Beyond - Legends Two Sides of the Same Credit - Luke short story, AU - updated 7/8/09

Whoa I missed a lot in my absence from the boards. Luckily, I had the time today to carth up with reading.

Very cool updates! I like the way your wrote Luke and Mara in this fic and Anakin is awesome.

 

Golden_Jedi I just want to hug him!

Jedimaster_JainaSolo He's the Energizer Bunny of Sith Lords!

Tatooine_Ghost

dancing_star Thank you so much!

Blue_Milkshake I hope he is starting to understand!

Jedi-2B Thanks!

divapilot They should turn to each other!

Jaina_and_Jag IF he'd give him the chance!

dianethx Yes he does.

KELIA It should be an interesting vacation!

JadeLotus Gotta love Luke!

w-righter He's a fun kid to write!

---

[b]Chapter 12[/b]



?Well,? Leia said with a sigh. ?I guess that?s everything.? She surveyed their room one more time, just to make sure she had not missed anything. Han watched with amusement, because she had never, [i]ever[/i] left anything behind. She was, as always, meticulous in all she did.

Leaning down, Han grunted as he picked up a bag. ?What did you put in here, rocks??

?You say the same thing every time we go on a trip,? she reminded him dryly. ?It?s not nearly as funny the millionth time around.?

Han laughed and gave her a wink. ?Sure it is, sweetheart.? He smirked. ?What it lacks in originality it makes up for in delivery.?

Leia rolled her eyes at him. ?At least you don?t lack confidence.?

?Honey, I don?t lack [i]anything[/i]?? Then he heaved the strap of another bag over his shoulder and immediately hunched over. She stood on her toes and kissed his lips. ?You keep that up,? he grumbled when she pulled away. ?And we aren?t [i]ever[/i] gonna get out of here.?

?Then I?d better stop,? she replied with a grin.

Han heaved a sigh and settled the burden more evenly. ?You?d think someone who had been with the Alliance would have learned to pack light.?

?You?d think, wouldn?t you?? Leia agreed brightly.

?It?s fine,? Han said breathlessly. ?I?ll just go load these up on the [i]Falcon[/i]. Don?t you worry about a thing.? He groaned as he adjusted the weight of one of the bags.

?All right, dear,? Leia said sweetly. ?I won?t worry. You?re a such big strong man, after all.? Then she gave his butt a playful slap. ?Now get moving??

Her laughter followed him out of the room as he tried to negotiate his way through the hallways without knocking over a student or falling down himself. It was harder than it looked. Finally, he felt someone tugging at the strap of one bag and looked down to see Anakin staring up at him with solemn eyes.

?Need some help with those?? The boy?s offer was softly spoken.

?Sure,? Han said, already handing over the bag to his nephew. ?Thanks, kid.?

Anakin?s head dipped in acknowledgment of Han?s gratitude. ?Solo said you were leaving today,? he said quietly.

?Yeah,? Han agreed. ?It?s time, besides, we?ll be seeing the kids again soon.?

Silently, the two walked side-by-side through the academy and then out the doors to where the [i]Falcon[/i] waited. Anakin waited patiently while Han activated the ramp and then followed him into the ship.

?Just down there,? Han directed and led the way.

With a sigh of relief, the two of them deposited their burdens in the larger cabin. ?Thanks.?

?No problem,? Anakin replied.

Han glanced at the boy and sensed he wanted to talk. You didn?t have to be a Jedi to figure [i]that[/i] out, Han thought with a touch of smug satisfaction.

?I know it was a rough break, kid, losing your mom and all,? Han said matter-of-factly. [i]Fly casual.[/i] That?s what he did, what he usually did, and it seemed the right approach with Luke?s son.

Anakin?s eyes flew up to meet Han?s briefly and then the long lashes fell and shuttered that grey gaze. ?Yeah, well?? The boy shrugged.

?I don?t remember my parents,? Han observed. ?Neither one of them, not even a little bit.?

Something in Anakin?s stiffened posture eased, but only the tiniest bit. ?Tough break,? Anakin returned.

Han shrugged. ?You play with the cards you?re dealt,? he remarked. ?It ain?t fair, but no one ever promised it would be.?

 

Awww! Han can be such a sweetie.

 

That was wonderful. I loved this chapter.

It takes someone like Han, not a Jedi, who is part of the family but still removed enough to have a sense of perspective, to give the right advice at the right time. He is far smarter than people give him credit for. I love how it's Han who speaks with Anakin and sets him on the right course.

