We walked down the guard of honour, husband and wife at last. I hadn't released my hold on my beautiful bride for even a second. As we stepped out, into the sudden sunlight of the plaza, I felt a faint brush on my forehead. I looked up, smiling, my heart filling even more. I knew that touch.
Mom.
I glanced at Myri beside me, then turned my face to the sun again.
I'm the luckiest man today, Mom. Even luckier knowing you're with me.
Another touch, a lingering kiss. Not even the Force could have kept my Mom from being with me at my wedding.

The family whisked us off after the ceremony, despite our protests, for their presents. Striding into the hangars of the Jedi Temple, I halted in my tracks, my mouth falling open. I heard Myri give a quick gasp as her eyes fell on the sight before us. It was a gleaming new shuttle, of a design I'd never seen before, big enough to easily accommodate passengers, crew and cargo. I heard Uncle Han hiss behind me,
"Stang! The Sabre!"
I spun to face my father who was standing back, enjoying his surprise and grinning like a Besalisk.
"Whoa! Dad! What's that all about?"
He came forward, wrapped an arm around my shoulder and steered me toward the ship.
"Son, this ship has a little story behind it. You never got to see your mother's ship, the Jade Sabre. It was a ship I built for her, as a gift on our wedding. It was lost before you were born. This is the closest replica I could build from the old schematics and what I remember of it."
I stood in front of the gorgeous starship, lost in awe. Myri was walking around it, laying a reverent hand on the polished exterior.
"Dad… Wow! You- you built this?"
What a ship! What a kriffing stunning ship!
"I still have the Shadow for myself, but I had a feeling maybe you were outgrowing the Sky-Blue."
"This- this is astral! Dad, you're a genius!"
I grabbed him in a hug.
"I can't thank you enough. It's- it's fantastic! I still can't believe you built it!" I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
"You just don't give your old man enough credit for what he does for you!"

Aunt Leia stepped forward next, beaming as she held out a rectangular box covered with black shimmersilk. Myri accepted it and clicked it open. Inside were two matching Merr-Sonn Q4 model hold-out blaster pistols, the perfect size for concealment in a variety of clothing, yet deadly. One was a polished golden while the other was silver. We looked on them, stunned. Uncle Han came forward to stand beside his wife.
"We took a clue from the lives we led after marriage. Doubt if things are going to go any better for you two, him being a Jedi and you being, well, Corellian. You're probably gonna need something better than the Force to save your hides sometime. I've taught this kid respect for this weapon and I'll bet your mum and dad will agree. I suggest you keep these around. Leia tells me they're the latest in accessories!"
Myri looked up at my uncle, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh they're beautiful! Thank you so much!"
Uncle Han addressed himself to me.
"Say, kid, thought of a name for yer new bird yet? It's unlucky to fly it before you do."
I grinned at him, but extended a hand to my aunt.
"I believe I might like Aunt Leia to do the honours."
She looked at me, surprised, as I led her to the ship.
"What do you have in mind, Ben?"
"You had a name for me, Aunt Leia, when I was tiny. Do you remember? When I still hadn't found my feet."
"Skycrawler", she breathed, her eyes shining strangely.
I nodded.
"Exactly. Because I was not a 'walker' yet. Well, this ship is new to the world. It'll have to crawl before it can run and prove itself a Skywalker steed!"
"The Skycrawler, eh?" my uncle drawled, stroking his chin.
"Has a bit of a ring to it. Should do just fine!"
Dad spoke up,
"Oh Ben, Talon Karrde installed his present for you two on board. It's a state-of-the-art hyper-comm console. He knows how much you appreciate the one on the Shadow, so he got you a similar one. I must say, I was impressed at the range."
I nodded appreciatively. Uncle Talon would know just about the most useful thing to give a family constantly on the move.

Jag and Jaina had been standing in the background all this time, but now they took the opportunity to step forward. Jag pressed a small box, similar to the one the blasters had come in into my hand. I looked up at him questioningly. The box held a large blue gem, with thin veins of gold glinting when held to the light. The cut was incredible, and at a certain angle, it could reflect all the colours of the rainbow.
"It's a heart-of-fire," Jaina explained, coming up behind me.
"I already gave Myri hers before the wedding. It holds memories that no one but the Kiffar people can read. And some Jedi," she added.
"You can use the Force to implant memories into them for each other, and they'll remain pristine forever. It can immortalize your love, in a manner of speaking."
I was touched. The gift was so meaningful. I closed the box reverently and looked up at my sister and brother-in-law.
"Wow. Thanks, you guys. This- is really really special."
Jag smiled.
"Jaina learnt about it from the Mandalorians. It's a good thing to keep around… in uncertain times."
I agreed with him, choked at the significance.

As we were leaving, Aunt Leia brought up a thorny question.
"Ben, have you and Myri decided on a place to stay yet?"
I bit my lip. The truth was, we had been house-hunting, but real estate on Coruscant was simply unaffordable for a mere Jedi Knight and a recently discharged CorSec officer. Dad interjected on my behalf.
"Actually, I was thinking of moving back to the Temple. With you gone, the apartment is too big for a single man. Why don't you two just move in there?"
This time I whirled on him in anger, putting my foot down, once and for all.
"No, Dad. Not a chance. That place is our family home! It's where I grew up. Where we- you, Mom and me, lived. You've done more than enough for us. This is just too much. I won't have it."
Myri laid her arm on mine to calm me down.
"Ben… I've seen something…I don't know if you'll approve, but… I think I've found a place we can move into."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise, but she bade me wait. All in good time.

