Chapter Text
2 ABY
Day seven.
By now he had counted all the rivets in his cell and had started to think he should name them. They usually came in once a day, roughed him up a bit then threw him back into this harsh lonely room. It was the only way he could tell there were days but even that he was beginning to suspect. The room was barely functional. He wasn’t use to lavish comfort so the hard bed/metal plank, didn’t bother him. He had a small toilet and running water. That was almost a luxury he wasn’t use to. He had been playing over and over each of Yoda’s teachings to him, each day delving a bit deeper into his force skills, yet not having found his escape just yet.
Yoda’s death still affected him. For a few days he felt lost and uncertain but he pushed those aside. Obi-Wan had given him a task. Had told him about his sister. Leia. He didn’t even have a chance to tell her she was his sister. Whenever he thought about it, he locked it tightly back up as it was the one thing no one in the galaxy knew and he wasn’t about to let that secret out to the wrong people.
With hope they still thought he was just training on Degobah. Worst case they just believed he was dead. Either way no one was looking for him because they wouldn’t know he was in trouble. That thought was a harsh reality. What he didn’t understand though if he had been captured by Imperials was why Vader hadn’t come to see him yet…
A small scratching caught his ear. He sat up, his bright blue eyes looking to his left as it continued. It sounded like a… his eyes focused on a rivet as it’s head began to turn. He watched silently as it continued to turn until it had unscrewed itself form it’s position and than fell with a clank onto his bed.
“Hello?”
The voice was faint and Luke Skywalker was against the wall immediately.
“Hello?” He called back quietly when suddenly he felt something brush up against his mind. He stumbled back with alarm and his heart rate jumped. “Jedi…” he whispered and rushed back to the small hole. “Who’s there?” He demanded desperately.
“My name is Mara. Mara Jade,” her voice carried through the small hole and he stilled. A woman. “Who are you?”
“I’m Luke Skywalker. Are you with the Rebel Alliance?” He asked leaning against the cold surface of the wall.
“No, I’ve been in hiding. I have this,” she stalled and he pressed closer to the wall.
“You are a Jedi,” he breathed and he felt her probe once more hit his shields and he quickly lowered them, allowing her to see a piece of him. She jumped back from the wall and pulled her probe back abruptly. It was the first time she had ever tried to gage someone and they actually allowed it. He was warm and kind. That was a weird feeling… She rushed back to the small hole.
“Don’t say words like that out loud. They don’t exist anymore,” she snapped quietly, an edge to her voice that spoke of a hard life that had not begun when she was put in this cell.
“And yet here are two of us,” he confessed and she leaned against the cold metal of the wall that lay between them.
“The Luke Skywalker?” She suddenly questioned, a smirk in her voice and he settled against his bunk, something foreign coming to his face. A small smile. A smile fueled by hope that he wasn’t alone anymore. “Did you really have your way with three ewoks and two twileks after the destruction of the death star?” She asked with an air of scandal and Luke laughed out right.
“Seriously, that is what is going around about me?” He demanded and he heard her laugh carry through the small hole. He leaned closer to it trying to drink it in and not miss a sound. He didn’t believe laughter existed in this place so to hear it was a bit of a marvel. “You are the third Jedi I’ve ever met,” he confessed laying his hand against the cold metal.
“I’m not a Jedi, Skywalker,” she admonished, her voice forlorn and he almost felt the pain in it. “Just a lost girl trying to survive, cursed with magical powers.”
He had to strain to hear her as her voice trailed off. Immediately something prickled in him. A need to protect, to escape and free her from this. His mind quickly darted to his sister and how she had been held captive, the horror stories she had told them of what they had done… his hand curled into a fist as pain slashed through him. He didn’t want anyone else to suffer like that.
“You aren’t lost anymore Mara,” his voice was strong and gentle and she held her breath at it. “I just found you,” he smiled and she felt her lips curl up.
“I think I found you first,” she smirked and he let out a breath.
“Depends on your point of view.”
-=-
He wasn’t even sure if they were in space anymore. Were they on a planet? Did it matter? He just didn’t understand what they were waiting for. Why not just kill him and get it over with? And why had he still not seen Vader? Surely his father would have come by now to see if he would turn. See if his son would rule the galaxy with him. He sneered at the thought. Better to die in a cell than under the influence of the Dark Side.
He closed his eyes and grabbed onto his calm. He needed to stop thinking.
