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Running a bit behind on answering reviews again...but I'll catch up!

Oh, and THIS is the longest chapter of the whole story.

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Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and kind words that kept me going. Sadly, it's time for the Razor Crest to fly off into the sunset...for now.

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Chapter 48

~X~

Tip-yip - a species of chicken that lived on the moon of Endor. They were similar to hens, and were raised for their eggs by the sentient Ewoks who also lived on Endor

"I'm a Mandalorian. Weapons are part of my religion."

"This is the way"

~Din Djarin~

It wasn't long before all four of them, because Zax had come too, stood before the small home where his parents resided. And though Din wore his helmet, Ravana could tell from his posture just how nervous he was. She didn't blame him, for this was a huge, monumental event! It's not every day you meet your long-lost parents for the first time in nearly thirty years.

"Din…are you all right?" she asked, reaching out and taking hold of his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm right here. Tell me what you need."

"You," he answered, his voice tight and low. "I just need you beside me."

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised. "Are you ready?"

"What if…what if they've forgotten me?" he asked suddenly, his unfounded fears coming to the fore. "What if I'm not what they want any more?"

"What are you saying?" Ravana gasped. "Of course they will want you, just as you are! And they've no less forgotten you than you could ever forget the String-bean. They loved you then, they'll love you now. They risked their lives to protect you, and nearly died in doing so. There's no way they could ever love you less."

Din stood there for a few moments longer, staring at the door in front of him, before turning to look at Ravana.

"I love you," he told her, his voice full of conviction. "I love you, Junior, our new Ad'ika, and even Zax. And no matter what happens in there, nothing will ever change that. Do you believe me?"

"Of course I do," she assured him. "And we will love you right back. Always."

"Then…let's do this," he stated, taking a deep breath as he squared his shoulders, preparing himself for what was to come.

Ravana nodded and took a step forward, knocking on the door with conviction…but politely. After all, these were her in-laws, and she didn't want to appear rude. She waited with her heart in her throat, praying they weren't the type to turn in early, thus forcing them to do this all over again the next morning. It was only a few hours after sunset, and there were still quite a few people on the streets, so she didn't think they were calling too late. Yet, just when she was starting to panic, there came the sound of the door unlocking, and suddenly…there he was. Din's father.

"Ravana?" he asked, rather surprised to see her again so soon. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Well, you did say I could stop by any time," she said, cringing slightly at how ridiculous she felt. They probably thought she was stalking them or something. "And I have Junior with me," she added, holding up the String-bean in hopes that his presence might curry favor with them.

"Of course," Bernard said with a smile. "you're always welcome, do come in." He then stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter.

"And…I brought my husband," Ravana finished, turning slightly as she signaled for Din to step out of the shadows where he'd been lurking.

However, when he did, his beskar armor gleaming in the light, Bernard took a cautionary step backwards, the shock on his face quite evident.

"I thought you promised you wouldn't mention anything to Nat about the Mandalorians," he hissed, obviously a bit upset, but trying to keep his voice low.

"I know, but my husband has information for you…about your son," she blurted out, just wanting him to let her in so they could get everything out in the open. However, when Bernard's face grew pale and his eyes began to water slightly, she quickly added. "It's good news! I promise!"

This seemed to settle the man slightly and he at last gestured for them to come inside. Ravana and the kid went first, with the zaktan padding along beside her. Din was a bit slower to enter, his feet apparently being made of lead, yet he never once took his visor off the man who owned the house.

Once everyone was standing in the main room, with the door closed and bolted behind them, Bernard called out to his wife.

"Nat…can you come here please," he asked, still eyeing the Mandalorian before him skeptically. "Ravana is back for another visit."

"Did she bring Junior?" was the woman's first question as she stepped into the room with a big smile, apparently not giving a care about what time it was. "Here for more biscuits, I'll bet. Kids just can't resist them. I know my son sure couldn't."

