Boba kept a punishing pace making her stumble more than once. Every time she faltered she was hauled up and then forward again. The joint in her right shoulder ached from the tugging and yanking. Her tears had dried already, the salty crusts they had left behind was keenly felt in the cold draft in the corridor. Where were they even? She knew they had already gone through the main hall of the tem… monastery.

She stumbled once more when her knees gave in. This time she couldn't get her knees to straighten again when Boba tugged mercilessly again, her knees hitting the floor and the palm of her left hand hit the ground to prevent her head from hitting it too. An annoyed huff was heard.

"Girl, you are making this harder on yourself than necessary," Boba commented drily. However, he didn't yank her up mercilessly this time. Small mercies. Gasping for a breath, she looked up to him. What she had expected to see she did not know. As if a helmet could display expressions. Her senses were too fuddled to even attempt to reach out with them.

This time he kneeled in front of her, his visor in line with her eyes. She had to swallow in fear. Then she remembered how she had practically smashed her nose into his neck back on the bridge. If her cheeks could catch fire it'd be an inferno right now.

"Please," she choked out, "I need to breathe."

There was silence while they just stared at each other. His hands twitched.

"We cannot stay here. More bounty hunters are on their way," he stated simply. She frowned. Why should she care?

"And I should care because? I am wanted alive!" She spat, refusing to move still.

"Not all of them will deliver you alive," she swore she could practically hear the smug smirk in his voice.

"A kinder fate than what your employer has in store for me," she shot back immediately. Boba cocked his head to the side as if contemplating something.

"So you know," was all he stated.

"Yes."

"Well that explains why you threw yourself off that building to get away," Boba retorted, then as fast as lightning his hands were around her forearms squeezing them. Her muscles strained against the pressure through her clothes. No, she threw herself off because of Erana.

"But you are with me now, and you will stay alive," a shiver ran down her at the promise. There was no way he'd let her out of his sight now. She bit her tongue to swallow down a response. It would not serve her at all if she antagonized him more. Frankly it was over. She had tried to escape him twice now. There was no way of escaping. All was lost. Hanging her head in defeat she felt herself being pulled up, her knees finally obeying her again while they ached from the impact previously.

More would be coming he said. More killing. More having to watch bodies crumble to the ground.

She was tired. So tired.

This time she was pulled in front of Boba, her feet nearly tripping over themselves in haste to not stumble again.

"Keep moving," Boba said behind her, his voice vibrating against the back of her skull. Then she was pushed forward, her feet going through the motion of walking automatically. The lump in her throat intensified when she was forced around another corner. Soren. Gone because of her. If she hadn't… What could she have done? She shouldn't have panicked. Soren shouldn't have pointed a blaster at her face! No, she had wanted to die! Still, Soren was… had been her friend! Was she so sure that she wanted to die? Her eyes widened.

She didn't want to die. Not now. Not before either. Coward! Coward! Co… no she was not… she was one.

They stilled abruptly. Her upper body lurched forward when his hands didn't permit her to move any further. Instinctively she opened her mouth to ask what was going on now, when Boba's arm slung around her waist, his other hand clamped on her mouth. Then she was roughly pulled into one of the dark rooms in the corridor. She was forced onto her knees again, Boba following her down as the weight of his chest armor pressed her into the wall. Her hands were instinctively gripping at the edges of his armor trying to keep herself more upright than just sliding down against the wall. Her knees started aching again as they were pushing against Boba's leg. Too close! She could practically smell him again.

"No peep from you," he threatened in a low voice. His helmet digging into her cheek as the other was crushed against the stone of the wall next to her. So she shut her mouth and listened. Waited. Until echoes of boots could be heard. Her heart was suddenly in her throat again. Everything inside of her felt as if she had stuck her hand into an electric generator. She squeezed her eyes shut while the drumming of footsteps grew closer and closer. Boba's chest plate rose and fell against her cheek and it was comforting in a sense. Odd. It was so odd that anything about him would be comforting. He killed this Erana, he killed Soren. He killed Soren because Soren was about to kill you… Shut up! By the Force, it was true though? Soren was killed because Boba wanted her alive. Twisted. Everything was twisted.

