Tom Gagging On The Test Is The Cutest Thing What The Hell Im Here For It :-((((

The Sergeant's Senator | Chapter 4

Summary: The Senator has spent the last couple weeks locked inside, but now wants nothing more than to go outside. The others need to find a way to get her outside without being spotted or recognized.

Warning: mention of the shooter, vial of blood is alluded to, characters have slight anxiety, mutual pining, suggestive talk, weaponry mentioned (not used)

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 5.4k

Series Masterlist

The day following the attack was spent talking to The Coruscant Security Force. They had come to the apartment to investigate the destruction, opening a brand new case file against the shooter. While some officers were snapping photographs of the scene, the other ones were questioning the people who witnessed the attack.

In the meantime, Crosshair made sure to keep a close eye out the window with his sniper in hand. His eyes scanned the city skyline thoroughly. By the couches, Senator Rayna and Hunter gave their statements to an officer. The man took notes on a pad of paper.

"And where you able to get a good look at the shooter? Maybe what they were wearing," the officer suggested.

"No, we didn't get a good look. It was quite dark out and we went in the best position to look at them," Hunter explained. Even with his heightened senses, Hunter wasn't able to get a great look before he fired his shot.

Just then, Tech came to approach the small group. He held his data pad in one hand and a small vial of blood in the other. He passed the vial to the officer.

"This might be of some assistance to you," Tech told the officer. "It was found on the rooftop where the shooter was located. That is their blood."

The officer went to open his mouth to question how he managed to get a sample of the shooter's blood, but the technical clone beat him to talking by saying:

"You should be able to run a DNA diagnosis test to pinpoint who it is exactly. Then you can release a warrant for his arrest," Tech explained to the officer as if he didn't know how to do his job. He typed away at his data pad.

The senator was forced to stuff her lips into her mouth in hopes of stifling a small laugh. She glanced up at the sergeant who gave her a shrug and a look that said: "That's Tech for you."

"R-Right. We'll get right on that and get back to you once the results are in," the officer stammered over his words. "We should have this place cleaned up in a few days. I presume you have a place to stay?"

"She does," Hunter interjected before Y/n could speak for herself. He left it at that, not wishing to disclose where the senator was staying just in case unwanted ears were listening.

The officer gave a firm nod of the head, showing them appreciation for their willingness to answer their questions. "Thank you for your time."

Over the next couple weeks, Senator Rayna was fully immersed in her work back at the office. Her schedule consisted of attending meetings, writing her speech, and sitting in on what was happening at the senate. All the while, the Bad Batch escorted her to every function. They kept a close eye on her while being fully aware of the dangers that could accompany them.

It had been many weeks since the attack at the high-rise, which was now the longest amount of time between attacks. Something was not right. His suspicious grew with each passing day. That only made him want to take extra precautions when accompanying the senator out.

"I don't like it," Hunter grumbled more to himself. He paced back and forth across the office.

The senator spared him a quick glance before returning her attention to the papers in front of her. "Stop pacing," Senator Rayna spoke from behind her paper.

"It's been weeks and nothing. We haven't heard a thing from this guy," Hunter complained. He raised his hand to gesture out the window.

"Well, I am most certainly thankful for that. You're not the one who's a target here," Senator Rayna stated. He slumped down into a chair facing her desk. He fidgeted with his fingers nervously; his eyes darting around the room.

"He's gonna strike. I just know it," Hunter claimed.

"Hunter," Y/n spoke softly. "I think you're a little paranoid."

"And you're not?" Hunter inquired, glancing at her.

"Not anymore," Y/n confessed with a soft smile on her face. He stared directly at her with a hint of intrigue in his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because I have you," Y/n explained. She felt herself getting lost in those dark brown eyes of his. She quickly snapped out of it and redirected her gaze away from him. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "A-And your brothers looking out for me," Y/n added.