“You are brooding again Skywalker,” her voice carries beautifully through their hole and he smirks as he leans against the wall.
“Starting to think I’m really good at it,” he mused and she chuckled once.
“I dare say you are,” she breathed back and he settled back into her company. She had been a constant for forever it seems. He wasn’t sure how long he had been here now, the days had turned long and she was the only thing keeping him from losing his mind. She kept him strong. He imagined they were trying to break him so when they did finally approach him to turn he’d be so desperate to get out he’d consider it. He couldn’t tell if they had been here for weeks or months… or if a year had passed. All he cared about was the anchor she provided for him and he for her. They talked endlessly. The need to know someone was there was desperate and each time they awoke their force sense called out to the other. Once they found it they sat and rested in it until they were forced to sleep again. She was the closest to home he felt as each day he sought her as easily as he sought the force. In fact his first moment of wakefulness was always in search of her and he found her easier and easier each time he woke.
“Tell me about growing up on the farm again,” she asked and he opened his eyes slowly.
“Aren’t you bored with the same old stories by now Jade?” He questioned and he felt her amusement. He blinked and sat up straighter. He felt her amusement?
“Are you intruding Skywalker?” She questioned a bit sharply and he quickly shook his head but not for her benefit, she couldn’t see him. Now he felt a stab of panic from her that was quickly cut off.
“You raised your shields,” he said with more hurt than he definitely wanted to admit. It had been days… maybe months? Who the hell knew when they had stopped using preliminary shields against each other? Granted, his mind wasn’t an open vault for her to explore and hers neither but they weren’t guarded from each other. He never took advantage and never felt her either. They were prisoners of war together and they had become friends. He treasured her friendship.
“Damn right I did,” she snapped and he was use to her temper. She was a complex creature. Very private, very guarded so when she had lowered her shields to initiate a surface trust it had meant the world to him. “What are you doing?” She accused and her voice sounded right at the hole. He stood up looking at it. The little hole had become Mara to him. He didn’t know what she looked like so that became her identity and as he stared at the small dark hole no bigger than a pinky nail he struggled for what to tell her.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” he sputtered with honesty and he heard her hit the wall with her fist and winced. Before he could apologize and make amends for whatever the hell was happening, his door slid open. His defenses went on high alert and he felt her drop her shields and reach out for him. Concern for him hit him and he quickly soothed her. She wanted to cry out his name but remained silent. She couldn’t give away her position or that they communicated.
*Stay Strong Skywalker,*the words echoed in his head and Luke’s head snapped back to the hole as he was dragged from the cell. He quickly lifted his shields and Mara felt nothing once more. They always shut the other out when they were dragged away. Mara hadn’t once and he had felt each torture they had inflicted on her and was devastated he couldn’t get to her to save her. She called him a sissy for days to try and get him over it but he knew she was thankful he cared so much. In fact he hadn’t heard so many derogatory terms that seemed more affectionate than annoyed since he had last heard Leia and Han row at each other. Theirs had more sexual tension but the small flare of affection in Mara’s voice was enough to know she treasured his friendship too.
She quickly erected her shields back into place as she waited. She wanted to start counting but prevented herself. She didn’t want to know how long he was gone, how long they were going to torture him this time because she knew the length of time would tell her which method they used. She never forgot things like that. She set her head back against the wall and let out a breath as she silently explored what the hell was suddenly going on…
-=-
Her door slid open and emerald eyes glanced at it quickly. A frame was tossed inside and rolled across the white floor. She was on her feet instantly and the door slid shut once more. The lump coughed and she darted towards it, the sandy brown hair giving the slumped body away immediately.
“Skywalker?” Mara questioned with surprise as she turned him over. He was cradling his stomach and a few scrapes on his face were bleeding but otherwise he looked unharmed. He wasn’t responding, just wincing. She smacked him. “Skywalker!” She demanded and his eyes slowly blinked open, a groan leaving his lips as he put a hand to his cheek she had just slapped. His bright blue met her emerald and she looked at
him expectantly. “What did they do to you? Can you move?” She started, her voice quick and demanding.
“Mara?” He questioned, her voice triggering in his brain.