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Din knew that Ravana had heard the gasp of shock that came from beneath his helmet at the sight of his mother. For in his mind, there was no longer any doubt to the fact that they were his parents. Beyond his wildest imaginings, there they stood…Bernard and Natalia Djarin, the family he'd thought he lost. His mother's eyes were milky white, and his father was missing a leg - just as Ravana had warned. Yet even though they both had more wrinkles on their faces and grey streaks in their hair, he had recognized them in a heartbeat. His father still looked strong, and there was the same brightness to his mother that he remembered, causing the lump in his throat to nearly choke him as he attempted to breathe around it.

Din had been so lost in his memories and utter joy, that he'd missed a bit of conversation, with Ravana talking with them like they were old friends. But when Junior gave a squeal of joy, apparently excited to see the kind lady who'd made the tasty biscuits, Din shook his head and forced himself to return to the present.

"Ravana brought back her husband as well," Bernard was telling Natalia, alerting her to his presence in the room.

"She did?" Nat seemed pleased, turing her head to wher she assumed he was standing, for until now he'd remained deadly silent. "You are most welcome, for we've become rather fond of your family, Sir."

"I…I am happy to meet you…both," Din was able to get out, his words cracking a bit over his emotions.

"You should probably know, Natalia," Ravana added, looking at Bernard with a apologetic smile. "That my husband is a Mandalorian. One of many who have recently relocated to Anoah."

"A…a Mandalorian?" at this, the woman's pale eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth with her hand in shock.

"They came back tonight because they have news…of our son," Bernard finished, figuring there was no stopping the inevitable. For good or bad, they knew something about their Din, and he would never hide that from her.

This had Natalia grabbing hold of Bernard's arm and leaning against him, either out of fear or anticipation, not daring to hope for the best, and preparing herself for the worst.

"You…you know something about our son?" she asked in a very hesitant voice. "Do you know where our little Din is? Is he all right? Is he…alive?" Her last word came out almost as a sob.

"Yes. He's alive," Din assured her, his shaking hands reaching up towards his helmet. He heard Ravana's sharp intake of breath at his actions, yet he knew it was more from the realization that he had accepted their identity, than anything else. For she knew that if he had deemed them his family…then by his clan's standards, they were allowed to see him without his helmet. Thus, removing it slowly, he revealed his face to his father, if not his mother. "And I know all about him, because…he's me."

Now it was Bernard's turn to act as if he were in need of something, or someone, to steady him as he stared into the face of his son…his little boy who'd turned into a man. The resemblance between the two men was even more noticeable with them standing so close together, obviously leaving no doubt in Bernard's mind that this was truly his child.

"Din?" he asked, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Is it really you…Son?"

"Yes," he nodded, unable to articulate any more than that.

"Bernard?" his wife asked, her voice pleading for answers. "Is it him? Has our little boy come back to us?"

"He…he looks like Din…only all grown up," Bernard stammered. "He's not so little anymore, Nat."

Unable to stand it any longer, she broke away from her husband and approached him with her arms held out in front of her, eager to touch her child once more. Din stood still, though reached forward, guiding her in as gently as he could. Her hands found their way to his face, her fingers inspecting every inch, including the moisture on his cheeks.

"Din?" she questioned, her own eyes now dripping with tears as well. "If it's really you…what were the last words we said to you?" she asked.

Here he gave a knowing smile, understanding her need for confirmation. He could only imagine how many times they may have been disappointed or been given false hope. Yet, thankfully, he could provide the proof she needed. Looking up at his father, he nodded in his direction.

"He told me…be brave my little soldier," Din revealed, recalling the words so clearly in his mind. He then looked down at his mother. "While you said that you loved me."

"And I still do!" Natalia sobbed, throwing her arms around him as she held on as if her life depended on it. "Oh…Din…it's you. It's really you."

Din could hold back no longer, and he too wrapped his mother in a loving embrace. Bernard, not to be left out, joined them, the three of them huddled together as they openly wept for the lost years and their found child.

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By now, Ravana was a blubbering mess, the tears coursing down her cheeks like a river, but there was the biggest smile on her face. Junior looked from the weeping group to his mother and then back gain in confusion, letting out a perplexed squeak as he tried to understand.

"I know, String-bean," Ravana cooed, trying her best to let him know that everything was all right. "But don't worry…these are happy tears. Nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is perfectly right."

