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Everything's a blur. I'm awoken to the sound of babbling. Cute babbling? I groan, harshly rubbing my tired and sore eyes awake as I blink away the blurriness that consumes them.
And the first thing my eyes land on as they clear is-
Baby.
It's the baby! He stood next to my head, looking down at me with wide eyes- cooing as he reached his hand out towards me.
My eyes widen immensely as I jump up on the cot I laid upon and grabbed the green baby into my arms. "Y-you're alive!" I mumble as I squeeze the little guy. His cooing intensified as he grabbed my hair, twirling it in his little fingers.
I'm overjoyed at the fact he's alive and here with me that it almost distracts me from my guilt. Almost.
Immediately I let go making the baby look at me with a tilt of his head in question. I frown as hot tears start to slip out before I can stop them.
"I-I'm so-so s-sorry, G-green baby!" I wail loudly as I start sobbing. My cheeks redden in embarrassment of being such a crybaby, but I can't help what I feel.
I feel his little hand touch mine as he stares deeply into my eyes. I'm caught into gazing into his orbs as I feel as though a sense of comfort and warmth is suddenly enveloped within me. Like a hug to my soul.
My tears calm down. I feel cooler, and my wails stop as I sniffle back my boogers. I feel as though someone is slowly hugging my heart that it makes my eyes still leak tears, but from happiness and comfort.
I don't feel guilty at all. The green baby only coos at me as we stare at one another for what feels like a lifetime.
I slowly smile. I really like this green baby-
Grogu.
I gasp loudly, pulling back as my eyes quickly widen. Our loss of contact does effect me as I suddenly feel guilty again and cold.
D-did he-? And just like that I'm crying again from happiness and shock. He lays both hands on me once again and I feel warm, I feel loved, I feel comfort, I feel wanted.
Was this green ba- I mean Grogu- doing this?
I didn't question it. Instead I quickly scoop him up in my arms and laid back down. I cuddle with him as he returns my cuddle, his breathe on my neck as his hands played in my hair.
This- this is what family feels like. And a small part of me thinks that he longed for this too. I smile softly. I'm not alone. I tighten my grip comfortably.
And I'll protect you, Grogu. Till the very end.
I promise.
After all, we're family now.
€
"Kid."
My eyes snap open at the modulated voice. I feel warm- uncomfortably warm. I look down to see Grogu laying on my chest with pillows surrounding us and multiple blankets on top of us.
I let a small smile appear. Mando covered us. I glance to see him kneeled next to me staring at us. I quickly sit up and lean against the wall. Grogu curled in my lap. I play with his ears delicately as I stare down and away from Mando's gaze.
I bite my lip remembering my breakdown.
"T-thank you." I mumble as the past events start to come crashing down on me. He only nods as he continues staring.
I start feeling nervous. Why is he being quite? Was he going to leave again? Was he going to take Grogu away from me?
My grip tightens subconsciously on the little guy as my breathing picks up quickly.
"Hey, hey. Calm down." He soothes, his hands gently being held up towards me, but not touching us. His palms facing me- telling me he's no threat. I nod trying to gain my breathing back.
And there it is again. I feel soothed, calm. My shoulders relax as I hear the familiar babbling of Grogu. I look down, seeing him staring up at me with a small smile.
I smile back.
"You two seem close." My eyes snap to Mando's helmet. I nod slowly. "H-he helps c-calm me." I stutter out feeling my embarrassment rise as my cheeks redden.
He nods.
It's silent again as he just stays crouched in front of us- staring. My eyes glance away. He must be in thought. I wish I could see his eyes then I'd know what he's feeling.
"I-" he stops as I glance shyly at him. He takes a deep breathe before sighing, dropping his head in a bow.
"I-I let you down, Almana. I let you and the little green guy down. W-when I seen how they grabbed you-I- I should've done something right then. I-I should've took you both back to the ship and ran like hell. And then you both got hurt and I- I couldn't even bring myself to look at you because all I seen was a reflection of my own doings."
His voice is soothing, calm yet quaking. He seems in pain at the very thought. I frown. It did hurt. It hurt seeing him watch us be treated like that and still turning his back against us as we pleaded as I pleaded.
I knew I shouldn't have trusted him from the beginning, but some part of me had hope he would of never left us. Some part of me had hope we'd all become some sort of family or friends the least.
"I-I don't expect you to forgive me, but just know I want to make things right. I never want to see you hurt, Almana. I never want to see either of you hurt or sad or broken or hopeless." He glances down at Grogu too, whom I now realize looks to be listening as he stares at Mando in silence, the babbling long gone.
"I'm so sorry. To both of you. I promise I'll make things right." He nods determined. He did come back. He did save us. He did cradle me as I was on the verge of death. He wanted to be there. He wanted to save us. He didn't have too. But he did.
