Protective
Hello, everyone. This prompt was suggested by Sliena Natasha. Enjoy.
Crosshair didn't know what happened. One moment, he was checking Hunter and Omega's path from his ledge. The next thing he knew, they were screaming as an explosion hit near them. Crosshair rushed down from his ledge and arrived at the two first. Hunter had protected Omega with his body, but neither of them were moving.
"What happened?" Echo question as he and the other two arrived.
"I... I don't know." Crosshair answered. He gently rolled Hunter onto his back and removed his helmet. "Hunter, wake up."
Echo sat beside Omega and examined her while Wrecker tried to wake her.
"Crosshair?" Hunter moaned.
"Yeah. I'm here, Hunter. Where does it hurt?" Crosshair questioned. Hunter moaned and opened his eyes weakly. Crosshair saw Hunter's eyes and examined his head and found a gash on the back of his head. "His pupils are beginning to dilate."
"His legs are broken and cut up. It looks like a bomb went off." Tech stated. "Wrecker, go back to the ship and get the gurneys. They need to be as still as possible."
Wrecker ran off to the ship. Hunter moaned and mumbled weakly.
"Omega!" Hunter gasped. "Omega!"
"Hunter, she's fine. Stay still. Echo has her. She's right beside you." Crosshair hushed. Hunter relaxed and Crosshair checked his upper body.
"My leg. My left leg. It hurts. What happened to my leg?"
Crosshair looked at Tech who had removed the armor from Hunter's legs. Tech touched Hunter's left leg and Hunter cried out in pain, but when Tech touched Hunter's right leg, he didn't respond.
"Hunter, can you feel your right leg?" Tech questioned.
"My right leg is fine. It's my left leg that's killing me." Hunter panted.
"Hunter, move your right leg."
"I can't. What's wrong with my left leg?"
"Both of your legs are severely damaged. Hunter, can you feel this?"
Tech touched Hunter's right knee and Hunter didn't react.
"No. Where are you touching me?" Hunter panted.
"Hunter, this is your right knee," Tech replied.
"What? Wait, I can't... I can't move my right leg. Why can't I... why won't it move? It is moving?"
"No, it isn't, Hunter. Move your left leg."
"I can't."
"You could a moment ago."
"Not now. I can't feel it. Tech, I can't..." Hunter started sobbing as fear took over. Crosshair watched in shock.
"Hunter, relax." Tech hushed. "You'll be fine. Where else are you hurt?"
"I... my head, back... my chest hurts a lot."
Crosshair snapped out of his thoughts and removed Hunter's chest plate and examined his ribs.
"Your ribs are crushed." Crosshair said.
"Omega?" Hunter wondered.
"She's lucky. You took most of the blast. She has a lot of injuries, but not as severe as you." Echo answered.
Hunter looked up at Crosshair as Wrecker rushed back with the gurneys.
"We... should have seen that bomb. Why didn't we see it?" Hunter wondered. Hunter and Omega were placed on their gurneys and rushed back to the ship. When they arrived, Tech immediately took off to Abydoa. Crosshair looked at Omega who hadn't stirred. Wrecker stood beside her holding her hand. Wrecker looked up at Crosshair and shook his head. Crosshair looked at Echo who was keeping an eye on Hunter. Echo grabbed an oxygen mask and placed it on Hunter's face.
"He's quickly getting worse." Echo sighed as he looked at Crosshair. "What happened?"
"I don't know." Crosshair replied. He took care of their gear and cleaned his rifle as they waited to get to Abydoa.
"We'll be there in a few minutes," Tech said as he walked over. Hunter started coughing and choking. Echo checked his lungs and looked at Tech.
"His lungs are collapsing." Echo stated. "We need to hurry."
Tech rushed back into the cockpit as they jumped out of hyperspace. Hunter groaned and stopped breathing.
"He's not breathing. Crosshair, I need your help." Echo stated.
"We're landing right now. A medical team is waiting for us." TEch answered. Crosshair rushed over to Echo and HUnter. Hunter's lips were already turning blue and his skin was pale. Echo hit a few buttons on the mask hoping they would force Hunter's lungs to work again, but they didn't.
"His heart is still beating, but it's faint." Crosshair replied. They landed and the hatch opened. Crosshair and Echo unhooked Hunter's gurney and rushed him out of the ship. Wrecker and Tech were right behind with Omega.
"His lungs have collapsed. He hasn't been breathing since we jumped out of hyperspace." Echo warned. The doctor examined Hunter and gave him a hypo. The monitor that the nurse had started beeping and they relaxed slightly.
"He's breathing, but we need to rush both of them into surgery." The doctor stated. Hunter and Omega were rushed into surgery and the others waited in the waiting room.
Crosshair stood in the corner and leaned into the wall. He thought about what happened trying to understand what he missed.
