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Episode 2, Chapter 2

Number of chapters: 3

Title: "On This Winter's Night"

Genres: Din whump, sick!Din, angst, fluff, father/son, family/friendship, BoDin slow burn romance, humor, holiday

Song inspiration for episode title/some of story:

"Song for a Winter's Night" by Sarah McLachlan (chapters two and three)
"In the Bleak Midwinter" by Sarah McLachlan (chapter three)

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Bo-Katan Kryze was reminding herself not to panic.

The Mandalorian princess forced her lungs to inhale deeply as she answered the commlink. There was no need to cause the child to be frightened any more than he already was. They had trained for this and the first thing to do was assess the situation.

She went through the questions Din had prepared. The other Mandalorian had set them up in a very specific order so that she, or whoever answered the comm would know what was happening. Bo had noted at the time that the questions were about the child first. Of course, they would be. In Din's mind, Grogu always came first.

Bo carefully kept to the pattern they had laid out in the training drills. Her gut was screaming to find out what had happened to the man who was conspicuously missing from the holo image of the child. But she asked about Grogu's well-being first, knowing that's what Din would want her to do.

"Show me Dad," Bo finally asked after all her other questions were answered. Grogu had told her that Din wasn't injured but was unconscious and might be sick.

Grogu turned the camera and she saw Din lying motionless in the hallway of the cabin. It looked like he'd been walking when he collapsed. Whatever it was must have happened fairly quickly.

Even after seeing the same terror on the child's face that she recognized - from the time the little one had flown alone to her castle asking for help when Din had been captured by a cyborg - Bo still hoped that somehow this was some sort of elaborate joke by Din. Even if the idea of the quiet Mandalorian setting up a prank of such proportions was impossible to ponder. She'd rather be shocked at such unusual behavior than face the alternative that something was seriously wrong. After all, she'd been talking to Din not that long ago and he'd seemed fine. What could have happened in such a short period of time?

But Din didn't hop up when Grogu jumped down from the table, the little one landing near his father's shoulder this time. The man was motionless, reminding her of when she'd found him at the bottom of the Living Waters, not breathing after having plummeted into the depths without a chance to pressurize his helmet.

"Is Dad breathing?" Bo needed more information. "Can you tell?"

Yes, the boy signed. Luckily, Din had taught her a few of the signs and she understood that one. Bo watched as Grogu toddled closer to his father, putting his head against Din's cuirass.

Grogu held up his hand, squeaking urgently as she struggled to figure out what he wanted to communicate.

Kriff it, Din is so much better at this than I am.

Then it clicked.

"Did you try to heal him?"

Grogo nodded.

"And it didn't work?"

He shook his head.

Bo kept her rising panic at bay by force of will alone. Din had told her of the child's healing abilities and she herself had seen the little tyke hold back a flaming wave of such mass that it should have killed them all. The fact that Grogu hadn't been able to heal whatever was wrong with Din was not a good sign.

"Okay, I'm coming. Hang on, little one."

Bo raced to the Gauntlet, stopping on the way to tell the Armorer what had happened. It never occurred to her to send anyone else in her stead. Grogu had called her, and Din had entrusted her to be one of the emergency contacts the boy had in case something went wrong. She was going to that child and to his father, no matter what.

But as she relayed the emergency to the matriarch of Din's clan, Bo wondered if, as the leader of Mandalore she should be leaving her post. Perhaps she should send someone else? She thought the Armorer might even suggest that they assign a team to go instead. But the Armorer didn't protest, offering to handle anything needed for Mandalore while Bo was away from the planet, which was a relief.

The Armorer also insisted Bo bring one of the medics from Din's clan. Apparently, the man had been gone for a while and had just found his way to Mandalore. This news wasn't surprising. Many of their people had been in exile across the universe and were starting to trickle in now that word has gotten out that they had reclaimed their planet.

Bo waited with as much patience as she could muster while the Armorer sent for the medic. Before she could crawl out of her skin with nervous energy, the man showed up. He ran to them, carrying several bags of gear. The Armorer only introduced him as their best medic, and he nodded at Bo when she led the way to her ship.

The man didn't say much as they took off out of the stormy atmosphere of Mandalore. That was fine with Bo. She was caught up in her own thoughts, unable to stop replaying the vision of Din lying on the floor of his home.

After they hit hyperspace, the medic finally spoke up, asking a few questions about everything she knew about Din's condition. But as she didn't know much, it was a short conversation. He did ask if there were others on the planet who might be able to get there first, which prompted Bo to try and reach out to Greef Karga.

Greef's protocol droid answered the commlink, informing her that the High Magistrate was tied up with other matters. Apparently, the town was expecting colder than usual temperatures over the next few days and a lot needed to be done to prepare the usually hot desert city for the rare weather event. Even Marshal IG-11 was helping with the preparations.

"Is there anything you need, Lady Kryze?" the droid asked politely. "I can get a message to High Magistrate Karga. He apologizes for not being able to speak to you himself."

