Altharya froze when the woman stopped talking. The Arion family wanted them to go where? Did they think they were the assassins? No, if the assassin saw it, then surely the father knew her face? She gripped Boba's arm tightly in case it all went haywire again. He seemed… not tense. A good sign? His face was impassive at the order, no reaction.

"The assassin came to our room. You might want the blood sample," he said while pointing up with his hand. She looked to the female officer again, whose eyes widened at the news.

"Is the assassin dead?"

"No, he fled."

"Alright," the officer nodded to one of her subordinates who stepped forward, opening

a pocket on his chest.

"I will need to take a few samples, Ma'am," he explained, while looking at Boba. His eyes snapped to Monts, who stepped forward.

"I am the owner, I will take you up," Monts offered making the officer step forward to follow him. But before they left, Monts spoke to Boba.

"Watch your back out there. Times are uncertain," and then he was leading the officer away from them, up the stairs. Altharya had to look to Boba, whose face had grown softer at Mont's statement. Had that been a goodbye?

"Will you please follow me?" The female officer, who still hadn't disclosed her name, asked again. This time she sounded impatient. Boba looked to her now, the softness gone, replaced by steeliness. Altharya had to swallow at how rapid the change was.

"And where exactly are we going?" He asked, now tensing up. The hand on her arm travelled down to sling around her waist, as if he was preparing to haul her away with him. The officer noticed it too, and put her hands up as if to appease. It put neither Boba nor Altharya at ease.

"You are invited to stay at the Arion Manor outside the city for the ongoing investigation. I am officer Kiani. There is a speeder waiting outside to take you there," Kiani answered, waving towards the entrance of the cantina.

Altharya craned her neck to see if she could see it. But no- the doors were closed. Did they have anyone watching the speeder? It would be careless if they didn't.

"Whose orders?" Boba asked, the hand on her waist tightened, digging into her flesh. He was testing them. For authenticity, maybe?

"My orders come from Mr. Eric and Morion Arion. Do you also need my identification number, sir?" Kiani answered, and the 'sir' was downright mocking. Altharya felt herself bristling at that. He was just checking it was not a trap. She shifted slightly on her feet, causing Kiani to look at her now.

"You were the witness and you are in danger, I would suggest you come with us," Kiana addressed her directly now. She seemed sincere. Altharya had no clue what to do, so she looked to Boba, who frowned at the officer.

"Before we do anything. Identification," he demanded. Kiana bowed her head slightly and pulled a small card from her chest pocket, handing it to Boba, who snatched it out of her hand. Altharya winced slightly at how rude it was. Then again, Kiani deserved it for being rude. She looked over to the other officers. Their eyes were on the surrounding patrons, looking for any oncoming trouble. It was as if someone was about to pounce.

They knew who they were dealing with, right? Somehow she had a feeling that the fact that Boba Fett was there hadn't quite registered yet. She was waiting for when they'd finally realise. A smirk tugged on the right corner of her mouth. They were in for a surprise.

"I see you are officially appointed," Boba said slowly, disrupting her observations, mocking Kiani right back. Altharya looked to him again as he handed Kiani her identification card. Was he out of his mind, taunting her like that?

"And you are?" Kiani looked down her nose at him. Actually, this was amusing now. Battle of wills? Altharya nearly rolled her eyes. This was ridiculous. They should take up the offer. It was probably the safest way to go about this. She was fairly sure that the glint in Boba's eyes was amusement, and she had to bite her lower lip to burst out laughing.

"I am Boba Fett," he flashed his teeth, and he threw Kiani a smug smile when she stiffened and her eyes widened. Oh? So she hadn't known what he looked like? Curious. How was that possible? But she had heard of him. Maybe knowing a notorious bounty hunter on Teth was less unusual than on other planets?

The officers who had been on the lookout eyed him, and Altharya, strangely enough, warily now. She was the least dangerous out of all them. Scoffing, she stared at Kiani, whose face had drained of colour, before she composed herself again.

"The invitations still stands," she said pointedly, but looked at Altharya while saying it. The hand on her waist twitched slightly. Maybe she should say something- otherwise they would stand here until time ended.

