Chapter Text
Mara Jade felt the itching as it traveled up her body. She sucked in a deep breath through her nose refusing to draw attention to herself.
“I’m fine,” she snapped as she took a few steps towards the exit. She was trying to re-adjust her flight jacket when a hand caught the crook of her arm.
“Mara, you aren’t fine,” Talon Karrde was a smooth businessman. A man who made it his business to know all and was barely ever overturned by emotion yet his voice cracked as he talked. “Please…” He hissed at her and Mara stilled until she found the strength to push his hand away. Her body twitched once more on it’s own violation and she felt her stomach lurch. She pushed it away and let out a breath.
“I have things to do, we have things to do and we can’t waste all our time in a medcenter,” Mara stated stubbornly as she walked out of the private room. She took a few measured steps that caused her legs to wobble and she cursed them. She was stronger. Stronger. Her emerald eyes glanced up and she cursed once more.
“Sith,” she hissed as chocolate orbs bore down upon her.
“Get back in the room,” the voice hissed at her and Mara felt a swell of anger flow into her chest and than she winced feeling Leia pass her barriers and try to sooth her mind.
“Stop,” Mara hissed taking a wobbly step backwards.
“You can’t even stop me… Mara… get back in the room,” Leia’s voice was pleading now as she pointed towards where Talon Karrde and Aves stood watching with heavy hearts.
“I’m fine,” Mara hissed out and tried to clear her thoughts, tried to raise her barriers to stop the simple touch of the Chief of State.
“Jade stop being so damn stubborn!” Han Solo finally had it. His voice echoed down the hallway and Mara grit her teeth to keep from teetering. Her body was slowly betraying her. It had started with a little prick. A small insignificant pain in her right shoulder from a needle that had meant nothing.
The annual Trade Conference was being held on Coruscant and she and Karrde had attended hoping to get some new bids as well as new clients. It had started in a whir, heavy murmuring than screaming as something began to disrupt one of the main sessions. Her danger sense had flared as she immediately stood, ready to grab her lightsaber in an instant once she figured out what was happening. She felt the presence moving towards her yet her eyes couldn’t find its source. People began to push their way around her when suddenly she felt an arm grasp her.
“Jade!” It had been Han Solo and Mara had stared at him with shock.
“What the hell are you doing here Solo?” The rest of the sentence had died on her lips as she had turned away from him. Her danger sense flaring she pulled away from him and made her way towards Talon, his blaster ready when suddenly something else grabbed onto her and she let out a cry of shock as something stabbed into her arm. She turned narrowed eyes on a withering man whose gray eyes haunted her.
“Die Imperial Scum…” He hissed and Mara flew away from him kicking at him as Talon raced to her side. It was suddenly as if everything had slowed before her eyes. The man slinked to the floor and his eyes closed as his body convulsed. The screams from the traders around her dulled as she felt her heart slowly beat within her ears. It wasn’t until Solo reached her side did she stop staring at the man.
“Sith!” Han yelled and Mara suddenly let out a hiss as he yanked the needle from her arm.
“What was that?” Talon demanded and Han stared at the syringe than at the Master Trader before him.
It had been a virus. To be more specific a blood borne pathogen that ate white blood cells and slowly attacked all organs until they failed under the strain. It was incurable. It acted like a fast moving cancer feeding on her until she had nothing left.
“Mara…” Leia’s voice echoed in her head once more and Mara shook her head feeling disoriented but she held her ground.
“Get away Leia… why are you here?” Mara hissed and pushed past her, her voice not as hard as she wanted it to come across. She straightened her back and walked towards the turbolifts. She had to get back in the air. Had to get out of the medcenter. They had taken her here and she had been here for three days… she would not die in a sterile white room…
“Mara you are part of our family!” Leia cried spinning around and Mara stilled and she felt anger spring up within her. She
spun on her heel and planted her feet the best she could.
