#echo oneshots

one day you were sitting at the bar, having a drink by yourself, when you sensed someone looking at you. your old instincts kicked in, and you slowly reached for one of your blasters. but then you spotted the figure coming out of hiding. it was a kid.

she introduced herself as omega, and started a conversation. she was happy and excited to talk to you. it was refreshing to sit and talk with her. you gathered she didn't know a lot about the galaxy, so she loved your stories.

over time, you saw omega more often at cid's. most of the times she was accompanied by a few men who she seemed to be traveling with. you had only seen them from afar a couple of times, before omega introduced them to you as her brothers.

you could tell they were clones. though they didn't look like the men you served with, you knew they were clones anyway. you never asked them about it, you never commented on it. they'd talk to you if they wanted to.

as you started to spend more time with omega and with her brothers, cid started sending you on missions with them. you got to know them better every time cid sent you somewhere.

after a while, you decided to do all of your missions together. you worked well alongside each other, and you liked the company.

it had been a few months since you started working with them, when one of cid's missions took you to a planet you were familiar with. you were silent most of the journey.

the others could tell something was troubling you, but they didn't want to push you. they knew little of your past, as you rarely talked about it. you weren't ready to share that story yet.

it was echo who was especially worried about you. you were never this quiet. he figured he'd wait til you opened up on your own accord, pushing his own worries away.

cid's mission hadn't been hard. you ran into little trouble as there was almost no one living on the desert planet. she had sent you there to retrieve some of the plants that still grew there. most of the plants were gone, but some still existed. they were worth some money on the black market.

of course, no one had told omega that was the real reason you were here. she was just happy to get the flowers and to see another new planet.

you're standing a bit away from the ship, looking out over the sea of sand in front of you. behind you, the others are loading up the harvested flowers.

you don't hear much of omega's talking, too busy drowning in your thoughts.

after a while, you feel someone's presence right behind you.

'you okay?'

it's echo.

of course it's echo. there was something unspoken between the two of you. you could understand each other with little to no words. it was just so comfortable to be around him. you often sought him out, even if you didn't have a reason to do so.

'I'll be fine.' you say.

echo is silent as he moves to stand beside you. he looks out over the desert in front of you. there's little left of the villages, a few ruins scattered among the sand dunes and memories in the heads of people that left long ago.

'you know this planet, don't you?' asks echo.

you turn to him. 'how did you know?'

echo smiles softly. 'I know we know very little of you past. but I can tell you've lived through a war. I know that look on your face. I've seen it everywhere, in everyone I served with.' he says.

over time, you had learned more about the bad batch and their stories. you know they served int eh army as well, yet you couldn't recall if you had ever crossed paths with them.

while most of them had been a part of clone force 99 along with their brother crosshair, echo hadn't always been a part of the bad batch. he had been part of the 501st, anakin and ahsoka's men.

looking at the horizon, you get the sudden urge to tell echo. all of it.

he's been in the war as well. he knows what it was like. he would understand. but it's all too painful to talk about.

the bad batch didn't even know you were a general. they figured out you were a jedi, but you told them you left the order before the end of the war. it wan't true. the truth was just too painful to talk about.

'I do know this planet.' you say softly. 'I haven't been here in years. I had heard stories of what happened here, what the empire had done. I just wasn't ready to see it with my own eyes. guess sometimes you end up at the very place you try to avoid at all costs.'

'was this your home planet?'

you swallow the lump in your throat. 'yes.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I thought I had already moved past it. but to see it with my own eyes. it's different. it used to be beautiful. this whole places was covered in the most gorgeous plants. now all that's left is a few dying flowers people sell on the black market.'

'it was weird for me to go back to kamino as well. it was still there of course, but the last time I was there, I was with my brother.'

'which one?'

you turn to look at echo. when he looks at you, you can tell the look in his eyes mirrors you own.

'fives. he didn't survive the war.'

'was he in the 501st as well?'

'he was. he was an excellent soldier. but an even better brother. I still miss him every day.'

'losing someone is never easy. especially during a war.'

'what was your rank?'

you're silent, fidgeting with your hands. you don't talk about the war.

'I'm guessing commander or general.' says echo.

'how do you know I served in the war?'

'you don't talk about it much, but when you do, it's like you were there. I don't think you left the jedi order. I think you're one of the few survivors. but don't worry. I haven't told anyone else. you can tell them yourself whenever you're ready. I know it's hard.'

'thank you.'

echo smiles at you and nods, then turns his gaze back to the horizon. you stand next to each other in silence for a while. you're thinking back to the war, all the friends you lost and mourned. what you had to do to survive after the republic fell.

'you know, I may be a jedi, but in the end I wasn't a good person.' you say softly.

