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You Can't Control Destiny (Completed)	By : pensfan100 Category: Casts RPF > Star Wars (all) > Star Wars (all) Views: 12132 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the people I am writing about in this fanfiction. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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You Can’t Control Destiny – Chapter 21

Bleary-eyed and pale, Natalie sank gratefully into the window seat of the jet, Hayden plopping down next to her. To both, the night had flown swiftly by on much too little sleep. It had been an early start to the day so they could finish their looping and still make their flight to Toronto. Natalie’s limbs still felt rubbery to her every time she moved. She sipped on a bottle of water and contemplated the events that had happened not even twenty-four hours ago.

Wistful eyes fell on the sparkling gem on her finger and for the millionth time she thought about Hayden’s proposal to her. Her heart skipped a beat as she sleepily looked up at him to find him staring down at her, that endearing half smile lighting his face. They had wakened during the night and too tired to make love again they spent the time touching one another and exchanging soft kisses and whispers. So morning had rudely stomped into their room way too soon and forced them back into the hustle and bustle of life. Natalie sighed wearily and laid her head on his shoulder.

Once they were in the air, Hayden asked a flight attendant for a blanket. The armrest between them was up and already Natalie was sound asleep cuddled against him, her head on his chest. When the flight attendant brought the blanket to him she caught sight of the winking light off the diamond where Natalie’s left hand lay bonelessly against Hayden’s stomach. She smiled at Hayden and mouthed ‘congratulations.’ His smile grew as he thanked her then whispered, “But don’t tell anyone.” The flight attendant nodded and grinned before pulling the blanket over Natalie’s hand to hide the ring.

Hayden settled back in his seat, one arm securely draped around Natalie’s waist. Gently he kissed the top of her head, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Under orders from the flight attendant no one bothered to wake them for a meal.

It seemed he had just closed his eyes when the same flight attendant shook his shoulder. Groggy, he opened one eye and peered up.

“We’re on our descent. I’m afraid you’ll have to return your seats to the upright position and put the armrest back down.” She smiled apologetically.

“All right. Thanks,” he whispered and smiled, handing back the blanket that had hidden Natalie’s engagement ring. “And thanks for letting us sleep.”

With careful, slow movements, Hayden straightened their seats and lowered the armrest without waking Natalie. Her head bobbed back onto his shoulder and she sighed contentedly in her sleep. A smile touched his lips and he brushed a kiss across the top of her head and looked out the window as the plane landed on the tarmac.

A few minutes later, Natalie opened her eyes and blinked. Disoriented, she looked around and sat up yawning. “Did I doze off for a minute?” She asked Hayden, gazing at him with sleep-drenched eyes. “When are we taking off?”

Hayden chuckled and Natalie frowned in confusion. “What?”

He laughed again and kissed the tip of her nose. “You are too irresistible, you know that?”

“Huh?” She wrinkled her nose at him.

“Sweetheart,” Hayden teased, his voice full of affection, “the plane just landed in Toronto.”

As if staged, everyone suddenly surged to their feet, gathering belongings and preparing to depart the plane. Hayden watched Natalie’s face as it dawned on her and her mouth gaped with comprehension.

“Are you telling me I slept through the whole flight?” She squeaked in amazement.

“No. You didn’t even stick around for take-off!” Hayden laughed, unbuckling his seatbelt. His blue eyes twinkled. “At least I stayed awake until we got in the air! I even got us a blanket.”

Natalie digested the information as she followed him. He stood back to let her into the aisle and she grinned at him and shrugged.

“Well, if some people could keep their hands to themselves and not keep waking me up in the middle of the night I wouldn’t be so tired during the day,” she whispered at him, then giggled.

Following her out of the plane he shot back in an undertone, “Then keep your clothes on in bed and don’t wiggle against me!”

“Ha!” Natalie snorted out loud, startling passengers as they walked up the tunnel. “Oh. Sorry.” Hayden tried not to snicker, failed miserably and received a look of warning. Hastily, she lowered her voice. “You’re going to pay for that.”

“Oh, I certainly hope so!” He replied loudly in an excited voice. WHAP! Her hand slapped his shoulder as she blushed a bright red. Hayden burst into laughter and leered at her.

He was still laughing as they emerged through the gate. Tove stood staring at them and noticed Natalie’s red face. Natalie spotted him first, waved, and rolled her eyes. Tove hugged her and kissed her cheek in hello while Hayden wiped his eyes.

“Uh, what’s the matter with him?” Tove jerked his head towards Hayden.

