If You Need Us, We'll Be There Chapter 8, a Star Wars: The Bad Batch + Star Wars: The Clone Wars Crossover fanfic

Chapter 8: The Routine, the Miracle, and the Truth

The sun was quickly making it's ascent on Alderaan as if it were in a hurry to start the day. With winter coming to a close in a couple weeks, a few of the migratory fauna were beginning to return to the forest that surrounded the vineyard. Melany hummed in delight upon hearing the serene sounds of some familiar creatures in the distance. After her awkward encounter with Crosshair that morning, Melany was more than relieved to leave his side long enough for her to get cleaned up and dressed. Feeling more like her put together self, Melany jogged down the stairs and headed into the kitchen to start the caf machine. While the machine began brewing, she sauntered into the medbay to check on her two patients. After monitoring the electrical activity in Hunter's sensory cortex for the past couple days, she decided today was the day she would stop injecting him with the sedative that kept him in the coma. She was not sure how long it would take for him to wake up but she remembered what Omega said last night; "Clones are engineered to be fast healers."

Getting quite familiar with her new routine with this squad, she quickly tended to Hunter and Wrecker before returning to the kitchen in order to start making breakfast. She knew Crosshair was awake, blushing when she remembered how he looked standing in the hall with nothing but his lower blacks on. For being so lean, he certainly packed a lot of muscle. Not an ounce of fat on his figure. Melany shook her head, cursing her photographic memory, while she tried to remain focused on making breakfast. Just like she did yesterday morning with Omega, Melany sliced up some starblossom fruit and placed it in a bowl on the counter, ready to be snacked upon by whoever came in first.

While she waited for her guests, Melany hummed a tune to herself as she cheerfully prepared breakfast. Several minutes later, she put the bread in the oven and wiped off the excess flour from her hands onto the apron tied around her waist. She continued to hum another tune until she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Don't stop on my account." Crosshair drawled, a look of amusement on his face as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Well you seem to be in a better mood." She smiled at him, "The wonders a warm shower can do, right?"

"Mhmm." He mused as he scanned her appearance, noticing how she looked more composed than the blushing rambling woman from earlier. He wondered which version of Melany was the real one though.

Noticing his intense stare on her, she quickly thought of something to break his gaze, "Starblossom?" She pointed at the bowl sitting on the counter.

That seemed to work as he scowled at the fruit, he was not a fan of trying new things. But he eventually relented and tried a piece when Melany had turned around to tend to something on the stovetop. However, she continued to watch him from the window's reflection, pretending not to notice him sneaking another two pieces into his hand, clearly enjoying the floral-honey tasting fruit.

"How do you like your eggs?" She asked from her place at the stove.

"However they're handed to me." He grumbled as he slid into his seat at the kitchen island.

She glanced over her shoulder, "You don't have a preference?"

"I'm a solider. We eat what we're given."

"You were a solider. Omega told me you and your brother's just retired. So you're allowed to have an egg preference now."

Crosshair paused for a few seconds, thinking about his options. "Over easy."

"Over easy eggs coming right up." She gestured to the caf machine on the other side of the kitchen, "Caf is ready if you're into that. Mugs are on the shelf next to the machine. Cream is in the chiller. Sugar is in the ceramic pot beside the caf machine."

He slowly stalked through the kitchen, careful not to touch anything Melany was working on, and approached the caf machine. Once again, Melany watched him from the reflection as he poured a small amount of caf into his mug, followed by an even smaller amount of cream. She was not surprised he did not add sugar, he did not seem like the type. She was surprised he even added any cream, she would have bet he was a black caf drinker. He slunk back to his seat at the kitchen island and methodically sipped his drink, enjoying the warm sensation.

A minute of silence passed until Melany turned around with a plate in her hand, "Two over easy eggs and all the fixings on the side." She carefully placed the dish in front of Crosshair, pretending she did not see the brief expression of surprise on his face before he returned to his typical nonchalant facade. He quietly expressed his gratitude, avoiding her eyes as he continued to stare at his plate.

While he ate, Melany prepped her caf which required a lot of cream, a pinch of sugar, and a small amount of caf. As she took her first sip, she swore she heard Crosshair chuckle. "What's so funny?" She asked, locking eyes with him.

"Would you like some caf with your cream?" He smirked as he returned to his meal.

"Were you watching me?" She took a long sip from her mug with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm observing you. I was a sniper. Keen observation is one of my special skills."

"Uh-huh." She muttered into her mug, "What else did you observe then?"

"You still have some flour on your face."

"What? Where?" She brushed her free hand over her face, completely missing the small amounts of flour on her cheek and forehead.

"It's here and here." Crosshair pointed, using his own face as an example.

Melany tried it again and managed to get the flour off her forehead, "Did I get it all?"

"No." He smirked. He watched her try again and completely missed. "Come here." He sighed as he stood up from the counter. She walked around the kitchen island and stood directly in front of him. He gently cupped her face with his hand and carefully used his thumb to wipe off the flour residue. She unintentionally leaned into his hand, noticing how his rough skin contrasted with his soft touch. "There. Got it." His voice seemed deeper than normal and he hesitated to step away.

