found. | Din Djarin

Thirteen

We only pull away from one another when we become aware of the eyes watching us, knowing that there's nothing we could say or do now to dissuade them from what they see between us.

"You okay?" Din asks as he pulls away, looking between me and the ship. It's then I notice the ash he wipes off of my leather armour.

"She kept the vehicle from going up in flames," Greef says. "Her and the kid... they're something else."

"That's for sure," Din says and there's pride in his voice, pride in both of us. But it's as his hand lingers on my waist I realise it's something more, fondness. "We should get going."

"Actually, I was hoping you two might stay a little while," Greef says and looks back at the ruins of the base. "There's no doubt the Republic's going to come sniffing around here, you might be able to help us out."

"There might be a problem with that," Din says knowing we've both got warrants out for us and leaves it to me to make the call.

"We'll hide the Razor Crest and I'll deal with whatever officers come to check it out," I tell them, anxious to speak with Leia. "I need to touch base with someone anyways, see if those charges have been dropped."

"Charges?" Cara asks then her mouth purses in realisation. "Those bastards."

"I haven't been able to contact Leia but I know she'll take care of it," I say with certainty, as much as I hate that this falls on her she's got my back, no matter what. "And I need to bring the Imperial to Chandrila."

The scientist swallows hard, fearing the thing all Imperials fear most, being captured alive.

"What about the other Jedi?" Din asks and I take the kid in my arms, trying to hide how shaken I still am.

"She can wait. We need to keep the kid safe," I say knowing that is the main priority for us both. "We can't do that while Moff Gideon is alive."

I look at the scientist and the child squints at him with recognition. The child reaches his hand out towards him and I feel it just a moment before the scientist clutches at his throat, and I allow it, for just a moment.

"That's enough," I say softly and the child releases him. "He won't hurt you, not ever again." That's when I look at Din and order. "Put him in carbonite. Now. Before I kill him."

Din nods and wrestles the struggling scientist inside the ship, for a moment I stay outside so I don't have to witness it, but decide otherwise.

The child and I walk inside and stand there, watching silently as Din shoves the scientist inside the carbonite chamber.

The second time I've ever witnessed such a thing done. And the first- I wish I could forget it.

"You fucking bastard!" I screamed as I fought against Boba's grasp, as Chewie tried to stop it.

"Don't fight!" Boba snapped as he held me taut to his beskar covered chest, trapped in his arms. "Don't be stupid, stop fighting or you'll end up in there as well!"

"Save your strength, there'll be another time!" Han snapped at us as they cuffed Chewie, and Boba held me firmly in place. "It's not your fault kid. Take care of Leia for me alright? Both of you."

I nodded reluctantly for his sake and Chewie whined while Leia watched us all in silence. Resigned to Han's fate until she kissed him, and the hands that held me had never made me feel so sick. Hands that had held me at my most vulnerable, that had touched me as no one else ever had, the same hands that aimed a blaster at my back and held me there helpless to save my friend.