The air grew more charged the closer the group of people got. Her eyes flew open on their own accord. Just as the group of people came into view. A scream died in her throat when she saw the armour and insignias. Rebels. The rebellion was here?! Who else was going to turn up?!

"Are you sure you saw them going here?" A gruff female voice suddenly said close to her ears. She nearly jumped, if she wasn't so firmly pinned to the wall. Boba did that on purpose. So she wouldn't give their position away. Clever.

"Aye, the gossip in town wasn't exactly quiet on that matter," her town knew? Surely they'd… No they wouldn't. She was just a medic apprentice. The doctor couldn't leave the clinic and the others couldn't be bothered. Stop thinking you are of any worth to anybody.

"They can't have gotten far. Keep moving," the female ordered and the group disappeared from view. But to her it felt like she had been punched in the gut. Why she didn't know. Surely the rebellion would help her? She did not make a single noise while Boba had her pinned so securely against the wall. Until he let up. She sank onto her behind when he shifted away from her, his shoulders tense and a hand on his blaster. His other hand remained on her forearm though. As if he would let go she'd run again. Why couldn't she have run into a stupid Bounty Hunter? One who didn't know what he was doing?

Then she was face to face with his helmet again, making her nearly jump in surprise.

"Don't think they are here to help you," he said in a low tone making her frown, "they are here to kill you."

That was a tough one to swallow. Hang on. Why should she believe him? He could just as well be lying so she would follow him. Just pretend for now. So she nodded and the grip on her forearm lessened a bit. Her muscles finally were able to relax a bit. Right he was lying. She somehow had to get to them without Boba realizing it until it was too late. Though, the getting away part was easier said than done. Biting her tongue she kept looking at him. Why would they want her dead to begin with?

"Come," and he was up again tugging her up and she followed him as fast as she could. Hopefully she could get away soon. Her gut twisted now. A warning? Were her senses so fuddled now that escaping Boba Fett was not good? How messed up was she at the moment?

They were moving away from the rebels, completely opposite direction. Frowning she tried to remember where they were. Narrow corridors, a window to their right. The jungle could be seen down below. No sign of the town. So they were on the East side of the temple. Moving away from the main hall too. Did he even know the layout of the temple? He stopped out of nowhere and she bumped into his shoulder. Damn, her poor nose. If he was bothered by it he did not even twitch. He stood there stock still staring down the corridor to their left. They were at a junction at the moment if her memory served right. Left would lead back to the main and right would lead to more rooms and landing platforms. Landing platforms? Her spine straightened, was he planning on leaving? Right, he was going to collect on the bounty. She should run. The rebels would surely help her. Boba was just lying. Right? He didn't seem like he'd have reason to lie? No no, he is screwing with her head.

He killed Soren! Her stomach sank. No she did. It was her fault Soren was dead. The realization slammed into her lungs all of the sudden. Her fault? Yes. No? Yes! Coward! She had to shake her head to chase off the thoughts. Boba ignored her.

The air tensed around her, constricting around her throat, crushing it. Involuntarily she took a step back as far as the iron grip on her arm allowed it.

Boba whirled around, making her jump and she was forcefully dragged to the right corridor. Whatever was coming from the other direction was bad. For both of them.

Swallowing she matched Boba's pace as they rounded another corner. She could feel the draft from outside when they were finally caught. Her insides grew cold and the hair on her neck stood up. This wasn't good.

"Halt!" The female from before? This was her chance! They knew she was held against her will right?

"I was wondering when you Rebels would catch up," Boba remarked flatly, his blaster now aimed at the approaching group. Blasters were cocked. She counted at least seven people opposite them.

"We caught you, nothing else matters," the female retorted smugly.

"Who said you'd get us?" Boba chuckled. Uncertainty flooded her senses and she had to resist the urge to gag. Was this what it was like to stand in front of Boba ready to fight? Silence filled as the group in front of them hesitated and she could feel the smirk on Boba's face from underneath his helmet.

