She's a Rebel [Star Wars | Luke Skywalker] *EDITING*

Free Radicals

I wake up to Tom kneeling next to me, shaking my shoulder as he clutches his abdomen. I realise that it's the shoulder that was shot, merely a few days ago, and I grit my teeth as the pain burns down my shoulder blade and back. It feels like so long ago.

It's strange to think that I met Luke and Han only a few days ago, too. It feels as if I've known them forever, and I realise that I'm already missing them.

"Natalie," he says softly. "We're on Tatooine."

I sit up slowly, rubbing my eyes as I do so. "Whereabouts?" I ask him.

"Mos Eisley," he replies. "Docking Bay 47."

I nod at him, and my attention moves to his wound. "Are you alright?" I say, gesturing to his abdomen.

"Just a bit sore. I changed the bandages just now. I'll be okay," he assures me, smiling at me.

I smile back at him, pushing myself up from the floor, hugging Luke's jacket around me. And then I remember how I yelled at Zach yesterday, and I'm filled with guilt. "Where's Zach?"

"In maintenance," he tells me, and I nod at him. "Anyway, I could use a drink. I'm going to find a cantina."

"Alright. Watch your back," I say, smiling at him.

He smiles back. "Sure. Oh, and Nat."

"Mm?" I hum, going over to the sink.

He gestures to the area underneath his eyes. "You got a little something..."

I look down in the small mirror above the sink, and see what looks like the black make-up I had on yesterday collected underneath my eyes.

"Oh, God," I whisper to myself, turning the tap on and scrubbing my face with the warm water. It takes a while, but I manage to get it all off, as well as the rest of the make-up. I decide to leave my hair in the plait, and I ruffle my fringe and parting into place. I dry my face and look back at myself in the mirror, tilting my head to get a good look at the wound from the Raider attack, and then I head towards maintenance. I find Zach tinkering with the deflector shield.

"Morning, Zach," I say quietly, hugging Luke's jacket around me as I lean in the doorway.

"Hi, Nat," he replies stiffly, not taking his eyes off of the deflector shield controls.

I look down at my hands, fumbling with my fingers and playing with the sleeves of the jacket. "Listen, I just wanted to come and apologise for yesterday," I whisper. "I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. You didn't deserve it. I guess it's just been a couple of rough days, and they've taken their toll. And I know that isn't an excuse, but, yeah..." I pause, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly, not too good with these sorts of things. "I'm sorry."

I look up at him, and feel hurt when I find he still isn't looking at me, staring at the defector shield controls with a blank look on his face. I look down again and place my hands into the pockets, shrugging my shoulders. "Anyway, I just wanted to apologise," I mumble, staring at his focused, brown eyes, searching for some sort of response.

I purse my lips and turn away from him, popping back into the living quarters to grab my helmet quickly before I extend the ramp and begin to walk down it, leaving Zach alone to fix his deflector shield, and alone with his thoughts.