"I accept the invitation," she answered flatly and Boba stiffened next to her. She ignored him; he could think it as a bad idea as much as he wanted. It was necessary that they go with them, though, to gain access to resources they could use to track down the assassin faster. The faster they tracked them, the safer they'd be, and the assassin would have less time to plan ahead. She felt Boba's eyes on her, boring a hole into the top of her head.

Well, he could keep his opinion to himself for now. They could deal with the consequences later. Monts would be safe and she could make sure that the assassin was brought to justice. Nothing else was more important. Heck, escaping had to wait for this !

"Follow me please," Kiani motioned for them to walk behind her as the officers behind her stepped up to form a circle around them. That much protection wasn't really necessary. Boba injured the guy! Unless they suspected more than one, then it would make sense.

"Are you out of your mind?" Boba had lowered his head to hiss into her ear. She turned her head to look him straight in the eyes. Her forehead bumped with his and she recoiled slightly. Close. Too close . Oh for Force's sake, they had crossed that boundary too often now. It shouldn't bother her anymore. Her stomach didn't twist, nor did she feel disgusted when he was close. It was weird. She shouldn't think about it. Confusing was describing it mildly.

"More resources to catch the bastard," she explained quietly, continuing to stare at him. They were moving now, ignored by Kiani and her officers. Thankfully . This Kiani seemed less than happy about escorting them to the leader of this planet. Not that she blamed her, given the circumstances.

"I am more concerned with laying low , Altharya," he fired back. She frowned at him. If he was so concerned with laying low, then why was coming with her?

"You are more than welcome to stay here, but I am going," she retorted when they stepped outside. The cold night air made her shiver, having nothing warm to cover herself with. Boba sighed and looked away from her. No comeback? Not that she wanted one, but for once she held the ropes and by the Force she'd use them as much as she could. Payback never had tasted so sweet.

She followed his gaze and saw the speeder that was supposed to pick them up. Definitely not any speeder that would have graced the town she lived in on Teth. Far too… flashy. Boba didn't seem impressed. Were there flashier ones? Definitely not something she'd want to see. The door was open and she took a step to climb in, Boba right behind her. She sank into the seat and she nearly slid off in surprise at how soft they were. What was that fabric? Leather? Cloth? Once she found a grip on the seat, she buckled herself in. She glanced sideward to Boba, who had his helmet on his knees, staring at it furiously. Sighing, she looked away again. There was no winning with this guy. Three of the officers slid in with them, seating themselves opposite them, weapons still readied.

It had to be noted, though, that they were not aimed at them. It was an improvement given what had happened on Teth. Why was it still cold? Goosebumps were covering her forearms now and she rubbed them, her fingertips numb. She needed gloves….

She startled when Boba slung his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. What was going on? Stiffening, she looked up to see him rolling his eyes at her.

"You are freezing. Just let me," he murmured before draping his shoulder cloak over her upper body, shielding her from the draft. Another kind act, on top of the growing pile. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Her eyes settled on the helmet on his knees, the black visor reflecting the changing of lights outside. They were driving already? There was barely any motion to be felt.

Slowly but steadily she warmed up again, her fingers grasping the cloak around her now to keep it around her body. No one said anything, and she felt her eyelids starting to droop the longer she stared into the visor. How late was it?

Her breathing evened out and her eyelids were closing for longer now, to the point where she wasn't even aware anymore how long they stayed closed. Boba made no indication if she had actually fallen asleep, looking passively at the officers opposite them. She shifted so her temple was not necessarily pressing against his shoulder plate. Given how sore it was, she had been resting her head on it for a while.

"How long have we been driving?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. The hand on her own shoulder twitched and Boba looked startled down at her. Had she truly fallen asleep?

"We have been on the road for an hour," he informed her, adjusting his arm so his cloak fell closed over her chest. An hour?! It had only felt like moments since they had gotten into the speeder. She had fallen asleep when she had hoped she wouldn't.

"Arrival in five minutes," one of the officers piped up, his voice disinterested as he eyed them. They both stared at the officer simultaneously, causing him to flinch. She looked to Boba, who looked amused now.

"You were asleep as soon as we left," he said, looking away from the officer now. His helmet was still on his knees. Had he been awake for the entire trip? Was he not even tired one bit, even after all that had happened today? However he was doing it, she wanted to know. Yawning, she looked out of the window. It was pitch black, the middle of the night now.

