Lili awoke to darkness outside of a window and a fire tracing shadows up the walls. She felt fatigued and heavy, and cold all over. For a moment, she was afraid of where she was before realizing she'd fallen asleep halfway into a bowl of broth offered by an old woman. She lifted her arms and pushed the heavy furs away to sit up, and the first thought that came to her mind was where Lorian had gone.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and realized she was still wearing the sleeping dress she'd been offered – a true gift compared to the soaking clothes she'd arrived to the lodging in. She pulled one of the furs over her shoulders and stood.

Immediately, she braced herself against the bed frame as her head began to spin. She closed her eyes and waited for it to pass, then returned to standing upright again.

She took small steps to the door and opened it, peeking into the dark hallway. It was quiet. She assumed everyone was asleep, but she wasn't sure where Lorian could be. She padded down the hallway. The room was empty, the fireplace the only source of light. Lili began to panic.

She recalled what she had said to Lorian, the hurtful words and the yelling. She remembered how he said she could leave whenever she wanted, but was it possible he left without her?

A deep pang erupted in Lili's heart and her breathing began to grow erratic. She tried to fight back tears as she leaned against the closest wall. She wanted to believe he wouldn't leave her alone on some outer rim planet, that he wouldn't abandon her. She knew she deserved it.

The door opened and a cold breeze entered the room before it was quickly shut again. Lili's fear began to fade as she realized it was Lorian, covered in snow and without the beeping of the fob. He took a step into the space before he realized she was standing there. He froze.

"I thought you left," she said quietly, pulling the fur closer around her shoulders.

"I found the bounty." She looked for another moment, then let her eyes fall to the ground. "You shouldn't be walking around."

She was silent as she padded to the fireplace, dropping to her knees in front of the fighting flames.

"Feel any better?" He walked over and stood on the other side of the fireplace, resting his arm on the mantle.

"Yeah," she said softly, turning her head. "Thank you for helping me."

She caught his slight nod from the corner of her eye. She swallowed thickly.

"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head. "I shouldn't expect you to do anything. It isn't fair of me."

Even if she didn't look his way, she could feel him staring at her.

"I don't know why I talk so much. I never did before." She took a moment to think, staring into the small flames of the dying fire. She'd never talked as much around somebody since Boba was around, and even then it wasn't nearly as much. Her head rose and at the same time, they both realized the reason: she had grown comfortable around him. "After what you've done for me, none of it's—"

"—I don't care if you talk too much." She finally brought her gaze up to him. "Lili, I tell you what to do so you don't get hurt."

"I know, but . . . I've learned to take care of myself. I know how to survive, even if I'm alone." She moved her gaze again. "I haven't trusted anyone in a long time to watch after me."

Lili wasn't used to have anyone around, at least for the past few years. She'd grown accustomed to loneliness, to talking to inanimate objects or wild animals she stumbled across. And then somehow she'd grown to care about a Mandalorian who had hunted her down, come to trust someone sent to capture her. She hadn't meant for it to happen: she'd only meant to annoy him before her death.

"My parents were killed." At first, Lili wasn't sure she had heard him speaking. When she looked up, she saw that the vizor was staring at the fire. He spoke two names so quietly that Lili could barely hear, but she knew she would remember them forever. "It was during the fall of the Republic. Our town was attacked by battle droids. My parents . . . hid me in a hatch. It was the last time I ever saw them."

Lili's eyes shifted, looking empathetic.

"A battle droid found me hiding, aimed to shoot. I was found by the Death Watch and taken in as a foundling."

"That's why you hate droids," Lili said softly, her eyes not leaving his helmet. He didn't say anything. "I'm sorry, Lorian."

"That isn't my name." She continued looking at him. "I haven't spoken my name – or heard it – since I was a child."
"Do you remember it?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I haven't removed the helmet for anyone since I was a child."

"It has to be—" She stopped herself, but he still didn't look over. It felt like she was seeing him again, somehow different and yet the same. She had known he was a loner, but she never stopped to think of how truly lonely he must've felt under his armor. She was sure he'd never opened up to anyone before, and it wasn't something she took lightly.

"I've been training since." She held tighter to the furs, wishing he would look at her.

"I know you aren't a very physical person, but I'd give you a hug if you wanted one." He finally looked down at her, but didn't say anything.

"Keep your strength, kid." He walked to a chair next to the fire and pulled it beside her. "You need to go back to sleep."

"No."

"Lili." She looked at him.

"You told me something about you. The last thing I want to do is make you think I don't care." He didn't respond and Lili began shifting around.

"What are you doing?" She didn't respond and instead, she rested her head against the side of his leg with the fur still covering her body. She felt him tense, but he didn't force her away, either. "What are you doing?"

"I'm tired of sitting up."

"Then go back to bed."

"No." He shook his head and they both stared at the fire, but Lili still made no move. Instead, she enjoyed the moment, and so did he.