When Din awoke the next morning, he smiles as he sees Cressida lying next to him, her reddish colored hair fanned out across her face, as she sighs in her sleep.

He gently reaches out, slowly and tenderly runs his fingers down her bare arm.

Her skin is so soft, that Din is intoxicated from just touching it. He slides closer to Cressida, gently burying his face in her neck, inhaling deeply.

She  even smells amazing. She is amazing. Every part of her.

That thought catches Din by surprise. After he lost Grogu, he knew that he'd held himself at arm's length around anyone else.

The thought of giving what was left of his broken heart to another, nearly undid him.

It wasn't something Din cared to do.

He was still hurting from the loss of his adopted son.

Until now, that is.

As Din watches Cressida sleeping next to him, he realizes that he can't give her up.

He doesn't want to give her up.

He needs Cressida so damn much.

Cressida stirs and shifts around, rolling over and immediately reaching out for..Din.

He smiles at her, as her fingers gently graze his naked face. He knows he shouldn't have removed the helmet.

He was almost ashamed of doing so.

But he was falling in love with Cressida. And she deserved to look upon his true face.

"Good morning," Din whispers, taking ahold of Cressida's fingers and brushes his lips over them.

Cressida smiles. When she first met Din, she wouldn't have pegged him for the romantic type.

She guesses everyone has something mysterious about them, that others wouldn't notice right off.

Not until they grew to know them better.

"Good morning. How'd you sleep?" Cressida touching Din's tousled hair, flat on one side from lying on the pillow.

He chuckles and Cressida's heart skips a beat. Din is so handsome, that she almost can't stand it.

"I slept amazingly well. You?"

"I slept well, too." Cressida leans in, gently kissing Din, making his cheeks go pink.

"That's...good." Cressida hears the hesitation in Din's voice and her stomach clenched up.

He's already regretting what we did, Cressida thinks, wanting to cry.

"Is something the matter?"

"Not at all." Din slips his arm around Cressida's slender frame, drawing her nearer.

"This why the hesitation in your voice?"

"I just don't want to leave this bed." Din grins suddenly.

"What are you grinning about?"

"I was thinking about how much more fun it would be to stay in this bed with you, then have to track down my bounty."

Cressida laughs as she snuggles up against Din's warm body. That did sound like fun.

"I agree. But I have a feeling that we'll get this chance again soon."

Din raises himself up, hovering over Cressida.

"I'll await that moment eagerly, cyra'ika."

.......

It takes a few hours to reach Tatooine. Both Din and Cressida are happy when they arrive, so they can get out of the cramped cockpit and stretch their legs.

"If you don't want to accompany me," Din tells Cressida. "You can look through the markets or return to the ship."

Cressida looks at Din in surprise. He's actually asking for her assistance in capturing his bounty?

"I'd like to help, if I can," Cressida says, reaching out and placing the palm of he hand against Din's chest plate.

"Good. I could use all the help I can get. This guy is slippery."

Din retrieves the bounty puck from the depths of his armor, holding it out.

The puck begins beeping loudly, as Din and Cressida follow the beeping sounds, leading them directly to a shady Cantina.

Cressida shudders. This place looks like where every single hardened criminal would hang out.

However, she's been amongst worst company and plus, Din is here with her.

They walk inside the Cantina, where the bounty puck is practically shilling by this time.

Din scans the area, looking for Alzone Geer. He immediately spots the man, sitting in the very back of the Cantina, trying to blend in with the dark shadows.

Din and Cressida make their way towards Alzone, who's eyes immediately go wide at the sight of a Mandalorian.

"Look, Mando," Alzone starts speaking before Din can even open his mouth.

"I don't know what you've heard, but I'm innocent."

Din reaches into his pouch for the handcuffs, aa he leans in, towards Alzone.

"Aren't they all," Din remarks dryly, slapping the cuffs on Alzone's wrists and jerking him up out his seat and begins leading him out.

Cressida stays as close as she can to Din, eager to exit this place before she's recognized by someone who works for the Empire.

They make their way out of the Cantina, heading towards the Razor Crest.

Alzone is still trying to plead his case with Din, but Din isn't an idiot and pays no attention to Alzone's protests.

"I thought Mandalorians had a certain code they stuck to."

Din unlocks the back hatch and waits until the ramp is firmly in place on the ground.

Cressida allows Din to enter first, along with Alzone before quickly entering herself and moving to hit the button to close up the ramp.

She doesn't need some nosy person or creature skulking around, asking questions.

Din leads Alzone into the back, cuffing him to a metal pole so he can get the carbon prepared to freeze Alzone in until they return to Navarro.

"Would you mind helping me?" Din asks Cressida as she joins them.

"What would you like me to do?"

"Help me with this carbon. It's difficult to do, alone."

