#daniwrites

But he was on his own, letting out a deep sigh as he trudged after you, his head hanging a little.

You stepped to the side, allowing him into the room with you before you closed the door behind you, crossing your arms across your chest.

Hunter took another deep breath as he turned, bracing himself for your telling off.

“How could you?” 

The simple question was laced with venom, anger pouring off of you in waves as you hissed it, leaning forward a little.

“Who the kriff do you think you are that you can just decide that Omega is going to live with a bunch of strangers she just met, and not even talk to us about it?”

“They’re not strangers,” Hunter protested, “they…”

“They are to her!”

Your heart was hammering in your chest, eyes stinging as you stared at Hunter, trying to keep your composure.

“I know what it’s like, to be cast off because no-one wants you, Hunter. You can’t just… do that!”

“I… I wasn’t trying to abandon her,” Hunter murmured, shame flooding his system. Any anger he’d felt at your earlier comments began to melt away as you continued, the salty scent of your tears hitting him like a speeder.

“But that’s what she’ll think,” you choked, breath catching in your throat, “that kid has never been allowed to make a decision in her whole damn life, and the first one she’s made, you try and take away from her!”

“Because I was doing what I thought was best!” Hunter protested, folding his arms to mirror yours, his defences going up once more.

“For who? For her? Or for you?”

“That’s not fair,” Hunter snarled, his eyes narrowing, “Cut and Suu are good people. She’d be with kids her own age…”

“I don’t care if they’re the Force incarnate!” you shouted back, immediately closing your eyes and taking a steadying breath, trying to claw back a sense of calm. “You can’t just decide she’s going to live somewhere else without talking to her, or to us!”

“We don’t know the first thing about kids!” the sergeant barked back, taking a step towards you. “How are we supposed to look after her?”

“Trying would be a good start,” you snapped back sharply, “not shouting at her for making a simple mistake, not trying to dump her on other people. Omega saved your life on Kamino and Force knows she saved all of our shebs back there. Cut, Suu and the kids wouldn’t even have been on that shuttle if it wasn’t for her!”

That silenced Hunter for a moment, your words swarming over him.

“She’s just a kid,” he protested weakly, shaking his head. “I… I’m sorry. I panicked. I… I thought she’d be better off with them. Safer, with them. Being here, on this ship… it’s no life for a kid. It’s barely a life for us… for you.”

His gaze softened as he looked back up at you, the sincerity in them disarming you abruptly.

“Hunter,” you croaked, your tears finally spilling over, “she… She wants to be here. With you. Her family.”

“But she deserves…”

Cocking an eyebrow at the derisive snort you let out, Hunter’s eyes narrowed once more, less anger and more confusion driving the action this time.

“Didn’t we have this exact conversation just after Onderon? Before everything went to shit?” you murmured, dropping your arms to your sides. “You trying to get me to leave with the refugees because it would be ‘safer’? Because I ‘deserved better’?”

Hunter shuffled uncomfortably, drawing in a deep breath as he too let his arms drop, his eyes closing against your reasoning.

“I’ll tell you now what I told you then; I’ve made my choice. I would rather spend my days locked in an Imperial prison than apart from you, from my squad. Omega made the same choice. You seem to have that effect on people.”

The joke caught Hunter by surprise, a short peal of laughter escaping his lips before he shook his head, his expression softening once again.

“For our sins,” he huffed dramatically, your lips turning up into a soft, fond smile for the first time since you’d left Salucemi.

“Hunter,” you called, the exhaustion in your voice suddenly clear. Looking you over cautiously, Hunter stepped forward, coming to meet you as you raised your hands. His met yours without hesitation, lacing your fingers together as your foreheads came to rest against one anothers, both closing your eyes and enjoying the moment. 

“It won’t happen again,” he promised lowly, his guilt obvious, “and… I’m sorry.”

“I know,” you sighed, squeezing his hands softly, offering silent comfort. “Look… if things get too bad, I… I’ll take Omega. I’ll take her and find somewhere, and we can…”

“No…”

The word was huffed so softly, you weren’t sure Hunter had spoken at all until you opened your eyes, shocked at what you found.

Hunter’s gorgeous, chestnut grey eyes were reddened, a single tear rolling down his tattooed cheek, your breath stolen by the way he looked at you.

“Hunter?”

“I… I need you,” he admitted gently, “I… Maker, cyare, I…”

Your stomach fluttered even as your confusion grew.

The relationship you shared with Hunter had always been… different.

While you could joke with Wrecker, chat for hours with Tech and reminisce with Echo, Hunter had always been more… intense. 

The first time you’d found him having a panic attack, you hadn’t hesitated to pull him into your room, laying him down and stroking soothing hands through his hair until the panic subsided.

By the time he woke up some four hours later, he’d been shocked to find himself in a comfortable bed, surrounded by plush pillows with an eye mask on and soothing ocean sounds playing from a small device on your trunk.

Since that day, you’d confided in each other, become closer in a way you had never thought possible. And selfishly, it had left you wanting more.

More of Hunter. More of his attention, his affection, his body and mind… But you would never ask. It was against regulations, and it was a distraction. Until the war ended.

‘He doesn’t mean it like that,’ you chastised yourself inwardly, ‘he doesn’t. He can’t.’

“Hunter?” you managed, the question breathed into the space between you, your eyes still locked with his, “What… What do…”

“On Onderon… I… I didn’t want you to go. I was so glad you chose me, chose us. And then, seeing you cuffed in the cells… I thought I’d made a bad call. I thought I might lose you. I should have… I should have said something then, but…”

“About what?” you prompted into the void left by his cut off sentence, his eyes closing once again as he sucked in a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

You couldn’t suppress the gasp that left you as Hunter pulled you against him suddenly, pressing you back against the wall of your room. With once swift motion, Hunter’s hands, still laced with yours, lifted your arms and pinned them over your head.

He withdrew from the keldabe, shifting just enough to lean down, pressing his lips to yours in a searing kiss.

For a moment, your brain simply went dark. It stuttered, trying to process the feel of Hunter’s lips on yours, the weight of his body pressing against you, all taut muscle and strong grip, the swipe of his tongue against your mouth…

Letting out a soft moan into the kiss, you opened up to him, Hunter taking full advantage. As your tongues touched, you both let out a whine, your entire body shuddering under his touch.

The reaction seemed to break whatever spell had drawn you together, the sergeant almost leaping back, letting your hands go and holding his own up as if to not appear threatening.

“I… I’m sorry,” he gasped as you leant against the wall, panting for breath, “I shouldn’t have… I should…”

You cut him off with a kiss of your own, practically throwing yourself against him, pinning him against the wall this time. As your hands moved up his chest and to his neck, threading into his thick curls and tugging gently, his wound around your back, clutching at you desperately.

The next few moments were a blur, hands roaming over each other's bodies, pulling at clothing, teeth and lips and tongues clashing in a passionate dance.

By the time your naked back made contact with your bedsheets, you were a babbling mess, barely coherent as Hunter’s mouth moved over your breasts, flicking over one nipple while clever fingers toyed with the other.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted you,” he murmured into your soft flesh, “no karking idea.”

“Is, is this really happening?” you gasped as your back arched, drawn into Hunter’s teasing touches.

