#pleaseread

You couldn't help but chuckle, closing your eyes. Imagining what she looks like after all these years. It truly has been a long time since you last saw her.

"Yeah," You replied back. "Haven't seen you since highschool. Been too long."

"Yeah, too long." She mumbled, trailing off, before picking right back up again. "I've missed your pretty face."

"Oh,"

Oh.

You chuckled once more, brushing off the compliment. "Stop it, Shoko. You're too kind." You said with a smile and a small blush covering your face. A smile Shoko could practically hear over the phone.

"How 'bout we get together tonight. Grab a drink at that new bar. It could be like a little class reunion."

You let out a pleased hum. "Oh yeah, that's sounds fun. Will Satoru and Suguru be there? Did you invite Nanamin?"

Shoko rolled her eyes, taking a drag of her cigarettes before putting it out. Of course she didn't talk or invite Satoru or Suguru. Nanami either. N

ot that she has a problem with either of them.

She's around Satoru basically a lot more then she would like and she sees Nanami a lot but not as often as she does Gojo.

And Geto?

Let's just say his and Gojo's break up was very messy.

"Nah," Shoko replied, the smoke slowly spilling out of her mouth. "Busy, busy, busy."

You gave a small pout. "Oh, that sucks. I haven't talked to any of them since highschool."

"Yeah?" She chuckled, "That's because you didn't stick around in the sorcerer world. If you did, we probably all would've been working together."

This time you were the one to roll your eyes. "Nanamin isn't a sorcerer." You protested.

"Yeah, but he comes around to help Satoru's student every blue moon."

You scoffed. "Oh really? Nanamin?"

"Yup."

"Why--?"

"I'll tell you all the details if you let me buy you a drink tonight."

You laughed. "Okay," you shrugged, seeing no harm in it. "Don't threaten me with a good time." You joked.

"Alright then. I'll send you the address. Meet up around seven?"

You nodded, but quickly remembered you were on the phone.

"Yeah, sounds perfect. I'll see you then."

Shoko sat at the bar, beer in one hand and a cigarette in her mouth. She dressed casual. Dark wash jeans with a nice dress shirt and black heels. Almost business women attire, something she would wear to work (minus the doctors jacket). Her makeup was light. Just a little concealer to hide the heavy bags under her eyes and red lipstick.

"Welcome!" A workers voice said in the distance, causing Shoko's head to turn.

The ends of her mouth curled up into a tiny small, watching as you stepped through the door.

Right on time. She thought, watching as your eyes roamed around the bar to find Shoko. You had a small pout on your face, something Shoko had remembered you were always doing  when you were focused. 

It was cute. Shoko thought, watching as you began to make your way deeper into the bar, still looking for her.

"[Name]!" She called out, raising her hand. She watched as your small pout turned into a smile. She put the cigarette out in the crystal ash tray next to her.

"Shoko!" You exclaimed, making your way to her. "Wow, I didn't recognize you at all."

Shoko stood from her bar set and wrapped her arms around you in a tight embrace.

"Ah, really?" She asked, smiling when she felt your arms wrap back around her. She felt you nod slightly. "Is that supposed to be a bad thing?"

She didn't want to pull away. Your touch was so warm, comforting even. Sadly you were the one to break the embrace.

"No!" You exclaimed with a soft giggle. "Of course not. I haven't seen you in years, you look even prettier then the last time I saw you!" You playfully hit her arm, causing her to chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me more lies." Shoko said, playfully rolling her eyes.

"I'm not lying," You said with a smile, "You look different from when we were teens."

Shoko took a cigarette from out of her case. "Well, I can't say the same for you." Her voice was muffled because of the cigarette she placed in between her red lips.

You're smile dropped and your eyebrows furred together in confusion. "Huh?"

"Well, from what I can tell right now," She brought a lighter up to the end of the cigarette and lit it, taking a nice long drag from the stick. "You're the same. But, I have a feeling that's going to change over the course of the night." She wink at you, and you couldn't help but to drop the confused look on your face and turn it into a smile.

"Is that a challenge?" You questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You always liked challenges."

"Hmph." You crossed your arms. "I fear you're right."

"I fear I've always been right. Um, Masimoto!" Shoko called over the bartender.

A man in a black shirt and black pants walked over to where the two girls were sitting, throwing a rag over his should. "What can I get you?"

"I would like whiskey on the rocks. And for the pretty lady," She looked over to you.

"Vodka coke please."

Masimoto nodded, saying something like 'coming right up before walking away.

"What are we? Sixteen?" Shoko joked, turning in her chair to face you. You were already facing her, so there was no need to turn in your seat.

You shrugged. "No, but that's my go-to starter drink." You stuck your tongue out at her. She laughed, shaking her head.

I don't know if I even want anyone to read this. I'm fucking terrified. I shouldn't have come back. I shouldn't have taken those pills. I should have just taken Red's offer to crash on her couch. I shouldn't have rented a car. I shouldn't have come back.

