The Ancient Homeland

29

Your face split into a beautiful smile at the words, quickly pulling Cal into a hug that definitely crushed his lungs. You didn't even realize you were crying until Cal quickly pulled away from you, holding onto your shoulders firmly as concern pooled into his stunning emerald green eyes.
"What's wrong??" He quickly questioned, worry clear in his voice, only making you smile more.
"I just... I love you too, and I thought-" You choked up at the thought of Cal, Cal Kestis, being dead. Cal seemed to have already know what you were about to have said because he squeezed your shoulders and inclined his head closer to yours.
"Hey, hey, " He began, gently taking his hand off of your shoulder and tenderly lifting your face up with his index finger. "I'm here, you're safe, and that's all that matters, ok?"
  You sniffled and nodded your head in response, pouting your lips out in a silent request for a kiss. Cal chuckled at the action and leaned in closer to your lips. His chapped lips hovered over your split ones, his hot breath fanning across your face, prompting your cheeks to heat up slightly.
   You closed your eyes, waiting impatiently in expectation, yet it didn't come. He swiftly glided his lips to your left cheek and placed a chaste, quick peck onto your cheek. You groaned and lightly punched his shoulder, eliciting a chuckle from him.
"Not now, ok? We gotta get out of here." Cal whispered, eyes speechlessly conveying the words, 'later'. You somberly nodded your head, slightly annoyed that he couldn't even spare a kiss.
"Ok..." You grumbled in irritation, compelling Cal to chuckle as he swiftly stood up.
He bent down slightly as he offered you his hand, and you graciously took it. He helped you up, slinging his arm under your armpit to help you stand.
"If we are fast we'll be able to make it out with minimal fighting... But, just have your lightsaber in your hand at all times so if we do come across some baddies, " Cal urgently began, his use of the word 'baddies' making you chuckle lightly and smile. "you can defend yourself while I deal with them, ok?" He finished, looking you in the eyes with a newfound determination. You nodded your head in affirmation, determined to get out of here with Cal alive.

The two of you began your treacherous journey of making it back to the surface.
  After so many minutes of walking in utter silence, both of you too afraid to speak in fear that you might miss the distant steps or shouts of stormtroopers, you lost track of time. It felt like eons upon eons of jogging, more like Cal jogging and him pulling you along, and rarely ever taking breaks; which didn't help your legs in the slightest.

As you came upon another turn in the endless snaking and swerving titanium hallways, Cal rapidly slowed down. The two of you crept up to the edge of the corner, his head slightly inclining to try and get anything that sounded like a clumsy or angry stormtrooper slipping up and speaking. Cal heard nothing, so he peeked his head out ever so slightly to try and see if there was anybody awaiting them. Your silent questions were answered when the all too familiar 'pew' sound of a blaster firing reverberated throughout the not so empty halls. The bullet itself narrowly missed Cal's hair, causing him to jump back in surprise and place you against the wall.
He murmured a quick, "Be right back, " before leaping off, the sound of a lightsaber igniting and at least a dozen blaster bullets firing resounded throughout the halls once more.
   You clutched your lightsaber with a vice-like grip, silently thanking the force that there was way too much chaos reining for someone to have heard your lightsaber being ignited. You leaned heavily against the metallic wall; the noises of violence echoing all around you, but what was loudest of all was the pounding of your heartbeat in your ears. In terror, you gripped your lightsaber even harder then before, and if your hand hadn't been slightly cut due to the notches in the handle before, they definitely were now. In the midst of your abruptly panicked state, your head began to get light-headed and fuzzy. A small part of your brain that was still logically thinking at this point rationalized that it was probably due to the lack of sleep, combined with the muscle atrophy. You dismissed this though, too exhausted to process the notion.