Bo had no doubt Greef would drop everything to help Din, but she and the medic would be at the cabin soon anyway. There was no need to pull the man away from taking care of an entire city. She knew Din wouldn't want that.

"No, thank you," she told the droid. "I was just checking in on the trade agreements, but that can wait. Tell High Magistrate Karga that I wish him well and that I'll check back in with him another time."

Bo felt a tinge of guilt at the lie, but she'd explain it to him later once everything had settled down.

"Can we call the child? Is he able to answer?" the medic asked when she ended the comm.

"Yes, Din taught him how."

"Right, of course he would have taught his son how to do that." The medic said quietly, almost to himself, as if her reply confirmed a suspicion he already had.

Bo opened the commlink to Din's cabin and Grogu's little face came on the holo screen.

"Hey buddy, we're almost there," Bo said to reassure the boy as soon as she saw him, wishing she could leap through the image to get there sooner. "I know you're scared but I need you to check on your dad for me. Can you tell me if he's still breathing okay?"

Grogu nodded. He went to Din's side and put his head on his father's chest.

"Breathing?" Bo asked.

Grogu nodded.

"Good. Heart beating?"

The boy nodded again.

"Good job, little one," the medic spoke up quietly, as though trying not to frighten the boy.

Bo was surprised to hear such tenderness from the man who had been mostly quiet up to that point. She hadn't been expecting a kind-hearted medic behind the armor. Though she should have known better. After all, Din was a kind-hearted father behind his armor.

"Now, Din probably didn't teach you this, but I know you can do it," the medic said to the boy. "Listen to his heart again for me."

Grogu put his head on Din's chest and Bo realized that the boy's large ears were helpful in this instance. She wasn't sure how easily she would've been able to hear Din's heart beating under the layers of his cuirass, vest, and other clothing.

"Good, now I want you to put your arm up and then move it down every time his heart beats," the medic instructed carefully.

Grogu did as he was asked and Bo felt a small sense of pride in the boy, which struck her as odd considering he wasn't her child. She decided it must be from assisting with the child's training.

"Good job, kid," the medic said in relief. "He's got a steady beat and that means he's okay for now. We'll be there soon and figure out what's making your dad sick, I promise. Can you hang on for us?"

Grogu nodded, then squeaked. He was moving his hands trying to say something.

Bo had learned some of the sign language the boy used to communicate, but she was nowhere near as proficient with it as Din was.

"Sorry Grogu, we don't understand," Bo said.

The child went back to the camera and shifted it so they could see the unlit fireplace. He pointed one little claw to the hearth, then pointed back to Din.

"Is he hot? His skin is hot?" the medic asked, catching on to what the boy was trying to say.

Grogu nodded. "Okay buddy, that's good for me to know. You're doing a great job at giving us all the information we need to help him. We'll be there soon," the medic assured again.

They got off the commlink and Bo turned to the medic, who was sitting in Din's usual spot at the navigator's station. It gave her an odd sense of familiarity, which she felt must have to do with where he was sitting. But it felt like there was also something more to it and she wasn't sure what to make of that.

"Is there anything else we could have had Grogu do to help Din before we get there?" Bo asked.

"Not without knowing more," the medic shook his head.

"What about the fever? Could he have used cold water to help cool Din down?"

"I wouldn't have him do that until I fully assessed Din's condition. He might be hot, but cold water could also put him into shock if he's in bad shape. We just have to wait until we get there. From what I could see, Din… should survive that long."

She heard the hesitation in the man's voice, and she chose not to mention it. He was worried about Din, but so was she. There was no need to say it out loud. Luckily it wasn't a long jump, and they were landing in front of Din's cabin only a couple of hours later.

Grogu squeaked in relief as soon as they landed, running to Bo with his arms out, crying as she scooped him up.

"It's okay, little one. This man is a medic. He's from your clan and he's here to take care of your father."

The medic ran inside to Din's prone form, running a scanner over him.

"How is he?" Bo asked, following him with Grogu still in her arms.

"Alive but weak and burning up. I need to get him moved to his room."

Before Bo could say anything or offer to help, the man had pulled Din's arms to sit him upright. Then he crouched and shifted the unconscious man over his shoulder, standing up with a grunt. Something told her it wasn't the first time the medic had needed to do that with Din.

"Show me his room?" The medic asked.

"This way," Bo led him down the hall and he deposited Din gently on top of the covers.

"I need to get the rest of my gear. I'll be right back."

Din roused from being moved and Bo heard him moan softly as soon as the medic left the room.

"Din?"

He looked around and she heard confusion in his voice when he spoke.

"Bo?"

"It's okay, I brought help."

"Grogu?"

"He's fine, right here." She held the boy so Din could see him. Grogu squeaked and reached for his father. She started to put the child down when Din groaned in pain, clutching at his ribs.

"Din? What is it?" she asked, wanting to help but unsure what to do.

"I don't know," Din said, panting slightly. "I've never felt anything like this before, I feel like I'm being torn apart inside."

"Did you eat something unusual? Maybe on your last mission?" Bo asked, noting he was holding his stomach.