Crosshair looked ahead of where Hunter and Omega were. There was a clearing covered in snow. In the middle of the clearing, there was a hump. It was only a stone.
Crosshair looked at his brothers and realized what had happened.
"Rex said that there used to be a syndicate on that planet, right?" Crosshair wondered.
"Yes, why?" Echo answered.
"I checked that clearing, but I missed the bomb. The last sighting of the syndicate was back during the warm season on that planet. There was no snow. They could have easily planted bombs shaped like rocks and they could have been triggered by a wire, but with the snow-covered all of that, I wouldn't have been able to spot it. The hump I saw was more than just rock hiding underneath it, it was the bomb."
"DO you remember the size?" Wrecker questioned.
"It was twice the size of your helmet." Crosshair replied.
Wrecker thought back to the explosion and his eyes went wide.
"Hunter and omega were lucky. The bomb probably used a pack of rhydonium about the size of Omega's helmet. Then they surrounded it with a detonator and shrapnel. They usually produce a big boom." Wrecker explained. "Not many survive at twice the distance."
"Hunter and Omega will. They're strong." Echo encouraged.
Several hours later, a doctor walked out and the brothers rushed up to him.
"How are they?" Echo asked.
"They'll live. Both of them were very lucky. At the moment, they are unconscious and in bacta tanks and they will be overnight. In the morning, we will examine them again and go from there." The doctor answered. "Let me take you to them."
It wasn't long before the brothers were with Hunter and Omega watching them in their tanks.
"I should have warned them about that bomb. I should have seen it coming." Crosshair huffed as he paced around the room.
"There was no way you could have known about that bomb, Crosshair. Don't beat yourself up over it." Tech sighed.
"I failed my job. Hunter and Omega could have died out there and it would have been my fault."
Wrecker, Tech, and Echo looked at each other in concern for Crosshair. These three brothers were able to sleep throughout the night, but Crosshair didn't. He had to keep watch. He had almost failed once, he would not fail again.
When morning came, the doctor examined HUnter and Omega and they were transferred out of the tanks and into a room where they could rest. The brothers waited patiently for Omega and HUnter to wake knowing that it would be a long while.
Omega was first to open her eyes and when she did, she saw most of her brothers crowding around her in concern.
"What happened? Where's Hunter?" Omega wondered.
"He's sleeping. Do you remember what happened?" Tech asked.
"No. Last thing I remember was walking to a clearing. What happened?"
"An explosion went off. You and Hunter were critically injured, but both of you will make a full recovery. Rest."
Omega tried to sit up, but Crosshair stopped her.
"No, you need to rest." Crosshair stated.
"I want to see Hunter." Omega moaned.
"No."
"Crosshair, let her see him." Echo said.
"She needs her rest." Crosshair sneered.
"It'll just be for a moment."
Crosshair nodded and Echo helped Omega look over at Hunter.
"Is he in a lot of pain?" Omega wondered.
"We don't know. Probably." Echo sighed. "Come on, get some sleep."
Omega laid down and soon was asleep.
That evening, Wrecker and Tech went home while Echo and Crosshair stayed.
"Crosshair, go get some rest. I'll watch them." Echo ordered.
"I'm fine." Crosshair replied.
Hunter moaned and rolled his head to the side. He rubbed his eyes with his left hand and opened his eyes.
"What?" Hunter croaked. Crosshair helped Hunter drink some water and Hunter coughed.
"You and Omega are safe. You'll be home before you know it." Echo answered. Hunter nodded and looked around weakly.
"Cold."
Crosshair grabbed a blanket and covered Hunter with it.
"Better." Hunter sighed.
"Get some sleep, Hunter." Crosshair suggested.
"Hungry."
"I'll go get you something to eat." Echo replied. He left the room and Hunter sat up and Crosshair grabbed him and tried to help him.
"Cross, I can do it myself," Hunter stated.
"You're only going to hurt yourself." Crosshair warned. Crosshair jerked Hunter unknowingly and Hunter started coughing. "See. Let me help you."
Crosshair helped Hunter get comfortable, but didn't realize that he was only making things worse. Echo walked back in and set the tray on Hunter's lap. Hunter grabbed the spoon and tried to eat his soup, but Crosshair grabbed the spoon and bowl.
"I'll help you. Your hands are shaking." Crosshair stated. Hunter groaned, but let Crosshair help him. When Hunter was done, Crosshair helped him relax.
"Hey, Crosshair, why don't you go take a shower? You stink." Echo suggested.
"I'm fine."
"Crosshair, please," Hunter murmured. "You do smell."
Crosshair nodded and left the room. When he was far enough away, Hunter and Echo looked at each other.
"What's with him? I've never seen him like that," Hunter questioned.
