Five Years Later

Lila

"Boys! Almost time to come in, you hear me?" I call through the open window, balancing the toddler girl on my hip. Raina chuckles at me from her place at the stove where she's cooking,

"You're such a natural with them." She comments softly, "My Ash doesn't usually take to other women holding her."

"Maybe I have a magic touch." I joke, turning my head to kiss the baby's rosy cheek. Raina is observing me with a thoughtful expression, her wise eyes seeing much,

"I wonder why a beautiful woman like you doesn't have a few bairns of your own." She hints, "Never found the right man?"

"No." I reply, nuzzling Ash's long curls to hide my expression, "I thought I did once. But that was a long time ago."

Raina hums, tapping the wooden spoon against the pot before declaring the stew to be finished. I hear a rain of footsteps before the door flies open, showing Jack and Titus brandishing swords made of plastic.

"Surrender cookies or face the consequences!" Titus shouts, coming up and poking me goodnaturedly in the side. I laugh, careful to hold tight to the baby as the two boys tug at me.

"You'll spoil your appetite, boys." Their mother scolds lightly but she's watching with amusement.

"I'm the captain!" Jack growls, "I'm supposed to give the orders around here!"

"It's my turn to wear the medallion!" Titus protests, grabbing at something around his older brother's neck. I feel my heart drop when I catch a flash of metal on Jack's chest.

"Where did you find that?" I set Ash down on the floor where she balances holding my shirt. I lift the chain off of Jack's neck and look at the painted red skull staring back up at me. Instinctively, I brush my thumb over the symbol emblazoned on the metal before I realize that the room has gone silent.

"I'm sorry, Lila." Jack murmurs sheepishly, "I found it on the floor outside your room. I didn't know it was yours."

"No, it's alright." I manage to say, forcing a smile at the concerned boys, "I should have taken better care of it."

Raina is looking at me with a curious expression before she takes Jack by the shoulder gently.

"Come on, boys. Let's dish up some food."

After dinner, I let Raina take a rest inside as I watch Jack and Titus play in the front yard, rocking Ash in my arms as the suns begin to set. I feel the weight of the dog tag against my chest and I shake my head, trying not to think of days past. It has been five years since I saw Hunter of any of the other Bad Batch. Four years since I left the command of Ahsoka and Cody. Three years since I started working for Raina. And still, the ache in my chest hasn't lessened one decimal.

I look up as Titus runs to me, suddenly feeling cold creep into my body.

"There's a man out there." He says breathlessly and I stand up, handing him the toddler before walking quickly to the edge of the yard where Jack stands. I grab the boy's arm, alarmed at the form of a man lingering in the shadows.

"Jack, go inside."

"But my sword is over there-" Jack points to where the toy is lying on the tip of the shadow where the stranger stands.

"I'll get it for you, just obey me and get your siblings."

Jack obeys and scurries off; its only until I hear the door close that I'm able to breathe again. I slide the knife that always is hidden in my boot out of the sheath, squinting in the darkness and wishing for a light. The man shifts, coming closer and I brandish my weapon.

"Don't come any closer." I warn, wondering if I still have the energy to summon a soldier or two. I had stopped as soon as I had left Ahsoka, for fear that my abilities would turn some unfriendly eyes. The man stops walking for a moment before venturing another step and a voice sounds in the darkness,

"I'm not going to hurt you."

A shiver runs down my spine before I can stop it and I stand my ground, not lowering the knife.

"Get back."

The man steps closer; I can almost see the entirety of his form. He's taller than I am and a good deal more muscular, and I start to panic as I think of the children I'm supposed to protect.

"Put the knife down before you hurt yourself." The voice instructs carefully and I notice the way my arms are shaking. "I'm unarmed."

I don't know why I obey him. I don't know why I place my only defence in the grass below me. I can only stand there frozen as the stranger comes so close to me that I can almost touch him with a reach of the arm.

"Don't scream."

Why am I shivering? I hear the rasp of a flashlight before I'm temporarily blinded, raising my arm over my eyes quickly before the man tosses the flashlight to the ground where it illuminates us. I feel my heart pound as my eyes adjust, trying to take in as much light as possible to see this man's face.

My eyes travel up red and black armour to a chiseled face, half covered in a dark ink, to charcoal eyes burning deep as they stare into mine. I don't recognize the voice that chokes out:

"Hunter."