"What time is it even?" she asked.

"Just past two hundred hours here," an officer answered, shifting in his seat now. "We have arrived," he added shortly just as the doors opened. More guards were looking inside, looking tense.

"They are expected," a large man suddenly stepped into her view. Right… they might want to step out. She sat up to unbuckle herself, the cloak falling off her. Back into the cold….

Gritting her teeth, she waited for Boba to step out, making the nearby officers cower away from him. Kiani had told them, then, who exactly was coming. She slid out, standing right behind Boba who stared straight ahead. Tentatively she stepped beside him, crossing her arms as the warmth from inside the speeder dissipated, leaving her cold again.

A cup of hot tea would be appreciated at this point.

But… what was in front of her left her breathless. There was a wall of light in front of them. Or… a wall of light spots in the distance. Windows in the distance that were illuminated.

Vague outlines could be seen of what she could discern was a manor. She had only seen those in holo-series before. Huge manors, as large as a town on Teth, sometimes. That in front of her must be one of them. Not much else could be seen, however she was pretty sure that if they arrived during daylight her jaw would have hit the ground.

Small mercy to arrive in the dark, then? Embarrassment would be avoided, for now.

A line of guards dotted the path ahead of them. Intimidation . The air reeked of it. Instinctively she shifted closer to Boba, who turned his upper body slightly towards her, letting her squeeze closer to him, away from the guards. Though this time his arms remained at his sides. For some reason… she missed it. The way they weighed on her, grounding and … comforting.

Comforting? She swallowed heavily at the thought. No. Warmth was not comfort. He was not Soren, nor Master Renstan. Did it even make sense to separate them anymore? After all, Soren tried to killher, Master Renstan abandoned her, and Boba? Boba kidnapped her for a bounty. What made Boba worse at this stage? Out of all of them, he at least had made sure she was well, even with the intent to deliver her to Darth Vader. That was something she'd have to worry about later. Hating him was out of the window though, so long ago too.

Kiani stepped in front of them to lead them down the path. The woman was back to being a confident commanding officer. Altharya had to roll her eyes at Kiani's back. Why was she so openly mocking towards Boba? Not really smart in any way.

Pebbles crunched underneath their boots as they moved along the path. She looked back to watch the speeder gliding away. Suddenly Boba's arm was slung around her shoulders again; she nearly jumped. She would have, if it hadn't become a regular occurrence for him to sneak up on her like that.

"Don't hesitate. You got us into this, don't show any doubt," he whispered into her ear and she looked back to the path ahead of them, refusing to meet his eyes.

He did have a point. The decision had been made, and there would be no backing out of it now. Not that she felt like the Arions would be looking to do them harm. No. Monts himself said that they would consider them allies, most likely. The least she could hope for was for relative safety for them all, her, Boba and Monts.

They reached a shallow, gently curving staircase leading to a landing with a large door at the end. The stairs looked like stone in the yellowish light from the lights on the railing. It all seemed definitely out of this world. Was she dreaming?

When they reached the huge doors, they swung open, revealing the inside. Her mouth fell open and she could not close it again. What luxury was this? How rich were the people here? This was so much grander than the Jedi temple, way off the charts of what she thought was possible. Was this… actual gold on the walls? What was this floor? Definitely stone, milky white, and it mirrored the candelabra's light above them.

She looked to Boba who looked almost… bored? Unimpressed? Rather curious. Had he seen homes that were even more grandiose? She supposed only the rich could afford his services. Maybe she could ask him later, when they settled for the night. If he'd answer that is.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Kiani turned around.

"You are requested to join Mr. Eric Arion in his study. Keep your arms where I can see them," she shot Boba a pointed look.

Altharya suppressed a snort. As if that precaution would stop Boba. His arm dropped from her back, leaving her unbalanced for a brief moment. She wobbled a bit, which no one seemed to notice- all eyes were on Kiani and Boba. They were both were staring each other down. Then he shrugged lazily at her, which made Kiani narrow her eyes at him in contempt. Those two… Kiani looked at her now, and a flicker of pity could be seen, before the cold officer was back.

"He is expecting you," her tone was haughty as she repeated their reason for being here. She turned away from them and started to climb the stairs ahead of them.

