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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends Miracle Child (L/M, AU) - Completed August 18th!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Briannakin , Feb 19, 2014.

  1. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    Fabulous update. I loved Luke's reaction to Beth's pink robes and Mara's comments to Luke. Didn't see that attack coming - wow!
     
  2. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Oh, this is so sweet [face_love] I love the thought of little Beth getting the have the childhood that Luke, Mara and Ben didn't.
     
  3. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    I'm so glad that Beth is healthy and home with her family, but what a fly in the ointment! I love that Ben saved his sister. [face_love]
     
  4. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Chapters 9-10: Wonderful, squishy family moments. [:D] [:D]
     
  5. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    AN: THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING EVERYONE!! It’s been a bit of a drawn out project for me and the end result was NOT what I had planned, but I hope you all enjoyed regardless! And a special thanks to Ginchy who looked over the first few chapters and helped my muse after it had stalled.
    PM List: mavjade, ethereallights, Gemma, EGKenobi, JediMasterJessica, Anakin Solo Revanchist, bkwrm752003

    Chapter 11

    Mara carried both Bethania Jade, and all of her stuff, back through the door. Luke was a the temple. They had gotten no leads over the past few days as to who had attempted to kidnap Beth, but Mara was tired of the cramped quarters of the safe house and asking Mirax to run out every time she needed something for Beth.

    Beth was currently crying.

    “Yes, mommy will feed you and give you a bath.” She was putting the bags down on the kitchen table when her danger sense flared. She felt the Force being blocked from her. Ysalamiri.

    Mara made sure everything was out of her arms, except for Bethania, before she turned around.

    Senator Klenad was standing in her living room, flanked by two YVH droids carrying Ysalamiri, along with his translator droid.

    “Really? I so don’t have the patience for this today,” Mara grumbled as she continued to bounce the crying Beth.

    Klenad spoke and the droid translated. “That is the senator’s point. Your husband seems to think the senator is anti-Jedi. He is not. He simply wants to point out the flaws in the new Jedi order. A former Sith assassin can not be a Jedi.”

    Mara rolled her eyes. “You really don’t know your Jedi theology do you. You know, we are all about forgiveness, redemption, yadda, yadda.”

    That made Klenad angry. He yelled and the droid struggled to keep up. “No, it is you that does not know the Jedi theology. A Jedi can not have their attention split between a child and the order.”

    The senator and his droid continued to rant on but Mara stopped listening. She wasn’t going to say he was right, but his thoughts did echo hers. She didn’t want to chose between Bethania and the order. Hell, if it weren’t for Luke, in the decision between Ben and saving the Galaxy from the Vong, she would have chosen Ben. She should have chose Ben. Bethania could have the childhood that Ben, and herself, never had.

    Did the Galaxy, or the Jedi, really need her right now?

    Mara thought of Jacen. She didn’t blame Leia for what had happened to him, but if he had been given a more stable childhood away from kidnapping threats and galactic crises, would things have turned out differently?

    “Fine,” Mara spoke. “I will retire from the Jedi order if you promise to leave my family alone.” It wasn’t like she had to retire permanently. The senator would be out of office in just a matter of months.

    The senator seemed surprised, like he couldn’t believe he had just won. The senator hesitantly began again. The droid translated. “That would be an acceptable arrangement.”

    “Good,” Mara barked. “Now, could you leave, I have a kid to deal with.”

    After the senator and his goonies had left, Mara made sure all the security measures were in place, then took Bethania to the refresher. Mara ran a warm ripple bath and stripped both herself and the baby. She then got in and set Bethania on her chest, half in the water.

    The baby calmed down and stopped crying. She was soon asleep. Mara took a deep breath and allowed herself to relax and let her troubles, wash away, if only for a few moments.

    After Bethania had a bowel moment, Mara decided it best to get out. She wrapped both herself and her daughter in towels and continued to relax on the large bed. Mara eventually got them both dressed again before Luke showed up.

    “Mara?” Luke said, entering the bedroom, interrupting Bethania’s late supper. “I thought you were still at the safe-house. We still have no idea if Bethania is still in danger.”