'what makes you say that?' says echo.

'I... hurt some of my men.' you confess. 'I didn't mean to. they suddenly turned on me. all of them. it wasn't until later that I figured out it was order 66. but... I did hurt them. I did what I had to do to survive. at least, that's what I tell myself. but I hate myself for it. every night before I fall asleep I think of them. they're in all my nightmares.'

'I had no idea. when you're with us, you're often the most optimistic one. save maybe for omega.'

you shrug. 'it's easy to forget that violence is mostly kept inside.'

'is that why you're sometimes so exhausted? nightmares keeping you awake?'

'mostly, yes. sometimes I'm afraid to go to sleep. I don't know what's worse, surviving the war or being killed by someone you trusted. those men did everything I asked them to. they were my brothers as much as they were each others. and in the end, I wasn't there for them. I failed them.'

echo turns to you so he can fully face you. 'y/n, it's not your fault. you know of those chips now. they had no choice, and you were defending yourself. if you hadn't, you'd be dead now.

you don't meet his eyes. 'maybe. it doesn't matter now anyway. I have no idea how many of them survived. and if they did, they're most likely serving the empire now. doing stuff like this.' you gesture to the desert planet you're on.

'for what it's worth, I think we can still fight. I think deep down, you haven't fully given up. otherwise you wouldn't have been a high ranking officer in the army leading men into battle.' says echo.'

a whistle interrupts your conversation with echo. you look back at the marauder to see hunter waving at you.

'you two ready to go?' he says.

'be right there!' says echo.

'I don't want to come back here.' you say softly. 'it's too painful, brings back too many memories.'

'we don't have to come back here. I appreciate you for opening up to me.'

you feel tears welling up in the corners of your eyes. 'I don't really talk about it. there's a lot more. but I haven't told anyone that.'

'listen, I know your struggle. having so many painful memories that are too fresh to talk about. and I hope you win this war you tell no one about.' says echo.

you look up at him and manage a smile. 'thanks, echo.'

'let's head back to the ship, yeah?'

'yeah, let's get out of here.'

echo starts to walk back to the marauder as you take one last look at the planet that was once your home.

'echo?' you say, walking up to him.

he turns around, expecting you to say something. instead, you walk closer to him and wrap your arms around his chest.

at first, echo freezes up, unsure of what to do. everyone knows there's something going on between you two, though you've never talked about it.

but then he slowly wraps his arms around you. he knows he's done the right thing when he feels you shuffle closer and press your face in his chest.

the two of you stand there like that for a while. you close your eyes and allow yourself to soak up the feeling of safety and comfort.

when you finally pull away, you look up at echo and smile.

'now at least I have one good memory of this place.' you say. 'thank you again for listening, echo.'

echo smiles at you as well. 'of course. if you ever need me, you know where to find me.'

'thanks. now let's get out of here.'

echo motions to the marauder. 'after you.'

while you still didn't feel like talking about all of it yet, you know echo will be there whenever you do feel like opening up. it was nice to have someone listen, especially someone who understands right away.

you just know you'd be seeking out echo a lot more after this.

Liz pulled away immediately, and quickly inspected Max for any eternal injuries. “What happened? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” He smiled, gingerly rubbing his neck, where the mark on the back of his neck that looked like an electrical burn was. Before he promptly put his hands back on Liz’s waist, pulling her close again; like he always craved.

“And Charlie? Did she get Jenna back?”

“Yeah, we were able to rescue Jenna and Charlie is alright. They’re both at the hospital now.” He sighed and reached out to her tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Well I’m glad that you’re alright.” She said as she pulled him closer to her wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face against his chest. That sense of dread filling her heart again at the thought of losing Max again.

Liz quickly wiped away those dark thoughts and looked up at his handsome face; marveling in the fact once again that he was here standing in front of her, with that look of endless love in his eyes for her. And she felt her heart contract again.

“You want some coffee?” She asked.

Max smiled and chuckled. “No.” he said pulling her impossibly closer. “I just want sleep.” He chuckled again. “Hours and hours of sleep. You can join me? We can talk after and I can make you coffee. How ‘bout that?”

Liz inhaled the scent of him again and sighed she’d just been up all night at the diner, trying to close it when everyone kept parading in. Now she had to open it back up again when all she wanted to do was join Max. “I have to open the diner up for my dad.” She heard herself whine, to her dismay.

She really did want to just curl up with Max in his arms and sleep for eternity, not having to deal with aliens or mysterious uncles who had a connection to aliens. She had just gotten Max back and all she wanted to do was hold him close to her and keep him safe, like he kept her safe. But even though they technically live together, their two ships just seem to be continually crossing each other in the night; only meeting for the briefest of moments.

