This is part of the "Head for Hondo" timeline. I really need to get a better name for this timeline. I'm happy to take suggestions.


Luke was trying very hard not to lose his temper. Trying very hard not just chuck it all in and run back to Tatooine and be a moisture farmer.

He had honestly thought he was getting somewhere, but one impassioned speech from a Representative of a planet that had been part of the Confederacy of Independent Systems before the Empire and so much of what he had worked for was thrown back so many steps he just didn't know if he had the strength to start up that mountain again. And to be fair they had valid concerns. There was no point to building a New Republic if the flaws that had torn the old Republic apart weren't addressed.

Luke just hadn't thought the Jedi would be considered one of those flaws.

So he had, very politely, excused himself from the Talks, under the guise of needing to meditate on the esteemed Representative's point of view. He had calmly and serenely walked back to his quarters, well aware the media and others were watching his reactions closely.

But once inside his apartment, he shucked off the robes everyone expected him to wear, and kicked them out of the way. Then he paused and taking a deep breath leaned down and picked them up.

"Why are you doing that?"

Luke's head snapped up and saw Fett watching him from his usual spot on the couch.

"I…" Luke ran through all the reasons he should pick up his Jedi robes and they all amounted to because it was the Jedi thing to do. Which would likely cause Fett to raise a scarred eyebrow. So he dropped what he had picked up and wandered over to the couch and plopped down. If Fett was going to make comments Luke could invade the couch. Luke rolled his head back and closed his eyes.

Then Luke felt Fett shift a bit closer. He still didn't know how he felt about the man. They had a definite connection, and recently, very recently, there were times when Fett had made him smile with a simple sharp look, an eye roll, a disdainful sniff, when people theoretically much closer to him couldn't even with the most loving of gestures. He carefully hid his surprise when Fett slid his hand under Luke's. He was slightly more surprised by himself when he folded his fingers over Fett's hand, but there was something…something there that Luke was too tired to think about.

"They broadcast the talks. Your departure is being analyzed and dissected, Skywalker."

"I'll be fine," Luke sighed.

"You don't have to be fine, Skywalker," Fett was as gentle in his tone, as he was abrupt, "Scream. Rant. Rave. Not going to stop you."

And so Luke did. He swore. He cursed. He made the most hideous insults on any number of people, places and things. He turned the air blue, reaching into purple, then red hot and finally language so foul that it shimmered in its own white heat. All the while his grip tightened on Fett's hand.

Luke hadn't realized he had stood up until he finished and found he had pulled Fett up with him.

"Better?"

It took Luke a moment of reflection before he smiled, tiredly yes, but smiled.

"Yes," he chuckled, "I don't think that's a Jedi sanctioned way of releasing anger though."

Fett laughed and snorted unexpectedly and looked embarrassed, and that made Luke smile even more. Fett seemed to struggle with it for a moment, but he ended up smiling too, his hand twisting in Luke's to a more natural hold.

And…it just seemed natural as well for them to both lean in until their foreheads were just touching. Luke felt like had he found a piece of serenity he hadn't know he had been missing, and he could feel Fett's entire presence shift in the Force to a completely relaxed and content state. Fett took Luke's other hand in his own.

"Somethings cannot be meditated away, Skywalker."