The senator pretended to go back to her work, but she was secretly thinking about the sergeant in front of her. She tried so hard to push those thoughts away, knowing that it wasn't right to be pining after and crushing over her sergeant who was assigned to protect her. It wasn't like he could reciprocate the feelings; he was a clone after all and they were programmed to not meddle in those matters.

Despite the looks, Hunter wasn't void of all emotions. In fact, as of recently, Hunter discovered that he was shifting towards having a more domesticated heart. His thoughts wandered back to his friend named Cut who was a deserter clone settled on Saleucami. He had gone so far as to marry a Twi'lek named Suu and have two children together.

The difference between Hunter and Cut were their priorities in life. While Cut found purpose in providing for his family, Hunter was still a soldier for the Republic and served in the war. Now, Hunter envied the life Cut made for himself and wished that someday after the war, he'd be able to seek the same kind of life for himself.

However, despite this optimist approach that the war would end, there was still a matter at hand. Once the war ended, Hunter may be free to chose a life for himself, but Y/n would not be. She'd still be a senator, sitting through meetings and making grand speeches. She herself would be working hard to make the galaxy a better place. That was something that Hunter would never be able to pull her away from. It was her purpose.

Which was why, for the past few months, Hunter tried to distance himself from the senator emotionally. He still needed to be in close proximity to her in order to keep her safe, but he simply wouldn't allow himself to become too attached. One day, they'd have to go their separate ways and that would be the end of it.

This was a tricky task for him. His head screamed to stop, but his heart pleaded to try. Once the senator returned to her apartment after it was fully restored, Hunter found it incredibly difficult to stay away from his bed aboard the Marauder. His once undisturbed bed now smelled so strongly of lavender that it drove his senses wild.

More often than not, Hunter came to discover how she was constantly invading his senses. Whether the senator wore a particularly flattering dress or gingerly touched his arm, it drove him wild. He tried wearing his helmet more, igniting the feature that blocked out those senses for his own sake.

But right now, sitting in her company, Hunter wasn't wearing his helmet. He stared at her longingly, admiring the way a few baby hairs fell around her face. He also seemed to catch the soft pink tone on her cheeks, but she quickly shielded her face from him behind a piece of paper. The gentle flutter of her heartbeat did not go unnoticed either.

Just then, the door to the office slid open to reveal the other four members of the squad. They had just come back from grabbing lunch in the cafeteria downstairs. They figured, given the quietness over the past couple weeks, that they could afford sneaking down for quick bite to eat. But that had been an hour ago.

"Took you long enough," Hunter huffed. He crossed his arms over his chest, seemingly unamused by their prolonged absence.

"That's because Wrecker kept going back for more food," Echo scoffed.

"It never ends," Wrecker exclaimed with a bright smile on his face. He came around the side of the chair. "They let you take as much food as you want. I haven't been this full in a long time."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Y/n smiled at him.

"So," Wrecker clasped his hands together rather loudly. "What's on the docket for today?"

"Nothing," Tech and Y/n replied simultaneously.

"Her schedule is empty," Tech spoke. His nose was buried deep into his data pad.

"No meetings? No speeches?" Wrecker questioned. He seemed rather confused as he felt there was almost always something the senator had to do. But it was only two hours past noon.

"Not really," Y/n shrugged her shoulders. "I initially planned to spend the whole day finishing writing my speech, but now, I'd like to do something else."

"What did you have in mind?" Hunter inquired curiously.

When the senator saw all eyes on her, she felt her nerves go uneasy. She twiddled with the pen in her hands, thinking about what she was about to say. She didn't know if it was such a good idea after all.

"I-I'd like to go out," Y/n confessed timidly.

The room remained silent for a moment. The senator glanced between each of the clones in attempts to read their expressions and predict who was going to speak up first. Sure enough, the sarge was the first one to speak for his brothers. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Out?" Hunter clarified.

"Your speech is in two days," Tech pointed out.

"Shouldn't you prioritize that?" Echo questioned.

"I haven't been able to properly go outside for weeks," Y/n ignored them. She threw her hands up in defeat, resting against the back of her chair. "The most fresh air I get is going between here and my place."

