Where You Belong

As he rolled over and reached out for something to defend himself, his hand found her soft form and made him aware that it had all been a dream and this time, she was the reality. As his breathing calms down, he snuggles closer to her, hearing her soft murmurs of acceptance of his form pressing against hers. He presses his face into her long, red hair, inhaling deeply, wondering once again, how lucky he is to have her as his wife.

He pulls back slightly, and stares at her exposed shoulder, a creamy smoothness poking out from beneath their shimmersilk sheets. A smile graces his lips as he realizes that she has come a long way from the girl who swore that she was going to kill him. So far in fact that he sometimes has trouble recognizing that hard-edged girl in the soft, feminine curves of the woman lying next to him.

He reaches out a finger, running it down her shoulder, feeling one of the many scars that adorn her body due to her previous profession as Emperor’s Hand. She shivers and he smiles. After a moment, she twists her body, and is facing him, a fire flashing in her green eyes, as another shiver runs through her. Her body stiffens imperceptibly for a moment, before she relaxes once again.

He smiles at her, love shining softly in his eyes. “Good morning love.”

One of her lips quirks slightly. She opens her mouth, closes it, and then opens it again. “I’m going to kill you Skywalker.”

He laughs. “You’ve been saying that for years now Mara.”

She sits up, glances towards the chrono and then looks back at him, a smile on her face. “I know, but that doesn’t make it any less true.” She slips her legs out of bed, her movements still graceful those of a dancer. She stands and then walks towards the refresher. “I’m getting the first shower.”

He doesn’t reply there is no need to. They both know that she gets the refresher first. It’s part of their little ritual, as much as her declaration of his impending doom.

After a moment, he gets up, and walks into the refresher after her, watching her as she bathes, admiring her form through the frosted glass of the stall. He can feel a playful caress in the Force, and he chuckles walking back out into the bedroom. He lies back on the bed, a smile on his face. He is happy this way. Happy with Mara Jade, former assassin, as his wife, his helpmate.

“Don’t get to happy Farmboy.”

He looks up, and sees her standing in the doorway, a scowl on her face, while wearing nothing but her towel. He smiles at her.

“Can’t help it Mara, you make me happy.”

She smiles at him, and quickly dresses in one of her black jumpsuits. She glances around trying to find her saber, and her eyes lock with his as he smiles once more. She turns and starts to leave the room.

“Mara? Aren’t you forgetting something?”

He stands, as she pauses at the door, her body trembling. Without warning, she spins, and jumps towards Luke, her hands wrapping around his neck as they both fall back to the bed. He gets his arms inside of hers, and pushes outwards, breaking her grip on his neck, and then rolls her off of himself and onto the floor.

Within seconds she is standing again, her body hunched slightly lowering her center of gravity, as she subtly pivots on the balls of her feet. Her face is a mask of hate and vitriol. “I’m going to kill you Skywalker.”

He smiles at her. “What’s wrong Mara?”

Her voice is a growl. “Like you have to ask.”

She closes, feints an attack to the left, and manages to surprise him with a blow to the right, a sharp, quick jab to his kidneys. He grunts as he doubles over, and she grabs his shoulder, sending him flying against a dresser. It rocks with his collision, and a holo of them on their honeymoon falls down upon him.

“You used me, like I’m some sort of a plaything. I don’t belong to you!”

He looks up at her, his features narrowing slightly. “We’re married Mara. We’re in love.”

She howls in rage and closes again, her hands stretched out as weapons. Luke falls back, and when she gets in range, he wraps her in his arms, pinning her arms to his chest. He pushes them both towards the bed, and when they reach it, knock her back onto it. He straddles her chest, keeping hold of her arms in his hands.

His features soften as he looks down at her enraged ones.

“I love you Mara.”

Anger, hate and disgust pour off of her in the Force. “Then let me kill you.”

He smiles slightly at her, pushing her arms down, as he leans in for a kiss. As soon as his lips touch hers, she tries to bite him. He chuckles again. “Repeating your tricks there aren’t you Jade?”

She glares daggers at him. “Just get this over with.”

He reaches out with the Force, pushing into her mind, batting away her shields. He ignores her howling protests as he burns away her hate and anger. As he rebuilds his wife. Finally her struggles cease, and she falls limp against the bed.

He lets her arms go, and slips off of her, exhaling slowly as he watches her sleeping form. She stirs and looks around, her eyes wide in alarm. She looks to Luke, a fearful expression on her face. “I did it again, didn’t I?”

He nods his head. “Yes, but it wasn’t so bad this time.”

She leans into him, a soft sob hitching her body. “I’m so sorry Luke. I wish I was stronger, that I could control it.”

He runs one of his hands over her hair, as he pulls her body closer to his with the other. “Shhhh. It’s all right. Everything is fine.”

She leans back away from him slightly. Her green eyes capture his again. “But what if I hurt you? What if I managed to kill you? What would I do?”

He pulls her back to him. “That’s not going to happen.”

Her body shakes slightly with another sob, her voice muffled slightly by his chest. “Why do you put up with me?”

He glances down at the top of her head, and then looks towards the transparisteel window. “Because I love you Mara, and I’d do anything to ensure you stayed with me. Where you belong.”