Inspired by Una's "where did all the L/M smut go?" comment,
this part is only PG-13 - the 'fun' stuff is in part 2.

*bows deeply to betas* You're wonderful, you know that?! :)



"To Have and To Hold"

by Angela Jade

Rated - NC-17

Category - PWP - nope, no plot here.

e-mail - angela@yavin4.free-online.co.uk - constructive criticism
and happy thoughts greatly appreciated. Flames laughed at.

Setting - one year after Zahn's "Visions of the Future"

Disclaimer - it all belongs to Lucas. I am not making any money
from this.




"What are you thinking about?"

Even though the question caught Luke by surprise, his recovery
was instantaneous, almost reflexive. He jerked his attention
away from the Coruscant sunset that glowed through the
ballroom windows and focused on his wife, her green eyes
filling his vision. "I was just reminding myself how lucky I am, my
love," he whispered, pulling Mara closer as they swayed in time
to the delicate music that drifted from hidden speakers above the
dance floor.

"Yeah. And I'm the next Hapan Queen." She smiled and her left
hand tightened around his shoulder. "What were you really
thinking about?"

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Can you hear it,
Mara?"

Her eyes locked with his, her consciousness slipping into that
one place they could truly be together, could be as one. The
bond they shared strengthened, filling them with a special kind
of warmth, and making the fact that they inhabited two separate
physical bodies irrelevant. Their breathing became
simultaneous, their hearts beat an identical rhythm.

Mara blinked, almost breaking the spell. "Hear what?" She
selectively filtered out some of the surrounding conversations. "I
can hear your sister laughing with Bel Iblis. And Han is fending
off that Kuati diplomat again."

"No, not that," replied Luke with a smile, leading her in a tight
circle around the center of the dance floor.

Lips pursed, Mara tried again. "Chewie seems to have found a
Selonian that can understand Wookiee. I have no idea what
they're talking about, though."

Luke's hand slid slightly further around her waist and his hip
touched hers. "Nope, that's not it either."

"Do you mean the music? Threepio harassing Fey'lya?" She
grinned. "Or is it Rogue Squadron singing vulgar songs at the
bar?"

A laugh shook his shoulders and he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Now, Mara, you know they won't start singing until much later in
the evening. Leia would have their heads if they spoiled her
diplomatic function."

The music changed to a faster tempo but Luke and Mara
continued their slow dance, ignoring the crowd of gyrating
guests that joined them on the dance floor. Mara's dark blue
gown swirled around Luke's legs as he pulled her a little closer.

"I give in, Luke. What can you hear?"

He kissed her hair and nuzzled her cheek, his lips millimeters
from her ear. "Nothing. No trouble. No arguments. No one
wanting our attention." He pulled back a little, meeting her gaze
once more. "I hear the sound of peace. And I like it."

"Skywalker the soft-hearted," Mara whispered. "Whatever
happened to the impulsive, adventure-seeking young Jedi I once
knew?"

"Same thing that happened to the temperamental,
argumentative ex-Emperor's Hand I used to know. They grew
up."

"I've missed you, Luke." Her eyes never left his, yet their color
seemed to deepen.

He swallowed and let out a shaky breath. "And I've missed you,
Mar, more than I ever thought I would."

"Mirax is a good friend, and we're learning a lot from each other,
but..." She broke off, composing her thoughts with a sigh. "Luke,
we've been married for nearly a year and I've hardly seen you. I...
I can't go on like this."

He drew her to him, pressing their bodies together and losing
himself in the scent of her hair. "We knew it would be like this,
Mara, at least for a while. Mirax needs you and my students
need me. And the galaxy needs time to get used to the idea that
we're married, without us appearing on the news every five
minutes."

The black silk of his jacket felt soft and smooth as her hand
drifted over his shoulder blade. "The galaxy can go take a
running jump," she growled. "And Mirax needs me about as
much as a Corellian needs charm lessons. She only claims
she needs me so I won't feel like a liability."

"So come back with me to Yavin, then," urged Luke, squeezing
her gently.

"Will you start spouting Jedi philosophy at me if I do?"

"I might," replied Luke with a shrug.

"And you'll want to continue my training."

"Of course."

Mara grinned. "We'll argue. You know that, don't you."

Bringing their faces level, he touched her nose with his. "I'll look
forward to it." His lips brushed a gentle kiss over her mouth.
"Come back with me, Mar. Just until I can get the Academy
organized for Kam and Tionne to take over. Then we can figure
out the future..."

She stopped him with a passionate kiss, her lips slightly apart,
promising more. They separated, breathless and barely aware
of the multitude of bodies surrounding them.

"I know what I want to happen in the immediate future," Mara
whispered, her dress rustling as she pressed against him. "Do
you think your sister would notice if we left?"