"Do you really think it's a good idea to go out in public? With everything going on?" Echo chimed in.

"Not to mention the fact that you have easily one of the most recognizable faces on Coruscant," Tech pointed out.

"I'd wear a disguise," Y/n replied.

"Really? A disguise," Hunter held back a laugh.

"Believe it or not: I do own civvy clothes," Y/n reassured them.

"I'd pay to see that," Wrecker laughed. He rather forcefully nudged Crosshair who was standing right beside him, but he just shook his head in annoyance.

Trying to ignore his brother's comment, Hunter found himself leaning forward in the seat. He came up with a hypothetical situation. "Say we do go out, what would you even want to do?" Hunter asked her.

"Anything," Y/n sighed. "Just get me out of this office."

For a moment, Hunter contemplated the choice to leave. He averted his gaze to ponder some more. He found feel his brothers gazing at him expectingly, which made him realize just how much they too wanted to get out. The risk was almost too high given that she had a massive target painted on her back.

Sensing how he was leaning more towards a negative response, the senator quickly rose to her feet and rounded the side of her desk. She knelt down on the floor right beside his chair. She placed a hand on his forearm which drew his attention towards it. Her eyes were pleading, begging for a little freedom.

"Twenty credits says he caves," Crosshair said discreetly to his twin standing right beside him.

Before Tech was able to accept the challenge, Wrecker spoke up quietly. "You're on."

To which Tech rolled his eyes. He went back to his data pad.

"Please sarge," Y/n urged. Her other hand went up to trace his fingers gently, coaxing him to watch her intently. She drew small shapes on his palm. Her eyes flickered up to him. "Just for a little while?"

Finally, Hunter began to withdraw his hand away from her in a slow manner. He flexed his hand once or twice to get rid of the feeling of her fingers having just graced him. He refused to look at her.

"Fine," Hunter sighed heavily.

A bright smile grew across her lips. She thought about throwing her arms around him for an embrace, but she figured that she may be overstepping if she did so. Instead, Y/n stood to her feet from her spot. She could barely contain her excitement.

In the background, Wrecker and Tech went to place their twenty credits into Crosshair's expecting hand. Both of them looking rather solemn, but the third was rather pleased with his new change. He pocketed the credits into a pouch.

Before Y/n was able to turn away, Hunter reached out to grab her wrist. The excitement was quickly disappeared from her face. Now she wondered if he'd changed his mind. She went to look down at him, fearful of what he was about to say.

Under his fingers, Hunter felt her pulse growing faster on her wrist and he could hear the thumping of her heart. He wasn't sure if it was anxiety or excitement coming from her. But he spoke to her to get his point across.

"But if we are doing this, you are gonna do things my way," Hunter's sulky voice ordered. His eyes flickered up to meet hers in a stern glare. "You got that?"

"Yes sir," Y/n gulped.

Upon hearing this, Hunter instinctively tightened his grip on her wrist without realizing it. It drew a small gasp out of her lips which only spurred him on more. Now satisfied with her answer, Hunter began to release his grip on her. He gestured to the side as if to encourage her to keep moving.

As the senator walked away, Hunter redirected his line of attention to his band of brothers standing on the sidelines. He had already come up with a plan to execute this outing.

"Go back to the Marauder," Hunter spoke to the muscles of the group. "We are going to need the old crate."

A few minutes later, Wrecker had returned to the office carrying a massive crate in his hands. He brought it to the center of the room and dropped it on the floor, which resulted in a loud thump. Opening the lid of the crate, Tech began digging through the various items within it. He was searching for something in particular.

Without glancing up, Tech grabbed something black and handed it to Hunter. He strode across the room towards the senator, offering the odd black material to her. She furrowed her eyebrows upon further inspection.

"What is this?" Y/n inquired. She gingerly took hold of the material.

"We call them blacks," Hunter stated.

"And what am I supposed to do with it?"

"Take off your clothes," Hunter explained. Her eyes snapped up to his face, showing the evident look of surprise in her eyes. He finished what he was saying: "And put these on."