Before Natalie could reply, Hayden spouted, “Not enough sleep!” and collapsed again. Natalie just shook her head, grabbed his hand, and pulled him behind her while she talked to Tove. Tove chalked it up to another of his little brother’s crazy quirks. When Hayden wound down he greeted his brother and tried an apologetic shrug.

“I wish I could get mad at you,” Natalie gave Hayden a mock glare, “but you’re just too cute.” She smiled sheepishly and added, “and you really do need more sleep.”

During the drive to Hayden’s parents’ house, Natalie found her eyes drifting time and time again to the ring on her finger. It was only now she could admit to herself that she’d been out of her mind over him that day his temperature had spiked so high she’d had to take care of him. In her deepest thoughts she relived those first minutes Hayden had loved her and taken her to that secret somewhere that she had never known until he’d shown her. Her heart still hammered erratically when his lips tilted in that half smile. Sometimes she just sat and watched him while he did things, memorizing all the tiny details about him. She loved how his hair curled around the nape of his neck as if it loved his skin. And how one glance from his eyes could speak volumes to her. The sight of his long fingers playing the piano, the stride of his walk, his easy smile, his infectious laughter…a smile touched her lips. And he really was sweet.

Yet, in the darkness of the night only she saw the sweetness melt away to a powerful hunger that lurked in him just below the surface. As she lay under him, his weight pressing her eager body to the bed, he would proceed to slowly torture her out of her mind. That half smile in the daylight pulled into a tight, feral snarl in their bed. Those long, sensual fingers glided and searched and stroked every inch of her skin, stopping along their journey at all the places they knew would make her his willing partner. And his eyes beckoned and lured and hypnotized. That deep, dark voice even filtered into his whispers as he told her all he wanted to do to her, with her. She didn’t even care that when he sheathed his power inside her he enslaved her with an unbreakable spell. She craved him.

A sigh escaped Natalie’s lips. Hayden took his eyes off the road and glanced at her.

“Are you all right?” He asked in concern.

A bright, happy smile lit her face, prompting him to take one hand off the steering wheel and squeeze hers. “I’m perfect,” she answered softly, her brown eyes sparkling the truth of her words. Hayden grinned back at her and returned to his driving listening to his brother with half an ear.

Natalie continued her musings, her eyes no longer seeing the scenery scrolling passed. Hayden always took care of her and seemed to hone in on her feelings. Just like now. She chewed her lip, deep in thought. In the ongoing conversation with Tove he still had heard her sigh and right away all his focus was on her. Yet, she never felt smothered by him. She was her own person, Natalie Portman, and he never tried to take that away from her. No desire to control. She bit back a laugh. He’d already seen how she had tried to control everything else in her life. He must have figured out she didn’t need any help in that area! If anything, he’d helped her learn to let go of some of that uptight, controlling part of her and trust him. Trust. That was it. Her trust in him burrowed its roots so deep it was firm and ever growing.

Even children adored him. Nae sme smiled, remembering her cousins’ children crawling all over him during last Hanukkah. He took it all in stride. She had watched him make every one of the kids feel that what they had to say to him was important. It was later that night in the kitcthatthat her female relatives carried on that he was a ‘keeper’ and if she ever let him get away they were going to commit her to an insane asylum! There was no worry of that ever happening for she had already known she was hopelessly in love with him. And he knew it, too. But, she was safe because she knew he was just as much in love with her.

The car pulled into the driveway, yanking Natalie back to the present. “Oh. We’re here already?” She blinked. Hayden snickered and she scowled at him and pointed a threatening finger. “I was NOT asleep!”

“Sure you weren’t,” he agreed too innocently.

“I wasn’t!” She exclaimed when he opened her door.

“Hey, I agreed,” Hayden defended, taking her hand in his.

“Liar,” she accused. “If you must know I was thinking about how wonderful you are.” Natalie sniffed haughtily and tilted her nose in the air.

“Oh.” Hayden broke into a huge smile and Natalie curled her toes at the electricity zapping through her. “Well, that’s always a good way for you to pass the time.” Natalie looked over at Tove and both of them rolled their eyes. But when Tove turned away, Natalie winked at Hayden.

“I can think of more proactive ways to pass time with you,” Natalie whispered, and then proceeded in front of him through the door.

“Ooh, that is so typically rotten of you to say something provocative when I can’t take you up on that suggestive thought right this second,” he growled at her under his breath.

SURPRISE!!!!!!!

Natalie squeaked and jumped back, Hayden’s hands clamping onto her shoulders to steady her. Cheers, whistles, and shouts rang off the walls of the living room where a huge sign exclaiming, ‘Congratulations, Natalie and Hayden’ practically covered one wall. Stunned for a moment the couple stared in disbelief at the occupants in the room: Hayden’s siblings, parents and grandparents; Natalie’s parents and grandparents.

