Hi folks!
Thanks to all of you for coming along on this journey!
I didn't realize it until after I had posted that last chapter, but the end of the story was posted exactly six months (to the day!) after the first chapter was posted.
I appreciated every follow, favorite and review.
Enjoy!
-Moki
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Din Djarin was home.
Home. The word had a different meaning to the Mandalorian now. He'd had several homes in his life.
In his younger years, home had meant a humble but happy place with his parents, full of laughter and love.
Later, home had been a place where he was cared for and learned to be a warrior. Where he had found friends and a brother.
Then for a while home had been a ship with everything he had needed on it.
Now home was a cabin. It was small but its size was irrelevant. It was his and that's all that mattered to him now.
Din had come full circle. He was again living in a humble little house with family, except now he was the parent. Din wasn't like his mother and father; he'd lived a life that was far too different from theirs to be the same kind of parent they had been for him. Laughter didn't come as easily to him as it had to his father. Domesticity didn't come as easily to him as it had to his mother. But he tried to make up for it with love. Love was one thing Din knew he had just as much as his parents had.
There was something else that made his little cabin feel like a home. Visitors. Din had never been a host, beyond the few passengers that he'd allowed on his ship over the years. But now that he had a place of his own, he discovered quickly that certain people wanted to come and see it.
"How soon can I come to visit?" Med asked over the comm link a few days after Din and Grogu had settled into their new home.
"As soon as you can get here. I'm not planning to take a job for at least a week or two. I think Grogu and I could use a break."
"Brother, if anyone has earned a break, it's you and your kid."
"I'd come get you, but the N-1…"
"Don't worry about that, I'll find a way to get back to Nevarro. In fact, someone else has already expressed an interest in seeing your new place. Someone with a larger ship than yours."
"Who?"
"Oh, only the leader of Mandalore."
"Bo? Really? Isn't she a little busy?" Din was surprised that Bo would take the time to see him and Grogu now that she was getting Mandalore back on its feet.
"It's not like it takes that long to get to you," Med said. "We could come for the day and be back here before we're missed. I think she wants to make sure you and the kid are okay, you know, after… everything."
Din should've known his friends might still have some worries about him after all that had happened during his imprisonment.
"It works well for me, too," Med continued. "We're setting up a clinic and there's lots to do. All my patients from the battle are healing well, but I've been a medic for our clan too long not to know that we're going to need a medical center. Mandalorians are notorious for being rough on their bodies… especially one particular Mandalorian I know."
Din chuckled. "Well, that would be fine if you both wanted to come. Too bad Cara can't make it."
"Why not?" Med asked.
"She just got back to her unit, they're not going to give her any time off for a while."
"Well, she'll just have to come another time. Everyone is going to want to see your place."
"It's nothing fancy. It's just a little cabin."
"Yeah, but it's yours."
"It's more than I could have ever hoped for. This whole life, a son… it's all more than I could have dreamed about."
"As I said, you deserve it, brother."
"Thanks."
Grogu was tugging at Din's leg, pointing outside, and babbling excitedly.
"I better go. I think Grogu wants to go play with the frogs in the pond again and I'm not comfortable having him do that alone just yet."
Med smiled to himself under his helmet. His brother was such a dad.
"Alright, I'll send another comm when I know what day the Princess and I will be there."
Din chuckled. He never thought he'd have a son and his own home, and he certainly never thought he'd be visited by a Princess.
They ended the comm and Din looked down at his son.
"Okay, buddy, you can go play by the pond. Just stay where I can see you."
Grogu nodded and eagerly ran off. Din couldn't believe his luck at getting a home with its own pond that just happened to be inhabited by frogs. He stood and watched his son run to the shore of the small watering hole, immediately lifting his hand to play with the amphibians.
"Grogu!" Din called.
The little one looked at him with an inquisitive squeak.
"Remember what we talked about. If you eat all the frogs in your pond, you won't have any to play with, right?"
Grogu nodded.
"And we're going to play nicely with them, right?"
Grogu nodded again, going back to his fun. A frog was lifted gently into the air a few moments later, looking puzzled by its flight but not overly upset by it. As the creature croaked lazily, Grogu floated it over the water.
Satisfied that his son was happy and not terrorizing the local wildlife, Din sat down on the chair on the front porch. The place had been fully furnished, which suited Din just fine. It wasn't like he had anything to bring with him. He'd kept a scarce number of personal items since the Razor Crest had been destroyed and he'd gotten the N-1. He supposed he'd eventually buy some things to personalize the place, even if just for Grogu's room, but for now he was perfectly happy with the cabin the way it was.
Once he'd formally adopted Grogu and been ordered by the Armorer to take his apprentice out for training, Din had thought about his next steps. He wanted to keep working but he also couldn't do the same kind of jobs he'd done before, not with Grogu in tow.
That's when a plan had come to him, and Din had gone to see Carson Teva. After dealing with enough Imperial remnants, Din was ready to help rid the galaxy of them more permanently. He could do that as an independent contractor, which would also allow him to be picky about what assignments to take. Teva had taken him up on the offer, accepting Din's request for a down payment: One scrap assassin droid head.
With the scrap piece in tow, Din had come back to Nevarro. He'd arrived by night and managed to keep his presence from the Chief Magistrate – no small feat. He wanted to surprise his old friend and help resolve a problem he knew Greef had been dealing with since Cara had left to join Special Forces.