Silently, Senator Rayna nodded her head understandingly. She went towards the restroom on the other side of the room, stepping inside and closing the door behind her for privacy.

With Hunter's eyes still locked on the door, Crosshair approached his side. His eyes followed the line of his brother's. He adjusted the toothpick in the corner of his mouth.

"Didn't take you for the flirting type," Crosshair noted. His voice sounded like it was poison in the brother's ear; like it was laced with ill intent.

"I'm not," Hunter spoke firmly without taking his eyes off the door. "Just telling her what to do."

"You're a horrible liar," Crosshair scoffed with a shake of the head. He proceeded to turn away from him and return to his other brothers side by the crate.

Just a moment later, the door creaked open ever so slightly, but it successfully drew the attention of all the clones. They looked up to watch the young senator emerge from the private space. Their eyebrows shot up in slight surprise once she finally stepped into their view.

The blacks were designed to fit any body shape, which meant that the material naturally looked small before one put it on. It was truly a "one size fits all" type of clothing. And boy, did it show.

It fit her body like a black glove. The black material hugged her figure so tightly that it showed every single curve of her body. While to some, it may look incredibly uncomfortable, it was actually one of the softest materials available in the galaxy. It was lightweight, versatile, and rather cheap. Every soldier for the Republic wore blacks under their armor.

Breaking the silence, Wrecker let out a wolf whistle which only brought a swift nudge in the side from Echo. She avoided their gazes expertly, keeping her eyes on the ground. She shuffled across the small stretch, bringing her arms to cross against her chest.

"I-It feels odd wearing just this," Y/n said honestly.

"You'll get used to it," Hunter reassured her, feeling a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Found it!" Tech exclaimed from behind them. The rest of them redirected their attention towards him.

Finally, Tech retrieved a single piece of black armor from the crate. It was a clone chest piece. He held it up for further examination. However, Senator Rayna only furrowed her eyebrows in slight confusion once again. She had no idea what he was doing with a piece of armor.

"This will do nicely," Tech stated with a nod. He rounded the side of the crate to offer the chest piece to the senator.

But she initially didn't take it from him, which meant he'd need to explain his motives to her.

"I have taken the liberty of riffling through our old armor crate. Given your physique, I have selected one of Echo's old chest pieces." Tech pushed the chest plate into her hands.

"You want to me put this on?" Y/n questioned.

"That's the plan," Hunter interjected.

"So I look like a clone?"

"So you have protection," Hunter corrected. He raised a single finger to emphasis his words. "Along with a disguise."

"I won't fit in this," Y/n exclaimed. She tried holding up the chest plate to look at it closer, but it was incredibly heavy.

"Which is why I provided you with Echo's piece. He's the smallest," Tech stated as a matter of factly.

"Hey," Echo chimed in, taking offense.

Before the senator was able to protest, Hunter had already taken the chest plate out of her hands and was fitting it over her head. She slipped her arms through the holes on the side. He moved the piece of armor around until it was comfortable resting on her chest.

In the meantime, Tech and Echo began to bring the other pieces over for assembly. They handed each piece to the sergeant who knew exactly where they went on the body. The senator was beginning to feel the armor's weight as the pauldrons were attached to her shoulders.

"It feels quite heavy," Y/n realized.

"That is because it is katarn-class armor, which is much more stronger and more resilient than your typical plastoid clone armor. It will weight approximately 45 pounds once put together," Tech explained as he fitted a spare piece to her side.

"Is this really necessary?" Y/n wondered. She raised her arms upwards as the belt was attached across her waist.

"Provided that this may save your life by deflecting a blaster shot, then yes, I would say it's necessary." Tech shrugged.

"Hunter," Echo redirected. He quickly tossed him another piece from the crate, which he caught without looking.

While distracted by Tech's rambling, she didn't even notice the hands that grabbed her hips and directed her body to turn. She shuffled on her feet until she was fully facing the sergeant. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, getting on his knees in front of her.