It only lasted a moment then Natalie rushed at her parents hugging them, tears sliding happily down her cheeks. Hayden was swallowed up in the arms of his mother. They were jostled from one family member to another, receiving hugs and kisses of congratulations. Unfortunately, however, Hayden received a few overly hearty slaps on the back. Finally, they were pushed back together.

Above the din Hayden’s mother shouted, “What can I say? We moms couldn’t wait!”

Natalie’s mom added, “She called me right away and we spent an hour planning this surprise engagement party!” Everyone laughed, all talking at once. Hayden slid his arms around Natalie and rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Yea, and it’s about time, too, little brother!” Tove teased. “Talk about dragging your feet!” The laughter rose again and everyone pushed them towards the dining room. “Now, let’s eat!”

A buffet line had been set up and Hayden gaped. “Gee, did 100 people not show up?”

“No, no, we didn’t tell anyone else about you two,” his dad assured and chuckled. “The two mothers-in-law-to-be took care of this.”

“Well,” Hayden commented dryly, “at least there will be leftovers.”

“Yea, lots,” Natalie breathed, eyeing the mounds of food.

The afternoon lazed by pleasantly. With everyone’s stomachs full they all sat around relaxed and replete. Hayden sat in one corner of the couch, one arm anchoring Natalie to his side. Idly, his fingers played with her hair as he listened sleepily to the conversations drifting around him. The body snuggled against him shifted contentedly, reminding him of a satisfied cat sure of its place. The slight weight felt good against his side and he laid his head back watching everyone through half-closed eyes.

A hand placed itself on his thigh sending a shudder through him. Natalie turned her face towards him and sent him an apologetic smile. Hayden’s eyes slid sideways meeting hers. Lifting his head from the back of the couch he leaned over, brushing his lips across hers. When he pulled away she smiled deeply into his eyes, both missing the knowing glances the others exchanged.

“Well,” Hejsa cleared her throat, drawing Hayden’s and Natalie’s attention, “I can’t believe no one’s asked yet, but have you set a date?”

Hayden grinned. “If we had a license I’d say right now would be a good time.” Everyone chuckled. “Within a year.” The mothers’ faces lit up and they looked at one another.

“We have to figure out logistics, unfortunately,” Natalie sighed, laying her head on Hayden’s shoulder. “We almost have our schedules running parallel, but there are a couple of projects not settled, so it’s going to be a few months yet before those things aren’t interfering with our plans.”

“It will definitely be before Episode III opens next May,” Hayden assured emphatically.

“It will definitely be before the beginning of next May,” Natalie promised, a quiet yawn stopping her words. “Oh my. Sorry. We’re going to have my rabbi and his minister do the ceremony so we’ll check with them this wthenthen go from there. I’m sure you two have some ideas for us.” Natalie grinned at their mothers with a wink. The moms laughed.

“Well, I’m sure they do,” Hayden’s grandmother sighed dramatically as she rose and moved towards the television. “But in the meantime let’s watch a movie.”

Confused, Hayden and Natalie looked at one another. Then a scene of Natalie as a toddler showed up on the screen and she groaned. Home movies. No guess as to who in the room thought that up. She glanced at their moms who were cooing over the sight. Grimacing, she looked up at Hayden, but he was no help. He, too, was engrossed in the toddler ambling across the screen. His arm tightened affectionately around her and then he settled back to watch the little girl. Maybe someday he would have a little girl who possessed those same dark gypsy eyes. And she’d have him wrapped around her finger just like Natalie did.

Fortunately for Natalie, the tables were turned soon enough and she got to watch a very blond Hayden crawling across the kitchen floor chasing Tove who kept dancing out of his way. When he realized he couldn’t catch his brother, Hayden finally sat back with a plop and promptly burst into tears.

“Yea, that sound hasn’t changed,” Tove muttered. “Whine, whine, wh…” A pillow hit him smack in the face. Hayden lifted an eyebrow at his brother.

After the video montage ended, the group dove into desserts and spent a while recovering from food again. Natalie’s dad and Hayden were talking in the kitchen when Natalie found them. Trying not to interrupt their conversation, she silently slid under Hayden’s arm feeling it contract around her. Even though he didn’t look at her she felt his aware shi shift.

Her dad smiled at the happiness lighting her face. “Well, little one,” he began, his eyes alight with love and pride, “I could not have chosen better for you myself.” Natalie left Hayden’s side to hug her father. His arms held her tightly for a moment then relinquished her back to Hayden. “It’s a good thing you had to do another movie together.”