“Family?” She breathed taking in a deep breath. “I have… I have…” Mara began to weez and she grit her teeth and shut her eyes painfully as she touched her chest cursing her body. Leia covered her mouth in alarm as tears filled her eyes. Talon and Aves rushed towards her but she sucked in another unsettling breath. “I have no family…” She bit out and her heart let out a painful cry as her stomach lurched painfully.
“You have me.”
The voice resonated around her ears and through her mind and Mara’s eyes closed as something warm wrapped around her yet nothing touched her skin. She sucked in a weezed breath as she felt his presence ripple around her and found comfort the first time in three long days.
“And you are a Jedi,” his voice continued and Mara slowly turned, her emerald eyes staring into the sky blue that saw through her more than she would like.
“Luke…” She whispered and her body slumped forward into his waiting arms and his hands clasped around her pulling her tightly into his embrace. Her body slowly began to shake and Luke shook his head and cut her legs out from under her carrying her back into the medcenter room. The four others quickly followed in after him as he sat her on the bed and turned her to face him.
“Mara,” he hissed at her and tilted her head upwards forcing her emerald eyes to stare into his own.
“Where… have…. you been?” She breathed out and Luke forced a small smile on his face as he cupped her face in his hands.
“I’m so sorry… I came as fast as my pathetic x-wing would take me,” he whispered and he reached out with the force and was shocked to find how easily he had penetrated her barriers. Mara and he over the years had learned to trust each other, she slowly letting down her guard and their friendship had blossomed but never this much… Fear struck at his heart as he felt the darkness begin to take control of her body, the final stages of the pathogen beginning to eat away at her system.
“Farmboy… I’m fine. Help me get out of here,” she hissed at him and Luke glanced at her and his lips curled upwards at his best friend, not surprised at all she would ask him to bust her out of a medcenter. Mara sucked in a deep breath and her lips rose as well, his force wrapped around her and sharing his humor with her letting her feel for a moment she was normal and not dying before him.
“Luke… I’ve never asked you for anything… but if you can do something to save her,” Talon appeared at Luke’s side and the Jedi Master turned to stare at the Master Trader and saw the worry etched upon his features. Mara was more than an employee to him… she was a friend… family. Luke turned back to Mara who stared at him, her eyes beginning to water as the pain washed with more weight over her frame. Luke felt it and he felt something grow within him… desperation… panic…
“Mara,” Luke hissed shaking her slightly causing her eyes to focus on him. “I’m going to try and put you in a Jedi Healing trance… I might be able to flush out some of the toxins… I need you to…” He began when suddenly he felt her fingertips touch his shoulder, her raspy breathing now echoing in his ears. He stilled and stared at her… at his best friend… the woman he knew without a doubt he couldn’t live without. “I should have been here,” he whispered suddenly and Mara shook her head.
“You…” She breathed her hand pressing against his shoulder as he held her head upright knowing it was now the only thing keeping her steady. “Were… my favorite failure Skywalker,” she got out and Luke’s lips parted in shock and Han Solo’s jaw dropped.
“No! Stop her from talking like that! Do something!” Aves yelled suddenly cutting through the moment and Luke could only stare at his best friend. Suddenly he leaned forward and latched his lips onto the weakening trader and Leia let out a scream. Weakly Mara pushed on his shoulders trying to pull him away as his lips meshed over hers opening her mouth and tasting her in a way she had only dreamed of doing with the Jedi Master. With all the strength she possessed she yanked away from him and let out a cry of anger.
“Fool!” Mara screamed and Luke gulped staring at her as she turned away from him. Han felt his heart drop into his stomach as he ran a hand through his hair, the shock of what Luke had just done rushing throughout all the occupants in the room. Leia covered her mouth as tears began to stream from her eyes. Mara began to sob and Luke pulled her back to face him, his eyes hard as he stared at her. Her eyes narrowed in anger at him. “You idealistic… idiot…” She snapped through breaths.