His hand dropped when she took a timid step back and shyly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Thanks. I had to bake more bread this morning and I guess I made a bigger mess than I thought." As if on cue, the timer dinged for the bread. "Ah! Speaking of which…" She pulled the bread out of the oven and placed it on the counter to cool.

Melany returned to the stovetop to begin preparing her own breakfast, "How did the clothes fit? Do I need to make any alterations?"

"Nope."

"Really?" She glanced over her shoulder, "Everything fit perfectly?"

"You seem surprised."

Melany laughed, "I am. It's rare I get it perfect the first time. But I'm glad everything fit." She turned around with her plate and placed it on the island across from Crosshair.

He curiously eyed her, "Don't you sit when you eat? You're always standing at or leaning against the counter."

"Crosshair, are you asking me to sit next to you?" She teased, laughing more when he blushed slightly. "I suppose I prefer to be facing my guests when I eat. Call it a personal preference."

"Is it because you don't trust me?"

She hesitated. Despite Omega's kind words about him, she just kept remembering what she read about Crosshair in his Imperial files. Former Imperial sharpshooter. Former Commander of an Imperial Special Ops team.

One of the first things Meany always did whenever she took in clone troopers was check and, if necessary, remove their inhibitor chips. When Rex debriefed her about this squad, he assured her Hunter and Wrecker's chips were removed because he was present for their procedures. He told her that Crosshair was initially affected by his chip but he supposedly removed it a long time ago. Just to be safe, Melany scanned all of their heads for the chip and everyone came back clear. Crosshair seemed pretty harmless now but the fact he continued to work for the Empire even after removing his chip made her a bit nervous. Until she got the whole story, she had to remain on her guard with him.

Realizing she never responded to Crosshair's question and he was still staring at her, she cleared her throat and turned away from his gaze. "Sorry. I didn't mean for my mind to wander there, it's just-"

"You don't trust me." He lowered his eyes and Melany saw his expression deflate slightly.

"I don't trust anyone. At least not right away." Melany quickly added, tilting her head to catch his gaze, "Call it paranoia, if you wish."

"So you don't trust Omega either?" He stared at her intensely.

Melany laughed, "No, I trust her. She's so open about everything, I feel like I've known her for years." She stopped laughing when she saw the serious look in his eyes, "Do you want me to trust you?"

"You asked me to trust you when you gave me water and food last night. I don't know you and given what I've gone through, I think I'm justified to not trust strangers. But now it seems you don't trust me. I thought trust was a two-way street."

Melany stared at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted in surprise by his insight, "Wow." She breathed, setting her fork down, "I think that's the most you've ever said to me at one time." He rolled his eyes and attempted to walk away but she reached out and grabbed his wrist, "But you make a good point." She coaxed him to sit back down, "You're right. Trust is a two-way street. I'm sorry if I made it seem as if you were untrustworthy. I did not intend for a conversation about seating preference to snowball into one about your trustworthiness."

He chuckled at her snarky apology. It was the type of apology he would give to his brothers just to annoy them more, but when she did it to him, he found it endearing. Melany smiled at his chuckle, enjoying the sound of the low rumble coming from his chest. Neither of them realized Melany was still holding onto his wrist until they heard little footsteps scurry into the kitchen.

"Hello." Omega happily grinned as she walked into the kitchen and saw Melany's hand on his wrist, "Are we having a good morning?"

Melany quickly released her grip on Crosshair and returned Omega's warm greeting, "Would you like some breakfast? I put out more starblossom on the counter for you."

Omega enthusiastically nodded, already reaching for the fruit, "Thanks, Melany."

While Melany and Omega got into a conversation as the former began making the latter's breakfast, Crosshair was able to relax and enjoy the rest of his caf. Watching and listening to the two girls go back and forth in such fluid conversation, Crosshair could not help but be entertained. He knew Omega was talkative and he often wondered how she and Tech were able to get along since they both loved to hear the sound of their own voice. A small ping of regret stung his heart, he never got the chance to see them interact besides the brief time spent trying to escape from Kamino. But was it different when they were relaxing on Pabu? Did they chat endlessly into the night? Did Hunter and Wrecker grow tired of them? Impossible. They all loved each other and embraced the quirks that made each of them different. Hunter's selfless overprotective nature, Tech's talkative determination, Wrecker's fun-loving destructiveness, Echo's valiant moral compass, and Omega encompassed all of their qualities. They were the perfect family. Where did that leave Crosshair? Everyone assumed he would just step into the life his squad created on Pabu, but he could not help feeling like the Tech replacement instead of his own person. This was a concern he buried deep within his soul, not wanting to cause any more issues for his squad. He had already caused enough problems to last a lifetime.

"Would you like me to warm up your caf?" Melany softy asked with the pot of fresh caf in her hand. She could tell his mind had wandered into a not-so-happy place and she wanted to help him out of it without startling him.

He blinked at her a couple of times, letting her question register, "No. I'm fine." Their eyes briefly locked until she walked away to return the pot to the machine. He felt like she knew he was wading through some internal turmoil and that was her gentle way of pulling him out. It was strange how she could sense it but he appreciated it nonetheless. He suddenly realized that Omega was still seated beside him and she was now curiously staring up at him, "What're you looking at?" He side-eyed her.