She'd been surprised when Din had removed his helmet, though she knew he could do so in front of family. Still, the act had proven to her that he truly believed these were his parents, not someone trying to trick them or get close in order to do them harm. No, they were indeed Bernard and Natalia Djarin. And suddenly, Ravana's family had just gotten a bit larger. Something that had been happening a lot lately, she thought to herself as she rubbed her stomach. First, she learned she had a cousin, met Rex – who was as close to an uncle as she was going to get - gained a husband and a son all in one day, and then found out she was pregnant. Now, she had in-laws, and Ravana couldn't have been happier.

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"Where have you been, Son?" Bernard asked, pulling back as he stared up at the man before him. "We looked everywhere for you."

"I was taken in by the Mandalorians," he explained, though honestly with the way he was dressed, that was a given. "They raised me as one of their own."

"We'd hoped that's what happened," Bernard nodded. "For the alternative was that you'd perished, and we refused to accept that." Here he looked down at his wife, his expression one of pride. "Well…at least your mother never gave up hope. I fear I was beginning to falter in my faith."

"It was difficult for me at times to believe you'd survived as well," Natalia admitted, wiping at her eyes, ones that might not be able to see, but could produce tears just fine. "We'd hoped you'd be safe in that cellar, and we'd only ran a short distance from you, in hopes of drawing the battle droids away. But then an explosion went off right in front of us. I thanked the stars every day that we'd put you in there for safety…for while the two of us did survive - as you can see - we didn't come out of it unscathed. If you'd been there, you may not have lived through it." Here she stopped and covered her mouth as another sob escaped. "And yet, we lost you regardless…for after that we had no idea what had become of you."

"Nat, don't do this," Bernard soothed, rubbing her shoulders gently. "He's here…Din's back. Second guessing things will make no difference now."

"You did what you felt was best for me," Din insisted. "You protected me. And all this time I belived you'd given your lives in order to do so. For as the Mandalorians took me away from the battle, I looked back, only to see your bodies lying on the ground. Not moving." He shut his eyes, pained by the memory. Then reaching out he took hold of his parents' hands, giving them a squeeze as if to reassure himself that they were truly alive. "If I'd only known the truth…I would have come looking for you, I swear. I'm so sorry."

"We don't blame you, Son," Bernard assured him. "It was no more your fault than ours. We simply had more reason to believe that you were alive. For we were never given any solid proof that you had perished, thus we chose to hope you'd been rescued."

"And I was. The Mandalorians were kind and treated me as one of their own." Din then turned and looked over at Ravana. "Yet, they are not the only family I have, for I've recently married and adopted a son." He let go of his father's hand and gestured for his wife to join them. "Her name is Ravana…but I suppose you already know that." He had to chuckle a bit, recalling that it was she who found his parents in the first place. "Without her, I don't know where I would be right now. But I can guarantee I wouldn't be standing in your house, that's for sure. You could have knocked me over with a feather when she told me she'd met the two of you earlier today. I was almost afraid to believe her, but I knew she would never lie to me."

Ravana was now by his side, his arm encircling her waist and holding her tight. The kid was all smiles again, now that most everyone had stopped crying, and he could tell that something exciting was taking place. Zax continued to sit attentively, his ears perked up with interest.

"And this is Junior…our adopted son," Din continued, gesturing to the kid.

"Yes, I actually met him and Ravana a few months back," Bernard grinned. "Though at the time, I thought him only an adorable thief."

"A thief?" Din questioned, looking at Ravana for an explanation.

"A story that can be told later," she grinned, recalling that with meeting Luke and Leia that day, she's completely forgotten to mention anything about it. "Suffice it to say, they are quite familiar with their grandson already."

"Our grandson!" Nat cried out, as if suddenly realizing the full scope of getting her son back. Namely, that he did come with a family of his own. "Oh, Bernard! We have our son, a new daughter, and a grandchild!"

"Not to mention Zax," Ravana added, gesturing to the small animal who'd been quietly sitting at her feet through the whole reunion. "Can't forget him."

