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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

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ARTEMIS was kneeling in front of Cody as Din took off. They had put the kid in his compartment to sleep after they entered the ship. Cody was still bleeding pretty hard and she quickly grabbed the first aid kit.

"Can you remove your shirt?" Artemis asked, getting the compresses and bandages she would need.

Cody grimaced as he pulled his shirt up. Artemis helped him to get it over his head. She tried to ignore the fact that she could count every rib and focused herself on the blaster wound.

"Hold this," she said, placing his hand on the compress that she had put over his wound. "I'll go and ask Din to insert to coordinates for Chandrila."

"Chandrila?" Cody questioned, as Artemis made her way over towards the ladder. "What are we going to do in Chandrila?"

"Visit some old friends I haven't seen in a while and who will probably kill me for not keeping them up to date with my life."

"Sounds wonderful," Cody said dryly.

Artemis rolled her eyes and climbed the ladder. She entered the cockpit, closing the door behind her, and placed her hands on Din's shoulder.

"Chandrila it is?" he asked, already inserting the coordinates.

"You were eavesdropping, weren't you?" Artemis asked amused.

"Not on purpose," Din said.

Artemis rolled her eyes, before pushing a couple of buttons so she could send Leia a message to tell them they were coming.

"Hey, Leia," Artemis said, once the message was recording. "Sorry for not checking in sooner, please, don't kill me." She smiled apologetically. "I just wanted to tell you that we'll see each other shortly, in fact," she glanced at the screen and Din held out three fingers, "we'll be there in three hours and I'm bringing friends. Well, I guess I'll see you there."

Artemis pushed another button and send the message towards Leia.

"So who's this Leia?" Din asked, pulling her onto his lap.

"She's Luke's twin sister and Anakin's daughter," Artemis told him, putting her arms around his neck. "She's a senator now."

"I'm looking forward to meet her," Din said.

"Yeah, about that," Artemis began, frowning. "How do you want me to introduce you to them? Can I tell them your name or not? I understand if you don't want them to know."

Din hesitated for a moment. "Do you trust them?" He then asked.

"With my life."

"Then I suppose you could tell them my name," he said.

"Of course I'll tell them you're my fiancée," Artemis said, smiling. "If that's all right with you?"

Din placed his hands on her waist. "Of course."

"It still sounds weird, though," Artemis said, smiling. "Perhaps I should tell Cody first."

"You do that," Din said and Artemis lifted his helmet slightly up to give him a quick kiss on the lips before letting it go and standing up.

She made her way out of the cockpit and down to the main area. She changed Cody's compress before bandaging it.

"So . . . you gonna tell me the whole Mandalorian story because it's obvious he has feelings for you," Cody said.

"He better," Artemis said, smiling. "We're engaged after all."

Cody looked at her in pure disbelief. Then, a smile crept up his face.

"After all these years, there's finally someone who managed to steal your heart?"

"I guess so," Artemis said, grinning now. "It took me some time, but I finally found him."

"Now that's a story I'd like to hear."

⋆⋆⋆

"ARTIE!" Leia exclaimed, dashing forwards to engulf Artemis in a tight hug.

"Leia," Artemis breathed, hugging her back just as tightly. "It's good to see you."

Leia let go so she could hug Han, who had been waiting anxiously behind his wife.

"Bryce, it's good to see you're still in one piece," he said, pulling back.

"Solo," she greeted him with a grin. "Where's Chewie?"

"I should have seen it coming that the first thing you'd do upon seeing me was asking after Chewie," Han said, trying to sound offended, but Artmis could tell he was too happy to act offended.

A growl was heard behind them Artemis grinned upon seeing Chewie. She dashed towards him and gave him a tight hug. He let out a soft growl and Artemis smiled as her face was buried in his fur.

"I've missed you too, buddy."

Artemis pulled back and turned back to Cody and Din, the latter carrying Grogu. 

"These are my friends," she said, gesturing at them. "This is Cody, he was my captain during the Clone Wars. He might need to go to the hospital, though. He got shot."

"We'll take him when we head towards your apartment," Leia said, inspecting Cody's wound.

"And this is Din, my fiancée," Artemis continued, and she could feel Din tense up beside her. He wanted them to like him, she realised.

At this, Leia, Han and Chewie turned to look at him, all of them wearing expressions of surprise.

"Your fiancée?" Han repeated. "As in the person you are going to marry?"

"Yes," Artemis said, rolling her eyes. "Got a problem with that?"

"Of course not," Leia said, glaring at Han before looking back at Artemis and Din, giving them a warm smile. "We just never expected you to settle. Congratulations, by the way. Welcome to the family, Din."