I will do my best to get this all down before I forget. I'm scared of forgetting. I already did once - I remembered, eventually, and the anxiety that forgetting spawned made me look for any way to record my experiences. Napkins, notebooks, you name it. I found this computer in the library. Again, surprised it has power. The light from the monitor is the only light in the room. The library seems safe for now. It will be my base camp until I'm able to navigate through the dense fog and find my way home. I really, really don't know what's going on. The fog is ever-present. There is no bird song. No sounds of bugs or frogs or any of the critters that were the background orchestra to my childhood. I don't even know how to explain the things I've seen. The monsters. The fog. And.... shit. I'm starting to forget.

Who...am I again? Right. My name is Alice LeBlanc. The date is....March 26, 2006. I think.

I saw Tamika. She was really here. Her locs were pulled back into that cute bun she always does. She smiled at me and beckoned me over with her finger. I followed but... she disappeared into the fog. How is she here? How can she be here? Why would she come back to this awful place? I only came back because she... because she... I don't remember. I do remember the monsters. I remember my childhood. But I can't remember what happened between us. And I'm starting to forget who I am, almost as if I'm fading into the fog myself.

It's this goddamn town. Doucet, Louisiana. Located in the swampy region of Robichaux Parish, Doucet was where you went to die. Between the hurricanes and flooding and swamp gas emission, it was not a place to raise a family or start over. It was the place where you gave up and put down roots deeper than the Cypress trees.

The town was deeply religious at one point. So religious that when the SilverStar munition plant exploded, they thought it was the end times. I was across the country, sipping a cocktail at a dive bar when I saw my tiny hometown on the TV. Most of the town was forced to relocate. Something about toxic fumes. A few hermits remained.

My father being one of them.

Mom died during the explosion. That was hard. She was the only family member I kept in touch with after I...no I do not want to remember that, thank you very much. A shelf on the wall fell, striking her in the head. Dad got a payout from the class action eventually, though I imagine he already spent it on alcohol. I doubt he was able to stay on the wagon once she was gone. Who am I to judge? I have no idea if I'm even sober right now. Am I sober? Or am I just fucked up again? Is that why I keep forgetting? Is that why I'm stuck and can't find my way out of town? What were those...things I saw? Were they real? Am...I real?

I'm rambling again.

I'm still in Doucet. No... I'm in the Dark World. My name is Alice LeBlanc. And I cannot warn you enough: do not look for me.

*********************************************************************

Hi all. Have you ever received an email late? What about 20 years late?

The above message is just one of many I've received over the last few months. I thought it was a prank at first. The messages sometimes are corrupted and illegible. They are also never sent in the correct order. I tried emailing back but it would tell me the email address is no longer available or incorrect. Still, I receive them. She is an eccentric woman; sometimes she rambles on about her past, other times worries desperately about her future.

 Whether suffering through a psychotic break or actually being transported to a Dark World (as she calls it), I'm trying to piece together her story as best as I can - including my own research into Robichaux Parish and the swampy ghost town of Doucet (prounounced "Doo-say"). This message felt like the perfect introduction into the Alice LeBlanc I have come to know and admire through her emails. I feel like I've come to understand her. Or maybe she understands me.

I hope you will suspend your disbelief, as I have. I'm posting her story here, for ease. I'm hoping to find some way to contact her, to let her know that someone is listening and attempting to tell the world. I hope you will join me in asking: #WhatHappenedToAlice? #WhatIsGoingOnInDucet?

With your hair wrapped in a fluffy towel and a second towel around your middle, you scampered over to the big counter and mirror to grab the tube of bacta gel. Taking a small amount on your finger, you smeared it into the wound, feeling it start to tingle instantly as the skin knit back together.

Sensing a presence behind you, you looked up into the mirror to see Crosshair standing there, watching you tend to your wound. You smiled at him through the mirror, but he didn’t return the look. Instead, he seemed to be suppressing his true feelings, but you could sense the mortification through the bond. You felt your mood drop instantly.

He might not be saying it out loud, but you were beginning to think he didn’t want you… the sensation cut deep in your belly with anxiety.

You opened your mouth to speak, but he turned on his heel, leaving you alone to dress.

“Cross…” You sighed, tossing the towels aside to find a pair of clothes. Riffling through the pile of white sweaters and loose pants, you grabbed something and pulled on the underwear before yanking the sweater over your head. By the time you left the bathroom, your mate was nowhere to be seen.

You growled, wringing out your wet hair before heading for the door.

When you stepped out into the hall, you looked around for any sign of his direction.

Luckily, your neighbors seemed to understand your look of confusion and all jutted their chins in the direction he had taken off. With a silent nod of thanks, you took off down the hallway, charging after your elusive mate.

Grim gave you a tiny nod from his post at the base entrance, along with Bolts, who seemed a little shell-shocked himself. It was then that you looked around and realized a disturbing truth.

The entire base had been bombed.

All around you, alphas and omegas brandished fresh mating marks. With a sideways glance, you realized Bolts had been involved in this drug-induced sex craze as well. You trotted over to him and pointed to his neck. “You okay there, trooper?”

He looked up with an almost fawn-like gaze. “I don’t even understand what just happened.”

“Same thing that happened on Kashyyyk,” Grim replied. “Synthetic Rut Aid.”

“The whole base was drugged?” You asked the sniper. He nodded in confirmation. “Hit four days after seeing you. It was madness around here for a while. Too many fights. Medbay is full of injured.”

