Beyond - Legends Bearing the Chosen - L/M - Romance/Angst - Complete April 03, 2006 - Author Thanks July 30, 2006

Beautiful!

For some strange reason, my favorite Bradbury story - I Sing the Body Electric! - popped out while reading Mara's words to Luke...

Maybe love is the ability of someone to give us back to us.

I'm looking forward to the epilogue, and the sequel, and the sequel of the sequel. This is been a real pleasure!

 

At least she decided against the divorce. about time she spoke from her heart. Lovely story and I'm anxious for the epilogue.

And a sequel would be nice, but no pressure.

 

They are going to have another baby!!! I'm glad that mara decided to give this thing with Luke her best shot... it may not be perfect, but they will both be happy in the end!

wonderful post RedGold, I am so sad that this is just about over at least there is still the epilogue to go!

jcs

 

Awww...Yay Mara!

? I wouldn?t know love if it jumped up in front of me in a bright pink flight suit singing Requiem for Love two octaves too high.? Hahahahahaha...I was cracking up for like 5 mins after I read that...*Chuckles...Laugh...Laughs harder...snorts...falls off chair laughing so hard.* Hahaha I can just see that in my mind.

Ne-way,
Tis so sad that this is over...it seems like just last week I started reading this, dude, where do the days go?

Epilogue...YAY! I can not wait for that!

Hum...a sequel would be nice...*hint, hint*

*Sits at edge of chair waiting for next post, with trusty large bowl of popcorn*

--kt

 

My thoughts on Devin are that he's there specifically to stop the Vong Wars in some way. If anything unbalanced the Force, it was surely that. Luke/Mara being together is just a nice side-effect of Devin.

Mara thinks she doesn't know what love is, but she loves Devin. I think she was just scared to try and love Luke, because she knows that she will love him.

I hope for the best; great update.

 

Lovely post.

 

RedGold, you are totally fantastic at bringing out emotions in what the characters say to each other. Everything was real and moving without being overdone, which is hard for such complicated emotions as both of them are feeling. Mara's feelings and honesty were so touching. I had no idea she felt that way about her ability to love and still was so traumatized by her past. I felt that Luke was slowly helping her heal, unbeknownst to herself, and Devin was allowing her to bloom emotionally. I think Luke's right though--if she surrenders to her feelings, even the lusty ones, she'll find out what real love is, and that that's what she's actually feeling.
It was so heartwrenching when she said, I've never known love of any kind from anyone, I wouldn't know it if it was right in front of me; and, when she said that she was broken. And that she didn't think she could love Luke properly.
Luke was such a sweetie to still have faith in her, to be so tender and still want to be with her.
I love the whole idea of doing things that couples do. That's a terrific idea--great and beautiful things do have humble beginnings.
Maybe right now, what Mara's feeling is lust or loneliness, jumbled together with affection, but a sure sign would be if she contemplated a life without Luke and felt empty. Or if she cared more about his needs and feelings than her own. I think she's opening up to deeper truer feelings because she wants a baby that she chose to have; the willingness to learn to love is a big first step.
You've given us a realistic happy resolution, not a hokey happy one that glossed over real feelings, or a sad one that didn't seem to serve any purpose except to make everyone feel bummed out.
I'm glad there's an epilogue, and I just love, love love this chapter.

 

YAY, you fixed it!!

 

Alright.

I hate saying this but A.

RedGold oh dear..not another sequal. please don't do this to me. I'm still waiting on the sequal/prequel etc for Emperor's Shadow.

and B. I don't buy it. It was a very odd last chapter--I know you said there's an epilogue but something just didn't feel right--especially with the earlier part of the discussion..I kept expecting you to jump out and yell April Fools...

*shrug*. Anyway. You fixed it! Which is good..and it seems to have worked out...lets see what your epilogue says

 

I appreciate how real you made Mara respond to Luke. She wasn't all OH LUKIE I LOVE YOU MUA MUA MUA. She responded as a broken woman probably would.

Hungry for epilogue!

 

wow brilliant chapter but i was sad!

mastermeg_0228 - Dream huh? Now that would be a great way to prolonge the angst! Great idea!
and now you have me worried

i liked how she doesn't think she loves him but she's willing to try to have a relationship with him and watch how it progresses! Great idea!!!!!!

And i agree with some of the other people: WE NEED SOME BOOTKNOCKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

meg

 

WONDERFULL

you really described Mara's inner thinking well . i mean if you haven't ever loved you really don't know for sure what is love or what is lust or so on.

BRAVO

will be waiting epiloge AND SEQUEL (with twins )


High quality as always

 

:::scoff::: Luke is so damn easy. Might I suggest counseling? I think Mara might need it. She seems a bit unsure and mixed up in her feelings. A paid professional should tell her people who are married and in love are in a real way friends. She seems to think being "friends" is somehow mutually exclusive from being "in love". And since she doesn't know what being in love feels like, I think said paid professional should be able to help her figure it out.

Poor sweet easy Luke. Poor sweet desperate easy Luke. lol!

I do think they'll figure it out, I just see more bumps in the road ahead for them without a little help.

bran

 

Well, going from one extreme, to another.

Mara wanting another kid? Hmm? can't say I'm too surprised, but I can't say it's what I was expecting either.



Great job.

KT

 

I'm with you. I liked them getting together, but not like this. I understand why Mara has doubts and it was heartbreaking to read that part , but something just rubs me the wrong way, like she's settling for Luke because she doesn't know anything else. She shouldn't settle for him, but choose, willingly and out of knowledge, not out of ignorance. That counseling idea could be a great help. why do I have to get picky at the end of the story?