A quick trip to the Anzellans had gotten Din's special project started. He and Grogu had stayed at a small inn at the very edge of town, with a request to the innkeeper not to reveal his arrival to Greef. By some miracle his plan had worked and when the Anzellans had finished the project, Din was able to meet with Greef without giving anything away.
True to his word, his old friend (and one-time enemy, but they'd let that go long ago) had given Din a deed to a cabin and made him landed gentry as a thank-you for his help ridding their planet of pirates. Din didn't care about the title and didn't really understand what landed gentry was, but he'd been grateful to accept the cabin. Now that he had a son, he needed a home for them, a place to go that was theirs in between jobs.
In return Din had surprised Greef with his own gift: A newly re-built IG-11 assassin droid, reprogrammed to act as marshal of Nevarro.
Din had been happy with the cabin the moment he landed on the property. It had a great view of the mountains, a few trees, and the pond. It also had something else Din had never appreciated before. A porch with a small chair on it, and a rail the perfect height to put his feet up and relax. Din hadn't done that before, at least not for a very long time.
There was also a shade over the porch for breaks during hot days. A small kitchen off to the left of the doorway, with a living area opposite on the right. It had two bedrooms and a fresher with laundry, plus a little storage. It was perfect for him and Grogu.
In the few days since Din had adopted him, and they had moved into the cabin, Grogu was already starting to show signs of blossoming. He was walking more on his own, choosing to scamper along behind his father rather than being carried. He was also being more vocal. Din had heard Grogu make more sounds and once or twice he'd sworn the kid had almost said something that sounded like "da". Whether it was an attempt at saying "dad", Din couldn't be sure. But it still made his heart flutter whenever the kid did it. The idea that one day his boy would call him "dad" made Din feel things he never knew were possible.
Din would never parent just like his mother and father, or even like those who had raised him as a foundling. Nor would he train his son the same way his teacher had trained him. Din was an amalgamation of everyone who'd had a hand in raising him.
Grogu would have a similar upbringing, there was no way to avoid it. Unless the child found someone of his own species, he'd end up moving from family to family as he matured at a slower rate than those around him. But Din wasn't worried about his son. He'd make sure Grogu was taken care of and someday, many years after Din was gone, Grogu would be an adult that was also the product of the amalgamation of all the parents who had raised him.
Din looked out over his little piece of land, smiling under his helmet when Grogu brought a second frog out of the pond to join the first one. The two creatures looked like they were almost enjoying themselves, swimming through the air as they would the water.
A happy sigh emitted from the modulator in the helmet as the Mandalorian leaned back into his chair. After a bit of relaxation and a visit with some old friends, it would be time for some new adventures. Din was excited to get back to work, to do something with a little more meaning, while training his son. There were exciting things coming on the horizon, he could feel it.
After an hour and a few more acrobatic demonstrations from the frogs, Din got up.
"Grogu!"
The boy looked at him, hands up as he held three frogs in midair.
"Come on, time for dinner."
Grogu babbled excitedly, always ready for food. He lowered both hands slowly and all three frogs floated down to plop gently into the water.
Father and son walked into their home, ready for all the new adventures that awaited them in the future.
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When We Came to Be Trailer Clips
Hi Folks!
Welcome to the sneak peek of my upcoming BoDin romance series, "When We Came to Be."
When reading these clips, picture yourself watching a trailer for an upcoming series. You're often tossed into the middle of a scene with no idea what happened before and no idea what will happen next. That's done purposely, just to give a taste of what's to come.
Also, please note that these scenes could be different by the time they are posted in the series. This is because of two reasons.
1. I often edit up until the moment I post, so I may change my mind and adjust action, dialogue, etc. as I see fit.
2. Some scenes in the trailer have been purposely edited so as not to give away major spoilers (such as the genders of each couple's baby).
Enjoy!
Moki
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The Stars…
Bo sat on the porch of the little cabin, enjoying the view of the stars. This far away from the city of Nevarro, it almost matched the view from space. The sky was brimming with twinkling lights, making it light up and sparkle in a way Bo hadn't often seen from the surface of a planet.
She heard Din's step behind her and spoke without turning around.
"Is he asleep?"
"Out like a light. I think we wore him out today."
"I think he wore me out. That apprentice of yours has a lot of energy for someone with such a small body."
Din chuckled, "Tell me about it."
He sat down on the edge of the porch next to her. There was only one chair, and it didn't feel right sitting in it while she sat on the floor.
"You have an amazing view," she said, still looking at the stars.
"Yeah, it's beautiful. I don't often come out here at night to enjoy it. Usually just during the day when Grogu's playing by the pond."
"Well, you should. I know you work hard, but don't forget to relax when you get the chance."
"I feel like I should probably say the same thing to you."
She huffed small laugh. "Okay, fair enough. I'll take your advice if you take mine, deal?"
She turned to him with one eyebrow raised.
"Deal," Din agreed, smiling under his helmet.
She turned back to look at the sky. Din's eyes stayed on her face, which lit up as she studied the stars, a small smile gracing her lips.
After a few moments, Din became aware that he'd been staring, he turned to look up at the sky before she caught him.
Bo turned her head to look at him a few seconds later. She couldn't see his face, but she saw the way his shoulders dropped when he took a deep breath, and how his head moved as he looked at the different constellations. He raised his face upwards to see something higher in the sky and she caught a glimpse of his chin. The cowl had shifted downward, giving her a peek of skin.