You cringed. “I thought it was just us.”

“Ahh,” Grim nodded. “That’s why Crosshair was in a mood.”

You huffed. “Yeah.”

“You okay?” he asked.

“Ask me again after I talk to my mate.” It felt weird saying the last part.

“Well, it isn’t anyone’s fault.” Stunner walked up and inserted himself into the conversation, icing a black eye. “That stuff makes alphas lose their minds.”

“Seems like the admiral wanted pups as soon as possible,” Grim grumbled.

Anxiety suddenly swirled in your chest. You put a hand on the smooth wall, trying to calm your breathing.

The idea of pups—oh my gods. You silently prayed that Cross hadn’t gotten you pregnant now that your suppressors had been dissolved.

You hoped the Force would have mercy and not give you a pup in this awful place.

“Hey, you okay?” Grim asked, watching you try to calm down.

You shook your head. “I-I just need to find Cross.”

“He went to the range,” Stunner said, nodding in that direction.

You swallowed thickly. “Thank you.”

Without another word, you took off towards the training facility. You approached the training facility, taking a turn down the stairs before crossing the mats.

Crosshair’s new civilian stormtrooper garrison was in the middle of their combat training but stopped upon seeing your white-clad figure appear in the doorway. The first one you noticed was Wren. She immediately stood up, facing you directly. Her black hair was pulled up in a tight bun as sweat cascaded down her neck.

You stared her down, making the alpha bristle. It seemed her ego was still bruised from the scar you left on her backside, and the fact that you were an omega only added to her frustration.

The others stepped out of the way, parting so you could pass and enter the shooting range. Two guards remained out front, but upon seeing your fresh mark and collar, they too stepped aside to allow you to pass.

The blast door swished open, and you stepped inside to find your mate alone in one of the shooting stalls.

“I want to be alone, Y/N,” he said without turning around. Of course, you were the only one brave enough to disturb the disgruntled alpha.

“We weren’t the only ones,” you said as the blast doors whooshed closed behind you.

He didn’t answer.

“The entire base was hit with the rutting drug.”

He scoffed. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

You sighed. “Cross.”

You shuffled next to him as he raised the weapon, aiming it down the range. He unloaded on the target at an impossible distance away. Even after all this time, it was still impressive to you. He reloaded, pushed the clip back into the gun, and raised it again.

“It wasn’t either of our faults,” you tried to reason, but he lowered the weapon and looked at you sideways.

“You didn’t want this!” he snapped. “Your instincts did! I was supposed to be stronger! I’m supposed to protect you!” He shook his head, gripping his weapon. “Even from yourself… and now we’ve done something permanent that we can’t undo! This is a mistake, Y/N!”

You looked at him, seeing the self-hatred roll off him like a bad stench. His words hurt. You weren’t going to lie.

You shuffled on your feet. “I know we never talked about it, b-but… I—”

He looked at you with a raised brow, clearly annoyed with your nervous stuttering.

You took a deep breath and looked at him squarely. “I wanted you to do it.” You crossed your arms. “I wanted you to do it a long time ago. I wanted it after you all saved me from Mimban.” With a shake of your head, you turned to face the door to leave. “You have no reason to feel guilty. But I do.” You looked at him over your shoulder. “It’s obvious you don’t want this…” Clearly, the post-mating high had worn off; all you could feel through the bond was disgust.

Crosshair probably concluded that this was a mistake while you were in the shower.

He may have feelings for you, but it wasn’t enough to justify a mating bond.

You were overwhelmed with guilt, knowing he was probably going to hate you for binding the two of you together for eternity.

You walked outside, knowing he wasn’t going to follow you. You waited for the blast doors to shut before allowing the tears to fall silently.

Ignoring the stares from his squad members, you walked past them and made your way back to your apartment.

When you entered the common space, you noticed Wolffe leaning against the corridor wall, chatting with his men. They were obviously waiting for you to return but trying to play it off as casual.

Not really in the mood to talk to them, you tried to pass them with a weak smile, but Wolffe snagged your arm and pulled you over to them.

“Not so fast, little one,” he said with a smirk.

You huffed, wiping away the trails of moisture left by your tears. The others looked at you with sympathy. 

“I just want to be alone, Commander,” you said weakly, trying to prevent yourself from breaking down in front of them, but it was getting harder by the second.

“No, you need your pack,” he said, mussing your hair.

You sniffled, letting Stunner fix the wild strands a bit.

“What happened?” Bolts asked, snuggling his mate. He must have gotten over the initial shock by now and embraced the little Togruta. She looked just like Ahsoka and nearly made you start sobbing.

You took a deep breath, trying to fight back the emotion. “Crosshair says it was a mistake.” You touched your bandaged neck. “I know he didn’t want this. He… he didn’t do it the first time. I-I don’t know why I begged him to do it this time!” Now the tears were flowing freely, and Wolffe yanked you into his chest as you sobbed, “He wasn’t going to until the drug hit, and then I don’t know, I couldn’t help myself! I bit him, and then he bit me. I-I… kriff.” You let Wolffe rub your back, trying to comfort you.

