Chapter Forty-Nine

Ella stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking around at the house she had secretly dreamed would be her own. The rays of fading January sunlight streamed in through the windows, creating elongated rectangles upon the old heart pine floors.

Two arms encircled her waist and she leant back to rest her ear against Echo's heartbeat, smiling softly.

"It needs stuff in it," Echo admitted, "but the bones are good. That's what matters, right?"

She nodded and craned her neck to kiss his jaw. "I still can't believe it's ours."

"Yeah. And right before our anniversary too," he sighed. "Love, it's been two years. Two whole years. Can you believe it?"

She shook her head, "It feels like yesterday."

"Do you remember how Hardcase was bawling?"

She giggled, "Louder than anyone else there. Or how Jesse tried to do a backflip when we were taking pictures and almost fell into the fountain? Or how Fives was totally the one responsible for sneaking seven slices of cake!"

He chuckled and sighed. "I miss them."

"So do I."

"Well. They wouldn't want us to be dismal. What do you want to do today?"

Echo turned her as he said this so that she faced him.

Ella shook her head. "Absolutely nothing. Well… I do want to show you something. Something special."

"Oh?"

She smiled. "I kind of… set up a scavenger hunt for you. I had Ahsoka's help of course. And Hunter's. I had to make it a challenge."

"Of course," he smirked, chest puffing a little at the knowledge that she needed help to put his ARC prowess to work. "So when do we start?"

Ella squirmed a little. "Tomorrow morning. Early."

"Oh," he asked, a little confused.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him so that he had to take a few steps to rebalance. "Tonight I just want to sit with you in our bed and watch a movie."

"What about dinner?"

She shrugged, "I ordered takeout. Pizza should be here in a few minutes. Time enough for us to narrow down at least a few options, don't you think?"

Echo scooped her up in his arms and kissed her. "I think we can."

Winding his way up the stairs, Echo carried his wife to their room.

The stars were beginning to shine in the sky when they finally determined which movie to watch. Ella handed her husband a paper plate and a napkin and set a huge bowl of buttery, lightly-salted popcorn between them. Then crawled into bed.

"Ella?" Echo murmured halfway through Meet Me In Saint Louis.

"Yes?" she turned to see his eyes on her, unwavering. A peaceful smile was on his face.

"I love you."

Ella drew his head down and kissed him, tasting the leftover salt that clung to his lips. After pulling away, she smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you too, darling."

I can't wait for tomorrow.

•~§~•

It was just barely light out, the first tiny, spiderwebbed strands of sunshine weaving into the midnight sky, catching the beads of fading starlight as dew descended to awaken the winter plant life.

Echo knew he should wake his wife, as she'd been incredibly excited for today. But she looked so peaceful. So thoroughly enchanted in her sleep. He didn't want to break that magical spell.

Fortunately for him, Ella stirred a moment later, yawning cutely and curling into his chest.

"Hmm… what time is it?" she asked, voice still laden with traces of sleep.

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Um, about five."

She groaned. "We need to get up."

"Why? It's warm here, and I know you don't wanna get up," he mused smugly, peppering her face and head with kisses.

She sighed and, groaning, sat up. "I know. But if we're gonna get this scavenger hunt going in time, we need to be up and dressed. Warmly. Dressed very warmly."

"Are we referring to me or you?"

She giggled, "You are a human space-heater, so I think it's me we're talking about."

"I can keep you warm if you want," Echo laughed, kissing her nose.

She smiled. "No you can't, because you'll be hunting. So I'm gonna put on layers and layers and layers of warmth to preserve me until you come back with all your trophies to get the official prize."

"I get a prize?" he asked, excited. He hadn't really gotten any prizes before - at least for fun.

She nodded and slung her legs over the side of the bed, standing and shuffling into the closet. She emerged a few minutes later wearing a big zip-up jacket, the reddish purple color accenting the rosy tint in her cheeks. Hopping on one foot at a time, she pulled on a pair of fleece-lined leggings and then stepped into a pair of jeans.

"Come on!" she called. "We need to get moving!"

Sighing, Echo stepped out of bed and away from the warmth of blankets and pillows. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her cheek as she applied makeup in the mirror. "You are beautiful, you know. I don't know why you think you need makeup to make yourself look better. You're gorgeous."

