Rise (A Star Wars/ Luke Skywalker Fan Fiction) #Wattys2016

Chapter 22

The next morning, Winter woke up, still dressed in the clothes she wore the previous day. She crossed her room silently and got dressed in the pilot gear she was given the evening before. Attaching her two lightsaber to her side and slipping her dagger in her boot, Winter finished off by tieing her hair into a thick black ponytail. She looked herself over and took a deep breath, knowing this may be the last time she looked at herself in the mirror and her last time on Yavin 4. Then she walked out of her room and made her way to the hanger.

Upon arrival, Winter could tell which X-Wing was hers. It was the only one without an Astro droid in it. As she walked to her ship, Winter could not find Han or Chewie anywhere. She set her helmet in the X-Wing and looked around further. "Where could they be?" She asked herself.

"Excuse me Ms, would you mind if we placed this Astro Droid in your ship?' A man named Carter asked.

"Yeah, yeah go ahead." She reassured. Winter walked around the Hanger until she finally found them, loading the Millennium Falcon with their rewards. Were they seriously leaving now?

"Han, Chewie what are you doing?" Winter asked. They stopped dead at the sound of her voice. 

"Leaving, sister. Wanna come with us?

 Winter scoffed. "And leave them behind? No thank you!"

"Ok, suit yourself." Han said.

Just as Winter was about to retort something back, Ella and Luke came up behind her. They both looked just as out raged as Winter did.

"So. You got your reward and you're just leaving, then?" Ella asked.

Han thought for a second. "That's right, yeah. Got some old debts I gotta pay off with this stuff. Even if I didn't, you don't think I'd be fool enough to stick around here, do you? Why don't you come with us? You two are pretty good in a fight. We could use you."

"In your dreams, space cowboy." Ella spat.

Luke stepped forward. " Come on. Why don't you take a look around? You know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you, you're turning your back on them."

"What good is a reward if you ain't around to use it? Besides, attacking that battle station is not my idea of courage. It's more like, suicide." Han said.

Luke and Ella were about to argue but Winter gave them a look as if to tell "No. Let me handle this." She faced Han with a cold stare.

"Okay then, Han. Take care of yourself. I guess that's what you're best at isn't it?" She said curtly. Then with that her, Luke and Ella began to walk away.

"Hey Winter, Luke." Han called. They turned back around. "May the Force be with you."

Winter couldn't help but smile." And with you too."

The three of them walked away, leaving Han and Chewie discussing something quietly.When Winter got back to her X-Wing she noticed that Luke's X-Wing was right next to hers.

"All Pilots. Please board your ships. We will be departing in 2 minutes." A voice said over the intercom.

Ella turned to Luke and Winter. "Good luck you two. Please come back. Promise?" She said as she pulled them both into a hug, tears brimming her eyes.

"We promise. Now get out of here before you're run over by an X-Wing." Winter said. Ella hugged her best friend on last time before fleeing the hanger as engines began to start up. Luke and Winter faced each other. Then they hugged each other hard.

"If I never see you again, know that I love you, Winter" Luke whispered, partly hoping Winter couldn't hear him over all the engine noises. The two pulled apart and looked at each other.