Chapter 10

-Heat-

A long story indeed. Din had only been gone for two months but he'd nearly been eaten three times and somehow gained a special Mandalorian lightsaber and rule of a whole planet. Omera wasn't sure how much more he could have managed.

"After the first time I met Bo-Katan and helped her steal an Imperial remnant ship," What in the galaxy did she need an Imperial ship for? "she told me about a Jedi she knew and where to find her. So, after a stop in Navarro to repair my ship and help Cara and a couple of other friends I have there, I went to find her. When I found her, I had to help her too and then she spent some time with Grogu…. Oh, that's his name by the way, my… son. She could communicate with him somehow."

For a moment, he grew quiet and looked down at their hands. When his eyes closed and his breathing began to shudder Omera reached up to cup his face, scooting as close as she could without climbing into his lap. Something between a hiss and a sob choked free as he pressed into her touch.

"Din, are you ok?"

Slowly, he opened his eyes to look back at her. They were filled with unshed tears but a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth

"She said… she wouldn't train him because he was too attached to me, that I was a father to him. I don't…" His voice broke and the first tear slipped free. Omera wiped it away and pressed her forehead to his. "Dammit I miss that kid."

A few more tears joined the first and Omera wiped them away too, holding onto him and comforting him the best that she could.

"Oh, Din."

He reached up, holding her hand to his face, turning slightly to brush his lips against her palm. After a few moments, he sighed and looked like he wanted to go on.

"Din, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Clearing his throat, he shook his head and pulled her hand back to his lap.

"I want to tell you. It's important. Besides, I want you to understand what happened if… when Bo-Katan decides to track me down and bother me about it."

Omera nodded and settled against the sofa, still gripping his hand.

"The Jedi, she sent us to an ancient Jedi temple on Tython. I set him on this big stone on top of a mountain like she said. I don't know what I was expecting to happen but…"

He sighed again and scratched the back of his head with his free hand.

"He did some kind of Jedi thing and there was this… blue force field around him. I couldn't touch him. While he was doing whatever he was doing, we got company. The true owner of the beskar I got on Tatooine finally tracked me down and while I was dealing with him two squads of stormtroopers showed up."

Omera's jaw fell open in shock. "Stormtroopers?"

"The guy who the besker belonged to, Boba Fett, he and his companion and I fought them off but while we were doing that, half a dozen dark trooper droids dropped down from what turned out to be a light cruiser. They were after Grogu."

Even though she knew Grogu had to have survived what ever happened on Tython, Omera's chest tightened with nerves for them. It was clear by the look on Din's face that whatever had happened, he felt immeasurable guilt over it.

"I tried to get to him, but I was too far down the mountain and they got there before I could. Of course he had stopped whatever it was that made the force field. If only I had been just a little bit faster." Shaking his head, frustration and self loathing twisted his features.

"Before we went to Tython, we stopped in Navarro. Cara and another friend there asked me for my help clearing out the last remnant holdout on the planet. It was supposed to be mostly empty, an old mine or something. It turned out to be a secret lab. There were bodies…" A shudder ran through him. "I don't know what they were trying to accomplish but it had something to do with Grogu and the blood sample they took when I turned him in initially. I hate to think what they might have been doing to him after the droids took him on Tython."

Omera felt sick at the thought too... she could only guess at the kinds of things Imperial scientists might do.

"While we were there, we found a recent transmission from the scientist to the man we thought we killed, the man behind the experiments and the original bounty. Moff Gideon. I thought I killed him the last time we'd been there, before I came back the last time. Turns out he managed to survive and was still hunting for Grogu. It was his cruiser and troopers on Tython."

Suddenly he looked back up at her, eyes serious. "Omera, I promise if I'd known he was still out there I never would have risked you by coming back. If he'd found us here…"

Frowning, Omera realized how lucky they had been. A rogue Moff with a light cruiser and stormtroopers? If they had dropped out of the sky over their village they would have been obliterated. "Where is he now? You came back so I'm assuming he's been dealt with this time?"

Din dipped his head, glancing over at the Darksaber where it hung before looking up at her again. "He won't be a problem for us again. Although, he did destroy my ship…"

Omera gasped and reached up, gripping his shoulder. "Oh, Din. I'm so sorry. I did wonder but... Oh that's terrible." When he raised an incredulous brow, she sighed. "Well I'm assuming you managed to save your son, you already told me he was safe with a Jedi. Your ship though…"

A slight smile crinkled his eyes before it fell and he continued. "Boba Fett and his companion, an assassin that used to work for the Hutts, offered to help me. We gathered a few other people to help, blew up another remnant mine on the way, and went for it. Bo-Katan and another Mandalorian were with us. She wanted the ship and a go at Gideon, for the Darksaber it turned out. Unfortunately for her, he was waiting for me with Grogu. While she and the others took the bridge, I ended up fighting him. I saved my son, won the Darksaber and brought Gideon to the bridge."

He sighed as he toyed with her hand. "There was an entire squadron of the Dark Trooper droids on the ship. I barely managed to destroy the one that escaped before I sent the rest out the airlock. Well. As they're droids, the vacuum of space didn't really hurt them. They all managed to get back on the ship and we would have been wiped out if the Jedi hadn't shown up. Just one of those droids was enough for me. He… he destroyed every one of them like it was nothing. With his lightsaber and that… Jedi magic hand thing they do."

A little stunned that he had met two Jedi when she'd believed them extinct, Omera almost wished she could have been there. "He must be very powerful."

Din nodded solemnly, brows drawn together. The pain that had nearly overcome him earlier seemed to threaten again and he didn't say anymore for a long moment. When he did, his voice was rough and barely more than a whisper.