She was suddenly pushed backwards, landing on her behind. Ouch. What was… She barely could blink as the corridor in front of her was engulfed in flames. No screams this time. Wide eyed she saw Boba coming out of a squat. The rocket on the top of his backpack missing now. Had he just blown them up? Numbly she observed him turning around to her again and she swallowed. How many had died already by his hand just so he could get her bounty? Bile was up in her throat again and this time she could not keep it down. Keeling over she spat out what little she had had in her stomach still. By the Force, she was just supposed to be a medic! To help people survive and not be the cause of their deaths! More bile burned its way up and lurched through her mouth onto the floor. The foul smell deadening her nose.

"There will be more," Boba's boots were now in her field of vision. Unmoving like him in the face of all this death. How could he be so untouched? She did not care if more were coming. Slapping her hand on her mouth she wiped away the bile clinging on its corners. Craning her neck to look at him she saw him staring down at her. If he was disgusted or apathetic she could not tell. His presence was confusing. Her senses bounced off of him as if his mind was surrounded by a solid wall. He crouched down again. She already knew what he was going to do. Her arms twitching at the anticipated yanking that would happen. What she needed right now was water, her throat burned as if she had swallowed sand.

He had killed one of her only chances to escape! Hang on… He said there would be more! Her mind was turning when she was roughly yanked up, the lack of water setting in. They were moving away from where they had stood, back the way they had originally come from. Do not look back, if she did she'd vomit again and they wouldn't… She wanted them to catch them though! Why would her gut tell her not to trust the rebels? Her senses were confused. That was why. Stupid memories. Why couldn't they stay dead!

More stumbling, more merciless yanking her along. Her heart kept jumping and dropping in her chest and it hurt. It hurt so much. Everything hurt, her arm ached, her shoulders strained and all she wanted was sleep. Sleep and never wake up.

Shouts reached their ears now and he suddenly forced her through a hole. Surprised she looked up to see the molten edges of the hole. She knew this one! It had been here ever since she had arrived on Teth. They were on a landing platform now. Why were they here?

The sliding of rope disrupted the silence and her stomach sank to her knees when white uniformed soldiers lowered themselves down in front of them and immediately readied their blasters.

There were so many.

Shit.

They were screwed.

No. He was screwed. Not her.

But why was her gut twisting so badly and her senses shrilling in the back of her mind?

Blaster rifles were cocked aiming at them. What?

"Fire!" Someone shouted and she was thrown on the ground. By what she had no clue. If it had been Boba or herself. It had happened too fast and she threw her hands over her ears as blaster bolts whizzed above her.

"Shoot him and then the girl!" Oh no. They were trying to kill her too?! Why her?! If she wasn't already lying on the floor her jaw would have dropped in shock. This wasn't fair.

Hot white rage set in, invading her vision as she lifted her head up from the ground. Boba was standing above her now, both legs next to her elbows. This was all wrong! She was supposed to be rescued by the Rebels! Not be protected by…him! She froze.

If she crawled out from underneath him they'd shoot her too. Isn't this what she wanted? To die? Do it. But her limbs didn't move. Do it! No! Coward… Shut up.

She didn't want to die. Fuck.

More bolts flew through the air. She turned her head to the side. Crates. Cover? Frantically she tried to find a grip on the stone with her hands. Slowly she pushed herself out behind Boba who had both his blasters out now shooting at the rebels who returned the fire.

As fast as her aching knees would let her, she crawled over.

"She is getting away," someone cried and she jerked her hand away just in time as a blaster bolt hit where her pinky had been just a second ago. Then she was finally behind the crate, as it got pelted with more bolts. That was too close! She held her pinky finger closely to her chest. If she hadn't pulled it away, it would have been gone. Her body was shaking again and she just wanted to cry. Why was the most feared Bounty hunter in the galaxy protecting her while the guys who should be more sympathetic are trying to kill her! All she wanted was to be a medic!

Yells disrupted her thoughts and the air sizzled around her as she heard a flamethrower being activated. Curling tightly in on herself, she tried to block out the screams. Erana's body appeared in front of her eyes. She had no bile left to spew out so she squeezed her eyes shut. The image didn't go away.

