Chapter Eighteen

I feel like a toddler…

I bet you were a cute baby.

Luke had one arm over Lisa’s shoulders and his other hand on Artoo’s dome. They were both supporting him as he took stiff, jerky steps, trying to build the unused muscles back up. His legs ached, but not the same ache as he’d gotten from the bone damage; this was a good – relatively speaking – ache, letting him know he was, slowly but surely, getting stronger.

He stumbled – not strong enough yet – and Lisa and Artoo led him back to the bed. As he sat, he said, “I was adorable,” and rubbed a particularly sore spot on his thigh.

Lisa chuckled and sat beside him, wrapping a wing around his shoulders and linking an arm with his. He leaned over to kiss the top of her head, then rested his cheek there, eyes closed.

…a bird squawked…

His eyes flew open and he frowned, lifting his head. “Did you hear that?”

She looked over at him. “A bird? Yeah. Vision?”

He made a so-so gesture. “I didn’t see anything. Just heard it.” He thought a moment. “I’ve heard a bird like that before.” A pause. “Not here.”

One of Lisa’s eyebrows lifted and she rubbed her chin, thinking. Luke stayed quiet for maybe thirty seconds before he nudged her gently. “Don’t leave me in suspense.” All he could get from her mind was a repeating echo of the bird squawk. She had eons of experience with what thoughts she did and didn’t share with her partners; it wasn’t intentional – he knew she’d tell him when she was ready.

After another thirty seconds, she said, “So the Force is letting you see or hear things from the planet even if I’m not holding you.”

“Only if I’m relaxed,” he clarified. “And not really trying.”

“Makes sense. We’ve been saying not to push anything for over a month. Not the recovery or the visions.”

He didn’t nod but hummed in agreement. “This is the first time I’ve been conscious, though. We must be getting closer. Maybe my recovery is almost complete.” He caught her eye. “I’m not rushing!” he insisted. “I’m just – ”

“ – making a comment,” they said together.

Lisa smiled. “I know.” She leaned affectionately on his shoulder and pecked his jaw. “I wonder if the bird is significant, or if it’s just the Force saying ‘Hey, there’s wildlife here’.”

“Don’t know,” Luke said in lieu of a shrug. “Is it saying anything you can understand?”

“When I hear it, it’s kind of far away,” she answered. “Too far away to make out.”

“Oh.” He sounded a little disappointed. “Well, maybe we’ll find out once I’m healed enough.”

“Speaking of,” Lisa said, reaching for his food tray, “time for food and rest.”

“Yes, dear.”

Back *~*~* Chapter Seventeen *~*~* Chapter Nineteen