Din gave a quick shake of his head. "This isn't food poisoning or a stomach flu. It's more. It's like it's going all through my body. I swear I feel like my skin is crawling…except from the inside."

He groaned again, doubling over into a fetal position on the bed. Bo felt utterly useless, holding Din's son as he continued to writhe in pain, unable to offer any help.

"It's okay, Din. We're going to figure it out," she said quietly, offering reassurance even if she couldn't take away the pain.

After another minute, Din's noises of discomfort quieted as he lost consciousness again. Bo wasn't sure if she should be relieved or not that he had passed out. At least he wasn't hurting, but it didn't bode well that he was only able to be conscious for a few minutes.

She turned as the medic came back into the room. The man noted Din's new position on the bed and the rumpled blankets under him.

"He was awake?"

"Yes, for just a minute or two."

"Did he say anything? Tell you his symptoms or have any idea what's causing this?"

"No, not really. He just said… I don't know, it didn't make sense."

"What did he say?"

"That it felt like he was being torn apart from the inside."

"His stomach?"

"Yes, but also no. He said that it felt like…." She hesitated, unsure if Din's words were only the ramblings of a sick man in pain, or something real.

"What?"

"He said that he felt like his skin was crawling, but from the inside. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Not yet, but it could once I gather more information about what's happening."

"Are you sure? He wasn't making much sense. I've never heard him sound like that before."

"Yeah, Din, he… uh, can say strange things when he has a fever. But this looks different than anything he's ever had before. I don't think that was the fever talking. He's probably as confused as we are, plus he's in pain. But even if it sounded strange, I'm taking him at his word. He's always been good at telling me what I need to know about his condition."

It took everything Bo had in that moment not to let her jaw drop. That was the most she had heard the medic speak since meeting him earlier that day. Also, it was obvious that he and Din had a history. This wasn't just some random medic; this was a medic who had obviously treated Din for years.

There were a thousand questions Bo wanted to ask, but she only nodded in response to the medic's words. Those questions were for another time. Right now, they needed to focus on Din.

"What do you think is the matter with him? Do you have any idea?"

"Based on the readings I got, the sudden onset of symptoms, and what you told me he said about how he feels…all of it is pointing to possible poison."

"He said it didn't feel like food poisoning."

"He's right, this isn't that. No, I mean real poison. As in someone purposely tried to kill him."

"Why would someone do that?" Bo looked down at the unconscious man in the bed. "I understand people taking him on in battle and fighting him when he's trying to capture them, but who would stoop to poisoning?"

"There are many I can think of who would try it. The Empire for one I'm sure isn't happy he's been helping the New Republic. But there are also former quarries or even former clients that would want to do this. Din is unfortunately really good at pissing people off."

"That's true," Bo agreed with a tight smile. She remembered her first meeting with Din. He'd done the same to her, just as she'd done to him.

"But if it is poison then how did they get it into him?" Suddenly Bo was frightened for the child in her arms. She was worried about Din, but if this was taking down a full-grown warrior, what would it do to a small child?

As if reading her thoughts, the medic spoke again.

"I think if his son was poisoned, he'd already be showing signs." He looked to the child and his voice became soft and kind again. Not unlike Din's when he spoke to the boy.

"Grogu, do you feel okay?"

The little one nodded.

"Does your tummy hurt? Or your head?"

Grog shook his head again, then signed something, looking up at Bo.

"Do you know what he's saying?" the medic asked.

Bo wasn't sure. She had only learned a few signs, but she thought she recognized that one.

"Tired? Are you tired, buddy?"

Grogu nodded. Then held out his hand toward Din. It wasn't a gesture to go to his father, rather a symbol of something else.

"Okay, I think I understand. You're tired because you kept trying to heal him?"

Grogu nodded and she noticed then how weary the child looked. She held him closer, and he settled into her arms with a sleepy sigh, still watching his father intently.

"Alright, I need to do a more thorough exam. Can you do something for me, Lady Kryze?"

Bo noted the man was more talkative now, taking charge of his patient and the situation.

"Of course. And please call me Bo."

"Okay… Bo. Can you go to his ship and see if you can get information from the R5 to find out where they were last?"

"I can do that. Are you sure you don't need my help with him?" She nodded at Din.

"No, I need to do this next part on my own. I don't think you'll want to be here for what I have to do now."

Bo bristled a bit at the man's assumption. She was no wilting flower, afraid of blood or anything else one might see when treating a person who was injured or ill.

She held her head high when she responded. "I've seen my share of injuries in the field and helped treat them whenever I could be of assistance. What could you possibly need to do that you assume I would want to leave?"

"Apologies, my lady. I didn't mean to offend. Let me clarify."

"Please do," she crossed her arms, waiting.

"I need to try and find the point of entry for the poison. As his son isn't affected, I suspect Din may have been injected. Since he didn't call anyone for help on his way home, I can also assume Din didn't know he was injected. Whoever did this could have hidden the stab of a needle by bumping into him in a crowded area. Or by catching him off guard and putting it in him when he was occupied fighting. It could be literally anywhere."