“I karking hope so,” he purred against your stomach as he made his way lower and lower, kissing every inch he could reach, “because if it’s not, and I wake up alone in my bunk with a hard-on, I’m coming to find you, and making it real.”

You could only shudder and cry out in response as his tongue finally found your centre, licking stripe over your clit, to your dripping entrance.

Damn Cid, you thought to yourself, panting for breath as you sprinted forward, Omega by your side, damn her and her stupid missions. The cache she’d bought the location for had been empty, and you’d already known this mission was going to be a disaster when the rain started pouring the moment you touched down.

Now, the rocks that made up the old cave system had finally buckled with the movement of the ground thanks to the water above, beginning with small creaks and groans, quickly turning into certain death, the rocks crashing behind you creating splintering crevasses in the ground.

You first felt your foot slip as the ground opened up beneath you, Omega’s shrill shriek ringing in your ears as the sensation of falling overtook you.

It wasn’t even a conscious thought as you reached for Omega, using all of your strength to grab ahold of her jacket and throw her away from the rapidly growing hole in the ground, her eyes wide as Wrecker caught her midair and turned to run, your footing failing you.

As Omega screamed your name helplessly, Hunter turned, watching in horror as your eyes met seconds before you slipped out of view, consumed by complete and utter darkness.

Rocks and dirt crashed around you, one last deep breath taken as you landed with a sickening crunch onto hard ground, eyes closing as you waited for the end.

The groaning of rock on rock above you made you flinch, like nails on chalkboard, screaming in your ears while tiny streams of dirt and pebbles pelted your face.

Raising your hand in defense, an utterly useless motion against tonnes of rock, you chastised yourself internally, you waited. And waited.

The noise of the collapse faded, the steady flow of dirt and rocks dying out as the world around you settled, no longer tickling your face.

Daring to open your eyes, you found the exercise useless; pure, pitch black surrounded you, blinding you to your surroundings.

Swallowing hard, you dared to move a little, breath hitching as a few rocks fell from the gaps in your armour onto the floor below.

Feeling around, your hands came to rest on a large slab of rock above you, tracing the jagged edges to the sides of the crevasse; it had been caught mere feet above you by sheer luck, your lungs burning as you inhaled a shuddering breath, barely holding back manic laughter.

You’d survived the fall, and narrowly avoided being crushed by the falling rocks, but now you were faced with another problem; escaping your new prison.

Slowing your breathing, your thoughts drifted to Hunter, Omega and the others, tears burning in your eyes.

They were safe. They’d made it out. But Hunter’s scream of your name when he’d seen you fall, the expression in his eyes as he’d watched helplessly… it only added to the regret building inside you.

You should have told him. You should have been honest. You should have admitted you loved him months ago, when you figured it out yourself, a night you’d spent watching stars with him on top of the Marauder, your head laid on his chest as meteors scorched through the inky blackness overhead.

His warmth had radiated through every inch of your body, sending pleasant shivers through you as his hands ran up and down your arms, trying to warm you even more.

You’d come so close to kissing him then, your eyes locked with each others, flickering down to his lips and his to yours, a question in his gaze you wanted so badly to answer.

But as you were about to meet, eyes fluttering closed, preparing to brush your lips together, you jolted apart at Wrecker’s shout as he came out to relieve Hunter of watch, clambering up onto the roof with you and joining in your star watching.

And now… Now you might never get the chance.

The thought awoke something in you, some deep determination you didn’t even realise you possessed.

You were not going to die like this. You were going to find a way out, back to your friends, you family. And you were going to tell Hunter how you felt.

As you nodded to yourself, a soft sound floated through the darkness, the loss of your vision enhancing your other senses to an almost painful degree. Holding your breath, you tilted your head slightly, hope flaring in your heart; it was water… Running water!

If you could find your way to it, there may be an exit to the outside.

With one last firm nod, you steeled yourself, drawing a deep, shuddering breath as you scrambled to your feet and began feeling your way along the walls of the cave, following the sound.

*-*-*

“You must calm down, Hunter,” Tech ordered sternly as he watched Wrecker lift their brother away from the bloodied rocks that blocked what was once the entrance to the cave they had just escaped from, the sergeant’s limbs flailing wildly as he fought against the grip holding him, tears streaming down his face.

“No, no! I need… we need to get her, to get her out!”

Wrecker’s expression was one of pure anguish as he sat Hunter down on a rock next to Omega the young girl’s legs pulled up to her chest, her body rocking as she cried silent tears of her own.

“Your current emotional state is of no use to anyone,” Tech informed him flatly, bending down as Wrecker stepped away, his hands held out as if trying to placate Hunter, like he might bolt back to the rocks at any moment, “we need to think about this clearly and rationally.”

Hunter shook his head, hands trembling as Tech tutted, grabbing his medkit from one of the pouches on his belt and examining his brother’s tattered fingers, the nails broken and ragged from clawing desperately at the rocks, small red rivulets dropping onto the floor below.

“I should, should have been there,” Hunter gasped, wincing as Tech sprayed his wounds with disinfectant, quickly adding bacta and beginning to wrap his fingers one by one, “I should… should have stayed close. She… she’s…”

Wrecker’s breath hitched as he collapsed on the rock Omega was sat on, shaking his head.

“Don’t say it, Hunter,” he pleaded, opening his arm to his sister as she let out a sob, crawling into his lap seeking comfort, “please… don’t…”

“It’s my fault,” Omega sniffed wetly from his arms, every breath hitching as she cried into his chest, “if I hadn’t fallen, if she hadn’t come back for me…”

Behind them, Echo crested the small hill, coming back into view from his trip to the Marauder, a seismic scanner hung around his neck by a frayed canvas strap. He paused as he heard Omega’s sobbing, taking in the sight of his brothers, his jaw clenching.

“Hey, what’s with the tears?” he called sternly, moving to stand in front of them as Tech finished with Hunter’s bandages, the sergeant staring at the ground in despair. “I thought we were getting ready for a rescue?”

“She’s gone,” Hunter croaked, his tone utterly broken, “I… I can’t hear her. Can’t… can’t feel her heartbeat…”

He’d been straining himself since the moment he’d lost sight of her, the fear in her eyes scorched forever into his memory. The settling earth murmured beneath them, the clouds above swelled and flowed across the sky, the sound of a small river a few kilometres away drifted through the air, but that was it.

Every one of the Batch’s heartbeats rang in his ears, but not hers.

Echo frowned at him, waving the seismic scanner in annoyance.

“Why do you think I’ve got this?” he questioned, frustrated as he moved towards Omega, crouching down in front of her. “The rock is too thick for Hunter to hear through. She might have fallen in deep, but she’s tough, like us. We’ll find her using this, and we’ll get her out, yeah?”

Tech frowned, rolling his eyes at his brother.

“The likelihood of her having survived a fall and the subsequent rockslide, along with the risks presented by exposure and dehydration make her chances of survival…”

“Enough,” Echo snapped back at the engineer, snarling as tears conftinued to drip onto the dusty ground at Hunter’s feet, the cyborg letting out a sigh. “We’ve survived worse odds than this. We’ve been through the ringer, and we’re all still here. We’re not giving up, you hear? We’ll get her back.”

Omega nodded, sniffing away her tears and wiping furiously at her face, steeling her expression as met Echo’s gaze, nodding to the seismic scanner.

“I want to help,” she croaked, “tell me how.”