Neither noticed Natalie’s startled expression.

“Oh, I don’t think it would have made a difference one way or the other,” Hayden smiled at Natalie’s dad. “It was destiny.” He looked down at Natalie and met her suddenly serious gaze. She stretched on tiptoe and kissed him firmly on the lips. A perplexed Hayden glanced back at her then said to her dad, “The moment we met destiny took over and here we are.”

Natalie’s dad laughed and nodded, his eyes twinkling as he grinned at his little girl. “I think he just might be right about that.”

Later that night Hayden padded through his apartment to the kitchen. A hand ran through his still damp hair and a huge yawn halted him in his tracks. Man! I am so tired! He thought to himself. Pajama bottoms riding low on his hips, he opened a cupboard door and extracted a glass. Filling it with crushed ice and water from the refrigerator door he drank thirstily and headed to his room.

Blue eyes fell on the large empty bed and he scowled at it. Natalie had chosen to stay at his parents’ house since hers were staying there, too. They were probably all still up and would be talking far into the night. A picture of Natalie with sleepy eyes and smile popped into his mind. He sighed heavily. She was barely a mile away and already he missed her so much he ached. He loved feeling her body asleep next to his, her breath deep and even, her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. Sometimes, when she slept, he lay awake watching her, stroking the hair from her face. He would survey her delicate features, the two moles on her cheeks, the soft full curve of her lips, the adorable little nose.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Hayden muttered to himself. “Stop being such a sap, you’ll see her tomorrow.” With one longing glance at the bed he trudged into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Hayden turned the coldwater tap off as he rinsed his mouth. The sound of the phone ringing caught his attention. At least he thought he heard the phone. He cocked his head, standing still to concentrate. Instead of a ring he heard his voice telling the caller to leave a message. Since his first thought always seemed to be of Natalie he hurried into the living room.

“Hayden, I know you’re there. Please pick up the phone.”

The words stopped him, the hairs on the back of his neck standing in anticipation.

“Ok, Hayden,” Natalie sigh filled the room, “if you’re not going to answer, at least go to your window and look down. I am standing right outside your building and I’m not going away.”

Hayden moved on shaky legs to the window and pulled back the curtain. There, three stories below him stood Natalie looking up. He blinked.

“Hello, Jedi,” her soft voice floated across the room to him. “Now, let me in because one way or another I’m coming to you whether you like it or not.”

The phone call disconnected and Hayden watched his girl toss the phone in her backpack and hoist it over her shoulder. She turned and waved to a car he hadn’t noticed waiting at the curb. It tooted merrily and pulled away. Belatedly, Hayden recognized Tove’s car.

Dazed, Hayden unlocked the door and opened it then stared bemusedly at his trembling hands. His stomach somersaulted and his throat dried. Blood rushed to his groin and stirred his manhood. Even that didn’t faze him. His body flooded hot and cold, overwhelmed with the realization that Natalie had come to him after all. Until now it hadn’t occurred to him he was feeling second best to her parents.

Natalie pushed the door open further and stepped inside. Topaz-flecked eyes met dark blue. A hand pushed the door shut and locked it. She dropped her backpack and turned back to him, surveying the face she loved so much, the wide shoulders and smooth chest, the slim hips…Natalie caught her breath. Hayden noticed the weary smudges under her eyes and his heart melted.

“I forgot,” she murmured quietly, her eyes intense, “we’re married.”

Without another word she took his hand, silently reveling in the touch of his fingers and led him through the apartment, turning off lights as she went. In the bedroom she stepped out of her pants and threw off her top. The feel of his skin against hers had become her desired way to sleep. Hayden followed her into bed and propped himself on his elbow. With his other hand he cupped her cheek and turned her face to his. The eyes that had haunted his dreams for so long stared solemnly back.

“No one else knows that, Pretty Eyes,” he said quietly, attempting to gauge her mood. “Not even a clergyman.”

“God knows,” Natalie replied, her hand reaching to stroke his cheek. “I made those vows to you and He witnessed it. The three of us were there last night and no one else, but they’re as real to me as they will be to others when we take our vows in front of them.” Natalie’s hand slid around his neck as she propped herself on her elbow to bring her face closer to his. “And I missed you.”

Hayden’s lips brushed gently across Natalie’s then took time to taste them and to savor their response as they clung to his. When he pulled away he saw the sparkle of tears swimming in her eyes.

“What is it, baby?” He asked, easing her onto her back. One hand tangled in his damp curls to keep him close. Long moments ticked by as she gazed up at him, losing herself in his eyes.

