Chapter Text
Sol heard crying. He'd never heard her cry, but he knew it was Vala. She sobbed softly, calling for him. She sounded lost and in pain.
He ran toward her desperately but he was still too far. Hands grabbed on him, slowing him down, holding him back. He pulled out his lightsaber and cut them... but more kept coming.
Another sound joined Vala's anguish. A fleshy, rhythmic thudding, like a heart. Each beat drilled panic into Sol's bones as he slowly recognized it. Vala's broken voice switched to begging.
He tried to speed up, but more hands clawed at his legs and arms. He twirled the saber, cut them all, and finally, he reached her—
—but it was too late.
She lay on her side in a pool of magenta, motionless. Her yellow eyes staring at him blindly, their spark snuffed out. Tears were still streaming down her face, but her cries were silenced forever.
The Pyke was standing over her. He leered at Sol, stroking the front of his pants in satisfaction.
And right behind him, hovering over his shoulder was a mysterious figure in black, only glowing red eyes visible on its face.
"You're mine now," it whispered like a promise.
And Sol felt the tug of dark desire at his core. The thirst for violence, the need to draw blood, the sweet lure of dealing death where it was deserved.
His broken heart could wait—there was no way to save Vala... but he could make her killer pay.
He jumped at the Pyke, showering him with merciless blows, breaking him over and over and over—
He woke up with a desperate gasp. It was dark. He was drenched in cold sweat, covered in goosebumps.
—Vala—
He found her beside him. A thin sliver of moonlight was across her peacefully relaxed face.
For a breathless moment, he could only see the vision from his dream: her body drained and lifeless. He panicked and grabbed her shoulder.
But it was warm and she moved—and air found its way back into his lungs in a desperate, broken inhale.
Her nose scrunched a little and she rubbed her eyes before they cracked open a smidge. Her gaze found him, but there was no surprise in her expression, only relief and affection. She was probably still half asleep.
"Sol," she sighed and scooted closer. Her arms wrapped around his torso, locking behind his back, and she pressed so tightly to him it was difficult to breathe for a second. Then she fell asleep again and her grip loosened.
He just lay, letting his wildly beating heart slowly calm down. His hands cautiously, gently found her back. She felt very solid against him, very real. She was alive. No one had managed to invade her body. And she was in his arms, as safe as she could be...
...except, was she? With a murderer who kept sliding down a slippery slope towards the Dark Side? Could he keep her safe?
Or would she be the next one he hurt?
Thankfully, his fever soon dragged him under again, back into the land of dreams and nightmares.
.
There was light outside when he woke up again.
No one was beside him this time. The blankets were warm, Vala's scent still present in the air, but she was gone.
Sol groggily turned and looked towards the kitchenette and bathroom. No movement. Dead quiet.
His heart thrummed against his ribs as he forced himself to get up despite the buzzing in his head.
"Vala?" he tried.
Nothing.
Had someone taken her from him again??
He was soaked in sweat, even the moderately sufferable air in the module cut into his damp skin like needles, but he didn't care. He burst through the carefully closed, but unlocked door into the freezing mist outside.
Where was she? Where had they taken her?
He bumped into someone as soon as he stepped out.
"Sol?"
Her sweet warm voice was like a balm on his soul, instantly melting his panic.
His knees buckled, but he managed to keep the rest of his body upright. He caught her hand, just to make sure she was real, and clasped it in both his. His brain was too slow to moderate his show of affection, and he felt past caring about that anyway.
"Vala. I... You weren't there when I woke up, and—"
"We can't talk here, you'll freeze to death!" she admonished him softly. "Come on, let's get back inside."
Helping him up, she half dragged him back inside the module. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, crowding her, not even pretending not to sniff her hair as she swayed under his weight. Getting him back wasn't enough for her, though—she pushed him onto the cot and uncompromisingly tucked him back in like a misbehaving child.
"You don't have to get up yet," she sighed as she sat next to him. "We have time. Use it to regain your strength."
Sol let her fuss over him. He felt too weak to protest—and her care was in welcome contrast to what he expected, to what he deserved.
He reached for her hand again, so full of appreciation he needed to express how much she meant to him. His unfocused gaze sought her eyes.
"Vala—"
"We don't have to talk now, either," she smiled, stroking his hair. She didn't let him catch her hand.
He settled for laying his palm on her knee, too tired to keep trying. She didn't move away; her fingers kept stroking his scalp. He let his eyes slowly close, enjoying her comforting touch and the uplifting fact of her acceptance.
Yes, they had time. He could tell her later.
As long as no one laid hands on her anymore, they had all the time in the world...