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Note: When I first dreamed up Paz's history, I didn't realize there were two Mandalorian clans with such similar names. Vizla and Vizsla. Hence, I erroneously assumed that Paz belonged to the same Vizsla clan as the founder of Death Watch and was an ancestor of Tarre Vizsla, the Mandalorian Jedi. But now I'm too far into the story (I'm on chapter 37) to go back and fix it. Soooo...for the rest of my story, just go with this idea, Ok?

This is the way.

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Chapter 25

~X~

"We are the Death Watch, descendants of the true warrior faith all Mandalorians once knew.

Our people were warriors. Strong. Feared."

~Pre Vizsla~

Din had placed a blanket over Ravana, standing there for quite a while, watching her sleep. He still couldn't believe it.

She loved him!

He could think the words in his mind multiple times and still not fully comprehend how such a thing happened. Who was he for her to have such feelings for? A lone bounty hunter, with no home to speak of and nothing to offer a woman of her quality. She deserved the galaxy handed to her on a silver platter, but instead, she'd chosen to fall for him.

He wasn't worthy of such a woman, but damned if he would give her up!

A sound from the other room drew his attention from the amazing creature lying on the bed, and though he hated to leave her, he knew he had other obligations as well. The kid was awake and needed his attention, and really, Ravana deserved to rest without him hovering over her like some lovesick Bantha.

So, pulling his eyes from her sleeping form, he left the room, shutting the door silently behind him. The kid was standing up in the chair, babbling a string of gibberish with his little arms stretched out in a plea to be picked up. Din instantly obliged, always enjoying the soft cooing noises and way he snuggled against him, even in his beskar. He was probably hungry, eating something being his usual activity when waking from a nap. However, Din wasn't sure what the situation was here in the new covert, were they low on provisions? Did some go out to help support those who remained hidden? Were the foundlings being well fed and cared for? He still had a fair amount of the credits left that Ravana had forced him to take, but he would need to speak to her before he offered them up. After all, they were married and he wouldn't assume to dictate how their funds would be spent, it would need to be a joint decision.

He'd also wanted to find her something for the headache she was bound to wake up with. Sadly, the only person he knew that might have been willing to help with that, he'd just shot. Still, for Ravana…and the kid, he would swallow his pride and see if Paz would agree to help.

"Come on, little one," he told the child in his arms. "How about you put on that adorable grin and see if you can't melt another cantankerous Mandalorian's heart? Maybe we can get something for Ravana and some food for you as well."

The kid seemed up for the task, especially if food was involved, and so they left the chambers and headed for the one across the hall.

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The first knock seemed to garnish no response, but on the second, Din could hear the sound of boots heading his way. Standing back, he squared his shoulders and prepared himself for whatever mood Paz might be in.

"What?" came the gruff voice of the heavily armored man as he jerked the door open. "Oh, it's you. Have you come to shoot me again?"

"No." Din stated defensively, almost turning around and leaving then and there. He and Paz had never seen eye to eye, always at odds with each other, even when they were young. He knew it was as much his fault as the other man's, but choosing to ignore the situation and not deal with it head on had worked thus far…why ruin a good thing? But Din no longer had only himself to think about. There was now Ravana and the kid…and a fluffy white zaktan waiting for them back on the Razor Crest. So, taking a deep breath, he attempted to salvage the situation. "I came to…apologize."

This had apparently stunned Paz, for he stood there for a moment just staring at Din from beneath his helmet, not saying a word.

"Well…that's a first," was his eventual reply, stepping back and allowing the two of them to enter. It was obvious that Din had caught Paz in the middle of changing out of his armor, a few of the pieces sitting on a nearby bench, while most of it remained on his body. "Have a seat," he offered, gesturing to the chair Ravana had been occupying earlier, then taking one himself.

Din complied, setting the kid down on the floor and digging a small metal ball out of his pocket and giving it to him to play with. It wasn't the nob from the Razor Crest, just one of many objects he had picked up to keep his little charge occupied. With the child happily distracted, he turned his attention to Paz.

"I shouldn't have shot you," he began, attempting to sound sincere. He noticed that Paz's hand went to his chest, rubbing at it gingerly where he'd taken the blast. "Ravana's a grown woman, more than capable of making her own decisions and taking care of herself. I might have overreacted."

