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“Hurts.”
“I know, little one,” Luke murmured, hugging Jaina tighter. “I know. But you need to stay awake, alright? Just a bit longer.” He’d already done everything possible in the X-wing’s cramped cockpit: gotten them off-planet, for starters, and away from the handful of enemy ships that tried to pursue. Made the initial jump to hyperspace. Told Artoo to engage a Rebellion protocol for multiple short jumps to disguise their trail before racing for safety.
Opened up the old first aid kit and smeared his daughter with every bit of bacta ointment that could be squeezed out of the tube.
Giving her anything to dull the pain proved trickier, considering all the meds in the kit were meant for adult metabolisms, regardless of species. Still; Luke did his best, pulling from old emergency triage training and what few whispers of the Force he dared reach out towards. Normally, normally, he’d open himself fully, both for guidance from the Force and to extend a blanketing presence, which often helped ease a student’s pain all on its own.
But normally, the student Luke needed to help wasn’t so deeply injured.
Normally, he wasn’t huddled with said student in the cockpit of his old fighter, fleeing from those who sought to kill them.
Normally, this wouldn’t be Luke’s only student left.
A single tremor wracked his body. Jaina promptly whined, pressing closer. Luke shushed her, dropping a kiss to the girl’s damp red hair before tucking her head underneath his chin. Less than two hours to arrival, Artoo warbled, photoreceptors blinking as he peered at them through the X-wing’s front window.
Luke gave his droid a nod. And then prodded his daughter again, feeling her mind trying to slip into sleep. “Jaina. Stay awake.”
The girl sniffled. Her remaining hand clutched at his arm. “Tryin’.”
“I know. You’re doing good. Just a bit longer.”
Sleep would be dangerous. Sleep could easily turn to nightmares, which would make Luke’s efforts to shield them both ten times harder. If he weren’t chilled to the bone, still wearing soaked clothing - if he weren’t recovering from the most intense battle he’d fought since the end of the Empire - if he weren’t still reeling from Ben-
Jaina needed to stay awake. They both did, until- until they reached safety. Until they reached Leia.
Something is wrong, Luke, I can feel it. Aren’t you the one always insisting we need to listen to our feelings?
Listen to, yes! Not let them lead you down a path of terrifying your own son!
My son is full of darkness!
She’d been right.
Not in trying to investigate Ben, interrogating him, demanding answers to the point he’d panicked and taken the first opportunity to flee in a borrowed ship. Luke couldn’t condone any of that, not from anyone, especially not his own sister. But Leia proved right in the end. Because when Ben finally turned up and returned to the Jedi school... He brought Darksiders and stormtroopers with him. Led the attack. Killed his fellow students.
Swung a lightsaber at the panicked six year old who tried running to him for help.
“Stay awake, Jaina,” Luke whispered, holding onto the stump of her right arm, curling his Force presence around hers, keeping them both unnoticeable and as warm as possible. “Won’t be long now. Just stay awake.”