Chapter 4- Rude Awakening
Aeris had stayed curled into Luke the whole night. She never moved away from him and he never broke away from her. The extra blankets had helped, but what really helped Aeris was Luke's body heat. Being so close to him had finally helped her own body heat regulate again. Luke was right.
The two still slept comfortably in each other's arms, completely oblivious to the rest of the goings-on in the base, until the goings-on came and found them.
Han and Chewie walked through the icy hallways to Aeris' quarters. They had been worried about her and even though they knew Luke had taken care of her, they still wanted to check on her.
"We never saw Luke afterwards did we?" Han asked the Wookiee.
Chewie shook his head and gave a questioning rumble in response.
"Yeah I think he did. Only one way to find out, eh?" Han said with a smirk. The both of them walked up to her door. Han hesitated only a moment, not really sure what to expect on the other side. However, he got over his hesitation and just barged right through the door.
The lights flicked on and Han saw the two curled up in the bed and he smirked.
"Mmm… What?" Aeris mumbled. Her and Luke both began to stir and Han motioned to Chewie, and that was when all chaos broke loose.
The Wookiee suddenly barreled through and let out a roar, scaring the two. "Ah! Chewie what?! What's wrong?!" Aeris panicked. Chewbacca roared again and grabbed Luke and yanked him out of bed.
"Chewie wait wait!" Luke held his hands up, his eyes wide. "Nothing happened! I didn't do anything!" He rambled out quickly. Chewbacca held Luke off the ground and growled. Han only shrugged innocently.
"Can you blame him? I wasn't about to get in his way. I wasn't gonna let him kill ya, maybe just yank an arm out of socket-"
"Han!" Aeris yelled in protest. "What is wrong with you?! Nothing happened! Luke stayed in here and helped me get warm again, he took care of me!"
"Oh did he?" Han smirked. "Chewie put him down," he chuckled.
"Not like that you-"
"Hey, watch that mouth kiddo," Han warned playfully. Luke was finally set back down onto his feet and Chewbacca began snorting a little laugh. Luke still looked a bit startled and took a step back from Chewie.
"I take it you two had nothing better to do?" He snapped at Han.
"Well we wanted to check on Aeris and see if she was doing ok, then we realized you never came back yesterday and we put two and two together," Han shrugged. "Honestly didn't know what to expect when I walked in."
Luke glared at Han, looking equal parts embarrassed and angry. "I wouldn't do that to her. I was worried about her, I wanted to stay with her to make sure she was ok."
"Besides I can take care of myself!" Aeris hissed as she stood up. "And I can make my own decisions about who I allow into my bed. Now all of you get out!" She shouted.
"Ok ok! Take it easy, honey, we're going. Glad to know you're feeling better," Han gave her a knowing smirk. Aeris clenched her jaw a moment before she let out a slow breath and relaxed herself. She knew how Han could be, especially with her, and she should have expected it; something to catch both her and Luke off guard.
"I'm fine, now go so I can get changed. Ass. You too Chewie! You're both jerks!" She shouted after them as they left the room. Her and Luke were alone now and they turned to each other.
"Aeris I'm sorry," Luke said gently.
"For what? You didn't do anything."
"Yeah but you warned me last night about Han coming by. I should have listened," Luke blushed a bit and shook his head.
"Screw Han, he can kiss my ass!" Aeris spouted off. "Look I love him and he's like a brother to me, but he's not the boss of me and I'm gonna get him back for that. Now are you with me?" She smirked and raised a brow. Luke returned her smirk and his eyes sparked with mischief equal to hers.
"Absolutely."
"Good. Besides, I'm glad you stayed with me last night Luke. I really do feel better and I slept better last night than I have since we got here," Aeris stepped closer to him and slid her hands down his shoulders and arms. Luke instinctively slid his arms around her waist and looked down at her.
"I'm relieved to hear it. I'm glad I could help, I just wish you'd told me sooner. You know how I worry about you," there was a soft look about him. Aeris let her eyes run over his face before she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
"I know. I worry about you too. And listen, Han and Chewie are all bark and no bite. If they do try to bite, they'll feel the bite of blaster fire on their asses. From me."
"Oh? No lightsaber?" Luke teased, his eyes never leaving her face.
"Nah. I want to maim and threaten, not kill. I still need those two around a bit longer, yet," she admitted with a fake, heavy sigh. Luke grinned and let his eyes run over her face.
"I thought I told you that night in the hangar, you can't scare me off and I'm not going to let them scare me off."
"Not even the Wookiee?" Aeris grinned.