You whimpered, “I just want Hunter… I want Hunter to make it all better!” You were dying for your other mate’s comfort. You wanted to be held and cared for, and it was eating you alive. You couldn’t even remember what they smelled like, which made you wail.

“Shhh,” Wolffe cooed. “You’re okay. I know…”

“I want my pack!” you cried.

Wolffe and the others casually opened the door to their dorm and dragged you inside so you could speak freely.

“I miss Rex, and Fives, and Kix, and Dogma, and Tup! And ahh kriff, I miss Jesse and Echo! I’ve missed Hardcase for so kriffing long and haven’t even been able to grieve him. Echo died and then came back to life! I miss my best friend, Ahsoka, and for kriff's sake, I miss Anakin!” You would have slumped to your knees if it weren’t for Wolffe and Stunner holding you up. You shook like a leaf as the gravity of this entire messed-up situation hit you. EVERYONE was GONE.

You lifted your head, eyes red-rimmed. “I don’t have anyone but the Batch. My family is all gone. I joined the war effort to get off Coruscant, and then I had a family again. They were taken from me… again.” You shook your head. “I can’t lose Crosshair. I can’t lose anyone anymore… but he doesn’t want me, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh, Y/N, you know that’s not true,” Wolffe said, shaking his head. “Crosshair tore apart the entire known universe searching for you.”

“Nearly this base too,” Stunner added.

You wailed harder, making the 104th boys cringe. Okay, maybe they didn’t know how to comfort omegas very well.

“Well, the Commander already offered you a spot in our ranks. You’ll always have a pack with us, Y/N,” Grim said, stepping forward and giving your head a little pat.

You sniffled, perking up. “Thank you.”

“The offer still stands. Just let me know, pretty girl,” Wolffe said, smiling and smoothing down your hair.

“Get your hands off my mate!”

Crosshair’s silvery voice boomed throughout the dorm.

You all spun around to find Crosshair storming inside with his signature scowl. Wolffe let you go, and you stood on wobbly legs, wiping your tear-stained cheeks as he approached. You were unsure if this was going to turn into another brawl.

Without a word, he wrapped his hand around your arm and guided you out of the 104th’s bunks.

“Cross…” you sighed.

“Just give me a second,” he pleaded, continuing to lead you back to your apartment.

You huffed and let him. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, guiding you back over to your messy nest. The combined scent of your mating was still strong among the textiles, making you shiver. He took your hands in his in a surprisingly sweet gesture and walked backward until he could climb back into the pile of blankets. He dragged you down with him and pulled you on top of him with a huff.

You braced yourself against his strong chest and looked down into his piercing gaze.

“You know I’m bad at words,” he said deadpan, “…and feelings.”

You nodded.

“Those words weren’t a true reflection of how I feel about you and about this,” he explained. You watched as he searched for the right words. “I-I was scared.”

Well, that’s not what you thought he was going to say… the mighty Crosshair, scared? You raised an eyebrow.

“I wanted you for so long. I pictured it a million times. It’s always been you, Y/N. You’ve overtaken every thought, every moment of my day. Even on the battlefield, I couldn’t wait to get back to you. Every damn mission, I would have taken on an entire garrison alone just to be with you again. Wrecker wasn’t the only one getting injured to get your attention.” He chuckled. “Your touch haunts me. Even if it was just to feel you stitch me back up… You made our squad a pack. You were the last piece we all needed. What I needed. I was scared that you would resent me.” He intertwined your fingers and brought them in front of the two of you. “I’m not Hunter… I’m not like my brothers. I never thought you’d want a mate like me, and when I saw what I did, I had never felt so much guilt in my entire life—”

He raised a finger to wipe away a tear that managed to escape your blinking eyes. You leaned forward and shushed him with a kiss. He was reluctant at first but then gave in and softened at your touch. When you pulled away, you gently stroked the side of his face where his tattoo lay.

“Never assume anything with me, mate,” you said, quirking the side of your mouth up. “I love you, Crosshair.” His eyes lit up, and his entire demeanor softened. You smiled, feeling the true conviction being sent through the bond.

You continued, “I don’t want anyone else besides you, Hunter, Tech, and Wrecker. You’re my pack. You’re my family, and I’m tired of losing family. I want to be free. I want to live somewhere green where we can all grow old. I want our pups to have a good, safe life. I want you… scars and all.”

The sniper was floored. 

His entire existence had been defined by being just a number with a singular purpose. Up until this moment, he had only dabbled in the world of the nat-borns. But looking at you now, with your sparkling eyes above him, he knew he too wanted more. He wanted the life you spoke of. He was finally ready to be more than just a soldier.

That's when he knew it was the right moment. “I love you, Y/N.”

You smiled from ear to ear. Suddenly, you didn’t feel so lonely. You felt loved, and you could sense the belonging in the bond as your heart soared. Collapsing on top of your mate, you both wrapped your arms around each other in a vice grip, holding one another close. It was something you both needed dearly.

“I can feel you through the bond,” he said, stroking your hair.

“What do you feel?” you whispered, massaging his scalp.

“…belonging,” he sighed, almost in relief. “Home.”

“Home,” you nodded in agreement.