"How did you do it before?" Din recognizes the teasing tone and can't keep himself from chuckling.

"I managed."

"Just tell me what you need done and I'll do it."

Din starts preparing for the carbon, all the while, Alzone is moaning about how he can't believe a Mandalorian is a bounty hunter and claims to have morals.

Din finally gets fed up, walking over to Alzone, grabbing his arm and squeezing just a little tightly.

Alzone yelps in surprise and pain, as he begins trembling and studdering.

"Stop talking," Din growls softly, his head close to Alzone's face.

"Or I'll really forget about my codes and mortals and end you right here and now."

Alzone shuts up and Din releases him, marching back over to help Cressida.

Once everything is prepared,  Din slowly lowers Alzone into the carbon, freezing him.

As soon as Alzone is safely frozen in the carbon, Cressida helps Din shove the frozen block of carbon off to the side in the back.

"Thank you." Din reaches out, taking Cressida's hands in his. She smiles, resting her forehead against his helmet.

"After this bounty has been brought in, I want to take a little break. Maybe go somewhere quiet?"

Cressida gently squeezes Din's hands.

"I think I could get on board with that, Mando."

"I thought you might."

.......

Din is checking the status of his ship on the outside, seeing there's anything that might need his immediate attention before heading back to Navarro.

However, his mind keeps returning to Cressida and...last night.

Din feels his heart and pulse start to race. The power that Cressida holds over him, it's insane.

And wonderful and frightening, yet satisfying.

And exactly what Din needs.

He's not one who readily admits something like that.

But after having to give up Grogu, Din has learned something about himself. He's tired of being alone. He's tired of not having someone who he can fight for and who he can look after.

Especially someone he can love.

Din walks around the ship, about to join Cressida inside. He starts to push the button when he senses movement behind him.

Din's hand immediacy reaches for his blaster before turning.

Standing there, are two droids and a stormtroopers, heavily armed.

Din places his finger on the trigger, but before he can fire, one of the droids is inserting a needle into his arm.

Din feels his body slowly stiffening up and he knows he's been drugged. He tries to shout out a warning to Cressida, but whatever he's been injected with, prevents him.

Din's body slumps over, collapsing on the sandy ground.

"Take him," the stormtrooper orders the droids. "I'll retrieve the girl."

The droids grab Din's unconscious body and start towards a speeder, dumping him inside.

.....

Cressida hears something unusual. She frowns, wondering if Din has been injured.

Cressida unlocks the ramp a little bit, cautiously peering out. She can't make out anything.

She moves a little more and then...she feels a sharp pain in her arm.

Cressida tries to fight against the effects of the drug. She can't; it's too powerful.

Her body slumps over and the stormtrooper moves to grab her up, carelessly slinging her over his shoulder and heads for the speeder, dumping Cressida in beside Din.

.......

Both Din and Cressida awaken around the same time.

Both are disoriented and can't remember anything.

As Cressida's vision and brain start to clear, she sees...Pallas. Her pulse quickens and her heart starts to pound.

"Oh, I'm so pleased you're awake!" Pallas says, grinning widely. "You're just in time to see me throw your Mandalorian in the Sarlacc pit!"

That's when Cressida notices where Din is. He's standing at the edge of the Sarlacc pit, hands bound behind him.

Cressida lets out a cry of distress and a stormtrooper smacks her in the gut with his weapon.

"Let him go!" Cressida cries out, tears forming in her eyes. "You have me! There's no reason why you need to punish him!"

"Oh, but you're wrong, my dear," Pallas says. "I must destroy this bothersome threat. Every time we try to come after you, he interferes."

"Please!" Cressida sobs. "I'll do whatever you want! Just please release him!"

"Shut up, you little bitch!" Pallas loses his temper. He turns his attention to the stormtroopers guarding Din.

"Push him in! I want to get away from this awful place before I burn to a crisp from this heat!"

The stormtrooper shoves Din and...he tumbles into the Sarlacc pit, as Cressida screams.

......

Cressida doesn't know how, but she shoves her way through to Pallas, knocking him down, pouncing on him and grabbing his blaster.

The stormtroopers are firing at her, but, Cressida just angrily fires back, actually managing to kill a few of the stormtroopers.

Just as she's about to advance on Pallas, who's screaming at the droids and stormtroopers, a ship approaches.

Whoever it is, starts firing at the remaining stormtroopers, who immediately retreat, diving for cover.

Cressida hides behind speeder that brought her and Din here, watching to see if the ship will land.

Pallas is already making a run for his ship, shouting at the crew to get him out of there and quickly.

Cressida stays hidden until Pallas is gone and the rest of the stormtroopers are dead.

She watches as the ship lands and a moment later, a familiar figure steps out.

Boba Fett.