✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Din and I both sat silently as we exited hyperspace. The two of us tense for just a minute as we waited to see if we were fully in the clear. Once the ship settled and floated softly through the empty galaxy surrounding us we both leaned back in our chairs and let out a long sigh.
"I told you that was a bad idea." He said as he turned to me. I just laughed softly and shook my head. Din reached over to the handle on the panel and unscrewed a small silver ball on the lever. He handed it over to the kid. I smiled as the kid immediately grabbed it. Staring at it in curiosity.
Din pressed a few buttons and put the ship on auto pilot before getting up. "That'll keep him distracted for a bit. Lets get some spray on that cut before it gets infected." He said quietly.
I listened to his demand and followed him back towards the bathroom. I took my usual place on the sink counter as he took off his gloves and grabbed the spray. He wiped the blood off of my arm as I let out a small wince.
"Why don't you just heal it?" He asked as he held onto my arm softly.
"Small cuts aren't worth the trouble. It exhausts me too much." I said quietly as I watched his hands move. I looked back up at him. The gaze of his helmet still focused on the cut as he grabbed the spray.
I couldn't help but think that maybe I was crazy. Falling for someone that I hadn't even truly seen. Breaking every rule I held on to just for him. All but one and at this moment I felt myself not caring anymore about showing myself to him fully. I knew I'd follow him to the worst places just as I did now.
Din turned to me as he finished patching up the wound. The visor of his helmet facing me. We sat there for a second. Just staring at each other. My heart raced as my body moved on its own. I reached for his hands and brought them up to my face. Having them sit right at the edge of my mask.
"Amara..." He called out softly. I could hear the hesitation in his voice.
I kept my hands over his. Clutching them tightly, "I don't care if I never see your face. But I want you to see me. Fully." I said softly.
He still hesitated. His chest rising and falling rapidly. The silence followed by the hidden stare made me second guess myself. Then his hands wrapped tightly around mine. His fingers gripping onto the mask softly.
"My friend if you are receiving this transmission..." Another voice trailed from the hallway. We both pulled away quickly. My heart pounding still from what was just about to happen. We sat silently, unsure if we were really hearing the voice or not.
"That means you are alive." The voice continued.
We both moved out of the bathroom quickly. Our swift steps not allowing anymore time to pass. We stood inside of the cockpit. The child reaching up on the panel. Obviously, not kept distracted by the shiny object long enough.
A hologram of a man stood in front of us. He smiled softly as the transmission continued, "You might be surprised to hear this but I am alive too. I guess we could call it even."
I turned to Din as he sat slowly in his seat, "What does he mean 'Call it even.'"
"I shot him." He answered. His voice low with the modulator. His gaze didn't leave the transmission once.
"A lot has happened since we last saw each other. The man who hired you is still here and his ranks of ex-Imperial guards have grown." The man said.
I sucked in a breath. It could only be as bas as I was imagining it. The amount of Imperial guards ten times the amount we saw on Kanarru. Just slowly growing as we played around on other planets.
"They have imposed despotic rule over my city. Which has impeded the livelihood of the Guild. We consider him an enemy but we cannot get close enough to take him out. If you would consider one last commission I will very much make it your while."
No absolutely not. There was no way Din was going to even consider this. It was too dangerous to get near an Imperial army. Even with me by his side.
"You have been successful enough on starving off their hunters, but they will not stop until they have their prize. Both of them."
I furrowed my brows as my eyes grew wide. Both? As in the kid and I? I thought I was a bounty they wanted dead. One last person out of the way protecting the child. What changed now?
"Kirra...They have changed your bounty and have asked you be brought in alive. Why that has changed I cannot say. So here's my proposition. Return to Navarro. Use Kirra and the child as bait. I will arrange an exchange and provide loyal Guild members as protection. Once we get near the client, you kill him and we both get what we want."
This was absolutely crazy. There was something that wasn't sitting right with me one bit. I looked down at the child. Thinking of all the things that could happen to him if this went wrong. It was too big of a risk. There was no way Din was considering this.
"If you succeed you keep the child, and the girl can finally be free. No longer will she have to live on the run, and under your protection. And I will clear your name with the Guild. For a man of honor should not be forced to live in exile. I await your arrival with optimism."
With his last words the transmission stopped. Yet the two of us still stared like it was replaying. Like the man was still spouting all the things we wanted. I tried to steady my breathing as Din stayed silent.
"Who was he?" I asked quietly. My voice shaking as I stayed behind his seat. Just staring at the back of his helmet.
"Greef Karga. An agent with the Guild. He was the one who gave me the bounty for the child. I thought I killed him when the kid and I escaped." Mando answered as he tilted his head over his shoulder towards me.
"It's got to be a trap." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest, "There's no way its this easy."
"Maybe..." He said quietly as he turned away from me.