---

You weren’t sure how much time had passed, but you didn’t care. Neither of you left that very comfortable spot in the nest, just enjoying each other’s presence.

Then you felt Crosshair shift under you. He rolled you both over so he could spoon you from behind, tugging you into his front and securing you with a strong arm. You nuzzled into him, enjoying the warmth on your back as you settled into the covers.

You broke the silence. “I wanted you to do it on Mimban.”

He chuckled. “And I thought it was just your heat making you act up.”

You smiled. “No. I liked the way you took charge and took care of me. I love your brothers, but they’re too cautious sometimes, even for their own good. I liked seeing that part of you. You’re a good alpha.”

He chuckled deeply, making the two of you vibrate. “They were too scared to hurt you, mesh’la.”

“It seems like forever ago.” You looked across the room at the setting sun over the lake.

“Mimban?” he asked.

“All of it,” you replied. “The war, the Republic…” and everyone.

“I know,” he whispered, rubbing a soothing palm over your belly. You purred into the touch, feeling soothed.

Then, when his hand traveled a little further down, it was like a bucket of ice water was dumped on you. He sat up, sensing your alarm.

He was about to speak when you rolled over to look at him. Your hands went to your belly, and your brows furrowed in worry. “D-do you think… do you think I’m pregnant?”

That was the first and only time you had been intimate without any protection. You had nearly forgotten about it, too absorbed in the whirlwind of the past day.

He shook his head. “No,” he said silently, placing a finger over his lips. “I sure hope so, baby.” His tone betrayed the look in his eyes. You were being monitored. You had almost slipped up. Kark.

He gave you the hand signal used during the war to tell you to “proceed with caution.”

You nodded and responded with the signal for “understood.”

He nodded and gestured toward the bathroom. “A pup of our own, yeah?”

You both got up and trotted into the bathroom, where Crosshair turned on the shower water along with the sinks. You both crowded into the furthest corner.

“You don’t remember?” he asked in a low whisper.

You shook your head, not understanding what he was asking.

“On the first day of your heat, I gave you a syringe of contraceptive.” He thumbed the spot on your arm, making you narrow your eyes.

“I d-don’t remember,” you replied.

“I knew what Tarkin wanted. He wanted you pupped after your heat. I knew I had to do something,” he explained.

“So I’m not pregnant?” you asked, subconsciously touching your belly.

He shook his head. “No, you’re protected.”

You were relieved, but then a tinge of sadness hit you. You couldn’t help but place a hesitant hand on your stomach. Crosshair noticed your movement immediately. He placed his hands on your shoulders before kneeling down in front of you. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But I know how afraid you are of Tarkin taking our pup.” He put a hand on your belly, unable to help himself.

You felt your insides flutter at the firm warmth his sturdy hand provided.

You shook your head, trying to focus. “B-but… how?” You were trying to make sense of it all.

“I had help,” he whispered, thumbing the fabric over your belly. It seemed something about the topic of pups had awakened something in the sniper. He was fixated on your belly with uncanny focus.

You watched him, trying to think of who it could possibly be. Now that he mentioned it, you remembered him telling you about how he had gotten his chip removed. Along with the 104th, there had to be someone on the inside helping the clones. Someone who hated the Empire as much as the rest of you did.

Crosshair’s attention was suddenly snapped to the side. He stood abruptly and turned off the shower faucet.

A shallow rumble vibrated through the floors, shaking the apartment. You perked up, holding onto Crosshair’s arm. He waited for just a moment before ordering you to put on your shoes.

“What’s going on?” you asked, following him through the apartment until you were both standing in the living room. He looked outside at the inky black horizon overlooking the Nabooian lake.

There was a moment of eerie silence before a second loud bang shook the room violently. Crosshair grabbed onto you protectively as the crystal chandelier overhead jingled.

The blast door suddenly opened, and Bolts came running inside with an urgent expression. “The 99s are here. It’s happening.”

Your world came to a standstill for a second. Your mates… they found you… they’re here.

“C’mon,” Crosshair urged you out of your thoughts. You gripped his hand tightly as he followed after Bolts.

The residential sector was beginning to emerge from their rooms. The three of you hustled down the hallway, ignoring everyone’s curious glances. But you noticed it didn’t take long for the clones to fall back into their training instincts. They seemed to sense the danger as if it were a sixth sense.

Approaching the main corridor, you could hear the sound of blaster fire and screaming. The smell of plasma charges filled your nose as you got closer.

“Cross,” you whimpered, squeezing his hand a little tighter. He squeezed you back, giving you a bit of comfort before being thrown back into your GAR training.

“She’s over here!” A familiar voice made the hair stand up on your neck.

“Hunter,” you breathed.

“Hunter!” Crosshair yelled into the chaos. He knew his brother could hear him and that he’d be tracking the two of you.

From behind you, red blaster fire shot from your right as a battalion of stormtroopers emerged from the dust of the explosion, separating you from Hunter’s voice. From the left, a massive hole was blown into the side of the building, with men in unmarked plastoid armor flooding in. They returned fire with blue blaster bolts.

“Commander!” One of the stormtroopers ran up to Crosshair. “Rebels have infiltrated the base!” He handed Crosshair an extra blaster. “We have to stop them befo—”

Crosshair didn’t waste another second before blasting the trooper into the room behind him.