The sight made her own skin flush, and she turned her eyes back to the sky, clearing her throat to cover the increased pounding of her heart.
At the sound, Din glanced back over but didn't move his head, giving the impression he was still studying the sky. It was one of the many benefits of wearing a helmet, the ability to make others think you weren't looking at them when you were. It allowed him to study a quarry without their knowledge, and now he used it to study his companion.
Din noted the flush on Bo's cheeks and the wider smile. He also noticed that her neck had turned red. He didn't know what had caused the reaction but somehow it made him feel a warmth come to his own face under the helmet.
They both went back to watching the sky, each trying to ignore the other feelings that were battling the stars for their attention.
Din looked at Bo again briefly, then rose to his feet.
"Be back in a second."
She nodded.
Din returned with the blanket he usually kept on the couch for Grogu, who liked to snuggle with it when they sat after dinner.
"Here." He put it on her shoulders. "I thought you might be cold."
"I am, thanks. How did you know?"
Din shrugged. "It gets cold out here after the sun goes down. Deserts do that. No humidity to hold in the heat."
The truth was that he'd noticed her fold her arms slightly, rubbing her hands across her upper sleeves to try and warm herself. She probably didn't even realize she had done it, but Din had noticed. A bounty hunter learned to read small cues from the people he observed, usually to find a weakness to exploit. It wasn't often he was able to use that skill to give someone more comfort.
"Right," Bo said.
He sat down and she noticed him cross his arms, raising his shoulders slightly.
"Are you cold?" she asked.
"I'm fine."
"Din, don't be silly. Here."
Bo flicked the blanket and put her arm around his shoulders so that it lay across both of them. She pulled her arm back to her side and scooted in closer as it wasn't a big blanket. Their pauldrons touched together lightly as they went back to watching the stars. Neither of them minded the forced closeness.
In fact, right about then, neither of them would've minded a smaller blanket.
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The Cave – Part 1…
Din saw the slaver raise his blaster, aimed at the back of Bo's head. She had taken her helmet off and hadn't put it back on in the confusion of the renewed attack.
There was no time. Din had to do two things at once. His second blaster had been knocked from his hand and his current one was nearly out. He had one shot but two targets. He fired at the farther opponent then took two massive sprinting steps before launching himself toward Bo.
Bo turned at the sound of Din's blaster, having finished off the last few slavers on her side of the ridge. She slaw a flash of beskar fly in front of her at the same time another blaster bolt came from a different direction. Barely registering that Din had landed at her feet she was already firing and downed the last slaver.
She blew out a breath and holstered her blasters.
"Thanks for that. They all came out of nowhere. Twenty against two was hardly fair. For them."
She chuckled slightly, waiting for a typical dry reply from Din. But he hadn't moved.
Bo had assumed the blast had hit Din in the beskar and he'd be groaning from the impact as they all would from something hitting at that close range. His armor would deflect the blast, but it wouldn't take away the impact. Broken ribs might even be the issue and she bent down by his side. He was facing away from her, and she didn't have a clear view of where he'd been hit.
"Din? You alright?"
"Probably not."
The Cave – Part 2…
Din seemed to relax when the makeshift blanket was draped over the wound. Once done, Bo laid down next to him again, her face only a few inches from Din's. She could hear his ragged breathing. He moved his arms and shoulders, seemingly looking for a comfortable position but the movement cost him, and he gasped when he was rewarded for his efforts with yet another bolt of pain.
"Easy, let me. Please stop trying to move, alright?"
"It… hurts." he ground out.
"I know. Here, let's see if this will do anything to help."
She took his arms and crossed them high on his chest away from the blaster's damage to his rib cage. She tucked his hands under his chin and felt him relax again.
Once he was settled, Bo went to pull her own hands away, but Din held on to one of them. She wasn't sure if he was aware of the movement or not as his gloved fingers intertwined with her bare hand. She hadn't put her gloves back on after they'd been burned when removing the fabric from his wound. She didn't resist and let him pull her hand until it was tucked under his chin with his own.
"You're doing great, Din," she whispered encouragingly. "Now we just have to wait until Med gets here." She just hoped the injured Mandalorian could hang on until morning.
Din's head nodded, and she felt his cowl move on the back of her hand. The motion caused the piece of clothing to shift enough that her index finger was touching his chin. She felt his racing heartbeat and the stubble from his beard. It was a scant inch, and it was the most exposure to his bare skin that she'd ever had to the fully armored man - that wasn't a gaping wound.
Bo didn't know or understand the feelings that rushed through her at the touch. It was as if she was getting to see his humanity on a whole new level. But that didn't make any sense. Of course, she knew Din was human, that he was a man. But the combination of his vulnerability right then, with that slight touch of skin, it felt different.
She felt immediately protective, more so than ever before. Feeling protective over a fellow soldier was nothing new for Bo. She had always strived to protect the people under her lead, those who followed her because she was a Princess.
Maybe it was because Din didn't usually require her protection. Even with all the times she'd saved him, it never left her feeling like he was inept in any way. Quite the contrary, the fact that he kept on fighting and showing her the skill he had as a warrior, proved that he could handle things on his own. There were only a few times where he'd needed help and she'd been happy to oblige. Just as he'd been happy to help her. That is also what fellow soldiers did for each other. They watched each other's backs. Theirs was a dangerous life and the only way to stay alive sometimes was to have the backup of another warrior. All of that was normal and typical. If anyone else had been lying wounded in front of her, she would've done the same for them.
