Beyond - Legends I'll Save a Seat for You (sequel to Worth Fighting For and RSVP; Luke, Mara, Dankin)

Title: I'll Save a Seat for You

Author: Tarsier

Timeframe: A year after Worth Fighting For. LOTF-like AU.

Characters: Dankin, Mara, Luke, Benji (OC - Luke and Callista's son), mention of Callista

Genre: one-shot; vignette; family/friendship

Notes: This story has been sitting on my hard drive for ages. It occurs after Worth Fighting For, but is more directly a sequel to R.S.V.P. I haven't posted it before now in part because I wanted to post it on a special day - some anniversary or another of WFF - and in larger part because it didn't have an ending. It still doesn't have much of an ending, but I figured I should go on and post it while there might be some chance of someone remembering its predecessors.

Word Count: 1,011

Other stories in this timeline: Drabbles (starting with Week 14, #67); R.S.V.P.; Worth Fighting For

---

Luke and Benji had been very somber all day. Dankin had puzzled over this at first. Then he’d realized it was just about a year ago that they had first arrived on the ship. Which meant it was just about a year ago that Callista had died.

He found Luke and Benji, along with Mara, in the mess room. He wanted to provide some comfort, or at least support, to his friends, but he hadn’t a clue what to say. He sat down at the table, offering what he hoped was a politely encouraging smile to the pair. They each glanced up, gave him a brief nod, and returned their stare to the tabletop. Mara had a hopeful look in her eyes, as though she thought he might be able to lighten the mood. He considered offering his condolences, but he didn’t think it would help. Feeling he must say something he began, “You know, I met Callista once.”

“No,” Luke said, looking up, “I didn’t know that.”

​

*​

Dankin nodded. “I delivered Mara and Karrde’s RSVPs to your wedding. I guess you were out. She invited me into the apartment for a few minutes. She was nice. And funny. Very funny.” Dankin paused and smiled brightly, clearly remembering something amusing Callista had said. Luke almost asked him what had been so funny, but was afraid that would ruin it, it wouldn’t be funny now. Best to let Dankin keep it, to let Callista’s joy stay with him, than to destroy it by trying to take some for himself.

“She was painting,” Dankin continued, “And needed help moving a piece of furniture. Anakin was there. And, come to think of it,” Dankin turned to look at Benji, “So was Niki.”

Benji had the stuffed whisperkit on his lap and hugged it tightly as Dankin spoke. Most of the time Niki stayed tucked in a closet, replaced by the living, breathing Snip. But today Snip had been feeling independent and Benji had needed something soft to hold on to. Niki never got tired of being cuddled.

“I don’t suppose . . .” Luke began as an odd thought struck him, “Did she invite you to the wedding?”

“She did, actually. I told her I probably wouldn’t make it. I didn’t have anything to wear.”

“But she told you to come anyway. She told you there’d be a seat for you if you changed your mind.” For the first time all day, Luke smiled. Even now, Callista continued to surprise him. “There was an empty seat at the reception. Callista had insisted that an extra chair be available at Karrde’s table for a new friend she had invited. She really didn’t have very many guests and Leia thought she just wanted it to look like there was one more person there for her. I thought,” Luke stopped himself, feeling a flush of embarrassment. Mara, Dankin, and Benji were all looking at him eagerly. There wasn’t much chance he could just leave that sentence unfinished. “I thought she’d left the chair for you, Mara, thinking you might show up after all.”

Mara gave a bemused grin. Deciding he’d just as soon not have to come up with a clever retort, he continued before Mara could comment. “I wasn’t about to argue with her.”

“I had no idea,” Dankin said. “Sorry about that.”

“No, it was fine. The empty chair provided something of a conversation piece. Karrde kept asking about the invisible guest. And Booster kept giving Karrde a hard time because one of his people didn’t show.”

“Sounds like a riot,” Mara said dryly.

“Yes, well our wedding was admittedly not the most exciting. It was small, no alcohol, no dancing. That empty chair was the most entertainment we had for a while.’

“No alcohol? No dancing?”

“A few of my friends had open bars at their weddings with disastrous results. I guess I went too far the opposite direction. Our wedding was an awkward compromise between the tiny courthouse affair Callie and I wanted and the society event Leia insisted was necessary.”

“I have to ask, did you wear your Jedi robes?” Dankin asked.

“Callista mentioned that did she? Another awkward compromise. At the time I thought it was terribly important I be dressed as a Jedi. Callie very gently tried to dissuade me. I thought I came up with a great compromise—I wore black robes. I thought black would lend a certain formality that was lacking with the usual browns and tans. As it turned out, I think she was a bit taken aback when she saw me. I hadn’t thought about the fact that in her time, Jedi wore brown robes; Sith Lords wore black robes.”

*​

Mara did her best to suppress a laugh. “I really should have gone to that wedding.”

“Yes, you should have. You both should have.”

“So we could fight over the empty chair?” Dankin asked lightly.

“That would have provided some much needed excitement,” Luke replied.

Mara felt a pang of guilt. She knew if she had gone, it would have been alone, or with Aves. There was never anything romantic between her and Aves, but he was who she always turned to when she needed arm candy for an event. She was a bit embarrassed to admit it, but she never would have even considered going with Dankin. It just wouldn’t have occurred to her. But the possibility would undoubtedly have occurred to him. He may have even wanted to go, and would have with just the slightest encouragement from her. She hadn’t known before now that he was invited. But Dankin was terrible at keeping secrets. If she’d been paying any attention at all, she surely would have known.

She mentally chided herself. She’d worked with Dankin for years and years without ever giving him the consideration he deserved. Callista had known him only a few minutes before reaching out to him in a way Mara never had.

“What was Callista like? Tell us about her.”

 

Tarsier -- a wonderfully gentle piece with a fond reminiscing tone. On anniversaries such as the one they're experiencing, it's nice to recall the one they have lost, and it's nice that the memories are more sweet than sorrowful.

LOL about the compromises on attire and alcohol



I enjoyed the undercurrents and reflections about Dankin from Mara.

 

“Yes, well our wedding was admittedly not the most exciting. It was small, no alcohol, no dancing. That empty chair was the most entertainment we had for a while.’

“No alcohol? No dancing?”

That was the exact spirit the "Mara and Luke" comic book had: sheer fun & thoughtful moments! Thanks for reflecting that in your writing.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Thanks so much for reading and commenting! I do love the relationship between Dankin and Mara

AzureAngel2 I haven't read Union, but I've heard a lot about it and I'm so glad I could capture the right tone! Thank you very much for reading and commenting!