“Get as many weapons as possible. We need to find Hunter!” Crosshair told Bolts. “Where is Wolffe?”

Bolts shook his head. “Not sure, sir.”

“Well, there’s no way he doesn’t know what’s happening. I need to get her—”

A detonator went off, sending everyone in the vicinity flying backward in a plume of fire and shrapnel. The air was violently punched from your lungs as you felt yourself skidding along the white polished floors. 

You forced yourself to breathe with a heave. The ringing in your ears was nearly unbearable as you tried your hardest to regain your senses. 

“Kark.” You wheezed, forcing yourself to roll over onto all fours. You took another painful breath before looking up, trying to find Crosshair’s silver hair in the chaos. All around you was fire and smoke, but there was no sign of Cross. 

“I found the Ori’sol!” A muffled voice called out over the crackling of loose electrical wires. 

“She’s alive!” a woman’s voice followed, “Where is the Commander?” 

Suddenly, you were lifted off the ground by strong hands and into the arms of a strange Stormtrooper. A second trooper arrived, placing a flimsy oxygen mask over your face before jogging alongside the first trooper, getting further and further from the blast. 

“Cross!” You cried out, feeling your voice struggle to keep up. 

“Don’t worry, Ori’sol, we’ll find the Commander,” the medic said, trying to soothe you, but you weren’t feeling any calmer. In fact, the further these troopers carried you from the action, the more worried you became. You tried to scream, but you couldn’t seem to find your voice. They just didn’t understand. 

You pushed against the white plastoid armor, trying to get away, but the trooper held you tighter to prevent your squirming. Their jog came to a stop when they reached the medical sector. 

“Quickly, trooper, in here,” a frustratingly calm voice ordered. You turned your head to see a tall white alien, Nala Se, as the two troopers carried you inside the medical clinic. 

“They’re invading the entire base. We have to go back to help the others,” the medic told Nala Se. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure the Ori’sol is alright,” she replied, guiding them to set you down on the medical table. The troopers hurried back outside into the chaos, leaving you alone with Nala Se. 

“Quick, Y/N,” she urged, removing the oxygen mask and handing you a data drive. 

You looked at her, confused. 

“That contains all the information about the clone troopers and your DNA replicants. I already informed your mate that I had your samples destroyed. Take this. It will help you and your mates.” 

You shook your head. “What?” 

“The secrets of cloning belonged to my people for thousands of years. Kamino is gone, and I will not let the Empire obtain such knowledge. They’ve unleashed enough terror on the galaxy.” 

You stared at her, dumbfounded. “You… you’re the helper?” 

She blinked at you. 

“You gave Cross the birth control?” 

She nodded. 

“You removed all the inhibitor chips?” 

She nodded. 

“Why?” 

She blinked. “The Empire is holding someone important to me hostage. I had to help them or they’d hurt her. But I did what I could to help the troopers. What Tarkin desires is unnatural.” 

You took a deep breath. “Then we need to go now.” 

“I cannot,” she sighed. 

“Why not?” 

“I can’t leave,” she said, turning back around. “I’ll make sure everything is destroyed here. You go find your mate, leave, and help the troopers.” 

You took the drive and clenched it tightly. With one last nod, you turned to leave the medical clinic. 

Leaving Nala Se behind, you ran down the corridor, jumping over debris and destruction. 

“Crosshair! Hunter!” You called out as you neared the battle zone. 

“Tiny!” You heard a familiar voice and spun around. 

Wolffe and Grim trotted up to you in their dirtied pajamas, both clutching stolen weapons. 

“Wolffe!” You ran over to them. 

“Where’s your mate?” he snarled, firing into the smoke to provide cover for both of you. 

“I got separated in the blast!” You showed him the data drive in your fist. “I have to get this out.” 

“What is it?” Grim asked, looking down the hallway and shooting a few stormtroopers in the back. 

“I don’t know. Nala Se said it would help you all and that it contains my cloning information.” 

“We need to find another way out of here. We’re not going to get through that door with all this heat,” Wolffe said. 

“I heard Hunter earlier, but the blaster fire separated us,” you said, clutching the drive. 

“Oh, your boys are here, alright,” Grim laughed. “Big guy blasted a hole through the front door.” 

Wrecker. 

“Rex is here too,” Wolffe said. “Brought the whole damn infantry.” 

Rex came? Wow, your message did get to them. You were suddenly filled with relief. You knew your boys would get you out of here. 

“We have to go find them!” you said, just as another bomb went off somewhere else in the base. 

“Residential is just up ahead. We could get back to the bunks, find who’s there, and then make a plan to get out of here,” Wolffe said. 

“Is that an order, Commander?” Grim asked, firing into the troopers. 

“Yes,” Wolffe decided. 

You both nodded and followed behind the Gen 1 clone. The smoke seemed much less frightening with two skilled soldiers leading the way. They expertly navigated through the chaos, guiding you in the right direction. Turning left, they entered the vacant residential hall. 

You couldn’t remember a time in the GAR when you were in direct line of fire. The only time you recalled was in Jabba the Hutt’s palace, and it was nothing like this. Two groups of trained soldiers on both sides, though it was becoming clear that the clone troopers were far superior. 