Or would she?
Yes, she would help them in any way she knew how. But would she have been able to read anyone else to know exactly what they needed in that moment? Would she have read another's pain so clearly to know how to adjust their body, even their very hands, to make them more comfortable?
Speaking of hands, would she have so easily given hers to anyone else to hold? Perhaps. But would holding that hand and feeling that tiny sliver of skin by their face have caused the same emotions that were rolling through her right now? That, she doubted very much.
With a single touch, Bo's feelings solidified. Feelings that she knew had been under the surface hiding for a while. Or had been pushed away, if she was honest. She hadn't wanted to feel them. She had told herself it was too complicated. Now was not the time to be feeling these things and Din was not the man she should be feeling them for. He was a traveling teacher with an apprentice. She was the leader of Mandalore. He had a home on a different planet, she would never leave hers.
But with that touch, and the emotions and feelings of protection it brought out in her, she couldn't deny what was happening any longer. It wasn't mere protection that kept her in the position she was in next to Din. That kept her eyes locked on him to look for any signs of pain that she could help abate. That kept her ears listening to the sound of his breath to ensure he was still alive. That kept her finger on his warm skin, feeling his heart beating steadily and reassuringly.
It was love.
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The BoDin Wedding…
Song inspiration: MacDougall's Pride by Ashley MacIsaac
Din pulled her out onto the floor and Bo thought her face might actually split open, she was smiling so hard. She had joked about dancing, but she never thought he'd actually do it.
The song was beautiful. She'd never heard anything quite like it and she settled her head against her husband's chest as they began to move. She didn't know how it was possible, but she felt like she could feel his heart through the beskar. Or maybe that was her own heart, she couldn't be sure.
Bo had seen Din dance briefly and observed his natural rhythm. But to be in his arms and feel it through her body was a completely different experience.
"I'm sorry, I know you probably don't like doing this in front of all these people," she said, keeping her head on his chest.
Din looked down at her as she looked up into the T-visor, feeling once again that she was somehow looking into his eyes without seeing them.
"What people?" he said quietly, and she heard the smile in his voice.
Din's arms pulled her in tighter and she rested her head on his shoulder with a smile as they continued to move to the music.
He was right. At that moment they were the only two people in the world.
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The BoDin Honeymoon, Part One…
They chatted, and Bo played with his hand in hers, moving his fingers around. Something they'd also done as a betrothed couple which felt different now that they could truly look into each other's eyes.
Eventually she sat back as they continued to talk about nothing and everything. They smiled and she got a few more chuckles out of Din, delighting in seeing those crinkles around his eyes every time.
Then just like that, the talking stopped, and he was staring into her eyes. Din suddenly wanted nothing more than to know what it would feel like to put his lips on hers.
Bo saw Din's intention a moment before it happened. She felt her heart beat faster and before she knew it he was kissing her.
Din kept his eyes open, compelling Bo to do the same. He looked deep into hers before the feelings took over and they both closed their eyes in the final moments of the kiss. It happened so effortlessly, as if there was nothing more natural in the world in that moment.
Perhaps because there wasn't.
They pulled back and smiled at each other.
"Well, that was easy," Bo chuckled breathlessly.
And very nice, she thought to herself, especially for his first kiss. Din was a keen observer and had obviously seen it done and figured out how to emulate what he had observed.
"It was," Din agreed quietly. He went back for her lips again, tracing his fingers along her jaw as he did so.
Din's kiss was tentative but sweet. Bo felt nervousness in his lips, perhaps afraid of putting too much pressure on her mouth. As if he was anxious of his very strength. But the tentativeness was its own kind of thrill. As was his mustache. She liked the way it felt on her lips, a tickle that added to the kiss. She also liked the way his short beard felt under her hands as she cupped his face.
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The BoDin Honeymoon, Part Two…
After her shower, Bo found Din making the bed in the cabin's small bedroom.
"Would you like some help?" she asked.
"No, that's okay, I can do it. You don't have to," Din said automatically, used to doing things on his own.
"Nonsense, it's my bed too now, right?"
Din gave her one of those big smiles that showed all his teeth and deepened the wrinkles around his eyes. She'd only seen it for the first time the previous night and it was already one of her favorites.
"Yes, that's right," he agreed.
"So let me help."
"All right." He tossed the new sheet onto the bed, and she pulled it to her side, tucking it around while he worked on the other side. Next, he passed her a new cover for one of the pillows.
Once she had finished with the pillow, Bo noticed Din had turned away, getting a blanket from the trunk under the window.
She got a wicked gleam in her eye and threw the pillow at his back. Bo grinned when her husband didn't even flinch, his warrior training showing itself as he rose slowly to look at her, eyebrows raised.
"Did you just… throw a pillow at me?"
Bo shrugged, frowning with mock innocence.
"Maybe. What're you gonna do about it, mighty Mandalorian warrior?"
Din smiled in challenge and Bo got ready to bolt. She was waiting for a clue to tell her when he was going to move, prepared to run as soon as he started to come around the bed.
She was wholly unprepared for Din to launch himself onto the mattress instead. He landed on his knees in front of her, wrapping his arms around her waist and flipping her onto her back. Before she knew it, he was straddling her and holding her arms over her head. She laughed as he bent down to kiss her.