Ella searched his eyes for a moment, then smiled and leaned back against his shoulder. "Thank you. I just… I don't know. I feel like I need it sometimes. Little things leap out at me that I want to fix."

"Well rest assured that your husband doesn't see them, and if he does, they don't look like flaws to him. Just aspects."

The woman fairly glowed with joy, and she stood on tiptoe to press a kiss into his cheek. "I'm ready. I'm going to go grab something and when you're ready we can start."

"Dress warmly?"

"Definitely."

With this sage advice, Ella skipped downstairs, leaving her husband to quickly shave the stubble that had taken root, and dress in a warm fleece pullover and coat, as well as cargo pants, thick socks, and boots. Running a hand through his hair he smiled at his reflection in passing before heading down to join his wife.

Ella stood from the couch that her parents had requested to be shipped from her old apartment, along with all her former possessions.

The newly forged Empire knew of their apparent 'incident in deep space' and had expressed their condolences, packing up what was left of Ella's things and shipping them to her 'grieving' parents. Feeling no remorse for their slight lie, as the new Emperor was not at all to their liking and neither was what he had brought about, Echo and Ella used what opportunity they'd been given to save some money and furnish their home.

His wife was beautiful in the pale tween-hour light. The smile on her face was radiant and snatched the air from his lungs, and when her hand caught his and slipped a note card into it, his already-stolen breath hitched. He had to collect himself a bit before he could read the words written on the paper.

Today is the day when our old life became new,

Where now and forever I gave my heart to you.

And to celebrate our togetherness, I collected some friends,

We put our heads together and came up with quite the event.

All over our land, we've hidden some clues.

Find all of them, and then rendezvous.

The hints will guide you along on your way.

Go on and start looking, and have fun on this great day!

And while you search, remember that this is true:

Yesterday, tomorrow, and forevermore, I will always love you!

Echo smiled at her and planted a kiss on her forehead. "You are the most adorable person I have ever met!"

She beamed and handed him another slip of paper. This had the first set of directions.

My veil is never-ending,

It trails like pluming mist.

And all around me waiting,

Sweetness for you to kiss.

Come find me.

Echo nodded and hugged his wife one last time, before she squealed in delight and nudged him towards the door. "Go on! I'll meet you later!"

"Where?" he asked curiously.

She winked, "You'll have to come find me. Better put those fancy ARC skills to good use."

Snickering at her teasing, he stepped out into the cool morning. The fresh scent of dew upon grass pervaded his senses, mixing with pungent earth. Breathing in the refreshing mountain air, he sighed and studied the poem clue again.

Veil… mist?

She'd said in the first note that clues were hidden everywhere on their property, so it had to be close by. And just challenging enough so that he'd need to look hard, but not enough that it would take forever.

"Okay, Ella. What here has a really long veil-like trail?" he wondered aloud, walking through the valley. Then he came to the chirpy Gemmo River that ran through the back and gasped as he had an idea and began to head upstream.

Within a few minutes he came to a clump of trees and wildlife that gathered around a clear pool of water. Into the pool cascaded a thin, fanlike waterfall, so threadbare that it seemed a mere sheet that the wind was blowing. Where it met the water rose billows of mist.

"You poetic prodigy, Ella!" he whispered to himself, for here was the veil. Now he needed to find the sweetness he was supposed to kiss… whatever that meant.

Walking around the shoreline and behind the waterfall, he came upon a tangle of climbing vines, heavily laden white flowers with red tips on their petals. The perfume of them rose like honey and warm cotton.

Smiling, he remembered their name: Winter Kisses.

Scrutinizing the delicate buds, he found a piece of paper, hidden behind the leaves of this hardy beauty. Echo leant back against the stone wall and read its contents.

Time has written love letters into my very soul.

From lifetime to a lifetime, many lovers I have known.

Sequestered in my sanctuary, columns white as snow,

Eternally I beckon you to claim what I have to bestow.

Come find me.

Nodding to himself, Echo sighed and set about piecing together this lyrical riddle, hoping that he was going in the right direction.

My angel, you have sent me on a wild goose chase!

