Chapter 60
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The next three days passed quickly for everyone on the base. Since the first night in the medical bay, Luke had not been allowed to spend the night with Ari. Due to this restriction, he spent as much time with her as possible. In fact, he even halted his daily Jedi training so he could spend more time with her. Sadly, these visits were not for long. Only early in the morning, before the others were up, and late in the evening, after the nightly meetings that were held.
Luke stayed each night until he could barely stumble back to his room, exhausted. Then he would get up early to see her again, sore and tired. He found himself even more exhausted after spending hours outside in the frigid, harsh weather on the back of a tauntum. He had to admit that it was difficult to do that along with the other work on the base, but he was managing.
At the end of the third day, after the meeting, which had run later than usual, Luke turned to leave and ran into the person who had been standing behind him.
"Excuse me," Luke apologized, gaze moving from the leaving Rebels to the man he had run into. He stopped short in his movement to the door. It was Cal.
"Commander," Cal nodded to him. Cal had to admit that he wasn't scared of Luke. He did find a need to be careful due to Luke's earlier reactions.
"Uh…Cal," Luke was surprised to say the least. He hadn't been expecting to see him there, for some reason. He quickly noted the other man's still fading bruises, especially around his left eye.
"I saw Ari," was all Cal said in response.
Immediately, irritation and shame washed over Luke. How could Cal just walk in like that? She had tot rest. That is what the medical droid and even the Rebel doctor had said. Luke knew that even after she got better he would feel guilt. If he had just kept his mouth shut, he wouldn't have upset her so much, which meant she wouldn't have went out alone. Force only knew how long she had been unconscious.
"I don't know why you dislike me so much, because I wouldn't hurt Ari," Cal continued.
Luke opened his mouth to respond, though he wasn't too certain what he was going to say.
It didn't matter because Cal waved his hand, speaking before Luke could. "I am not asking for a reason." He paused, and the two men looked at each other for a moment before Cal stepped aside to let Luke pass. The crowd was quickly thinning since most of the Rebels had already left.
Without another word, or a backward glance, Cal started towards Princess Leia and a few others that were gathered.
Luke paused, following him with his intense blue eyes for a few moments. Glancing at the door, he spared one more glance back before shaking down the hall, passed a group of surprised Rebels. Luke didn't stop though, and continued through the ice cavern to the medical bay.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Luke arrived breathing heavily, but not panting. All of the farm work back on Tatooine, then his halted Jedi training meant he was in good shape, so the run didn't tire him out.
After catching his breath, Luke slowly opened the door to Ari's room, the same one she had been in for the past few days. He expected to see the same thing as before, a darkened room, with a small IV attached to Ari's arm. He had also been expecting her to be lying lifeless as she had the previous nights.
On first glance, this was correct. She was still in bed, covered with thick blankets, with the lights slightly brighter, though the lighting could only be considered dim. It was due to this extra lighting that Luke saw the change.
Her skin was still pale, yet her cheeks were flushed as they had been since she had returned from her patrol. However, she had a few more pillows behind her so that she was propped up. Her eyes, which had been closed constantly the past three days, were open, showing the blue of her eyes. Seeing Luke, she gave a small, tired smile.
"Ari?" he managed, feeling his throat tighten slightly at the happiness of seeing her awake. He rushed over to her side, as a smile broke over his face, blue eyes showing an excited spark again. "You're awake!"
Ari's small smile grew slightly from his happiness. "Hi," she whispered.
"Hi," he whispered back. "You're awake," he repeated.
Ari gave a small nod. "I knew you were coming," she answered softly, voice hoarse.
Seeing a glance of water on the small table next to her, Luke held it to her lips, letting her sip it. The cold seemed to burn against her raw throat. However, after the initial fire sensation, it felt wonderfully refreshing. She wanted to finish it by gulping it down, but Luke pulled it back. "You'll get sick if you have too much too fast," he cautioned her. Knowing he was right, Ari just gave a small nod, swallowing, finally being able to do so.
"So you knew I was coming?" Luke asked, going back to her earlier comment.
Ari just gave another nod in response, shifting slightly so she was sitting up a bit more.
"The Force told you?" Luke asked. He knew she had been training while he had been gone, but didn't know how far her training had come, aside from lightsaber practice. For the hundredth time, he found himself wishing Ben were still there to help. He would have known how to train to become a Jedi.
Ari's voice brought him back to the present. "No," she gave a shake of her head with a small amused smile. "Medical droid," she answered in the same stage whisper voice.
Luke laughed gently at this piece of information. "How did the droid know?" he asked, moving so he was sitting right next to her. He was able to put his feet up so he was situated similar to Ari.
"Said you were in here every night and every morning," she gave him a small smile. "That the doctor had to kick you at," she added.
Luke gave a knowing nod. "I had a feeling someone would tell you."
"Do you wish they hadn't?" she asked
Luke shook his head. "I don't mind. Actually, it might be good, because I was worried you thought I was abandoning you."
Ari gave a small shake of her head. "I know you didn't. Actually, you were in some of my dreams," she admitted, going serious.
"Is that bad?" he asked, seeing the look on her face. He would have tried to make light of it, but it clearly was not something to joke about.
Ari paused then gave a small nod. "Something bad happened to you in it. It was all dark and cloudy," she admitted. "I couldn't tell much."
"Well, don't worry about me," he assured her. "I am here and fine. Aside from a saddle sores," he tried to bring a small smile to her face, which he succeeded in doing. He wasn't trying to get her to forget, but he wanted to help her worry less. She had always had the deep concentrated, almost a grimace on her face when she had been asleep. He wanted to see the smile, continuing to search her eyes, seeing it reach there ever so slightly. The important thing was that it was there.
"You are on patrol?" Ari asked him.
"Yes, with Han if you can believe it," Luke replied.
"Chewie would look funny on a tauntum though," Ari pointed out which caused Luke to laugh.
"He would. Though at least he has that fur to keep him warm," Luke remarked.
Ari gave a nod with a smile before pausing. "What about Cal?" she asked, curious, even though she knew it might upset Luke, which it did.
"What about him?" Luke asked, feeling irritation seem to roll over him, but he tried to force it back.
"Well, is he okay?" she asked, deciding not to push the fact that it was Luke how had injured him.
"I just saw him earlier today at the meeting. He looked fine," he answered her. Apparently that answer satisfied her because she gave another small nod, resting her head on his shoulder.
"You should rest," he told her gently, after a few moments of just sitting like that.
"I am tired," Ari admitted with a sigh.
Luke stood up, rearranging the pillows so that Ari could lay down which she did, snuggling under the blankets a bit more.
"You get some rest," he told her with a small smile, seeing that her eyes were starting to flutter shut.
"Stay," she whispered.
"I can't, the doctor, remember?" Luke asked.
Ari gave a sigh, knowing he was right. "Will you come back tomorrow?"
"Of course, bright and early," he assured her, making certain she was fully covered in the blanket. He gave her another small smile as her eyes drifted close and he silently made his way over to the door.
"Good night, Luke," she managed to call to him, sleep starting to take her already.
"Good night, Ari," he answered, looking back over at her once more. "Have only good dreams tonight," he whispered, to the already sleeping figure, before he turned out the lights, shutting the door halfway before making his way back to his room