The medic cleared his throat. "Which means I'm going to have to take off all his armor and clothes, then search his entire body for an injection point or other proof that this is in fact poison. Because right now, I only suspect that it is."

Silence reigned for several long seconds before Bo cleared her own throat, color rising on her cheeks. As a member of the royal family, someone who had been trained to speak with dignitaries and to address large crowds almost as soon as she could walk, Lady Bo-Katan Kryze did not fluster easily. But for some reason, she felt quite flustered at the medic's words.

"Right. Um… well, I'll leave you to that. I'll see what I can find out from the droid."

"Thank you, my lad… Bo."

Bo put Grogu down on Din's bed and headed out of the room. When she got to the door, she turned back, curious.

"Even the helmet?"

She heard what might have been a quick sound of amusement, but the medic's voice was steady when he answered.

"No, I'll leave that on. If I don't find the injection site anywhere else, I can tap into the circuitry in his helmet to give me readings on his skin to see if I spot any anomalies."

Bo nodded, intrigued. She'd had no idea medics from Din's clan could do that. But it relieved her to know there were medical options if it came to an injury or other issues on Din's face and head.

Heading outside to the N-1, Bo got the data from the astromech and determined Din's location, but it didn't give them a lot of information. Neither she nor the medic had heard of the planet before and Din and Grogu had only been there a short while. They also saw no evidence that Din had ever visited it before.

After a thorough examination, the medic found the entry point for whatever had been injected into Din. It had been slipped into his body just below the rib cage, between his cuirass and hip guard. Whoever had done it had known exactly where to put the shot to get in between the armor. The needle had been very small and inserted by a practiced hand. Even with a hard bump, one would often feel the jab of a needle into their skin. The fact Din hadn't told the medic that the person may have even had some medical training.

But even after he found an entry point, the medic still wasn't sure they were dealing with a typical poison. Din's symptoms matched poisoning in some ways, but in other ways they did not.

Bo took care of Grogu, getting him something to eat and drink, leaving the medic to tend to Din in the bedroom. As familiar as she was with medical procedures in the field, she suddenly had no desire to see anything that was happening to Din. It felt too personal, and she didn't think he'd want her there, either.

Once he was finished, the medic came out of the room.

"I've done all I can for now. I've got him hooked up to fluids to keep him hydrated but I'm not having any luck figuring out what this is. All the tests I've run for the most known poisons are coming up negative."

"What's next?"

"I'm going to set up a stronger scanner to test his blood and see what else I can find."

Grogu squeaked and pointed to the hall.

Dad? He signed.

"What does that sign mean?" The medic asked.

"It means Dad, he wants to see Din."

"Sure, you can see him, little one. Come on," the medic didn't offer to pick up the boy, giving him the option to walk into the room on his own.

"Should I wait here?" Bo asked.

"No, it's fine. You can come back in now."

Bo felt some trepidation, remembering what the medic said about stripping Din out of his clothes. But when they returned to Din's room, she was relieved to find her friend looking pretty much as he usually did.

The medic had removed all the beskar, except for the helmet of course. Din was in his typical clothing as far as she could tell. He was under blankets, but she saw his jacket and vest peeking out of the top of the covers.

"He doesn't have a lot of blankets," the medic said with a shrug, noticing Bo's eyes on Din's clothing. "So, I just put him back in his clothes. Even with the fever, he needs to stay warm since we know the weather is going to be colder than usual."

"Good idea," Bo agreed.

The medic pulled out one of his bags and started setting up his gear to run additional scans. He already had vials of Din's blood for testing and put one into the small instrument.

While the medic worked, Bo kept Grogu company as the little one sat by his father's bedside.

After a little while, Din came round again. His helmeted head turned to the medic and Bo heard his swift intake of breath inside the modulator. Thinking the man was worried at seeing a stranger in his home, she quickly reassured him.

"Hey, Din, it's okay. The Armorer sent a medic. You're pretty sick but he's here to help you."

She wasn't sure why the sight of one of his own people would make him react that way, but she wanted to put his mind at ease however she could.

Din mumbled, shaking his head, and turning away from the medic.

"No, no, no."

"Shhh… it's okay, Din."

"What's happening? What's wrong with me?"

"We think you were poisoned."

"Grogu?" Din tried to sit up but only managed to barely lift his head before it fell back to the pillow. His body shook from what turned out to be a gargantuan effort and when he was done, he could only move his head to look at Bo.

"He's okay," Bo told the worried father. "A little tired because he tried to heal you but other than that he's fine. No sign of poison. Looks like someone targeted you."

Bo noticed that the medic was standing by not saying anything. He seemed almost in shock, his body stiff now that Din was awake. He'd backed away when Din reacted and then stayed there, letting Bo calm the sick man down.

"Targeted?" Din said weakly.

"Yes. I guess it's not too surprising. You do have a lot of enemies, I'm sure."

"True," Din almost chuckled.

Seeing Din calmer, the medic stepped forward again.

"Din…"

As soon as the man spoke, Din startled, shaking his head on the pillow.