"That." He answered when he sat up, letting go of her hands but staying on top of her.
"Now what are you gonna do about this, mighty Mandalorian Princess?" he said, folding his arms smugly.
Bo also loved seeing her husband's playful side coming out more and more. She had never seen him quite like this before and it made her heart fill with joy.
Not to be outdone, Bo used her hips to push Din over, grabbing one of his knees to help throw his weight off of her.
He landed on his back with a short laugh as she repeated his move, straddling his waist, holding his hands by his head, and kissing him soundly.
After that they forgot all about making the bed.
Sometime later, resting in each other's arms, Din chuckled.
"If that's how you help me make the bed every morning, it's never going to get done."
Bo laughed.
"Yeah, sorry about that."
"Don't worry. I don't mind it at all." He kissed her forehead. "I'll happily remake it every day for that."
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The Clan of Three…
Bo was in the tub when she heard her husband and son return. Soon there were voices right outside the fresher door.
"No you can't go in. Mom is taking a bath. You'll see her in a little bit."
Bo smiled at Din's unending patience. She was sure their son was hopping up and down trying to convince his father to let him in. How she missed them both whenever they were gone on their many adventures. But such was life when you were married to a Mandalorian teacher and mother to a Mandalorian apprentice.
And she wouldn't have it any other way. She had a busy schedule herself, and she knew Din wouldn't trade his life as the husband of the Mandalorian leader. It was one of the many reasons they were perfect for each other.
"You can let him in," she called out. "Just close the door to keep the warm air in."
"Okay buddy, go inside," Din started to open the door and she held up her hand.
Bo suddenly remembered the last time Grogu had decided to join her in the bath.
"Wait!"
"Yeah?" Din replied with amusement at her tone.
"Get him out of his robe. I don't want a repeat of last time. It took forever to dry that out."
She heard some squeaking protests and Din's rumbling replies as her husband and son stepped farther away from the door. A minute later the door opened a crack, revealing a glimpse of beskar (in need of a cleaning, she noted). Then a flash of green came pelting into the room before the door closed again.
"Hi, buddy," she said as Grogu came scampering over to the side of the tub. He held up his arms, jumping up and down, and she reached over to pull him into the water. Pausing to give his mom a kiss in welcome first, he went straight to splashing and playing with the bubbles. The large tub had a step on one side that was the perfect height for him to sit and enjoy the water when he didn't feel like swimming. Bo laughed at his antics, even when he splashed some water on the floor.
"Din?" she said. "You might want to bring in some extra towels."
The words had barely left her mouth when the door opened again, and her husband walked inside with a pile of towels in his arms.
"Way ahead of you."
He put a couple around the edge of the tub, then knelt down to kiss his wife on the top of her head before putting a hand under her chin so he could look her in the eyes with a weary smile.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"I missed you two while you were gone," she said, cupping the hand he had on her face.
"We missed you, too."
Din had shed his cloak, and the leather jacket and padding he wore under the armor. He was only in the form fitting long-sleeve undershirt and thick pants. He looked exhausted, his beard a little scraggly and his hair a curly mess from sweat.
Bo crinkled her nose a bit.
"Darling, I love you but…"
He chuckled. "I know. I really need a shower. We had a tough couple of days and once it was over, I didn't want to stop at the cabin or anywhere else to clean up. I just wanted to come home, even though I'm a mess."
"Well, I'm glad you did. I'd rather see you sooner, even if you are a mess. I should've known you would be. Your son is just as dirty."
Bo captured her little green monster, forcing him to sit still as she grabbed a washcloth and started scrubbing behind Grogu's ears. The child squirmed, giggling.
"Oh, so he's my son now?" Din said as he straightened up, holding a hand to his lower back as he did so. There'd been a couple of big fights during their last mission.
"Whenever he's causing trouble, he's yours, you know that," Bo smiled and pulled Din down to kiss again to show how much she was joking.
"You should see his robes." Din said cryptically.
"I keep telling you to bring more changes of clothes next time you take him out on a training assignment." Her voice was full of reproach as she frowned at her husband.
"I brought three robes with me," Din protested. "Plus at least triple the amount of underclothes for him. The other two robes are even worse. What can I say? He's an expert at getting into places that are filthy."
A few minutes later, Bo couldn't help the smile that graced her lips as she enjoyed the kind of domestic bliss she never thought she'd want, let alone have.
Din was in the shower, updating her on his and Grogu's adventures while they were away, as he washed off the grime of their last mission. The boy was paddling around the bathtub as she sat outside in a warm robe brushing her hair, responding to Din's story with a comment or question every once in a while.
She honestly couldn't think of a better life.
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A Tough Mission…
Din came into the bedroom, carrying Grogu in one arm, his helmet still on. The boy was fast asleep.
Bo noticed her husband's shoulder looked odd.
Really odd.
"Din!" She gasped, keeping her voice low. "Is your shoulder…?
"Dislocated? Yeah, pretty sure." His voice was tight, sounding like his teeth were locked together.
Pretty sure? She thought in horror.
Even under the armor it was easy to see the joint was at an odd angle, his arm hanging grotesquely at his side. Bo was aware Din had dislocated it before, sadly that was an occupational hazard as a Mandalorian bounty hunter. If it dislocated once, it was easier for it to happen again, so he'd been through it a few times. But this was her first time seeing the injury for herself and it made her stomach lurch for her husband.