I stood in front of the building, a thunderous frown forming on my brows, my mood souring on the happiest day of my life. I had to work hard to keep my voice down to a civilized level as I said to my wife,
"Of all places on Coruscant, you had to choose this?"
I had lived here before. It was the erstwhile home of my former Master. Jacen Solo.
Myri regarded me calmly.
"Ben, listen to what I have to say first. I knew how you'd feel about this. But I think this would be important for you."
That did nothing except deepen my scowl. Myri came around to face me, wrapping her arms round my neck and looking searchingly into my eyes.
"Ben, today is the day we're beginning our life together. It's a new beginning, a time when we should make peace with the past. I know you keep saying that you've moved on, but you haven't really. You never let Jacen go, and I know that however much you've tried to forgive him over the years, in your heart you never did."
I continued to glare at the offending structure, almost willing it to burn down under the intensity of my gaze.
"He was your brother once," she continued, softly, "He was family. Whatever he may have become, you did love him once. How can you even look Allana in the eyes when you bear such hatred for her father in your heart."
That struck me.
"Allana? Whoa! Remember what he did to her?!"
But Myri's lips were set. I'd already made a false move. I rubbed a hand wearily over my face.
"Myri... It's-it's not so easy..."
"Don't you think even your mother would have wanted you to exorcise this particular ghost from your past?"
I gave her a pained look.
"Ok, you and Dad have got to stop with this. You can't always say 'You're mother would have wanted it' and get away with it. She's not around anymore. I can't ask her. It's not fair," I pointed out.
She smiled, reaching up on her toes to kiss me lightly.
"Remember what was good in him. Isn't that what you Jedi are always saying? We could make a life together here, a home. Erase the darkness and the bad memories. Don't you think you could give it a second chance?"
I looked at my wife shrewdly.
"So...this place is within our budget, honey?"
"A steal. You have no idea how much an ex-Sith Lord having lived here devaluates the price of property."

I leaned back in the pilot's seat on the Skycrawler, heaving a sigh of relief as it smoothly made the jump into hyperspace on it's maiden voyage: our honeymoon. I couldn't help but admire the silken hum of the engines and the fine engineering that had gone into the craft.
"Thanks, Dad," I murmured to myself, tracing a finger over the still-new gleaming console.
Myri came up from behind, settling herself cosily into my lap. Her parents were sponsoring our vacation to Naboo. We would be spending an entire week at Varykino, my grandmother's old lake country estate, where she and my grandfather had gotten married, so many aeons ago. I didn't mind admitting I was excited to be visiting a place of such significance in my family's history. My wife (I loved thinking those brand new words out in my head!) lazily twisted the still-novel wedding band on my finger, as she smirked at me.
"Thinking how lucky you are?"
I grinned, squeezing her mid-riff till she squealed.
"Don't tell me Jedi senses are catching!"
She ran her fingers through my hair, yanking at a tuft of it in revenge.
"I don't need Jedi senses to read you, Red. Your face is like a giant holo-screen! No wonder you're so lousy at sabacc!"
I raised an eyebrow sceptically.
"When you're the one dealing the cards, my dear, I do believe you tend to be a little biased."
She put on an expression of exaggerated outrage.
"Ben Skywalker! Are you implying that I cheat?!"
"Only when the stakes are high enough, Antilles," I replied, my eyes twinkling mischievously.
She looked at me for a moment, then laid a soft finger on my lips.
"Antilles-Skywalker, to you now, mister."

We lay panting in the state-room onboard, having just consummated our union rather enthusiastically. Myri's blonde hair lay tousled where she snuggled upon my arm, her eyes closed in (what I can only assume!) bliss. I tickled her ear, reaching up to draw her into yet another passionate kiss when she rose to protest. I gazed into her eyes, long and lovingly, scarcely able to believe even now, that we had just been united forever. She smiled, one of her rare, deep smiles, the kind that came from her heart and reached till the corner of her eyes. I brushed a strand of her short bangs away from her forehead, and she reached down to kiss my fingers. Then with a naughty glint in her eye, she took my wedding ring between her teeth, and much to my alarm, began to tug it off.
"Hey!" I protested, "I like that where it is!"
She held it between her fingers now, and rotated it so it caught the light and glinted. I frowned at it and took it out of her hand.
"What's that, Myri?" I asked, squinting at a symbol engraved on the inside of the band.
"What's it look like?"
"It looks like...the figure 8, sideways..."
"And what does that mean?"
She was being very patient with me, like a schoolteacher, with an obstinate pupil. I made my eyes as big and innocent as I could.
"Gee, I dunno...8?"
She playfully smacked me on the head.
"Nerf! No. That is the symbol for infinity. For always. Just like you wrote in mine."
She pulled hers off too, and we sat comparing them, side by side.
Yours, Always. Red.
"And...8?"
I was trying to get on her nerves.
She made a face.
"Ok. Also 8. I'm eight years older than you, so what I say goes. And don't you forget it!"
I slipped the ring back on her finger and pulled her close enough to kiss.
"No, ma'am."

THE END

A/N: And so it is done at last. This story, as they say of all good things, must also come to an end. To all readers of this tale, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! This universe will continue in future fics and drabbles of mine, but nothing in the pipeline yet. (I'm exhausted!) All who are interested, pls follow me so that you can be updated about any future fics about the Ben-Myri pairing. I shall label fics "Post MnM" if they are set in this universe. There is a set of drabbles on these two (who have incidentally turned into my favourite romantic couple!) which will be posted on my dedicated drabbles thread, "Ripples in Still Water". These will start from Monday and I do hope you all will check those out as well.

Anyway, the time has come to say farewell. A big thank you to all readers and reviewers again! And please don't forget to leave closing comments about how you liked the story as a whole!

This is Fettkat, Over and Out.