“Yes, farmboy. The idiots must have screwed up and thrown you in my cell.” Her fingers flexed out to touch his face but she pulled back. He could only stare at her a moment. She was… stunning. Hair the color of liquid fire framed her pale face. There were a sprinkle of freckles here and there but her eyes were penetrating and studying him with more poise than he probably was studying her. She looked shorter than him, which didn’t say much since he was pretty short, and she had a dancers body, which made sense with the stories she told him.
“You’re a human,” he sputtered a bit dumbly and her red eyebrows rose with surprise. That was the first thing he said about seeing her?
“Skywalker, what did you think I was?” She said with a bit of an incredulous laugh and he shrugged.
“Didn’t matter,” he said honestly and she quirked a small smile at him and touched his forehead this time, brushing his long hair out of his face.
“You’re stunning,” he said a bit bluntly and she laughed once. “No way I could be this lucky,” he mused, his eyes leaving her as the thought had never occurred to him Mara would actually be around his age and friggen stunning. Her eyes narrowed tolerantly at him.
“Well, you aren’t getting lucky so stop thinking I’m pretty,” she warned and he pushed himself up. She helped him than felt the air leave her lungs as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his face in her hair. For a moment, she wasn’t sure what he was doing. Her danger sense didn’t flare so he wasn’t technically hurting her. He was just hugging her. She felt his overwhelming happiness at finally meeting her and than having just a hug. She wrapped her hands around his back and leaned her head into his. She figured this was how a hug worked but normally people who touched her wanted to hold her a little differently… either to inflict pain or their own desires on her. Luke just wanted security. His innocence was… refreshing.
Suddenly he pulled away and held her at arms length.
“Are you ok?” He questioned and she couldn’t stop the small smile that hit her lips.
“I wasn’t the one who was tortured Skywalker,” she teased and he let out a breath with a slight head shrug. It hurt a bit to breathe. He may have some bruised ribs.
“Well, they should figure out I’m in the wrong room pretty quick and come get me,” he muttered then pulled her back into his arms in another hug.
“Oh you are so needy,” she whined hugging him tightly in return. She felt his force sense flare with comfort and it made her heart swell a bit.
“This is the first time someone has touched me in months that isn’t trying to hurt me. Forgive the dramatics,” he chided and she smirked, her eyes rolling easily at him. She pulled back and sat more comfortably beside him.
“I think they know you are here. I heard the camera move when they threw you in here,” she mused and he looked confused for a moment as he tried to take a category of his new injuries. Nothing serious. “They must be bored with us and hoping to see us in a jail cell holoporn,” she muttered disgusted and Luke huffed.
“Afraid I need more romance than that,” he mused dryly and she smiled at him as he pushed back to settle against the wall. He took in his new surroundings. There were markings on the wall next to her hole she had been using to talk to him. “Is that how long we have been here?” He asked, desperate for an answer and she put a hand on his arm as she settled beside him.
“I’m afraid I’ve been here longer than you Skywalker,” she soothed and he let his head fall back. He took her hand in his and just held it. He just wanted human contact and she could give him that. She felt his turning emotions and something overcame her that was kind of panic and a need to know if he was all right. She doubted he would just let her look him over to check for injuries but she never would normally ask.
“It’s called concern,” he breathed easily and she arched her eyebrows at him.
“You were raised on the run weren’t you?”
“Something like that,” she answered cryptically and he nodded.
“I’ve been having to guess it through your voice inflections but now I suddenly feel it from you in here,” he breathed raising a hand to his chest. He felt her ready to bolt and squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I won’t hurt you,” he soothed and she huffed.
“I’m pretty sure I can take you.”
At that he laughed. It was a bit of a sad laugh, one of exhaustion and pain from the actual physical power it took to laugh. She wondered what his real laugh would be like. A care free one. Did he still have care free laughs?
“I’m pretty sure you could too,” he agreed than lolled his head towards her, his eyes meeting hers and she froze under his clear gaze. “You haven’t ever had a real friend have you Jade?” He asked gently, his thumb drawing lazy circles on the top of her hand. Why hadn’t he let go of it yet? “I don’t want anything from you.”
His words were affirming but he was still holding her hand and she held it up to him that he currently wanted at least one thing from her: human contact. He smirked at her, feeling her amusement. That feeling suddenly nagged her again. What had he called it? Concern. Right.
“You seem overwhelmed,” she commented and he glanced away from her.