Their reminiscences were wonderful, too. So sad and so sweet.

 

we can always count on Han

 

Awesome update!

Great line!!

*nods* Han is awesome!

I love how Han is the one Anakin listens to, probably because he seems to have the most objective opinion. And I also like how Han is so wise behind the facade of gruff smuggler. He just calls thing as they are. And that's what Anakin needed.

Great post!

Dana

 

Great chapter! Loved the conversation between Anakin and Han. Han can indeed be wiser than all the rest of them put together.

 

Silently, Luke sent up words of thanksgiving to Han, who was sometimes wiser and more perceptive than all of them put together.
He certainly is!! Gotta love Han! He's such a complex character, and only those who really know him, realize he has a heart of gold.
Wonderful job!!

 

I love every word of this! This is such a lovely story--well-balanced with undercurrents of such sorrow and yet stirrings of promise. And Han has totally stolen the show in this. He's fantastic! Can't wait to see how Luke and Anakin's relationship develops now that Han's herding Leia away from Tatooine.

 

I just loved Han and Leia's playful banter as he was gathering everything she'd packed



Luke sent up words of thanksgiving to Han, who was sometimes wiser and more perceptive than all of them put together

Thank the Force for that! I'm enjoying reading the wiser side of Han.

I was surprised when Anakin opened up to him but the conversation was spot on perfect.

Great update

 

I just found this fic, and I'm really enjoying it! I think your pacing is perfect. Anakin isn't too trusting or open at first, and he doesn't open up too quickly-- but the delay isn't so long that his character gets tiring. He's very intriguing.

I love Han and Leia's interactions. I usually don't like Leia in fanfic because her character seems so flat and boring, but you use her well to interact with Luke and Han. Han is classic--funny, but not over the top.

Really nice job with this. I'll watch for more.

 

Han certainly is a good father. He knew just what to say to Anakin to get him to understand a little more about his parents. I liked that he brought up Dewlanna and that Anakin now knows that he isn't the only one who has lost someone close to him

Great job.

 

LOVED IT.

 

Lightly brushing against Anakin?s Force signature, Luke was not surprised to find a newly born sense of curiosity and acceptance. Silently, Luke sent up words of thanksgiving to Han, who was sometimes wiser and more perceptive than all of them put together.

True dat! Anyone with as colorful a life as Han Solo is bound to have picked up some wisdom here and there.

 

Love this - love Han. If anyone could relate to Anakin and put things into perspective, it's him.

 

Even without the Forcde, I think Han sees things more clearly than any of them.


Good work.

 

I'm working on this story again, so it's time to do replies. It will help keep me motivated anyway!

PonyTricks Han is such a great character, isn't he??

divapilot Han is one smart cookie, that's for sure!

SilSolo Always!

Jedimaster_JainaSolo Han is much smarter than some people give him credit for!

Jedi-2B Isn't he though?

dancing_star He's got a mushy, gooey center.

Golden_Jedi

nada_smith No one can "herd" Leia like Han Solo!

KELIA I think Anakin recognizes a sort of kindred soul in Han.

Moyima Thank you so much!

dianethx I've always thought that Han was better with the kids than Leia.

Tatooine_Ghost Thank you!

Blue_Milkshake He's kind of a "been there, done that" fellow.

JadeLotus I think so too!

JediMaster_Jen And we agree on that.

 

Hey! Its been a long while since I've read a VaderLVR64 story...and as usual this one does not disapoint.

Its always hard as an L/M shipper to read a story that starts out with thier relationship in tatters, but i have to say your introduction of AJS was well written. I actually felt like I was reading about a miniature Han Solo--which to some extent I guess Mara shared a lot of characteristics with.

Can't wait to read more.

 

jade51999 Thank you! I've always thought that Mara and Han had a lot in common.

---

[b]Chapter 13[/b]


[i]Luke,

Well, if you?re reading this, then I guess you know about our son. It should feel strange to call him ?ours? but in all honesty, I always thought of him that way. I know you must hate me for what I did ? and for what I didn?t do. But I also know you?ll love Anakin. You?ve got a big heart, Skywalker, and I want Anakin to know it.

I?m counting on love, because that?s always what you?ve done best. That was part of my problem. I learned too late that love could be trusted if it came from someone like you. It?s too late for me, but not for Anakin.[/i]



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mara gritted her teeth, pushing with all her might even though it felt as if she might be torn apart by the effort. Inside of her, she could feel her son?s fear and confusion. The med droid?s pleasant voice said softly, ?One more push, please.?

