AN: Hey everyone, please read and review! I hope there is still interest in the story!
Ari tossed and turned, teeth chattering, even as she
felt her entire body burning with fever.
"Ari..." a voice seemed to come through the fog and she moaned
in response. "Ari," the voice tried again. It sounded
familiar. She knew that voice. Was it her mother's? Her
mother had always been the one to take care of her when she was sick.
However, it wasn't her mother's voice. "Arianna," the voice
whispered again, and she felt one of her hands taken in a pair of the speaker's
hands. They were larger than hers, and a bit rough. Luke. It
had to be Luke. "Ari, please.... please open your eyes..." Luke
pleaded with her, her hand cold and still in his own.
Fighting to comply, she opened her eyes slowly, opening them slightly,
and the images swam in front of her.
Trying
to focus, she concentrated on the blur over her and it slowly came into focus,
even if it was a bit blurry around the edges. "Luke?" she
managed, voice cracking. She ran her tongue over her dry lips before a
coughing fit overtook her, causing her entire body to shake.
Luke
looked sadly at her, concern clearly showing as he held a glass of water to her
lips and let her take a few sips of it.
"Does
that help?" he asked, his voice sounded muffled and she just nodded
slightly, fighting back the dizzying sensation.
"Would
you like to try some soup?" Luke asked, hopeful.
"Ok..."
she managed, watching as he leaned next to him and lifted up a steaming
bowl. Starting to lift her hand, which felt heavy, Ari saw Luke shake his
head and took her hand, setting it back down.
"Just
rest..." he urged her, taking the spoon and holding it to her lips.
Ari sipped it, feeling the warmth as it traveled down her throat.
This
happened for another few minutes until Ari couldn't keep her eyes open
anymore. "Luke..." she whispered and shook her head, fighting
the weariness.
Setting
the bowl down, Luke stayed at her side, taking her hand again as Ari's eyes
drifted shut.
"Luke..."
she whispered again, forcing her eyes open slightly, so they were catlike for a
moment. Something in her brain told her she had to tell him the truth.
The truth she had hidden. "I love you..." she murmured as the
tiredness overtook her once more, causing her to fall into the fog once more.
Luke sighed deeply, hanging his head. Force, why did this have to
happen? Why couldn't she be better? He wanted to protect her, and
so far he hadn't done his job. First with the bounty hunter, and now with
this. The medics had said she should be alright. Should. What
he wanted was certainty that she would be completely better.
He
was a bit surprised by what she had said. She loved him? Luke shook
his head. She couldn't have meant that. If anything she meant as a
brother. But she was probably too sick to even realize what she was
saying.
From
the doorway, Princess Leia Organa watched them. She had been watching all
of it, starting from when Ari had first woken up. Leia shook her head
sadly as she took a few steps into the room. She was fairly certain Ari
would pull through. However, the planet itself would not help at
all. Being in an ice cavern would only hinder or slow the process.
"Princess!"
Luke jumped back in surprise, seeing the movement out of the corner of his
eye. "I didn't see you there," he admitted.
"Oh,
well, I got your message finally. Han came to get me and told me.
How is she doing?" she asked, glancing at the troubled sleeping form of
the young Nubian native.
Luke
just sighed. "She woke up for a bit. But I think this will be
a long road to recovery..."
Leia
nodded. "We will make sure the medics do all they can," she
told him softly.
Luke
shook his head as if to clear for a moment. "Thank you for that."
"Just look out for her. I will try to get some of your work reassigned," Leia told him.
"Are you sure that can be done?" Luke asked, a bit hesitantly.
"I will do everything in my power," Leia assured him, though she was a bit worried. They needed every person they had, but with Ari this sick, and Cal unable to ride for another week, they didn't have enough people to secure the perimeter. After seeing how well they worked together, General Rieekan had put them permanently on perimeter check.
"Thank you, Leia," he smiled over at her. He couldn't help but admit that he felt something with her. A connection he had felt the instant he had first seen her on the Death Star. He couldn't explain how it felt, or why it had occurred. What he knew, was that it was there.
"Anytime, Luke," she managed a small smile back. A moment of silence passed between the two of them. "I need to get back to work," Leia spoke up.
Luke nodded. "I will be around in a bit. I just want to stay a bit longer."
"I understand. Take all the time you need."
As Leia left, Luke turned back to Ari, who was in a sickness-induced sleep, lips forming a frown, her features looking troubled.
Luke reached over and gently brushed away a few strands of her hair. They were clinging to her warm, flushed cheeks and forehead. While his hands were a bit cold from the weather, when he touched her skin, he decided they must feel like ice in comparison.
"Come on, Ari. You can beat this…" he whispered to her, which wasn't met by any response.
Gently, carefully, he leaned over so his forehead was just inches from hers. "Please, Ari. I can't lose you," he continued. Once again, there was no way of telling if Ari had heard him.
Sighing deeply, he just took her hand, holding it as he watched her. Every few a moments a shiver would run through her, shaking her entire being. Her breaths were shallow but clearly there. Her face, the only part not covered by the blankets or clothing, was flushed, with a light sheen of perspiration.
How long passed, Luke was uncertain of. He could tell Ari was dreaming though. Her face would show fear and sadness, the frown and worry lines she wore seemed to be permanent and nothing like the Ari he knew. She would also change from being so feverishly hot she would unconsciously kick at the blankets, and then would be so cold her entire body would be shaking.
Time passed slowly, yet in no time at all, Han was at the door. "Hey, Luke, come on. The droid here is going to look out for her, while I take you to get some food, and then send you off to a meeting. The Princess asked to see both of us specifically."
Luke nodded, getting to his feet, slowly tucking Ari's arm under the warmth of the blanket again. His eyes remained fixed on her still figure as he slowly, reluctantly, walked over to Han.
"She'll be fine for an hour or two on her own," Han told him, hoping she would get better soon. Luke was already a wreck after just a few hours.
Luke gave in with a sigh, looking back at Ari once more. "Alright…" He paused. "Get better soon, Ari…" he whispered as Han led him out of the med bay.