"You look different." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm wearing new clothes." He grumbled into his mug.

"That's not it."

"I'm missing a hand."

"That's definitely not it." She peered closer at him, snapping her fingers when she figured it out, "Aha! Got it! You haven't shaved. You've got that five o'clock shadow going on."

Crosshair huffed before finishing off his caf but he paused when he noticed Melany staring at him from across the island, "What."

Melany leaned forward to get a better look at him, "Oh yeah, Omega's right. But it looks good on you, Crosshair. Maybe you should keep it. Have you ever considered growing out your facial hair?"

"No." He tilted his head back to finish off the drink.

"Just think about it." She turned around to begin cleaning up the kitchen, "Studies have shown that women tend to find men with stubble more attractive than clean shaven or long facial hair."

He stalked into the kitchen to put away his empty mug but he ended up placing it into Melany's outstretched hand, "Why would I care about that?" He scoffed.

"Well, you're retired now." She began scrubbing the dishes, ignoring his intense gaze, "Maybe you'll wanna find a pretty girl to settle down with once you get back to Pabu."

The idea of settling down on Pabu brought back the anxieties he was thinking about earlier. Melany picked up on his sudden mood change and quickly added, "Or not. It's your life and you can live it however you wish."

He grunted in response before walking away and settling back down in his seat. Omega asked Melany how Hunter and Wrecker were doing and the latter debriefed them while she cleaned the kitchen. It was late morning by the time they finished breakfast, cleaned the kitchen, and Melany completed her medical examinations of Omega and Crosshair.

As Melany prepared to step outside to attend to her duties in regards to the vineyard, she checked on Crosshair and Omega one last time. She peeked into the medbay and saw Omega sitting beside Hunter, chatting away to him ever since Melany told her talking to him could be beneficial in bringing him out of the coma faster. Passing through the adjacent living room, Melany spotted Crosshair lounging on the sofa with his feet up on the table and tablet in his hand, reading one of many novels she had downloaded.

"Crosshair?" She quietly spoke, walking up to rest a hand on the back of the sofa.

"Yes?" He continued reading without a single glance in her direction.

Melany pulled out a comlink and dropped it in his lap, slightly startling him. "Let me know if you need anything or something changes regarding Hunter or Wrecker. I'll be out in the vineyard if you need me."

"Do we ever get to go outside or are we stuck in here until we can leave?" He snarked.

"Of course you can go outside. Just not today."

"Why?" He drawled, furrowing his brow.

"The local vendor is stopping by to deliver goods. It's how my pantry and other supplies stay stocked up. He comes by once every seven rotations and today is that day. My trooper operation isn't exactly legal so I ask any guests I have staying here to remain indoors to avoid being seen. You can go outside tomorrow though."

He glanced up at her, taking in her work clothes, "What…are you wearing?"

Melany fidgeted with the hood of her navy blue poncho wrap, making sure it covered her reddish-brown hair, "It's still wintertime, I'm trying to keep warm. Anyway…" She pointed at the comlink in his lap, "You good?"

"Yep." He sighed as he returned to his reading.

Melany peered over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the novel he chose to read, "Oh hey, that's the novel I'm currently reading. Isn't that funny?"

"Hilarious." He drawled sarcastically, still not looking up from the tablet.

She pursed her lips in annoyance. For some reason she wanted to get more of a reaction out of him, "Well if you finish before I do, you'd better not spoil the ending for me."

"Or what?" He slowly turned to face her, an intrigued look on his face.

Melany slowly leaned down toward him, her face just inches away from his, "Or I'll kill you." She whispered threateningly. Crosshair would have believed her if it were not for the mischievous twinkle in her eye and the playful smirk on her face. She straightened herself with a giggled and sauntered toward the front door, "Enjoy the novel!" She called over her shoulder.

Crosshair did not notice he was watching Melany walk away with a smitten smirk on his face until he heard a snicker come from the medbay. He side-eyed his sister who was apparently standing near the medbay entrance, eavesdropping on the entire conversation, "Don't. Start." He growled. Omega held up her hands in mock surrender as she walked back to her seat beside Hunter. Crosshair internally groaned when he heard Omega tell Hunter about what just happened between him and Melany. He was grateful his brothers were still unconscious because he did not know if he could handle more than one sibling teasing him. Tease him about what though? He did not have feelings towards Melany, he just found her amusing to watch and pleasant to talk to. Sure, she had the most beautiful eyes and the prettiest smile he had ever seen. Sure, she had the softest skin he ever touched. Sure, her wavy hair smelled like a floral forest. But that did not mean he had feelings for her. Did it?

After a few hours of working alongside her droids, Melany was walking alone through the last aisle of vine rows with her data pad in hand. Her brow was furrowed as she studied the moisture levels of the soil, making sure the grapevines were receiving adequate hydration even though they were in their dormant season. With Spring on the horizon, the final preparations were on their way to ensure the vines could successfully regrow their leaves and produce new fruit. Just as Melany approached the house, she saw the vendor coming up the road. She smiled to herself. She always looked forward to his visits, he was the only friend she saw consistently while staying at the vineyard. She had a couple more friends in Aldera, the capital city of Alderaan, but her vineyard was several klicks away from the capital. The only time she made the trek to Aldera was when she was on special business.