"Thank you," Din said politely and Artemis smiled, knowing Leia could feel his nervousness.

"Din, Cody, this is Leia Organa-Solo, Han Solo and Chewbacca," Artemis introduced them. "Now, is Luke around?"

"No," Leia said, shaking her head. "He's still trying to find Force-sensitive children while building a Jedi Temple where he can train them."

"Well, do you think I can send him a message?" Artemis questioned, as the small group made their way inside.

"Oh, when he hears you're here, he'll come back," Han assured her. "He's been trying to find out how the old Jedi Order works and since you are the only one who's ever seen it, I'm pretty sure he'll come."

"And I thought he just liked my personality," Artemis said dryly.

Han laughed, earning a shove from Leia. "Of course he does! Don't worry, Artie, I'll send Luke a message."

"Thanks," Artie said.

"So who's the little green fellow?" Han asked, glancing at Grogu who was still in Din's arms.

"That's Grogu, my Padawan," Artemis said proudly.

Leia smiled. "I'm so happy for you, Artie. I know you've been wanting to have a Padawan of your own for quite some time now."

"Speaking of Padawan's, how's Ben?"

"You can ask him that yourself," Han said, nodding at something behind her.

Artmis turned around, caught a flash of dark hair before she her legs were engulfed in a tight hug. She glanced down and smiled upon seeing Ben's face staring up at her.

"Auntie Artie!" He exclaimed, holding his arms up so she could pick him up.

"If it isn't Bennie," she said, smiling as she picked up. "How's my favorite nephew?"

"I'm your only nephew," Ben pointed out, giggling.

"By the Force, you are smart," Artemis said, nuzzling his nose with hers. "You must have your mother's brains."

"Hey!" Han exclaimed, making Artemis laugh.

"I'm only joking, Solo."

Han huffed and when he turned around, Artemis looked at Leia and mouthed, "I'm not."

The Senator of Alderaan rolled her eyes but Artemis could detect the pride in it.

"Let's go, I think your friend needs to see a doctor," she said, gesturing at Cody, who looked more pale than when they had left Nevarro.

Artemis shifted Ben so he was now sitting on her back, his arms wrapped around her neck.

"You okay, Cody?" she questioned her friend.

"All fine," Cody said, before stumbling and almost falling wasn't it for Din who grabbed him and pulled his arm over his neck to support him.

"You're not fine," Artemis said, worry started to rise in her chest. "How far is the hospital?"

"Not far," Leia assured her and the group quickened their pace.

Upon arriving at the hospital wing, they placed Cody on one of the beds and stepped back, letting the meddroids do their work.

"I'll visit you soon," Artemis told him.

"Sure thing, Commander," was all Cody said.

"He'll be fine," Leia told Artemis, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'll show you your apartment."

"I have an apartment?"

"Of course you have an apartment," Leia said, looking at her as if she had suddenly grown two heads. "It's on the same level as mine, Han and Ben's and Luke's, although he's rarely here."

The stepped into the elevator and Leia pressed the button to the highest level.

"You'll love the view," Han told her.

"I'm sure I will."

"We've already moved all of your stuff in there," Leia added.

The elevator moved upwards and Artemis waited patiently for it to arrive at the right level. A familiar ping was heard before the doors slid open, revealing a long hallway.

Leia leaded them towards the end of it and turned to Artemis, showing her the panel that hung next to her door.

"The code is 21236," Leia said. "Luke picked it."

Artemis smiled. "How very thoughtful of him."

"We'll leave you to it," Han said, taking Ben off her back. "Come on, kid."

"But I want to play with Artie!" He protested.

"Tomorrow, little one. I'm a bit tired so I'm going to need a good night's rest," Artemis told him softly, as she ruffled his hair.

"Okay," Ben said, beaming up at her.

"Before I forget, Chancellor Mothma wants a word with you first thing in the morning," Leia said.

"Tell her I'll be there," Artemis said, nodding.

Leia smiled, before following Han, Chewie and Ben towards the other side of the hall.

Artemis turned around, typed the code into the panel and the door slid open, revealing a not that small living room.

"Wow," Din breathed from behind her. "I didn't know being a Jedi came with such an apartment."

"Perks of being a Jedi," Artemis said, smiling, as she walked in and looked around. Her eye fell on a couple of boxes that were shoved in the corner, but she ignored it for now and made her way towards the four doors that were attached to the living room. One of them leaded to the kitchen, another one to a bathroom and two of them leaded to bedrooms.

Artemis turned back to Din and took Grogu. "I think it's time for sleep, isn't it?" She questioned the kid. "You even had a bedroom of your own."