My hands fell to my side. I was in complete disbelief by the short answer he gave me. "You seriously cannot be considering this?"
"I trust Karga." He said quietly as he stood up. Walking past me quickly out of the cockpit. I knew him well enough now he was lying. But why I couldn't tell.
I let out a baffled scoff as I followed behind him through the hallway, "You shot and almost killed him."
"Its a chance for you and the kid." He replied as he turned to me quickly. His voice growing louder.
"A chance for what?" I yelled back. He stayed silent for a while and it was enough to break me. I assumed the worse with that statement. I sucked in a breath as we both stood there. "A chance for what, Din?" I asked quietly, my voice beginning to crack.
"A chance for you to go back home. Back to the Republic." He stated softly.
My heart shattered in an instant. I let out a scoff as I shook my head. Not wanting to believe any of it. I walked closer to him and stared into his helmet. Hoping that maybe this time I would see what he was really thinking, but I got nothing. Leaving me the only option I had was to believe the answer he gave to my next question.
"But not a chance to stay with you?"
He stayed silent again. Not saying a single word to me. Only giving me the stupid stare through the blacked out visor. Giving me nothing but a silent answer. I stepped back away from him as my jaw tightened. The silence from him had spoken enough. I felt my heart begin to break. The tears slowly welling up in my eyes. I couldn't let him see it. I couldn't let him see how much power he had over me.
"I'm a fool." I whispered under my breath. I shoved my way past him. Wanting to get as far away as possible on this ship. I could feel the tears begin to fall as I walked towards the small room ahead.
"Amara." He called out to me as I pressed the button to open the door, "Amara, wait."
I turned to him quickly. I felt my lips tremble as I looked at him. My heart breaking over and over again in just a matter of seconds. I lifted my hand towards the door panel inside. Holding my breath as I pressed the button and the door slid close in front of me.
I released the breath I was holding in. As I did the tears finally fell fully. I leaned my head against the door. Sucking the air back in as my lips trembled. I twisted myself around, my back sliding down against the door. Once I was down I grabbed my knees in front of me, and buried my face into them and cried.
What changed in a matter of minutes? Once minute I was close to taking off my mask. Breaking the last wall I kept up. In return it only brought me heartache. I was stupid for letting it go that far. Realizing now it was all in my head, and in the end the feelings I had were enough to scare him. Enough to make him abandon me.
Amara....
I heard the distorted voice I once heard back on Tatooine call out. I gripped tightly to myself. Hoping to push whoever it was out.
Amara, give into the anger.
I quickly brought my hands over my ears. Hoping that it would block them out.
Give into the darkness. Just as I have.
"Stop it." I cried out.
Give into it. Your hate will make you powerful.
"Stop." My hands were shaking over my ears. Not wanting to give in. Not wanting to fall.
Don't resist your destiny. Join me.
"Stop!" I yelled.
Knock knock.
My eyes shot open. I let out a breath as I looked around the room. The knocking continued as I looked down. Realizing I somehow ended up on the floor. I sat up slowly as my head began to spin.
"Amara? We landed." I heard Mando's voice on the other side of the door. Landed? How long was I out for? I took another deep breath and stood myself up. Looking around the room wondering what the hell just happened. The knocking continued as I stared blankly ahead of me.
"Amara, I'm coming in." He said. I quickly turned and pressed the door open as I pulled my hood up. Retreating back under it as I usually did.
Mando stood in front of me, his head tilted to the side. I just stared passed him. Not even wanting to look at him. Afraid he could read me instantly if I did.
"Where did we land?" I asked quietly.
"Slargon. We're going to need someone we can trust if we're going to do this." He answered. I nodded my head slowly. Knowing he was referencing Cara. Knowing as well that his decision on everything else was final. I moved passed him quickly. Just wanting to get this over with.
I heard him let out a sigh as he followed behind me. "Amara, wait. Can you let me explain." He asked as I opened the door out of the ship. The bridged hissed as I turned to him quickly.
"There's nothing to explain. You made your decision." I glared. The door opened fully and I quickly retreated out. Knowing he was going to leave it at that. He knew me well enough to not push me and drop it.
With that it left us in silence as we made our way towards the village. I could hear the cheers and screams coming from the building up ahead when we arrived. I followed Mando in, looking out towards the crowd that was circled around something.
I watched as Cara fought her way through a boxing match. Taking down a Zabrak in an impressive fight. It gave me the first smile I had in a few moments as the crowd cheered loudly.
"Pay up, Mudscuffers!" She yelled proudly as the crowd began to line up by her. One by one the people payed her. Giving her a handsome amount of credits. As the last person payed we both walked up to her. Her eyebrows furrowed as she spotted us.
"Looking for some work?" Mando asked. She left out a soft chuckle as she walked us towards a table. She sat and listened as she sipped on some spotchka, her eyes shifting to me occasionally as I sat there numbly.