"Not even the Wookiee," Luke leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Get dressed. I'll see you out there. We can plot our revenge unless you have something in mind already?"
"I may ask Artoo for help… I rather like the idea of shocking Han in return," she growled.
"Well I know it would make me feel better to see that," Luke smirked.
"Done. See you soon!" Aeris grinned devilishly. They let each other go, rather reluctantly, but Luke made his way out of her room and the door slid shut behind him. Aeris felt like herself again rather than being cold all the time, and she was relieved… But she was still going to put on one extra layer just in case.
Luke had decided to change as well and got done before Aeris did. He was waiting for her off to the side and speaking to Threepio and Artoo. After a few more moments, Aeris finally emerged into the hanger from the hallway as well. She was dressed in her warm layers and her platinum hair almost blended right in against the white of her parka. Her hair on the right side was pulled back into that signature braid of hers. Obi-wan's saber still hung off of her hip and her knife Han had given her was sheathed at her side in place of a blaster.
"There she is," Luke grinned.
"Oh Miss Aeris! It's so wonderful to see you looking well again," Threepio said cheerfully. Aeris smiled as she walked up to the three.
"Hey guys! Thank you. Honestly I haven't felt very good since we arrived at this ice block but I'm alright enough now," she assured.
"Oh I completely agree with you!" Threepio said in exasperation. "This environment has my joints almost frozen solid! Artoo and I witnessed the commotion yesterday and we saw how ill you looked. I have no doubt Master Luke took very good care of you."
"He did," Aeris smiled softly, her clear blue eyes going to Luke. He smiled at her and sent her a wink. "So, been doing any scheming?" She said excitedly.
"Not yet, but I've already informed them of what happened. Artoo seems pretty excited to help," Luke motioned to the little droid. Aeris knelt down.
"Yeah? Want to start some mischief?"
Artoo beeped and whirred happily in response.
"What are you two up to now?" Threepio chided.
"Getting Han back for what he did this morning," Aeris smirked. "You up for it Artoo?"
The little droid practically wiggled in excitement. Aeris laughed.
"Wonderful! Alright I want you to shock Han. Nothing too bad, I don't want to incapacitate him, but I do want him to rethink what he did to us this morning," she reached forward and pat Artoo gently.
"Oh here he comes!" Threepio warned them quietly.
"Good…" Aeris stayed knelt down, as if she were giving Artoo a check up. Luke didn't pay any mind to Han until he was right up on them.
"Hey, Aeris? Luke?" Han stepped up to them. Aeris looked over at him, then stood to her feet.
"What?" She crossed her arms and raised a brow at him. Han shifted underneath the gaze of both of them.
"Well… I just wanted to make sure you two weren't too upset about what happened earlier. You know I couldn't resist it," he gave a cool smirk and a shrug.
"Oh no, of course not," Aeris had her own calm smirk on her face… But Han knew better. He knew something was bubbling underneath.
"Uh… Ok. Luke?" Han looked over at him.
"I agree with her," Luke shrugged. Suddenly, Artoo rolled forward between Luke and Aeris and right up to Han. Han looked down at him questioningly.
"What does he want?" He asked them. A little gadget slowly emerged from Artoo and it crackled with a little zap of electricity. Han's eyes widened and he realized what was happening all too late. Artoo zapped him right on the leg and Han yelped loudly and jumped back.
Aeris and Luke couldn't hold back their laughter. They leaned on each other lightly as they watched Han get chased by Artoo.
"Call him off Aeris! I'm sorry!" Han yelled. Some of the other Rebels were laughing too, quite familiar with Aeris' antics anyways. Chewbacca was sitting on top of the Falcon and working on it but he had a great view of what was going on too, and he was laughing.
"That's what you get, Han Solo!" Aeris shouted between her laughter. "Oh that was so worth it, did you see him? He jumped about a foot in the air!" Aeris leaned on Luke.
"Absolutely worth it. Maybe it'll teach you a lesson, Han!" Luke called.
"Ok ok I get it! Just call him off! I am sorry, really!" Han shouted.
"Artoo leave him alone, you're good," Aeris called the little droid off. Artoo rolled back over to Luke and Aeris. "You did great, buddy!" She praised, rubbing her gloved hand over his head. Artoo beeped and booped, making little whirring sounds.
"Serves him right, hmph!" Threepio agreed from the side before he turned to walk away, Artoo following along with him. Luke and Aeris walked up to the slightly disheveled captain.
"Your hair is kinda staticky now," Aeris pointed out with a Cheshire grin.