The back of her mind started itching. Urging to look. No. That would be insane! She was not suicidal and catch a bolt to the brain. No. Do it. No. This time her stomach flipped and now she knew the Force was warning her again. Foreboding more likely.

Slowly she turned on her side and got on her knees to peek over the top of the crate. A yell made her flinch, ducking her head lower, hands over her head. That hadn't sounded like Boba. Why she felt relieved she really did not want to think about right now.

Look up. Groaning she got back on her knees and peeked over the crate. Bad idea, a blaster bolt whizzed past her temple. The heat making her right eye water and she swore she could smell singed hair. A rebel near her turned his body towards her, aiming for her head and she froze up. No, no flashbacks! Please!

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Boba shifting his left hand and a red bolt streaked past her. The rebel in front of her did not see it coming. A pity. It was a clean shot through the head. He was dead before his body hit the ground. The blaster clattered to the floor and skidded across towards her crate, hitting the corner of it. Rage flooded her senses. She had to take a deep breath to remind herself that it was not her rage. Someone else's.

A weapon! One she did not know how to use. But a weapon! Dropping down again, as more blaster bolts flew past where her head had been moments ago.

She just had to get it. Yeah, how was she going to get it without getting a blaster bolt right in the middle of her forehead? Hesitating now, she bit her lower lip. Her chest suddenly hurt as if something punched through her heart. Force, she really needed to work on her mental shields again. Someone else died again? Boba was no longer standing where she remembered. Further back now, keeping his body moving, avoiding blaster bolts as if it was child's play. It looked so easy!

Come on, she just had to grab that blaster and help… no. She would not help Boba! A bit too late for that now! Shit….

She risked a quick peek around the crate's edge to her side. The blaster was lying on the opposite edge. Frowning she glared at the weapon. She'd have to stretch out her arm completely to reach it. If her arm wasn't blown off in the process that was. Shaking she slowly lowered herself to the ground. Hopefully she'd have a larger range to get it. On the ground now, she snaked her arm around the crate and her fingers started crawling their way over.

Her fingertips met cool metal. She had it! Emboldened she shifted her body more forward to get that extra inch in. Her outer fingers closed around the cylindrical barrel and she could weep. Finally she was no longer defenseless!

She firmly closed her hand around and drew it towards her. Safe again behind the crate she turned the blaster in her hand. How did one fire these things? Why did no one ever teach her? Or why hadn't she done so herself? Doesn't matter! Shoot!

Had she the blaster pointing the right way? Looked like it, there was a trigger and the longer part was pointing away from her. On her knees again, she hesitated. Could she actually do it though? Point and aim at another being? She was a medic for Force's sake!

Don't think, just do! Squeezing her eyes shut, she propped herself up, aimed at the first blurry white shape in front of her and… her finger didn't pull through. Her hand shook now, her heart was in her throat as finally… her finger pulled the trigger. The recoil caught her by surprise, bending her wrist backwards. Ouch.

Had she actually hit someone? There had been no yell. She looked again only to see two rebels looking straight back at her now. This time she pulled the trigger again and the bolt hit the nearest one straight in the chest, sending him flying into his comrade.

She felt sick. No, they would have killed her if she hadn't. Still, she killed someone. Wide-eyed she stared at the body. Didn't see how the face of the other rebel contorted in fury and charged at her. The fast movement made her jerk her head up to see a man charging at her with his blaster brandished. Frozen she could only look as the man leapt into the air to reach her.

Before she could scramble backwards, another blaster bolt impacted the charging rebel's chest and with a cry the man crumbled to the ground in front of her. Dead. Numbly she turned her head to see Boba shift his left blaster away to return the fire of the four remaining rebels.

He had saved her. Again.

She saw it before it happened. And did nothing.

Boba suddenly groaned and went to his knees, one hand on his stomach. He had gotten a blaster bolt to the stomach. Frantically she saw one of the rebels aiming for his head now as the other two swiveled around to focus on him.

She had to do something. Anything. A scream built in her throat and pressure built up in her forehead.

