Din watched as IG-11 detonated the live grenade in his chest, taking all the stormtroopers down with him as he sacrificed his life for them. He owed more than he thought to the droid and he made a silent vow to think better of the machines.

As the boat enters the clear air, fire from above makes them hit the floor for cover.

"He missed!" Greef exclaims and Din threw his words over his shoulder,

"He won't next time."

"Our blasters are useless against him." Cara grumbles and I watch the tie fighter circle around the mountains again with hatred.

"Hey, let's make the baby do the magic hand thing!" Greef waves at the baby, trying to imitate its powers, "Come on, baby! Do the magic hand thing!" The baby peers out at him and waves back innocently. "I'm out of ideas."

"I'm not." Din growls and gets up as Cara shouts,

"Here he comes!"

I watch in a mixture of horror and fascination as Din straps his jet pack on, grunting in pain at the movements before firing it up. He looks down at me briefly before shooting out of the boat and into the sky, heading straight for the Tie fighter.

I shield my eyes from the sun as he climbs the skies to attach himself to the fighter, struggling a little but safe for now. For a few minutes, I can't breathe as I watch Mandalorian and Imperial grapple together in the skies. Then one of the wings explodes and the tie fighter spirals out of control and over a mountain, shaking the ground as it explodes.

Din is falling out of the sky now and, his limbs stretching to regain control just before he meets the earth. He manages to land safely, his body jerking a little as he powers the pack off and the group clambers out of the boat to meet him. The child squeals and I set him down, watching as he clambers towards Din.

"That was impressive, Mando." Greef compliments, "Very impressive. It looks like your Guild rates have just gone up."

"Any more stormtroopers?" Din inquires coolly, as if he hadn't just taken down an Imperial and flown through the Nevarro skies.

"I think we cleaned up the town." Cara replied with a small smile. "I'm thinking of staying around just to be sure."

"You're staying here?" Din asks her, a tint of concern in his tone.

"Well, why not?" Greef interjects, "Nevarro is a very fine planet. And now that the scum and villainy have been washed away, it's very respectable again."

"As a bounty hunter hive?" The Mandalorian's question is filled with sarcasm but Greef doesn't catch it, reaching out to grip his and Cara's shoulders.

"Some of my favourite people are bounty hunters. And perhaps, this specimen of soldier might consider joining our ranks.""Yeah…" Cara drawls, turning with Greef to walk a little. "I've got some clerical concerns regarding my chain code."

"And if you would agree to become my enforcer, clerical concerns would be the least of your worries." Greef promises generously before turning to look at The Mandalorian.

"But you, my friend, you will be welcome back into the Guild with open arms. So, go off, enjoy yourself. And when you're ready to return, you will have the pick of all quarries."

I watch as the child grips Din's leg, gazing up at him in love as he coos slightly. Din glances down at it and stoops to pick him up.

"I'm afraid I have more pressing matters at hand." His tone is tender and filled with promise. Cara rubs the child's ear,

"Take care of this little one."

"Or maybe…" Greef looks down at it. "it'll take care of you."

Kuiil looked up at Din, putting out his hand and he shook it,

"I don't know how to thank you." Din said softly but the Ugnaught shook his head,

"You have thanked me enough." His voice was rough, "I will return to my planet in peace, thanks to you."

Din watched as Greef, Kuiil and Cara walked a little ways, waiting until they were a safe distance away before fixing his gaze on Aria. Setting down the child, he placed one hand on his hip and tried to read her body language. She had stepped back when he and the three others had exchanged their goodbyes but now that it was just them, he remembered the look of pain in her eyes when he left her in Arvala-7.

"Aria-" She held up her hand, making him stop and listen to her.

"I know all about it." Aria's voice shook slightly but her lips were set in a tight line. "About the Guild. The child. Everything. I've known for months now."

Dumbfounded, Din could only look at her in shock.

"I've heard enough of the bounty hunters in Tatooine to know when they're in good standing with the Guild. You never talked about it. You never took jobs sanctioned by the Guild, only side jobs or third-party benefactors." Aria was crossing her arms now, "The first time you got angry at me it was because I was holding the baby in the ship, remember? It didn't take long to figure out the rest."

Aria took a step closer to him and it pained him to see the sadness in her green eyes,

"So why did you leave me behind? Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I couldn't." Din said faintly. "You would have never looked at me the same. I'm a traitor."

"Shouldn't you have let me decide that before you locked me in a barn?" Aria demanded and he was silent, knowing she was right.

"There's something I need to say." Din spoke in a strong tone, earnest and entreating, "And I need you to be quiet for once while I say it."

Aria nodded, still listening.

"I left you behind for a few reasons. I wanted to keep this part of my life away from you… the killing, the...suffering. Seeing you with Ran's crew terrified me." He continued, encouraged by the understanding look in her eyes. "I was also terrified of you. Of how you make me feel." Din reached for her hands and held them, gently and almost reverently. "It's not easy for me to say

things like this." He admitted, wondering if he was doing a bad job of it but determined to go on, "I know I usually say the wrong things around you." He knew from the glimmer in Aria's eyes that she was dying to ask a question but she held her tongue, nodding.

A sudden idea came to him and he looked at Cara who was several yards away. She nodded at him and turned her back, motioning to Greef and Kuiil who followed her example.

"Do you trust me?" Din asked and Aria nodded again. "Then close your eyes."

Aria obeyed, her lashes fanning out on her cheeks as she held his hands tighter, already swaying at the disorienting feeling of blindness.

Din turned his back to the trio's backs, being extra careful as he removed his helmet for the first time in dim light. He saw Aria's shoulders shift as she opened her mouth but quickly shut it again, trying to respect his wishes for silence.

The Mandalorian pulled her close to him again, cherishing the feeling of her clinging to him like he was a lifeline.

"The Armorer gave me something… something which I want to give to you now, if you'll accept it." Din's heart was beating faster now, slipping out of her left hand and reaching for the cloth sack he'd tucked into his pocket securely. He pulled out the ring and held it in front of her, even though he knew she couldn't see it.

"Stay with me." Din whispered, caressing Aria's cheek with his own, inhaling her scent and enjoying how her breath stuttered at their proximity. "Don't ever leave me again. I want you to annoy the hell out of me forever." Aria let out a choking laugh, gripping his hand tighter. "I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up to you sprawled out across me like a Sarlacc." Aria bit her lip and he smirked, knowing she wanted to say something snarky. "I want to be the one you go to for help, the one you want in trouble and the man you reach for when you want to feel good." He moved his cheek, his lips ghosting over hers, "I know I'm not good enough. I know I lose my temper and make decisions for you. But I also know my life would be meaningless without you in it every single second." Din pressed a kiss to Aria's lips, short and sweet although it was so good he wanted to keep going. "Marry me."

Aria jumped slightly when he nudged her arm with his fist closed over the ring and she brushed his fingers open with hers, searching,

"This better not be something slimy." She threatened but Din could see the tears squeezing from her closed eyes. He watched in fascination as she turned the ring over, letting go of him briefly

to touch it with both hands. Her fingertips brushed over the smooth Beskar, halted at the stone and felt it all over, a blinding smile on her lips as she tilted her head,

"I love you, Din Djarin."

The words made Din's heart stutter and his head spin and he held her shoulders, letting his eyes roam all over her face while he still could.

"Then will you?" He breathed.

"Yes." Aria couldn't stop smiling, "Yes of course I will marry you."