han leaned closer. "What did happen?"

"Speeder landed too close, she got caught in the repulsor field and banged up against the other speeder... presumably her own, the one she was trying to unlock."

Han mulled through that explanation as he nodded slowly. "Thank you, Elsie."

She shook her head. "Don't thank me, General Solo. If I'd been on top of things, I'd have been able to prevent it in the first place. Instead, I was across the square talking to some politician."

Luke blinked at her tone. He hadn't heard Elsie speak that way before. He knew she had an ability to see things, to know more about people than she let on... was it possible she was blaming herself? It sure sounded like it.

Elsie glanced at Luke and shook her head. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Try to tell me that I am not to blame."

Luke was preempted by someone com

 

Good to know Leia is going to be all right, and Luke put her into a healing trance. I can't wait for more

 

Great update. Glad Leia will be all right and Elsie and Chris are around to provide entertainment. Will we see the rest of the Waves?

 

Also glad Leia's all right, there. Yeah, no caffeine for Mara. Good update, Daena.

 

Glad to see a new story in this universe! Yikes for Leia's accident, but good that Luke was able to put her in a healing trance. And yay for Renna and Samir's engagement, and Mara being pregnant again!

Thanks for the PM!

 

Sorry it's taken me so long to get here! (I have a feeling I'll be typing that line a lot tonight... LOL)

I enjoyed the update. I'm glad Leia is okay--or will be now that she has the bacta and a healing trance. I'm excited to see where this one is going!

 

JediFalcon: Thank you.

Jade_eyes: The rest of the WR crew? Maybe. (See the diary project story in the NSW forum for why I say that...) Thank you, Jade_eyes.

RK_Striker_JK_5: Thank you, Striker.

amidalachick: Thank you.

ginchy: Thank you, ginchy.

 

A/N: Just a small note here from me... the conversation with Luke and Mara is based on the events of a drabble or two from both Edge of Life and Prismatic Edges. (And forget what happened to October. Where did May go?!?) Thank you all, and apologies for the long wait.


Six years ago, elsewhere in the multiverse...


"Officer Darvis Melyan?

He was just sitting down at his desk in the squad room when an uncertain feminine voice demanded his attention. Darvis turned to find a woman he didn't recognize wearing a gray tunic and black pants, and staring at him as if she could have bored a hole right through him with just her eyes. "Can I help you?"

She smiled slightly. "I have some questions for you, sir."

"All right... what about? And what am I supposed to call you?"

"My name is Elsie." She set a datapad on his desk. "And I need to know about something that happened in the Corellian system. It's... weird, I know."

He studied the information presented on the small screen and then frowned at her. "Why do you want to know about pirates who were caught, tried, and sentenced more than five years ago?"

Elsie blinked at him, as if she didn't believe her ears. "Come again?"

"They were caught."

Suddenly, she relaxed and smiled. "Thank you. That's what I needed to know. And I'm glad."

"You didn't answer my question, miss."

She just looked at him for a long moment before gesturing for the datapad. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Darvis. Trust me on that."

"Oh? I've seen a lot in my time," Darvis told her as he gave the requested item back to her. "And I like stories."

Elsie hesitated as she started to walk away, then looked at him again with raised eyebrows. "This one had a happy ending. For all that would have been involved. Even you. And that's all I can say about it."

Darvis was left frowning as she walked away into the controlled chaos that was the squad room. If it had a happy ending, why had she been worried in the first place? It was just one more thing on a long list of things that didn't make sense.


Four years ago...


Luke noticed the door they'd been decorating for the baby open as he walked down the hallway to their bedroom. He frowned and looked in to find Mara slowly cleaning up a mess. "What happened in here? It..." His frown deepened when she barely glanced at him and shook her head. "Mara?"

Mara shook her head again and continued to carefully pick things up that had been strewn all over the place. "Just be glad that nothing is broken... that there wasn't really anything to break. Just soft things, and this." She held up a drawer to show him. Other than being where it wasn't supposed to be, and having inexplicable scratches across the surface, the drawer was intact.

"I don't understand," Luke said as he entered and watched her put the small drawer back in the dresser.

Mara sighed. "It's not important, Luke."

"Did you..."

"No."

Catching her between tasks, Luke pulled her into his arms. He didn't need to know what had happened or why it was upsetting, just that she was upset meant something. "It's all right."

"Is it?" Mara pulled away slightly to look up at him. "Really?"

Something in her question startled him, and holding her now he could feel how upset she was. "Of course it is, Mara." She stared into his eyes for long moments before nodding and letting herself relax into his arms again. "Why do you ask?"

"We had a talk," she mumbled into his chest. "Neesta and I. She was upset... and that's why there's a mess."

Luke looked around the room for a long moment, understanding only now what he was seeing. How upset their daughter must have been, how upset Mara was now. It made sense suddenly, what she'd asked. "Is she still here?"

"No."

"Would you like some help cleaning up?"

"Just hold me, Luke. It can wait a while."

Quietly, he led her from the room. As she'd said, it really could wait a while.


Days ago...


Samir stood on the Jaden front porch, knowing very well that he could have gone inside without knocking or ringing the door chime. He perferred to do this

 

Hello Daena:

Great update.

Lands, has it been that long since an update? Where's my head been? Oh, I know where. All filled up with my newest and permanent love crazy.

Otherwise, I'd've noticed, and pulled my hair out by now! And upped to death!!!!



Still loving L&M though LOL

He's so sweet and I love how all these fics tie together.



And, oooh, I bet Neesta would be upset And I'm glad Widia's there to spoil her grandchildren

 

Loved the update and it took Winter to figure out who she was. Glad to see Mara's mom go visiting.

So is Neesta going to come back or...

Can't wait for more

 

Interesting, here. Seems a bit of a mystery. Nice of Samir to ask permission of Widia like that. Can't wait for more.

 

great update

 

Jade_eyes: Yep... Neesta was upset, all right. ("It's not fair! It's just not!") And yep... Widia's totally going to spoil her grandkids. Thank you, Jade_eyes.

JediFalcon: So is Neesta going to come back or...

Come back? She never left. (And she's... no. Saving that detail for the update. ) Thank you, JediFalcon.

RK_Striker_JK_5: *solves the mystery part via PM* Thank you, Striker.

frankieskywalker: Thank you.

 

Even worried, he was cute.

I second that!

Love Ben's enthusiastic greeting to Widia, too. I'm always glad to see an update on this fic!

 

I'm sorry it's taken me so long. The last few months have been rough. But I'm glad I finally caught up. I enjoy the look into Mara's family and can't wait to see where the story takes us next!

 

I just found this and it, like all your work, is wonderful. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this fic! I'd say add me to the pm list, but I can see you've got quite a number of people you have to send messages to, so I'll just keep watch for updates. Great job and looking forward to more!