Rebel {Luke Skywalker}

"did you tell luke?"

So I'm supposed to get surgery on my jaw soon :(
Now, I'll have to take a week off school for it, which I am pretty sure will give me a lot more time to write, unless I'm really messed up after it, so I guess as long as the surgeries soon I'll be able to wrap up this book quick for you guys :)

          The smell of smoke wafted around the Chief's Hut, the embers of a fiery red and sunset orange crackling as wood smoldered, the shadows from it danced across the walls, forming pictures. It was a spartan room, low ceilinged with a kaleidoscope of patterns cast upon the walls and floor from the fire.

     Along one side of the room was a group of ten Ewok elders, accompanied by the Chief Chirpa, who sat on his small throne. Ace and the rest of the rebels stood along the opposite side, with Threepio between the two groups.

     Threepio was in the midst of giving an eloquently worded speech on the trials and tribulations the small group had faced during their long mission to save the galaxy from the Empire. Ewoks quietly murmured to each other, a large group crowded at Threepio's feet as they stared up at him in awe as the golden droid made special sound effects to emphasize certain parts as he summarized the Galactic Civil War. Every once in a while, familiar names were thrown out, as Threepio was speaking in the Ewok language, and Ace couldn't help but smile widely when he pointed at her, and then to hide a giggle as Artoo began to beep excitedly.

     "Yes, Artoo." Said Threepio, "I was just coming to that."

     More familiar terms were thrown out, such as Millennium Falcon, Cloud City, and Darth Vader. A slightly drowsy feeling overcame Ace, with the warmth of the fire and the steady drone of Threepio's voice, sleep became a tantalizing idea. Leaning backwards, her arms folded, she nodded alone in tune to Threepio's words, ready to give in to the desire.

     Suddenly, drums began to boom loudly as Ewok's everywhere screeched excitedly.

     "Just when I thought I could get some shut eye!" Exclaimed Ace more loud,y than she intended too as she was jolted awake, trying to hide her yawn.

     "What's going on?" Han asked, staring suspiciously at the little fuzzy creatures.

     "I don't know." Shrugged Leia in response, glancing around just as Han was in confusion.

     Her eyes swiveling across the hut to find some sort of answer, Ace's eyes landed on Luke.

     Luke did not look good. There were dark circles under his eyes, which had been half closed earlier but were now fully open as he too glanced around the hut in concern. It looked as if somewhat of a dark cloud had passed through his conscious, overcoming him completely.

     For a fleeting moment, Ace considered going over to comfort him.

     With an almost gut-wrenching feeling, Ace forced herself to look away from him, wondering if it was her, not Luke, that had been in the wrong all along.

     "Wonderful," exclaimed Threepio joyously, "We are now a part of the Tribe!"

     A small herd of Ewoks scrambled towards Chewbacca, perhaps feeling most comfortable around the one who seemed to be a slightly overgrown version of themselves, and embraced him more enthusiastically than Ace had ever seen them. Covering her mouth to hide her laughter at Chewbacca's surprise, Ace turned to see that the same fate had claimed her brother.

     "Just what I always wanted," said Han dryly before catching sight of what had happened to Chewbacca and chuckling. "Well, short help is better than no help at all, Chewie." He added as the Wookiee moaned in frustration. "Thank you," he added, trying to shake off the Ewok who didn't move, "Okay-thanks-!"

"He says the scouts are going to show us the quickest way to the shield generator," Threepio announced.

     Chewie barked sharply, although seemingly content with this news. Ace's eyes had returned to Luke as the longing to go towards him grew stronger. The Jedi had drifted towards the back of the hut and began to wander out the door and into the outside world, the darkness swallowing whole with just a small patch of moonlight lighting up the path he had taken.

     "Good." Han nodded appreciatively. "How far is it? Ask him. We need some fresh supplies, too..."

     He kept talking, but Ace could no longer hear a single word coming out from his mouth. Straightening up from her position of leaning against the wall, Ace made a rash decision as her mind, for the first time since Luke had returned from Dagobah, finally cleared. Without a second thought, she moved to go after him before stopping dead in her tracks.

     Leia had followed Luke out.

     "And hurry up, will you?" Han's sharp voice stunned Ace out of her trance. "I haven't got all day!"

     She's just being friendly. She's just trying to comfort him. Their friends. They would never do something like that to Han and I--never, ever, in a million years would Luke and Leia ever even think of-!

     The thoughts raced through Ace's mind as she moved towards the door, stepping just outside of it, hidden by the shadows. Cool night air bit at her bare arms, she had lost the cloak some time ago due to the warmth of the hut, while a breeze eerily ruffled the leaves of the trees. Meanwhile, Luke and Leia stood close together upon a deserted walkway together, incredibly close together.

     Ace would've done anything to hear their conversation.

     "Ace, what're you doing?" Han asked, walking across the hut and outside towards her, "We've got a lot of work to do, first thing tomorrow I want--what in the galaxy is going on?"

     "I don't--I don't know!" Exclaimed Ace as she watched Luke and Leia get closer and closer together. "It's--I--Luke's been really... weird lately and then he wouldn't talk to me, just Leia, and so then I freaked out and started yelling at him! But--but he was looking so sad just ten minutes ago so I thought I'd go and apologize to him when he walked out because I decided I had no right to be mad at him, he kissed me, not Leia! But then she followed him outside instead of me and now--and now--and now--oh!"

     "Calm down," Han instructed, not unkindly. "Don't have a heart attack, obviously there's nothing going on down there, I--are they kissing?"

     "Can't tell from here, but, it wouldn't be the first time." Retorted Ace dryly, not at all calm.

     "Oh--you need to--" Han glared at Ace for about half a second before giving up on his retort, clearly not having the time or patience to bother with a silly sibling spat. "Forget this, I'm going down there!"

     "What happened to calm down?" Ace shouted uselessly from behind him, "Don't go on and have a heart attack, Han! Remember there's nothing going on down there!"

     "Shut up!" Was Han's grand response as he stormed down.

     Standing back for a moment, Ace watched as Luke finally let go of Leia and slipped away into the darkness, both of them blissfully unaware that Han, the man with the galaxies shortest temper, was on his way down to confront at least one of them. Lucky for Luke, he had gotten out of the deep end and escaped. It looked like only Leia would be the one getting yelled at tonight.

     Watching him disappear into the darkness, Ace almost considered going after him. Chasing after him, telling him exactly what she thought of him now. She could already hear Han trying his best not to yell at the woman he loved, the woman whom he would give up anything, the woman that had betrayed him.

     "Did you tell Luke?" Han's angry voice carried across the village, "Is that who you could tell?"

     It would've been nice to yell at Luke, to get some of her anger out the same way Han was getting rid of his. But, of course, even if Han did have a short temper, he would never hate Leia and before Ace could even tell what was going on, the two had wrapped each other up into a warm embrace.

     And Ace watched Luke leave.