Beyond - Legends "On the Brink of Something Special" L/M, Solos for the MMM.

"On the Brink of Something Special"

Characters: Luke and Mara, Solo Family

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, just self-indulging.

Note 1: For the MMM vacation/trip challenge.
Luke and the Solos take a vacation and Luke runs into Mara there.

Note 2: Borrowed fanon world from @Gamiel in Lahara sector.
Koa Moa, climate and terrain is like the South Seas gorgeous islands.
Exports are juicy fruits and products based on them as well as limited quantities of high-quality diamonds.

Thanks go to Mira_Jade ... for the invaluable beta-work. It put this over the top for yummy.

---

Mara Jade was on Koa Moa to acquire gems for a high-paying client. She had finished the transaction and decided to stay on an extra few days.
The loveliness of the surrounding islands and beaches was not something she allowed herself to indulge in, never really feeling the need to slow down.
Relaxation was not something Mara did frequently, but the ambience and serenity was so pervasive that even she could not resist!
If she only knew whom she would run into ... Mara would have to admit that the Force does not do coincidences.

**

Luke was enjoying his vacation with Leia, Han, and the kids. It was far too long since they'd been able to get away and just unwind.

The bungalow was large, with spacious bedrooms, a well-arranged cozy conversation circle and a big kitchen with a preparation island and a veranda which overlooked the ocean.

"They have complementary pastries made with their currently harvested fresh fruits." Luke enthused, picking up a flaky fruit-filled pastry from the warmer.
It was Boozleberry, a round purple fruit as an essential ingredient in pies, cakes, and jams.

"Luke, you are hungry, again?" Leia teased her brother.

"It's the sea air." He answered readily.

Leia's laughter was a welcome sound, and the care-lines around her warm brown eyes had lessened in just a few hours from leaving the crazy political scene behind. And it was wonderful seeing Luke lose some more of the lingering sorrow in the wake of Callista's departure, although he wasn't as downcast as he'd been, only occasionally would a sad wistfulness appear in his blue eyes, but it was nowhere to be seen since their arrival, actually since the trip was planned.

"We're definitely going to have to make a habit of this!" She told Han who rejoined: "You'll get no complaint from me."

The twins were all for it--eager to experience swimming in an actual sea; being on a world so completely opposite to the overly crowded Coruscant was a novelty in and of itself, and Anakin was happy to be wherever his Uncle Luke was.

Jacen and Jaina now disappeared into their room with the nanny droid in residence. They had left their "family droids" behind, at Han's insistence.

"It's too quiet in there." Leia said after a few long moments. "Makes me wonder what they're up to?"

There was a loud clatter and clang from the direction of the kids' room.

"Oops! I'd better check on them." Luke offered.

"Next time we'll leave the kids with Winter and come by ourselves." Han said half-seriously.

Leia gave him a fierce scowl, but when she caught the way his eyes glinted at her, she couldn't stay annoyed, but had to smile instead.

"What have you done?" Luke said in utter dismay. "You disassembled the droid?!"

"We broke our own record." Jaina said proudly.

"Put it back together now, or your folks will be out a ridiculous amount of credits and you won't get any dessert or holovid time!" Luke warned.

"What's the fun in that?" Jacen asked. "It was wizard taking it apart to begin with."

"Not much, I'll admit." Luke said and then became the stern uncle again. "I mean it." He finally relented. "I'll help."

**

The next day, Luke was taking a leisurely stroll in a botanical garden, enjoying the profusion of fragrances and colors when a familiar voice greeted him, and he turned to see Mara Jade in a casual outfit of gray slacks and a teal blouse.
Her red-golden curls framed her face and fell around her shoulders.

Luke smiled in unmitigated gladness to see her. It had been months since they'd encountered each other, and every time they did they somehow seemed to be snarky and on edge with one another. But it was always a pleasure to see her; each time he was struck anew by her incredible beauty.

He asked Mara: "What are you doing here on Koa Moa?"


Mara gave a quick rundown of her mission and that she was staying on a few days longer.

"I didn't know you were one for vacations." Luke teased.

She smirked. "Yeah, me neither. Figured I'd give it a try. What about you?"

"I'm here with Leia, Han, and the kids. It's been a ridiculously long time since we had time together as a family."

Mara and Luke strolled and talked about their work.

Being genuine friends, they were sincerely interested in what the other was doing.

