Beyond - Legends The Table Was Crowded... (L/M, AU) [update 3/22]

Title: The Table Was Crowded?
Author: DaenaBenjen42
Characters: Luke and Mara
Genre: romance
Timeframe: AU around the middle of Dark Force Rising
Notes: How'd I get to here from "Elizabeth Lucas Pinckney had a hard life"? I'll never know... Enjoy.



The table was crowded, though there was only two of them. She couldn?t look at him. Wouldn?t look at him, because to look at him meant acceptance of the life that had been thrust upon them. So she continued to draw invisible circles on the table top, hoping the entire situation would evaporate is if it had never been.

It had begun yesterday. Begun so simply that neither one had realized it at first. Why would they, in the middle of a rescue operation with so much at stake? With Karrde?s freedom at stake? there had been no time to ponder such things.

?Mara, we are going to have to talk about this at some point,? he said gently.

She shook her head but did not raise her eyes. ?No.?

?Why not??

?You know why, Skywalker. I don?t want any part of this.?

His silence at that statement almost made her want to look at him, wondering what she would have seen in his eyes. Instead, he reached over and took her hand in his. ?We made this happen, Mara. Doesn?t matter how it happened, or when, or why, just that it did.?

Now she was compelled to look at him, but she couldn?t. Was he right? Had they both made it happen? Was it that simple?

?Yes. It is that simple.?

?Stay out of my mind,? she told him, voice edged and sharp.

?You?re projecting. Can?t help but overhear it.?

In the midst of the chaos, they?d been thrown together and for one moment, everything had fallen into place as they?d held each other for support. Looking into his eyes, nothing else had mattered, and all she?d had to do for an instant was trust him. Trust that they would succeed in what they?d set out to do? it hadn?t been until the danger was behind them, when the adrenaline had faded, that the bond revealed itself.

As she stared at his hand, solid and warm against hers, she found herself nodding? maybe this wasn?t so bad after all.

Suddenly, the hand started to twitch, as if having a spasm, and she frowned. Taking hold of his hand, she caressed it, waiting for the twitching to cease? and then she looked into his eyes. She found compassion, and a half-smile, and she smiled in return.

They would talk later, but for now? silence and company was enough. The table no longer felt crowded?


TBC...

 

very sweet.

 

Such a great little moment. And though it's AU, you still brought out Mara's fears and doubts about trusting not only Luke but their relationship as well. And of course Luke can "hear" her doubts and assures her:

Now she was compelled to look at him, but she couldn?t. Was he right? Had they both made it happen? Was it that simple?

?Yes. It is that simple.?

Leave it to Mara Jade to make things more complicated. Now maybe in this AU their bond will form much earlier and they won't waste 10 years dancing around themselves for nothing.

 

I like this little scene. Very believeable.

 

Superb!!!! Fardles, I wish /hope/ dream that this will continue someday... right away I just do not ever get enough L&M

Huggles!!!!!!

 

They would talk later, but for now? silence and company was enough. The table no longer felt crowded?

Very well crafted. I enjoyed this little "what-if" an awful lot!

 

As she stared at his hand, solid and warm against hers, she found herself nodding? maybe this wasn?t so bad after all.

Suddenly, the hand started to twitch, as if having a spasm, and she frowned. Taking hold of his hand, she caressed it, waiting for the twitching to cease? and then she looked into his eyes. She found compassion, and a half-smile, and she smiled in return.

They would talk later, but for now? silence and company was enough. The table no longer felt crowded?
Lovely!! So very well done!! I enjoyed this a lot!! And if you ever decide to continue anymore on this, please pm me!!

 

walker-of-minds: Thank you.

madman007: Thank you, madman. That's what I was going for with the early bond, right there.

divapilot: Thank you.

Jade_eyes: You want... more? Of this AU? Hmmm... ...okay. I'll see about that. Could be a little while, though. Thank you, Jade_eyes.

ginchy: Thank you, ginchy.

dancing_star: If and when this continues, a PM you shall definitely get, Star. Thank you.

 

PM List for The Table Was Crowded...

dancing_star
Jade_eyes


~*~*~*~

Mara didn?t want to break the moment and return them to reality, because the more she held his hand, the better she felt about the bond. But? she knew that if they continued to stare into each other?s eyes all evening, they?d never leave the restaurant. ?Thank you.?

?For what??

?Helping me undo my mistake? to rescue Karrde.?