    Mara didn’t get up from her spot the bed. “She isn’t; I made a deal.”

    “What?” his voice was a mix of outrage and confusion.

    “You need to improve the security on the apartment. Klenad was here when I got home-.”

    “What?!” His voice was pure outrage now. “How the kriff did he get in here? What the krill did he want? And what were you doing home?”

    His uncharacteristic tirade upset Bethania. She stopped feeding and started to wail. Mara did her best to burp and soothe the kid. “I have no idea how he got in here, that is why you need to improve the security.”

    “Okay, I will but you should have been in the safe house.”

    She felt like a child being rebuked. “The threat wasn’t that big, we both know that place needs to be saved for the big stuff. I knew she was safe with me.”

    Luke let out a deep breath. He was trying not to lose his calm. “You obviously weren’t. What did he want?”

    “What is this, an interrogation?” Her voice was rising because it was competing with Bethania’s wails. “It’s okay, Mommy is right here,” she said as she got up and began to pace while bouncing the baby lightly. “He was here because he doesn’t agree with the new Jedi Order.”

    “Well, we all know that. He’s anti-Jedi.” He tried to take the screeching child, but Mara made no move to give her to him.

    “No, I think he’s just anti-me. He wanted me to retire, something about not being able to be a mother and a Jedi. So I said I’d retire to shut him up and get him out. I’m retired now.”

    “Wait, what? You are a Jedi Master. You can’t just make a deal without talking to me or the other masters. Here, please let me take Beth.”

    “No, I got her,” she sighed. “I don’t agree with how Klenad did it, but maybe I want to retire.”

    “What? Is this because you don’t trust the créche with Bethania Jade? We can increase the security or even get a nanny-droid like we did Ben. You are an invaluable asset to the Jedi.”

    “No! I never wanted Ben raised by Kam and Tionne and by a kriffing droid. Bethania will need a full time mom. Maybe I’m done being a Jedi. I couldn’t be a mother to Ben when he needed me - it’s a small miracle he’s turned out as amazingly as he has. Krell, I couldn’t even carry Bethania full term. My being a Jedi almost killed her twice now, and she’s four months old! I may be an ‘invaluable asset’ to the Jedi, but I’m the only mother Bethania has.” She walked towards the door, picking up the diaper bag that she never unpacked.

    “Where are you going?” Luke’s voice was suddenly soft and unsteady.

    “I’m just going to get some air and some quiet so Bethania can sleep.” Mara walked out the door.

    * * *

    Mara took an air-taxi to one of Corucants’s main pubic hangers. There she found an all too familiar ship. She entered her code, surprised it still worked. The boarding ramp lowered and Talon Karrde stood at the top. His partner, Shada D’ukal was behind him.

    “I know you are like some sort of professional ex-assassin, Jedi Master and sneaky person extraordinaire, but even you can’t slip around undetected with a crying four month old,” he said with a laugh.

    Mara rolled her eyes. “Can I stay here for tonight?” she asked, acceding the ramp.

    “Marital problems, or is the safe-house compromised? I heard what happened. I’m glad she’s alright.” Karrde held out his hands with a smile. “Can Uncle Talon hold her, I haven’t seen her since she got out of the med-center.”

    Mara gently handed Bethany to him. “Marital problems. I just needed somewhere where no one can find me.”

    Shada nodded. “You look tired. You should rest. Talon and I can take care of her for a few hours.”

    “Thanks,” Mara said. “She just ate so she should be fine for a couple hours.” As she headed towards the bunks, she turned to see both Talon and Shada coo-ing at Beth. “Why did you two never have kids?”

    “We aren’t together,” they both said in unison.

    “And I’m not rolling my eyes,” she said as she rolled her eyes.

    * * *

    In the morning, Mara laid on the bunk with Bethania Jade on her chest. The baby was sleeping after her pre-breakfast snack. Even though it was early, Mara felt incredibly rested. Talon and Shada had taken Beth for the majority if the evening and night, letting her have her first full night’s sleep since Beth’s birth.