 

Oh Mara you just can not admit that you love that farmboy! Do have high hopes for the girl, But get it right before you have another baby. That would be to logical for dear Mara though. That is why I like her so much. Super story Redgold! I am going to miss it.

 

So, this was the end? Well, please do send me a note when you start the sequel Can't wait to see them having another baby...

 

What a lovely story. I especially like how their friends all help out; they aren't alone in trying to figure this relationship out. Everyone gives them space & privacy, but they're holding the safety net too.

(How about an epilogue about 25 years in the future: Mara & menopause. "I love you, Luke! I hate you, Luke! Is it hot in here?")

 

Feng_Huang posted:

_ThatJediScum_ posted:
Might I suggest counseling? I think Mara might need it. She seems a bit unsure and mixed up in her feelings. A paid professional should tell her people
who are married and in love are in a real way friends. She seems to think being "friends" is somehow mutually exclusive from being "in love". And since
she doesn't know what being in love feels like, I think said paid professional should be able to help her figure it out.

I do think they'll figure it out, I just see more bumps in the road ahead for them without a little help. bran

I'm with you. I liked them getting together, but not like this. I understand why Mara has doubts and it was heartbreaking to read that part
cry , but something just rubs me the wrong way, like she's settling for Luke because she doesn't know anything else. She shouldn't settle for him, but choose,
willingly and out of knowledge, not out of ignorance. That counseling idea could be a great help.

I believe Mara did choose to be with Luke, even as mixed up as she is. She could have said, I'm going to go through with the divorce anyway; I don't want to try this couple thing, and if I want another baby, Luke doesn't necessarily have to be the father. But she definitely wants a family and knows what it feels like to be supported by Luke through all her crazy mood swings. Maybe she's not too clear on the actual nature of love--and should realize that friends and lovers can be both--especially if they're married they are--but she does know the kind of person Luke is.
So do I: that's why I'm crazy about him too.

 

LOL! That was my reaction to the last chapter! So... Mara says she's NOT in love with Luke, but she's in LUST with him, and wants another baby!

You said she was sort of unstable. Yup. I'd have to agree.

Great, twisty ending!

 

Thank goodness the ending of this chapter turned out better than the beginning! Now on to the 'baby' epilogue.

 

Hooray Mara has finally admitted to her feelings!



Okay, she may not realize she's in love with Luke but she will. I'm just glad that she is willing
to "see what happens" with Luke.

Wonderful update

 

I?m with MirandaFair , I too will miss this story when it?s done. And to think it all started off as an innocent little response to a challenge. *starts singing Memories?*

?Where to begin?? she said with a soft laugh, leaning back against a small desk.
?With an undeniable truth?? he suggested.
She looked away for a moment, her voice strong despite the visible tremor, ?I love Devin, he?s my baby boy.?
Lucky boy. And see, Mara, you do know what love feels like. There?s hope for you yet!

He tried to come up with a reply to the blurted statement, but was at a complete loss and simply stood there. Corran had been right, he had taken a big risk and now everything he desired was falling out of his reach.
Luke, you know it would never have been as good as it could be if Mara didn?t freely choose you. Here, have a hug

?Truth is,? she slumped back against the desk, ?what happened between us was good, real good, so much more than I?ve ever had before.?
Mmmm, hmmm. That?s because you two were meant to be!

?The honest truth,? she sighed, ?is that I wouldn?t know love if it jumped up in front of me in a bright pink flight suit singing Requiem for Love two octaves too high.?
What a mental picture!

?I want another baby, Luke.?
I just loved Luke?s whole reaction to this statement and Mara?s follow-ups. Farmboy didn?t realize that he was waiting on line for the Emotional Rollercoaster, huh?

?I think we should fix that,? she slowly ran her hand down his cheek, ?do things that couples do, and see what happens.?
And there?s a mostly naked man in your bed, Mara. Wonder what might happen about that?

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, was rarely a spiteful man and never let image and the sludge news affect anything he did in life.
Except for payback.
Ha! Yes! Payback?s a b**ch, isn?t it? *evil grin smiley rubbing its hands together*

Many bets had to be resorted and one clever Corellian made a neat little killing betting for the Skywalker?s, rather than against.
Awesome! I wonder if this clever Corellian happens to ride around in a flying hung of junk with more than her fair share of character. If so, then I think he should take the happy couple out to a very nice dinner.

 

When I first read this I though it said Devil with the horns?. I thought it was an euphemism for some kinky sex act.

ACK!!! You are killing me here. You are not gonna get any hot farmboy with that kind of talk!!! Poor Luke.

Oh yeah!! That is what I am saying. Why control yourself when you have such a fine example of Jedi Masculinity in your bedroom wearing just briefs!! They are boxer briefs, aren't they? I think he looks better in those.

Okay, I know I told you I wanted for them to have a baby of their own, but if I were Luke I would hold off on having another kid until he is sure Mara is in this for the long haul. Perhaps give it a year and see how their 'dates' are progressing and then try for another kid. Meanwhile they can spend the time practicing their baby making techniques.

Ah yeah, and remember how that evening turned out.

Excellent post, RedGold. You are brilliant.

AG88

 

That was so funny!

It's great to see Luke and Mara 'dating.' It will be good for them. Dating someone can be lots of fun, and Mara's probably not ever had the opportunity. Sure, Mara is emotionally damaged, but Luke is really sweet and supportive. Plus they already have the chemistry thing working in their favor. I'm sure things will be fine from here on out.

Great post. What a ride you gave us! I loved every evil ciiff though.