Chapter Fifteen

It took a standard week and a half for Luke to reach the point where he could finally sit up without vertigo and double vision. The fractures were nearly at the hairline level, but still present, and thus 2-1B wasn’t comfortable allowing his patient to stand yet, nor was Luke himself going to even try until he got the go-ahead.

Even sitting up, he was still being cautious. He moved slowly, waiting for the room to spin. When it didn’t, he waited for Lisa to raise the head of the bed so he could settle comfortably against the pillow. He waited a few minutes to ensure his body wasn’t going to betray him, then gave Lisa a smile.

She smiled back and kissed him, then passed him his food tray. As he ate, she read over the database, sitting on the edge of his bed so he could look over her shoulder if he felt the need.

Once they’d come to the conclusion that, basically, when the time came Luke would know where to go, searching the archives was more of “something to do” while he was still in recovery. Neither expected the search to amount to anything – not until the Force deemed Luke ready.

Every so often, Lisa would show Luke the screen, and he would look, close his eyes briefly, then shake his head. She would nod and move on to another file.

After he finished eating, he took the screen while she placed the tray on the table. When she returned, she sidled up beside him and let him poke at the thing for a while.

He leaned against her as he scrolled, and she laid her head against his, watching the screen. He stopped a couple of times to close his eyes and focus, then moved on. This went on for maybe ten more minutes before his eyes grew heavy, and he handed Lisa back the screen before she could think about pointing it out.

She smiled at him as she took it and put it back on the table. “Want your head down?” she asked.

“In a minute,” he said, reaching for her. He clasped her hands and shut his eyes, breathing deeply.

Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. He relaxed immediately, breathing her in. This was one of the things his injury had taken from him – being unable to sit up and move hadn’t allowed her to hold him like this because he would have had to adjust his position to accommodate her arms. Now, though, he felt he should make up for lost time.

He listened to her double heartbeat – him sharing the one on the left through their link. The sound had always been comforting to him; just as comforting was her hand now stroking his hair.

They remained entwined for several moments. Luke had to consciously keep himself from falling asleep. He wasn’t healed enough for that yet. As it was, his level of relaxation deepened. His breathing slowed.

…Master Skywalker…

Luke jerked and immediately regretted it. Pain radiated throughout his entire body. He gasped and tensed, which in turn made the pain worse.

“Easy, Luke,” said Lisa, gently easing him down and lowering the head of the bed.

Artoo, who up until that point had been sitting quietly in the corner, beeped worriedly.

“I’m okay,” Luke said, grimacing. He ignored Lisa’s raised eyebrow. “Lisa…I felt a pull in the Force. We’re getting closer. This was the first time I’ve gotten a sense that strong.”

“Huh,” she said, thinking, then wondered aloud, “What was different?”

“You.”             

“Huh?” she said again, this time a question. “I’ve been here the whole time.”

“I know,” he said, reaching for her hand. “But this time you were holding me. It was the most relaxed and content I’d been since getting hurt.”

It hit her after a moment. “Grounded.”

Smiling, he projected a psychic nod since he didn’t think a physical one would be a good idea. Squeezing her hand, he said, “The exact thing we want to pass to the next generation. The foundation of our Academy.”

“Sounds like not forcing the Force is the thing to do,” she said with a grin.

He rolled his eyes and groaned, this time with affectionate exasperation, but she wasn’t wrong. The echo of the Force was still there – faint now, but steadier than anything he’d felt before. Somehow he knew that if he reached for it, it would slip like sand through his fingers.

So he let it be.

And the sense lingered, closer than it had ever been before.

Back *~*~* Chapter Fourteen *~*~* Chapter Sixteen