"Good afternoon Melany!" The human male called out with an exuberant wave as he parked his cargo tug on the road beside the low stone wall that bordered her land.

"Is that the infamous Stan Frarlil I hear?" She hollered back with a laugh.

Stan hopped out of his vehicle and trotted up to her, his ever-present smile radiating alongside his charming dimples. He dramatically bowed, "At your service, milady." He uprighted himself and ran a hand through his thick blonde locks, "I got your message last night about needing extra supplies. Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes. I just made a minor inventory error last time." She lied with a pleasant smile. "But I knew I could count on you, Stan."

"You always can. Visiting you is the highlight of my week." He winked, his hazel brown eyes twinkling in the sunlight, making the green flecks stand out even more.

Melany faked embarrassment, "Oh, stop. I'm sure you say that to all of your customers."

"I do. But you are the only one I mean it for." He chuckled as he waved for her to follow him to his cargo tug. He opened up the hatch and showed her all the food and supplies her brought. He was always a little sweet on her, bringing her the freshest food and highest quality supplies. She did not hate the attention, but she was always careful not to lead him on. He was a nice guy, maybe a bit too flirtatious at times, but he certainly had the good looks and charm to woo any woman on Alderaan. He was a couple years older than her and a perfectly good candidate for a significant other, but she was not interested in him that way.

"Does this meet your expectations?" He asked once he finished showing her his stock.

"Absolutely. May I borrow your strength? I could use some help bringing all this into the garage."

"My muscles are yours to abuse, Melany." He winked before using his strapping 6'1'' physique to lift many crates at once. She grabbed a couple crates herself and led him into the garage. "Ya know…" He grunted as he put the boxes down, "Wouldn't it be easier to drop these off inside your home?"

"I have a system, Stan." She grimaced as she put down her load, "I prefer to log everything in and take inventory myself. I'll distribute the supplies later tonight."

He shrugged, "Suit yourself."

"It suits me." She playfully nudged him as the duo walked back outside.

They continued to chat and banter back and forth as they unloaded the rest of the supplies. Once finished, they both sat on the stone wall beside his vehicle and continued their conversation.

"Isn't the weather just perfect today?" Stan tilted his head back to face the sky, "The nip of winter, the warmth of the sun, not a single cloud in the sky, and just the right amount of windchill to keep you feeling invigorated."

Melany did the same as him and drew in a breath of fresh air, "The transition between Winter and Spring is one of the most beautiful, don't you think? Watching the rebirth of nature after being dormant for so long is quite miraculous."

"Speaking of dormant…" Stan lowered his chin to face her, "How're your crops doing? Surviving the winter? Should we expect another stellar harvest?" He wiggled his brow with a smile.

Melany giggled, "Everything is on track so far. I don't want to get ahead of myself but things are looking good."

"Any new flavor profiles this year?"

"I may have a couple tricks up my sleeve." She smirked.

"I knew it!" He excitedly pumped his fist, "Ever since you took over, this winery has been the talk of Aldera. The land has always produced good grapes, but your supernatural ability to create unique and delicious flavor profiles is outstanding. Rumor is your winery is in talks of being contracted to supply the Empire Day celebration next month."

Melany nervously laughed, "Don't get my hopes up."

"So?" He gently poked her, trying to get her to laugh, "The new flavors?"

She giggled, more because of her ticklishness than anything else, "I tried the first batch yesterday and it was good but not great. After doing some adjustments, I'm planning on doing the second tasting today."

"Could I be of any assistance? You know I'm one of the best wine connoisseurs on Alderaan."

Melany shyly fidgeted with the seam of her wrap, "Don't you have other deliveries? I'd hate to keep you."

"I purposely completed all of my deliveries earlier just so I can spend time with my favorite client. I've got nowhere else to go." He gave her his charming lopsided grin with the dimple.

"Oh, well, in that case." She hopped off the wall and nodded toward the winery, "Follow me, Mister Frarlil." As they walked past the house on their way to the winery, Melany did a double take on her kitchen window when she saw two heads peeking out. She threw Omega and Crosshair a stern look and they both ducked out of view. Melany rolled her eyes with a small smile at their curious antics. She could only assume Omega was snooping and she somehow roped Crosshair into it. Just as they were about to enter the winery, Melany's comlink started to beep. She excused herself and told Stan to wait inside.

"Yes?" She spoke softly into the comlink until she was sure she was out of earshot.

"Hi Melany." Omega's cheery voice sounded, "How's it going?"

"Did you need something Omega?"

"We were wondering what we could eat for lunch?" She paused and Melany could hear Crosshair grumbling in the background, "I think Crosshair is getting hangry, he's grouchier than normal."

Melany bit her lip to keep from laughing, "I'm a bit tied up right now but there is fresh bread on the counter and there are some sandwich fixings in the chiller along with leftover starblossom. Help yourself."

"Really? You trust us?"

