Scene 25 – It Might Have Been

"Vacy Fiorst, you are a horrible person." Bell'aria didn't waste time on pleasantries. "I can't believe you."

It was going to be a long morning. Vacy made her way up the stairs to the main deck of the Defender. "I couldn't stay, Arri," she said. "I needed some time to myself."

The Jedi may have taught Bell'aria to control her emotions, but Vacy had never noticed that it made much difference in what she said. "To yourself?" she echoed, glancing significantly at Vacy's still-wet ponytail.

"It didn't – I wasn't – that wasn't the plan," Vacy sputtered. "It just happened."

Bell'aria didn't budge, and Vacy had to push past her. The twi'lek turned, shaking her head. "Let me tell you a little secret. That does not 'just happen,' Vace." She sighed, taking a few long strides to catch up with her friend. "Look. Just… be careful. You can't trust that one."

Vacy smirked. "Arri, I've been a criminal for years now. Most of the folks I work with can't be trusted." She shrugged. "Goes with the territory."

"I'm serious, Vace. Don't forget that I met him. I mean it – there's some real darkness there."

With a sigh, Vacy shrugged. "Maybe that's why we get along so well together." She smiled kind of sadly. "We match."

Bell'aria shook her head. "It doesn't have to be like that," she said. "It's our choices that determine who we are. You could make different choices."

Neither of them looked down toward the medical bay.

"I made my choices a long time ago, Arri," Vacy said quietly. "Before … any of this." She sighed again. "How's he doing?"

"He's awake. About an hour ago, I suppose." Bell'aria was silent for a few moments. "First thing he did was ask about you." The accusation hung unspoken between them: You should have been here.

Vacy looked at her friend without saying anything for a few moments. Then she turned and headed around to the small room.

Corso was sitting up, and when the door hissed open, he looked over. "Hey, Captain," he said with a smile. "Good mornin'." He had his rifle in his lap and was switching out the barrel.

"Hey there, lazybones," Vacy teased gently as she walked over to his side. "How's my first mate this morning?" His smile was a little sad, and Vacy realized that it probably hadn't been difficult for him to figure out where she'd been.

"All patched up, it looks like," he said, patting his shoulder carefully. His tunic covered the bandage, but Vacy remembered the wound all too well.

She swallowed thickly, turning away, but found she couldn't escape sight of him lying motionless on the ground by focusing on the cabinets against the wall. "Glad to hear it," she said, trying to keep her voice light.

And utterly failing.

"Captain… don't beat yourself up," she heard him say. "Things turned out all right."

She turned back to him, not trusting herself to say anything, and so she just took his hand in hers and held it tightly.

He squeezed back. "I remember running… you an' Arri were up ahead, and I could see the outpost. And I felt kind of funny. Figured I wasn't going to make it, but you were close enough that you'd be all right, even if I wasn't there with you." He smiled, his warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners. "Don't know why you came back for me… but I gotta admit, I'm glad you did."

"Scoot over, Riggs," Vacy said. There wasn't a lot of room on the narrow cot, but she propped herself up sort of half-sitting beside him. She let go of his hand, and wrapped an arm around him – carefully, because she knew he still had to be sore. He hesitated, and then put his arms around her as well, and it wasn't until then that she realized how much she was shaking. But as she leaned against him, she began to relax.

They sat like that for some time, until Vacy took a slow, shuddery breath and sat up a bit. "There's something I need you to understand," she said, and he nodded, waiting for her to continue.

Vacy knew she was on shaky ground, but she pushed ahead anyway. "I will always come back for you," she said, her voice low and intense. "No matter where we go, or what we face, or how far my path may take me from you, I will always, always come back for you." She heard his breath catch, and hoped she hadn't made a mistake.

But he smiled. "Then I'll make sure an' wait for you," he said. And he leaned close, resting his forehead against hers.

"Always."

[Author's note: Thanks for seeing this through to the end! It turned out to be quite a beast, just shy of twenty thousand words. Hope you liked!]