Echo smiled weakly at her, his own emotions welling in his chest. He knew the chances were slim, but so were his chances of survival the Citadel. And yet here he was.

“Atta girl,” he smiled, jerking his head back as he looked at Wrecker. “Tech will come with me. Wreck, stay with Hunter. Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

“Gotcha,” Wrecker managed, forcing a smile as he let Omega down from his lap, clapping a large hand on her shoulder in comfort. “Echo’s right, kid. We’ll find her, ‘kay?”

“‘Kay,” Omega replied with a weak smile, fighting back more tears as she latched herself to Echo’s side, the cyborg ignoring the pointed look from Tech as they moved towards the cave entrance, firing up the scanner.

Hunter remained silent as Wrecker came to sat next to him, unsure of what to do. He’d never seen Hunter in a state like this, almost catatonic.

“Ya… ya doin’ okay, Hunter?” he prompted carefully, frowning when his brother huffed in annoyance. “Look, I know it looks bad, but Echo’s right! We’ve been through a lot. She’s tough. If anyone could survive…”

“I should have told her,” Hunter interrupted him, Wrecker drawing back a little to look over Hunter, confused by the statement.

“Uh… Told her what?”

“How I felt,” Hunter breathed, closing his eyes tightly, more fat tears falling into the dirt, staining the earth with his grief. “I… I had so many chances… and I… I couldn’t. She deserves better than a clone. Better than me. I let her down. I’ve done it again, let her fall…”

When he finally looked up, meeting Wrecker’s gaze, there was an utterly broken look in his eyes, one that caused Wrecker’s throat to tighten uncomfortably.

“I love her, Wreck… I love her, and I… I didn’t… I’ll never get to tell her. I… I’m so stupid…”

Falling back into silence, Hunter looked up to the sky, drawing in deep shuddering breaths.

“Ya can’t blame yourself, Hunter,” Wrecker tried desperate, laying a hand on his brother’s shoulder, “she knew what she was doing. She saved ‘Mega.”

“And I should have been there,” Hunter hissed through gritted teeth, anger growing from his sadness, “I should have…”

A sudden splashing sound caught his attention, distant, but clear.

Wrecker began to speak again, but quickly fell silent as Hunter shushed him, standing up and closing his eyes, listening intently.

Tech, Echo and Omega were still at the cave entrance, conversing lowly, the soft hum of the seismic sensor fading into the background as he focused on the faint sound in the distance, the sound echoing over the sand covered hills.

The splashing sounded again, this time accompanied by a gasp and a cough, spluttering and more deep breaths, a faint heartbeat vibrating through the air.

Hunter didn’t even speak, he simply opened his eyes and ran, ignoring Wrecker’s shout after him. He heard Echo, Tech and Omega call as well, their footsteps quickly joining to pursue him, but it didn’t matter.

Not when he could feel that familiar thumping, not when he could hear the clacking of plastoid.

He didn’t know how far he ran, nor did he care about the way his lungs burned with the effort, his legs trembling by the time he crested the hill just above where the sound was coming from, soft words beginning to float through the air, unmistakable.

“Havoc 1, come in? Havoc 2? Echo? Anyone?”

With one last push, he made it to the ridge, his knees giving out as he caught sight of her, the familiar outline, scent and voice overwhelming him.

*-*-*

A gasp of your name behind you made you jump as you pocketed your drenched comm, tutting in annoyance as water ran out of it, the electronics completely fried.

Wondering if you’d imagined it, you turned quickly, you breath hitching in your throat as you saw Hunter kneeled in the sand, his eyes wide, tears rolling down his cheeks as he panted for breath. He had obviously been sprinting, beads of sweat trailing down his forehead, his hair mussed, bandana askew.

“Hunter,” you breathed, the relief in your voice palpable. Scrambling towards him through the ankle deep water, you ignored the sting of the cuts and bruises that littered your body.

The escape from the cave system had been terrifying, being swept down an unground rapid system after wading through the river for some time, clutching at the walls in total darkness. And yet, you’d made it out, battered and beaten, but alive.

As Hunter called your name again, his voice broken with emotion, you scrambled up the bank, tears beginning to spill down your own cheeks as you got closer, his hands reaching out to you, as if he wasn’t sure if what he was seeing was real.

Within moments, you were out of the water, your clothes and hair still sopping wet, body trembling with adrenaline and cold, mere steps from him when he grabbed out for you, pulling you to your knees in front of him. A sob left his chest as he pressed his forehead to yours, uncaring of the water that still dripped from every inch of you, his hands coming up to cup your face, thumbs resting on your cheekbones.

“C-Cyare,” he choked, closing his eyes, breathing you in, “I’m so, I’m so kriffing sorry. I should have been there, I should have been with you…”

“Hunter, don’t,” you pleaded thickly, leaning into his embrace, pure relief rushing through every fibre of your being. “I did what I had to, I needed to get Omega out, I…”

Your words were cut off as he tilted his head back, his lips finding yours, crashing your mouths together with a passion that caught you off guard. You whimpered into his mouth as he clutched at you, fingertips digging into your jaw, holding you so tightly it might bruise, like if he let go you might float away.

Moaning as he slid his tongue over your bottom lip, he took full advantage, tilting his head to the side to deepen the kiss, your own hands moving to cord through his hair, remaining tangled in the thick, sweat soaked curls even as you parted, both panting for breath.

“Should have done that months ago,” he whispered, his lips brushing yours with every word, his eyes focusing on yours, warm swirling pools of molten chocolate causing a swirling deep in your gut, “I should never have waited. I… I love you, cyare… Forgive me?”

As the roar of the Marauder’s engines drifted through the air, the ship growing closer with every passing moment, you simply sighed as you pecked his lips again, tears of joy painting your cheeks.

“You are pregnant.”

Tech’s simple statement caught you off guard as you exited the fresher, eyes widening at the goggled pilot. His attention was still firmly on his datapad, fingers dancing over the screen, expression set into one of concentration.

The words had been said without malice, without any emotion, really. Just a fact that he had decided to share, one that made your breath catch in your throat.

“W-What? Tech, I…” 

Stumbling over your words, you looked cautiously towards Hunter’s bunk, your lover still thankfully asleep with his earpieces in, relaxed and even more gorgeous in sleep.

“You have not experienced a menstrual cycle in two standard months, you are experiencing vomiting each morning aligned with morning sickness and our store of corellian greembark slices has rapidly depleted despite your apparent distaste for them,” he explained quickly, eyes darting up to meet yours for a brief moment before returning to his data, scrolling through it.

Blinking slowly as you took in the information, you felt your stomach churn uncomfortably.

You’d been suspecting for a while, the tightness of your breastband one of the first giveaways, along with the almost constantly tingling in your nipples. When the cravings began and you found yourself sneaking out into the kitchen area to grab the barely touched jar of greembark, wincing as you bit into them and chewed the rough surface but unable to stop yourself from going back for more, you were almost convinced.

This assessment from Tech, along with the positive test you’d just used in the fresher, now discarded and wrapped in at least 6 layers of paper before being put into the trash, was the final piece of the puzzle.

“You’re… you’re right,” you sighed shakily, your throat beginning to constrict a little. The familiar pressure of tears forming in your eyes caused your breath to hitch, Tech’s expression changing to one of uncertainty as he looked back up at you, taken aback by your response. “You’re right, Tech, and… I’m so… I’m terrified,” you admitted, a tear escaping to roll down your cheek.

