Against the Odds

Chapter 13: The Connection

i cried while editing this. Like... i ... i listened to "Kanan's End Credits" from rebels s4 while i edited and i freaking kid you not i teared up because it was Daxon's End Credits too.

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Lara's mood changed into a somber, serious one. "So, you're not gonna tell him?" She signed, nodding up to the cockpit.

"Tell him what specifically?" Her mother questioned.

The words were desperate to be released but she saw Lara struggling to even work up the nerve to sign them. Finally her gloved hands moved as she expressed in each word. "Tell him the last man you loved was a Mandalorian too?"

Vella stared at her daughter in complete shock, her jaw hanging slack, eyes wide, cheeks paler than usual. A small fire lit in her chest as her frustration bubbled up to the top. It was incredibly rude for her to assume she was in love with someone. Not to mention, impossible. She cared about what happened to Mando and the Child. But she didn't love him, not like she had loved Daxon. Neither she nor the Mandalorian questioned that their connection was strictly business. Besides, after all these years, she still couldn't see herself with anyone else. "Last I saw you, you still had your manners intact," Vella said aloud.

Lara scoffed dryly and sighed. "Yeah, well, that was a long time ago. I haven't clung to what you taught me as tightly as I did then," she replied, turning away. "I've had to become a lot of things in this galaxy, Mum. Things I've never wanted to be."

Vella's frown softened and she let out a long breath, knowing plenty about that feeling. She'd learned at a young age, you had to be hardened to survive. She just never liked living like that and she especially never wanted Lara to live like that. That's part of the reason why she didn't want her to leave the safety of the Rebel base, she didn't want Lara to go off on her own. Vella wanted more than anything to protect her daughter from the trials she had endured. But she couldn't do that forever could she?

Vella looked at her daughter, noticing maybe for the first time how old she seemed. She was about the age that Vella was when she married Daxon. Her daughter's eyes were tired and dark circles hung beneath them. She didn't look like she'd had solid sleep in a while. "I'm sorry," Vella said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I know living in this galaxy isn't easy."

Lara looked at her and smiled a little, pulling her knees to her chest. "I guess... I just... I really miss him," she whispered.

Vella's heart broke, her eyebrows curling in sympathy. "I know you do, love," she said, pulling her into a hug. Lara didn't hug back, still curled in on herself but relishing her mothers affection. It was the first time they'd hugged in so long and Vella found herself wishing she'd hugged her sooner. In fact, it'd been so long since she'd hugged anyone.

Tears welled as Lara released all the emotions she'd kept in her heart for three years. "I wish I'd been there... to at least say goodbye..." she whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

Vella's eyes were far from dry but she smiled as she wiped a tear from her daughter's cheek. "He loved you so much, and he knew you loved him too."

Lara's feet fell to the floor as she wrapped her arms around her mother. She'd missed this, the love and wisdom Vella had. Even when they fought, Lara always could trust her to know exactly what to say.

Vella gave her one tight squeeze before pulling away and smiling at her. "We'll talk soon, alright? Anything you want to say, you can," she said, wiping away her tears as her daughter did the same.