Moments like these, as he held her and looked at her face lovingly, his chocolate eyes taking her all in, like he didn’t want to forget a single detail about her. She found herself doing the same, taking in his soft eyes, strong jaw and her favorite little scar next to his left eye. She traced her fingers lovingly over that scar.

“Tell you what.” She smiled. “Let me open up the diner and Papi will be in here soon and take over for me. Then I’ll come and crawl into bed with you and we’ll never leave it, even as the earth starts crumbling around us. Okay?” she smiled leaning up to kiss him on the lips.

Max smiled lazily back at her. “You’ll never leave my bed?” He chuckled, raising his eyebrows provocatively making Liz laugh too.

“I promise, as soon as Papi comes in. I’ll head straight on over and plop myself in your bed.”

“That’s a very tempting offer, but what’s to stop me from stealing you right here? I mean having you never leave my bed is a very tempting prospect.”

Liz threw her head back in laughter. “Alright cowboy, you need to slow your horses and have some patience. I promise as soon as Papi comes in, I’m clocking out.” She smiled, leaning up to his face and kissing him slowly, his lips so soft and satisfying against hers, tasting like home.

“Go to bed. I’ll be there soon.”

He pulled away from her reluctantly and kissed her knuckles before she watched him leave out the front door.

*******

By the time that Liz’s dad got to the diner it was almost eleven in the morning, she was exhausted and the lunch rush was going to start in about an hour.

“Alright papi. I’ve finished with my last tables. Are you sure you don’t want me to help you with the lunch rush?” She asked, but deep in her soul the last thing she wanted was to work the lunch rush. All she wanted to do was make a dash for the front door and sprint to Max’s house; flinging herself into his bed.

“Liz.” He said walking around the counter to stand in front of her. “You look exhausted, you closed last night and you opened this morning. By the looks of you, it looks like you never actually went home. So, go and do that mija. Go home. I’ve been running this diner for the better half of my life I think I can handle the lunch rush.” His smile was warm and reassuring and Liz wrapped her arms around him.

“Thank you papi.” Liz smiled, before she pulled away from him and went to grab her bag, her keys and was out the door with a wave.

********

Max was already asleep by the time that Liz got there. She dropped her bag on the couch and made her way to the bedroom. Liz stopped in the doorway and took in the sight of Max sprawled out on his bed shirtless, his dark curls splayed out on his pillow, his plump lips pouted and his handsome face relaxed. Liz quietly walked over to where he was laying, and very softly stroked back his soft lush curls, smiling at the feel of the soft strands slipping between her fingers.

She sighed and walked away from the bed and towards the shower, where she then proceeded to wash away the previous night’s activities and this morning.

She then went to Max’s dresser and pulled out an old soft t-shirt that smelt so much like him and slipped into bed with him. She let out a long sigh as she was immediately enveloped by the warmth of his skin and the scent of rain; so strong that the smell of the t-shirt just effortlessly blended together. She scooted herself closer to Max, craving more of that warmth that he radiated and once again took in his strong face.

Noting his soft eyelashes that brushed the tops of his cheeks, and again that plump pouting mouth, the color of pale pink roses. Liz found herself reaching out to those lips and tracing her finger across his bottom lip. His eyelashes flickered then, that relaxed face now furrowing as he groggily woke up.

Max let out a low groan and without opening his eyes wrapped his arms around Liz and pulled her closer to his warm body, that smell of rain stronger than ever and Liz found herself drinking in that smell; as Max kissed the top of her head.

“I thought you said you were going to ‘plop’ into my bed?” He chuckled, and Liz felt the vibrations of his chuckle against her cheek.

“Well I had to shower first, and then you just looked so peaceful I didn’t have the heart to wake you up.” She said as she kissed the giant scar on his chest, where she and Kyle had given him a new heart. Max hummed at her small kisses, his arms wrapping tighter.

“Well it doesn’t matter how you ended up in my bed. You’re here now and you’re not going anywhere Elizabeth Ortecho.” He smiled.

“I have no problem with that.”

“Good. Now I’m going to need at least five more hours of sleep.”

“Well after the night and day I’ve had I’m going to need those five hours plus another five hours.” She chuckled.

Max softly stroked her hair and Liz started to feel her eyelids getting heavy. “That’s fine with me. You sleep as long as you need to, baby. I’m not going anywhere.” He paused, taking a small breath. “Never again.”

Liz stroked that scar on his chest again. “You better not Max Evans. Because I’ll just come get you again.”

Max smiled and felt his heart ache, from the fullness he felt at having the woman he loves, the woman brought him back from the dead; his strong, brave and fearless Liz in his arms.