•~§~•

Ella sat atop the ridge waiting. The mild-morning fluttered around her in anticipation, watching the valley and waiting as she did for her husband to arrive.

Her spies had done excellent jobs of reporting his location as he completed each task. He'd gone first to the waterfall, then to the huge live oak that she was sure had been there since the world began. Everyone called it Swain's Oak, since there were so many initials carved into it with hearts around their names. She'd gone and carven half a heart and her initial into it just yesterday afternoon.

From there he'd gone into the cave she and her brothers had played in as kids, found Kaleidoscope Rock which some of the legends proclaimed possessed the spirit of their colorful Aurora Borealis, Heather Lake where some of their most beautiful birds, the Nympha's, had their home, and the Iris Glade where she and Galene had made a little nest-like treehouse amidst thickly tangled branches and mossy carpets, all surrounded by the fairy flowers and fireflies that twinkled so enchantingly to light the nights of their sacred childhood.

Now he had only to find her.

And then would be time for her little (big) surprise to be unveiled.

Her comlink came to life with a chirp and she quickly answered it. "Yes?"

"It's Ahsoka. Echo is almost to you. Tell me how everything goes later, will you?" her friend squealed excitedly.

"I will! Thank you all so much! I couldn't have done any of this without your help."

"I know this wasn't just an anniversary thing, Ella," Rex sighed patiently. "Promise you'll tell me soon?"

She smirked, "I will, Rex. And thank you for being so patient and going along with it. I promise to tell you very, very soon."

"Alright. We'll leave you be now. Have fun!" he encouraged.

"Will do. Oh, and… wish me luck!"

Only about a minute later, her husband came into view. Over his shoulder hung a satchel which she knew contained the clues. In one of his hands he held a Winter's Kiss. His face was tired, but excited.

When he saw her, Echo smiled and burst into an unexpected run, finishing his long climb with a gusto as he swooped her up in his arms and kissed her deeply. Ella sighed and melted into him, her hands clutching at his shoulders and neck.

"When he broke away, dropping to his knees in front of her, he was still smiling. "I brought you this. I thought you might like one. It's so pretty." He held up the white blossom.

Kneeling so he didn't need to rise, she let him nestle it into her hair.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed, then panted heavily and flopped down on the soft, wildflower-strewn grass. "And crazy. You do realize I've walked pretty much all over this peak? On my own two feet? Within the course of a few hours?"

She giggled, "I know. Was it at least worth it because of the fun factor though?"

He blew out a breath, smirking at her, "Of course it was! Though I do believe I was promised a prize."

"Not yet. Sustenance first. You've earned something good to eat and drink," she said. "Now stop laying on the grass and move two feet to the perfectly good blanket I brought up here! It even has pillows!"

"It does?" he gasped, and quickly moved to the more comfortable preparations. "Ahh… Ella, you think of everything."

She blushed. "You sit there and drink this and I'll get you a plate of something to eat."

She handed him a cup of iced blueberry-chamomile tea, one she'd discovered he really liked. It was all Amon's fault. He introduced him to it one day and now he couldn't get enough of it.

Echo gasped at the familiar taste and beamed at her. "I think you really love me a lot."

She rolled her eyes and giggled, "Gee! I wonder why you'd deduce that?"

"Must be the tea," he quipped, winking at her.

"Must be."

She handed him a plate with two cinnamon muffins, a three-cheese and bacon souffle, bacon, and a handful of his favorite nuts, to which he promptly announced that he was positive that she adored him. She briefly tickled him and huffed that he was incorrigible and perfect, and to shut up and eat so she could give him his surprise. He pleaded for mercy and quickly stuffed his mouth full, showing her with faux-innocent eyes that he couldn't say a word.

Assembling her own plate she took a seat next to him and they ate in silence, glancing over at each other and elbowing one another conspiratorially. Echo's eyes sparkled with curiosity and elation, affection for her and something untouchably deep. Deeper than understanding.

I love you so much, he seemed to say. I love you more than words can ever estimate.

She squeezed his hand and took his plate when they finished. Then she reached into the basket and withdrew her box.

"Here's your prize," she said, finding, to her surprise, that she was misty-eyed.

"You okay?" he asked, confused by her sudden swell of emotion.