For some unknown reason, Y/n felt something ignite within the pit of her stomach at the sight of him on his knees in front of her. She felt his fingers encircle around her ankle, silently encouraging her to lift it up. He fitted the thigh gauntlet through her foot, sliding it up the long length of her leg.

His fingers brushed against the inside of her thigh, which pulled the smallest gasp out of her. The sergeant couldn't contain the sly smirk from tugging at the corners of his lips. He felt her eyes burning into the top of his head, documenting his every move. He secured the piece as tightly as possible before glancing up at her.

She could have sworn she saw his eyes darken.

"Don't give me that look," Y/n begged quietly. She tore her gaze away from the sergeant's captivating eyes in hopes of hiding her blush. She tried to balance on one foot.

"What look?" Hunter teased.

"You know what I am talking about," Y/n insisted with a playful roll of the eyes. He chuckled deeply to himself.

Now moving, Tech shifted in his stance beside her which resulted in her loosing her balance slightly. She stumbled to the side, but she placed her hand on the sergeant's shoulder for better balance. Her hand was desperately close to his neck; so much close that she felt the strands of hair tickling her fingers.

For the time being, Hunter needed to push those feelings down once again. He fought the desire to feel her fingers threaded through his hair and tugging at his locks. He felt a slight flutter in the pit of his stomach, feeling the blood flow shifting south.

A heavy lump in his throat was forming as one of her fingers delicately brushed against the side of his neck where his pulse would be.

Through distractions, Hunter focused on finishing the task at hand. He secured one of the knee pads before moving onto fitting the boot onto her foot. After this, he began working on the other leg, helping her get into each respectable piece until she started to look like a clone trooper.

Upon completion, Hunter began to rise to his feet. He let out a small groan when he felt his knees popping, but he ignored the aching pain. He stood at his full height, towering over her. He held up the final piece into view.

"I'm not wearing that," Y/n stated with the most unamused look on her face.

"It's a codpiece," Hunter explained.

"I know what it is. I am not putting it on," Y/n said with a shake of the head.

"You won't pass as a clone if you're not wearing it," Hunter argued. This wasn’t convincing enough for her. "It would look even weirder if you weren't wearing it."

"He's right," Tech's unwanted opinion came out of nowhere.

"Fine," Y/n grumbled in slight defeat. She stopped him before he could go down on his knees again. She took the codpiece out of his grasp. "But I'll put it on myself."

"As you wish," Hunter gave up easily with hands raised in defense.

Fitting the final piece, Y/n put her hands out to show off her new black clone armor She looked at each of the clones for their thoughts about how she appeared. She most certainly could pass for a clone with the exception of the missing helmet.

"Woah! You look just like us," Wrecker exclaimed with a broad smile on his face.

"That's kinda the point," Crosshair mumbled beside him.

"Not without this," Echo jumped in. He tossed a spare helmet over to her, which she caught awkwardly. She surveyed the helmet, staring down where the eyepiece was.

"Who's helmet is this? Another one of Echo's pieces?" Y/n wondered.

"It's actually one of my old ones," Hunter confessed. He scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh," Y/n nodded. She now saw the resemblance between his old and new helmet. "I see."

Stepping forward, Hunter took the helmet out of her hands. He turned the helmet around and raised it above her head. He lowered it onto her until her face disappeared behind it. He kept his hands on the sides.

"This okay?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah," Y/n's voice came through the modulator. He slowly removed his hands from the helmet, but her gaze remained on him. "Thanks," Y/n spoke softly.

Putting distance between them, Hunter went back to his brothers' side. He rifled through the craft one final time, looking for an old holster for a blaster. He pulled out a regular black one before handing it over to Tech.

"This is the final piece," Tech explained to her. He fitted the belt around her waist so that the holster fell over the side of her thigh.

"A holster?" Y/n questioned.

"For your blaster," Tech said while briefly glancing up at her.

"I don't carry a blaster," Y/n informed him.