"No. Stop it," he whispered, as if talking to himself.

He turned his head to Bo.

"This poison. Is it… do I have a fever?"

"Yes. We're working on getting it down."

"Okay. Okay…that's good." That news seemed to make Din feel better, but she couldn't figure out why.

"Din what's the matter? I mean other than being poisoned," she gave a small smile, purposely trying to keep the mood light.

"When I have fevers, sometimes I… see things… see people… who aren't there."

Behind her, Bo heard the medic sigh heavily.

"Din, it's me," the man said. "I'm really here. You're not hallucinating."

Bo frowned, turning to look at the medic as he walked toward the bed again.

"No. Go away," Din turned his head away from the man. "Get out of my head. You're… dead. You can't be here. You're gone… because of me."

Din's voice cracked and Bo turned back to Din in surprise.

"I know it's confusing, but I swear it's me," the medic said. "I'm really here. You're not imagining things… Djar."

Bo's head snapped back to the medic again, shocked to hear the man calling Din what sounded like a very old nickname.

"Bo," Din ignored the other man and looked at her. She was too stunned by the turn of events to do anything except stare back at him silently.

"I think my fever is really bad. I'm seeing… hearing… things."

"Din," she started to assure him, but the medic beat her to it, his voice tinged with worry and frustration.

"Dammit Djar, listen to me. I'm here. It's a very long story and I'll tell you all about it when you're better, but you have to calm down so I can treat you."

"No, you can't be…" Din was shaking his head again, moving as if trying to get away, though in his weakened state he was only shifting on the bed. Still, it was taking a lot out of him.

Bo heard the medic's desperation when he spoke again, trying to calm Din down.

"If I wasn't here, then how would I remember the time you hunted a quarry on a swamp planet and came home with a form of marsh fever none of us had ever seen? Do you remember the things you said… the things you did during that fever? Because I sure do. What about stealing a jetpack and trying to fly the thing before you were fully trained on it? If Paz hadn't spotted you…"

"No!" Din managed to put some force into his response. "You're just in my head. Taking my memories."

The medic sighed. "You're leaving me no choice but to do this, Djar."

Bo almost asked what, but the medic spoke again.

"If I'm only in your mind, Bo wouldn't be able to hear me, right?"

The medic turned to her.

"Bo, can you please tell this old man that you can hear me?"

"Old man?" Bo couldn't help but to ask. Why would you call him an…"

She turned back at Din's loud gasp.

"What… did you say?"

"I asked him why he called you an old man. I may not be able to see your faces but I'm very good at reading people in armor. I've done it my whole life. I can tell that you're both around the same age and neither one of you is what I'd call an old man."

"You can hear… him? See him?"

"Yes Din, this is the medic that the Armorer sent with me. Though something tells me you already know who he is, don't you?"

Din didn't answer, turning his head to regard the medic as the other man stepped to the edge of the bed.

"Med? Is it really you?"

Bo heard the smile in the medic's voice when he replied.

"Good to see you, old man."

Bo watched as the medic…no, Med, put his hand on Din's shoulder.

"But how…?" Din asked, his voice weak.

"As I said, I'll explain it all later. For now, rest. That's an order."

Much to Bo's surprise, Din did as he was asked, giving her the impression that he'd followed the medic's orders many times before. With a sigh, he laid his head back on the pillow and they heard his breathing even out.

Once again Bo felt like she had a million questions she wanted to ask, but it still wasn't the right time. When Din was sleeping again, Med went back to studying the results from the more intensive scans on the ill man's blood. He'd already ruled out the most common poisons either he had already seen, or his instruments were programmed to detect. Despite Din's symptoms matching poison, Med was frustrated that he still couldn't figure out exactly what was attacking his friend's body.

Finally, the medic changed tactics, adjusting the instrument to simply show him Din's blood at the highest resolution he could see. Med sighed at not having a full lab available to him, not that he'd know what to do with one anyway. He was a good medic, but he wasn't a technician. Still, he hoped he might see something that the machine was missing.

As he zeroed in on the image of Din's blood, Med noticed something strange. Even without a lab at his disposal, he doubted he'd needed one to see what he was seeing. The only problem being he had no idea what it was.

"What the kriff is that?" Med muttered, making Bo look up.

"Did you find something?"

"I found something; I just don't know what it is."

"Can I look?"

"Of course." Med backed away to let her see.

Bo stared at the screen. "I know what that is."

"What?"

"Nano-droids. We dealt with things like these on a planet we visited a while ago."

"How long ago?" Med asked.

Hearing the hope in his voice, Bo shook her head. "A long while, before the fight on Mandalore. He couldn't have picked them up there. Besides the issue wasn't with people, the nano-droids were being used to infect other droids."

Med sighed. "Can you contact these people on the planet? They might still have some useful information if they recently dealt with a nano-droid problem."

"I'll see what I can find out."

Bo used Din's commlink to reach out to their friends on Plazir-15.

"Your Highness! It's so good to see you. How may we be of service?" Captain Bombadier bowed low when he saw Bo on the hololink. His wife smiled and nodded beside him.