"He's been acting like that since the explosion. He blames himself. You should have seen how he was with Omega." Echo replied.
"We've been through worse though. Heck, he's the only one in our batch to not go through a phase like this. He's protective, but not overly protective."
"He didn't see that bomb and I think how close you and Omega really were scared him and how the two of you responded afterward. Omega didn't wake up and you were panicking and when we got here, your lungs collapsed and you stopped breathing."
"Keep an eye on him. Please."
"I will. We all will."
As Omega and Hunter recovered, Crosshair grew more and more protective. It was to the point that he didn't let them do anything and he was never away from them. The first time Hunter and Omega walked around at home, Crosshair was there helping them.
"Careful. You're gonna fall." Crosshair warned as he grabbed Omega.
"I'm fine. I wasn't gonna fall." Omega replied.
"DOn't argue with me. I have the best eyes in this family and you were about ready to fall on your face."
"But if you keep holding me and helping me, I'm never gonna get my balance back."
"But if you fall, you go hurt yourself, and then you'd end up in the medical center again."
Omega sighed and let Crosshair help her. Later that day, Hunter stood up and winced as he moved his legs. Wrecker and Tech were helping him walk on his own when Crosshair walked in.
"What are you doing? You shouldn't be walking without help." Crosshair stated. He grabbed Hunter and helped him walk around the room. When Hunter started coughing, his legs gave out and Crosshair had to help him sit down. "See, you pushed yourself too far."
"I was fine till you grabbed me around the chest," Hunter replied. Hunter relaxed and sighed. "Look, I'm fine. You don't need to wait on me hand and foot."
"You almost died and so did Omega. We shouldn't have taken that job in the first place. We should have just stayed here."
"And do what? Hide?"
"Yes."
"Crosshair, this isn't like you."
That evening, Hunter and Omega sat outside getting some fresh air. It was cool but pleasant. All of a sudden, Crosshair came out with coats for the two.
"Put this on. It's cold out here." Crosshair ordered.
"Cross, it's fine. We're not cold." HUnter answered.
"It is too. Either you put these coats on or you go inside. You two probably shouldn't be out here in the first place."
Hunter and Omega rolled their eyes but did as they were told. With each passing day, Crosshair grew worse and worse. He watched Omega and Hunter very closely and he rarely ever left them alone. Both knew that Crosshair was afraid, but both were also reaching their breaking point. It wasn't long before Hunter and Omega were fully recovered and they were able to go back out on missions. When they had their first mission, they failed.
"Crosshair, you go up on that ledge and check out what's ahead of us. Tech, Wrecker, and Echo go right. We'll go left towards that clearing." Hunter explained.
"No. I'm not letting you two go off alone. We'll stay together." Crosshair stated.
"No. Crosshair, your place is up on that ledge. Go!"
"No."
Hunter groaned but didn't fight. Because Crosshair wasn't at his post, they ended up getting attacked and failing their mission. It was a very tense ride home and when they walked inside their home, everyone knew what was coming.
"We could have completed our objective, but we didn't. What happened?" Hunter questioned.
"We didn't have a sniper looking out for us up on that ledge. We had no warning." Wrecker answered. Hunter looked at Crosshair and shook his head.
"I told you to go up on that ledge. That was your place. You could have gotten all of us killed."
"I know." Crosshair sneered.
"Then what happened out there?" Hunter questioned.
"You needed me."
"Yes, I did. I needed you up on that ledge spotting our target and our enemies."
Hunter walked up to Crosshair who looked away.
"What happened?" Hunter wondered.
"I failed my job. That's what happened. I should have seen that bomb. I should have seen it and known what it was, but I didn't. You and Omega could have died and it would have been my fault, Hunter. I couldn't let that happen. I can't lose any of you. I guess..." Crosshair trailed off and then huffed. "I guess I was afraid. And in my fear, I was overprotective and frustrating. I'm sorry."
"I forgive you, Cross. But it wasn't your fault. You had no idea what was happening. None of us did. I should have been able to smell and sense that bomb, but I didn't. Heck, I should have seen it too, but I didn't. Cross, you should have told us you were afraid. We wouldn't have laughed at you or judged you. I know you saw it a little too clearly and I know you were afraid of what could happen, but we are all fine. And if we all do our jobs. we'll continue to be fine."
Crosshair nodded and the brothers pressed their foreheads together. The others walked over and the family hugged.
After that, Crosshair was still protective, but not overly protective. He had learned from his mistakes and so had everyone else.
THE END
Important announcement= After Dec. 7, I will not be taking any more prompts for this story. I will write the ones I have waiting, but after that, I will not be taking any more requests. I have loved writing these prompts, but I have neglected one of my other stories and I want to finish it and continue with some of my other stories. When things calm down, I may reopen requests. Thank you for all of your prompts, I have enjoyed writing them.