The three of you turned down the eerie, dark hallways with flashing emergency lights, seeing the lake through the large panoramic window. Outside, there was fire, smoke, and blaster fire in the tree line. It was an absolute siege. The sky was lined with TIE fighters and old repurposed Republic fighter jets like the ones Anakin and Obi-Wan used to fly.

The outside was glowing with blaster lights. 

“Move, trooper! They couldn’t have gone far,” a Reg’s voice echoed through the halls, causing Wolffe and Grim to halt and wait to see who was approaching.

Through the fog emerged Bolts, Stunner, a frightened group of omegas, and Crosshair.

“Y/N!” he called, rushing to you. He had shrapnel scratches all over his face but was otherwise uninjured. You sighed with relief and tucked into his chest.

“I couldn’t find you after the blast,” you said.

“We have to get her out of here,” Wolffe said. “She has important data that we need to get to Rex.”

Crosshair gave you a suspicious look, but you responded with a hand signal indicating you’d explain later.

“We can’t get through the main entrance,” Grim pointed out. “It’s too hot.”

“There is no other exit,” Bolts shook his head. “Unless Crosshair knows something we don’t.”

Crosshair shook his head. “They were careful to only give me information that couldn’t be used against them. I don’t know another exit that doesn’t drop us right into the center of the hive.”

A tense moment of silence followed, broken only by the blaring security alarms. Stunner pointed beyond your head. “There.”

You all looked at him.

“We can jump,” he said.

You whipped around, looking at the inky black lake below.

“We don’t know what’s down there!” you squeaked.

“It’s our only option, or we’ll be trapped here while Tarkin calls for backup,” Stunner reasoned. “It will only be a matter of time before the entire Imperial army is here.”

“What about Hunter and the others?” You looked up at Crosshair.

He remained silent, trying to evaluate all possible scenarios, none of which he liked.

“We don’t have much time,” Wolffe said, looking down at you. “It’s now or never.”

You opened your mouth to protest, but Crosshair cut you off. “Let’s go.”

He raised his weapon and used the buttstock of the blaster to strike the glass. A small crack formed as the glass vibrated; it was reinforced.

The other clones grabbed their rifles to help. On a count of three, they all brought down their weapons, sending spiderweb cracks across the window.

“Back up!” Crosshair ordered. Everyone retreated as he raised his weapon and fired two plasma bolts, shattering the entire window. Aggressive winds pushed through the new opening, making you shiver. The wind whistled through the base, rushing past the hallways.

“Kark me,” you muttered, looking over the edge at the nearly four-story drop below. “Why do I keep ending up in situations where I have to swim?”

You heard Wolffe chuckle. “We gotcha, kid. No worries.”

“No worries?” you squeaked.

“C’mon, don’t think about it or you’ll freak yourself out,” Crosshair said, slinging his rifle around his body and tightening it, preparing to jump.

“Who’s first?” Bolts asked, looking a bit uncertain.

“Me and the lieutenant,” Wolffe said, glancing at Stunner, who nodded. They both stepped as far back as the hallway would allow. “We’ll let you know when we reach the bottom. Jump as far out as you can!”

Bolts gave Stunner a nod of confidence before they ran and launched themselves from the ledge. You and Crosshair watched as they plummeted into the darkness. You barely registered a white splash as they landed before looking up at your mate, unsure if you could do this. He sent calming energy through the bond, and you shivered.

“Look at me,” he said, placing his hand on your cheek. “Do that thing you did back on the transport.”

“What thing?” you whined.

“When you took over our skills,” he said.

“I’ve only done it in life-or-death situations!” you half-yelled.

He shrugged and looked around. “I think this would fall into that category.”

You huffed and closed your eyes. “I don’t know how it works!”

“Well, we don’t have much time,” he said, dragging you to the back wall as panic set in. 

“Crosshair, I really don’t think—”

He suddenly grabbed your hand, and it felt like being submerged in cold water again. You took a deep breath, feeling his calm settle over you. You were no longer afraid. In fact, you knew exactly how hard you’d have to push off the ledge and the form you’d need to make to ensure the water didn’t hurt on impact. You even had a basic understanding of water and swimming. Crosshair had been doing it his whole life on Kamino.

“Let’s go,” you breathed, focusing.

He gave you a nod and held tightly onto your hand.

“We’ll be right behind you!” Bolts and Grim prepared to jump as well. The other omegas in the corner watched with bated breath as you and Crosshair took off into a sprint, gaining as much speed as you could before using your back legs to push off the ledge with everything you had.

Flinging yourself into the darkness below, you watched as the water’s surface approached rapidly. Before you hit the water, you released Crosshair, crossed your arms over your chest, and made yourself as streamlined as possible. The moment your feet hit the water, you slid in, enveloped in icy cold.

Using Crosshair’s knowledge of swimming, you held your breath and began kicking upward, using your arms as leverage. The darkness made it hard to see the surface, but you kicked and kicked until you finally broke through.

With a deep breath, you blinked your eyes and looked around, seeing Crosshair swimming over to you. “You okay?”

