fandomtownies | Atlas Gym, early Sunday morning

Sparring had been Mara's idea. Jaina trusted her aunt's ability to gauge what she was up for, but until she was able to actually talk to her about how she was doing, she wasn't about to suggest it herself. Also, it was the only reason she was getting up that early. And at first Jaina had tried to take it easy, but it became pretty clear very soon that Mara wasn't going to go easy on her.

When they'd finally finished their match, Jaina shut down her lightsaber and took a seat on the mat. "Glad to see you're feeling better," she said dryly, trying to catch her breath.

	"And I know you mean that," said Mara, who felt the strain but was used to not showing it by now. She took a seat on the mat across from her and said, "You've gotten better."
	"I've gotten back into the habit of practicing," she said, tucking a loose bit of hair behind her ear.
	"You weren't in the habit?"
	"I slacked off some at first, I admit it," Jaina told her. "I don't know, I've just been more interested in getting better lately."
	"Any particular reason?" Mara wondered, studying her.
	"Several," she nodded. "Least of which is that I had to be up to your level."
	"That was not my level." She was teasing and Jaina would know that. "I'd been sick, I have an excuse."
	Somehow this was the first opportunity she'd had to ask about that without someone else around. "Good excuse," she said slowly, trying to get a sense of whether or not to proceed with this line of questioning. Normally she would just ask, but Mara had been so guarded about her illness that she ddn't want to press
	Mara definitely picked up on her caution. "You've never been shy, don't start now," she said. "Just ask."
	"So you're better?" Jaina asked, remembering what Han had said about that.
	"Not best, but better," she nodded. "Long story. I'm not willing to call it a cure yet, but it's probably as close as we'll get."
	Jaina knew better than to get excited about that, but she could get hopeful. "What happened? I mean, the doctors finally figured it out?"
	"Not doctors, no," Mara said, and explained about Vergere's tears and their effect on her disease. She knew it had to sound strange, but she also wasn't about to knock it. And she knew she could relapse at any time.
	After listening closely, Jaina asked, "Do you trust her?"
	"I owe her." Because trust was something a little bigger. "This does change a few things, though."
	Immediately, she knew what this was about. "Oh?"
	It was a long shot, but she couldn't not make the offer. "As I'm recovering and taking more on again, it occurs to me that I am short one apprentice. If you wanted, you could come back. Resume your training."
	Yeah, she'd known that was coming. Jaina paused, chewing her lip for a moment. "I don't think it's the right time for me to come back," she said finally.
	Slowly, Mara nodded. "I won't say I'm not disappointed, but I expected as much," she said.
	"I'm actually learning more than I thought I would here," she said. "I can go where I'm needed, but I think what I'm doing here will help later."
	"Learning by talking to your grandfather?" she asked, trying not to sound too bitter.
	"In part," Jaina admitted. "I know the sort of things not to do, better than I could from any story passed down. There are times I agree with him and I have to consider why. I'm seeing Uncle Luke just figuring things out. He has no idea what he's going to be later. I'm taking classes specifically to help myself back home. I talk to Karal and I hear things that make me hope that one day all the Jedi are just going to get it. I think I'm personally improving being here."
	Mara knew she shouldn't have been impressed. She'd sent Jaina here for exactly that reason. Stick her in a situation on her own and she was bound to figure things out. "You've thought about this," she said approvingly. "I'm still not happy about ex-Vader being around you so much," she added, because she had to. She didn't care if Jaina knew it. She was going to keep stating it until it actually sunk in.
	"I know. And I'm not fooling myself. He's mostly been very good to me, but that doesn't mean he always will be, and I know what he's done, and there are people here who will back me up if I need it," said Jaina. "All he can do is disappoint me."
	"That can be a lot."
	"Considering the last nine months- give or take- I'm honestly not worried about a little disappointment. Bring it on."
	"You're very young to be saying that," Mara told her. "Which is why you can say it."
	"Just another one of those little life lessons I get to learn out here on my own, huh?" Jaina said with a little smile.
	"Stop trying to sound older," Mara told her, but didn't mean it. Honestly, of all the Solo kids, she was happy to have gotten the easy one. "I think I picked a good place for you," she said, placing her hands on the mat behind her and leaning back.
	"I'm certainly glad you found it," she said with a smile. "It's worked out pretty well so far."
	"I told Karrde about you yelling about his information sources regarding this place."
	"I stand by that!" Jaina said quickly. "I probably should have gone into a catatonic state my first day here. It is weird. Just a good kind."
	"You know I'm teasing," Mara told her, not unkindly. "And you know the offer to come back will stay open. Whenever you want, you're more than welcome." She somehow doubted Jaina would take it. She knew she might have to settle for being more of an influence than anything at this point.
	For the time being, Jaina had every intention of going back sometime. She just didn't know yet when she would be done here. She was fine playing things by ear. "Thanks, Aunt Mara."
	"All right." She sat up, pulling herself into a standing position. "Let's go make sure your father hasn't started any fights while we've been gone."

[NFI, though the gym is open for you athletic types. Or unathletic types trying to get athletic. Or... you get thepoint.]