“Honestly, I’d kind of convinced myself you were a droid. To discover you have arms, legs and are beautiful is a little much for me right now,” he commented dryly. Mara let that settle on her for a second before she burst into laughter. He intertwined her fingers with his and hugged her arm to him tight. Mara was real. She was ok. They were together and together… they could get out of this.
“This having to keep touching me thing is going to end soon right?” She questioned more gently than she intended too. He was making her a bit soft.
“Probably not,” he breathed and she let out a long-suffering sigh.
“Maybe when they realize we aren’t going to kriff each other they will throw you back in your cell,” she mused and he turned to her, a bright grin forming on his lips.
“I’m Luke Skywalker,” he breathed holding out his other hand that wasn’t entwined with hers. She looked at the outstretched hand and shook it firmly.
“Mara Jade,” she answered back politely.
“I’m so glad to meet you finally,” he smiled. It looked like she imagined it would with his niave farmboy way and it made her heart melt a bit. Stupid Jedi.
“You just say that because I have a nice rack,” she deadpanned and his smile didn’t waver.
“You know you checked out my butt,” he shot back and her lips turned up into a smirk to match his.
“It was in my face,” she hissed.
“Everyone loves to oogle Luke Skywalker’s rear. Oo, It’s Luke Skywalker’s bum,” he mocked dramatically and she laughed. A real laugh. The kind where her eyes crinkled and if she would have been drinking a liquid she would have spit it across the room. He drank it in. When it died down he felt his weary bones call out for a reprieve. She felt it spike through him in the force.
“Are you ok? What can I do?” She asked a bit more hurriedly than she wished.
“I’m going to put myself in a healing trance in a minute. I’ll be fine,” he soothed and she cocked her head at him with confusion.
“A what?”
His eyes lit up for a minute and she felt his excitement. He had something he could teach her.
“You teach me about healing trances and I’ll explain to you why I think we can feel each other through the force,” she said with a resigned breath and he sat up. It was painful and she felt it, causing her to wince.
“What’s going on?”
“Not right now Skywalker. Rest. Heal. That’s an order,” she commanded and he smirked a bit at her.
“Thank you for letting me be your friend,” he smiled which was a bit sad through his shaggy beard and busted lip.
“I don’t have friends Skywalker,” she admitted, her finger absently touching his lips as if it would sooth him. He closed his eyes at the contact. Her gentleness was revitalizing him. Almost renewing his faith in humanity and that made her uncomfortable for a moment.
“You have one in me,” he responded easily, his head leaning back against the wall and she leaned into his shoulder offering him her support. She felt his mind tumble away from her as she assumed he went into a healing trance. She pulled back up her shields tight and let her shoulder shift so his unconscious head fell on it.
-=-
She tapped his forehead gently but annoyingly over and over. How long did these stupid healing trances last? About a minute into it his eyes blinked open.
“Oh, you are awake,” she greeted and he eyed her for a moment. She smiled innocently at him and he
couldn’t stop the small grin that responded to her. He sat up slowly feeling much better. She gave him room to move and he closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms once more. “Oof, Skywalker,” she chastised and he sucked in a deep breath of her. “They brought us food. I need you to eat,” she ordered and he pulled back to glance at her.
“Are you used to ordering people around?”
“Yes. Do you have a problem with it?”
“I am a Rebel you know, we are good at rebelling,” he reminded her and she smiled turning him from her embrace towards the two small food trays. “Ah, so they did put us together on purpose.”
“Probably for us to get attached to each other so we can be used as leverage against the other,” she offered calmly with a shrug of indifference. She felt horror spike through his side of the force and she glanced at him quickly. “Don’t think of worst case scenarios in that sheltered farm brain of yours?” She offered and his eyes narrowed a bit at her.
“More sad for you that it’s your first instinct,” he responded. “Although I’m still hoping they really stuck us in here for a jail cell holoporn,” he mused and she grinned.
“Not sure if a Jedi Healing Trance would help you recover from what I’d do to you in a holoporn
Skywalker,” she taunted, her eyes all promises and he froze.
“Wow,” he sputtered out and she grinned mercifully at him. “Are you going to be the death of me Jade?”
“Yes.”
Their eyes held a moment and he felt a spark travel through them as well as a bit of a sadness on the edge of his force sense. It didn’t make much sense but he was having a hard time deciding what emotions were his and hers at this point. Perhaps it was sadness since there really was no future in the dark depths of an Imperial Detention center… maybe her morbidity was starting to rub off on him.
