Horizons ( Luke Skywalker )

chapter VII

     Mara would have loved to just gone throughout her week without a thought of Luke Skywalker, but it was impossible. Not just because he weighed on her mind but because he was constantly in it. At the exact moment that she was trying to finish her studies on fighting tactics, she saw Luke walking into his chambers. She saw his hands gripping the edge of his desk. She felt the confusion ripping through him.

     Once again, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her breathing. Then she looked back down at the scroll in her hands and read the first line... and then she read it again. And she read it again. Even as her eyes trailed over the words, she was actually concentrating on the way Luke was reaching for his food.

     With a sound close to a growl ripping through her throat, she threw the scrolls away from her. Throughout her entire week, she had tried to put up with it, but no more. The connection was unacceptable.

     'Stay right where you are, Skywalker,' she bitingly thought, sending as much frustration through the link as she could. 'I'm coming for you. Be ready to fix this.'  She was so focused on her anger, she barely registered Luke's response.

     The troopers stayed out of her way as she stormed down the hall; they knew better than to bother her when she was like that. Most of them, at one time or another, had learned their lesson the hard way.

     When Luke's door came into sight, Mara's hands balled up into fists. He was so close, right behind it, expecting her arrival. Her tumultuous emotions created a thick cloud in her mind, so that Luke's mental pleas fell on deaf ears.

     The door slid open, and Mara flew through. "Skywalker, I've had enough! We need to fix this, now." She knew he could do, she knew he could. She felt that inkling in the back of his mind, the spark of an idea.

     She finally focused her physical eyes on Luke, and pulled herself away from their mental link. He looked... different. The baggy, pale clothes he had worn before were gone. Now, he wore a black tunic, tucked into matching, fitted pants. He even held himself different; he seemed taller now and the boyish glint that had been in his eyes were gone.

     This was clearly the product of his new training. She realized he even felt different. So intent was she before on blocking him out, she didn't even register how his mind had changed. It was no longer so open, no longer so bright.

     To anyone else, the change in Luke would've seemed miniscule but she knew him too well.

     Everything seemed to slow down as they looked at each other, Mara with an expression of dawning realization and Luke with one of wariness. "I don't know how to break the link," he said hesitantly. "Or if it's even possible but... I think I can make this a bit more bearable for the both of us."

     Mara found herself nodding along, willing to try anything to have her mind back to herself. "Go ahead."

     He stepped towards her hesitantly, raising a hand up to her face before deciding to keep it to himself. Mara's eyes slipped closed as she waited; she could almost feel the heat emanating from Luke's body. He was close; she suddenly thought of the kiss they had shared, something she had never experienced before in her life.

     She quickly tried to shut it out, realizing that Luke must know what she was thinking of. Could he see the blush in her cheeks more clearly? Did he hear the hitch in her breath?