Altharya looked at Boba who was looking at her now. As soon as their eyes met, he quirked an amused eyebrow at her. The corners of her own lips were twitching upwards. He was enjoying messing with Kiani. Was he seriously that bored?

The walk up the stairs was quiet, her shoulders tensing more the further up they went. Her eyes were watering at the glittering decorations littered across the room and corridors. It was beautiful. Just too much. Even the carpet that lined the corridor seemed way too fine for her dusty old boots. Heck… how did one even clean all of this?

She yawned as they rounded another corner. Seriously…. How deep inside were they already? Why couldn't this conversation wait until the morning? All she would produce at this point was meaningless babble.

"We are here," Kiani said curtly while stepping away from a rather plain door. Altharya had to rub her eyes to process it. Well, the door itself was not plain. It was just plain compared to the extravagance around her.

So… this was where they'd meet the leader of the Arions… the ones that ruled half a solar system.

It did not compute, at all!

She turned to Boba who still looked bored. Did he just roll his eyes? What was this? Fever dream. All this was a fever dream. Could she wake up now? It would be very much appreciated.

The door swung open and they were greeted with a dim room. Boba stepped in first, and she sighed while following him in. At least he seemed to know what he was doing. Inside, she felt like she was back on Teth in the doctor's office, surrounded by shelves packed with books, a desk with chairs crammed in the middle of it all. A small lamp provided the only light source in the room as the door fell shut behind them. Did they just let the most feared bounty hunter in without security? She blinked. That was… Guns cocked all around them.

She should have known better than to assume.

"Sit down," a male voice ordered sternly from the shadows behind the desk they were walking towards. She hesitated, but Boba seemed unperturbed, and plopped down in the chair left to her. Right. No hesitating, he said. She lowered herself cautiously into the other chair. The cushions felt so smooth underneath her fingers, and she stroked the fabric with one finger, fascinated. It was really smooth, almost like water.

Boba's hand grabbed her wrist to stop the motion. She snapped her eyes up to see him silently staring at her. Focus, he seemed to tell her. Oh. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. Looking behind the desk, she saw a shadow move forward.

A figure stepped into the light and she met Eric Arion, the head of Arion Corporation. He was old, white hair that was cleanly shaven and combed back and his suit was probably worth more than she could ever dream of.

Nothing was said for a moment and it felt like an eternity. They regarded each other cautiously, assessing the person in front of them. Eric's eyes lingered on Boba before he looked at her.

"I heard you were the one who stabilized my granddaughter," he broke the silence bluntly as he said down, leaning his elbows on the desk, his hands resting underneath his chin.

Stabilised? Was she still alive then? Her heart soared at the hope that for once she had been able to save someone in all this death. Should she say something? Boba's grip on her arm tightened and she bit her tongue. He probably knew more about this sort of meeting than her. Hopefully she interpreted his cue right.

"You have our gratitude for your attempts," the man continued, setting one of his hands on a sheet of paper. Attempt? Did she…?

"The reason why I brought you here is to repay that debt," he emphasized, giving her a hooded glare. At least he was making sense so far. The stiffness in her shoulders lessened slightly as she released the breath that she had been holding.

"As repayment I shall grant you safety in the confines of my home," he was still looking at her and she felt the back of her neck itch underneath her collar. Oh… the collar. Everyone saw it, considering her braid was still up, even if most of the hair had fallen out. Were Force suppression collars common? Would they recognize one like hers? Boba did not twitch or flinch when she cast him a quick side-glance. Eric Arion then switched his stare from her to Boba who stared back calmly.

"I've heard about you, Mr. Fett," Eric Arion started off, making Boba raise an eyebrow at him.

"You got a bounty?" Boba deadpanned, leaning forward, and Altharya's stomach plummeted. He had seen this was going to be pleasantries towards her and negotiation for him. What she did not expect was Eric Arion breaking out in a full blown grin. The hair on her neck stood on end.

"I see I do not need to talk around. I want you to track down the would-be assassin and kill him," Eric Arion's grin had completely vanished, replaced by darkness falling over his face. Would-be assassin? So the girl was not dead?

"I can do that, if given the resources," Boba replied lightly and then added, "and for the right price."

