#echo bb

It was your usual shift at Cid's, two patrons as usual. The clones were absent and on a mission to Coruscant. A mission not assigned by Cid. She had been complaining about it from the moment you'd walked in.

Something felt off, and it wasn't just the simple absence of Echo. A presence you had grown so fond of. You felt a shift in your heart; it went from a burst of joy to a burst of pain, fear and regret. You couldn't tell what was causing it, but you knew it was nothing good.

You settled on sticking to your work and only responded to Cid when a direct response was required.

Eventually, after hours of scrubbing which had caused you to sweat disgracefully, the boys and Omega walked into the bar looking defeated. Well, all but one of them returned.

Where was Echo?

You must've let that slip from your lips because Hunter's sheepish gaze fell on you. His face contorted in pain. He quickly recovered, as if hiding some secret pain as he approached you cautiously. He knew how close you were to him. How much this was going to hurt you. "He, uh, he stayed with Rex on Coruscant." His voice was barely a whisper as he addressed you. The pain was so evident on his face. They'd lost a brother and you'd lost your dearest friend, your secret love.

You eyes fell on Omega, knowing she adored him so. Omega wiped a tear from her reddened eyes; her eyes were heavy, puffy and pained. Without thinking, you walked by Hunter and shared a nod. You bent down, grasping Omega and pulling her into a gentle hug. Her arms immediately made their way around your back. You realised you were probably the first to hug her. The brothers, as much as they loved her, were not so great at the physical affection.

As you held Omega gently, you couldn't help but cry, stunned and saddened by your sudden loss.

"He said he would be back," Omega whispered to you as she continued to hold onto you. You felt her fear of letting you go. She knew this would be hurting you as much as did her. In a way, she was grateful that somebody was finally feeling it the way she did.

"If Echo said he will back," you mumbled through your tears, "then he will be." You wanted to be strong for her but you didn't truly know if he ever would be back.

You'd heard him speak so fondly of Rex; deep down you'd always feared something like this would happen. His damn sense of right and wrong would take over. Not that you could blame him, not really. As you pulled back, you reached up and wiped the tear that fell from Omega's eye and rolled down her cheek. You caught it before it travelled too far. "Echo always keeps his word. We both know that much." You stood up and the weight of his absence seemed to push you onto the stool between Wrecker and Tech. You scratched nervously at your head.

And then it dawned on you. It was a sharp pain in your chest, as you realised.

"I never told him..." your voice was quiet and reserved. You'd hoped you'd reserved your comment only for yourself but Tech had heard it. Of course.

"Told him what?" He queried gently as he sat next to you.

"I never told him that I loved him." Tech's eyes softened as he gently put his hand on your shoulder. He almost flinched as you barked out a sarcastic, very nervous laugh. "It seems so silly now. I was so worried he'd hate me for it. So I just... never told him." Tech simply held onto your shoulder as the tears continued to fall from your eyes. For once, the brainiac had nothing to say that he thought would help. He certainly didn't know how to stop the tears streaming down your cheeks. "He did say he would comm you separately. I expected you to already know that he wasn't with us," he offered up, finally releasing your shoulder and reached for his drink.

"Y-yeah," Wrecker offered up from the left. He draped his arm around your shoulder and pulled you to his chest suddenly. He did try to be gentle. He couldn't help that he was perhaps a little too strong in the movement. A soft 'oof' escaped your lips as you curled into him softly. "something about, uhh, needing to explain it face to face. Whatever that means."

Face to face, you wondered. Your secure channel, he'd messaged you there before. As your face slackened, realisation hitting you, you reached suddenly for the comm attached to your belt.

It was flickering away; a private message was waiting for you.

How long had I missed this? How long ago had he contacted you?

"I - uh - I need to go." You said, jumping up from your seat and dashing out the door, the soft sound of Omega's voice trailing after you.

Just get to the shuttle, you almost chanted to yourself, just keep going and don't stop until you get there. You can listen to him there.