"He said he would give his life to protect Grogu. I know he will be safe with him, I know it was the right thing to do. He needs to be trained and I can't do that for him…" He took a deep breath. "I took my helmet off when we said goodbye. All that time, the creed… it was the first time he'd seen my face and it was to say goodbye."

Her heart ached, seeing the pain and conflict on his face. "Din…"

"Anyway, he'll be safe with Skywalker and he will get to learn all the things he needs to be safe."

He made a valiant effort at a proud smile but Omera was stuck on the name he had just dropped.

"Um.. did you say Skywalker? Luke Skywalker? Is that who you mean?"

"Yes, why?" He looked confused, head cocked to the side in question. "Don't tell me you knew a Jedi this whole time."

Holding up her hands placatingly, she shook her head.

"No, not really. I mean… Commander Skywalker was on Hoth when I was. And he carried a Lightsaber but I didn't know he was actually a Jedi. I don't think I said more than five words to him personally. And as far as I knew they were extinct. He could have picked it up somewhere… Besides I would have had no idea how to tell you to find him." Now that she was thinking about it, she realized that she could have given him something.

"Unless you wanted to go to the New Republic capital and ask someone that was close to him. Though getting an audience with Princess Leia Organa probably wouldn't have been easy. I'm sorry Din, I didn't think of that until just now. I should have said something when you were here before."

He looked so shocked, Omera had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. It definitely wasn't an appropriate response just then.

"No… I don't think that would have worked. The New Republic had a warrant for my arrest actually. I think I've got that sorted now but… waltzing into the capital likely would have gotten me thrown on some prison planet."

She let out a relieved sigh when he took her hands again and the corners of his mouth turned up.

"I think it had to happen the way it did. Grogu and I had more time together this way, even if it was a bit… chaotic. Besides, I might not have met Bo-Katan otherwise. If I hadn't met her I never would have learned the truth about our people and I don't know if I ever would have allowed myself to come back to you."

Omera chuckled softly. "Well then, remind me to thank her when she turns up someday."

A tender affection lit his eyes then that made her feel like she was on fire. She didn't know if it was how he always would have been, or if never having to hide his expressions before had made him so open, but Omera could see everything he didn't say in the way he was looking at her. Everything he felt for her, everything he was finally letting himself hope for, letting himself have, it was all there in his eyes.

Her own eyes burned even as she smiled softly at him. She wanted desperately to kiss him again. Instead she looked down at his hands, still holding her own, and fingered the fastenings on his gloves. "Can I take these off?"

Sucking in a shaky breath, he turned his right hand over, giving her better access to the clasp that held the glove in place. Hardly breathing, Omera undid the clasp and slowly slid it off. There was a long, thin silver scar running along the heel of his thumb and another at the base of his little finger. She lightly traced each one, causing his hand to shake slightly at the naked contact. Reaching out for his other hand, she carefully removed that glove too. There weren't any scars on his left palm, just smooth skin and a small dark freckle on the outside of his index finger.

Glancing up to gauge his reaction, Omera wondered how often he used his bare hands. He was staring down at her with such careful intensity, as if it took everything he had to contain his reaction. Staring back just as intently, she slid her hands along the back of his. A ragged breath tore free and his chest rose and fell rapidly as she lifted his hands to her face.

His touch was so warm, his gaze so reverent, Omera's eyes fluttered closed to keep from weeping. It had been so long since anyone had touched her like this, she couldn't remember if it should feel this way. Surely just his hands grazing tenderly along her face, sliding down her neck and into her hair shouldn't make her feel as if she were on fire.

"Omera…" His breath was a warm caress as close as he was. She opened her eyes to see his dark, wide blown pupils fixed on her mouth. When his thumb traced across her upper lip, Omera thought she might die if he didn't kiss her.

"Din...kiss me. Please."

His eyes met hers for barely a second before he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She groaned softly against him and reached up to thread her fingers in his hair, holding him to her. Like before, he started off unsure. But he let her lead and soon he was kissing her like it was something he was always meant to do.

His right hand slid down her back, encircling her waist, and a deep groan rumbled in his chest as he drew her onto his lap. Bandolier and holsters all long-since removed, Omera adjusted her skirts and fitted her thighs around his hips and pressed herself against his breastplate. The edges of his thigh guards bit into her backside but she hardly noticed. It was too much and not enough all at once. His warm, strong hands clung to her—one gripping her hip the other on her neck—and Omera never wanted him to stop touching her.

When they eventually broke apart, her forehead pressed to his, both of them were breathing hard and clinging to the other. She smiled and let out a breathy laugh as he stared up at her with wonder. Suddenly his head fell back against the sofa and he let out a tight gasp.

"Omera… I think.. I might be... in danger of passing out."

She bit down on her lip and apologized, not at all sorry. "Are you going to be alright?"

Then he nodded shakily, a slow smile forming. "Yes. I… I'm sorry. It's just…" he sighed, his breathing returning to normal. "A little overwhelming, almost too much. But also… not enough?" The slight confused frown made her want to laugh and kiss him again.

"I think I might know what you mean." She did kiss him then, a chaste peck on his cheek. "Although I could sit here kissing you all night, maybe we should get to bed."

Din smiled blearily up at her. "Ya. Maybe we should."

Gingerly climbing off his lap to stand, Omera gripped his hands and tugged him to his feet. They walked the few steps to the curtained off bedrooms and Omera turned into him. He held her as she reached up to his face once more. This kiss was soft and full of promise for tomorrow and every day after that.

"Goodnight, Omera."

"Goodnight, Din."