A/N: This started as the opening scene of another fic, then it got... complicated. But I didn't want to delete it, so here ya go!

Takes place a few hours after the finale.

Echo couldn't sleep.

After staring at the ceiling for an hour, Echo rolled off his bunk to his feet. Wrecker, laying across from him, was also awake, but didn't react to Echo leaving.

In the nav room, Hunter sat in one of the chairs, head tilted sideways and expression pained even in sleep. Omega was a blanket-wrapped bundle in his lap, hair askew and stiff with ocean salt. Sound asleep, she had her arms wrapped around Hunter, and Hunter's arms were curled protectively across her back.

Beyond them, Tech sat in the pilot's seat of the cockpit. He was awake, hands unusually still in his lap as he stared into the nothingness of space. The consoles were all dark and silent.

Echo sat in the co-pilot's seat and joined Tech in staring into space. Tech didn't react at first, and Echo wasn't sure Tech had even noticed his entrance.

Until Tech spoke.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"No," Echo said in agreement.

"It-" Tech flung a hand out, exhaled hard, then went on, "It defies logic."

Echo tilted his head toward Tech. "I thought you understood."

"I understand that I will never understand," Tech said through grit teeth.

Echo frowned. "I don't get it."

"Neither do I," Tech said with a bitter laugh. "Crosshair is… unyielding. Defiant. I cannot count how many times I wondered why Crosshair stayed with us during the war. Why he obeyed Hunter."

"He's your brother," Echo said.

"He is our brother!"

Tech shoved his goggles back and spun the chair. Echo felt his eyes widen at the tears streaming down Tech's face.

"He is our brother," Tech repeated shakily. "Crosshair only ever had one loyalty. To us. He never cared about power or strength or safety. Force, Echo, he never cared about us!"

"Tech, Tech, you're not making any sense," Echo said, reaching out.

"And Wrecker's never hurt me and Crosshair's never betrayed a brother," Tech spat, slapping Echo's hand away. "And we… and we've never left a brother behind. Who-who betrayed who, Echo? We left him, Echo. We left our brother! And-and we actually wonder why-" Tech broke off, grabbing his hair fitfully.

"Tech, Tech, please," Echo said, standing and grabbing Tech's wrist. "Please, breathe."

"I am," Tech said irritably.

"Then stop rambling," Echo returned. "Tech, Crosshair made his decision. I don't… I don't know why. But it isn't the team's fault."

Tech turned his head away. Echo carefully released Tech's wrist, and Tech wiped his eyes before turning back to the viewport. Echo sat back down, waiting.

After a few minutes, Tech said, "So, this is what it feels like."

Echo frowned. "What?"

Tech shook his head, a shaky chuckle coming from him. "How it feels to fail a mission."