"Might?" Paz repeated. "For a moment I actually thought you meant to kill me."

"You'd have deserved it," Din countered.

"True, I was baiting you," Paz admitted. "But, there's no denying that Ravana is a capable woman," Paz agreed, leaning back in his own seat. "And beautiful as well." At this, Din gave a low growl in his throat, leaning forward just a bit as his hand reached for his blaster once more. This only made the large Mandalorian chuckle as he held up his hands in surrender. "Peace, Din. My mistake, I thought maybe you'd grown a sense of humor along with your humility."

"Not where Ravana is concerned," he grumbled, knowing that Paz was only trying to rile him…again. Most of the time it was easily done…another thing they had become good at over the years.

"So, I take it you don't see this whole marriage of yours as a sham after all?" he asked seriously.

"Is that what Ravana said?" Din felt his heart constrict just a bit at the idea. No wonder she was upset. She believed he didn't see their marriage as something real. And yet…did he?

"Yep," Paz nodded. "She's in love with you, by the way. Thought you should know."

"I do know…now," he said with a sigh, feeling completely foolish to not have seen it before. He had always prided himself on his instinct and skills as a hunter, but to miss these signs was embarrassing. "Much in part to your Pirate Brew and her inebriation."

"She is a talkative little drunk, isn't she?" Paz seemed to be thoroughly entertained by this. "Good thing I'm not about to use the information she gave out against her…or you."

"She wouldn't have spilled anything dangerous, no matter how much she had," Din scoffed, knowing her better than that. If she'd stood up to Gideon and his goons and not said a word, he knew she wouldn't have given anything away while under the influence. He trusted her. "But yes…we married under less than normal circumstances."

"To protect her," Paz agreed. "She told me what you did. Noble of you, even if you had ulterior motives you chose not to share with her."

"I'm not sure what I was thinking, or feeling, at the time," Din confessed. "I just knew I couldn't let her be auctioned off like a prized Fathier Beast."

"Because you love her," the Mandalorian stated as if it were quite obvious.

"Perhaps," was all he would admit to, causing the other man to shake his head and give a sigh.

"You always were a tough nut to crack, Din," Paz lamented. "Even when you were little, and my father brought you home as a foundling, you wouldn't give an inch. Stubborn as a Wookie and twice as hard to understand."

"Oh, and you were warm and welcoming?" he shot back accusingly.

"I might have been, if you'd just opened up a bit!" Paz barked out. "You were offered a place in our clan! Clan Vizsla has a long and respected history, you couldn't have asked for better. But no, you refused, choosing to be raised in the fighting corps instead of among a family! Do you know how that felt, Din? To be snubbed as a clan? You hurt my parents and you hurt me. Do you know what it's like to feel as though I wasn't good enough for you to consider me a brother?" Here he stood up, looming over the seated man rather ominously, his fists clenched and practically shaking with anger. "Damn that stubborn pride of yours, Din!"

It almost looked as if Paz would attack just then, with Din bracing himself for the blow he apparently deserved…but didn't come. For just when he thought he would feel his companion's fist, the man instead reached up and grabbed at his throat, staggering backwards as if fighting some unseen opponent that was set on strangling him. And yet, there was no one.

Din's eyes immediately went to the kid, and sure enough, he was standing there with his little hand stretched out, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he came to his foster-father's defense. The Mandalorian knew he should act quickly and stop this from continuing, but some small petty part of him hesitated, allowing Paz to stagger around a little bit longer. Yet, in the end, he rose to his feet and picked the child up, breaking his concentration and allowing Paz to take a very deep, and much needed, breath.

"That's enough," he told the kid, not raising his voice or showing his displeasure over the act like he had when it was Cara being choked. "He's a friend…though I know it didn't look that way."

"Did…did he do that?" Paz gasped, rubbing at the area just below the edge of his helmet. "Do you have a whole crew of protectors now, Djarin?"

"I've made some good allies, yes," he agreed, setting back in his seat with the kid on his lap.

"A lot better than that gang you ran with a few years back, that's for sure," Paz agreed, his rage apparently forgotten in the face of the kid's strange powers.

"I got out of that situation a while ago," Din huffed, now seeing what a fool he'd been to ever get involved with them in the first place…especially Xi'an.