"My lord, my lady," Bo inclined her head. "Thank you for taking our call."

"Ah, but that is not the Mandalorian you were with when you were here," the Duchess said, noting the medic standing behind her. "Though he does bear a striking resemblance to Din Djarin, if that's possible to say about two men in armor from head to toe."

It was then Bo realized why Med looked familiar to her. His armor was in fact quite similar to Din's. Though not pure beskar, it was painted a steel gray and his had many of the same features that Din's had. His leathers and underclothing were also nearly identical to Din's.

"We're contacting you about Din, actually," Bo continued, pulling her thoughts back to the important matter at hand. "This man is a medic from his clan."

"Oh no, what's the matter?" The Duchess put a hand to her mouth in worry and her husband wrapped a supporting arm around her shoulders.

"It appears he has been infected by nano-droids," Med spoke up. "Lady Kryze informs me that she and Din assisted you with a nano-droid problem recently. We're hoping that maybe your people can help us determine the best course of treatment, as those things won't respond to any of my normal protocols for poisoning."

"That's awful, simply awful," Captain Bombadier shook his head. "Of course, whatever you need. We'll have our top doctor reach out to you immediately."

"What about anyone who knows about nano-droids?" Bo asked, thinking of the man she and Din had caught infecting the droids on the planet.

"If you mean our former Head of Security," the Duchess sighed and shook her head, "I doubt he'll be much help. He hasn't spoken to anyone since he was found guilty and sent into exile. Even if he did respond, I don't know that I'd trust any information he would give you. He went away peacefully but continues to hold great anger toward us, and I'm afraid by extension to you my lady and to the Mandalorian Din Djarin as well."

"I understand," Bo said. "Thank you, we appreciate your help."

"Of course, do please keep us updated on his condition."

"We will," Bo agreed.

As promised, minutes later the leading doctor at the medical center on Plazir-15 contacted them, but Med wasn't able to glean any more information about how to treat Din.

"Dank farrik," Med sighed sadly after he got off the comm with the doctor. "Well, it was worth a shot. At this point we have to hope he can just fight them off. They're basically acting like a virus and the tests I've done are showing that his immune system is attacking them just like it would any virus."

"If they're acting like a virus, can't you give him antibiotics?"

"No. Antibiotics kill bacteria, but this isn't bacteria, these are tiny little droids so it will have no effect on them. Usually the antibiotics help, but the immune system is still a big part of the process. In this case, it will have to be the whole process."

"How likely do you think that is? That he can just beat them on his own?" Bo asked, eyeing the medic carefully.

Med didn't answer right away. Then he swallowed and spoke quietly, more to himself than to her.

"He can fight them."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

With someone else taking care of Din, Bo decided to spend her time caring for Grogu. Despite her raised hackles when she thought Med was suggesting she might wilt when asked to take part in Din's medical care, Bo was happy to give those duties to the medic. Not that she wouldn't step in if needed, but things like that could get awkward fast and she was relieved that he was able to take on caring for Din. It also made her feel better to have someone of Med's obvious skill and experience, not just as a medic, but with a connection to Din as well.

She also knew it wouldn't do Grogu any good to be sitting by Din's bedside, watching as his father got weaker. Din would want Grogu to be cared for if he wasn't able to do so himself. She had learned Grogu's schedule during all those talks with Din and her many visits to the cabin. Bo was determined to make sure that Grogu ate dinner, had a bath, and went to bed.

Near as they could tell, Din and Grogu had arrived late the night before and it had taken until midmorning Nevarro time for her and Med to get there. Then there was the panic of getting Din situated and medical treatments started. It wasn't until that evening when Bo realized none of them had eaten. She needed to remedy that, especially for the boy.

Some might think it odd that the leader of Mandalore, a princess, would take on such mundane tasks as ensuring that a small child was fed, bathed, and put to bed. But if anything, she saw it all as part of her duty – not just as a leader, but as a friend. The medic had more than enough to do tending to the ailing Mandalorian. Also, Grogu knew Bo and trusted her. She wanted to give the child whatever comfort she could during this stressful time.

Though none of them had much of an appetite, Bo insisted that Med retreat into Grogu's room to eat something while she and the child had their dinner at Din's bedside. Med was more agreeable to leaving once she reassured him that should Din's condition change, he'd be notified immediately.

Once the quick meal was finished, Bo noticed that Grogu was getting sleepy. He didn't want to leave his father's side, but he was still a child and youngsters needed sleep. She wasn't particularly worried that he'd have a tantrum or anything like that. But she was concerned about him getting more and more upset, the lack of sleep only adding to his feelings of fear and worry. She suspected that no matter what happened, he would probably pass out at some point from sheer exhaustion as all children did once they'd reached the end of their energy levels. But she preferred to put him to bed before that.

"Come on, kid. Let's get you in the bath and then into bed. It's been a long couple of days, hasn't it?" Bo said.

Grogu looked up at her with sad eyes, shaking his head and signing two of the few words she had learned in his silent language.