“I hate being without you at night,” she finally whispered. “As soon as you left I knew I’d made a huge mistake. I wanted to be here sleeping next to you, not a mile away all alone.”

The half smile she loved so much crossed his mouth. “I’m glad you’re here.” His lips tenderly took hers again and for a few minutes the only sound in the room was the moist echo of lips meeting and parting. Hayden felt her shiver and eased away. “I love you with all my heart, Natalie, and heaven knows I was miserable thinking of sleeping without you, but I can tell more is going on in that mind of yours.”

Natalie sighed dro dropped her eyes, concentrating on the finger tracing his pectoral muscles over his chest. Between his fatigued body and her wandering finger it was hard to concentrate.

“Nat, stop that,” Hayden chided, stilling her finger. “You know I can’t think when you do that.”

A tiny smile quirked her lips and she peered up at him before it faded and he was left gazing at her teary eyes. “I love you so much, Hayden…so much…I didn’t realize…wait.”

Natalie threw back the covers and darted out of the room. In only a moment she climbed back in. She switched on the lamp and Hayden blinked against the glare. Unzipping the backpack she carefully drew out a small box.

Curiosity now getting the better of him, Hayden sat up. Natalie held it in her hands carefully as if it held something precious.

“You said something to my dad this evening and I started thinking,” Natalie said, holding out the box. “I think you need to see this.”

Hayden gave her a quizzical look and took the box, silently admonishing himself for dwelling on how beautiful the golden slope of her bare shoulders looked silhouetted in the lamplight. Cautiously, he lifted the lid away.

The golden braid lay curled in a nest of cotton. Mute with wonder, Hayden gazed at it then picked it up.

“It’s one of my braids,” he stated the obvious and shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

Natalie blew out a deep breath. “I stole it from the prop department when filming wrapped in Sydney on Episode II.” Painfully shy, she forced herself to meet his eyes. “I told myself I wanted it for a souvenir.”

When she didn’t continue, he prompted, “And?”

“And now I know that’s not why I took it,” Natalie confessed, twisting her hands around oth other. “You told my dad tonight that even if we hadn’t done this movie, we’d still be together. You said it was destiny. I took this because I saw it as a piece of you. But I didn’t realize it then. It’s gone with me everywhere I’ve gone since that day, on location, at school, everywhere.” She snorted derisively. “All this time I’ve been lying to myself, telling myself it was a souvenir, a good luck charm, a talisman, when what it really was, was a way of having you with me.” Natalie swallowed hard and reached and touched Hayden’s face. “That’s why I came. I belong here with you, where I’m whole and not half.”

If Hayden’s heart swelled any bigger he was sure it was going to burst. Already it thumped heavily in his chest as if there wasn’t enough room for it. He laid the braid back in the box and set it on the nightstand. Then he lay down settling her into his arms, his chest a pillow for her head.

She listened to the beat of his heart and thought it the most beautiful music she’d ever heard. “Destiny,” she whispered. “If we hadn’t had to do this movie, see each other again…if you hadn’t gotten sick…I would still not know, Hayden, that I had loved you all along.”

“Shh,” he soothed, his fingers tilting her chin. “It would’ve happened, Nat, somehow, someway. Destiny can’t be made to do anything. It just does what it’s meant to do. I would still be lonely and so would you. We’d be going from person to person, trying to figure out what was wrong with us until we came back into each other’s space. Not loving you was never an option. Our paths would have crossed again.”

Natalie digested the information while gazing up into the face that would be in her mind till her dying day and beyond. If he went to Hell, she’d follow him and it would become heaven to her. Pulling herself up she kissed him slowly, concentrating on the feel and texture of his mouth, and listened to his galloping heart, his accelerated breathing.

Snuggling back down, Natalie breathed a sigh that turned into a tiny yawn. Her hand on Hayden’s chest rose as his yawn expanded “I “I think I understand now, Hayden,” she said, a smile in her tired voice. How she loved to say his name!

“Do you?” He mumbled sleepily, kissing her forehead. Now that she was here his body knew it would sleep well and was already plunging toward it.

“Yes. You can’t control destiny, can you.”

She could feel Hayden’s smile as his arms secured her as close to him as he could get her, her skin warm and smooth against his.

“That’s right, Pretty Eyes. Not when it comes to you and me…not when it’s about us.”

The night settled its velvety blanket over the quiet room as they fell asleep in each other’s arms. It had been a long road and a hard lesson to learn for Natalie, but deep down, Hayden had always believed. Sometimes there really was destiny. Sometimes there really was only one love in a lifetime. And this was it.

On the nightstand the Padawan braid lay curled up and forgotten.

The End.
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You Can't Control Destiny (Completed)