"Good, because I don't think your wife would appreciate that Twi'lek showing up again," he grumbled, also retaking his seat, though watching the child with respectful caution. They were silent for a few moments, before Din spoke.

"I never meant to insult you or your clan…and especially not your parents, Paz," Din told him in a very tired voice. "I appreciate everything they did for me…and what they were offering. But I couldn't do it."

"Why the hell not?" the large man demanded, yet he quickly lowered his voice when he saw the kid's hand rise once more. Thankfully, Din reached out and gently lowered it with his own, shaking his head at the small creature.

"I'd just lost my family, Paz," he explained. "Parents I dearly loved. In my mind, if I had allowed myself to join yours…I would have been betraying them. They died protecting me. I couldn't dishonor them or their memory like that. So, I chose to be alone. It might have been foolish, but to a child, it was the only thing that made sense. I didn't want to forget them."

Again the room was deadly quiet, with only the sound of breathing filling the space. The kid looked from one man to the next, unable to see any movement or indication that they were even still conscious…until one spoke.

"I would have understood, Din," Paz said at last. "We all would've. Mando'ad draar digu." {A Mandalorian never forgets.} He lowered his head and gave a heavy sigh, as if finally understanding Din's actions more clearly. "We would have remembered them with you."

Din nodded slowly, then in a solemn voice, he recited the daily remembrance for those who'd passed on, words he'd spoken every day since he'd learned them in the fighting core.

"Ni su'cuyi, Kaysh kyr'adyc, ni partayli, Kaysh darasuum Bernard bal Natalia." {I'm still alive, but they are dead. I remember them, so they are eternal, Bernard and Natalia.}

"Bernard bal Natalia," Paz repeated, his tone one of respect and honor, reaffirming Din's petition for them to be remembered. They both remained quiet for a while, the heaviness of the moment holding back their speech. At last, Paz broke the silence. "Why didn't you say something back then, Din?"

"How could I? When I didn't understand what I was feeling at the time myself. I was young, lost, hurting, and scared to do anything that might cause me to lose any connection, no matter how small, I still had with them," he told the man. "In my mind, if I joined Clan Vizsla I would have severed those ties forever."

"And now just look at you. Djarin…a clan of three," Paz mused, eyeing the child from behind his visor. "Your parents would be proud of you. You did a fine thing with him. I'm sorry I ever called you a coward."

"And I'm sorry it took me so long to make all of this clear," Din stated. "It was never my intention to hurt you, or anyone."

"Yeah…well, you did," Paz huffed, crossing his arms over his chest plate. "But, you were a stupid kid back then. I suppose I can't hold that against you forever."

"No, just twenty-five years, it would seem," Din replied, a tinge of humor in his voice.

"Clan Vizsla may be famous for their battle skills, but they're also known for their long memories and holding grudges," Paz admitted with a chuckle. "Something you would have known if you'd joined the family."

"Maybe I would have fit right in then," Din said in a deadpan voice, causing Paz to let out a full snort of laughter.

"Maybe so," he agreed. "But I understand why you did what you did. And I…I forgive you."

"That's big of you," Din said.

"I've always been bigger than you," Paz challenged, slapping at his chest with an air of pride, then cringing slightly, quickly recalling he'd just been shot there. "Not to mention smarter, and far better looking."

"And how would you know that?" he scoffed.

"I remember what you looked like when you arrived, before you swore an oath to the creed," he stated with a shrug of his shoulders. "You couldn't have improved much since then." He then leaned in and leveled Din with a stare. "Has your wife seen your face yet? Have you removed your helmet for her?"

"No," Din admitted. "We were not married by Mandalorian customs. She has not seen beneath my helmet."

"You mean…no kissing? No –" here Din cut him off.

"NO!" was all he said, effectively ending the conversation.

"Then you're a stronger man than I, Din Djarin," Paz said with a low whistle. "You have one fine wife, and to deny yourself one of life's greatest pleasures…that takes strength."

"Our relationship thus far has been…complicated," he attempted to explain.

"She loves you. You love her. What's so complicated about that?" Paz asked.

"She's got a bounty on her head for a crime she didn't commit, and the kid is being hunted by a rogue ISB officer - one directly involved in the Purge of Mandalore, by the way," Din informed him. "There hasn't been much time for romance or talk of love."