You dodged and swerved between bodies as you ran towards the dockyard. The cold bristled against your skin as you realised the sun was setting. You continued to dash between people. Slow bodies, fat bodies, thin bodies, fast bodies. It didn't matter what they were or what they were doing, you need to be faster and get there sooner.

You needed to hear this from him.

And soon.

Finally arriving in the shipyard, you were out of breath for more than one reason. First and foremost, you'd moved so fast and you certainly did not have the best stamina. You were a barmaid and occasional supply runner, not some kind of enhanced clone with a special skillset. And yet, there was another reason for your lack of oxygen. There was also this weight pressing against your chest. A weight so heavy that you thought you would pass out before hearing his beautiful voice again. If it weren't for the pressing desire to hear his voice, you certainly would have collapsed. You could already feel the tears returning as you clambered up into your shuttle, taking your seat in the cockpit. The ship was far smaller than the Marauder, but it was certainly faster. Spinning around in your chair, you loaded up the message.

"Hi." His message began so gently, as he appeared before you. He let your name fall from your lips with a soft smile. He seemed to look around him, at what you didn't know. You didn't even know where he was now. The deep rumbling of his voice made you smile softly and naturally. "I don't have long, I'm afraid. I know you will dislike me a little for what I am about to say to you," he rubbed at his neck as he spoke, "that thought alone makes me want to return to Ord Mantell."

Perhaps he was nervous about saying goodbye as you were to be hearing him explain his reasons for leaving you behind, you mused.

"I... I - argh - why is this so difficult to say to you?" He sighed softly, before continuing, a new strength in his voice, "knowing you has been the greatest pleasure of my life so far. I hope that I will see you again and I know you will probably dislike, even hate me for this, but this was the right thing to do. What the Empire is doing is wrong. I cannot stand idly by whilst my brothers are slaughtered by them." That final word, that identity, oozed from his lips, heavy and tortured. He knew you'd at least understand that much. Little did he know that you could never hate him, not now and not ever. No matter if he left you forever. You'd never hate him for it.

"Leaving you behind was one of the hardest parts of this decision. As hard as watching Omega's heart break before me," he continued on, "I - I wanted to tell you in person. But there was simply no time. Particularly when I never found the right moment to tell you... well..." he chuckled sardonically and shook his head, "it would be unfair to tell you that now. Particularly when I could not see if your reaction would be as beautiful as I would hope."

Tell me what Echo?!

"Rex said he's seen you around a couple of times, running missions for Cid when she asks. He didn't put it together until recently. Until I told him all about you. I keep seeing you around. I've seen you on Coruscant and on Naboo," he laughed softly at the memory, the sweetest of smiles on his lips. He shook his head once more before continuing, "I've seen you in my dreams too. But that isn't new." He lifted his head slightly and you felt his eyes bore into yours. You knew that wasn't possibly, not really. You knew this was a recorded message but you still felt that his action had been deliberate, particularly when he continued his thought. "Of course, I would see in you in the sweetest recesses of my mind. That is where you belong." His head suddenly whipped around, a ruckus occurring out of picture. He confirmed he would be along in a moment. You sighed, realising you must be coming to the end of his message. You kept hoping he would just say it. Say it, so you can say it back, even though he'd never hear the words fall from your lips. "I have to leave you for now. I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye in person but it's not goodbye, not really. You will see me again, or maybe I'll see you first. Maybe I'll get lucky enough to see you out here, among the stars, somewhere in this galaxy that seems so dark now. Right," he sighed, "I"ll be seeing you, mesh'la," and that final word fell so naturally from his lips as he signs off. A combination of honeyed longing and sugared promise. His image disappears and your ship darkens round you.

You swore, in that moment, that if you saw him again that you would not let him go before you told him how much you loved him. The weight returned to your chest. He didn't know. He was out there, somewhere, and he just didn't know how you felt. You had so much regret.

What if you never saw him again, your mind wandered to the darkest corners of thought. It weighed so heavily on your chest, on your mind, on your heart.

For a moment, you glanced down at your tan trousers, noticing the growing darkened patch on your thigh. You reached your fingers out to fondle the wet fabric, and finally it became clear, as another tear fell from your cheek and onto the back of your hand.