And you were terrified.

How could you not be?

You were on a modified attack shuttle barely big enough for the five of you, hurtling through hyperspace, on the run from the Empire who wanted nothing more than to capture Omega and kill the rest of you. It wasn’t exactly the best situation to bring a baby into.

“A normal emotional response, caused by hormone fluctuations and situational stress,” Tech shrugged, stepping back to allow you to pass towards the cockpit. “Are you going to tell Hunter when he wakes?”

Cold panic flooded your system, catching yourself on the doorway as you went to brush past Tech, your feet catching on the floor. Reaching out to steady yourself, Tech noticed the shaking of your limbs, the pure, unadulterated terror in your expression, and paused, his gaze firmly fixed on you.

He could read all of the signs of the impending panic attack, the reaction in your pupils, the slight pursing of your lips as you struggled to draw in breath, the drain of colour from your skin.

“Ad’ika, your physical state could harm the child if prolonged,” he protested against the behaviour, unable to understand what had caused such a reaction. Was it the discovery of your pregnancy? It had seemed so obvious to him for around a week now, he was unsure how the others hadn’t noticed. “I suggest you sit down. I will wake Hunter, and…”

“No!” you gasped suddenly, voice trembling, “Please, Tech…”

Reaching out, you grabbed onto his forearm, not missing the look of discomfort that flashed across his features but desperate to convince him. “You can’t tell him, you… I need time, to decide what I… If I…”

Trailing off, the lump in your throat grew more and more, tears streaming down your face now.

This decision was literally life-changing.

On one hand, the idea of having a child with Hunter, one the two of you had come together to make, was something that made your heart swell. He would be a wonderful father, you knew. You’d seen him with Omega and thought about it for some time now.

But on the other hand… If you were ever caught or killed, what would the Empire delight in doing to the child of an enhanced clone?

They would be tortured, experimented on, dissected…

The mere thought had bile climbing up your throat for the second time that morning. Pressing a hand over your lips, you released your grip on Tech and sprinted back into the fresher, barely making it in time to empty what little remained of your stomach contents into the bowl.

Kneeling in front of it, sobs began to rack your body, limbs trembling. The burning of your throat and awful taste of bile on your tongue made you feel worse, your back and chest aching from the second bout of violent vomiting.

It was all too much. The revelation, the thoughts about your future, the idea Tech might tell Hunter… He had a right to know, but…

“Not now,” you pleaded through your sobs, eyes creased shut against the world, your body going limp over the fresher as you cried, “not… I need time, I… please…”

The hand that found your back was firm, comforting and definitely not Tech’s, you realised as calloused skin slipped under your sleep shirt, deft fingers tracing soothing circles over your back.

“It’s okay, cyar’ika,” Hunter’s smooth, low voice rumbled over you, comfort and anxiety both flooding you in equal amounts. Unable to meet his gaze, you simply collapsed against him, sobbing against his firm, bare chest. Strong arms held you tightly as he lowered you to the floor, his other hand moving to cord through your sweat soaked hair, “Tech, you got any hydration packets?”

A murmur came from outside, unintelligible to you as Hunter cooed more words of comfort into your ear, careful as he picked you up and held you tight against him, carrying you out of the fresher and towards the bunk room.

“It’ll pass, mesh’la,” Hunter reassured you as he laid you in his bunk, sitting on the edge and taking a hydration pack from Tech, releasing the straw and putting it to your lips. A strong arm still held your shoulders, urging you to sit while he watched you take tentative sips, eyes bleary and unfocused, “Everything’s okay.”

“S’not though,” you managed after a moment, your breath hitching. Hunter noticed your gaze darting around the bunk, focusing on everything except him, his chest clenching a little. Were you still having nightmares? He could smell the fear on you, overriding everything else, hear the pounding of your heart, sense the tenseness of your muscles.

“It will be,” he reassured you gently, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to your forehead, sighing in contentment as your scent flooded him once more. “I promise you. I will never let anything happen to us, okay? You’re safe. We’re safe. Together, always.”

“Together, always,” you murmured automatically, lips turning up into a tiny smile. It had been your promise to each other, first made after your initial fumble together in the bunks after months of yearning turned into a relationship. 

Leaving Kamino with your squad had never been a question, even if it had meant a blaster shot to the shoulder and a bounty out for your arrest.

None of it mattered. All that mattered was their safety. Omega’s presence had been odd, yet not unwelcome, and now you struggled to remember a time when she wasn’t with you, even war time memories hazed with her.

She was her brothers in every way and more; strong, principled, stubborn and brave, everything a soldier should be, and yet she still carried a childish innocence to her that betrayed her true nature. It was equal parts inspiring and heartbreaking, and she had clung to you like a life raft, clutching you at night and crying out her fears, listing off her dreams and plans for adventure, a piece of your heart shifting to accommodate her as a mixture of sister and daughter.

It was what had pushed Hunter over the edge, in the end. After Salucemi, after his conversation with Omega, you’d been furious he could have even considered leaving her behind, and even moreso that he didn’t discuss it with the rest of you.

What began as an argument turned into a bruising kiss inside your semi-private quarters in the medical bay, your hands pinned by his above your head as lips too soft to be real danced across your skin, lower and lower until you came together like puzzle pieces.

Belonging. It was the only way you could describe it. Hunter was like home, warm, safe and comforting. Familiar.

There were no regrets, just an immediate shift into a relationship which, by all rights, had been there before anything physical. He’d held you close in the morning, kissing you as you woke and making you a promise.

“No matter what, we stay together.”

You’d nodded, smiling brightly before kissing him once more, lost in the elation of your new bond.

“Always.”

Even now, curled up in his bunk as he stroked your hair and calmed you, the memories were as fresh as the day you made them.

You would never have guessed that a mere standard cycle later, you would be here, with Echo, your best friend and confidant back on Coruscant with Rex and the flutterings of life beginning to form inside you. What you wouldn’t give to have Echo here now. He always seemed to know the answer, to know what to do.

The pain of his departure hit anew, more tears slipping down your cheeks as Hunter passed the hydration pack back to Tech and crawled into his bunk alongside you, wrapping himself around you in a protective cocoon.

“It’s okay, cyare,” he breathed, littering kisses into your hair, hands smoothing over your sides, offering as much physical comfort as he could. “Whatever is wrong, we’ll get through it.”

The panic in your chest subsided slightly; at least he didn’t know, for now. Tech had not told him, it seemed, something you would have to thank him for later, in private, and your physical tells hadn’t become prevalent enough.

Nodding against him, you tried to relax, finding solace in his presence, allowing yourself to doze in his arms, even as other voices began to dance through the air around the ship, life returning from the sleep cycle.

“Rest,” Hunter murmured, lips grazing your forehead as he spoke. “We’ll be back at Ord Mantell in a few hours. I’ll wake you when we land.”

With your energy all but depleted, you could only hum in agreement, pressing your nose into the crook of Hunter’s neck as your eyes fluttered shut, security and warmth permeating your very bones. It wasn’t long before sleep overwhelmed you, drifting into a deep slumber against your lover’s chest.

