All of the breath left Lysa's body as she plummeted over the edge of the bridge….
…falling down…
…down…
…into the abyss.
Everything around her seemed to move in slow motion.
Her own heartbeat echoing through her ears.
She could feel death creeping closer and closer as she fell…
…with no way to stop it.
A sorry end for a sorry life filled with nothing but pain and hurt.
That was until she had met Din and Grogu of course
And it was their faces she wanted to picture now, before death took her away under its dark wing.
The two people who had filled her life with hope and warmth in the short time she had known them.
The two people she loved more than anything else.
Lysa's eyes were squeezed shut.
Crix had taken her over the edge with him, but he had fallen first. And Lysa did not want to see where he had gone…where he ended up ahead of her.
She prayed now, that if she found an afterlife beyond this one, that Crix would not be there with her.
That she could finally be free of him.
Lysa felt herself hurtling down at an astonishing speed, her stomach in her throat…
…waiting for the impact…
…bracing herself…
…ready…
But all of a sudden, Lysa felt a strong arm grasp her around her middle…
…slowing her descent almost instantly.
And that arm pull her flush into a firm body, with a hard crash of her limbs against theirs.
Lysa snapped her eyes open, hearing the sudden whoosh of a jetpack.
And gasping out a ragged breath, Lysa stared up into the beskar-covered face of Din Djarin.
This unbelievable man.
The man who she had thought had saved her already in so many ways. Doing so again, when she had lost all hope of rescue.
She scrabbled to grip onto him, her sweaty palms sliding against his beskar. As her hands finally wrapped themselves around his neck, suddenly taking in a breath for the first time since she had fallen.
Lysa wanted to cry, closing her green, tearful eyes again, as Din accelerated, fighting against gravity, and pulling the pair of them suddenly upwards…
…upwards…upwards…
Until they landed on the metal bridge they had come from with a thud…Lysa's legs immediately giving way beneath her.
But lucky for her, Din's grip on her was strong, and he held her in place, slowly lowering her down, until her bottom hit the floor beneath her.
And unable to control herself any longer, Lysa let out a hard sob, her entire body shaking with relief.
She looked up through shimmering eyes filled with tears, to see Din knelt on one knee before her, his gloved hands still holding onto both her forearms gently.
She could tell that behind his beskar visor, his eyes were searching hers, but Lysa couldn't control herself at this very second.
The sheer relief was overwhelming.
After all that had happened, she had been certain that this was the end. That there was no one who could save her. And perhaps that she didn't deserve to be saved.
The last words Crix had muttered into her ear as he had thrown her over the edge with him, still ringing in her ears over and over-
"Even more blood on your hands now, 'ey, Lysa…"
She knew of course that Crix had had no rescue. And with the blaster shot she had put through him, that he was dead somewhere far below.
And yet despite all that, he still managed to haunt her, even now. The ghost of him still here.
His poisonous words, seeping into her mind. Never to leave again.
"Are you ok?" came Din's voice, as one of his hands slipped down, grasping at her bound wrists, and cutting her free with a knife from his belt. While the other one of his gloved hands, he lifted to her cheek, swiping away at the tears as quickly as they fell.
But Lysa couldn't say a word, not even able to mumble out a thank you to the man who she owed her life to.
She gave another loud and painful sob, bowing her head and hitching in a sharp breath. Her tears, no longer tears of sorrow. But tears of gratitude and relief.
For she was safe.
She was really safe.
Din stared at Lysa, a deep frown settled between his eyebrows, watching as she sobbed, her entire body trembling beneath his grasp.
He could see the pain coursing through her, almost visible now, as the seconds ticked by up on the windy platform.
For a moment there he was certain he had lost her. Watching as Crix had dragged her over the edge of the bridge with him.
And even now, despite her being safe here with him once more, Din's heart seemed to be taking its time in resuming its normal pace within his ribs.
Lysa had been mere seconds from hitting the ground below by the time he had reached her. And the relief he had felt once he had her body firmly held against his, had been like nothing he had even experienced.
And so he understood now, Lysa's tears and her upset. For the times that Din had been close to death, it had taken him a long time to recover.
And even now, there were moments from his childhood, that fateful day on Aq Vetina just one of them, that Din still found himself suffering nightmares about, from time to time.
For the pain and the fear he had experienced in those moments, had cut a fault line deep inside him, and buried itself there.
He watched as Lysa, almost doubled over before him now, sobbed, her tears falling fast. Knowing there was nothing he could do to stop them at this very moment. And nothing he wanted to do either.
These were Lysa's tears to cry. And he would not deny her them.
But Din suddenly remembered that despite Crix falling over the edge and Xi'an far below, there was still Ran.
But lifting his head over to where the bearded man had fallen, he could see now that there was no body there. Ranzar Malk obviously having survived his injuries and dragged himself somewhere whilst Din had been distracted.
Din knew that this wasn't over.
He still wanted to taste revenge for what his old comrades had done today…
…but right now, that could wait. For his focus was now on one person and one person alone…
He waited until Lysa's sobs became shallower, running his hand gently down the side of her head comfortingly, until she lifted her face to his.
Her green desperate eyes meeting with Din's.
She looked exhausted beyond belief, and Din knew there was nothing in this world now that would keep him apart from her again. No force that strong.
She didn't say anything, but she allowed Din's hand, that was lingering at the back of her head, to pull her into him. Settling herself against him as she cried endless tears into the tunic at his neck. Din wrapping his strong arms around her. Letting her know wordlessly that she was safe here now, at last.
