sidestep↠luke skywalker

V: Chapter 9

"When will you realize you have to talk to him eventually?" Leia asked, her voice hushed.

The past few weeks had been odd. Malia and Luke barely dared to look at each other. Although, it was easier for them to avoid each other now that they were back in the mill of work. The Empire wasn't going to fight of itself.

"I realize that I have to, but I don't want to." Malia replied, grabbing Leia's arm and tugging her around the corner. "Conference room's this way." She added "Speaking of conferences, are you sure the best time to talk to me about Luke is right before a meeting?" 

She didn't look at Leia. Malia had a cold and hard expression when she talked about Luke these days. She looked straight ahead and continued walking.

Leia sighed "Well when else am I going to get you to talk about it?" She asked.

"Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to?"

"Well I didn't want to come back here and help the alliance. I wanted to go look for Han, but we don't always get what we want do we." 

Malia now sighed. "I told you I would go" she mumbled. Leia then shook her head, "What happened to having a plan?" she replied. "You don't need to know my plan if I go alone" Malia answered.

Leia's eyes nearly bugged out "Malia people like the people who took Han aren't safe to be around. They could kill you or enslave you!" 

Malia's expression was so annoyed it was almost comical. "I know how to swindle my way around people like them. I should go." she said flatly.  Leia groaned, "Chewie and I already have a plan." she explained. "Why can't we all just go together?" Malia asked. 

Their conversation was brought to a halt when Luke passed by, it appeared as if he was heading to the conference room as well. "Where's he going?" Malia whispered. Despite all the time she had spent avoiding him, now that her eyes were set on him, she couldn't take them off. "Probably the conference room" Leia said, still looking at Malia. "Why?" the other brunette blurted. "He is a commander you know." she retorted. The strategist then let out a mixture of a scoff and a groan before heading to their meeting. 

- 

About twelve people sat at a long table in the center of the room. Leia sat next to Malia and Luke across from Leia. Each person had a tablet which was attached to a stand sprouting out of the table. The purpose of the tablet was if someone wanted to contribute to the plans or schematics, they were rarely used. The lights went down as a map appeared in the center of the table. Everyone began to babble, but Malia quickly lost interest. 

She looked down at her tablet, biting the inside of her cheek. She could be less concerned, right now Malia wanted to help Leia find Han. She began to do research about the bounty hunter who took Han and tried to find anything on Han other than his Kessel Run record. She felt like she was looking for gun sling swivel in a bundle of cordgrass, without realizing, Malia let out a sigh. The eleven other patrons at the table looked up and over at her. Luke didn't care why she was sighing, he had to look away. He thought the light of her tablet illuminated her features made her look too perfect. Not to mention, Luke always admired the expression Malia got when she was frustrated and determined. He needed to talk to her.

Now Luke sighed and the attention was drawn to him. "Do you two need to be excused?" Leia spoke up, the smugness behind her words was evident despite her composed exterior. "I'm just fine" Malia answered, going back to looking her tablet. As thoughts of Han and Luke swirled in her mind, she grew somber. It was like she had lost everything, everyone besides Leia. Reflecting on her memories she thought back to that day when she met Luke,Han, and her Father. Then, it came to her, she knew how to find Han. When they were trying to leave the spaceport that day they had a run in with Jabba the Hutt. 

Malia knew where they had to start, but first she needed to fix things with Luke. 

- 

Luke apparently had the same thoughts as Malia because after the meeting they both walked up together. "I need to talk to you" they said simultaneously. Malia grabbed Luke's wrist and pulled him out into the hall, away from everyone. "I'm sorry" she said seriously. "I hate not talking to you." Luke looked speechless for a moment, mostly because that's what he was going to say. "Yeah, me too" he finally responded. "We need to go to Tatooine" The woman said. Luke looked confused. "Why? I don't want to go back there. Why would you?" he inquired. "Han's there. He never payed back Jabba and the Hutt's operate primarily in the Outer Rim. It would make since for him to make that wasteland his home" Malia spoke quickly with fervor. Out of all things, Luke chose to reply "Hey! That wasteland is my home, too." he said. The brunette rolled her eyes. "That's not the point, we can save Han!" she said. "We have to tell Leia" Luke said, nodding. 

-

Luke and Malia approached Leia that night before she turned in for the night. Naturally, Leia looked skeptical, but she waited in place for the pair. "I see you two made up" she smiled. They nodded then Malia spoke up "We know where to find Han"  This obviously caught her attention. "Malia tells me you and Chewie have a plan?" Luke questioned. Leia nodded "I was going to disguise myself as a bounty hunter and bring in Chewie. Then we were going to break out Han that following night." she told.  "Not bad" Malia muttered. "We'll stick to that plan and Luke and I will wait at my Father's house. We'll either be refuge or back up" she said. The group collectively nodded in agreement to this plan. 

"We leave tomorrow. Goodnight." Leia said and turned to walk to her room. 

Malia looked up at Luke. Things felt right again, and she was glad it didn't take a sappy apology. They were both ready to move past their issues, it just took a mission to make them realize it. Luke held out his hand and Malia took it, entwining her fingers in his. "Let's go to bed" Luke said. Malia nodded, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. "Yeah.." 

Leia then turned back around and looked at them strolling away. She scoffed. "Not in love my ass.." she shook her head with a small smile. "I knew that fight would pass" she said to herself, finally heading to her room. 

-

A/N: Alright!! That's all of part V, I'm sad because this book is over after next part ): I continue to thank all of you for your feedback!!!