*-*-*-*

Biting your lip, you waited impatiently, staring at the spinning circle on the holo comm, the droning ring seeming to go on forever.

You knew Echo was busy, that his main comm was off, and that using the emergency channel was not the best idea, but you needed to talk to him.

It had been two days since Tech had found you outside the fresher, his expressions whenever he regarded you a mix of curiosity and confusion. He was wondering why you hadn’t told Hunter, you knew, but he had been respectful enough not to tell him, your thanks portrayed in a nod towards him when you’d finally stumbled from Hunter’s bunk almost 9 hours after going to sleep.

The morning sickness had continued, but Hunter and the others were still assuming it was some kind of stomach bug, Wrecker making jokes about staying away from you while Omega gave you her doll, insisting cuddling it would make you feel better.

Even the small gesture had almost brought you to tears, concern written all over the young girl’s face before you’d drawn her into a hug, reassuring her you were okay, that you appreciated her thoughtfulness and you were simply run down.

But the time was ticking, and you knew it.

Before long, you’d not be able to hide the fluttering heartbeat forming within your belly, Hunter’s enhanced senses would make it impossible to hide. You didn’t want to hide it from him, but the uncertainty, the fear still clouding your mind was delaying your decision.

The moment the others had gone on their usual run to Cid’s to hand over their latest acquisition, you’d grabbed your comm and dialled Echo, needing to hear his voice, to tell him, to talk it out with him.

Part of you felt foolish and selfish to boot; he was working with Rex, helping brothers and deep in the heart of the enemy. Risking answering his comm opened up a whole realm of danger for him. Hesitating, you almost cut the call, images of him being captured and tortured flashing through your mind, fresh tears pricking at your eyes.

This was stupid. He shouldn’t have to deal with your issues, be your confidant. He had his own path to follow, and you couldn’t get in the way.

Hovering your finger over the disconnect, you almost pressed it when a familiar figure appeared before you, Echo’s almost omnipresent frown and pursed lips making your heart leap as he rolled his eyes, sighing deeply.

“Havoc, you’d better have a good reason for… Mesh’la?”

His features immediately softened when he registered your face, lips tilting into a momentary smile before fading once more, expression turning concerned as he noticed the fear in yours.

“What’s wrong?”

Those two words were the last crack in the dam of your emotions, tears spilling down your cheeks as you began to sob openly, wishing nothing more than to be next to Echo, to hug him and cry against him.

“E-Echo,” you managed between sobs, chest heaving, “I… I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to… I… I just needed to… I needed you, I…”

“Woah, woah, slow down,” Echo cooed softly, his image shifting and flickering a little as he moved, eyes dancing with confusion, “first things first, is everyone okay?”

His words caught you off guard a little, head bobbing in an almost violent nod. You suddenly realised how dire you must have made this look, calling him in tears, sobbing and apologising. Yet more guilt flooded your system; he must have assumed something terrible had happened.

“T-They’re fine,” you hiccuped, more tears escaping even as you drew a shuddering breath, trying to calm yourself, “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to w-worry you, I…”

“Ad’ika,” he chuckled softly, drawing your gaze back to his holo, “it’s okay. I’m glad everyone is safe. Just… the emergency line… what’s happened that you had to call me so bad? Hunter finally lost it?”

His laughter and the smile of his face lifted some of the weight from your heart, the knowledge he wasn’t angry settling some of your anxiety. Now, a new fear overtook you, your lip worried between your teeth once more as you tried to push the words out, saying it aloud somehow making it more real.

“I… I needed to… I’m sorry, Echo, I just… I needed to talk to you, I… It’s so stupid, I… I shouldn’t,” you rambled, sucking in a deep breath as Echo’s expression faltered slightly, confusion obvious. “I… I need to… Stars, I just… I’m… I’m pregnant. Echo, I… I’m pregnant, and I… I don’t know what to do, and I’m scared, and… I’m sorry.”

Echo’s face did a number of things as he registered your words, starting with his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. His lips shifted into a tight line as he seemed to process the information, jaw clenching and unclenching. His expression seemed to cycle through shocked, angry, and sad, finally settled on elated as he laughed, lips turned into a radiant smile, making him look years younger in an instant.

“Vod’ika,” he began, voice catching in his throat, “you… you’re… you’re a buir, you’re… Force, mesh’la, this is wonderful!” he exclaimed, his delight pure and obvious.

It was enough to bring a smile to your lips for the first time since your conversation with Tech, soft laughter leaving you as well.

“Well, congratulations!” Echo offered, looking like he wished he could crawl through the comm and hug you, body shifting around with pent up energy, “Have you told him yet?”

The lump in your throat returned with a vengeance. Not trusting your words, you simply shook your head, eyes stinging once more.

“Ah. And that’s where being scared comes into it?” Echo guessed, tone gentler now. You nodded, his face slipping into a sympathetic smile. “Talk to me, ad’ika,” he pressed gently, eyes wide and open, waiting patiently while you found your voice once again.

“I… I just keep thinking,” you began, sniffing and clearing your throat, trying to keep your emotions from getting the better of you, “about what might happen if… if we ever get… if I ever get caught. The Empire, if they found out the child had a clone father… an enhanced clone father… they would…”

You trailed off, Echo’s expression darkening. Of all people, he was the one you had least explain about your fears of torture, dissection and betrayal to. He’d lived it, after all.

A moment of silence followed, Echo’s mind working in a way you could almost see.

“Is this what you want?” he asked finally, the question, again, catching you off guard.

“I… I don’t know,” you admitted, your chest tightening. “I’m just so scared, I keep having visions of being caught, of the Empire taking my child, and I… I couldn’t… Hunter wouldn’t cope, I wouldn’t cope, and I…”

“But is this what you want, ad’ika?” Echo repeated, his eyes earnest. “A child with Hunter, a child full stop… if there was no war, if there was no Empire… would you still want this?”

Almost without hesitation, you nodded, warmth spreading through your chest.

“I love him,” you admitted softly, swallowing hard, “and… I know he’ll be an amazing father. I just…”

“Mesh’la,” Echo sighed heavily, a fond look on his face that was underwritten by a deep sadness, one you’d seen many times before, usually when he spoke about his lost brothers, “that fear… it’s justified, don’t get me wrong, but…” 

He paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. 

“I’ve lost vode who wanted nothing more than to have a family,” he admitted after a moment, “ones who would have been amazing fathers. Heck, before Skako, I… I thought about it, about what it would be like to have a daughter, to be able to teach her Mando’a, to tell her all about her uncles…”

Tears gathered in his eyes as he spoke, his throat bobbing as he composed himself.

“You’re going to be an amazing buir, if you choose this,” he breathed, forcing a smile to his lips, “but this is your choice. You’re right, it would be dangerous, and if the Empire caught wind, the target on us, on you and Hunter, it would only get bigger. But… vod’ika… your wants, your needs, your happiness should wait for no-one and nothing. This war, this fight, it won’t last forever. All of us, we all need to grasp whatever threads of happiness we can, weave them into something worth fighting for when the days get tough. It’s the only way we’ll ever survive.”

By the time he finished, tears were trailing down Echo’s cheeks as well, the urge to reach out and touch him too much to bear.

Lifting your hand up to the holo, you let out a choked sob as he did the same, his ghostly hand next to yours. It wasn’t enough, but it was something.