When had you started crying so heavily, you couldn't help but wonder, raising the back of your hand to wipe at the cold tears as they continued to stream from your eyes.

After seconds, minutes, maybe even hours of being slumped in your chair, sitting in your solitude and simply allowing the tears to fall, you eventually sat forward with a new purpose. You wiped under your nose and wiped away the last of your tears from your eyes. You had to get out of her, off of Ord Mantell. Even if just for tonight. You couldn't be here, not without him. Not right now. It just didn't feel right.

With a heavy sigh, you whispered to yourself, enough.

Enough of the tears. Enough of the wallowing. Enough of the sadness.

"I will see him again," you affirmed aloud to no one in particular. Without another thought, your hands went to the controls. You lay in a flight path to the nearest moon and took off without so much as a second thought. Cleared for take off, you left. You left Ord Mantell, so you could nurse your heavy heart.

You left without even thinking about the heart broken kid you'd left behind in Cid's bar.

---------------------

Omega ran outside as she heard the familiar sound of your shuttle roaring to life in the distance.

I can’t lose you too, she thought desperately. The faint sound of Hunter calling out to her as he followed her towards the shipyard. She watched as your shuttle disappeared behind the scarlet setting sun. Hunter followed her until she stopped suddenly.

He knew she would need him, when she realised, you’d truly left her behind too. The tears began to fall from her eyes once more and Hunter sensed it. He placed a reassuring hand to her small shoulder.

“They,” her head bowed suddenly, “they didn’t even say goodbye.” Omega had whispered it so softly; the tears fell so strongly that she couldn’t choke back the sob that had escaped from her chest.

She felt Hunter squeeze her shoulder gently, as he knelt in front of her.

You’d given Tech the co-ordinates and headed off to your favourite resting spot. Together with blankets and food and wine, you all sat together drinking and laughing. Talking about their missions and your life as a senator. Of times before the Empire. Wrecker chased Omega across the sand with no intention of catching up to her raucous little giggles.

As the sun began to fall int the sky, you sat yourself in the sand, allowing your feet to sink into the sand beneath your feet. Allowing them to be covered in the warmth the sun had provided.

“We’ll do it all, everything, on our own” you began to sing softly, placing your head softly against the rock you found yourself resting against, “we don’t need, anything or anyone.” The faint chatter around you began to slowly fade away as you sang. Omega and Wrecker stopped playing and simply watched you for a moment.

“If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world,” you sighed as you finished that line. A soft smile gracing your lips as the others simply stared at you. In that moment, the song felt very poignant to the people around you. You all had needed this day and it had truly been beautiful, relaxing and friendly to the point of perfection. As your voice faded off, and the silence around you, save for the gentle whisp of the water next to you all, Omega came to sit beside you.

“Don’t stop singing,” she said, taking your hand in her little one. You smiled and noticed the others paying attention to it too.

“I don’t quite know, how to say, how I feel, those three words,” you looked at them as you said it, “are said too much, they’re not enough.” You smiled again at the tranquillity of it all. Internally laughing at the surprise your friends now had upon their faces.

You continued on, through as much as you could remember, singing softly. Softly but with a hidden passion in each word. On and on you sang through the words you remember. “All that I am, all that I ever was, is here in your perfect eyes, they’re all I can see.” You turned to Omega, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, as you continued to sing, “if I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?”

As your voice drifted off finally, you all sat together in silence as you noticed the sun beginning to set over your perfect day. You sighed contentedly, resting your head against the rock behind you. Feeling the last of the suns rays on your skin. Cooler and gentler than they had been in recent hours. The sun's smooth edge of its gaze on, supporting your head and thoughts in that moment.

Suddenly overcome by the emotion of it all, you released Omega’s hand and sighed. “I’m gonna go for a walk,” you suddenly said, standing and walking off into the distance as they all simply watched you go.