"I had no idea when I invited you in for a drink of water and a rest this afternoon that you were actually our daughter-in-law," Bernard laughed, looking at the grinning woman in a whole new light. "Did you know?"

"Actually…the whole reason I became faint in the first place was because you'd introduced yourself as Bernard Djarin," she chuckled. "I thought I was hearing things or perhaps suffering from sunstroke."

"Then you did know who we were when you came here today?" Natalia asked in shock.

"I did…and though I wanted to say something then, I felt I needed to inform Din first, and have him confirm my suspicions," she told them in her defense. "I'd have just felt terrible if I had been wrong somehow and got your hopes up for nothing."

"We understand," Bernard assured her, placing his hand on her arm. "And the fact that I was trying to swear you to secrecy about the Mandalorians didn't help, I'm sure."

"You were what?" Natalia questioned, not understanding what he was saying.

"I'm afraid I've lied to you, Nat," he confessed in a penitent tone. "I knew that a group of Mandalorians had recently taken up residence on Anoah. And though I saw very few of them, I never did tell you, for fear that you would get your hopes up once more, only to have them dashed to pieces. Please forgive me, my love, for if I had said something earlier, we might have known of our son's whereabouts sooner."

"Not necessarily," Din broke in, eager to smooth things over between his parents. "I was not among the ones who originally relocated here a little over six months ago. Ravana, Junior, Zax, and I only settled here quite recently. So it wouldn't have made any difference if you'd inquired about me back then. You would have learned nothing, for the Mandalorians are a very tightlipped community…especially after the Great Purge, and what took place back on Nevarro, where we'd been living before."

"Yes, the Great Purge," Bernard said with a heavy sigh. "That alone has been the biggest blockage for us to get any information on what might have become of you - if you'd actually been taken in by their clans. After that, there was simply no records for us to look through…no way of learning your whereabouts."

"Since the Purge, most of the clans were either destroyed or went into hiding," he revealed. "I can only imagine the walls you ran into from there on."

"And yet, despite them all, we found you at last," Natalia sighed, reaching out once more to feel his face. "Making it all worth the while. My only other wish in the galaxy would be that I could see you now, my darling. For in my mind, all I can picture is my little boy."

At her words, Din froze, his eyes turning to look down at his own son, still cradled in his wife's arms.

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Ravana could almost read Din's mind, and she too had been giving the idea a great deal of thought, ever since Junior had attempted to heal Natalia's eyes earlier that day. She'd stopped him from acting then, but now…well, there appeared to be nothing holding them back.

"I think he can do it, Din," she told him with an encouraging smile. "Remember what he did for Koda? It's worth a try…right?"

"Yes…I believe it is," he nodded, stepping back from his now confused parents as he took the kid into his arms. "Can you do this, Junior? For me? It would mean a great deal to all of us."

Somehow the child knew exactly what he was being asked to do, and he reached out his hands towards the woman who was his grandmother.

"Din?" Bernard questioned, not understanding what they were talking about.

"Father," he began, nearly choking up once more as he used that title for the first time in years. "It turns out, your grandson is…well, rather special," Din stated, not quite sure how to broach the subject of him being Force sensitive.

"Of course he is!" Natalia agreed. "We're already quite fond of him."

"No, I mean he has special abilities, ones that stem from a power known as the Force," he clarified. "He can do things that others can't…amazing things!"

"Like the Jedi Knights of old…before the Empire wiped them out?" Bernard questioned, having once been fascinated by the legendary order. "The peacekeepers that wielded the laser swords?"

"Lightsabers," Din corrected, having recently been introduced to the weapon himself – first hand. "And yes, those Jedi."

"Junior isn't by any means old enough to use a lightsaber, however," Ravana piped up, not wanting them to imagine their son was in any way like the warriors they were speaking of. "Still, he can manipulate the Force in other ways. Ways we don't yet understand, but we hope to one day."

"He can heal wounds," Din explained. "When Ravana was gravely injured by an enemy, he restored her to health. He did the same for me, and a few others as well. One being a male of his species named Koda, who had lost the use of one eye. Junior was able to give him back his sight."

"You mean he can fix Nat's blindness?" Bernard gasped, the mixture of excitement and disbelief evident on his face. "Truly?"

