TBB - Lean on me (CROSS/HUNT)

By Gun Roswell

Preface

Trust in me, I will hold on to you

Preface

Set somewhere in Star Wars the Bad Batch and the Clone Wars galaxy, a Multiverse of Star Wars Fan Fiction by Yours Truly.

Sometimes, one needs to lean on others.

Others stronger than oneself in bad moments in life. Then, there is the on special person, the one always by your side no matter what.

Lean on them, when things get too ugly and way too tough to handle, on your own.

Barton-4 going differently in this particular story line.

Part of Crosshair/Hunter series

Trust in me, I will hold on to you

'The one you can trust to always be there for you in the end no matter what happens in between then and now.'

The voyage back to home base had been a solemn one to say the least. None of the team speaking a single word. Simply making sure the Marauder would be flying as quickly and smoothly as possible. The mission though, having been a success in the end despite there had been a few… complications. And becuase to that very fact, they had wounded in the midst of them. Heavily wounded.

The rescue op which they had embarked on with only a moments notice. As it was, one their own clone id trackers having appeared on the long range scanners. So, off they went, basically dropping everything else. Tech having calibrated their scanning devices earlier to search for specific patterns even if Hunter had suggested it might have been a trap. The message received from their former sniper. Crosshair. The man no longer serving in their ranks rather in the empire having sent the message through old clone channels. But thankfully, Tech had not headed the warning of their leader and so, here they were, on their way back to Rex's base with several passengers. Among them, Crosshair.

There had been a nasty firefight between the imperial soldiers and the clones already present at the pickup point with the Bad Batch having arrived just in the nick of time to aid them. There the six of them there. Escapes of the Empire. And with them, was Crosshair.

The clone troopers and their Commander trying to shoot their way out after being pinned down by the imperial soldiers. Their escape having gone horribly wrong when the fleeing clones had been caught in the middle of a fire fight between wanted raiders and the imperials. They were all wounded that much was true. But Crosshair was in the worst condition, having tried to cover the others from the rapid fire.

Hunter was at his side, Crosshair lying there, unmoving, his breathing ragged.

Tech and Echo had done the best they could taken care of the wounds. The rest of the clones rescued were conscious and in much better shape than the sniper. As by the rest of the Batchers surprise, Crosshair had remained by the clones side and even shielded them.

"He saved our shebs. Literally! Crosshair, is a hero!" Commander Mayday was standing by the bed of the sniper, seeing how worried Hunter looked and trying his best to assure Hunter Crosshair had been a good soldier, for their sake at least.

Somehow, it wasn't comforting enough for Hunter to hear at all. Having gone on this rescue for their missing teammate only to lose him now when they finally got him back? Oh well, Hunter was sending whatever prayers he could to the Force to keep Crosshair alive.

"He is tough. I could see that back on the Outpost." Mayday tried again, but his words were falling on death ears.

Hunter could only nod out of curtsey, seeing as the Commander had taken to liking Crosshair, as the lump in Hunter's throat was preventing any words from coming forth.

Patting Hunter on his shoulder, Mayday decided to leave well enough alone. Sending only his silent prayers to whichever deity was listening in to save Crosshair. The man having become rather fond of the surly sniper in the short amount of time they had spent together on the planet.

Hunter must've dozed off somewhere along his supposedly vigilant watch over Crosshair. It wasn't as if he needed to do so. Watch over the sniper. Tech having placed a monitoring device on Crosshair to be sure he would be alerted if anything changed drastically. Hunter was woken up by the feeling a soft nudge off his arm.

Opening his eyes, Hunter was eye to eye with Crosshair. The sniper having woken up of his own accord despite the heavy medication he was on due to his injuries.

"Cross." Hunter's voice was impossibly coarse. "You're… feeling better?" Hunter managed.

Crosshair stared at Hunter for a long moment. It was as if he did not believe what or rather whom he was seeing right in front of him.

"Cross? It's me, Hunter."

Crosshair looked from Hunter to his now darkened surroundings. Seeing the familiar walls of the ship which had been his home not too a long ago.

"We're on the Marauder." Crosshair finally managed, stating the somewhat obvious.

"Yes Cross. Your home. With us…" Hunter felt the sting of the tears again behind his eyes, trying to push them away. Alas, it was for nought. Errant tears were starting to fall easily. The emotions taking over the Sergeant.

Crosshair was still staring at Hunter in somewhat of a disbelief. His memory of resent events still fuzzy. But it was all coming back to him… The Outpost, the other clones, the skirmish…

"You… came back… for me?"

"Yes, Cross. Your distress signal… we used it to find you and the others."

Crosshair glanced at the darkened bay, seeing several other cots there. A few of them with sleeping forms on them. Turning back to Hunter, Crosshair's voice impossibly hoarse.

"They… are alright?"

"Yeah Cross, you saved them all."

Hunter tried to smile, his tears still falling freely. Because Hunter, was happy. Happy to have Crosshair back but also happy they had managed to get the other clones away and to safety as well.

"Good." Crosshair closed his eyes and leaned back on the bed. He was exhausted but felt a sense of calm now that they were all safe and among their own kind. That was all that mattered to Crosshair at the moment. And then, he fell back asleep.

Crosshair was dreaming. The nightmares of the Empire ever present. He was shot and then, falling fast. Flailing in his sleep, Crosshair fell onto the bed with a rough shake. Coming to, realizing it had all been a dream, a very bad dream.

Crosshair felt something heavy on top of him. Opening his eyes, he could see the familiar form slumped over his torso. Hunter.

Crosshair was debating for a moment whether to try to wake the scout or not. But he felt too comfortable in the position he was in, with the warmth of Hunter's on top of him. A fond memory from the past flashing into his mind.

Just as Crosshair was about to settle back to sleep, he felt Hunter stir.

Hunter realizing quickly where he was or rather on top of whom he was, moved off. Straightening himself immediately.

"You really didn't have to."

Hunter heard the words, his eyes finding Crosshair's. Seeing the faint smile there too.

"Sorry, I must've dozed off again… it's been a while I got some sleep." Hunter admitted somewhat nervously.

"I know what you mean," It had been even longer for Crosshair to have gotten a good nights sleep, not since… well. It had been a long time.

Hunter lingered close by, not wanting to move too far having Crosshair back again. Well, it was a dream come true for sure for Hunter after all those living nightmares they had endured for so long. Him, the others, missing Crosshair.

"C'mere!" Crosshair ordered out of the blue, his arms wide and open, inviting.

Hunter stared at the other man perhaps for a nanosecond. Still weary of having the sniper back, but how could Hunter refuse such an offer.

Hunter leaned in and found himself held rather tightly against Crosshair's chest.

They stayed like that for a longest moment. Basking in each others warmth. It had been a long while since their last embrace. Hunter pulled back just a little, never letting go completely though as if being afraid Crosshair would vanish if he did. Let go.

"I've missed you. So so much." Hunter's voice was a mere whisper.

"I have missed you too." Crosshair admitted as much.

They stared at each other for a spell. Hunter moving back in. Only this time, his lips met with Crosshair's for an all too brief and soft kiss. But in it, holding a promise of something, more.

"Welcome back, sweetheart." Hunter managed to whisper before being pulled in for another, more passionate and loving kiss by Crosshair.

Guess, things could really go back to the way they had been, before the Empire?