“Especially if you don’t eat,” she added pointing to the food and he nodded with a relenting grin.
“I’ll start eating once you explain the bond thing,” he said pulling the trays towards them. He placed one on her lap and she eyed him with amusement as he made sure she had the bigger tray and more water.
“You are bigger,” she tried to reason with him and he shrugged.
“You are cuter.”
“That isn’t a valid reason.”
“My Aunt Beru would kill me if I didn’t and I can’t not,” he admitted finally, holding her gaze and she relented to his seriousness. His shoulders relaxed and she smiled a bit.
“She would kill you,” she agreed and he let out a relieved sigh. She felt his force sense swirl and it wasn’t that she had relented to him that made his force sense settle but that she knew him. She knew him very well.
“I’ve only read about it. They are called Force Bonds. There are a few different types but the main one is what one would have between a master and a padawan,” she informed and he quickly gave her his attention.
“Padawan?”
“Oh sweet Sith… you know nothing do you?”
“Know how to levitate you across the room,” he shot back quickly and her eyes widened.
“You know how to what?” She asked with a bit of excitement.
“I really hope they leave us in the same room for a few days.”
Mara Jade grinned at him. “So we can do the jail cell holoporn?”
“That and together we might be a fully trained Jedi. Maybe the Force brought us together for that reason,” he smiled, his farm boyish charm making her stomach jump a bit and she grinned.
“You take a lot of stock in this Force stuff,” she teased and he gave her a mock horrified look.
“I will make you a Jedi yet Jade.”
“If only you could farmboy.”
-=-
She counted days by rations as well. They spent six “days” teaching each other all they knew of the force. Turns out there were a few Force Bonds: three to be exact.
The first was of a Master and a Padawan. This one had many variations from a thin training bond to feel surface thoughts and send images to a training bond where a Master could influence what the padawan does.
The latter variation of the bond caused many discussions on if that indeed
was a Jedi bond or one used for the dark side since a Jedi is bound to not influence others actions. Mara simply smacked him and said he was naïve.
Force Bonds were strong and the deeper they went the more power they held. The stronger the force users also the stronger the bond between them. The stronger of the force users could also weld control over the less force sensitive. Again this caused many discussions to which Luke flicked Mara on the nose and told her to stop being such a sith (another new word she had taught him.) He took the punch to the gut after that exchange with great calm and poise.
The second type of bond was one they both agreed was not used by Jedi. It was a forced bond. One where a stronger force sensitive rips into another and burrows deep inside to greatly influence another or hurt them. They didn’t talk very much about this one. Mara had explained she shouldn’t know it even exists if she hadn’t seen it happen herself. He never got more out of her than that and didn’t really want to but she had held his hand for a solid two hours after that under his disguise of “needing human contact”.
The third and last type of bond was a myth and dismissed as much by Mara completely. Luke thought it romantic. She called him a sap. Apparently, there could be a force bond between two romantically linked Jedi that would be a mix of the deepest training bond but also love thrown in there.
“So, you don’t think we have a Jedi Mating Bond?”
“I haven’t mated with you yet so I can’t confirm if we do or not,” Mara answered logically and Luke pressed his lips together thoughtfully.
“You said that like it’s an experiment. Should we make this an experiment?” He had teased and she only smiled one of her rare smiles at him. The tolerating one, where she thought him charming only in his lack of being able to be charming.
Luke assumed their bond was a variation of what a master and padawan would be. The closer they got, the deeper it got. He was able to feel her emotions, see inside her mind if she allowed and hear her whether she was speaking or not. He assumed it would work over long distances but since they were trapped in a ten by ten he really couldn’t test that.
“That’s pretty,” he remarked casually and she glanced down at her wrist at the only thing he could be talking about. He felt her distaste through their bond and his eyebrow rose in question.
“It’s a force inhibitor,” she ground out and he grabbed her wrist, turning it over to eye the golden bracelet that was actually embedded into her skin on the underside of her wrist. “My master placed it on there to help me hide my force thingy,” she muttered and his eyes snapped up at her.
“Your master?” He questioned and she stared at him unblinkingly.
“You know Skywalker, the man who yells at you and throws force knowledge at you,” she growled.
“Mine hit me with small sticks. Is yours still alive?” He questioned and her eyes lazily took him in.