This time Melany allowed herself to laugh softly, "If you and Crosshair can escape a high security Imperial prison twice. Then I believe in your abilities to make sandwiches on your own."

"Copy that, Melany. We'll clean up the kitchen when we're done."

"Thanks, Omega." Melany ended the communication and shook her head with a smile. Omega was such a joy to host, it made Melany wonder what Hunter and Wrecker were like. She made sure to wipe the grin off her face just before walking into the winery, she did not want Stan asking questions about her comm. Once she stepped inside, she saw that Stan had already set everything up for her. She thanked him for this and the duo began the tasting that carried on into the evening.

It was later than Melany expected when she finally bid her friend goodbye, or more accurately, goodnight. The sun had already set and the stars were beginning to shine brighter as the sky grew darker. Melany stepped into the house and took a quick scan of the place when she noticed how quiet it was. Sneaking further into her home, she entered the kitchen/living room area and was surprised to find how clean everything looked. It appeared that Omega and Crosshair not only cleaned the kitchen, they cleaned the rest of the home as well. Gratitude blossomed in Melany's chest and warmed her heart at the thought of her guests lending her a helping hand. She continued her stealthy stroll when she sensed a presence in her living room. Melany peeked over the back of the couch and smiled when she found Crosshair and Omega fast asleep on it, Omega clutching Crosshair's arm as she leaned against him. Although Melany had planned on starting dinner, she wanted to let her kind-hearted helpers rest a bit longer before making noise in the kitchen. In the meantime, she decided to go upstairs and clean up before checking on Hunter and Wrecker.

About ten minutes later, Melany softly stepped down the stairs and ushered herself into the medbay. She quietly washed her hands and then began her rounds. After tending to Wrecker's injuries, she moved on to Hunter. She quickly changed his bandages and sat down beside his bed with a tired sigh. For some reason her mind drifted to Rex and she wondered when he would contact her again. He had told her his comms were going to go dark for a few rotations but she hoped he was safe. Part of her felt guilty for not doing more like Rex and his team, but she justified her decision in keeping a low profile by remembering it would only put a bigger target on his back if a former Jedi Knight was to join his operation. She was keeping him safe by staying away and she reminded herself of the good she was doing here. Ever since Rex reconnected with her, he had been sending all of the rescued clone troopers to her compound and he even sent some of his own men to her if they were critically injured.

Melany was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she did not notice Hunter's fingers beginning to move. It was not until she heard a deep sigh from him that she snapped out of her trance and refocused her attention on him. She brought up multiple scans on her data pad and monitored all of his vitals along with his brain waves. A few minutes later, his eyes slowly fluttered open and he groaned from the brightness of the medbay lights. Noticing this, Melany slightly dimmed the lights for his comfort and she spoke in a soft voice, "Hunter? You don't know me but I've been taking care of you and your squad."

His brown eyes shifted toward her but he remained silent as he observed her. "My name is Melany. Your friend, Rex, sent me to find you and your squad when your shuttle crashed. Everyone is safe though." She stood up and helped prop up his bed before grabbing him a glass of water, "You've been in a medically induced coma for a couple days. How are you feeling?"

He continued to stare at her, feeling a bit confused. "Where's Omega?" His voice was hoarse and raspy.

"She's sleeping in the next room, as is Crosshair. Would you like me to get them?" She handed him the water.

"No, no. If they're asleep, let them sleep." He gulped down the water without any hesitation, unlike Crosshair. "Thank you for the water." He politely nodded when he handed her the empty glass.

"You're welcome. How are you feeling?" She put the glass down and began examining him with the medical scanner.

"Disoriented." He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm not used to this feeling. It's very unsettling."

"It's completely normal, and I promise it'll wear off. It's just a side effect from the induced coma." She put the medical scanner away and studied his results.

He opened his eyes and closely watched her, no doubt trying to get a sense of who this stranger was, "Who did you say you were again? What happened? Where are we?"

Melany looked up at him with a kind smile, "I'm Melany. I'm a friend of Rex." She spent the next twenty minutes telling Hunter the same explanation she told Omega and Crosshair when they first awoke. It was interesting to see how different Hunter was compared to Crosshair. He was not afraid of asking her questions and doing everything he could to squeeze as much information out of her as possible. Crosshair was the complete opposite, he let Melany talk uninterrupted for a majority of the time. It made sense to Melany that Hunter would be more intent on getting the full picture of their situation. It was his duty as the squad leader to be as knowledgeable as possible when it came to unfamiliar territory. He wanted to be sure he and his squad were in safe hands.

"So…" Hunter mused while he watched Melany unhook him from the medical instruments, "You said you've known Rex for a long time?"

"Mhm. We met at the beginning of the war."

"On Coruscant?"

"Yes." She glanced at him over her shoulder, "Why?"

"I just find it odd he never mentioned you before." He shrugged.

"Well he doesn't talk about me to protect-"

"Your trooper operation, yes, you've mentioned that." He furrowed his brow at her, "I meant it's odd he never talked about you in a friendly sense."

"Rex is the type of man who likes to keep his private life, well, private." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Hunter continued to stare at her. He heard her heart rate increase whenever she talked about Rex. Clearly there was more to this than what she was letting on, "So you and Rex were just friends?"