He was silent for a long minute, still holding her hand from across the table top. It was as if he was memorizing her in that moment. Then he nodded and smiled slightly. ?Even though we??

She shook her head. ?What?s done is done.?

?Hmm? I didn?t say it at the time, but thank you for getting me away from C?Boath.?

Mara sighed at the reminder. They?d have to deal with that eventually, wouldn?t they? ?He?s still out there??

Luke nodded. ?I know? So what are we going to do about this??

?Is there anything we can do about it, Skywalker??

?I? don?t know??

?Then we do nothing,? she said as she held his gaze firmly. ?Until we know something.?

?But I thought you didn?t like it.?

?It?s simple, really? We can?t break it and we definitely can?t tell anyone about it.? She smiled at him thoughtfully. ?So? our secret??

Luke considered that suggestion as he looked at her, blue eyes narrowed. There was no harm in keeping it to themselves, was there? ?All right? our secret it is.?

Mara thought about her employer and his family? people who were always looking for clues in their behavior. ?How long do we get to keep it to ourselves, though??

Luke gently squeezed her hand and smiled again. ?As long as we want.?

?Thought I?d find you two here,? Karrde?s voice suddenly spoke up from behind them, and they let go of each other?s hands. He looked between them shrewdly. ?Am I interrupting anything??

Mara shook her head. ?No. We were just discussing which route to take to get out of here.?

Karrde glanced at Luke, who nodded, and then at the back of Mara?s head again. ?All right? when you?ve finished deciding, I?ll be on the ship. Don?t take too long, now??

Luke watched Karrde leave and then leaned closer to Mara. ?I don?t think he was fooled.?

Mara nodded in agreement. ?No? he wasn?t.?

?You ready to go??

?Would it matter if I weren?t??

Luke chuckled. ?Probably not.?

Mara looked at him, then stood up. ?We have to get out of here sooner or later, though?? She locked eyes with him again, and had to fight the urge to smile. Was his cheerfulness that infectious? This bond was going to take some getting used to?


TBC?

 

A delicious update

 

Loved it!!


Mara looked at him, then stood up. ?We have to get out of here sooner or later, though?? She locked eyes with him again, and had to fight the urge to smile. Was his cheerfulness that infectious?
Luke's just adorable.

Wonderful job! So glad to see this continue! Keep it coming!

 

It's an interesting thought to have them cope with a Force bond so early in their relationship. I'm very curious how this will play out. Please keep me posted.

 

Mara and Luke I guess the mith about opposites attracting is true...
Good story!
PM me for next post please.

 

Jade_eyes: Thank you.

dancing_star: Yep, he's adorable. Thank you, star.

MaraJade4S: Will do. Thank you.

Raphire: Thank you, will also send you PMs.


PM list for The Table Was Crowded...


Jade_eyes
dancing_star
MaraJade4S
Raphire



If anyone is on this list and would not like to be, or wouldn't like to be and is, please let me know. Thank you.

 

Guess I didn't tell you to put me on the PM list back in September. Please add me to it if you would.

Yeah...Karrde knows.

As to why canon didn't have these two together sooner, I'll never know. Oh well, glad you're bringing them together sooner!

Keep it up!

 

I really like this. The people who wrote most of the books after TTT really messed up the destiny of Luke and Mara. Of course it took Mr. Zahn to get it back on track. But I like what you are doing here and I always thought that they should have realized things during TTT. Nice to see someone writing an AU of when we all would have liked to see them get together. Could you put me on your PM list please?

 

Lovely little scene, told with delicious pacing and details. And the idea of Luke and Mara bonding at this early point is very captivating. Looking forward to next update!

 

madman007: Don't worry about it. When I started in September, I was trying NOT to write another ongoing. PM's? Certainly. (Yep. Karrde totally knows.) Thank you, madman.

JediMike2372: Thank you, and you're added.

kataja: Thank you.



Updated PM list for The Table Was Crowded...


Jade_eyes
dancing_star
MaraJade4S
Raphire
madman007
JediMike2372


If anyone is on this list and would not like to be, or wouldn't like to be and is, please let me know. Thank you.

 

Interesting ... in media res is always a fun point to start a story at, and they're definitely true to who they were at this point in time.

Just as importantly, she's alive.

Thanks for sharing,
Onderon1

 

Onderon1: Thank you, Onderon.