"I tried to put it back, but I guess I was too tense. It….mmh… didn't work." He grunted.
She winced, realizing how much it must have hurt for him to have tried and not gotten it back in.
"Can you take my helmet off?" Din asked in a tired voice, obviously not enjoying the fact that he couldn't even handle that simple task himself.
"Of course."
Bo wanted to kick herself for not already offering, but she'd been preoccupied by the shoulder. She pulled it off and set it on the bed, looking into the face of her weary husband. His eyes were glassy, and she could see he was fighting shock.
"Why didn't you go straight to Med?"
"I wanted to bring Grogu here first, and I wanted to be in my own bed. If I'd gone to the clinic, I knew I'd be in a hospital bed all night, maybe longer."
"Why didn't you let Grogu try and help you?" Bo said, taking the boy from his father. Only then did she notice he wasn't just asleep, but unconscious.
"He did. Why do you think he's passed out?"
"Wait. What else happened? How bad?"
If Grogu was passed out, there was a lot more wrong than just a shoulder.
Once Grogu was out of his good arm, Bo saw the blood on Din's armor, also staining his jacket and padding underneath.
"Pretty bad," he admitted quietly. She could see him swaying slightly. His forehead pinched together as he sucked in a tight breath.
"Okay sit down and don't move. I mean it. Don't even try to take off the armor. I'm putting Grogu to bed and calling Med."
Din sat down slowly and nodded, putting his good hand up to steady his other arm and shoulder. The lack of protest told her how much pain he must have been in at that moment. That alone made her quicken her steps. She put her son into his bed, checking to ensure that he looked alright. He was fast asleep but didn't seem to be hurt, so she kissed him on the head and went back to Din.
When she got back to their room, Bo pulled out the short-range comm link they'd set up with Med. With a husband who constantly went on dangerous missions, having a direct comm link with the medic was vital.
"How bad?" Med's voice answered as soon as she connected, before she had a chance to say anything.
"Dislocated shoulder. I don't know what else," Bo answered.
"Din?" Med called over the link. "Anything else I need to bring supplies for?"
Din hesitated for a moment, but quickly realized there was no need to hold back. He just hated causing the people he loved to worry.
"Bruised ribs, couple of other bruises and scrapes that are fairly minor. Stab wound. Lower abdomen. Grogu mostly healed that one, but it was pretty deep."
"How much blood loss?" The medic was thinking of a transfusion.
"I'm not sure, a fair bit I guess."
"Med, he's pale and shaking." Bo reported, knowing that was a symptom of blood loss. Sadly, they'd been through this before. Too many times.
"Okay, I'm on my way."
Once they ended the call, Bo stood in front of her husband, assessing what he needed. She wished she could let him lay down, but he'd need to sit up to fix the shoulder and she was sure Med would want to handle that first. The longer it stayed that way, the more dangerous it was for the nerves in his arm.
Din was sitting with his eyes closed, breathing deeply. He'd obviously used all of his energy to get back home, and it was waning fast.
"Din?"
He looked up at her silently.
"I'm going to help you out of your armor, okay?"
He nodded.
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The BoDin Pregnancy Part One…
Bo sighed in frustration. "I guess I'll have to get the Armorer to make me a new chest piece."
Din was getting into his armor and not facing his wife. He spoke to her over his shoulder.
"Why?"
"Because these don't fit under my old one."
Only then did he turn around to find her standing in their shared closet, sans a top, her hands gesturing at her very full chest area.
"Oh."
"Oh? That's all you can say?"
"Um…"
"That's not any better, Din."
"I guess I don't know how this is my…?"
"My stomach isn't the only thing growing because of your child."
"Oh, right."
"Stop staring." She sighed, rolling her eyes as she noticed his open-mouthed gaze hadn't left her chest.
"You can't just stand there like that and not expect me to stare," Din protested with a wicked grin. "I know you think I'm strong. A mighty Mandalorian warrior. But I'm just a mere man. A weak, mortal man. You can't show me your…" he gestured toward her. "Endowments and expect me to have the strength to look away. That's just cruel, Bo."
"Stop. Don't make me laugh. This is serious." But she was fighting hard not to grin.
"It is. Of course, it is. Very, very serious." His eyes were crinkling with the effort not to laugh. He was using the same tone of voice she used when she talked about his endowment and he liked turning the tables on her, making her blush and laugh.
Soon they were both laughing, and she relaxed as he came closer to hug and kiss her.
"This is still all your fault though," she said in mock reproach.
"I will happily take the blame My Lady, for such a beautiful result." But Din's attention was on his hand on her stomach, completely ignoring her other endowments.
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The BoDin Pregnancy Part Two…
"Do you want to feel?" Bo asked Cara.
"I feel like I should be asking his permission as well." Cara chucked a shoulder at Din.
"If you were anyone else, and she hadn't already given her consent, you would be right," Din confirmed.
"You don't have to tell me. I've seen the way you run interference for her when you guys are out walking around."
"Yeah well, he's had to," Bo said. "People mean well but some take it upon themselves to touch when not asked. And others bump into this big protuberance not realizing how much that hurts."
Cara had been listening with her hand on Bo's belly where the soon-to-be mom had placed it. At Bo's words, Cara pulled her hand back.
"Oh no, not you Cara. It's okay. Here, feel this. Pretty sure that's a foot."
Bo put Cara's hand on a specific spot and watched her eyes light up when she felt the little appendage move.
