After their short, but meaningful conversation, Cooper gathered Ender in his arms and headed back to their barracks.

"Cooper," Ender whispered into the older Invitro's ear.

"Hmm?"

"I don't want you to leave me."

At this, Cooper stopped dead in the corridor. Pulling Ender away from his chest, Cooper looked into the intelligent eyes of his little charge.

"I'm not going anywhere."

But as he watched Ender's expression, Cooper knew that this boy couldn't be swayed by simple words. Heaving a frustrated sigh Hawkes started walking again.

When the two Invitros got back to the Wildcard's barracks, Ender had finally fallen asleep on Cooper's shoulder. Carefully Cooper settled them both onto his bunk, and before Cooper could think about how tired he had suddenly become, he was snoring softly himself.

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Morning came early to the 58th squadron and found its members preparing for a shift of sentry duty, patrolling the defense lines of the Earth Forces.

"Man, what I wouldn't give for another hour of sleep," Paul moaned on his way to the shower.

"Come on Paul, there's still a war to be won you know," Vanessa scolded as she stretched out her lower back.

"Shhhh," Cooper said softly as he pulled on his boots. "Ender's still asleep."

"You're kidding right?" Shane looked down at Cooper's bunk, and sure enough the lump under the blanket seemed to be sound asleep. "I thought he woke up at the drop of a hat." Cooper's only answer was to shrug. "Cooper you need to take him down to Medical or something, he can't just stay here while we're gone." At Cooper's confused look, Shane continued, "If he wakes up and nobody's here, the kid is gonna freak."

"Yeah, I guess you're right Shane, but I don't want to leave him in Medical, he hates that place."

"Him and everybody else Coop, why don't you ask the Colonel if he'll keep Ender?"

He looked skeptical, but Cooper nodded anyway. Shane gave the young man a reassuring smile as he left the barracks in search of their commanding officer, and the one person that Cooper alternately admired and feared.

It didn't take long for Cooper to find Colonel McQueen; the older man was actually still in his cabin on the deck above the Wildcard's barracks. Knocking tentatively, Cooper was surprised when the door quickly swung open, revealing the imposing figure that was T. C. McQueen.

Frozen like a deer in headlights, Cooper stood there staring at McQueen until the older man spoke up.

"Something I can do for you Hawkes?"

"Uh, well sir I was kinda wondering if you could do me kinda a personal favor while we're gone today." Cooper watched for a reaction, but seeing none he continued. "I don't want to leave Ender in Medical, he's scared of the place and I don't know what else to do with him, so I was wonderin' if maybe you could watch out for him while we're on sentry duty."

McQueen simply stared at the young man before him for several long tense moments. "You want me to baby-sit Hawkes, is that what you're asking me?" Cooper visibly shrank at the incredulous and superior tone in the Colonel's voice. Pausing a moment more for effect, McQueen continued. "Well why didn't you just say so, I'll get Ender from the barracks in a minute. And, you better hurry Cooper, if you don't get moving you're never going to make it to the briefing on time," McQueen finished with a slight grin noting Cooper's disheveled appearance. Cooper's face lit up like a child's when the realization finally dawned on him that McQueen was glad to help with Ender; he hastily saluted and said a quick "thanks!" before he started off down the corridor at a run. Colonel McQueen snorted and shook his head; Cooper could always be counted on to be either the most difficult or the most endearing one of his "kids."

After McQueen finished in his cabin he closed the hatch and headed down to the 58th's barracks. Arriving at the door bearing the insignia of the Wildcard's McQueen played through a few scenarios of what might be on the other side of the hatch, but nothing prepared him for what he saw. Ender sat on Cooper's bunk wrapped in the standard issue brown blanket, his whole posture reeked of defeat and sorrow and upon closer inspection, the tiny invitro was quietly crying. Frowning, McQueen took the few strides to Ender's side and kneeled down in front of him. The little boy looked up at McQueen, the red-rimmed eyes filled with sorrow and fear.

"Take it easy Ender," McQueen said soothingly as he moved slowly to sit next to the boy.

"Cooper left me, they all did," Ender sniffled.

"No, they had a mission to fly. Cooper left you with me; he was trying to help you out by not taking you to medical for the duration."

Ender studied the hard man sitting next to him. "You don't like me very much do you?"

Sighing, McQueen answered, "That's not important, come on, I've still got duties to attend to."

Drying his eyes, Ender dropped off the bunk and waited for McQueen to move.

"Here, let me see you leg."

Ender gingerly pulled up the fabric of the rigged pants, revealing the white gauze of the bandages. McQueen kneeled down once again and let out a short sigh when he discovered the bandages relatively saturated with blood.

"Looks like we're making a side trip to medical first."

McQueen ignored Ender's look of panic and scooped the boy up in one fluid motion. The walk to Medical was short, and even though he kept a swift, no nonsense pace, McQueen was careful not to jostle the child in his arms. When they arrived in the infirmary McQueen was a little surprised that it took some effort to dislodge Ender from his neck. This kid must be really terrified, McQueen thought.

Dr. Simms was back on duty, and she was definitely not happy to see that her patient had yet again ripped all of his stitches out. "Alright, this wound needs to be able to heal, so from now on, I don't want him walking on his own. Either you keep him immobile or you carry him, but either way if he rips open this wound again it's going to cause some serious tissue damage." McQueen nodded his agreement and as soon as Dr. Simms was finished patching Ender back up, he grabbed the boy and headed for the briefing room.

Because the briefing had already begun, McQueen quietly slipped in the room with Ender in tow. McQueen settled himself into a chair in the back of the room and set Ender in the chair next to his. Sergeant Andrews was explaining to the assembled squads where the current lines had been mapped out from the recent battles and information on where and how much enemy resistance could be lurking just outside these zones. McQueen was only half listening though; the other half of his attention was focused on his squad. As he expected Vansen and West were completely focused on the briefing, still as statues. On the other hand Wang appeared to be still fighting off sleep and Damphousse kept staring at her hands. Cooper was definitely not paying very much attention at all to the Sergeant at the front of the room; his leg was bouncing rapidly and he appeared to be tapping out a rhythm softly on the desk surface with his thumbs. McQueen snorted quietly, some things would never change.

The mission was only sentry duty so the briefing was over quickly, and when Sergeant Andrews dismissed the three assembled squads the pilots began to file out of the room. For his part, Ender seemed to be taking it well enough, though McQueen knew that he would rather it be Cooper that was presently carrying him around. Can't say I blame him, I never was very good with kids, besides Cooper's more like a kid than anything. McQueen smiled at this thought as his kids filed past him towards the launch deck, each one giving him a nod and Ender a pat and a smile. Cooper was the last in line, and he stopped in front of McQueen and Ender.

"Thanks again Colonel, and I'll be back," Cooper directed the last part of his statement at Ender, and with a serious expression Cooper went to catch up wit his mates.

"Looks like it's just you and me for a while kid," McQueen said looking down at Ender, who was still watching Cooper's retreating form.

-End Part 6-