“Stars, I miss you,” you sobbed, the words caught somewhere between a laugh and a cry. “I wanted to tell you first, to talk to you. You always know what to say, Echo. I miss you so much. We all do.”

“I miss you all too,” Echo croaked back without missing a beat, “you know how long it took me to get used to sleeping without Wrecker’s snores? Never thought I’d miss that…”

A laugh erupted from your lips before you could catch it, Echo’s face breaking out into a wide grin, chuckling along with you as the tension finally broke. 

“I’ll trade you,” you offered with a wink, Echo pondering it overdramatically.

“I mean… the base here smells like sweaty ballsacs and metal. At least you can get fresh air when you land. Here it’s just… feet.”

It was so good to see him, to hear his voice, the conversation flowing easily as he updated you in their latest missions, how their small army was growing by the day.

Your catch up was cut short when the door to the medbay slipped open, both you and Echo’s holographic form turning to look at the intruder.

It only took a moment for Omega’s mouth to drop open, her eyes widening in delight.

“Echo!” she practically screeched, pushing through the door, an armful of snacks and some medical supplies dropped onto the table in seconds before she was cuddling up to you, her eyes wet with tears of happiness, “I’m so happy to see you!”

“Aw, ‘Mega,” Echo smiled softly, regarding her with a gentle, fond look, “it’s good to see you too. Hope Tech isn’t pushing you too hard on your studies.”

“I am merely pushing her as much as she requires me to,” came a short reply, Tech peering into the room, eyes darting between Echo’s holographic form and your own, tear stained face. “It is good to see you, Echo. I trust Coruscant is keeping you busy.”

“As always, Tech,” Echo nodded in response, another voice booming from the other side, Wrecker’s excited voice calling out.

“Is that Echo?”

“Now look what you’ve done,” the older clone teased, winking at Omega as she giggled. Moments later, Wrecker burst through the door, elbowing Tech out of the way and yelling his greeting at Echo, who rolled his eyes, silently glad he was not there in person, knowing that Wrecker would, no doubt, squeeze the life out of him in one of him signature bear hugs the moment they were reunited.

You shared one last small smile with Echo before slinking from the room, leaving him to catch up with his brother and sister, not missing the way Tech’s eyes lingered on you as you slipped past the door, surprised to see Hunter had not arrived back with them.

“He is gathering the last few items, and requested we go on ahead,” Tech explained without missing a beat, relief flooding through you. Nodding in thanks, you could practically feel the question bubbling beneath the engineer’s calm surface, the sparkle in his eyes betraying his easy demeanour.

“I’m going to tell him,” you whispered, casting a look behind you to check that Omega and Wrecker were still engrossed in their catch up with Echo, your lips turning up into a soft smile, “tomorrow. When we go for our break day.”

Tech merely nodded, tapping something into his datapad before turning to observe his siblings in the medbay, seemingly satisfied.

Feeling lighter than you had in days, you moved silently through the ship, leaning in the open rampway, simply existing in the moment. Fresh, cool air washed over you from outside, the setting sun bathing you in the last of its light. Closing your eyes, you inhaled deeply, sighing in contentment.

Your talk with Echo had done exactly what you knew it would, settling your nerves and clearing your mind. You were more grateful for him than you could ever express, making a mental note to put together a care package for him as soon as you could. Maker knew all the boys on Coruscant could do with a pick me up.

“Credit for your thoughts?”

Hunter’s low rumble never failed to make your stomach flutter pleasantly, eyes blinking open to find him at the bottom of the ramp, a hessian sack thrown over his shoulder. He was beaming up at you, deep tan skin glistening in the sunlight, caramel eyes flicking up and down your body.

“Just enjoying the moment,” you grinned back at him, his body relaxing at your reply.

“You’re looking much better,” he noted, carefully placing the bag onto the ramp before ascending quickly, one of his large hands moving to cup your face. You giggled softly as he tilted your face up to meet his, brushing his lips over yours.

“I have to say,” he purred, dragging his lips across your cheek, towards your ear, the simple motion sent a shiver through your entire body, your reaction to him always full of desire. “I don’t know what’s changed, mesh’la,” he breathed into your ear, sending more waves of want radiating through you, “but you smell divine.”

“H-Hunter,” you gasped as his lips found your neck, littering kisses over the sensitive skin. One of your hands came up to grasp his shoulder, arousal coursing through you. “The others…”

“Tomorrow,” he breathed against your skin, pulling back just enough that every word sent puffs of air tickling across your neck, “when we land, I’m taking you out into the woods, we’re going to camp, alone, and I’m going to ruin you.”

An unbidden moan escaped your lips, body trembling against his. It had been a good week since you’d spent time together intimately, your core aching for him.

“P-Please,” you managed, the word little more than a desperate gasp.

“Patience, cyar’ika,” he chuckled lowly, licking a stripe up your neck, “good things come to those who wait.”

His emphasis on the word ‘come’ had you giggling as he pulled away, pressing another gentle kiss to your lips as he drew back, eyes darting over your face, drinking in your features, noting your lust blown eyes.

“Kriff, you’re gorgeous,” he smiled dreamily, about to go back in for another kiss when the approach of quick footsteps had him stepping back, eyes fixed on the door as Omega came barrelling out, her smile wide and earnest.

“Hunter! I spoke to Echo!” she announced, Hunter’s smile slipping for a moment.

“You did?” he asked quickly, looking between the girl and you, not missing the flicker of guilt that passed over your expression. “Why did he call? Is everything okay? Does he…”

“He’s fine,” you reassured him quickly, squeezing his arm, offering comfort, “he was just checking in. They’ve picked up some more of the boys. They’ve got wind of Cody as well, and they’re following that lead.”

Hunter regarded you with a pensive look for a moment, stare so intense you almost felt like he was looking through you. Swallowing hard, you forced a smile to your lips, heart clenching before he hummed, seemingly satisfied with the explanation.

“That’s good, then,” he nodded finally. “Getting Cody on board would be a big step. He was one of the best strategists we ever worked with.”

Omega’s eyes lit up at that, her attention squarely on Hunter now.

“Really? Will you tell me about some of your missions with him?” she practically squealed with excitement, Hunter chuckling as he ruffled her hair.

“Sure, kid. Why don’t you grab the last bag, put it in my bunk and I’ll tell you all about it when we’re in hyperspace.”

She was moving practically before he’d finished speaking, giggling with excitement as she grabbed the bag and ran back into the ship.

You watched her pass with a soft smile on your lips, Hunter’s gaze still fixed on you.

“What’s in the bag?” you asked him after she’d disappeared inside, heart fluttering nervously as Hunter crossed his arms over his chest, giving you an odd look.

“How about I tell you when you tell me the real reason Echo called?”

Your stomach plummeted, eyes widening. Of course Hunter would know you were withholding something, his eyes soft but discerning as he watched your reaction. He must have sensed your fear, his posture relaxing a little, arms dropping to his sides.

“I…” you began, tears gathering in your eyes again.

“Cyare,” Hunter cut you off with a sigh, pulling you back into an embrace. “I trust you, implicitly, and I’m never going to be angry with you. I just… tell me. When you’re ready, okay?”

Blinking back tears, you nodded against him, forever grateful for his understanding.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” you snuffled against him, Hunter letting out a soft rumble of laughter.