“No,” she said easily and he felt a flutter from her but it melted away. He didn’t want to pry. It might be painful for her. He certainly didn’t sound like her favorite person. “I’ve had it since I was little. Maybe six or so?” She said with a noncommittal shrug and he didn’t hide his alarm at her.
“Six is a bit young isn’t it?” He questioned out right and she had known him long enough now to have pity on him. She wanted to laugh in his face but it would just make him feel awful. She didn’t like making him feel awful.
“He grabbed me when I was a baby Skywalker,” she said gently and she had to look away at the horror that swam in his eyes at that. “All gifted younglings were taken that young. It wasn’t odd,” she tried to sooth and he scrunched his nose in distaste, his head lolling back to rest against the wall.
“It is odd. I don’t care how special my child is, I’d like to see someone try and pry them from my fingers,” he bit out and she smirked a bit at him. “I’m sorry,” he said lifting his head, his eyes meeting hers and she lifted a curious eyebrow at him.
“For what?”
“That the Jedi stole your childhood. They were wrong. The new Jedi Order won’t be like that. I promise.” His words carried weight and she believed him instantly. He wouldn’t let younglings be sacrificed for the Jedi cause.
“What else will the New Order do that the old won’t?” She grinned, scooting closer to him and a thoughtful look crossed his face.
“Don’t know enough about the old to know how much I can go with or contradict,” he breathed and she smirked a bit at him.
“What do you want to know?” She questioned and he sat up straight immediately.
“What do you know?” He asked, eager for answers and she settled back for a long conversation.
“You are looking at an A+ student in Jedi History, Skywalker,” she mused with a glint in her eye that
made his heart beat a bit faster.
“You seriously are the most amazing person I’ve ever met in my life,” he breathed out in awe and she winked at him.
“Bet you say that to all the women you share a cell with.”
-=-
She was nestled in his arms, her head on his chest, red hair strewn over his arm as he lazily drew circles on her back as she slept. He didn’t want to know what a night without her in his arms would be like and all they did was sleep. It had started the first night as his need to know she was still there. She hated it and let him know yet never moved away. The second night it was as if she had just grudgingly put up with her duty and he laughed, quickly moving away from her. He settled on the floor by himself only to find her cuddled up behind him an hour later. He convinced himself it was because she needed human contact too and that she also didn’t mind him. After that it had become her norm and he found she got grumpy when her norm was not followed. Now that they had been together for over a month in the same room a norm was quickly adopted and followed out each day.
“You need to stop falling in love with me,” she had teased him.
“You say that like it’s easy to not do.”
“It’s a common psychological disorder for inmates to fall in love with each other. It isn’t real, just desperation,” she stated matter of factly and he laughed.
“That’s romantic. Would that mean we’d have to be losing our minds to succumb to that? Do you think me sane?”
“Of course you are,” she shot back, her need to reassure him quite adorable. “It’s biological urges.”
“Yes, that explains why I’ve jumped you so many times,” he taunted dryly and she narrowed her eyes at him. He had been nothing but a complete gentleman.
“The force is making our bond stronger than it is. Just because we are force sensitive does not mean it’s the will of the force,” she lectured and he tilted his head at her amused. She liked to make him smile.
“When you run out of excuses will that mean you’ve fallen in love with me too?” He questioned calmly and her eyes rolled skyward as they fell into silence. He grinned sitting back, his eyes closing as he attempted to rest a bit.
“Maybe.”
The one word was muttered but echoed around his brain and it made his heart swell. He heard her groan and then smack his chest making his eyes pop open as she stared at him.
“I’m going to teach you about shielding so I won’t be bombarded so much by your mushy feelings,” she
chastised, anger on her face yet not a lick of it in her sense.
She was slowly becoming a lover of mush and he’d go to his grave with that secret. Mara Jade did not do or would ever do mush.
That conversation played in his head once more behind his carefully constructed shields. She had indeed helped him strengthen his shields. She was quite the expert at it. She taught him layers and how the mind could be a maze and how you could protect yourself behind multiple walls. He used it immediately locking away his secret about Leia. If she had figured it out she didn’t say anything but he had been quite careful to keep the knowledge to himself and never think of her. After constructing his shields he finally allowed himself the luxury of thinking of his friends. Did Han recover from Hibernation sickness? Where the two blockheads finally together? He felt a swell of pride at that. Han was perfect for his sister. He wished he could tell him that. Could tell her…
Mara shifted in his arms and he tightened his arm around her gently. He wished he could tell Leia about Mara. While she slept and behind his shields he admitted to himself how deeply he had fallen for her. If the Empire counted on making her a liability for him he was gone from the first time she had said Hello. He would have defended her with his life from that first conversation but now… now he knew it was so much worse. He needed her. Adored her. He would stay in this cell the rest of his days just to be with her. His logical self had spiked at that, trying to convince himself he wouldn’t give up Leia, Han or the others to remain here forever but his logical side even gave up after a few moments. He would and he wouldn’t regret it.