~*~*~*~


Karrde didn?t have to look at them to realize something was going on. He?d seen it just before interrupting them, and the sudden unlocking of hands when he?d finally said something only confirmed it.

Something had happened. Just watching Mara out of the corner of his eye, he could tell she was on edge? more so than normal.

?You can stop,? she muttered at him in what sounded very much like a hiss.

?Stop what?? Karrde wondered as he turned away from the Falcon?s controls to look at her straight on.

?I?m fine. Everything is fine? plus or minus Grand Admiral Thrawn getting to that fleet you told me about before anyone else does.?

Karrde swiveled back around to look at the control board. Her tone? she was upset. ?Is that what you?re worried about??

?Is there anything else to be worried about??

Ah. It wasn?t all she was worried about, but she really didn?t want to talk about it. He could understand and would let it rest. For the time being, at least.

A stifled snort drew his attention to the third person seated in the cockpit. He?d been so quiet, Karrde had nearly forgotten he was there. Something about that exchange had amused the Jedi? he would have to think on that one.

~*~*~*~

Standing in her room in the former Imperial Palace and staring out at the Manari mountains in the distance, Mara couldn?t help but shake her head. After so long, to be back in the Imperial palace? it was almost a slap in the face.

Black memories gathered around her as she grated her fingernails across the craved swirls of the window frame. This place had been the scene of important government meetings, glittering social functions, and dark and private intrigues.

Her life had effectively begun here. It was where she?d been when it had ended.

Faces she remembered only too well swam around her and she wanted to turn away from them all. The Emporer stood out among them? she could see him in her mind?s eye as clearly as if he were staring in at her through the window, his wrinkled face frowning, yellow tinged eyes hard with anger and disapproval.

YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER.

The command echoed through her mind, stronger than ever, and she nearly buckled at the force of it. Planting a hand on the window sill, Mara took several deep breaths. It was the first time it had echoed through her mind, but this was the first time it had been that strong. ?I?m trying.?

Only? trying to what? The more she?d gotten to know him, and now with the bond in place? she didn?t even believe herself any more. Did it really change things that much?

Underneath the echoes, she felt surprise not her own wash through from him and suddenly wanted to throw something hard against the wall. He?d felt it.

Before she could respond to the unspoken quiry, Karrde poked his head through the door adjoining their rooms. ?Mara? Come in here, please.?

~*~*~*~

Luke caught up to her as she was preparing the Y-Wing to leave. ?What was that??

Mara stooped and looked up at him tiredly. ?A headache. Why??

He studied her, feeling that she wanted him to drop it. To let it be. ?Your headaches talk to you??

?Yes.?

Luke stared at her. ?Mara??

?Do we have to talk about this now??

?Better now than later.?

?Well it?s going to have to be later,? she said as she turned her attention back to the Y-Wing. ?I?m heading out. Trogan system.?

Luke didn?t like it, but he nodded anyway. ?Then it can wait.?

?Good? Don?t get into too much trouble, now.?

?Me??

?Yes. You?? She stopped herself on that note and continued with the pre-flight check.

?Same goes for you, Mara.?

She snorted in laughter as she walked away. Out of trouble? Right? trouble was what she was heading out to find. They both were.

Luke turned back to look at here. ?You know what I meant.?

?Just go, would you?? She watched him go, wondering if it was worth it to let him live if he kept picking up on her thoughts like that?


TBC?

 

Super update. Karrde didn't miss a thing LOL and that "lst command" is still stuck in there huh? Makes having a soul bond more complicated.

 

that "lst command" is still stuck in there huh? Makes having a soul bond more complicated
That it would.
Terrific update!! Looking forward to more!

 

Great update!

Karrde is going to make it interesting for Mara now that he knows something is going on.

Nice echo of the TTT with Mara remembering her time in the Imperial Palace and where she was when it all ended. Now with her bond with Luke it will complicate things even more.

Great start of an almost rewrite of TTT.

 

Wow! Great Update. I love the Luke and Mara exchange because one of them really does seem to get in trouble a lot and it isn't female. Great job! Keep it up!

 

*delurks*



Luke caught up to her as she was preparing the Y-Wing to leave. ?What was that??

Mara stooped and looked up at him tiredly. ?A headache. Why??

He studied her, feeling that she wanted him to drop it. To let it be. ?Your headaches talk to you??

?Yes.?

Luke stared at her. ?Mara??



AWESOME.



*relurks*