Her left hand was in front of her the next moment, a rush of power flowing from her chest to her fingertips. The rebel who had aimed at Boba's head was flung backwards. The scream made her blood run cold. Had she just Force pushed someone? Had she done that?

Dumbfounded she stared at how the body rolled past the platform's edge and disappeared. Silence fell over them as the shooting ceased for a moment. Boba and the others staring at the edge where the body had just been. This had happened then? She was not… She had killed with the Force. That was two now.

Boba was the first to recover. On his knees now he aimed his right blaster and the rebel nearest to her had no chance. He was dead before she could blink. A headshot. Clean.

Scrambling backwards she realized she had let go of her own blaster. Damn. Frantically looking around for it, she missed the roaring of ship engines. Only when it got so loud that she had to look, she saw a large ship hovering at the platform's opening. This was not a ship from the Rebellion. How she knew she had no idea. Open mouthed she stared as the ship's guns rotated towards them. Were they seriously going to…?

Arms were around her waist suddenly and she was flung over the platform as well. This time she screamed. The platform above her retreated fast, Boba falling above her his arms outstretched as if to catch her. Her own arm was outstretched and she stretched them as far as she could to grasp his hands.

A loud explosion sent a huge flame ball outwards above them. Her heart seized at the size. Any second later and they would have been burned to death! Strands of her hair had gotten loose from her braid and the brown strands blocked her vision now. Please, please catch her!

Why wasn't he using his jetpack? Their fingers nearly touched now and she desperately made a grasp only to barely graze his. Come on. He'd surely save her now for going all this trouble to kill the rebels?

She did not see the debris falling.

A sharp pain on her forehead made her cry out and her head jerked back, her spine digging painfully into the base of her skull. She could feel blood forming already and droplets flew up towards Boba. Her vision started to blur and she blinked to get rid of the haze. By the Force she hoped the cut wasn't too deep.

She heard the jetpack being activated before she saw it. Finally.

Their hands clasped around each other and her lower body jerked down, making her shoulder joint ache in protest by the sudden weight. He had her! Was she safe?

Then his arms were around her shoulders and her face smacked into his shoulder plate. Well, at least as safe as she could be with him. Her nose hurt with the impact and she knew her blood would be on it. Hopefully he had medical supplies. A stomach and head wound needed to be treated as soon as possible. Wincing she tried shift her head so she could see how bad it was. Air was pushing up still keeping her head right where it was. Why were they still falling down? Were they?

They slowed down after an eternity. Her heart fell down to her stomach when Boba pulled them out from the fall to a stop, hovering in the air for a brief moment. Finally she could lift her head to stare right into his visor. All she could see was her own reflection. Blood was running down her eyebrows now, making them itch. Though, she could sense his eyes on her face and she knew he was in pain. Even if she couldn't sense it.

"I can have a look at your stomach," she spoke up before she could bite her tongue. Her cheeks flamed up again. What was she thinking?! There was no reaction.

"We will see," he suddenly said while adjusting her in his grip. This time he had only one arm around her ribs. Then slowly they descended down towards the trees of the dense jungle.

Is that where his ship was?

Sure enough, it was hidden between three large trees that were densely intertwined enough to block out any metallic reflections. They landed before the entrance hutch. She was firmly set down, at least not roughly. Small mercies.

"Get in," Boba commanded roughly as the hutch opened and she had to swallow. Of course, how could she forget? She was a prisoner. Kriff. There was no choice. All this death and she was still in his hands. Maybe the Force wanted her to be with Darth Vader.

Coward.

Tentatively she stepped inside, darkness swallowing her up until the hutch closed behind them. Lights came on and she saw how narrow the corridor was they were standing in. Surely there'd be enough space for medical attention? Blood dripped onto her eyelashes now.

Cold metal met the back of her head and she froze, spine straightening. What? Was that his blaster? Why? Fear gripped her insides. Slowly she lifted both of her hands.

"No funny moves," he growled behind her. "Keep your hands where I can see them."

She was pushed forward now. Stumbling she moved into small room with a console board with two chairs behind it. Was this the cockpit? Looking up she saw the trees through the window. Was this the last time she'd see Teth's jungles like this? Yep. She should really stop thinking about stupid questions.

