The Long Road Home, epilogue
The disturbance in the Force was such that even the non-Force sensitive people waiting on the roof felt it. On the temporary dias that had been placed at the far end, Luke winced at the effects of Mara's insecurity, fury, and doubt that were flying at him through her mind. Han clapped a hand on his shoulder in response, and he grimaced a little. He knew that eventually she would walk through the door on Talon Kaarde's arm to meet him-it was just a matter of when.
"Serves you right for almost missing my wedding, " Han muttered under his breath. Luke ignored him, his impatience growing by the minute. It was rapidly being overtaken, though, by an urge to laugh. It was typical Mara, especially since the wedding plans had begun a month ago. She alternated between backing out of the ceremony (which she was never really serious about) to eloping (which she thought was an excellent idea) to killing Luke (which she had already tried-he wasn't worried), and her mood swings and tempers were too much for almost everyone. Luke put up with everything she doled out, knowing most of it was for show.
The true Mara was the one he had spent every waking moment with since she had agreed to be his wife; the one who teased him mercilessly, who tried to beat him at saber practice, who made fun of his cooking and laughed at his stories and played with his niece and nephews and yet somehow managed to retain that dangerous edge that had drawn him to her so many years ago. That was the Mara he loved, and he knew that once this day was over, she would be back for good-more or less. Life would be boring without her unpredictability to liven it up, he thought with a smile.
The audience before them grew more and more restless as the minutes passed, and the bride still did not appear. ::Leia::, he called, ::Is she coming or not?::
He could feel Leia's tension across the link, loud and clear.::If she doesn't, I am going to cut her in half with my lightsaber, and have told her so several times.:: A pause was followed by, ::She's so nervous, Luke...but she won't admit it. I think she's hoping you'll forget about it if she waits long enough.::
Across the link, Luke felt Mara's indignant response to that summation of her feelings. He shook his head, marveling at her ability to keep him on edge until the very last second, and reached out to her through the Force.
::Do you realize you are keeping the most important people in the galaxy waiting?::he chided.
::I suppose you are including yourself in that august assembly?:: she shot back.
::Game's up, Jade...either you love me or you don't. A long pause followed before she whispered in his mind,
::You know I do.::
::Really? Get up here and prove it, then,:: he challenged her.
Abruptly the link was severed. Luke turned to the door expectantly, and, sure enough, the door opened slowly to admit his sister, beautiful in a gown of flowing white. He heard Han suck in his breath next to him.::You are lovely, Leia,:: Luke said to her. Her answering smile was brilliant, though not as loving as the one she bestowed on her husband when she reached the top of the steps to stand next to him.
Everyone in the audience rose as a slim figure clad in a ceremonial Jedi gown of deep green appeared on the arm of Talon Kaarde, commander of the Smuggler's Alliance. Mara was radiant, her head uncovered, hair unbound and falling in red gold masses about her shoulders. Her head was high, her bearing more regal than Leia's, and her eyes only for Luke. He stepped down to meet her at the bottom of the stairs, holding out his hands to her. He felt the slight tremble in her fingers as they locked with his, and he squeezed them gently, gazing down at her, his expression unreadable.
::Do you approve of my hair, farmboy?:: she asked, her teasing words belying the seriousness of her tone and masking her confusion at the look on his face.
"You are more magnificent than I had imagined," he whispered out loud, breath catching in his throat, his eyes full of pride. "You, my love, were definitely worth the wait." The low caress of his tone delivered the double meaning to her, and she felt her eyes dampen as she smiled up at him. Together they stood there for several seconds until Han cleared his throat meaningfully. Mara glanced up the stairs, then back at Luke, raised her chin, and nodded. He tucked her hand into his arm and they climbed the stairs to the altar where Mon Mothma waited.
"Please be seated." She said to the assembled crowd.
And so it was that Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker knelt down on the roof where their story had begun, at the threshold of their road together, in the company of their assembled family and friends, and were joined in mind, body, and the Force forever more. Luke could feel his father smiling down on him from somewhere.
After years of searching, he had come home.
FINIS
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