Crawling Home

Chapter 2 - Mando's POV

‼️This is a triggering chapter. You've been warned‼️

*4 months later*

I looked over at the leftover supplies in the crest. It had been 2 months since we'd restocked and we were running dangerously low. 3 months since I'd seen a friendly face that wasn't Grogu's. 4 months since I'd met Nova. I hadn't been able to get her out of my head the entire time. The bright blue eyes that stared at me in wonder had haunted my dreams. Thinking about her long dark hair only fueled my thoughts of her. The way she stood, poised for a fight with her green kad'au in front of her. I had walked into the shop by chance, it was as if something was pulling me to the store. When I walked in, I had seen her eyeing the creep, her hand slowly wrapping around the hilt of her lightsaber.

It had only taken her half a second before she was ready to fight him and the creep had seemed to relish in the fact that she was a Jedi. Jedi scum is what he had called her. When I heard the words come out his mouth, something in me had snapped and before I could stop myself, I had had him pinned down and was telling him to apologize. I had given her the comms device hoping she'd find a reason to call so I could go back and see her. Now with all 6 bounties caught and my supplies being so low, it was only logical to stop on her planet to refuel and stock up before continuing to Nevarro to collect the credits. There was no rush, so I had set the Nav to an easy cruising speed. We would be arriving in about 2 hours. I settled back in my chair ready to sleep the rest of the trip when my helmet received a communications request.

"Hello?" I asked curiously. Not many had this line, so if it was ringing, it must've been important. "Mr. Mando? Is that you?" a soft terrified voice asked. I sat up in the pilot chair, "Nova? Are you okay? What's going on?" I questioned while taking the ship off autopilot so I could fly the ship faster. I heard a small gasp come from the other line, "Mr. Mando, help me please!" Then the line went dead.

I traced the coordinates of the comms device and quickly sped through the sky to find her. My heart hammered in my chest the closer we got to the drop point. I uploaded the coordinates to my vambrace then loaded Grogu into his pram and closed it.

The first thing I noticed when the ship opened was the desolate market from how late it was on the planet. I made my way to the last known location Nova had been at and surveyed the area before sneaking into the store where I had first met her in. As I walked in, I stepped on something hard and metal. I looked quickly and noticed it was the hilt of her green kad'au. I picked it up carefully and examined it. From what I could tell, it didn't look damaged. I clipped it to my belt next to my dha kad for safekeeping and made my way deeper into the darkened store.

I heard her before I could see her, "Stop it Vikal! Don't do this please! I can find a way to get money and then I'll leave. I'll only come in for work!" She pleaded, desperation coloring her voice. I peeked around the corner slowly and the sight made my stomach roll. Nova was sitting against a wall, on the floor, her top half completely exposed while she wore some type of damper collar on her neck. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her captor undressed. Her eyes looked away from where he stood and looked out the door. My visor met her line of sight and I could see her visibly relax, "Please Vikal, it's just you and I in this room. Take the handcuffs off. My powers don't work with the collar on" She negotiated, trying to let me know her captor was alone.

Her captor chuckled in her direction, "I'm not falling for that little Jedi. Last time, you got out of paying me when your little Mandalorian friend threw Caston out of the store. I watched the recordings. What was it he called you? Mesh'la? He couldn't even be bothered to learn your name. Pathetic. He won't be able to save you this time little Jedi"

Hearing Nova's captor use the Mando'a term I had used for her made my blood boil. I snuck up behind him and tapped his shoulder. He turned quickly and as soon as he had turned around, my fist connected with his face. His head slammed back quickly and as soon as he got his bearings, he let out an angry roar and lunged at me, his blood splattering on the shiny beskar of my armor as I moved to avoid him. I pulled my blaster from its holster and pointed it at him. He stopped in his tracks, "This doesn't concern you Mandalorian. She owes me payment for being allowed to sleep here. Leave now and I'll let you leave with your life." he snarled at me.

My head turned to the side as I eyed him, "How much does she owe you?" I questioned. Vikal eyed me up and down as a disgusting smile formed on his face, "For you? I'll just fuck her asshole. You can even have a turn once I'm done if -" The smile on his face fell as he realized he'd heard my blaster going off. The next moment, he was on the floor, dead.

I turned to look at Nova who was on the floor curled up as she tried to cover herself as much as possible. I removed my cape and draped it over her carefully to cover her, "Nova I-I have to touch your hands so I can take the handcuffs off. Is that okay?" I asked her as she slowly and carefully sat up. She nodded her head and carefully presented her hands to me. I unclasped the cuffs and threw them behind me, "I have to touch your neck now to take the collar off Nova. Can I touch you again?" I asked her gently. She wrapped the cape around herself more and tilted her head back so I could have access to her neck. I fiddled with it for a second before finally unclasping and throwing it in the same direction as the cuffs.

"I'm going to pick you up now okay mesh'la? I'm going to pick you up and take you back to my ship. Are you okay with that? Would you want to stay on the ship with Grogu and me?" I asked her softly. She nodded her head and reached for me timidly. I held my arms out and picked her up gently. I cradled her body close to mine and could smell her even through the beskar of my helmet. She smelled of strawberries and soap and tears.

She nuzzled herself closer to me and laid her head on my shoulder as we made our way back to the ship. The ship's doors opened and I walked straight to one of the bunks and placed her gently on the cot. I turned and found her a clean shirt of mine to cover herself with and placed it on the cot next to her before kneeling to her level, "I'm going back to the store to destroy any evidence of you being there okay? Stay on the ship with Grogu. There's a clean shirt next to you so you can cover up and I have your lightsaber right here. Here's another comms device for you to use in case of emergencies. I shouldn't be gone more than 2 hours. Will you be okay?" I asked her softly as I placed her lightsaber and the comms device on top of the clean shirt.

Tears formed in her eyes as she nodded, "I can't believe you came. Thank you Mr. Mando" I rubbed the back of my helmet nervously, "Well, you called. You don't have to thank me though. Now, I'll be back soon" I responded before getting up and walking out of the ship.

*2 hours later*

"Dank farrik!" I cursed as I stumbled in the darkness of the ship and tripped over Grogu's pram, hopefully not waking him up. "Mr. Mando? Are you okay?" I heard a sleepy voice ask in the darkness. "Nova! Fuck you scared me! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. How are you feeling?" I asked her nervously. I heard movement coming from the cot I had left her on, "I don't feel too good actually. My throat hurts. Could you turn the light on please?"

My heart dropped at her answer and I rushed to turn the lights on from my vambrace. My eyes quickly landed on her as I take in her disheveled, sleepy appearance. She still had my cape wrapped around her but I could tell she had put on the shirt I had left out for her, "What is it mesh'la? Will you show me what hurts?" I asked her as I dropped to my knees in front of her. She tilted her head up so I could get a look at her neck. A bruise from the collar had formed all around it since I had left and it was an angry black and blue color.

"Dank farrik! The fucking collar that asshole had on you left a mark. Let me get you some bacta cream for it" I told her as I stood to get to the medkit. I rifled through it for a moment before I finally found what I needed and made my way over to her. I looked from the cream to her neck and back again. Thank the stars I had a helmet on and she couldn't see my face, "D-Do you need help or c-can you manage it yourself?" I asked, sounding like someone who could barely speak basic. I closed my eyes and cringed internally as I waited for her to decide, when I finally felt her hand slowly taking the cream.

I nodded and excused myself back to the cockpit of the crest. Once there, I plopped down in the pilot's chair and set a course for Nevarro. It would be a long trip.