The Sweetest Taste

Chapter 25 - You should stay

The blue flash of the Marshal's landspeeder siren illuminated the tears that still clung to Lysa's trembling cheeks, with every rotation that it made.

Standing at the bottom of the small porch once again, Lysa could only stare out at the darkness of the flat desert landscape that surrounded them.

Fear now consumed her.

The idea that Crix was still out there somewhere - a terrifying concept.

Two of the peacekeepers had already gone out on their speeders to try and track Crix down. But despite his injuries, the lava flats were vast and covered in large rocks and peaks - plenty of places for a person to hide in the dark and stillness of the night.

All she wanted now was for this to be over, but it felt far from it.

Din had been furious of course, stood there now arguing with the Marshal, telling him where they needed to search first, and what they needed to do next.

Lysa chanced a glance over at him.

She was more grateful to him than words could ever say.

Everything he had done for her. Being there when she had needed him, feeling his strong arms wrapped around her. Finally feeling safe for the first time in years.

And she couldn't now ignore what he had so purposefully uttered.

Those tender words, with so much meaning behind them.

Lysa gave a swallow, gazing at him. At the man who had freed her from a lifetime of hurt and pain.

Lysa knew how she felt about him now.

But feeling a sudden tug at her skirt, Lysa looked down quickly, to see Grogu at her feet staring up at her with large dark eyes.

Swiping the tears from her cheeks, Lysa gave a small smile, bending down and picking up the small child, cuddling him into her arms.

"I haven't thanked you yet," she said looking down at him and giving a small sniff. "I don't know what you did-"

Lysa shook her head, lifting her hand and stroking Grogu's cheek gently.

"-but thank you...for saving my life."

At her words Grogu cooed up at her sweetly, as Lysa held him close to her.

Lysa had met a Jedi with powers like Grogu once before...on Coruscant...a long time ago.

But in that moment that Crix had fired the blaster, Lysa was certain that that had been the end. And to blink her eyes open and see the blaster stream hovering in mid-air like that...

...she had never seen anything like it in her life.

She looked up now to see Din and the Marshal droid IG-11 approaching.

"The Marshal has agreed to call on more peacekeepers from the City to help with the search," Din said promptly, coming to stand close to Lysa.

"We'll find him, Miss," came the monotone voice of the IG-11 droid, swivelling on the spot before marching off to speak to some of the other peacekeepers who were patrolling the immediate area, guns clasped in their arms.

Lysa turned to Din.

"What if they don't find him?" she asked in a worried voice. Pressing herself close to him, her green eyes searching his beskar-covered face. "What if he comes back?"

"They'll find him," said Din with a nod, but Lysa's eyes were already worriedly scanning the dark horizon, as she chewed hard on her lip.

"Hey look at me," said Din suddenly, lifting a gentle hand to her chin and coaxing her gaze back to him. "They'll find him."