"Leia? Of course she'd notice." Luke's breath caught in his
throat as his wife swayed, brushing her hips firmly against his.
"Mara, we can't. She'll kill me."

"We could always come back. Just slip away for half an hour or
so..."

"And where would we go? It would take us that long just to get
back to the apartment." He struggled to keep his eyes on her
face and not the cleavage pressed against his chest.

"Oh, come on, Skywalker! Where's your sense of adventure?
I'm sure we can find somewhere for a little privacy." She inhaled
deeply, forcing her breasts to strain against the figure-hugging
bodice of her dress. "You know you want to..."

His gaze dropped, settling on the smooth, pale flesh that
seemed to offer itself up for his inspection. He realized his
mouth was watering. "Mar, don't do this."

"Why not?" Slowly, she ground her hips into him, purring when
she felt his arousal against her belly. Her fingers twisted in the
hair at the back of his neck as she pulled him down for a kiss,
her tongue invading his mouth hungrily. "Please, Luke," she
whispered against his lips. "No one's watching; Leia won't even
know we've gone."

His willpower vanished faster than an Ewok at an Imperial
cook-out. "Let's go," he mumbled, swallowing hard.

Mara's only reply was a triumphant grin, before she grabbed his
hand and led him through the crowded dance floor towards one
of the smaller exits.

*****

tbc

AJ

Thanks very much for the feedback - always appreciated. :)

Nicole - excellent point about would L & M be unnoticed
smooching, then leaving the dance floor. Maybe. ;) I've seen it
happen in real life.

Anyhoo, here's part two, and it's very much NC-17 rated.
Disclaimers 'n' stuff in part one. Thanks again to my betas.

***

Seven locked offices, two storage cupboards full of cleaning
equipment, and an occupied refresher later, and Mara's temper
was growing short. "There must be somewhere, Luke," she
hissed, dragging him to the next door. "What's this?"

"Information station," replied Luke, "complete with surveillance
cameras."

Mara swore colorfully and pulled him towards another door.
"What about this?" She peered at the tiny inscription carved
above the entrance. "Library. Hmm. Cameras?"

"None," whispered Luke, a feral grin creeping across his face.

The door hissed open at Mara's touch, revealing a dark room
beyond. "It's open." Her bottom lip caught between her teeth,
she raised an eyebrow suggestively and backed slowly into the
shadows.

After a quick glance to check they weren't being watched, Luke
followed her.

He was met only with silence. "Mar, where are you?"

A stifled snort of laughter and the rustle of her dress.

Closing his eyes, he reached for her presence, following her to
the farthest corner of the room. The distinctive smell of
datacards and printed books filled his nostrils, and he resisted
the urge to open his eyes and read a few titles. All that
knowledge, all those stories... He ruthlessly shoved his
instinctive reaction to the back of his mind. He wasn't there to
read.

Suddenly an arm reached out and grabbed him, yanking him
behind a massive bookshelf overflowing with datacards. Luke
held his breath as his wife's arms wound around his neck and
pulled him down for a kiss.

Their embrace seemed to last forever in the silent darkness,
their mouths performing an age-old dance both familiar and yet
longed for. Short, quick kisses gave way to a deep intensity that
left them gasping for oxygen and something more...

"I want you," growled Mara, her hands fumbling with his jacket as
he left a trail of wet kisses down her neck and across her collar
bone. "Now."

As his eyes became accustomed to the darkness, Luke
shrugged his shoulders out of the jacket and tossed it to one
side before resuming his onslaught on her bare flesh. A
whisper of delight escaped his lips as he discovered the dress's
hidden fastening and it quickly gave way to his deft fingers. His
gasp of pleasure echoed round the room when the dress pooled
at her feet, revealing... "No underwear?!"

Wearing nothing but a sultry expression, Mara stepped out of her
outfit and back into his arms. "I'm surprised you didn't notice
earlier, when I ... oh!" His mouth had latched onto an
over-sensitive nipple as his hands roamed down her back; Mara
threw back her head and allowed her body's delightful response
to ripple through her.

"It's been too long," he whispered as his shifted his attention to
her other breast. Thoughts of love and lust washed over him,
traveling straight from her brain to his and back again - he
detected her immediate objective fractionally before her arms
moved, and gently grabbed her wrists. "Don't tear the shirt,
Mara. We have to go back, remember?"

"Sorry," she replied, her voice low, "I guess I forgot." Her nimble
fingers made quick work of the row of tiny fastenings down one
side of his shirt; an angry curse escaped her clenched teeth
when she discovered an identical set underneath. "Who chose
this stupid shirt?"

"You did."

"I did?" She paused, glaring at him in the near-darkness.
"Never wear it in my presence again."

