The Mandalorian Oneshots and Stuffs

Everything's On The Ground (Caralorian)

Inspired by the above song ^^^

Summary: After Luke takes Grogu, Din left Nevarro. Cara hasn't seen him in what feels like forever.

Life was... normal.

But for Cara Dune, normal was abnormal.

No Imps wandering around causing trouble, no random aliens to challenge to tavern brawls, no bases or ships to raid.

And most of all, no Grogu to protect.

After handing over his surrogate son to Skywalker, Din seemed... not like himself. He was silent the entire trip back to Nevarro. His helmet stayed tucked underneath his arm. Not once did he make a move to put it back on his head.

No one had dared speak to him, not even Bo, even though she was still upset that the dark saber now hung on Din's belt despite him trying to surrender it to her.

When those elevator doors had closed, Cara felt like her heart, which she'd kept so guarded ever since leaving Alderaan, had finally had enough and shattered. She wasn't even super close to the little creature like Din had been.

Damn, if this was how she felt about him leaving, she couldn't even try to imagine how Din felt. She could sense her friend's heartbreak, and knowing he was in pain only twisted the knife of hurt deeper in her own heart.

Fett had dropped her and Din off just outside the city, where Greef welcomed them cheerfully. He didn't understand why they both seemed so down despite their victory, until he looked around and realized the child was gone. In an attempt to get their minds off Grogu, he'd given them a small celebration in his house, but Din had excused himself early to retire to the bedroom Greef had offered. Cara remained downstairs, recounting the story for the Nevarro magistrate, but worry lingered in the back of her head for the Mandalorian.

Long after night had fallen, Greef put away the bottle of spochka and Cara went upstairs to check on Din before leaving for her own residence. She peeked inside the room. Din laid on the bed, still dressed in his beskar armor. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping, so Cara turned off the lights, whispered a good night, and left him alone.

That had been six months ago. Shortly thereafter, Din had acquired a new ship and left Nevarro, not telling Cara or Greef where he was headed.

As the weeks passed, both Cara and Greef had sent Din plenty of messages, but he never responded. The marshal was besides herself with worry. She didn't even know if her friend was alive or what he was up to. She missed both him and little Grogu. She stayed up many nights just watching for a transmission from him, for any sign that he was alive and well, but nothing ever came.

Eventually, she got tired of waiting for him. It was clear as day— he wasn't going to respond. Cara stopped watching the skies for the silhouette of his ship in the Nevarro atmosphere. She turned more and more of her attention to her duties as marshal, to helping Greef run the town and keep the peace. The stuff on the ground.

Everything I need is on the ground, she kept telling herself, but she could never really convince herself of that. Her mind kept wandering to a certain beskar-clad Mandalorian, somewhere in the galaxy. He could've been millions of lightyears away from her, but she could still feel his presence like he was right besides her.

Din's voice and his face plagued her dreams. In the latest and cruelest one of all, he'd finally returned, but just as Cara crushed her arms around him, he dissolved like dust. Gone in a heartbeat, like all her family and friends on Alderaan.

She hadn't been able to go back to sleep that night. Nor any of the nights that followed with the same nightmare.

And so here Cara was, half-asleep on her desk behind her monitor. She didn't even remember what she was supposed to be doing. The nights had started to become dreadful to her.

But she was jolted awake when Mythrol scurried into her office.

"Marshal Dune," the blue-skinned alien said. "You should see this."

Cara kicked her feet off from her desk and followed Mythrol outside and to the edge of town, where Greef was standing.

A ship landed not far in the distance. Cara didn't even have to see who was on board before she broke into a run towards the glinting metal craft.

The landing ramp lowered. Cara stopped just in front of it, as did Greef, who had run after her.

Din stood at the top. He pulled his beskar helmet off. Cara rushed up and threw her arms around him. She finally knew— this wasn't a dream. He was really here in front of her.

"Ow," Din said dryly, and clearly not in any pain from her embrace. "Lemme breathe."

Cara pulled away and punched him square in the shoulder. "You idiot! You didn't respond to any of our messages! I was beginning to think you were dead!"

Din winced and went to respond, but was cut off.

"The Mandalorian has returned," Greef said, clasping Din's hand in greeting. "Where have you been this whole time?"

The sparkle in Din's eyes sobered. "I've been looking for wherever the Jedi took... took the kid. Couldn't find it. Ahsoka said she couldn't tell me. I must've landed on several dozen planets... they're all blurs now."

Cara patted his shoulder. "You'll find him someday."

"Or, he'll find you," Greef said. "Let's get you into town, Mando. Your ship looks like it could use a few touch-ups here and there, too."

Cara hadn't even noticed the condition of Din's ship. It certainly looked like it had been through a lot. Part of the landing gear was falling off. Several screws holding the frame together were missing. The inside of it was a disorganized mess as well, but considering only Din had lived there for the past six months, she supposed it could've looked a lot worse.

Greef led the way back to the town, with Cara and Din following a few paces behind.

"Miss me, Marshal?" Din asked.

"Pfft- no," Cara scoffed.

Din raised an eyebrow.

Cara narrowed her eyes at him. "But if you dare disappear like that on us again, I will hunt you down and smack you into the next universe."

Din laughed. "Note taken. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

That was enough for Cara.

Now everything she needed was on the ground.