Altharya had to bite her tongue to not speak out loud. How could he demand money on the heels of a tragedy like that?

"You will work together with the team that is already working on it. But I need the best ," Eric Arion almost looked smug when he conceded, "and you shall receive your payment accordingly."

"If you had heard of you me you would know my rates. My price is not negotiable," Boba fired back.

"I know your rates. I am willing to toss in a bonus should you do better than expected," Eric Arion waved a hand. Altharya nearly jumped out of the chair. The man from the market stepped forward, carrying a small box. He looked drawn, his eyes were bloodshot and… he looked like he'd fall apart into dust any moment.

"As a show of good faith, we have secured the hangar your ship is in currently and…," he took the small box and laid it in front of him on the desk, "you will reside in one of our guest quarters for your efforts for my family."

He shot her a brief glance before opening the box. Whatever she had expected, even if she even had had an, she had not expected a key.

"These are the keys to your rooms. I will have one of the servants show you the way," Eric Arion continued as the man, whose name she still did not know but knew he was the father of the little Senya, moved into the shadows again.

"Tomorrow you'll be expected to …," a man dressed in black suddenly leant forward, his sudden appearance making Altharya flinch. A squeeze to her forearm drew her attention away from it though. Right, Boba was here. She was safe. Looking back, she saw the man retreating and Eric Arion seemed to have a pensive look on his face.

"Mr. Fett, you will be expected with the security. Now you," he turned to her, "are expected with Lorena Arion. She extends her invitation to join her."

Who was Lorena Arion? Someone important but who was she in this whole structure?

"Before you are dismissed," Eric said with a tone of finality which made her sit up straighter, "your name."

Her name? They did not know her name? How ?!

"Altharya," she answered automatically. When she stopped she somehow felt that she should have said more. At least, that was how the eyes glued to her neck, back and face felt like.

"Altharya…?" Eric Arion replied indicating… Oh. They wanted her surname. The one name she could not remember. Kine or the people in the temple never used it, nor had Master Renstan ever informed the doctor of it. Well… she could borrow one.

"Altharya Struhn," she offered. The doctor's surname would have to suffice. Hopefully they only stayed for a few days before moving on again. She wasn't sure why the doctor was on Teth to begin with, but almost all people in her town were hiding from something. Would they would try and find out who she was and maybe find the town?

Hopefully she hadn't just blown a cover. But… she couldn't remember the surname given to her at birth.

"I see. A pleasure, Miss Struhn," Eric Arion rose and she felt like they had to rise too. Her knees wobbled when she lifted herself out of the chair and the rustling of cloth told her that Boba had stood up as well.

"Now, get some rest. There is work to be done," Eric Arion dismissed them and stepped away from the desk. Two heavily armoured guards stepped forward, aiming their blasters at the two of them. Altharya looked to Boba, who turned around to the direction to the door they had entered in.

The golden, soft light from the corridor filtered into the room when the door opened, and she saw the guards lining the walls. Swallowing heavily, she followed Boba into the corridor they had come from. Kiani was not there this time. She and her gaggle of officers were nowhere to be seen. Only the guards that she guessed had been standing there all along. The only person that was not in a guard uniform was a woman who seemed to be waiting for them. A servant? She wore a dress and boots that seemed to be worth more than the clothes on her back right now.

"Please follow me," she said warmly, smiling at them, a smile that reached her eyes. Genuine? She was thinking too much into this whole thing. Sleep. Good idea. She nodded to the woman, who turned and walked down the corridor to a bend.

"You are located in the guest quarters with access to the gardens," the woman started talking while they turned the corner and kept walking down a more…. Blueish themed corridor. Everything before had been red-golden. It was less extravagant as well. They walked down more stairs and more corridors until they reached a large door at the end of one. It was a white one.

The woman opened it and lights flickered on inside. Amazed, Altharya stepped inside the room, which opened up into a high ceiling. There were two beds towards the back and… was that… a vanity? A large front opposite the beds that was the closets. To her immediate left was a walled off room- the 'fresher, probably.

It was something straight out of a holo-series, and even more overwhelming. They were out of place here. Boba strode past her, briskly surveying the room, checking the large winged windows.