"Then make the time!" Paz said, pointing his finger at this friend in a warning fashion. "No one knows what tomorrow will bring, so make the most of today."

"I see your point," Din nodded, knowing that their lives could end tomorrow, with all the troubles that were chasing them. And that's exactly what he planned to do, as soon as Ravana woke up. Which reminded him… "Do you have any pain meds? She's going to have one killer headache when she wakes up." Before Paz could answer, the kid began to fuss a bit, causing Din to recall the other reason he came in. "And something to eat for this little fellow? I don't want to take the covert's provisions, but he is a foundling."

"Yes, one with the power to kill me with his mind," Paz muttered in irritation, though he rose from his seat and rummaged around in a few cupboards, before returning to the table. Setting down a packet of pills, he handed a dish of provisions to the child. "Hope that will suffice…food is at a premium right now. Times have been hard since the move, though we've been getting by."

"I'll do what I can before I leave," Din promised, watching as the kid began to shovel the food into his mouth, showing no signs of finding it distasteful.

"It would be appreciated," Paz acknowledged, having no hesitation with accepting help when it came to the children under their care. "Now, perhaps you best be getting back to your wife. I would say you two have a lot to discuss."

"I have things I would like to talk about with you as well," Din told him, rising to his feet and holding the dish in one hand and the child in the other. The child had his little hands reaching out as far as they would go, attempting to grab hold of the dish, or more specifically, the food inside it. "I've asked to meet with the Armorer again tomorrow, will you be there for what I have to say?"

"If you feel it necessary," Paz nodded, walking him to the door. "And Din…I'm glad we got things straight between us. It was a long time in coming."

"I agree," he said, giving a slight bob of his helmet before heading towards the chamber where he'd left his sleeping wife. It felt good to have peace between him and Paz at last, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Now if he could only work things out with Ravana to their mutual satisfaction.

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Ravana opened her eyes and instantly wished she hadn't. Oh, her head hurt! Reaching up she put her hands over her throbbing temples and rolled over, letting out a low moan.

"How are you feeling?" came the far too loud voice of Din from somewhere in the room

"Must you yell?" she grumbled, taking the pillow and placing it over her face in hopes of muffling the sound.

"I assure you, I am speaking at a very low volume," he answered, though she could almost hear the laughter in his voice. "You have the Pirate Brew to thank for your pain, but this might help."

Ravana removed the pillow and opened one eye, assessing the Mandalorian and what he held in his ungloved hands.

"What is it? Poison?" she inquired. "Because right now I think I'd have to die in order to feel better."

"It's pain meds," Din assured her, and she could just imagine him rolling his eyes at her under his helmet. "Do you want them or not?"

"Give them here," she sighed, attempting to sit up as carefully as possible and reaching for his offering. Ravana carefully placed the pills in her mouth and washed them down with the cup of water he handed her next, cringing at the foul taste they left behind as they went down. "Are you sure they weren't poison?"

"Unless Paz is harboring some deep seeded grudge against you and wants you dead, yes, I'm pretty sure," he once again reassured her.

"Paz? Oh, right…the big guy," she nodded, regretting the action immediately. "No, I think he and I are square." She then paused, looking up at Din in confusion. "Or at least I think we are. Did I do or say anything to have changed that?"

"I wouldn't know," Din confessed. "Though you two seemed chummy enough when I found you."

"You found us…where?" Things were rather fuzzy all of a sudden.

"In his chambers," was his clipped reply. "Drinking."

"Oh, right…so that's why my head hurts so much," she deduced. She then looked around the room, a bit panicked. "Where's the kid? Is he all right?"

"He's fine," Din was quick to put her mind at ease. "He was still sleeping when I brought you back. Since then I've seen that he was fed, bathed, and he had a full night's rest."

"A full night?" this surprised Ravana. "How long was I out?"

"I'd say about fifteen hours," he told her, sitting down on the bed beside her. "Pirate Brew is not for the novice drinker."

"Now you tell me," she chuckled. "I hope I didn't embarrass myself by dancing on a table or singing Old Republic songs." When he tipped his helmet at her in a questioning manner she quickly added. "They're the only songs I know…ones my uncle taught me."