"He did it before," Din confirmed. "And I can tell he'd like to try and heal mother's eyes as well." He then looked down at his father's metal leg, giving a sad sake of his head. "Sadly…I don't think he has the power to regrow a lost limb."

"I don't give a flying fig about my leg," he argued, waving them off. "But if he can restore Nat's sight, I'll forever be in his debt."

"Join the club," Din smiled, recalling just how much they all owed the little green child he held.

"Will it harm him in any way to do so?" Natalia questioned, her head turning from Bernard to Din and back.

"It tires him out, but he doesn't seem to be adversely affected from doing the healing," Ravana assured her, the three adults now guiding Natalia to the sofa where Din and Bernard sat down on either side of her. Ravana took the chair across from them all and watched anxiously as her husband placed the kid on Natalia's lap.

"Now, just relax," Din instructed, urging Junior to do his thing.

The kid stood as tall as he could, allowing his grandmother's hands to steady him as he reached up and touched her face. As three little fingers covered each eye, Junior shut his own, his expression taking on that of deep concentration. Everyone else in the room, besides Zax, was now holding their breath, waiting and wondering if this would actually work. Din and Ravana had confidence, built from past experience, but Bernard was going on faith alone. Still, any chance there was that his wife could see again was worth grasping at any straw offered to him.

Once more the moments ticked by with agonizing slowness, but suddenly Natalia jerked back, her eyelids snapping open as she stared at the pair of green hands in front of her.

"Oh…Bernard!" she gasped, her previously clouded eyes now bright blue once more. "You weren't kidding when you said he was the most adorable little thief in the whole galaxy!"

"You…you can see him?" Bernard stammered, shock and disbelief ripe in his tone. "Nat…can you see me?"

Here she turned her attention from the child she was holding, supporting his little frame that now seemed to sag just a bit as his own eyes began to droop. Yet, when her eyes landed on the man who'd spoken, she blinked a few times and cocked her head to the side.

"Bernard? When did you get so old?" she questioned in surprise.

At this, her husband broke out in laughter, his eyes filling with happy tears all over again.

"I've got news for you, Nat, you're no spring tip-yip yourself these days," he informed her, engulfing her in a warm embrace, with Din leaning over to remove the String-bean from his mother's lap so she could return the gesture. "But I love you just as much as the day we met. And to me, you'll always be the most beautiful woman in the galaxy." The two shared a tender moment, both of them so happy to see, and be seen, once again. Yet very soon Natalia was turning her head in search of the other man in her life…her son. When she saw him for the first time in over twenty-five years, she gasped in shock.

"You look just like your father did on the day I married him," she exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise. "You're so very handsome, my son!" Once more she had to reach up and touch him, just to make sure he was actually there, and this was not some figment of her imagination. Once she'd inspected every inch of his face, she turned her attention to the kid resting in his lap. "Thank you, my precious darling," she told the kid. "Thank you for giving me back my sight. I couldn't have asked for a better grandson than you, Junior." Next her gaze fell upon Ravana. "And I have such a beautiful daughter-in-law as well." At this Zax gave a yip, jumping up into his mistress' lap, not wishing to be left out of this happy family moment. "This must be Zax," she chuckled, reaching out to pet him on the head. "No wonder you're Junior's favorite thing…you're very adorable too."

This had everyone laughing and smiling, with each one talking over the other as they asked, and answered, question after question. Bernard and Natalia related all that had transpired after they lost Din, from their recovery to their search for him across the galaxy. Din too retold his history, living and training with the Mandalorians, escaping the Great Purge, and taking up the profession of bounty hunting to help support the covert. When he got to the tale of how he found the kid, his parents were both aghast and proud of how he'd handled the situation, going to such lengths to see that his high-value target was kept safe from those who wished to harm him.

Somewhere around the time he got to telling how he and Ravana had met, Din looked over to find that both his blushing bride and diminutive son had fallen asleep. It was true that they had been talking all night, and it was quickly approaching dawn, but neither he, nor his parents, wanted this evening to end. They each needed to know every detail of every moment they'd been apart and would happily forgo sleep in order to hear everything. So, on they talked, until the light from the sun came streaming in through the windows, announcing a brand-new day.