Melany froze, her back stiffened a bit, "Are you insinuating Rex and I were more than friends?"

"I"m gonna level with you, Melany." He tilted his head at her, "My enhanced skillset is heightened senses and I'm detecting lots of rapid heart rates and minute visual queues from you which tells me you're hiding something."

"Well, not that it's any of your business, but no. He and I were just friends." She crossed her arms with a frown, "And perhaps my heart rate goes up when I talk about Rex because I haven't seen him in person since the 501st was deployed to the siege in the Outer Rim. Anaxes, I believe it was? And given everything that's happened since the end of the war, it's a miracle he's still alive. So, yeah, I tend to get anxious when I think about him and my heart rate goes up a bit. I didn't realize worrying about my friend was a crime though."

Hunter lowered his eyes, ashamed with his accusation, "Sorry, I didn't meant to upset you."

Melany's stern look melted away as her expression softened at his apology, "I don't mean to get so defensive when it comes to my friendships with the clone troopers, its just…" She sat at the foot his bed and sighed, "I lost everyone I loved before the war and those men were the closest thing I had to a family. Making friends with the troopers was one of the best and worst decisions of my life. They were some of the finest men I knew and some of the hardest losses I endured."

Hunter apologetically cringed, "I'm sorry, I didn't know how close you were to the regs."

Melany smirked, "There's that word again. Regs."

He raised a curious eyebrow, "Again?" Hunter chuckled, shaking his head when realization hit him, "Crosshair?"

"Yep. He made it very clear he is not a reg." Melany giggled along with him, "He's kinda funny, in a rude sarcastic sorta way."

Hunter gave her a knowing look, "He may come off as aloof but he's got a good heart buried deep, deep, deep within that icy exterior. And he's got one of, if not the best death glares in the entire galaxy." Melany laughed at his description of Crosshair. Hunter chuckled as he slowly sat up and swung his legs off the bed, "Permission to be discharged from medbay?" He asked with a curious expression.

"Permission granted. As long as you don't mind me checking up on you regularly."

"I can live with that." He smirked. Hunter carefully stood up, swaying a bit from still being disoriented, but he eventually gained his balance. Melany noticed how much shorter he was compared to Crosshair, maybe even shorter than the regs. She hoped he would fit into the typical clone trooper clothing she already had stored in the closet because after staying up all night making clothes for Crosshair, she was in desperate need of a good nights sleep.

Melany attentively watched Hunter take a shaky step forward, leaping forward to catch him when his knees buckled. She firmly grasped her hands along his torso, ignoring how well-defined his muscles were under his blacks. "You okay?" She cautiously asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just…dizzy I suppose." He sighed as he threw an arm around her shoulders for support.

"Maybe you should lay in bed for a while longer?"

He shook his head, a decision he regretted when the movement made the dizziness worse. "I just need to start moving around. Get acclimated. Maybe get some fresh air."

Melany nodded as she steadily walked him out of the medbay. She could sense the relief within him when they passed Omega and Crosshair sleeping peacefully on the couch. They made their way out of the house, the brisk winter air chilling them to the bone. Melany sat him down on a bench facing the vineyard, "I'll be right back." She hurried back into the house and returned less than a minute later with a thick blanket for him and her wrap for herself.

Hunter thanked her as she draped the blanket over his shoulders. He stared out at the view of endless rows of grapevines illuminated by the flickering dim lights of lanterns spread throughout the area. He also observed how the entire compound was surrounded by a lush forest of evergreen trees, "This land is beautiful. So peaceful. You own all of this?"

"Mhm." She nodded, taking a seat beside him, "I worked here for a little bit, learned the ropes from my predecessors. I was fortunate to inherit this place from the previous owners when they died."

"Hmm." He gestured his chin toward the rustic-looking building next door to the house, "And that's the winery, correct?"

"How did you know?"

"I can smell the wine barrels."

"What? No way, really?" Melany stared at him with wide eyes.

"Mhm. Heightened senses, remember?" Hunter tilted his head ever so slightly so he could see her out of his peripherals vision.

"That's actually insane." Melany fully turned toward him, her face animated in awe, "So you can hear my heart rate increase. You can smell wine barrels from here. What else can you do?"

"I can feel electromagnetic frequencies from anywhere on the planet. Given the source is strong enough to emit a decent signal." He nonchalantly shrugged with a smirk.

"Wow. You must've been incredible to watch in the field." She glanced back at the house before facing him again, "Crosshair told me he can hit a target from ten klicks, is that true?"

"He told you that?" Hunter looked at her in surprise, a bit of intrigue in his eyes, "He must like you then. He only mentions that when he's trying to impress someone."

"So it is true?" She tried to ignore his comment about Crosshair trying to impress her.

"Ohhh yeah." He tightened the blanket around his shoulders, a reminiscent look on his face, "That man had the steadiest hands and the sharpest vision in the entire GAR."

"Had?" She inquired with a frown.

Hunter's nostalgic expression suddenly disappeared, "Uhh, I think I've said too much. It's not my story to share." He turned away from her and blankly stared out into the darkness.