“If you don’t focus and start trying I won’t heal myself!” Luke yelled at her and Mara stared at his lips knowing that in a few minutes he would start to feel the little itch as it traveled through his system. She pushed at him with all her might, her feeble attempt only making him take a small step back.
“I’m fine!” She screamed at him and Luke’s eyes narrowed as he took in his best friend, her cheeks were sinking in as her complexion grew pale, her arms weak against him.
“Than I’m fine too.” He hissed at her and Mara’s eyes widened.
“No… Leia!” Mara cried turning to the brown haired chief of state as she tried to crawl from the bed. “Call in the 2-1B… Make him see the doctor now Leia!” Mara cried out, her voice cracking and Leia stared at the scene with horror. She wanted to rush to fulfill Mara’s request. Her heart was in it but her mind kept repeating her brother’s soothing voice to do nothing… if Leia wanted Mara and her brother to live… she for once in her life… had to do nothing. Leia took a step back and pressed her lips together, a small tear running down her face as she did the most painful thing she had ever done in her existence. She shook her head no. Mara’s eyes widened and than narrowed as a renewed anger coursed through her weakening body. “Talon!” Mara gasped as she slid off the bed, her legs buckling. The Master Trader moved to help her then stopped mid-motion as he gulped back. “Call in the droid… Skywalker’s an idiot… he needs attention,” Mara hissed as her arm hooked onto the metal railings and she cursed her weak legs as they gave out on her and she hung from the bed. No one moved towards her and no one spoke and Mara stared at them all with panic and horror. “Can’t you hear me?! Your precious Jedi will die if you don’t do something!” Mara screamed, her voice giving out on her and Luke stared at her as she struggled to push her feet back under her. She turned to the open door and moved to make towards it when a frame stepped in front of it and it slid shut, Han Solo staring at her as she felt her last chance to save her best friend float out the window. With struggle she finally pushed herself to her feet, her frame leaning heavily on the bed.
“I hate you…” She seethed as tears slid down her cheeks and Luke stepped towards her. “You’ve thrown your life away!” Mara rasped out as she turned to face him and Luke stared at her, his heart breaking at his friend’s fragile state. A state he knew she hated more than anything in the world… Mara Jade never wanted to be seen as fragile or weak… It was the worst way to die.
“Do you really want to die!?” Luke suddenly screamed causing Leia to jump. She had never heard her brother yell before and as the two screamed at each other she knew they both had hit their breaking points. Mara stared at Luke as the words sunk into her brain. “Do you want to leave me? Leave Talon and all of us behind?” He screamed at her motioning towards her friends and Mara let out a breath as more tears slid down her face.
“You need to see a doctor… Please let me call you one…” Mara sobbed and Luke stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders.
“Mara… I don’t want to live in a galaxy without you in it,” he snapped at her and Mara’s eyes widened as his words slammed into her. At that her last barrier crumbled and her frame lost all control. Her emotions skyrocketed as they bounced across the room, assailing the two force sensitive’s who responded with shock as her overwhelming respect for her boss, for Leia and Han, for her friends and than for Skywalker slammed into them… and than her love… her dying love for the only friend she had ever known… A love she realized at that moment would never be anything more…
Leia let out a cry and her legs failed as she slumped to the floor. Pain slammed into her heart at the thought of her brother losing possibly the only woman who was ever worthy of him… of losing a friend that she had never taken the time to cultivate… Luke pushed her back onto the bed and his hands were supporting her head once more as he gathered the force around him and Mara closed her eyes.
“I… love you Luke,” she wheezed and Luke let out a breath as his heart crumbled and he pushed forward and Mara let out a cry as his force slammed into her own and immediately her body slumped as her eyes rolled backwards. Her head fell limp but Luke refused to release her as he concentrated pulling on all the strength around him to delve into her body, searching for the toxins that were trying to steadily destroy it… He would need hours in a healing trance with her… removing the toxins and rebuilding her system… the question was… did she have hours left in her?