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"Ravana," Din whispered, gently shaking her until her eyes slowly opened. "Rise and shine, cyar'ika." {my darling}

"Is it morning?" she questioned, sitting up in surprise. "When did I fall asleep? What did I miss?"

"Just a lot of catching up," he assured her. "And nothing that can't be retold a million times again. Mother is making breakfast, and my father was going to show me his workshop out back."

"Oh, I'll go see if she needs any help," Ravana offered, quite excited to get to know Din's mother better. She already liked the woman, but suddenly her attachment to Natalia had reached a new level.

"She'd like that very much," Din nodded, helping her to her feet. "Junior and Zax are already in with her, and I'm sure she's stuffing them full of her famous biscuits as we speak." Once she was standing before him, he wrapped her in a warm embrace. "Thank you, Ravana. Thank you for giving me back my parents."

"All I did was stumble upon them while shopping," she told him, though from his tone she could tell exactly what this meant to him. "And I'm so happy for you all, Din. Truly I am."

"Din…are you coming?" Bernard asked, poking his head around the doorway, anxious to spend as much time as possible with his son. When he saw the two in their embrace, he held up his hand, blushing slightly. "On second thought, take your time."

"I'm coming," Din assured him, placing a kiss on his wife's lips before disengaging and following his father out of the room.

Ravana shook her head in happy disbelief and headed for the kitchen herself, finding her mother-in-law staring with rapt attention as the String-bean used both hands to shove a biscuit into his mouth…dropping bits and pieces on the floor for Zax as he did.

"Careful, if you don't keep an eye on him, he'll eat you out of house and home," Ravana announced as she stepped inside the room. "Not to mention make a serious dent in the frog population."

"Frogs?" Nat questioned, giving the kid a look of surprise.

"Yep, loves the slippery buggers," Ravana laughed.

"Well, trust me, I plan on keeping both eyes on him and Din…as well as you and Bernard," she laughed. "I've not seen anything for years and I just can't seem to take it all in now. I keep pinching myself to prove that I'm really awake and this isn't just some wonderful dream."

"No, it's real," Ravana assured her. "It simply has to be…it would be totally unfair if it wasn't."

"Then real it is," Natalia laughed. "But if we don't get to cooking, I fear we'll have some real trouble on our hands…in the form of some hungry males wanting breakfast."

"Then tell me what to do and let's see if we can't avoid such a tragedy," Ravana suggested, only too happy to help out where needed.

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Over the next half an hour, the two women began to form a bond - one that filled a void that had been empty since Ravana's own mother had died. She found Natalia to be extremely kind and could see her being the perfect woman to help her through the exciting months to come. Someone she could talk to, confide in, and ask those embarrassing questions that she'd soon need the answers to as her pregnancy progressed.

They had just finished cooking, with Ravana setting the plates on the table, when they heard Din and Bernard reenter the house, the two men laughing and talking as if they'd never been apart.

"Junior," Ravana said, turning to look at the happy child playing on the floor with Zax. "Can you go in and tell your daddy that breakfast is ready?"

She'd only expected him to toddle in and get Din's attention by tugging on his pant leg or something, but instead, the moment he'd made it halfway to the doorway he opened his mouth and gave a loud shout.

"Daddy! Food!" he squeaked, all bright eyed and anxious to sample the cooking he'd been smelling.

Everyone in both rooms grew silent, all eyes turning to look at the kid.

Din was the first to enter the kitchen, his face one of shock as he stared down at the String-bean.

"Did he just say his first words?" he asked, hardly believing what he'd just heard.

"He did! He said Daddy!" Ravana squealed. She then raced over and watched as Din scooped him up in his arms. "Say it again, Junior. Say Daddy!"

"DADDY!" he yelled, only too happy to do whatever it took to make his mother and father smile.

"He can speak! He's learned to talk!" Din was beside himself with joy.

"He's fifty years old and hasn't said a word yet?" Bernard asked, coming in and standing next to his wife.

"No…not until today," Din told them, still grinning from ear to ear.