With a yelp she was shoved making her flail around for balance and a collar snapped around her neck again. No! No and whatever had been tickling her mind for the last precious few hours vanished again. No! Why?! Frantically she dug through her mind again just to feel its presence.

Stupid, it won't be there! Her hands were now on her collar tugging on it. Could she rip it off? No. At least it wasn't as jarring the first time. Taking a deep breath she looked back to look at Boba. She had saved him with the Force! Why? The blaster was still aimed at her head, steady and sure.

"No. Funny. Moves," he repeated. She wasn't that stupid!

"Why?" She asked weakly nonetheless. His response was to cock his head to the side.

"You can use the Force. The collar stays on," he dismissed her casually and she was pushed without remorse into one of the chairs. Metal clicked and her right hand was now chained to the armrest. Her dominant hand. He had observed her. Defeated she hung her head. So this was it. Why had the Force made her help him back then? Why was she to serve Darth Vader?

"Hold still," something cold latched onto her forehead and she jerked her head away. She stared at Boba whose fingers were retreating from her forehead where tingles started to spread. Tingles? Cold? A bacta patch? What? Small mercies, remember? Her mouth was glued shut though, she could not bring herself to say thank you. What would it even do for her? Nothing.

With a groan Boba lowered himself into the chair next to her and she saw blood seeping through the cloth around his middle. Not good. Frowning she tried to think of what she had read and learned from the doctor regarding stomach wounds. If it was penetrating, blunt… Definitely penetrating. Organs, blood vessels damaged? No clue. She'd need a scanner for that. Not something she'd get her hands on anytime soon. He wouldn't let her anywhere near him from what she had seen. Helpless and useless.

Boba set his helmet on the console and for the first time she saw his face. She did not know what she had expected. But not the face she saw now. He looked like… she wanted to shake her head, but was too stunned to do so. A clone? The outer layers of his chest armor came off now and his undershirt was soaked at this point. Too much blood. He'd need a transfusion under any other circumstances. Not to mention the monitoring for any hematoma ruptures.

She should not care. Really should not. If he died she was free again. But what kind of medic was she if she did not offer her knowledge? The Jedi… no she was no Jedi. Wasn't she though? No. They were all dead and she never was one. She was a medic. Her duty was to aid and ease suffering. Who was she to forsake that? Even for him. He was a human just like her.

But that kind of injury could not be treated by slapping a bacta patch on it! She tried not to wince at how little the patch actually covered and how ragged his breathing was at this point. Pain? Definitely. It took a while until his breathing became normal again.

"If you will not let me have a look, then at least get medical attention once you drop me off," she had tried to sound cold, distant. Tried. Her voice betrayed how afraid she actually was. Of being dropped off at Darth Vader. His head snapped to stare at her properly. Brown ones bored into her grey ones. She had to swallow. What was he thinking? He frowned now.

"I know what to do," he snapped back as if talking to a small child. She shrunk into the seat. This was Boba Fett, who was she to tell him what to do? He probably knew more than her in that regard! Coward!

Before she could bite her own tongue she blurted out: "I am a medic."

His eyebrows were raised now. A look of utter disbelief on his face.

"You give me advice how to treat an injury? Me? The one who is taking you to collect a bounty?" He sounded almost like he had heard a good joke.

"A medic…" she started before she was interrupted, this time his tone was cold and sharp.

"You are a fool," this time she bit her tongue before she could retort. She'd get nowhere with him. Difficult patients….

He was putting his armor back on while she ground her jaw while trying not to be too distracted by the bacta patch on her forehead. Clasps snapped shut and she tried not to think of what would happen once they lifted off.

AN: Hope you enjoyed this one! Taylong, I am happy you loved it!

Also a point of potential confusion: Altharya has had some training with rifles. However in stress situations where you handle something that is not a rifle but a pistol your brain can go haywire. Hence why she is being a bit of an idiot with it.

As always, reviews, follows and favourites are appreciated and I am really happy I got several new followers and a favourite from the last chapter! Tells me that the story is being enjoyed :D