And like this they remained. Just the two of them. For how long Din wasn't sure.
Until a sudden voice broke through their well-needed silence.
"MANDO!"
And for a moment, Din was almost sure that it was Ran, back for more…
But as Din turned his head instantly to look. He was met with three figures stalking quickly across the far end of the bridge, furthest from the hangar, towards them.
Din's frown deepened. But more from shock than anger…
…at the sight of Greef Karga pacing quickly towards him. Followed by Grogu in his hover pram and the Marshall of Nevarro- the IG-11 droid.
Karga was coming at them at a slight jog, looking mightily out of breath, his face a picture of concern.
"We saw what happened, we couldn't find a landing spot, and-" said the High-Magistrate, very much out of place in the cess-pit that was the moon known as Nar Shadda.
"How did you find us?" asked Din gazing first at Karga and then at IG-11 and, of course, Grogu who brought up the rear, coming to a harsh halt beside Din. At once cooing at his father and looking him up and down as if checking that all was well.
"What? You didn't think I wouldn't have a tracker put on that new ship of yours the moment it landed in Nevarro?" uttered Karga. His eyes at once falling to the visibly upset and trembling Lysa, still sobbing quietly in Din's arms. "She- uh…she ok?"
Karga's tone was serious and as far as Din could tell, full of genuine concern.
Din placed his hand to one of her shoulders, carefully peeling her from him, her weary gaze barely able to meet his own.
Din could feel a heat emanating from her now, he feared had nothing to do with the tears that were falling.
For he could see that Lysa's pale forehead was now beaded with perspiration. And from here he could see that the blaster wound on her shoulder had started losing blood again.
"Did you bring a med-pack?" said Din quickly to Karga, ignoring his friend's question.
But Karga pursed his lips together.
"Oh I can do you one better than that," he replied, stepping aside as IG-11 stopped forward.
"Upon reprogramming, several of my previous protocols were put back as they were," came the monotone voice of IG-11. "These protocols include medical care. Stand aside please."
And with that, Din shuffled back as IG-11 crouched down beside them both on long metal legs, scanning Lysa immediately. A bright green light skimming quickly over her face and body.
"You have suffered blood loss and are at risk of infection to your shoulder wound," came the voice of the droid again after a long couple of seconds. "We need to get you on board and start treatment with immediate effect."
At the Marshal's words, Din gave a frown, before he looked at Lysa, wanting nothing more than to fling off his helmet right now and provide her with the comfort of his expression. Of his eyes conveying so many things that words right now could not. But he refrained, moving a hand to Lysa's waist and helping her to standing once more.
She leaned her weight onto him, feeling, to him, unsteady on her feet.
Grogu beside them gave a chirp, looking at Lysa hopefully. But right now, she seemed to be keeping her tearful gaze fixed firmly to the floor, focusing on walking straight.
"How did you all even get here? asked Din, staring around, before looking back to Karga who smiled knowingly.
"The Stinger. I told you…it's a great ship," he said simply, pointing to the ship that Din had agreed to borrow from Karga just a day prior, stood at the far end of the bridge, far beyond his N-1.
In all the commotion, he had not even noticed it land.
Karga gestured with his head. "Come on, let's leave this hole before we run into any more trouble."
And with that, the High-Magistrate turned and headed back toward the ship they had arrived on.
Din, giving one last look towards the hangar behind them, scanning the area for any survivors one final time. Before he turned, pulling Lysa with him carefully as they walked down the bridge towards the awaiting ship.
Their pace was slow and after a moment or two Grogu, IG-11 and Karga were several feet ahead, leaving Lysa and Din walking quietly side by side bringing up the rear.
"I'm so sorry, Din," came Lysa's hoarse voice, in what was barely a whisper. She sounded tearful and distraught.
Din glanced her way, tears visibly slipping from her eyes as they walked.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," said Din with a deep frown, shaking his head.
Lysa turned her face, staring his way. Her sad, lost-looking eyes meeting with his, behind his beskar.
"Din…" she said, her green eyes desperately trying to search his, hidden behind his visor, a warmth filling her gaze now as she looked up at him. "I-"
But her expression suddenly changed to one of confusion in front of his very eyes.
"...I don't feel so good…" she managed to mumble out, blinking several times in quick succession and giving a hard swallow.
And before Din could do anything, he watched as Lysa's eyes rolled back in her head and her feet gave way beneath her.
Din tightened his grip on her waist, but was barely able to keep her upright, as his eyes darted back and forth over her ghostly pale and clammy face.
Din's heart began to pound faster and faster within his ribcage.
"Lysa?" he said quickly, rousing the attention of Karga and IG-11 up ahead.
"Get her on board…hurry," said Karga to Din instantly, his expression full of worry.
And so manoeuvring her within his grasp, Din bent his knees a little, before hauling Lysa gingerly up into his arms.
He could feel that she was hot to the touch, burning up, looking far paler now than she had a moment ago. All colour drained from her face.
Din hitched in a sharp breath as he strode ahead, making hurriedly for the ship.
Knowing one thing for certain…
….he couldn't lose her. Not now.
Thanks to for reviewing the last chapter.
I hope you're enjoying the fic so far. I was actually planning on wrapping up the story pretty soon, but I would gladly carry on if anyone would like that? I have some some interesting ideas for what I'd like to see from Din/Lysa going forward. Would love to hear what you thought of this chapter though.
Please review! :)