She nodded, sniffling. "It's okay. Just… go on. Open it. I'm super nervous and excited, that's all."

He nodded and took the package from her. After squeezing her hand reassuringly he untied the ribbon and lifted the lid.

With a gasp, the lid dropped from his hand and he shook his head.

Ella shrugged off her jacket so that he could see the t-shirt she had hidden underneath when he looked up. At the moment, he was too transfixed on the contents.

Carefully he lifted out the positive tests, gaping at the results. Next came the two onesies, one that read 'the struggle was part of the story,' and the other that said 'answered prayer.' Finally he picked up the little ring box that held a blueberry. Seven weeks was printed on the lid.

Looking up with tear-filled eyes, he had to cover his mouth when he read her 'always read the fine print' shirt.

"You… you're really...?" he whispered, hope and disbelief in his joy-strangled voice.

She nodded through tears, wiping them away quickly and carefully.

"Seven weeks…" he muttered wetly, eyes darting to and fro as he sought to discover the date of conception. They widened when he gasped, "The last day of November, right? When I had to go on the mission. You weren't ever sick with anything! You had morning sickness!"

She was about to speak when he slapped his forehead and groaned.

"You tried to tell me when we were making Christmas cookies!" he cried in a grumble of self-inflicted frustration.

She giggled, "It's okay."

"Oh, Maker!" he breathed, wiping his eyes, smiling like a fool. "Ella, you're not joking, right? This isn't some sick and dramatic prank?"

She shook her head, "I mean it, Echo. I'm pregnant."

That was all she could say before he lunged forward and spun her in his arms, holding her tightly but not too tightly. She had a feeling that all his touches would be laced with caution from now on. That thought did little to bother her however, for it was quickly buried under the headiness of his jubilant lips, which met and parted with hers so adoringly that she wondered if he'd ever truly kissed her before.

Suddenly he set her down, still moving with the height of gentleness, and knelt before her, his face level with her soon-to-be-swollen womb. Lifting the hem of her shirt he peppered her belly with kisses, then rested his forehead against her and smiling, murmured.

"Hey, ad'ika. It's your daddy! I know. You probably know my voice well. Daddy can be a bit thick sometimes and unfortunately this was one of them."

Both parents shared a laugh at this statement.

"I know you're here now, though, and I'm so happy," he continued. "I can't wait to hold you, sweetheart. For now, just keep on growing strong and I'll see you soon. I love you, baby!"

With tears streaming down her face, she readjusted her shirt as he rose to his feet and kissed her again. Ella smiled against him and raked her fingers through his hair.

When he pulled back, she murmured, "Hello, Daddy."

He beamed at her, his reply bubbli with emotion and warmth. "Hello, Mommy. We're going to be parents."

"We are."

"We're having a baby!"

Leaning against his shoulder, she grinned. "Yeah. We are!"

•~§~•

"It sure took you long enough to figure it out!" Tech groaned. "We were beginning to wager that you wouldn't even realize until the baby was born and five years old!"

Echo scoffed, "I know I'm bad, but I'm not that bad!"

"True," Crosshair smirked, cleaning the barrel of his rifle most methodically. "But you come close."

"I'm glad it's over with," Hunter said with a sigh. "Be glad she isn't having morning sickness anymore. Ahsoka said she was throwing up all the way until the second trimester with Ayah."

Echo grimaced. His poor wife.

"I can't wait until they're born!" Wrecker exclaimed. "I'm gonna be the coolest uncle."

Tech scoffed, "Says you! I'm the one who will build them all their nifty gadgets!"

"Oh yeah?" Crosshair challenged, not one to be outdone without even a say. "Well I'm going to teach them all about shooting professionally and being stealthy. And trick shots!"

"I'm gonna teach them about the outdoors and tracking. They won't ever want to be inside!" Hunter defended.

Echo smiled as he listened in on the familiar scene, a bitter sweetness rolling down. He remembered other brothers claiming to be the same thing to his offspring.

Fives, Jesse, Hardcase.

At least Rex was still alive. He didn't know what he'd do without someone who knew him then.

I wonder if he even knows? he wondered.

Then he shook his head.

Even if he didn't now, he would soon.

Very soon.