"Can you say Momma?" Ravana asked, looking at Junior expectantly. "Momma?"

"Daddy!" the String-bean giggled, turning to pat his father's uncovered face happily. "Daddy. Food!"

"Well, I can see where I rate," Ravana laughed good-naturedly, unable to be upset on such an amazing day.

"Don't feel bad," Din smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure our new Ad'ika {little one} will say Momma first." He then reached down with his free hand and placed it lovingly on her stomach.

"Wait…are you two…?" Bernard gasped, not having understood the Mandalorian word, but Din's actions had been plain as day.

"I'm going to be a grandmother for a second time?" Natalia squealed with joy, rushing forward and engulfing the three of them in a warm hug. "When? How soon? Is it a boy or a girl?"

"We don't want to know what it is until it arrives," Din laughed. "And as for how long, only six and a half months."

"That soon!" Bernard stated in surprise. "Then I'd better get working on a cradle and some more toys! I already have a dozen or so in mind for Junior, but now I'll have two grandbabies to spoil!"

"And I can help with clothes and advice," Natalia offered eagerly.

"I was really hoping you'd say that," Ravana agreed. "Because I'll need all the help I can get, since I have no idea what to expect."

"Don't worry, Ravana," Bernard told her. "You're in good hands with my Nat, here. Remember, she was born to mother, and she can teach you everything you need to know."

"Speaking of needing to know," Nat said, her blue eyes wide with excitement. "I'll mix you up some of my special tea. It's guaranteed to ward off morning sickness and stop your ankles from swelling."

"My ankles are going to swell?" Ravana sounded aghast, looking down at her feet in horror.

"Not with my tea in you!" she promised, turning around and ordering Bernard to fill the kettle with fresh water while she dug around in the cupboards for the ingredients.

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Din took this opportunity to usher Ravana into the other room, desiring a few moments with his little family of four - five if you counted Zax, which he did.

"Just when I think this day couldn't get any better, it does," Din told her once they were alone. "First you telling me about the baby, then my parents, and now Junior is talking."

"I always did know he liked you best," she giggled, leaning in to kiss the kid on the cheek. "But that's all right, I love you the most as well."

"And I love you all," Din assured her. "I can't believe how much my life has changed since meeting you. In some ways, I believe I was holding my breath all this time until you showed up and taught me how to live again. It took me a long time…but I think I finally understand the meaning of shereshoy."

"Shereshoy?" Ravana repeated, unfamiliar with that word.

"It's a Mandalorian term that has several definitions," Din mused, a contented smile on his face. "It encompasses a lust for life and the enjoyment of each day. The determination to seek and grab every possible experience, as well as surviving to see the following sunrise. It means not only hanging onto life but relishing it." Here he reached out and ran his fingers through Ravana's hair. "Much like I relish doing this. For until you and the kid came into my life, I was merely surviving the best way I could, never truly enjoying my life. I was constantly haunted by my past, the loss of my parents, and even my future was full of uncertainty."

"Well, your job as a bounty hunter didn't really help with that, you know," Ravana pointed out.

"True, yet it brought in the credits needed to keep the covert supplied…and still does," he reminded her. "Not to mention, it led me to Junior." Here he paused and smiled down at the adorable green child resting in his arm. "At first I had no idea why he struck such a chord with me, thinking perhaps he reminded me of myself once…lost and alone. But now I realize that he gave me back something I thought I'd lost. Empathy and the capacity to love."

"Oh, Din, you never lost that," Ravana protested. "It was simply…sleeping."

"Well, if that's true, it sure woke up with a vengeance when I stumbled upon you," he chuckled. "Or more precisely, you stumbled upon me."

"You were quite the sight, you know, laying there on the ground, exhausted and rather beat up from fighting that danker," she recalled. "Not to mention the fact you were pointing your weapon at me."

"Oh, if only I knew then how much you would alter my path, my dear Ana," he mused. "For even though I had the kid…something was still missing. And now I know that was you. Not only did you give Junior what I couldn't – a mother's care and a sense of stability – you showed me that I didn't have to be alone anymore. That I could love and be loved, not having to wake up every morning wondering when my real life would start. For it begins and ends with you."