Mara was pleased to see that Luke seemed relaxed and carefree, warmly and unself-consciously talkative and exuberant.
She was relieved that he had apparently shaken off the despondency he'd sunk into after Callista abruptly abandoned him and their relationship with a holo-message for krell's sake.
Mara could not suppress an angry scowl at the very thought of the underhanded way she had just up and left!
Luke was the kindest, most open-hearted, trusting person Mara had ever known, and to have that affection trampled on ... he deserved better.

Luke sensed the sudden shift in Mara's mood. "What's wrong?"

Mara hesitated a long moment. She couldn't say "Nothing", for Luke would be able to tell she was being evasive.
At the same time, she didn't want to intrude and step upon a sore subject.

"It was hard ... seeing how broken up you were after that whole thing with Callista."

Luke gave her an assuring nod. "Yes. Leia and Han pointed that out to me on more than one occasion. It took a long time, but I finally put it behind me, as much as anyone can."

Mara sighed in regret. Luke was the most open-hearted and caring person she had ever known. It would be a shame if he shut himself away from love in the future because of what some numb-wit of a lady had done to him, although if Mara were honest, she had been glad that Callista was no longer in the picture. Something about the two of them had always rubbed her the wrong way, but if Luke was happy, that should've been enough...?

"Guess you won't be stepping out into the dating scene anytime soon, though?" Mara said, making it a point to be casual.

Luke gave her a sharp look, not as if he minded the remark, but as if it started him to wondering. "I'm not going to turn away or move towards a relationship. I'm open but it'll have to be the right person."

Mara felt relieved at hearing that. They talked of other things and Luke invited her to join them at the beach the next day.

Mara wasn't sure how glad the Solos would be to see her. She didn't want to intrude on family time, but Luke's earnest expression finally won her assent.

***

Mara didn't know what to make of the kids' undisguised curiosity. They pestered her with questions and eager exhortations to "Look at this" and "Race you to the shore!"

Luke and the kids built sand castles and collected colorful seashells.

Anakin, in particular, insisted Mara join them.

"Well ..." Mara said.

"Come on, Mara." Luke insisted, and she gave in with a shrug.

Luke was admiring her in a form-hugging soft green bathing outfit. He kept having to put forth a conscious effort to focus on what the kids were saying, but his eyes and attention kept wandering.


Leia noticed this and felt a thrill of happy knowing. Not only was her brother "over Callista" but he was noticing Mara in a most promising fashion.

Han, for his part, grinned. 'Bout time, he thought. He was of the private opinion that Mara had been the object of Luke's affections all along, unbeknownst to the two of them, frustratingly enough.

***

At sunset, Mara and Luke took a stroll along the beach as the kids were finally winding down from their seemingly inexhaustible indulgence in the seaside fun.

"I had a wonderful time during this vacation. I didn't realize how much I needed it until now." Luke said.

Mara had to admit she had enjoyed it more than she had expected.

Luke sighed with pensive regret. "Now we go back to our 'regular lives', and who knows when we'll see each other again?" He didn't want to go back to not seeing Mara for weeks and months on end and then when they did see each other, there was this barrier between them. He liked the way they'd been with one another on Koa Moa, at ease and unself-conscious.

"Our schedules and obligations don't coincide that often." Mara said. "Not much chance of that changing, is there?"

"Not unless we want it to." Luke said.

Mara scowled and made as if to object.

"I'm not asking you to give up your career, but I ... can't think of anyone I'd rather spend time with, especially at those annoying NR formal functions." Half of what made them annyoing was that he had to make conversation with ladies who were not as interesting as Mara.

"I'm not making any promises." Mara said. "Or any suggestions, for that matter, but if you wanted to get together for an occasional spar or third meal, I guess I wouldn't mind."

And we could see how things go from there, Luke thought.
He smiled and said: "I'd like that." He had a feeling that their friendship was about to transition into something deeper, what it had always been meant to become.

Leia called to them they were ready to depart.

Luke took Mara's hand as they headed back and she didn't pull away.


Fin

 

You are giving depth to Luke and his family and Mara. Great fic with for me all the canon characters alive and happy

 

Aww! This was such a joy to read.

No, it does not! Accept it!

I really liked seeing Mara and Luke indulging in some down time, of all characters in SW they could really use some, and it gave them the chance to enjoy each other's company rather than just get through the next adventure. Nice one-shot!