A couple minutes of silence hung in the air. Melany sensed his wistfulness, probably reminiscing on his time during the war. Who would have thought the war would be considered as simpler times. "Omega told me about Tantiss." Melany's soft voice broke the silence, "It sounded like a horrible place. She told me about her experience there. It sounded oppressive but she also told me whatever Crosshair went through was far worse." She reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "I'm glad your squad destroyed the base and freed all the clone prisoners. No one deserves to go through what you all went through."

"I'm just relieved all of that is behind us." Hunter hummed in thought, "Speaking of which, you said Rex got in contact with Echo?"

"Yes. Echo received your distress signal, traced your location to the Core Worlds region, and then reached out to Rex about finding you."

"And that's when Rex contacted you."

"Mhm. And now you're here." She gently squeezed his shoulder before dropping her hand.

Hunter felt himself relax from her touch, appreciating the kind gesture. Especially when he was still trying to figure out what happened since their escape from Tantiss. "Has anyone tried reaching out to Echo? He'll want to know we're safe."

"Rex told me the transmission between him and Echo was cut off. He tried to reestablish communication with Echo immediately after but it didn't work. Rex's comms have been dark since." Melany sensed his apprehension spiking so she quickly added, "But that was also a couple rotations ago so I'm sure Echo's comms are back online now."

Hunter was silent for a few moments, trying to make sense of everything. "Do you have something we can use to try and reach out to him?"

"Of course-"

"Hunter?!"

The duo turned around to see Omega excitedly walking toward them, she would have preferred running to Hunter but she was still catering to her broken ribs. Her glossy eyes met Hunter's when she stood in front of him with concern etched into her face, "Are you okay? You gave me your helmet when we crashed and when I woke up I couldn't find you and-"

"I'm alright, Omega." He interrupted her anxious rambling, his hand resting on her shoulder in a comforting manner. "Melany told me how brave you were. I'm so proud of you." He encouraged with a smile.

Omega let out a small hiccup before throwing her arms around him. He gently wrapped one arm around her back, mindful of what Melany told him about her injuries, and placed his other hand on the back of her head. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and whispered, "I was so scared. Don't do that again."

He chuckled softly, "I promise."

Melany quietly snuck away to not only give them some privacy but to also regain her composure. Watching Omega's reaction to seeing Hunter awake reminded her of herself and her father when she was little. Despite Omega and Hunter being siblings, it was clear to Melany that their relationship was more father-daughter than brother-sister. She clearly saw the sibling dynamic between Crosshair and Omega, and now she was curious as to Omega's relationship with Wrecker.

Melany noticed Crosshair leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. She ducked her head and wiped her eyes before approaching him, not wanting to receive any teasing for her slip in composure. Much to her surprise though, his usual indifferent expression was replaced by a much softer look, "You okay?" He asked, his typically cynical tone was unexpectedly empathetic.

Melany blinked up at him in surprise, "Yeah, I'm okay. Wasn't expecting such an emotional reunion, I suppose."

"They…" He gestured his chin toward them, "Have a special kind of bond."

"I can see that." She glanced over at Hunter and Omega before refocusing her attention to the man in front of her, "Did you want to go join them?"

"No. I'm fine." He shook his head, avoiding her eyes.

She scoffed, "This morning you were complaining about being kept indoors and now you don't want to go outside?"

He adjusted his position against the doorframe, "It's too cold." He tightened his arms across his chest, making his lean muscles flex through his shirt.

"Alright." Melany tore her gaze away from his physique and headed inside, "I'm going to get a blanket."

"Don't. I said I'm fine." He retorted as he watched her dig through the hall closest by the door.

"Who said the blanket was for you?" She snarked, returning with a couple blankets in her arms, "Maybe it's for Omega? Maybe it's for me?"

He chuckled as her smug expression, "You're too nice to not get an extra for me." Crosshair suddenly froze and his head spun around toward his siblings, frowning when he noticed they were staring at him and Melany. He had no doubt Hunter was eavesdropping. "I think I preferred it when Hunter was unconscious." He muttered.

"I heard that!" Hunter yelled at him.

Crosshair rolled his eyes with an irritated growl. Melany giggled while handing him the blankets, "Here. Go give this to them and make nice. I'm going to get started on dinner." Suddenly, her body tensed and a troubled expression formed on her face.

Crosshair furrowed his brow at her sudden shift, "What's wrong-"

He was unable to finish his sentence because Melany immediately bolted inside the house and sped into the medbay. Crosshair called out to Hunter and Omega, but they were already running toward him. Hunter had heard the same thing Melany sensed and his adrenaline had spiked enough to reset his senses, making the dizziness disappear entirely.

"What's wrong?" Both Crosshair and Omega asked at the same time.

Hunter pushed past Crosshair, only muttering one word, "Wrecker".

The trio ran into the medbay to find Melany furiously attending to Wrecker. They could hear the EKG beeping erratically as Wrecker's body began to convulse. Omega gasped so loud it almost sounded like a scream which caught Melany's attention.

"Get her out of here!" She ordered, gesturing to Omega.

"No! I'm not leaving him!" Omega argued as she fought to get closer to her brother.