"Wow, that's just wild. There's a person inside of you."
"I know. Weird, right?"
"Weird and wonderful." Din bent down to kiss Bo on the head.
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The BoDin Baby….
Bo bent forward and gasped, reaching for Din's hand.
"What's wrong?" He gripped her arm to hold her steady.
"I think my water just broke." She groaned. "Oh Din, I really want to push all of a sudden."
"Okay hang on, we've got to get Med." Din said calmly as he guided her to the bed, hiding that his heart had started pounding. He reached for the comm to call the medic when the door beeped open, and Med appeared from around the curtain.
Din and Bo spoke at once.
"Her water broke."
"I want to push."
"Okay, okay," Med said, walking quickly to the bed and pulling gloves from his bag.
"I had a feeling that we were getting close. Let's take a look."
Med conducted a quick exam and confirmed it was time. "Yep, we're there. You can push on the next contraction, Bo."
He had the medical droid set up the warming bed and other supplies he would need. Din got behind Bo on the bed and supported her so that she could sit up against his chest.
More than an hour later, Bo collapsed against Din after another hard push.
"I really… thought this part… would go faster," she panted.
"You're doing great," Med said reassuringly. "Sometimes it's only a few pushes and sometimes it's more. But we're really close, I promise. The baby is right here. Give me a few more and you'll be holding this little one."
Bo pushed a few more times and then felt a different pain. She gasped at the new pressure and burning.
"Just breathe a second, Bo," Med said encouragingly, concentrating on the baby.
"You've got this, almost there." Din encouraged as Bo grabbed his hands at the intense pain. She panted as the pressure released a little.
"That's it. Okay, head is out. One more and you'll have your baby." Med said.
"One more, you can do it," Din whispered into her ear as Bo squeezed her husband's hands and gathered for another push.
The baby finally came, and Med put it immediately on Bo's chest. He began rubbing the newborn's back with a towel as the baby cried.
Med got another towel and wrapped the baby up quickly, putting the little one back on Bo's chest. He clamped the cord and offered the scissors to Din.
"Here you go, Dad." Din cut the cord and handed the scissors back to his brother.
"Great job, My Lady," Med said as he put away the soiled towels.
"You did amazing, Bo." Din said. "I love you so much."
Din slid out from behind Bo and helped her lean back against the pillows so she could rest. He kneeled next to the bed, dropping his head onto his folded arms.
Bo looked over to see her husband absolutely entranced, staring at her and the baby. The look on his face made her smile even more than she already was. She didn't think she would ever see more love in his eyes than she'd seen on their wedding day, but this was definitely more. Or different. It was something and it helped to take away a lot of the pain and exhaustion she was feeling.
She kissed the baby on the head, then pulled her husband towards her. He raised up on his knees to kiss her tenderly.
"You're beautiful. The baby is beautiful. I'm the luckiest man in the universe right now."
"I'm feeling pretty lucky myself," Bo said, looking first into her husband's eyes and then down into the eyes of her newborn child. The baby had stopped crying and was blinking up at her.
"Hey there, it's nice to finally meet you," she said, holding onto the baby's hand. "I'm your mom."
"And I'm your dad." Din reached forward to slide a gentle hand over the baby's head. The little one's eyes closed at the contact, responding to their father's touch.
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The CaraMed Story…
"Damn you Din Djarin, damn you to hell!"
Cara turned on him angrily and Din backed away in surprise.
"Cara."
"Why did you do this to me? Why? I already had to worry about you and your annoying habit of nearly getting yourself killed. But then you introduced me to your brother and now I have to worry about him too and I…"
"I know."
"I love him."
"I know."
"Damn you!" She repeated as she punched him in his good arm, the one that wasn't in a sling. Not enough to hurt him, but just enough to get her message across.
"I thought I was smart. I picked a Mandalorian who didn't go into the field. He's a doctor! I'm not supposed to have to worry about him. But then you go and start inviting him on missions and now he likes it sometimes and then…"
She looked at Med's unconscious form on the bed.
"…this can happen." She whispered.
"I've already had my share of heart attacks watching you nearly die. I really don't know if I can watch him, too. I don't know if I'm that strong."
Din walked up and put his arm around her shoulder.
"Yes, you are Cara. You're stronger than the two of us idiot brothers put together. You can do this."
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The CaraMed honeymoon Part One…
Cara walked out of the fresher, drying her hair. She had put on one of the luxurious robes the starliner provided for the honeymoon suite. She was just about to ask Med if the food had arrived, when she stopped. A smile spread slowly across her lips as she studied the scene before her.
Med had taken the two thick blankets off of the bed and pulled them to the floor right in front of the massive view window. All of the pillows were there, too, and it looked like he had even grabbed the extra blankets from the closet.
Her husband had created a cozy little nest and was currently sitting at the end of the makeshift bed. He was clad only in his shorts and she got a view of his muscular back as he sat with legs bent under his chin. His head was resting on his arms.
Med hadn't heard her come out of the fresher and was thoroughly absorbed by the view in front of him. His mouth was open in a smile as his head moved this way and that to take in every angle of the stars outside. She felt like she could have watched him like that forever.
She finally walked over, not wanting to interrupt but also not being able to resist being next to him. He heard her approach and turned to look at her, his smile getting wider when he caught sight of her.
"Hi."
"Hi."