?That?s what you said last time,? Mara snarled and then held her breath as another contraction rippled through her. There seemed to be no rest between them anymore, and even the Force skittered out of her control when she tried to manage the pain with it. A string of curses were forced between clenched teeth, and the droid paused for a moment.

?Perhaps a [i]few[/i] more pushes,? the droid amended and rolled back a bit. Mara had threatened to blow it apart with a blaster thirty minutes ago and apparently this particular droid took that threat personally, as droids go.

?Just get it?out!? The words were forced out between clenched teeth. The contraction changed. Something inside of her shifted. The urge to push became a [i]need[/i] ? an instinct that would not be refused or delayed. There was no stopping the kid now.


Her body took over, doing what it knew had to be done. There was nothing conscious in the effort, her muscles simply made the decision to get the baby out. Now. A burning agony and then?relief.

An outraged cry broke through the delivery room and Mara caught a glimpse of a furious, red face framed by tiny flailing arms.

?Gender, male,? the droid noted. ?Heart rate, respiration, color, and activity all within normal human range.? The droid?s movements were quick and sure, Mara heard a snip as the cord was cut and then the baby seemed to disappear within the folds of a blanket.

Then the droid placed the baby in her arms, surprising them both. He looked up at her in confusion, blinking at the bright lights. Mara cupped her hand over his forehead, and the wrinkles disappeared as he opened his eyes wide and he peered up at her.

[i]What the hell?[/i] Mara suspected they both had the same expression on their faces.

Then he moved, snuggling up against her as if seeking her warmth. A feeling she had never suspected existed ? not in [i]her[/i] anyway ? unfurled inside her. Utter tenderness swept through her, and a sob caught her by surprise. ?Your mom is such a sap,? she muttered.

?Will you be breastfeeding the infant?? The question cut through Mara?s emotions before they had a chance to overwhelm her. Surprise took over.

Mara gaped at the droid. ?What??

The droid tilted its head it what was probably supposed to be a reassuring gesture. ?Will you be breastfeeding the infant or will you require human infant formula and a feeding apparatus??

Vaguely, she remembered one of the med techs asking her that very question months ago. She had waved it away with a promise to ?think about it? and then promptly dismissed the thought as too bizarre to contemplate. Holding her son closer, as if to shield herself from the droid?s question, Mara could think of no appropriate response. The thought of actually putting him to her breast to feed -

The baby, however, was too impatient to wait for his mother to figure it out. The shoulder of her gown had fallen loose, and he found what he sought without much effort. The shock of his small mouth on her flesh made Mara jump, which annoyed the baby, who pulled away and began to cry.

?Uh?? Ma

 

Don't know how I ever missed this, but this is a fantastic story. I usually don't really get into Luke-splits-with-Mara fics, but this one had me very interested from the first paragraph. Then the torpedo to the exhaust port that Luke has a son he never knew about and Mara is dead. I like the way you have written Anakin. Mara's attitude is definitely there, but you can just sense the Skywalker in him on the fringes. And the way Anakin and, well, Anakin have hit it off is interesting. Especially since there has always been a little more Skywalker than Solo in Anakin Solo. And you definitely have Leia and Han pegged. I liked what Han said to Anakin before he left and how it got him thinking more about how Mara thought about Luke. I also like that you have something in common between Luke and Anakin. I am curious about one thing. If Mara was careful about not getting pregnant and she found out after Luke and her split, is Anakin another Chosen One? Just a thought. Can't wait to read more. Oh, and I would also like to be added to your PM list.

 

Haha! Awesome!!! I love that Anakin is already almost as good as Luke. It only makes sense, but still, it's fun to see. Great post!

Dana

 

Good Lord woman, I had flashbacks with that birthing scene. I can just see Mara hunched over, sweating and shaking, with the blaster trained on the droid.

And Luke and Anakin seem to be getting along better.

Great update!
CJM

 

Ack! I thought I'd read all your stories! How did I miss this one?

This is such a good idea for a story, and so well-executed. Now that you're working on it again, can I be on the PM list?

 

It lives! Great update. Figures that Anakin would be a great pilot. It would have to come naturally to him. And it will serve to bring him closer to his father.

?Just get it?out!?

I think I said that same exact phrase with my first one! LOL!