Crosshair

He had listened to you sing in raptured silence. Trying to act cool and calm as he usually was. You had a habit of unravelling him, this was one of those moments. His mouth hung ajar for a brief as you sang the song gently. In peace. Eventually, after you paused, he smirked slightly, removing the toothpick from his mouth.

You had noticed his stare before you had moved off further down the lakeside. He couldn’t seem to stop himself from following after you. It was almost instinctual. To remain as close to you as he could in that moment.

“I didn’t know you could sing,” he said, softer than he had hoped, “it was beautiful.” He came up behind you, resting his forehead into your shoulder as he wrapped his arms around your waist. You were flush against him and as he leaned into you, you pushed yourself into him. Completely enveloped in one another.

“No critique for me tonight then, Crosshair?” You joked as you both simply enjoyed the contact.

“How could I critique that? It’s not like I am an expert in singing.” You giggled as he pulled you both from side to side slightly. Suddenly, his head reached up slightly to kiss gently at your next. This level of softness was unexpected but certainly not unwelcome. You enjoyed your usual banter but today? Well, today had been different. For everyone. A slice of peace in an otherwise chaotic galaxy.

“Three little words,” he said against your neck. He hadn’t said them to you ever. You’d mumbled them to him once, when you thought he was long asleep. He wasn’t, he had been enjoying the moment, eyes hooded in comfort. You mistook it for sleep, and he let you. “Three little words that I should’ve said to you, when you said them to me.”

You froze at that. Turning so very suddenly in his arms. Your body almost shook at the fear of being caught. Your mind racing. He hadn’t said it back and he knew you’d said it to him. When he noticed the fear in your eyes, he caught you retreating chin between his fingers. Willing your eyes to meet his. After a moment, you relented and tried to give him your hardest stare. But when all you could see was an unfamiliar softness with his usual smirk, he brushed his cheek to yours, his lips dangerously close to your ear.

“I love you.” It was so quiet, so gentle that you convinced yourself it had all been in your head. Until he kissed you. He kissed you so passionately that your daze became a frenzied meeting of lip and tongue as you stood a fair distance from his brothers. Though you were sure they could see it. Your arms coiled around his neck pulling him even closer to you.

It took all the restraint he had to pull away from you in that moment. He wanted you to know that the softness was real. The affection was real. Not all of it was pure passion and lust. So, he simply looked into your eyes as neutrally as he could muster in that moment.

“Who knew the fearsome Crosshair could be so soft?” You teased with a delighted giggle. You held his hand as you stepped away from him slowly, never turning away. He simply relented allowing you to pull his hand upwards and out as you moved away.

“Tell anyone and I’ll deny it.” He warned as he watched you walk away back towards his brothers. He shook his head softly, trying to hide the blush that coated his cheeks.

 Tech

Tech had listened intently to you sing. He had never heard such a soft melody fall from your lips before and he could not explain the warm feeling that seemed to be spreading through him as you sang. As you walked away, he simply watched you go with a small frown on his lips.

He could not tell if he should follow or leave you be. When he noticed none of his brothers went to move, he decided he would take his chance. Softly padding his way across the sand after you, he approached you carefully.

“May I join you,” he asked on his cautious approach. You’d propped yourself up on a rock further down the beach. He saw you simply leaning contemplatively, staring out into the sunset. When you nodded, he placed himself beside you. Your hand was placed flat on the rock, holding you in place. The tips of his fingers grazed softly over the top of yours. “I was unaware that you could sing.”

“In all fairness, Tech,” you said with a small laugh, “when would I have had time to sing? I think you’d call me delusional if I started to sing in the middle of a blaster fight.” He considered your words for a moment, realising that you were, in fact, correct.

“That is correct,” Tech said, a small frown forming on his lips, “I would suppose there has been very little opportunity before now.” For a moment, with his fingers still touching gently at the tips of yours, you sat together in a pensive silence. He had a question he wished to ask, but he could not seem to find the right words. “I would assume that you did not write the song?”

With a mirthful laugh, you replied, “no. But it was oftentimes sung on my home world. It felt appropriate somehow.” He nodded at your response, adjusting his goggles nervously.