She sat down next to him cross-legged and looked up at the view. She saw now why he'd moved all the blankets to the floor. From this angle all you could see were stars and it felt like you were sitting in the middle of space.
"Wow, it's really beautiful from here."
"Good, I'm glad you like it. I thought we could eat our dinner here and enjoy the view."
Seeing the pure joy in her husband's eyes, plus the view of his bare chest and strong arms, Cara could think of many more things she'd like to do other than eat and watch the stars.
We'll start with that, at least, Cara thought.
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CaraMed Romantic Night…
Cara opened the door and found their quarters nearly dark.
"Med?"
She didn't see her husband and put down her bag with a weary grunt. She'd thought Med had the night off from the hospital, but maybe he'd gotten an emergency and had to go back.
Shrugging to herself, Cara reached for the lights. She was already planning for a nice long hot shower and then to go straight to bed. She was hungry but she didn't have the energy to think about making anything.
Before she could turn on the light near the kitchen, she noticed a glow from the living area. Walking a few steps to the left to see better, her features broke into a smile.
Med was sitting in front of the fire on a pile of blankets, grinning at her.
"Hello, my love."
Cara was over there in a few strides, dropping to her knees to kiss her husband.
When they pulled apart, she looked at what he had created. Med had gathered all their blankets and pillows from their bed, and even the spares from the closet. It was all very familiar, and Cara's eyes lit up when she recognized why.
"Like our honeymoon," she whispered, taking in the sight.
"Yes," Med agreed, pulling her down. Cara sat cross legged next to him, putting her head on his shoulder.
"Unfortunately, we don't have a view of the stars," he said sadly. "But we do have the fire."
"This is amazing, thank you."
"Anything for you, my love." Med kissed her head and put an arm around her shoulders.
They sat like that, holding each other and watching the fire. As the moments passed, Cara felt every tension from the stressful mission leaving her body.
Finally, the soldier sighed. "I really want to take a shower, but I don't want to get up."
"Tell you what, you shower, and I'll get dinner ready. Then you can eat when you get out. Hungry?"
"That sounds perfect. I'm starved."
Med got up and then pulled Cara to her feet. Once she was standing, he swept her into his arms. Putting one hand behind her back and cupping the other on the back of her head, he dropped his lips to hers.
The kiss was slow and tender, and when they pulled away, Cara was breathless and smiling.
"That was a preview of dessert," Med said with a wink before he turned to head into the kitchen.
Cara shook her head, still smiling.
I am one lucky woman.
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CaraMed Pregnancy…
"Med! I need you."
He was at her side in a second.
"What is it, my love?"
She sighed.
"I can't get my boots on. This big thing is in my way," she flapped her hands over her large belly.
He chuckled. "Here, let me help."
"I never thought there'd be a day when I couldn't put my own boots on. This is all your fault you know."
"Yes, yes, all my fault." He helped her with her boots, then held out his hand to help her stand. "Now, on your feet, soldier."
She smiled at him, shaking her head. "How do you put up with me?"
"Very easily, my love. For this, I will put up with anything." He put a gentle hand on her stomach.
"I love you. You know that, right? Even when I'm grumpy and annoyed from being hugely pregnant, I still love you."
"I know." He moved his hand to her chin and pulled her face up for a kiss.
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The CaraMed Baby…
The contractions were getting stronger and coming closer together. Cara felt like she couldn't get ahead of one before the next one was on her.
After a little while, Cara's groans got louder, and she gripped onto Med with all her strength. After another strong contraction, Med spoke to her softly.
"Cara, my love. Tell me what's happening. I know it hurts but are you feeling anything else? Are you feeling a lot of pressure right now?" He had a suspicion based on the timing and strength of the contractions that she was close.
Cara had her head in his shoulder again and he felt her nod.
"Okay, we need to check you again. Can you roll over onto your back?" Again, she nodded. She rolled over for the exam and once the doctor was done, Med whispered to her.
"Cara, you're there. You can push now. You're ready to meet our baby."
"Wait. Wait," Cara said, grabbing onto Med's arm again.
"What's wrong Cara?" Med's voice was filled with worry, afraid that something would go wrong that they wouldn't be able to fix, a complication that they didn't have any way to handle.
"I'm not ready."
"Yes, you are. It's okay, you can push now."
"No, I'm not ready to be a mother. How did I think I could do this?"
"My darling, you can definitely do this. You are going to be an amazing mother. You already are. Look at what you're doing for our baby already. How strong you've been. You are strong and fierce and protective and loving, what more could any child want from a mother? Of course, you're ready. You're more ready than you think."
Cara looked into her husband's eyes. "Really? You think I'm going to be a good mother?"
"I know it. You already are."
"Okay, I'm ready."
Cara pushed for a little while on her back, but it hurt her back.
"I think I want to sit up."
"Okay, my love. Whatever you need."
"Okay just breathe for a second Cara. You're doing great," the doctor said.
Cara nodded as another contraction came, gripping onto Med again and giving one more push and the baby finally came.
"Great job, Cara."
Cara leaned back against Med, panting, and catching her breath. The baby was placed on the blanket on her chest. She wrapped the baby in her arms and the little one's cries quieted as they snuggled against her warmth.
Now that the baby was here and healthy, and his wife was alright, Med allowed himself to switch out of doctor mode and into husband and father mode.
"You did it, my love."
Med kissed Cara's forehead as she leaned against his chest.
"I love you." She leaned into his kiss, as they both smiled down at the baby.