“Yeah!” you replied, glancing up and realizing just how massive the base really was.

“We gotta keep moving! Wolffe is over there!” Crosshair pointed to the shoreline, where Wolffe and Stunner were dragging themselves out of the water.

You used your arms to steer and paddled alongside your mate, trying your best to keep breathing deeply despite the freezing water beating against you.

Behind you, you heard Bolts scream, followed by a loud splash and the shrill shriek of the omegas coming close behind.

You kept your eyes trained on Crosshair’s silvery hair as he paddled to shore and stood up to help you climb the large rocks leading to the empty beach.

“Do you know where we are?” Wolffe asked your mate as you wrung out your hair.

You bent down to help pull the other omegas from the water.

“Looks like it’s the south side of the compound,” Crosshair said, looking around to get his bearings. “I only entered and exited from the north side. But since the window we jumped from was in the lower residential area, that means we’re south.”

“How do we get to Rex and the 99s?” Stunner asked, shaking the water from his blaster and checking for damage.

“We gotta hike,” Wolffe said, looking at the mountain ahead.

“Are we even going to make it?” you said. “It’s too far. They’re never going to get us before the Imperial army arrives!”

Crosshair started to laugh.

You turned to face him, confused, as did everyone else.

He continued to laugh hysterically, making you start to freak out slightly.

Then he stopped and yelled, “Fuck!” The forest around you fell completely silent.

You all remained silent, watching your mate lose his composure.

“We’re going to be stranded here!” he continued, his silvery voice filled with rage. “The fucking Empire is going to find us, and everything Hunter and Rex did will have been for nothing! There’s no escape from these bastards! T-They’re everywhere…”

You shook your head and turned away, letting him continue his rant while you wandered down the beach.

Wolffe was going to follow you, but Grim stopped him with an outstretched arm. They watched you silently as you stepped into the darkness.

You continued forward, feeling the quiet surround you despite the bombings and shootings happening in the background. You walked down the beach, closing your eyes and following the faint feeling blossoming inside your chest. You could sense it, like a tapping on your sternum. Focusing deeply, you nurtured the sensation, feeling it expand until you realized who it was.

Opening your eyes, you took a deep breath, feeling the connection snap into place as if Hunter was able to see through your eyes. You couldn’t hear him, but you could feel his presence all around you.

“Hunter!” you breathed out.

Moments later, you felt the earth rumble as bright lights appeared above the mountain crest. A repurposed relic-era cargo vessel descended onto the beach.

You stood up, raising an arm to block out the bright lights as the ship opened its cargo hold.

“Are you Y/N?!” a Reg’s voice shouted from the deck.

“Yes!” you screamed back.

“Sergeant Hunter sent us!” he said. “Get in!”

You spun around, looking at the group. “C’mon!” You waved them over before heading for the cargo hatch.

“How did she do that?” Bolts asked, flabbergasted.

Crosshair leapt inside, extending his hand to help the others load in.

Once everyone was safely inside, you turned to the unfamiliar regs standing in the cargo hold.

“Sergeant, we have her and CT-9904. We’ll meet you back at base for a reunion at 0300 hours,” the Reg said, giving you and Crosshair a kind smile.

You felt Crosshair wrap his arms around you, and you turned to face him, resting your wet head against his damp chest and hearing his calming heartbeat.

“We did it,” he said, resting his chin on your head. You hummed, finally beginning to feel relief you hadn’t felt in a standard month.

“So who are you guys?” a Reg asked, wearing civilian clothing.

“Wolffe stepped forward. ‘104th, omegas being held captive, a 99 and his mate,’” he introduced everyone. “You?”

“212th Attack Battalion,” he replied. “Rex got us out not long ago. We’ve been working with him ever since.”

You perked up.

“General Kenobi’s battalion?” you asked.

“Yeah,” he nodded.

“Commander Cody?” you asked, feeling hopeful.

“Alive and well, miss,” he smiled.

You sighed with relief.

“What’s your name?” Crosshair asked.

“Wooley.”

“Wait.” You released Crosshair to face him. “I know you.”

He looked you up and down skeptically before leaning back against the wall with a raised brow. “Medic on Ryloth. You ran with the 501st boys.”

“Yeah, you’re the field medic, right?” you asked.

He nodded. “Good memory, nat.”

You smiled.

Wolffe interrupted, “Not to ruin the reunion, but where are we going?”

Wooley nodded. “Rex has a base where he brings clones he rescues from the Empire. It’s invisible to the Imps, so we’re meeting back there once he picks up as many brothers as he can.”

“There’s more?” you asked.

“Ma’am, Captain Rex saved thousands of us,” Wooley said proudly. “And with your intel, hopefully every clone at that base.”

Holy kark.

You hadn’t realized the size of this operation. You thought only your mates would have shown with Rex in tow, but he managed to assemble an entire army to storm that base—all because of your information and a well-timed dirty chase through the woods. You stifled a laugh.

Lightly thumbing the holodrive in your hand, you looked to Crosshair, knowing that the weight of the Empire was finally beginning to lift from your shoulders.

He returned a similar look. He may be stoic, but you could see the hope in his eyes.

You were finally going to be free…

Comment if you know where they're taking Pip haha

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