Hunter grabbed her and dragged her over to Crosshair, "Get her out of here and make sure she stays away." Crosshair numbly nodded, his gaze focused on the scene in front of him. "Crosshair! Go! Now!" Hunter commanded, using his stern sergeant voice.

That seemed to snap his brother out of his daze. Crosshair's eyes hardened to the steely gaze he wore when in the heat of battle, his mind flipping a switch as he firmly grasped Omega's arm and dragged her out of the medbay. Once the door closed, Omega began fighting against her brother.

"Let me go!" She squirmed.

"We have our orders. We're staying out here." His voice was steady as he tightened his grip on her.

"How could you say that?!" She looked up at him in exasperation," Wrecker's in trouble-"

"What are you going to do? Are you a medic?" He growled at her, his unyielding icy gaze challenged her fearlessness.

She flinched at his harsh tone, "No but-"

"Part of being a soldier is knowing your place. I know mine, do you know yours?"

Meanwhile, Hunter was urgently following Melany's orders in the attempt to save Wrecker's life. Similar to Crosshair, Hunter also flipped his mental switch to calmly focus on the situation at hand. Unfortunately, the life-saving measures they were performing on Wrecker were not working. Time seemed to stand still when Hunter heard the EKG crash into the ill-fated monotone beep. His heart dropped while staring at Wrecker's stilled form, not hearing any sort of heartbeat from his brother. He was so transfixed upon the tragedy, he did not hear Melany yelling at him. Hunter was finally snapped out of his shock when she grabbed his arm and yanked him toward the door.

"What are you doing?!" He snapped at her.

"Get out! Now!" She commanded, shoving him out of the medbay and closing the door in his face.

Hunter stared at the door in front of him, stunned by her odd behavior. He did not know her very well but regardless, this behavior was abnormal. He tried to reenter the medbay but he was angered to discover the door was locked from the inside. "Melany!" He yelled, banging his fist on the door.

"Hunter?!" Omega grabbed his other arm and desperately pulled on it, "What happened?!"

"Wrecker…" Angry tears stung his eyes. He could not lose another brother. Not two within one year. Ever since he was first promoted to sergeant, he heavily bore the burden of his rank with the upmost seriousness. He knew every action, every decision made by his squad was his sole responsibility. He always made sure he put everything he could into being the best squad leader. He was prepared to die before letting anything happen to his squad. His top priority every day was to protect his squad, his family. But now; Tech was dead, Omega had been captured twice, Crosshair lost his hand, Echo was unreachable, and now Wrecker. He had failed as their squad leader. He had failed as their brother. He. Had. Failed.

"Hunter?" Crosshair's gentle tone startled him.

He blinked at Omega and Crosshair, a pit forming in his stomach as he wracked his brain thinking about how he should break the news. "Wrecker…didn't make it." He lowered his eyes and sighed.

"No. He-he can't be gone." Omega whimpered, tears cascading down her cheeks.

Hunter knelt down in front of her and enveloped her in a comforting hug, "I'm so sorry Omega." He calmly spoke, trying not to let his emotions seep out. He would mourn Wrecker's death in private later on, but right now, he needed to be strong for his squad.

While in the embrace with Omega, Hunter glanced up to watch Crosshair slink out of the house with an unreadable expression on his face. He knew Crosshair had a special bond with Wrecker, aside from being the two youngest, they were also known as the chaotic duo, loving to cause trouble wherever they went. After the loss of Tech, Hunter realized Crosshair tended to take the loss of a brother harder than the rest of them. Perhaps it was because he buried his emotions so deep within that when tragedy struck, it completely shattered his heart and he did not know how to properly grieve. He did not like to express emotion nor did he like to talk about his feelings, he just continued bottling everything up inside.

Hunter was preparing himself for his talk with Crosshair when his heightened senses picked up on something odd. He closed his eyes and focused intently on the sound he was hearing. It was soft. It was rhythmic. It was repetitive. It was…Melany chanting?

Inside the medbay, shortly after Wrecker flatlined and Melany kicked Hunter out, she found herself hovering over Wrecker's unresponsive body. Although every medical life-saving measure she attempted had failed, there was one option left. An option she had only recently studied and mediated upon. An option she never used before, let alone at such a critical moment. An option that would require self-sacrifice on her part. An option that would put her and everyone around her at risk with the Empire.

Melany removed her gloves and placed her trembling hands on Wrecker's bare chest. It had been a long time since she called out to the Force. Melany-no, Evesa had severed her connection to the Force ever since she ended up Alderaan after the Jedi Purge. That was the moment when Evesa died and Melany was born. She had continued studying the ancient Jedi texts from the ruined Jedi Temple on Alderaan out of habit, but she never called upon the Force until now. Evesa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Trying to calm her racing heart in a stressful situation like this was a difficult task but fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, she had a lot of practice during the war.

Focusing on her breathing, not on her emotions, Evesa reached out into the Force.

"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me." She whispered.

Similar to the sensation she felt back when she was first being tested to join the Jedi Order many years ago, a peaceful wave of calm washed over her weary soul, like a reassuring warm hug from a loved one.