Mara wasn’t an idiot and had been subtly appealing to his logical side too. They had many discussions about what should happen then the Empire decided to play their hand and use them against each other. She was adamant about how it should go, that one life isn’t worth switching sides for and said it often that it was a mantra in his head. He couldn’t turn to the darkside for her. She wasn’t a prize at the end for turning. If he gave in in order to spare them she would fight the rest of her days to get away from him and hate him for turning.
“Would you kill me before letting them use me against you?” Luke had questioned her and she looked at him un-phased.
“How could they use you against me?”
He poked her through their bond causing her to wince and she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Would you rather die by my hand than there’s?” She questioned a bit more gently and he let out a
breath.
“Yes.”
“OK.”
That was all she gave him from that but he read a lot into it. He knew her better than she would like to admit and saw her dependence on him grow each day. He would never tell her that. Mara Jade didn’t depend on people. He didn’t know how he realized and as he saw her do it slowly he felt it was the closest he would see her truly fall in love with him. To trust another in Mara’s book was the deepest form of love. He constantly was surprising her through their bond and it made him wonder greatly what other interactions she had throughout her life to make her so jaded that a simple common courtesy was foreign to her.
She sat up suddenly, her eyes alert as her mind jumped to life. He jumped up as well, his arms still wrapped around her and she shrugged out of them easily as the door slid open. They were on their feet in an instance, side by side as a machine slowly floated in. She cursed. She knew that machine. Shots suddenly rang out in the room and Skywalker dropped to the floor in a heap. She bent down, quickly checking his pulse, realizing they had just stunned him and her eyes shot up back to the machine. This was going to hurt…
-=-
*Mara!*
His voice was pounding into her skull as she tried to come out of a fog. Where was she? Her mind flashed a few pictures at her of bright lights and machines and she shut her eyes tightly against them. Why was Skywalker yelling at her?
“Luke.”
Her throat felt like sandpaper, her senses completely skewed. What had they done to her? She felt the fog slowly move away from her as the room slowly came into focus. She reached out a hand trying to feel out for Skywalker, wanting to feel an anchor in the swirling chaos she was drowning in.
*I’m right here Jade,* his voice soothed into her mind and she groaned, trying to push herself up on all fours from the floor. *They hit you with a crazy drug cocktail and it’s taken me awhile to flush it from you.*
Now that he said it she could feel him working through their bond on her.
She reached out to him blindly with the force and he wrapped around her securely, her senses soothing at just his touch. She was greedy for it and he gave her everything, their bond flaring bright and strong. The fog was moving away faster and she was so thankful for him and their stupid force bond. She heard him chuckle over it and she half smiled but her body still ached.
“Where are you?” Her voice was a bit of a whine from disuse, wondering why she wasn’t in his arms since he was always wrapped around her. She felt cold and lonely without his touch. She suddenly felt his sadness across their bond. Her eyes snapped open and the motion was painful. She searched the room, the edges of her vision blurred. Where was he? Panic hit her and than he felt her shields slam up.
“Jade,” he called through the small hole and her eyes closed tightly, her eyes blurring with moisture. She growled, deep in her throat and he closed his eyes sadly as he pressed into his wall. He had woken up alone in his cell a few hours ago and it had crushed him. He pushed against her tight shields and knew behind them she was feeling the same devastation. A devastation they had discussed at length they should not feel. They were just some cruel Empire experiment. *I love you Jade,* he soothed into her mind and he heard her let out a scream of anger than go silent.
She curled into herself, tears streaming down her face in silence as she stared sadly at the small hole. She hated that hole. Her shields tightened around her as she curled into herself, letting her emotions churn and consume her before she cut them all off completely. She let out a shuttering breath and kept Skywalker out. She had gone soft getting use to him there and today reminded her she couldn’t be soft. Being soft only brought pain.