She was almost not going to join in. Fear that her chain code would be run and immediately put her in a cell. She denied joining until Mando told her we were going up against an Imperial war lord. Giving her just what she missed when fighting for the Republic.
We made our way back to the ship in quick time. Cara noticing the tension between Mando and I. I could tell she wanted to ask but didn't dare to. We discussed the job on the way down towards the cargo bay. Cara having her hesitancy towards the entire job.
I was fine being there with Mando. Cara making it easy to forget everything that had happened. That was until the child we left in the cockpit decided to play with the control panel.
The ship began to move erratically as our bodies went flying across the room. My back slammed against the wall behind me as Mando fell as well. He slammed his hand on to the wall beside my head to keep himself from falling. There was a second where the ship was steady. The two of us just staring right at each other.
Then the ship tilted again and the two of us fell forward. His hands grabbed my waist as he kept me on my feet. Both of us trying our best to make our way to the cockpit. Occasionally having to help each other from falling face first.
When we made it Mando quickly grabbed the child. Moving him out of the way and steadying the ship. He turned to me slowly, looking like he wanted to say something.
"Amara-"
"If you'll excuse me." I stopped him from finishing his sentence. I walked passed Cara as she came in. Her eyes following me as I walked into the bathroom and locked myself in. Probably the first time I'd ever done that.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Cara stared as the door slammed behind Amara. Her eyes furrowed wondering what the hell was going on. She had noticed in the restaurant how quiet Amara had been. Then again as they made their way back to the ship. However, the second she entered the ship the tension between them was almost suffocating.
Cara raised her eyebrows as she turned towards Mando. Seeing that he was still staring out the cockpit door. He let out a sigh before turning back around. Avoiding whatever it was that was going on.
Cara chuckled to herself. Seeing that the two finally had their first fight. She took her place in the copilots seat. Looking at Mando before shaking her head.
"So you two finally having your first lovers quarrel?" He said sarcastically. Mando said nothing as he placed the child behind him. Locking him back into his seat before sitting himself back down.
"She hasn't been this closed off since she first joined the Republic. Back when she kept to herself and would just glare at everyone." Cara laughed hoping to ease the tension. However, Mando stayed quiet. She knew it wasn't working. Cara let out a deep sigh, "You want to talk about it?"
Mando paused for a minute. Questioning himself. He never really was one to have an open conversation like this? Granted he had never been in this situation before.
"I told her when this was over she was free to return home. Return to the Republic." He answered her.
"But not free to travel with you." She replied. Not as a question but as a statement. The same thing Amara had said to him. Cara understood immediately why Amara was acting the way she was. She tilted her head and furrowed her brows in disbelief, "Are you an idiot?"
Mando turned his head slowly towards Cara. Unsure how to even reply. He was actually questioning that himself. Thinking if the decision he was making was the right one. Cara shook her head as she leaned back into the seat. Watching Mando keep himself distracted.
"Its for the best. A life with me isn't safe." Mando finally talked.
"Wow...you really are dumb." She said making him turn again. Cara sat up in her chair. Leaning forward towards him, "You think safe is what she wants?" Cara questioned him, "Mando, her entire life has been nothing but the opposite."
"She's breaking every rule she had the longer she's with me." He replied. Trying to make excuses.
"Because she trusts you. You're probably the first person she's every trusted, including me."
Mando stayed quiet. He wasn't sure what to even say. He did ask her to trust him. Continuously asked in the last job they did together. He let out another deep sigh as Cara turned her head away.
"Why the sudden switch Mando? Last I saw you two you were basically begging her to go with you. Despite the dangers you both were going through."
Mando sucked in a deep breath, "She was about to show me her face. Before the transmission interrupted us."
"Did she ask you to take off your helmet?"
"No." He answered.
Cara scoffed. She bit the the inside of her cheek and hummed in response. It was all coming together now. "Is there a rule in your creed that you can't fall in love?"
"No." He answered again. This time his voice softened.
"Then why are you so hesitant to love her?" Cara asked.
He didn't have an answer for that. He tried to bring up any excuse he could but none were coming out. Despite how much felt he should deny it the answer deep within him was there. He was falling in love with Amara Delstra. So in love he didn't want to imagine a life without her in it. Falling so hard it scared the living shit out of him and forced him to push her away.
The bathroom door opened and Cara turned her head away from Mando. Watching as Amara looked over at Mando. She could tell she wanted to say something to him but stopped herself. Quickly turning away and walking towards the bedroom.
Cara let out a sigh. Knowing that the conversation was over. The two of them at this point were just being stubborn. Neither of them wanting to back down and admit how they truly felt.
"If you'll excuse me." She said as she stood up, "I'm going to get the chance to look upon the beautiful face you're missing out on."
She sent Din a smirk. Knowing the tease was going to get to him. And it did. She closed the door behind him making him realize he was making a huge mistake.