“I’m okay, I guess,” he shrugged, earning him a playful hit on the chest as you gazed up at him, lost in the deep caramel of his eyes for a moment. His expression was soft and adoring, heat blooming into your chest.

“I love you,” you breathed, the hitch in Hunter’s breath bringing another smile to your lips.

“Love you too,” he murmured, leaning down to capture your lips in another chaste kiss, hands finding your hips and drawing your bodies closer together, “more than I could tell you.”

“You could always show me,” you teased, stomach twisting with desire as he growled into your mouth, deepening the kiss. You could have got lost in the moment, were it not for Tech appearing in the doorway of the Marauder, his nose buried in his datapad. He looked up only for a brief moment, rolling his eyes at the sight of you and Hunter stood nose to nose, a huff of frustration leaving him as he tapped furiously on his screen, the only other outward sign of his annoyance.

“We are ready to depart, if you are both finished with your very public displays of affection for each other,” he stated plainly, Hunter giving a toothy grin as his brother headed for the cockpit, leaning his forehead against yours.

“Back into the fray,” he sighed, one hand threading through your hair, holding the intimate position for a moment more. You allowed him to do so, sighing in contentment as you simply existed in the moment with him, happiness coursing through your veins.

“Until tomorrow,” you reminded him softly, his breath hitching again, “then you can have me all to yourself for a while.”

“Never long enough,” he grumbled good naturedly, slipping his free hand into yours as he pulled away, leading you back into the ship. “Come on. We should get inside before Tech starts lecturing us.”

With a giggle, you followed him easily, barely inside when the ramp of the ship began ascending. Making your way towards the medbay for take-off, Hunter clutched at your hand still, Wrecker wolf-whistling while Omega fake gagged at the sight, sharing a giggling fit with Wrecker while Hunter simply huffed at their behaviour, his soft smile still firmly in place.

“Alright, Tech,” he called back to the cockpit, the engineer firing up the engines, ready for take-off. “Time to get some R and R.”

“Oh yeah!” Wrecker shouted excitedly from beside you, high fiving Omega. Soon enough, you were hurtling out of atmo, Tech making the textbook jump to hyperspace with ease.

You were on your way. And the thought both terrified and exhilarated you.

Tomorrow, Hunter would know, and your lives would change, one way or another.

*-*-*

Hunter made good on his promise almost the moment you landed.

While you’d slept on the journey, he’d packed a tent up, along with the thickest bedrolls he could find. Also stuffed into the satchel he carried were blankets, canteens of water and enough supplies to keep you going for the day you intended to spend away, his comm tucked tightly into his belt.

You couldn’t help but laugh at his mothering of the others, contingency plans, schedules and timetables repeated over and over until even Tech was urging him to leave, insisting everything would be fine for a few hours.

Omega grumbled at first, disappointed she wasn’t allowed along on the trip until Wrecker reminded her that you and Hunter would probably be kissing, the thought enough to make her fake wretch and agree to more target training with her brothers, determined to show Echo improvement when she saw him next.

With a final wave goodbye, you and Hunter headed out into the woods, your lover leading you easily through the beautiful sunlit surroundings.

The planet you’d chosen was sparsely populated, a warm climate and soft, soothing breeze kissing your skin pleasantly. It felt wonderful, freeing. And with Hunter by your side, your hands laced together while you walked slowly under the orange and green painted canopy, sunbeams filtering through, it was perfect.

“We won’t go too far,” he promised quietly, “just far enough that we’re guaranteed some privacy. Tech spotted a good area, a little clearing by a lake as we came in to land. Said the nearest settlement was about thirty clicks away.”

You hummed happily, nodding as you allowed yourself to simply enjoy the peace and quiet the planet afforded you, your stomach quivering with excitement and nerves.

Ideas on exactly how to tell Hunter the big news were swirling through your mind, each more elaborate than the last. What would be the best way? Would he be happy at the news? Surprised? Angry?

Your heart clenched at the last thought, feet stumbling as a breath caught in your throat.

You knew Hunter would never hurt you, but the idea you might lose this, lose what you had together, sent a sudden icy chill down your spine.

Hunter stopped immediately, sensing the change in you.

“Cyare? What’s wrong?” he prompted gently, raising a hand to cord through your hair. Your eyes must have betrayed your fear, as even when you forced a smile, he regarded you with a unbeliving stare.

“I’m fine, just… tripped,” you murmured, Hunter letting out a low sigh.

“Mesh’la,” he frowned, eyes never leaving your face, “you’re…” 

He hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

“You’ve been… different, this past week or so. I… I feel like something is wrong, but you’re not telling me what it is. I thought… I thought you trusted me enough to…”

The hurt in his voice made nausea rise up your throat, lungs stuttering as you drew in a sharp breath.

“I do, Hunter, I… I trust you, with my life, I just…”

Taking your hesitation as confirmation, your lover dropped his grip on your hand, sighing deeply.

“It’s okay, mesh’la,” he reassured you weakly, forcing a smile as he readjusted the bags on his shoulder, trying to keep his expression neutral, “I… I understand.”

“No, you don’t!” 

You didn’t mean to shout, but the idea of hurting Hunter, the idea he thought you were having doubt was almost too much to bear. Spinning to look at your in surprise, his eyes wide, Hunter was staring at you, taken aback by your outburst.

“You don’t understand, Hunter! I’m trying to… I wanted to wait, to find the words to tell you that I… oh, Maker…”

The words caught in your throat, eyes watering as Hunter’s expression morphed into one of hurt and uncertainty, reading something else in your voice.

“If you want to stop this, I… I’ll respect that, but I… I just… I need to know why, cyare,” Hunter croaked, dropping the bags and blankets to the floor, arms hanging limply. “I… I should have seen this coming… the wanting to spend time apart, sneaking off to talk to Echo… I… I’m sorry. I promise, I… I won’t make this awkward, I…”

“No! Hunter, gods, no!” 

You were openly sobbing now, tears streaming down your face.

“That’s not… not ever what I want! How could you… why do you think that? Is that…” 

Your stomach churned uncomfortably.

“Is that what you want? You were waiting for me to break up with you? Are you… do you not want me any more?”

It was Hunter’s turn to let out a broken sob, his face crumpling.

“Fuck no, cyare,” he breathed, falling to his knees. It was like his world was crumbling around him, his resolve broken. For weeks, he’d been looking forward to this time alone, to be with his love, just you and him. How had it all fallen to pieces so quickly?

Reaching into his back pouch, he grabbed a cloth wrapped item, blinking away fresh tears as he desperately tore into it, hands shaking.

“This… this is my answer,” he managed, voice cracking with emotion as he threw the cloth to the side, revealing a small box in his palms. Cracked open, something was glinting inside. Your body froze, unable to process the scene for a moment. “This is why I wanted you out here,” Hunter continued, shuffling forward on his knees, not caring how small or pathetic he might look in that moment. His eyes were locked on you, desperation coursing through every fibre of his being.

“Hunter,” you breathed, trying to catch up.

“I know, it means nothing, not really,” he admitted, voice far too small, “that it’s not legally binding, that the rest of the galaxy won’t care, but… fuck, cyar’ika, I need you, forever. I want you, I… I want to marry you. Even if it’s just for show. I want you to be my wife. By my side, forever. No matter what… we stay together…”

His voice trailed off, eyes falling to the floor as he waited for your reaction. You were still frozen to the stop, too shocked to process his words until you heard the familiar cadence of what had become your call to each other.

