Ukatis met Aiden with a kind of quiet that felt older than the stones beneath his boots. The air held a crispness that carried the scent of pine and distant rain, and the sky above the valley had that pale clarity that made every rooftop and ridge line look sharply defined. He guided their path from the landing area toward a modest home tucked among trees and flowering shrubs, his hand loosely around Lira's as she bounced beside him with barely contained excitement.
He could feel it in her, that bright, humming joy that never stayed contained for long.
The moment the house came into full view, Lira's fingers slipped from his and she broke into a run, small boots thudding softly on the packed earth. "Grandpa!" she called, as if Tylo might have vanished in the span of a breath.
Tylo had barely opened the door before she launched herself at him, arms flinging around his neck. He caught her easily, laughing as he lifted her off the ground. Tylo was in his late forties, broad through the shoulders with the easy strength of someone who had spent a lifetime working with his hands, his hair touched by silver at the temples. Mera stepped out right after, wiping her hands on a cloth as if she had been interrupted mid task, her smile immediate and bright. She moved in to brush a kiss to Lira's hair and squeeze her close, her eyes soft with relief at having her granddaughter back in reach.
Aiden's mouth curved into a quiet chuckle as he reached Tylo, extending a hand in greeting, then pulling him into a brief, firm clasp that turned into something halfway between a handshake and a hug. He shifted to Mera next and embraced her properly, letting the gesture carry what his voice did not always manage to say.
"She was very excited," Aiden said, warmth threading through his tone. "She picked some flowers for you both too, near one of the waterfalls on Naboo."
Lira giggled as if she had been waiting for the cue. She knelt, unzipped her bag with exaggerated care, and lifted out a bundle of wildflowers that she had managed to keep mostly intact. She held them out with both hands, her eyes shining. Tylo and Mera reacted as if she had offered them treasure. Mera brought a hand to her chest, genuinely moved, and Tylo's smile deepened into something proud and almost reverent.
"These are beautiful," Mera murmured, taking them gently. "You picked these yourself."
Lira nodded so hard her hair swayed. "I did. I picked the best ones."
Tylo glanced toward the doorway with that quiet practicality that always seemed to live under his affection. "Come on, kiddo," he said, voice warm. "Let your grandma help you get settled inside."
Mera offered Lira her hand, and Lira started to go, then hesitated as if remembering something important. She turned back and threw herself into Aiden, wrapping him in a hug that pressed all the air from his lungs in a single fierce squeeze.
"I love you, Dad," she said, muffled against him. Then she pulled back just enough to look up at his face, concern flickering through the last of her excitement. "You will be back in two weeks, right."
Aiden let his hand cradle the side of her head, thumb smoothing a strand of blond hair away from her forehead. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Yes, two weeks. You have fun here."
Lira's worry eased into a wide smile. She nodded with a little giggle, as if joy were something she could physically shake into place. "I will, I promise." Then, as if it had been sitting on her tongue the whole trip, she added, "Tell Alina I miss her."
Aiden's chuckle slipped out before he could stop it, quiet and fond. "I will."
Lira finally let Mera lead her inside, her steps light as if the house itself were welcoming her in. Aiden watched them go, letting his eyes track the movement until the doorway swallowed them and the warmth of their voices faded into the interior.
He turned back and found Tylo watching him with a look that was far too amused for the calm he was trying to keep. Tylo lifted a brow, the corner of his mouth tugging up. "Who's Alina."
Aiden smirked, a brief flash of something boyish beneath the mantle of a Jedi Knight. "She's someone important to me," he said, then added more quietly, "And to Lira." Tylo's grin softened into understanding, but Aiden did not let the moment linger. The weight he had carried all the way to Ukatis rose again, as persistent as gravity.
"Keep an extra eye on her," Aiden confessed, voice lowering. "She's been having nightmares again."
Tylo's expression shifted, amusement draining away. His brow furrowed as he studied Aiden's face. "The same as before."
"More or less," Aiden said, his fingers lifting to his chin in a habit that always appeared when he was thinking too hard. "Fires in the forest. She mentioned me surrounded by those after her. Spoke of shadows in the darkness." He swallowed down the tightness in his throat, refusing to let fear take root. "She's had that one a few times."
Tylo stepped closer and patted Aiden's shoulder, the gesture simple, steady, father to father. "Dreams pass in time," he said. "She's been through a lot."
Aiden nodded, but his gaze stayed fixed on the doorway as if he could still see Lira on the other side of it. "I know," he answered. "I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about her." He paused, then let the rest of the truth out. "And you both. That is why I arranged for several members of Shiraya's Hope to stay here. They will be here for a while, just to help keep an eye on things."
Tylo's shoulders eased. He nodded once, grateful without pride getting in the way. "Thank you, Aiden. They are more than welcome here, and tell them come and eat with us. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we insist."
"It's not a problem," Aiden said, sincerity steadying his voice. "And I will let them know."
He gave Tylo a small bow, respectful without ceremony, and turned away. His boots carried him a few steps down the path before he stopped and looked back.
Lira had reappeared in the doorway, as if she could sense the exact moment he started to leave. She lifted her hand and waved with both arms, too enthusiastic for a single gesture. Aiden raised his hand and waved back, a smile pulling at his mouth even as his chest tightened.
Then he turned again, forcing his feet to continue toward the ship. It was always the worst part. He missed her already.