At least the colour was a pleasing beige. Yawning, she walked over to Boba and looked out of the window he had just left. She couldn't see far, but she saw more lights in the distance. The servant had said that they were towards the gardens.

"Close the curtains," Boba finally said, grasping the curtain on his side. Privacy ? She was fine with that, so she walked over to the other side and pulled the curtain closed. Turning around, she saw the woman who guided them here was no longer there.

"Where did she go?"

"She probably left for her other duties," Boba explained, walking to the door and closing it.

"How do we know when to wake up?" She asked directly as she walked to one of the beds. It looked so comfy and inviting. Her fingers hovered over the blanket hesitantly before dropping it. Maybe she should scrub herself clean before touching this. A trip to the fresher, again. Not that she minded. Boba would need one too.

"They will wake us up," Boba replied finally when he stepped into the middle of the room. Silence fell over them and it itched underneath her skin at how badly she wanted the silence broken.

"So… are people like them always like that?" she blurted out, startling Boba. He turned to look at her, his face amused. Her cheeks burned. Had she made herself out to be an idiot?

"You mean super rich people?" He chuckled setting his helmet down on the vanity. It looked ridiculous where it was. The delicate framing of the mirror looked like it would burst into tiny pieces of the helmet even touched it.

"Well, yes?"

"They tend to be different, but most flaunt what they have. This is normal compared to others, believe me," he said, further loosening the clasp of his cloak. A lump formed in her throat when he remove the cloak and started folding it.

"You better get ready for sleep, we both need it," Boba commented as he stepped towards to one closet door and opened it.

Yes. He was right. She turned to the fresher, stepped inside and nearly jumped. Her own reflection stared wide eyed at her. A large mirror was in front of her with a row of two sinks.

Silly her.

Closing the door she removed her boots first, dust falling from them onto the black stone floor. She had not thought this through. In what clothes will she sleep in?

The door opened suddenly, making her whirl around. Boba looked apologetic, but held out a pile of clothes to her.

"They were kind enough to lay out some night wear for you and me," he held it closer to her and her hands grasped the bundle. So soft… and smooth.

"Thank you," she said quietly smiling openly at him. He seemed to hesitate, but then withdrew, closing the door. Weird .

What kind of fabric was this? Setting the bundle next to one sink, she turned on the tap. As she splashed water into her face, her thoughts wandered to the little girl who was most likely still fighting for her life. Would she be allowed to see her? Bars of soap lined the sink and they smelled so good.

What she got as she unwrapped the bundle were a shirt and pants, ones that felt like water on her skin, at least nothing too fancy. Small mercy, or mocking? Not that she cared. She had another set of clothes!

With her braid finally gone she stepped back into the room and saw Boba was already in his own nightwear, sitting on the bed closest to the window. He looked awkward, a bit lost too. They regarded each other for a moment, holding the other's eyes. No animosity . Good.

"The assassin will try and reach you here," Boba said looking serious again. She sighed. He was repeating himself, in essence. Why else would they be here if not because of that?

"Are you sure it was one of the Brents?" She had to ask. How had he known?

"No one else would benefit from seeing a member of the Arions dead as much as the Brents. Call it a gut feeling."

"What will happen when we catch the assassin?" She asked while climbing on top of the bed.

"What do you mean?"

"Monts said that the relations between those two families are bad as they can be. Will there be…" she had to swallow, "repercussions?"

"You mean war," he said flatly.

"Yes."

"Maybe."

"Are you not worried?"

"Once the assassin is captured, you and I will be out of here. Really fast. No meddling in any potential war," he hissed.

"If a war breaks out will we be able to leave the system at all?"

"Why do you worry?"

"Call it gut feeling," she threw him a grin, and he frowned at her. He did not see the humour in it. Fine. Sighing, she lay down facing him.

"I don't know. As I said, I have a weird feeling about all this."

"Let's hope that weird feeling won't mean disaster for us."

He laid down as well, though he was facing the ceiling.

"If we cannot get out of here in time, then we will grab Monts and hold out somewhere deep in the country."

Monts and his aid. It was a good idea. However, Monts seemed like the person who would stubbornly refuse to get to safety. She didn't know what to say, and Boba said nothing either. They just stared ahead, not really seeing anything.

But… safe from war. He had suggested keeping people he was close to safe. What was this person ?