“Always,” you choked automatically, the pure, unadulterated hope in Hunter’s eyes as he looked up at you, registering your reply making your heart skip a beat. “Together. Always.”

Finally finding your feet, you stepped forward tentatively, towards Hunter where he still kneeled on the forest floor, a blanket of orange and yellow leaves beneath him, streams of sunlight dancing across his profile. He watched your approach silently, lips slightly parted, sucking in deep breaths. 

He was far too still, as if the slightest movement might scare you away, hands held out still, presenting the box to you. Bending ever so slightly, you saw a delicate silver band resting within the wooden rest, a single red gem sparkling on the top.

“Riddur,” you murmured, remembering Echo’s lessons, how he’d laughed as you and Hunter had exchanged a look and blushed, months before you even touched each other.

Hunter’s breath hitched, the smallest sob escaping his lips as you closed your hands around his, moving them up to your chest. He was confused for a moment, staring up at you with reddened eyes, waiting for your next move.

“Riddur,” you breathed again, closing your eyes as you leant down, pressing a kiss into his hair, “… and… and buir…”

Hunter did gasp this time, eyes widening more than you had ever seen them before. With his face mere inches from your stomach, he moved his hands down from your chest quickly, wrapping them around your waist. Turning his head to the side, he pressed his ear against your stomach, swallowing thickly as he listened closely.

Your heartbeat, strong, familiar, steady, was now accompanied by a fluttering sound, much faster, much smaller, but there nonetheless, alive, growing.

“Cyare,” Hunter choked, sobbing into your stomach as he held you close, his grip on your hips only getting stronger, “ad’ika… a baby, our… our baby…”

“Yes,” you nodded, openly crying again now, tears tinged with a happiness you had long forgotten, “I… I didn’t know how to tell you, I… I was so scared, Hunter, I… I want to be happy, but… I’m scared…”

You let out another sob as he clutched you tighter, pressing a kiss to your stomach, his face nuzzling into you.

“With the Empire following us, I kept thinking, what would happen if they caught us, if they took… took our child. I… I’m terrified, I…”

Hunter scrambled to his feet, arms dragging you into him. With his chin resting on your head, he soothed you, tears still rolling down his cheeks.

“I will never let anything happen to you,” he growled, “either of you. My aliit, my loves… We’ll protect you. All of us. Stars… I love you, cyare. Riddur…”

You don’t know how long you spent in each others arms, simply holding each other, sharing tears and love, the emotions flowing between you as easy as the kisses you shared, but when your legs began to tremble, Hunter gave a soft chuckle, pulling away and looking down on you with eyes still rimmed with tears.

His expression was pure adoration, your heart fluttering in your chest as he pressed one last kiss to you lips, chaste and sweet, one hand running over your stomach tenderly while the other bought the box in his hand back up between you, deft fingers finding the ring inside and offering it to you.

Raising your hand without hesitation, he gave you a sappy grin, slipping it onto your ring finger with ease.

“Riddur,” he mumbled, sweeping his lips over yours once more as he pocketed the box, leaving his hand free to tangle in your hair, holding you even closer.

“Riddur,” you repeated back to him, your hearts beating in sync for a moment, caught in a perfect moment in time.

“I love you,” he breathed against your skin, closing his eyes and simply breathing in your scent for a moment, “and now… I get the change. Your scent, it’s… different. It’s been driving me insane.”

His admission came with a small smirk, familiar heat flowing through your body.

“Guess I’ll have to get a rundown on how all of this works from Tech,” he murmured thoughtfully, raising an eyebrow when you chuckled.

“Well, when a mummy and a daddy love each other very much,” you began, giggling when he wrapped his arms around you and tickled your ribs, forcing you to stop as you bent double, peals of laughter ringing around the trees.

“Don’t be mean,” he laughed along with you, eyes dancing with delight as he finally let you go, a sigh escaping him while his eyes roamed your body. “I just want to know… if it’s safe to… you know… while you’re…”

“Perfectly safe,” you reassured him, tracing your fingers across his cheek, “as long as I don’t get squished or lay on my stomach when I get big.”

“You think I’m going to squish you?” Hunter teased, beaming at the flush lighting up your cheeks. “Come on, mesh’la, I know I’ve been eating more, but you don’t have to say I’m gonna squish you.”

“Dikut,” you retorted, letting out a shriek of delight when Hunter stepped towards you, turning on your heel and running towards the lake. Picking up the bags behind him, Hunter followed quickly, his cheeks hurting from smiling so much.

For the first time in a long time, he felt complete, sated.

Everything was falling into place.

We buried Echo under the huge oak tree at the end of the garden today.

Hunter still hasn’t spoken since he passed. In a way, we all knew it was coming. The nerves connecting his legs died a long time ago, his scomp shorting his implants out more often than not.

Rex is here too. He… isn’t good.

He still blames himself for sending Echo out. We all know Echo would have gone anyway, but survivor’s guilt hits hard. He’s staying for a while with two other troopers, Wolffe and Gregor. They’re nice, a bit quiet, but that’s to be expected.

Senator Chuchi showed up as well. Well, former Senator. She was dressed all in black. She didn’t stop crying.

I didn’t even know she and Echo were involved in any way. Apparently, they had a ‘thing’ once. Rex won’t elaborate. He still treats me like a kid, but at least it seemed to make him smile thinking about it.

There’s been so much we missed with Echo when he left with Rex. Part of me thinks we should have gone too.

That might be why Hunter is so quiet, if he’s thinking the same.

He’s getting old, he knows that. Echo knew that. But he kept fighting. Kept trying to take down the Empire.

Now it all feels a bit… empty.

The Empire is still there and still hurting people, and Echo is… he’s under the dirt, at rest, finally. He’s with his brothers. He’s back with Fives. I never knew Fives, but he told me so many stories.

I keep crying, but I know it’s selfish.I want him here. But his brothers are there. Most of them. Not you. Not Hunter.

Gonky has just sat next to the tree all day. He doesn’t seem to understand. Maybe he thinks Echo is charging, that he’ll wake up when he’s done. I tried to explain. It didn’t help.

The house is busy. I don’t like it.

Hunter prefers it quiet. Too much going on overwhelms him nowadays. His headaches are getting worse.

We tried to contact Tech a few rotations ago. His comm is still dead.

I know he doesn’t want to talk to any of us after what happened, but I thought he should know. You were always closest to him. If you see him, tell him…

Tell him we miss him.

Wrecker misses him.

He’s adjusted to losing his other eye well, all things considered. There are still times he feels useless, and he says as much. Today was hard.

He wanted to carry Echo down the garden, to help, but he couldn’t. He’s still sat by the lake. I think he might stay out there all night.

I’m going to clean up. There’s a lot to do now.

We’re cooking Pantoran roast porg tonight.

Riyo said it was Echo’s favourite. I’ve never tried it. I hope we can learn how to cook it. It would be nice to keep a bit of his memory with us.

A lot has happened, I know. But you should come home soon. It would be good to see you. It would be nice to visit Echo with you.

I’m not even sure if you’ll read this, but if you got this far, I only want you to know one thing.

We love you, Crosshair. And we’ll always be waiting.

O