The last connection gave way and Mara slipped the shirt off his
shoulders and arms with exaggerated care and dropped it on
top of her dress. "There. Leia will never know." As she turned
back to him, he glanced up from undoing his belt; a lock of hair
fell across his eyes and he smiled at her, his muscles shifting
slightly as he worked the buckle. Her breath caught in her throat,
captivated by the sensuous beauty before her.

The rest of his clothes quickly joined the shirt and he took a step
towards her, grinning when he saw her gaze drifting up and
down his body. "Do I pass inspection, Jade?"

Her eyes met his as she sank to the floor and leaned back on
her arms. "Not sure. I'd have to have a closer look."

Instantly, he was on all fours above her, his arms either side of
her shoulders. Chest heaving, his breath whispered across her
lips as he gazed into her eyes. "I love you. Don't leave me."

"Never." She closed the few centimeters between them and
pressed her lips to his, her tongue quickly probing for entry,
savoring his taste. His moan reverberated through her body as
he slipped one arm beneath her, easing her to the floor.

Luke lowered his head to the smooth skin of her breasts once
more, his hand slipping between her legs, caressing and
arousing. It had been so long - weeks, months - since he'd
held her in his arms, made love to her, heard her cries of
passion. More than once he'd woken alone in a sweat, calling
her name, convinced she'd never return to him. Holocalls,
messages, the occasional Force-touch when she was close
enough - none were a substitute for lying in her arms,
reaffirming their love.

She sank her teeth into his shoulder, sucking and then kissing
the resulting bite mark. "Now, Luke. I need you now."

As he shifted his weight between her thighs, he gazed in wonder
at the passion in her eyes, a look that set his nerve endings
aflame. His eyes never left hers as he buried himself deep
inside her, his control slipping with every second. Steadily, he
began to thrust, capturing her lips with his own in a lustful kiss.

Arching up against him, Mara moaned her delight, finally
achieving the gratification she hadn't realized she'd been
craving. Although she had been aware of her increasing desire
throughout the evening, the sudden intensity of her emotions still
shocked her. The galaxy shrank to the nonexistent gap between
herself and her lover as her body sought completion. Her hips
moved in a frantic counterpoint to his, urging him on, faster,
harder...

Even with his eyes closed, Luke could `see' her beauty, her
intelligence, the compassion she tried to hide under a veneer of
self-confidence. He loved her - mind, body and soul - and
would love her until the day he died. A tidal wave of emotion
crashed over him as he gave one last push and spilled into her,
clutching her tightly as she shuddered beneath him.

Euphoria eased into peaceful contentment as Mara opened her
eyes and pulled him in for sultry kiss. "I needed that."

"Me, too."

Hugging him firmly, she reveled in the closeness of both their
mental bond and their physical bodies, a closeness she felt she
would never understand or take for granted. "I love you,
Skywalker." She couldn't quite make out the reply he mumbled
into her neck, but the surge of love that washed over her mind left
her in no doubt that her feelings were reciprocated.

Finally, he looked up. "Guess we'd better get back before Leia
misses us."

"Refresher first," said Mara, "I need to make myself presentable."

His eyes raked up and down her body as he stood up. "But you
look so beautiful - flushed and sweaty and tangled..." Laughing
at the disbelieving look she shot him, he helped her to her feet
and watched her climb shakily back into her gown.

"Are you planning on getting dressed any time soon?" asked
Mara with a grin. "Or would you rather just stand around here all
night?"

Luke smiled, his gaze sweeping over the datacards on the
nearest shelf. "I don't know, maybe I could just stay here and
read. There's some pretty interesting stuff here..." He fell silent
when his shirt landed on his head.

"Get dressed, Jedi."

*****

"There you are, Luke. I've been looking for you everywhere.
Where have you been?"

Grinning self-consciously, Luke allowed his sister to lead him by
the arm through the crowded room. "Mara and I just went for a
little walk, that's all. We had a few things to discuss..."

"Oh, I forgot!" exclaimed Leia, stopping in her tracks. "You've
been apart for so long, and you only landed an hour ago..." She
turned to face him and gripped his forearms tightly. "I'm really
sorry, Luke. I shouldn't have asked you and Mara to come
tonight. You should be spending time together alone, not at
some stuffy reception."

"It's all right, Leia," he replied. "I'm the one that got delayed - if
I'd been on time we could have spent all afternoon together."

Smiling warmly, Leia nudged her brother's chest with one finger.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to leave now?" she whispered
with a wink. "I could explain your absence; no one would mind."

"No - we've had our... umm ... discussion. I'm sure we can last
until later."

"Really?" Leia looked impressed. "The famous Jedi control
strikes again. Whenever Han and I were reunited, we could
hardly keep our hands off each other."

~FIN~

AJ