    There was a knock on the door. Mara knew who it was. Karrde must have commed him. “What?” she said, careful not to be too loud as to wake Bethania.

    Luke entered. He looked like shavit. “Mara, I need to apologize.”

    “Yes, you do.”

    Bethania chose that moment to wake and began crying. Shada poked her head in. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I don’t think a crying baby ever helped marital affairs. Do you mind if I take her?”

    Mara nodded. “Yes, please.”

    Shada took the baby and Mara and Luke were left in silence. Luke spoke first.

    “I hate, as I know you do too, that you had to give into Klenad’s demands, but if you want to retire, or take an extended sabbatical, or whatever, please do it. But don’t do it because Klenad threatened you or Bethania Jade.”

    She got up and sat on the bed. “I want to retire because Bethania will need, and deserves, a mother. I don’t mind being there for the order as an advisor. But I think it may be time for the current masters to take a step back and let the younger generation take over some responsibility. Bethania gives me the reason to start that process. We can’t save the galaxy forever, the younger ones will have to try sometime.”

    He nodded as he sat beside her. “I’m not ready for retirement yet, and I don’t think you are either. But I do agree that Beth needs you to be a full time mom and we need - I need - to start preparing Jaina and Ben and others their age to take over from our generation.” He paused. “But first, I think an extended family vacation is in order. A four month paternity leave wasn’t enough for me, especially since three of those months were spent in a med-center.”

    “Where were you thinking?”

    “I hear the lake country in Naboo is beautiful this time of year,” he said.

    She took his hand. “Sounds lovely.”


    Epilogue - One Month Later…

    Luke rocked and patted Bethania Jade as she was falling asleep, swathed in blankets in his arms. He quietly stepped out, onto the veranda, where Mara was lounging, watching Ben who was in a boat, paddling around. She looked up at her husband and smiled. He was enjoying his last few days off. “Hey,” she said. “How’s Beth doing?”

    “Nearly asleep,” Luke announced, proud. “I thought the sunshine might finish her off, and I think it has,” he said, peering into the bundle of blankets. He took the lounger next to Mara’s.

    “We need to come out here more often,” she sighed.

    “I think we will,” Luke agreed.
     
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  6. Falcon

    Falcon Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2002
    Great ending =D= but it would be interesting to see Luke's reaction to know that his parents were married there.
     
  7. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    That was lovely! [face_love] Both Luke and Mara had good points in the argument, and I'm glad they were able to sort things out and take time for their family.
     
    Nyota's Heart likes this.
  8. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Oh I loved that, the L/M snit and then the making peace and then the epi. :D LOL on the teasing of Shada and Talon. I too am not doing this :rolleyes: [face_laugh] Thanks for posting and gifting us with another fun and entertaining L/M journey. [:D] [:D]
     
  9. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    This was perfect. I loved Mara showing up at Talon's ship and that her old code still worked. Liked her teasing them about not have kids and their response. I was happy that Mara wanted to focus on Beth.
     
  10. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    Wonderful story! :) From start to finish, you captured the essence of Luke and Mara's relationship; the love, banter and absolute trust between them.

    Well done. =D=
     
    Nyota's Heart likes this.
  11. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    I'm glad that Beth is doing well and that Mara will have the time with her children that she wants. Also that the entire family can have time together. I'm glad I could be of help in the earlier chapters; thanks for letting me have a sneaky-peeky!! ;)
     
  12. mayo_durron_666

    mayo_durron_666 Jedi Grand Master star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2005
    More Skywalker family time was always needed I think profic.. nice to see them finally get some in this gem of a fic! Nice writing!;)
     
  13. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    I was so terrible about keeping up with this story, but it was lovely!
    In some ways I'm glad I was because I didn't have to stop at the worrying/sad parts and got to continue to the end.
    This was a great story, I enjoyed every word of it!

    =D=
     
    Nyota's Heart likes this.
  14. jedi1952

    jedi1952 Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2007
    What a good story. Thank you for sharing it.
     
  15. Laura Fulton

    Laura Fulton Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Jan 3, 2013
    this story is so wonderful :)
     
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