No. He pointed to Din. Dad.

Med continued to check on Din's vitals, putting his attention on the IV line and giving Bo and Grogu their space. He knew the little one likely wouldn't want to leave his father's side, but he agreed with Bo's choice. The boy needed the stability of his routine to help him at the moment. A child without rest was a favor to no one, least of all the child themselves.

Bo sighed, not in anger but in sadness. She wished she didn't have to force the boy away from his father. Actually, if she were able to make wishes right then she would've wished that Din wasn't sick at all. That they were visiting, and not watching Din's condition get worse as he continued to fight the nano-droids attacking his body. But it was happening, and this is what was needed to keep the boy as healthy as possible, physically and mentally, while they helped his father.

"I know, buddy. I know you want to stay with him, but right now he just needs to rest and be taken care of by a doctor. And we've got a great medic here, one of the best if I'm any judge," she looked up and smiled at Med over Grogu's head. He nodded at her in appreciation. "The Armorer sent him here so we know that means he must be good, right?"

Grogu looked over his shoulder at the medic, then back at Bo. He finally nodded, agreeing with her.

"Okay then, so Med is going to take care of Dad and let us know the moment he wakes up."

Grogu still looked unsure, making no move to leave the bed where he'd taken up residence next to Din's left arm. Bo decided to try a different tack.

"Grogu, Mandalorians sometimes have to do things that are hard, because they are the right thing to do. Your dad would not want you to skip a bath or miss sleep for him when it's not necessary. He'd want you to follow the instructions of the leader of Mandalore, and right now I'm asking you to come with me while Med watches your father."

Grogu looked up at her again, then sat up straighter. She saw the Mudhorn rondel and his chain mail shirt peek through the folds of his heavy robe as he gazed at her. He suddenly looked like a proud, if somewhat small Mandalorian.

Yes, he signed. He hopped off the bed himself and went with her into the hallway.

Good job, kid, Bo thought.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

While Bo tended to the child, Med kept watch on Din. He monitored the sick man's vitals, angry that there was nothing else he could do except give assistance to keep his immune system boosted.

Din shifted on the bed, drawing the medic's eyes away from the IV line he'd been adjusting after adding more fluids. He'd given Din all the boosters he'd brought with him, solutions that were usually given to someone severely lacking in vitamins and minerals. It wasn't meant for a situation like this but sadly, it was all he could do for the man who was like his brother.

"Cold…" Din muttered. Med could hear his teeth chattering under the helmet.

"I know, Djar. I'm working on getting you warmed up." The temperature had been dropping steadily once the sun had gone down. Med had warmed the fluids he was giving Din, as well as found more blankets in the trunk by the window.

Bo had finally gotten Grogu to bed and the child fell asleep almost immediately. The combination of food and a bath had the effect she had hoped. She walked into the room as Med put another blanket over Din's shivering body.

"Would it be better to move him into the front room with the fire?" she asked. They lit the fireplace when the cold had settled over the small cabin after sunset.

"No, the weather isn't that bad yet. The fire is still enough to keep this place warm, luckily the cabin is small. Besides, that blasted couch is too short, and I want him fully laid out. He won't fit on that thing. Why did he buy one so small?"

"Well, first off, it's not that small. You two are just tall," Bo said kindly. "I'm sure I'd fit on it just fine. Second of all, Din wasn't the one who bought it. Most of the furnishings were already here when he was given the cabin."

"Oh, okay. Well, I'm definitely telling him to buy a bigger one when this is all over."

Bo didn't respond, knowing Med's attitude had nothing to do with a couch. She'd been around enough people when they were worried about someone they cared about.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

As the night wore on, Bo and Med took turns getting a little rest on the "blasted couch" as Med had called it.

Din woke up a few times throughout the night. Med noted the other man was weaker each time, but still hanging on, so he took hope in that. If he'd learned anything from treating the other Mandalorian over the years, it was that Din was tough. If anyone could beat a bunch of mini robots wreaking havoc in his system, it was Din Djarin.

Deep in the night, Din's voice rasped as he woke up again. His head moved sluggishly on the pillow, looking around.

"Med?"

"Hey," Med sat up, leaning forward from the chair where he'd been sitting keeping watch. "How're you feeling, Djar?"

"Where's Grogu?" Din asked.

Med smiled under his helmet at Din's first thought being for his kid, though it hadn't gone unnoticed by him that his friend was using his son to avoid the question about how he was feeling. That alone told Med that Din felt pretty awful, usually choosing to keep quiet about pain or illness unless pushed into providing details to help with medical assessments.

"Asleep," Med replied. "Bo got him to eat, take a bath and go to bed."

"She did?" Din sounded surprised and grateful.

"Yep. She did have to pull the 'I'm the leader of Mandalore and you will listen to me' card though."

"Ah," Din chuckled then coughed slightly, his head raising briefly before dropping back down again. "Well, none of us can refuse her when she does that."

"No, I suppose we can't."