"No…you didn't do anything like that," he told her slowly. "So, you don't remember anything from yesterday?"

"I remember arriving at the covert and you staying to talk to the Armorer," she said, still feeling a bit miffed by him excluding her from that conversation. Suddenly that former bit of jealousy reared its head, making her wonder if there might actually have been something between Din and this woman. "I also recall accepting Paz's offer of a drink, us talking for a bit, and then…nothing."

"Nothing at all?" Din seemed a bit upset by this, though she didn't know why. "You don't remember me fetching you and bringing you back here to sleep it off?"

"No, not a thing," she stated firmly, giving him a look of horror. "I did sing, didn't I? Oh, no! Now I really hope those pills were poison." Ravana once more buried her head in her hands, but this time from humiliation, not the pain.

"You did not sing," Din told her with one of his customary sighs. "Nor did you do or say anything…improper. This is sadly just one of the side effects of overindulging in Pirate Brew."

"One of the side effects?" she demanded, looking up at him in fear. "Does that mean there's others?"

"Just the growing of a third eye in the middle of your forehead," Din said with a shrug. "And then maybe going blind in all three."

"WHAT?" Now Ravana was seriously freaking out. "I'll kill him! Paz is a dead man…assuming I can see him in order to kill him!" She stood up and began to pace back and forth wringing her hands together in worry. Yet, when she heard the soft laughter coming from beneath Din's helmet, she stopped and stared at him in shock.

"I'm joking," he revealed, standing up and coming over to her, placing both hands gently on her shoulders. "Your headache is the only thing you need to worry about, and that should pass soon as well."

"I don't know whether to kick you for teasing me or pat you on the back for actually telling a joke…and laughing about it," Ravana said with a smile. "I'd say you're coming along nicely, Djarin."

"Would you now?" he questioned, reaching up and brushing the back of his fingers across her cheek, sending shivers down her spine. "That's very kind of you to say."

Ravana was stunned into silence, for Din was acting very odd, but in a way that made her stomach do flip-flops. What had come over him in the past fifteen hours? The last time they'd spoken, he'd all but snubbed her, sending her off with Paz instead of keeping her with him. And now, here he was, being nice…telling jokes…and touching her?

What had changed?

"I…I'm only telling the truth," she was able to get out at last.

"And I appreciate it," he continued, his warm fingers coming around to rest beneath her chin, as he let his thumb graze over her bottom lip in what Ravana could only describe as a sensual manner. "Now, how about you freshen up and come out to the main room. The kid's been anxious for you to wake up and I have some food waiting."

Ravana couldn't have said a word if her life depended on it, so instead she simply nodded her head, watching as the normally stoic Mandalorian stepped back. Instantly she found she missed his touch and almost reached out to pull him back towards her, but her limbs were just as useless as her voice. So, she was forced to watch as he turned and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

When she was once again alone, Ravana all but collapsed onto the bed, laying back as she stared up at the ceiling in wonder and amazement.

"Where in the galaxy did all that come from?" she whispered out loud. But then a soft smile crossed her lips. "Oh, who am I kidding? I don't care where it came from…I just hope it never stops!"

So, yes, Ravana DID forget what she said. But don't worry, like I told another reviewer, 'The love boat has sailed and there's no returning to port now'. Din knows and he will NOT forget.

Did you all like Din and Paz working things out between them? They could have once been brothers, but sadly, Din just couldn't let go of his past, and to this day feels the pain of the loss of his parents.

And look! Mando made a joke! He really has come a long way.

More fun on Friday...and thank you ALL for such wonderful and entertaining reviews. I love getting them and answering each and every one!

Guest Reviews:

Phantom Guest: Yep, the words were said! Now we just need Din to say them out loud. (easier said than done) I agree, there wasn't much more that could be done with her as drunk as she was, and if he'd said he loved her, she wouldn't have remembered anyway...so I thought it best he wait to say anything. Thanks for agreeing to wait patiently...but you won't have to for long. :o) Thanks

Lilais: I see you were a bit excited there. ha ha. Yep, things are moving in the RIGHT direction! Yes, Ravana will suffer a head ache for all this, but I say it's worth it just to see them actually DOING something. ha ha. Thanks for enjoying it so much, to hear that you do really makes my day. T.O.W.G.