PANIC CORD ━━━ l.skywalker ¹

20

T W E N T Y

Clary stumbles as she holds onto Han, guiding him with the help of Leia through the wind and storm. Sand billows around them, whisked up by the howling wind, and Clary squints, eyes burning from the small particles that make their way to her face.

"I don't know," Han yells above the noise. "All I can see is a lot of blowing sand!"

"That's all any of us can see," Leia replies. Han blinks, frowning.

"Then I guess I'm getting better."

Clary inhales sharply, saying nothing, as she stares at her feet, pushing against the wind that's threatening to push them back. All she can think about is the voice she had heard back on the sail barge — it had sounded so clear that for a moment, she was beginning to worry that it had been her own voice all along. She doesn't have the time to think more of it, though, as they finally reach the Millennium Falcon, crowding beneath it to serve as a blockade against the sandstorm.

"I've got to hand it to you, kid," Han says, turning towards Luke, who had been helping Chewbacca walk over with Lando. "You were pretty good out there."

Luke shrugs. "I had a lot of help. Don't think anything of it."

Han pulls his arm away from Clary's shoulder, attempting to stand a little straighter. "No, I'm thinking a lot about it. That carbon freeze was the closest thing to death there is. And it wasn't just like sleeping. It was a big, wide awake nothing!"

Luke merely nods, and Chewie lets out a small rumble of affection, pulling Luke into him and ruffling his hair. Luke struggles against his grip, but a smile manages to cross his face. He barely has time to steady himself once again before Leia hugs him tightly. Clary averts her gaze, staring at her feet, the sound of blasters still echoing in her head.

"Why don't you leave that crate and come with us?" Han asks, gaining Clary's attention. She looks up to see Luke and R2 heading towards one of the X-wings parked nearby. Luke turns.

"I have a promise I have to keep, first. To an old friend."

R2 lets out a string of beeps before he turns, gliding towards the X-wing. Luke starts after him but hesitates, glancing over his shoulder. He meets Clary's gaze and gives a small smile, holding out his hand. Clary pushes towards him, grabbing his hand, and he squeezes back just as tightly.

"Luke —" she starts but is cut off as he pulls her close to him, embracing her tightly. Taken aback, Clary stands, unsure of what to do. Luke leans back and reaches with a gloved hand, holding the side of her face gently as he forces her to look at him. Staring into his eyes, Clary feels how she always feels when looking at him: sad.

Suddenly, Luke sighs. "Stop looking at me like that, Clary."

"Like what?" Clary frowns.

"Like you're not going to see me again." Clary bites the inside of her cheek, eyes downcast, but doesn't say anything. When she finally dares to look back up at Luke, he's leaning forward and pressing his lips gently against hers, his hand cupping the side of her face, warm and secure. Although it lasts only for a moment, to Clary, it feels like a century, before he pulls away.