"So… what have I got, Med?" Din asked, turning his head to regard his old friend. Med knew those dark brown eyes were staring at him unblinkingly under the T-visor. He'd seen Din give him that stare many times when they'd been younger.

"Well, the good news is that it's not poison. Not exactly."

"What is it?"

"Nano-droids."

"Droids? Droids are trying to kill me?"

"Yep."

Din sighed and with that labored breath, Med heard the strength slowly leaving the other man, knowing that Din was going to pass out again. Even just a few minutes of conversation was too much with his body working as hard as it was.

"Why is it…always… droids?" Din mumbled before his head lolled sideways on the pillow as sleep took him again.

Med chuckled lightly, fully aware of Din's nearly life-long hatred of droids.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

As the sun rose over the little cabin, Din opened his eyes to see shafts of light streaming through the split in the curtains on his bedroom window.

Din felt weaker than any previous injury or illness. Now that he knew it was nano-droids, the pain he felt made sense. He swore he could feel the things eating at his flesh, feasting on his internal organs, attacking him from the inside where there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't pull a weapon or crush them with his bare hands, he could only lay in bed and hope that his immune system would take care of the problem.

But as he continued to watch the sun rise, the Mandalorian felt his body growing weaker with each passing moment. It didn't feel like he was winning this battle and he needed to ensure his son was cared for.

He and Grogu had only been together as father and son a short while. Now Din feared he was going to leave Grogu and that his child was going to endure the same pain and heartache that he had when he was a boy. No, he reminded himself, it would be better for Grogu. The child was already a part of the clan so it wouldn't be as big of a shock to be taken in by another Mandalorian. Maybe a married couple would take him. Din had often wondered if Grogu would be better off with two parents rather than one. If that were the case, he wouldn't be losing his entire family if Din died.

Then Din remembered that Grogu did have more family, that Din himself had more family.

"Med," Din said softly, waking the man sleeping in the chair by his bed. Med's helmeted head popped up at the sound and he leaned forward.

"Hey, Djar. Try not to talk too much. You've got to save your strength."

"Grogu…."

"He's fine. Still asleep."

"You need…" Din adjusted what he'd been about to say. He couldn't assume that Med, even if they saw each other as brothers, would do what he hoped. "Someone needs to care for Grogu if…"

"Hey, no. Don't talk like that, Djar."

"He can't be left alone. He needs…family. Protection. He's a… Mandalorian now." Din's chest was tight, his lungs struggling with each breath, and he could only speak a few words at a time.

"Yes, he is," Med agreed. "Your son will be fine, but you don't have to worry about that because you're not going anywhere. Not for a very long time."

"But you have to… promise me. Someone… will care for him. Help him find a home."

Med took a deep breath, holding back the grief that planted itself on his heart at Din's weak words. Not allowing the emotions he felt to show, the medic spoke in a calm, quiet voice. Din was getting upset and using up strength he didn't have. Med needed to reassure him to get him to calm down and rest.

"Djar, you have my word, if anything happens to you…," he swallowed, hesitating for only a moment before making a decision. "I'll take your child and raise him myself."

Tears fell from Din's eyes, unseen behind the beskar. He and Med had been close, like brothers, but he hadn't let himself hope that Med would make such an offer. "You… would?"

"Of course. We may not be of the same blood, but you and I decided a long time ago we were brothers, didn't we? That makes that child my family and I swear to you he will be cared for."

"Thank you… baby brother."

Med huffed a silent laugh at the old nickname. Din hadn't called him that in years. He sniffed under his helmet, blinking away tears of his own.

"But as I said, you don't have to worry about that right now. You're going to get better, and I'll stick to being an uncle. I don't know if I have what it takes to be half the dad you are."

Din relaxed, letting the pull of unconsciousness start to take hold of him again. He didn't have to worry about his son if he died. His brother would take care of him.

He looked up at Med again, his eyes getting heavier.

"You will be… a great… father."

Din's head slumped as he lost consciousness. Med looked at the monitor he'd hooked up to the ill man and didn't like the readings he was seeing. Despite what he'd said to Din, things weren't looking good, and his condition was in fact declining.

"Come on, Din," Med said, whispering quietly more to himself than to the sleeping man laying before him. "You can't do this to me. I just got my brother back. I didn't even get the chance to tell you everything that happened to me since that night you snatched the kid. I also didn't get to hear exactly how you came to adopt your son. I heard a brief version from the Armorer, but you know how she is. Not one for details, our matriarch. I want to hear it from you. Djar, so don't you dare give up on me."

As more minutes ticked by, Med watched as Din's condition continued to deteriorate, feeling more and more helpless. He'd tried everything he could think of, but this was beyond his skills and training as a medic. This wasn't like treating broken bones or torn muscles. This wasn't a case of organs shutting down after an injury. Din was fighting tiny robotic creatures that didn't act like any virus or illness.

Med sat up suddenly as a thought occurred to him, remembering something Bo had said when he'd noted the adjustments made to the fresher. They didn't need a doctor; they needed a droid expert.

And Med happened to know that they had some of the best droidsmiths in the galaxy on this very planet.