"It's just for today. It's all for looks. You won't have to use it," Hunter chimed in. His arms were crossed over his chest.

Next, Tech took one of his own spare blasters out of his backpack. He handed the weapon to her for which she held for a second. She examined the weapon carefully, rotating it. She slid it right into the holster at her side, bringing the disguise to completion.

Upon leaving the main building, the Bad Batch began walking down the street and blended into the crowd of citizens. They made sure to keep their eyes open, realizing that an unexpected attack could occur at any given time. Not only was the senator a target, there was also a high chance that the other members that become recognizable targets for the unknown shooter.

Walking through the crowd, Y/n quickly came to realize how little passing people were looking at them. They still got the occasional glances from some, but that was obviously because of their unique clone features.

The senator and sergeant were currently walking a few steps ahead of the small squad. They picked up their own conversation.

"It's weird being unrecognizable to people in public," Y/n whispered to the sergeant striding beside her. She remembered what she was wearing though.

"Clones are everywhere," Hunter explained to her. "We all look the same so people don't need to look twice at something they've already seen."

"Well, not all of you look the same." Though she was wearing a helmet, he was able to hear the smile in her voice.

"Which is often a downside," Hunter stated. "Because then, people look."

"I'm sorry," Y/n spoke with true sincerity in her tone.

"We didn't ask to be made," Hunter replied. "But our differences...we see them as a bit of a perk. Even though they make us outcasts."

The small group had just managed to round the corner of the street, heading in one direction. The others didn't seem the least bit interested in the conversation. Instead, they focused their attention on their surroundings for added precaution.

"What's it like to have heightened senses? I imagine a place as busy as Coruscant is hard to endure," Y/n took note.

"I've...grown accustomed to it," Hunter hinted. It wasn't just Coruscant that he had grown attuned to.

"I'm sure you'll be glad once it's behind you," Y/n breathed a long sigh.

For a moment, Hunter contemplated her choice of words carefully. While she had redirected her attention back towards the sidewalk in front of her, he found himself staring at her profile.

"Have you ever thought about it?" Hunter inquired.

She glanced up at him. "About what?"

"Leaving this place?" He gestured to the grand skyscrapers.

"Well, this is my home. I was born here and I grew up here. I rarely leave unless for business matters." She seemed to shrug her shoulders. "It's a bit like Kamino for you."

The sergeant remained silent.

"Kamino is your home, is it not?" Y/n pressed. She now peered up at him with curious eyes.

"That's where they made us, trained us." Hunter agreed. His voice grew solemn as he spoke truthfully. "But it's not much like a real home. We spend more time on our ship than we do back there."

"If you did settle down--after the war, where would you go?" Y/n shifted the direction of the conversation in attempts of making it more lighthearted. She waited for his answer patiently.

"Never really thought about it," Hunter shrugged. "Never imagined a life outside the war."

"I'm sure it'll end soon," Senator Rayna often spoke with optimism. "For me, if I were to leave the planet, I'd want to go somewhere quiet."

Hunter released a small chuckle at this. "Coruscant too busy for you?"

"Always moving," Y/n insisted upon it. She watched her foot be placed in front of the other. The two of them grew silent for a moment. That was until she spoke up again: "Maybe there'd be a beach."

"You want to live on a beach?" Hunter wondered.

"I've never been to the beach," Senator Rayna corrected him. She spoke with such a dreamy voice as if she was envisioning it now. "I'd just like to relax in the silence and listen to the waves crashing."

"That does sound nice," the sergeant agreed with a small nod of the head.

"You think it's silly."

"I think it's good to have dreams," Hunter altered.

In that exact moment, Hunter felt her arm brush against his own, which made him realize how close they were walking together. They both lowered their gazes to the ground. They seemed to enjoy the silence between them because it wasn't awkward at all.

Unbeknownst to them, the others had been watching their exchange with curious eyes. However, they weren't really able to hear the conversation clearly. They only heard the senator laughing a few times at something he'd said. All this to say that they looked at one another with the same look on their faces. A face that read: "There is something going on between them."