"As does mine," she assured him, her eyes moist with tears over his words. "Together we can share that shereshoy, and then teach it to our children." Reaching up she wiped at her cheeks, doing her best to compose herself.

"Yes, we can," he nodded. "They will have many things to be joyful about, including a set of grandparents that I wouldn't even know were still alive if you hadn't come into my life."

"Well, it sure took you so long to find me," she laughed. "I mean, I waited a long time for you, my Mandalorian. Though I never believed the man of my dreams would show up wearing head to toe beskar and have a little green child with him. You really broke the mold, Din Djarin."

"And you stole my heart," he told her.

"I'm not giving it back either," she assured him. She then leaned down and picked up Zax, the zaktan yipping happily as Junior reached out to pat his friend on the head. "I'd say we're the perfect clan now…a clan of five, with a much larger extended family than I ever thought possible."

"A clan that will keep on growing if I have any say in the matter," he agreed, looking at each of them with all the love in his heart.

"Oh, trust me, beskar boy, you keep staring at me with those bedroom eyes of yours and this family will never stop expanding," she giggled, slapping him on the chest playfully.

"Mrs. Djarin…have I not sufficiently warned you of the dangers of striking a Mandalorian?" he asked his tone both husky and playful.

"You have, on multiple occasions," she nodded happily, looking down at her stomach. "And I believe this was the direct result from such admonitions."

"Then prepare for a lifetime of love and instructions, wife, for I fully intend on remaining your faithful teacher on such subjects for the rest of your life," he promised, attempting to lean in for a kiss. Unfortunately, he was forced to pull back when both Zax and the kid began to wiggle and squeak, wishing to be set down. The moment Din and Ravana complied, they both scampered back towards the kitchen, obviously hoping Natalia would give them some food.

This brought an even bigger smile to Din's face, the one-time loner and hardened bounty hunter having at last found complete happiness, his shereshoy. He had Ravana, Junior, Zax, his parents, and a new little one on the way. He truly couldn't ask for more.

"I love you, Ravana," he whispered, bending down and touching foreheads with her.

"Do you now?" she questioned, though her tone told him she didn't doubt it for a moment. "And exactly how do you plan on proving that to me?"

"Need you even ask?" he chuckled, leaning and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss, one that left his pulse racing and his heart attempting to beat out of his chest.

Yes…this is the way.

The End

And that is all there is...for now. One never knows what will happen once Season 2 comes out. ha ha. The next chapter only has responses to reviews and a list of all the Mandalorian sayings I used - and more - for the story. THIS is the official end of the story.

But until that time, I happily put this story to bed. It's been a wild ride and I hope I've been able to bring some enjoyment into your life during this turbulent time of quarantine.

I would like to thank my Beta readers: the amazingly Star Wars knowledgeable Starling 12 who took me in hand and walked me through a galaxy far far away. Bensara91513, who has dutifully followed me from one fandom to the next, and then the next. As well as OliviaAdel for all her super Mandalorian information, and Mando'a words at the perfect time - even when she didn't know I needed them - who helped make this story all the more authentic. And a shout out to LH Wordsmith for trying her hand at Beta reading near the end. Hope you all had as much fun as I did. You have my thanks and appreciation.

If you liked my story, please feel free to check out my other finished works. Under the name ThatOtherWriterGirl I have five stories about Fili from the Hobbit. And under the name Fantomphan33 I have seven stories about Erik the Phantom of the Opera. All finished and waiting to be read...if they are your cup of tea.

Once more, I thank you all for your kind reviews. They are like paychecks to a writer, and I felt very well 'paid'.

Until next time...stay safe, keep reading, and hold on till Season 2 in October!

I have spoken.

T.O.W.G.

Guest Reviews:

Phantom Guest: Din was very happy to hear he was going to be a daddy. As it should be. And Paz is fun...he's so smitten with Cara. No, Din is worried, but he has no reason to be. But he doesn't know that. Thanks for following me over here and who knows...we might meet again! Never know where I'll go next. ha ha. T.O.W.G.