“Am I correct to say that it is a love song?” He asked, cautiously turning his head towards you and though you felt his gaze on you, you continued to look out into the sunset.

“Yes, it is.”

“Does it make you think of somebody special?” He asked, feeling his stomach drop slightly. That you might admit that it was for one of his brothers or for someone back home. But when you looked at him, that fear quickly dissipated. He had been correct that it was not about them.

“It was for you, Tech.” You admitted, a soft blush forming on your cheeks. “I know that I am nothing special. That I am a nobody ex-senator who tends to get in the way but –“ He had to stop you there.

“You have never been in the way. You are essential to our operations. You are essential to the repairs and have been incredibly important to all of us. To me.” He admitted carefully and although, this was not perhaps the most romantic sentiment, it still made you smile. It was Tech romantic. You rather liked it. “I do not know what would happen if we… if I lost you.” He added after a moment of silence.

“You would go on as you always do, I am sure.” He knew you were wrong. He just didn’t know how to say it. Instead, he simply reached his gloved hand to brush against your crimson cheek.

“I do not think that I could.” Tech implored and the contact of his hand on your cheek made you finally turn to look at him with soft eyes, “I do not know what would happen. I am sure I could go on, but I do know that I would not want to.”

You couldn’t help but reach up and kiss his cheek softly. His lips parted the moment your soft lips touched his skin. His whole body felt alive in a way he had never felt before. Pushing yourself off the rock, you held out hand to him. He realised you were silently asking him to take it.

And he did. With one hand in his and the other now wrapped around his arm, you silently made your way back to the others.

Hunter

Hunter watched as you walked down the beach with an intent gaze, until he noticed you suddenly veer off into the wooded area. At deep frown suddenly matched his scorched stare. He couldn’t help but follow. As he approached the wooded area, he bent down to focus on your tracks. You scent. Your footsteps. Your direction. He began to follow you through the woods, touching the same trees you had. You were taunting him to follow you and he knew it.

“Are you going to make me track you through the whole forest?” He called out, knowing he was close to you. You’d hidden yourself behind one of the trees deeper in the forest. Truthfully, you were perhaps a little embarrassed and simply wanted the two of you to be further away from the others.

“And how far would you track me, Hunter?” You called out mockingly. He felt his footsteps approach you. Louder and louder as he neared you. A twig beside you snapped and you jumped slightly. You could feel his presence beside you.

“I would track you the length of the galaxy if that is what it took to keep you close.” He whispered from the mirrored side of the narrow tree. His sultry voice was deliberate and slow.

“The galaxy is a big place.” You reminded him as he rounded the tree, placing his hands at either side of your head. The familiar smirk graced his lips as he looked into your mockingly guiltless eyes.

“I’d find you,” he reminded you, the soft sound was part warning, part promise. He reached down and nipped softly at your neck. “I’d find you anywhere you went,” he affirmed. When you offered no reply, he looked intently into your eyes. “You sang beautifully,” he began again in earnest, “though I could feel how nervous you were.” “I was nervous of your gaze. Your opinion,” you admitted quietly looking down. His hand reached for your hair in that moment, gently moving it out your face.

“You have no need to fear my gaze, sweet one.” He chided, resting his hand on your cheek. “I would happily listen to you sing anytime.” Your eyes snapped back up to his in shock and he smirked slightly, knowing he had you trapped in his intimacy. He reached in and pressed his lips to yours lightly, testing the waters. When he felt your lips react, he pushed his body forward into yours. You groaned softly against his lips, almost begging him to deepen the kiss.

When he suddenly pulled away, leaving you panting and needy, he whispered, “I gaze at you, as you put it, because I cannot help myself.” A soft admission of the feelings he had for you. He couldn’t quite say he loved you, though he did. But he couldn’t bring his guard down that far, so fast. He wanted to wait. To say it when you didn’t expect it.

For a moment, you simply remained in each other’s presence, enjoying the moment of secluded peace. Then he took your hand and said, “come on. We shouldn’t miss the sunset.” He pulled you quietly and calmly through the woods and back to the beach. You expected him to drop your hand as your neared his brothers, but he simply held your hand tighter, keeping you close as you sat to watch the sunset.