"I'll take you to the beach one day," Hunter offered quietly.

Her head snapped up to look directly at him. "You would?"

The sergeant nodded his head silently in agreement. He promised her: "Just the two of us."

"I'd like that," Y/n confessed sheepishly.

As the two of them walked alongside each other, their shoulders would occasionally brush together. Barely any words were further exchanged between the two, which resulted in a tender silence falling over them. They each felt this giddy bubbly feeling in the pits of their stomachs.

Ever so gently, Hunter felt the back of his hand graze against hers. This happened a handful of other times as they toured the streets of the city. He tried to see her reaction when it happened through the corner of his eye, but she never pulled away from him.

After a while, Hunter gathered the smallest amount of courage to tease the back of her hand with his pinky finger. He was testing the waters, half expecting it to go rather poorly for him. But he once again found that she remained silent and didn't withdraw from him.

Slowly, Hunter curled that single finger to hook around her own. He held it as gently as possible in fear of breaking it. He waited with a sharp breath held in his chest. But she never pulled away.

Feeling contact only ignited a burning flame in the pit of her stomach, resulting in the heat rising to her face. Her heart began to flutter like a hummingbird's wings and her smile only grew wider under her helmet. She wanted nothing more than to link the rest of their fingers together until they were properly holding hands, but she knew she wouldn't be able to.

For now, Y/n would have to be content with this. And she truly was.

By the time evening had come, Senator Rayna was safely back at her own place. She worked on the finishing touches of her speech, changing a few things to her liking. A sound knock came from her bedroom door and she invited them in without thought.

Naturally, Echo had pushed the door open in a silent manner. He was the only one on duty for tonight, which meant he was stationed at her door for the next couple hours. He held a small pile of papers with his good hand.

"These came for you," Echo explained. He stole a quick glance at the paper on the top.

"Bring 'em over," Y/n encouraged with a wave of her hand. He strode across the room, setting the stack of papers down on the desk beside her speech.

"I'll leave you to it," Echo dismissed himself. He knew that she was close to finishing her speech and would prefer to work alone. He walked back to the entrance of her room, shutting the door behind him. His hand lingered on the handle as he tried to process what he had seen on the top of the pile.

Now alone in the room, Y/n's eyes had shifted to the small stack on her right side. The paper on the top of the pile had red ink that indicated where it came from and it's utmost importance. It was an application form which came from the Coruscant Guard.

The Coruscant Guard had sent this to inform her of available troopers in their rank. This was something that they were unable to offer her a couple weeks ago when she really needed the escort. Now, things had changed.

The only thing she'd need to do was fill out the application for a new escort. The Coruscant Guard would take the time to process her application, eventually sending a new set of guards to accompany her like they had beforehand.

An issue arose with this. If the senator were to receive new guards, that meant her current escort would be transferred. They'd return to the front lines, heading back to the war. She contemplated her next step.

At first, Senator Rayna thought about the small squad that had grown on her the past couple weeks. She figured that they'd probably prefer to return to the war effort. They were much too gifted to be stuck escorting her around the city. Their skills had so much value, guaranteeing success in the war. They'd want her to fill out the application. They could go back to all the action; that's what they liked.

For some unknown reason, Senator Rayna's mindset began to shift into a more selfish one. She told herself how she'd never felt more safe than when this squad was beside her, remembering how the last two guards had been killed protecting her. And she thoroughly enjoyed their company...one more than the rest.

Taking the application in her hands, Y/n made a final decision. She tossed the piece of paper into the drawer of her desk. Without this, the Coruscant Guard wouldn't send a new escort to her aid and the Bad Batch would remain with her in the meantime. This is what she wanted.

CHAPTER FIVE HERE

Taglist:

@justhavingsomefun1 @totally-not-your-babe @jedipoodoo @gyllord @roam-rs @totallyunidentified @redheadgirl @mrcaptainrex @whore-of-many-hot-men @graciexmarvel @qweenrogerina @arcsimper5 @queenofspades6 @cadihyo @jediknightjana @elthoughtzos @lokigirlszendaya

This felt like a longer chapter but I did take out one scene where Hunter helps her take off the armor (lot of sexual tension there). Let me know if I should still post the now deleted scene!