"Yeah yeah, I guess I deserved that," Han said, reaching up to flatten his hair. "And what are you laughing at? Get back to work! We gotta leave soon!" Han called to Chewie, who simply answered with an equally loud howl but he did return to work.
"Hey if you still want me to come, Han, I will," Aeris told him, suddenly realizing the seriousness of the situation. "I want to help. You and Chewie will need someone to have your backs in the nest with that slime ball."
Han opened his mouth, but hesitated. He really didn't want Aeris anywhere near Jabba and he saw the look on Luke's face and that alone was enough to make him change his mind.
"No, Aeris, you need to stay here," Han told her gently. "It'll be alright. Chewie and I can handle it. We'll just give him the money and get outta there, what could go wrong? It's me," he gave a broad grin. Aeris and Luke looked at each other.
"Right…" Luke drawled a bit.
"Yeah, that's what worries me," Aeris said, half jokingly.
"It's alright, we're not leaving right this minute. She still needs some repairs, I was hoping you could get up there and help?" Han rose a brow. "Don't want to have a repeat of yesterday, though, if you're not up to it."
"No, I am. Actually, I'd rather stay here and work with Chewie. I don't think I should be going outside much today."
"I agree. That's a good plan and I'm relieved you're not being stubborn about it," Luke teased. Aeris nudged him playfully.
"Yeah you're not the only one, kid," Han agreed.
"Hey!" Aeris protested. "I can be reasonable! I am reasonable!"
"Oh yeah, absolutely… Ya know, when the planets and stars align and all that," Han grinned. Aeris lightly socked him in the shoulder. He simply wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her into a slight headlock from the side.
"Han let me goooo!" Aeris groaned, struggling against him.
"Nice to see everyone hard at work," another female voice said. Leia had a slight smile on her lips as she walked up to the three of them.
"I was just teaching Aeris a new move," Han said before letting her go. She stumbled out of his grasp and Luke put a hand on her to steady her. After Aeris was back on balance, she still reached out to smack Han again.
"Sorry, Leia, I can't take this flyboy jerk anywhere," Aeris said as she ran a hand through her hair and tamed it back down. Leia only laughed softly.
"It's alright. I just came to check on you and to tell these two that the general requested their presence. A scouting mission, so I'm told," Leia informed.
"We'll go see him immediately," Luke said with a nod.
"Aw you guys get to take the Tauntauns out?" Aeris whined. "I love those creatures…"
"I think you're just about the only person that does, kiddo," Han said with a laugh in his voice.
"I like them," Luke grinned.
"Thank you, Luke," Aeris stuck her tongue out at Han.
"Ok, well I think you two are the only two that do. Don't worry, Aeris, you'll get to go out on a ride later. You said it yourself, you wanted to rest." Han put a gentler arm around her and pulled her into a half hug.
"Yeah… I guess you're right."
"How are you feeling, Aeris? We were worried about you yesterday," Leia had a concerned look on her face.
"Oh you heard about me almost falling off the Falcon? Damn. Rebels like the gossip don't they?" She joked. "But no, I'm fine, really. Luke took care of me," she smiled over at him. Leia smirked subtly.
"Good. No wonder you're in better spirits today and you know if you need anything, you can always come to me," Leia assured her softly.
"I know. Thanks, Leia. You're the first female friend I've ever had, and the best," Aeris promised before looking between the boys. "Well, you guys have fun. Bring me something back," she teased.
"I'll bring you back a snowball to throw at him," Luke winked and pulled Aeris into his own hug. The girl sighed out softly and practically melted in Luke's arms.
"How are you still so warm?" Her voice was a little muffled against his shoulder.
"I wouldn't be complaining if I were you," Luke teased.
"I'm not! I promise I'm not. I'm just amazed I guess. Alright, you two be safe. I know there's not much out there but those Wampas are nothing to take lightly," Aeris warned.
"We'll be careful," Han assured. "Go get Threepio if you need help understanding Chewie. He'll get you set up on the Falcon."
"See you all later!" Aeris began to move back towards the Falcon, and Han and Luke followed behind Leia. The three of them gave waves back to the girl, who returned the gesture. Aeris then turned around to face the Falcon and she looked up. "Hey Chewie!" She waved up to him. Chewie looked down and called out a little softer to her. "Don't worry, big guy, I'm not mad at you," she assured him. "Let's see what I can do to help you huh?"
Chewie gave an enthusiastic howl and waved for her to come on up.
Leave a Review if you'd like! Things are about to pick up! Thanks for reading!