Echo

Echo had admired your calmness and happiness as you sang. You somehow always made him less grumpy, less concerned with the impending doom that surrounded them.  Some days when he was with you, he forgot things altogether and that scared him greatly. He had followed you almost immediately as you walked down the beach, away from everybody.

You knew he was directly behind you, and you knew you couldn’t see the small smile on your lips. When you suddenly stopped, so did he. He looked at you, shocked by the sudden change in your movement. He realised you were waiting for him to speak but he couldn’t seem to find any words that would work.

“I…uh…ah, I liked the song.” That was about all he could muster, and you smiled at that, thanking him sweetly. He loved the sweetness that always lace your voice. He took a step towards and offered, “if there is someone you have lost, somewhere in this galaxy, someone you want or miss, then please tell me. We will find them.”

Always with the sense of duty, you thought. You mimicked his action and stepped towards him. He resisted stepping back. Secretly, he wanted you closer to him. “There is someone,” you began, eyes drifting towards the water sheepishly. He felt his heart shatter but when you raised your eyes, feigning confidence, he hoped that he had been too quick in letting it break. “But they don’t need to be found, Echo. The only person I want in this whole galaxy is you.” You placed a hand cautiously on his chest, over his now racing heart. Your fingers played at the fabric that covered his chest and you simply watched your own movements, and he watched you intently.

“Me?” He repeated, a panicked gruffness in his tone. “Why would you waste your chance of love on me?” Your eyes suddenly tore up to his, almost in anger.

“It’s not a waste, Echo.” You moved your ever roaming hand to his cheek, “I think loving you is the perfect use of my love. I think it is the place it is most deserved.” He looked shocked, even whiter than usual.

“Then I will try to be worthy of it,” he affirmed, grasping the hand on your cheek in his own. He raised the palm of your hand to his lips and kissed softly at the tender point. Your lips parted as he grazed his lips onto your palm.

His eyes had not left your face and he took pride in himself as you became slightly undone at his touch. You stayed together for a while, gently familiarising yourselves with each other’s bodies. Innocent and soft. Nothing being pushed too far. Then, as the moon lay high in the sky, you agreed it was time to return to the others.

Wrecker

Wrecker had been in awe of your singing. His mouth agape as he watched you. He didn’t know you could sing at all. Let alone like that. For a while, he simply watched you from a distance, letting it all sink in. When he looked at Omega, dumbstruck, she tapped her head in your direction, instruction clear in her eyes. Wrecker coughed slightly but nodded and stood up to join you.

“How come you didn’t tell us ya could sing like tha’?” Wrecker asked as he walked towards you. He towered over you, but you never feared him. He was a teddy bear, and you knew it. With a small smile, you reminded him what you do for a living, “not a lot of time for singing between the running and shooting and the, you know, boom.” You mimicked and explosion with your hands and his raucous laughter resonated in your chest, making you giggle.

He lifted you up into a bear hug, spinning you around suddenly, only making you giggle further. When he put you down, his hands settled on your hips, “whatever guy you pick isn’t gonna be good enough for you.” It was a very sudden and very unexpected and his fingers were desperately clinging to you.

“Well, that’s a very unkind thing to say about yourself.” You chided gently, placing your hand on his large bicep. He blinked a couple of times, mouth agape. Processing. Making sure he’d understood you correctly.

“Wait,” he said, dragging the word out, giving him a few extra seconds to think, “you’re interested in me?” With a giggle, you simply said of course. He couldn’t help but lift you in the air spinning you around again. Around and around you went, safely in his arms.

As he set you down, you took your chance and reached up on your toes, pressing your lips firmly to his. He was ecstatic in that moment and reacted immediately. With a gentle sort of force that you could only expect from a man like Wrecker. He groaned delectably into your mouth as you deepened the kiss.