Grogu cooed happily as Artemis walked into the bedroom and placed him onto the bed, pulling the covers up until they reached his chin.

"You did great today," Artemis told him quietly, caressing his head fondly. "I'm proud of you, Grogu."

She then stood up, closed the curtains and turned out the light before closing the door behind her.

Din had already fallen down onto a couch.

"You can take it off, if you want," Artemis said, sitting down next to him. "No one will come."

After a small hesitation, he took it off and put it on the floor.

"That's better," Artemis said, caressing his cheek, that still hung full of blood and dust. "We might need to take a shower."

"You can go first," Din said, nodding at the bathroom.

Artemis stood up, made her way towards the boxes and kneeled down beside them, hoping some of them would contain some of her clothes.

She grinned when she found the poncho she had worn on Endor. She placed it on the side before taking a plain green shirt with matching pants.

"I'll be right back," she told Din.

"Take your time."

Artemis closed the door behind her and started taking off her armor and robes. She untangled her braided hair before stepping into the shower and turning on the water. She rubbed the blood and dirt off her skin and took some soap to wash her hair and body with.

After a couple of minutes, Artemis turned the water off and stepped out, taking a towel and drying herself off. She pulled on her shirt and pants before taking her dirty clothes and armor and carrying them out of the bathroom.

Din looked up and smiled upon seeing her. "Looks like you are all clean again."

"It's good to be clean again," Artemis said, letting her armor fall near the boxes. She'd clean that up after she had found something to eat. "I'm looking for something to eat. Do you want something?" She asked, making her way to the kitchen.

"I'm going to take a shower first," Din called after her.

"Okay."

Artemis' eye fell on an apple and she took it before heading back towards the living room. She kneeled down beside the boxes and opened another one. It was filled with things she didn't recognize. Frowning, she took out a hologram and turned it on.

She almost dropped it when she saw what was on it.

Artemis stood up and walked towards the table to place the hologram on it. She then took a couple of steps back to get a better view of it.

It had been taken at the beginning of the Clone Wars and it consisted of every Clone Trooper of the 212th. Artemis saw her fourteen year old self standing next to Obi-Wan at the front. He had placed his hand on her shoulder and the young Artemis was beaming. On Obi-Wan's other side stood Cody, dressed in his white and orange armor.

Who could have put it there?

Artemis dashed back towards the boxes and started emptying the box. She discovered more holograms and old mission reports, as well as books she knew had been in the library of the Jedi Temple.

"Fury?" Din's voice came and she turned around to see him with only a towel around his waist. "What are you doing? What is that?" He asked, gesturing at the gigantic hologram.

"The 212th," Artemis simply said, before tuning back at her box. "I have no idea where this box is coming from. It has old mission rapports and books that would most certainly have been lost when they burned the Jedi Temple."

Din kneeled down behind her and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his bare chest. "I don't suppose you have clothes laying around here for me?"

"Actually I do," Artemis said, diving into another box.

"You do?" Din said, his voice raising a couple of octaves. "Should I be worried?"

Artemis grinned as she took a shirt and some pants. "No, they are from Obi-Wan. I hope they fit."

She handed him the clothes before turning around once more and pretending she didn't hear the towel fall, but a blush crept up her cheeks nonetheless.

Distracting herself, she took one of the holograms and turned it on. This was one of her and Ahsoka. The next one was one of her, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. She even found one where Padmé was in, too. And at last, she found one of her, Satine and Obi-Wan. They looked like a happy family, Artemis realised.

"What does the number 36 mean to you?" Din questioned curiously, picking one of the holograms up and observing it carefully.

"It's the year I was born in," Artemis said, starting to put the holograms on the empty shelves that hung on the walls.

"Who's this?" Din asked, nodding at the hologram with Satine in.

"Funny you ask," Artemis said, standing next to him. "That's Duchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore."

Din shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. "Why am I not surprised that you have so many high ranked friends?"

"Perks of being a Jedi," was all Artemis said. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you; how does marriage work for a Mandalorian? Like what do you do? Do you hire a priest or something to seal the wedding?"

Din chuckled. "No, it's nothing official like that. We just say vows."

"Sounds great."

Din glanced down at her. "You want to do it now?"

Word count: 2705

Okay so I know this isn't the right timing to stop a chapter but I had to since I just kept going and I needed something for the next chapter lol.

Anyway, Leia, Han and Chewie are back!! I have planned a few things that'll happen in Chandrila before moving on to season two! ;)

Thanks for reading, voting and commenting! I really appreciate it!!

Published: 14.03.2021