Then he winced.

His wound! How could she have forgotten?! She swung her legs off the bed in an instance and… oh Force, black spots. Grabbing onto the wall to stabilize herself, she pinched the bridge of her nose. Next time she had to eat more.

"Altharya?" Boba was in front of her suddenly grasping her by the shoulders.

"What is it?" he pressed further, pushing her slightly towards her bed. She was not about to faint like he was thinking.

"Your wound. I need to see to it," she mumbled pointing at the side of his stomach she had bandaged. Looking up she saw the worried expression being replaced by a startled one. As if he had not expected that one at all. How often did she have to drill it into his head that she would care about that sort of thing?

"My… wound?" He prodded her, the grasp on her shoulders tightened.

"Yes? I hadn't had a look at it ever since we landed," she argued, and it was true. He had been in a bad place, he needed someone to check whether it was healing the way it should. This time he frowned.

"What are you getting out of it?"

"Nothing? Maybe not a passed out bounty hunter when an assassin is on our tail?" she snarked back.

She was tired and he was being difficult. Nice medic façade was off, the wrestling gloves were out . He stared back at her blankly, before his mouth twitched and his chest started shaking with suppressed laughter. It took him a moment before he could say a word. Why was he laughing? Why did it sound so disbelieving at that too?

"If you insist," he lifted the shirt he was wearing so she could see the bandages. Well… there were no bandages anymore, only a bacta patch. Which was not the one she had applied on the ship.

"You went to a proper medic?" She asked, looking at him again. Just when… oh. He must have gone when she had been passed out on the bed. Before all went to Sithspit.

"Aye."

"Good," she said while prodding around the edges of the patch. The flesh felt firm and… it had the right stiffness to it.

"It feels better. Did the medic take out the stitches?"

"Yes. He said that the stitches were well placed," he added and she felt her cheeks heat up. A compliment from another medic. That was unexpected. Warmth spread through her chest as she tested how firm the patch was attached to him. Half loose. Hm. A well applied bacta patch that was becoming loose. It was nearly done with the healing then.

By tomorrow morning they could take it off completely and he would, should be fine. She withdrew her hands and clasped them together in front of her while he let his shirt fall down again.

They just stood there, watching the other, not saying a thing. Comfortable silence. He looked undecided though. As if he was searching for words. She could wait. Sleep could take a lesser priority for a minute. Moments ticked by and… nothing came. Looking up again, she saw his eyes were sad. As if he was grieving something. What was he mourning?

His hands lifted from his sides and closed around her hands. The pads of his fingertips were rough when they closed around her clasped palms. Gently and slowly he pried them from being clasped and enclosed them fully. He was warm. Really warm. The warmth was comforting, grounding.

It was confusing. She should not feel like that, especially when his thumbs brushed over the back of her hands. Heart in throat, she just watched it happen. He had kidnapped her. How often did she have to remind herself of that?

"Thank you," Boba said finally and she knew immediately he was being sincere. A smile bloomed on her face and she beamed up at him. His eyes softened and she could not look away from his eyes. It was almost like drowning. Snap out of it . Impossible.

She squeezed his hands back. He froze, making her stiffen in response. Had she done something wrong? Slowly he withdrew his hands and the space between them that had been so warm cooled down rapidly, leaving her unbalanced. Her heart plummeted from her throat to her gut. He was back on his bed, sliding underneath the blankets while she still stood there.

"Sleep."

Her chest twinged at the cold tone, as if her lungs had deflated. What was going on?

Right. Sleep. They were both tired, whatever just happened meant nothing. This was just their minds playing games with them. Once they woke tomorrow they would be back to how they were.

She plopped down on the bed, her face smashed into the pillow making her release a groan. Why was this all so complicated? Shuffling, she shoved her legs underneath the blankets and as soon as she did the lights went out.

Who shut the lights off? Boba? Yeah… must have been him. Then sleep finally took and this time she had a restful sleep.

AN: I am pushing this out sooner than I thought, cause the schedule on my part is really tight for the next two weeks. As the last couple of chapters before, SapphiraBlue is an awesome beta (on AO3) and the next chapter is still being beta read.

Please review, the response has kind of dried up over the last few chapters and I am wondering if you guys didn't like something?