When you pulled away, he stared at you with a dazed smile. “Will ya sing somethin’ else for me later?” He asked gently, brushing his large knuckles across your cheek carefully. You took his large hand in both of yours and promised, “I’ll sing whatever you want, Wrecker.”

Bonus: Omega (Platonic - Obviously)

Omega had promptly followed behind you as you’d left the others. She watched from a distance for a moment as you skimmed a stone across the calm water. One. Two. Three. Four skims before it sunk into the water. You sighed, searching for a new a stone as you saw her. You gave her a warm smile as you noticed her. “Hi,” she said, giving you a little wave. You skimmed the next stone in your grasp, and she couldn’t help but murmur a, “woah, how’d you do that?” You smiled and beckoned her closer. Handing her a smooth stone, you demonstrated the flick of your wrist towards the water. Standing behind her, you watched as she tried the first stone. Once, twice and under it went.

“Not bad,” you praised gently, still lost in your own thoughts. You had noticed how quiet she was being. She was waiting for you to come to her with information. Realising you needed to air it, you looked over at her searching for stones.

“Do you know much about the Jedi, Omega,” you asked, furling around the smooth stone in your hand, grazing your fingers over it aimlessly before pressing its weight into your palm. She looked at you with a curious gaze, “only what Master Shaak Ti told me, which wasn’t much. Nala Se never really let us near each other.” You offered a gentle scoff at the idea, of being hidden from the Jedi Master, particularly when you considered how things turned out. You mumbled ‘figures’ under your breath.

“They were once incredibly loyal and patient peacekeepers turned soldiers in the spite of the Sith.” You told her, before skimming the rock across the still water. Once. Twice. Three times before it sunk. Not your best effort. “I was only young, naïve Senator when I first met a Jedi. A Jedi Master by the name of Plo Koon.” Omega mimicked your previous action, skimming the stone successfully across the water as you spoke. “Well,” you continued, resting your weight against the boulder near you, digging it into your side, looking out over the water, “the first day we met, he saved my life. I was plummeting to a very early grave when bravely dove to save me. Literally swept me off my feet.” You chuckled at the memory.

How swept off your feet you truly had been. You owed him your life instantly. The way he held you so soundly, whispering that you would be okay as you shook in his arms. He had placed you down with great care, checking to make sure you were okay. You’d been truly graceless in that moment and his patience and kindness had centred you instantly.

“We only every shared one dance. Nothing more came of it. Unlike some of the other Jedi who succumbed to their feelings, thinking we didn’t know, he was excellent with patience and restraint.” You chuckled once more. “It was maddening. I often wish he had less restraint when we were alone. But he never broke that old fashioned oath. Knowing he couldn’t truly give me what I deserved.” Omega was looking at you with a feverishly happy smile as you told her your romantic tale. You couldn’t help but smile along with her. “One dance and my soul became connected to his and his alone. I fear it will only ever be his.”

With a sigh, you told her what she had already guessed, “that song was the song we danced to. It was a strange choice for the formal gathering we were at. Very slow and very sombre. But it suited us quite well. It’s never truly left my mind. Whenever there is quiet, I can hear it. Whenever I am happy, I can hear it. It’s almost as if he is somehow reminding me that we cared deeply for one another, though we could never truly show it. In that moment, when he held me in his arms, we knew we deeply cared for one another. In that moment, I was truly his and he knew it.”

“So, it’s a happy memory?” She queried, as she simply looked at you confused. There were tears in your eyes as you nodded at her, so she continued on, “but it also makes you feel sad?” And you simply nod again, allowing a tear or two to fall. “Love seems…” she pauses, searching for the right word, “confusing,” she finished with emphasis and all you could do is giggle with mirth.

“Perhaps.” You offered up cryptically, a small smirk on your lips. You walked over to her and placed your hands on her shoulders, “perhaps one day you will know what it is to love another like that. Not like you love your brothers. But a different and special kind of romantic bond. It only ever makes sense once you have felt it.” A poignant silence fell between the two of you.

After a moment, you whipped one of your arms around her shoulders and began to lead her back towards the others, who had begun raucous conversation once more.