Star Crossed

XIII

After their successful rescue on Ord Mantell, it had been six months before another mission took them off planet. 

But as promised, it was Leia's turn to travel, meaning Jo had to stay behind on Hoth to act as Senator Leia... without Leia. 

For some reason unbeknownst to Jo, Leia and Han's mission took significantly longer than Jo and Han's had. They were gone for a little over a month, and the entire time Jo's mind was going crazy with scenarios and hypotheticals. 

What if Han asked Leia to take a vacation with him? And she said yes?

What if he asked her to run away with him and she actually considered it? Is that why they're taking so long? Have they found a little mountain to make their home?

Jo would have easily gone crazy with her thoughts if not for Luke. The boy was a God sent. Any of his free time was spent with Jo, and over the month that Han and Leia were gone- and the months in between, they had formed quite the bond. 

"Jo?" Luke called her true name as he entered her quarters. "Ready for our training?" He was already in his gear- a pair of loose fitting pants and light armor over his torso and shoulders. He wanted to get use to the fit of the plates in case he needed them during battle. 

"Yeah." Jo rose from her couch in her own training gear: her warrior wrap, this time in black, and stretchy pants with holes on the knees to allow more movement. "Armor?" Jo looked over Luke as they left her quarters to head to the combat room. "Should I be wearing some? I feel horribly underdressed now." Jo joked as she looked down at herself.

"No," Luke laughed as he looked down at her clothing. "I wanted to try it out." He shimmied his shoulders to try and get comfortable in the stiff plates. "I don't know how people fight in these things." He admited as the plate on his shoulder pinched him. 

"Maybe that's why the Storm Troopers suck at fighting." Jo guessed with a smirk. "Their movements are restricted." Jo opened the combat room's door and stepped inside. The combat room was located in the very center of the temple, making it far warmer than any other room- minus the Princess's quarters. 

The heat was another reason by Jo favored the room. She thrived in heat and combat, so the room combined her two favorite things. 

"I have a surprise for you." Luke told Jo as they moved to the weapon's rack on the far side of the room. Jo immediately grabbed for the batons that they usually fought with. 

"Oh?" Jo asked as she grabbed two batons, but as she turned back to Luke she spotted the small medal rod in his hands. She froze as she realized what it was he was holding. 

"I thought we could practice with this today." Luke watched Jo's eyes widened until her forehead wrinkled. 

"Luke..." Jo breathed out. Quickly she put the wooden batons back and stepped towards Luke. "Can... can I hold it?" She asked as she looked from the saber to Luke's eyes. He held it out for her and gave a nod. 

Tingles exploded over Jo's body as she held the light saber. She always dreamt of using one, but never thought she would actually get the opportunity. Light sabers were sacred to Jedi knights. They were impossibly hard to find and took years of training to properly yield. Yet, here she was holding one in her very hands. 

"Here-" Luke placed his hands over Jo's to show her the proper way to hold it. "Does that feel natural?" He looked from their hands to Jo's eyes. 

"Yeah," All of her concentration was on their hands, so much so that she didn't realize how close her and Luke were. 

"Now, press this button..." As Jo's thumb pressed down on the small black button, a bright blue surge of power extended from the top of it. Jo, though she expected it, still jumped.