The Sergeant's Senator | Chapter 1

Summary: It is revealed that there is a plot to assassinate a republic senator. With some negotiations, Clone Force 99 is assigned as the security detail and must protect the senator at all costs.

Warning: threat to one's life and talks of assassination

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 1.1k

Series Masterlist

Note: Technically, this is a reader insert series. However, with that said, I did give the senator (reader) a last name. It worked better when writing; I didn't have to keep putting Senator L/n. Might change it later if people aren't fans of it.

The planet of Coruscant was one of the most important planets in the galaxy. Not only was the Jedi Temple located there, but so was the Galactic Senate. The senate included thousands of representatives through the galaxy in the form of senators. They met to create laws, meditate disputes, and discuss ways to end the war.

A meeting was being held in one of the meeting rooms at the senate, It had been called by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan to discuss a recent incident that nearly claimed the life of Coruscan't own senator. The senator called Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi who brought Commander Cody to accompany him.

After formalities, Senator Bail Organa explained the delicate situation to both General Kenobi and Commander Cody. The incident happened only two nights prior and resulted in both of the young senator's guards being killed from unknown snipers. She was being targeted.

The young senator sat amongst the company of three, keeping to herself. Her hands lay in her lap though she couldn't help twiddling her fingers nervously. The sense of worry was laced across her face.

"I see," General Kenobi said after hearing the whole ordeal. He stroked his beard in thought. "This is a delicate situation," Kenobi added.

"Coruscant is the capital of the republic. Her role is vital for the success of the senate. Without her, the senate may fail and Coruscant will fall. If that happens, the Separatists will be able to gain the upper hand in this war," Bail Organa explained.

"How would you suggest we help?" General Kenobi inquired curiously.

"What she needs is a new security detail to keep her safe until someone catches the assailant," Senator Organa claimed. The much younger senator closed her eyes because she wanted nothing more than to disappear away from this conversation.

"Hmm," General Kenobi hummed. "I'll have to consult with the council. I'm not sure how many Jedi are available. Most of them are on missions off world."

"Would a clone force be more suitable for this situation? We clones are much more expendable than the Jedi," Commander Cody offered this solution.

The senator thought for a moment. "That could work. Who do you have in mind?"

"I would recommend Clone Force 99, sir."

Upon hearing this, Senator Rayna's ears perked up slightly. She would feel much more comfortable being around a group of clones than one lone Jedi. Though, General Kenobi's face fell upon hearing the name of the clone group. He quickly turned to his commander.

"Uh, Commander." He began. "Can I speak with you privately?"

Now General Kenobi and Commander Cody turned away from the two senators to speak in hushed tones. There was a brief moment of silence between them.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean having a clone force escort is one thing, but Clone Force 99 is entirely different," Kenobi explained.

"They have a 100% success rate," Commander Cody defended.

"I understand. But they are a little on...the extreme side," General Kenobi added.

"If I might intervene," Senator Rayna spoke up for the first time. The two of them directed their attention to her as she stood from her place at the table. "If you think Clone Force 99 is a suitable fit to be my security detail, then I think we should skip all these formalities."

"Uh senator," General Kenobi stepped forward. "I'm not sure this is a very wise decision. Clone Force 99 is slightly unhinged at times," Kenobi explained to her.

"How so?" Senator Rayna wondered.

"Ah well..." Kenobi's voice trailed off.

"They call themselves the Bad Batch," Commander Cody stated blatantly. "They are a group of elite clone troopers with enhanced genetic mutations. They aren't like the regular clones you're used to."

"They don't go by the book either," General Kenobi added.

"But you said they have a 100% success rate," Senator Rayna concluded.

"They do," Commander Cody gave a nod of confirmation.

"Would you say that they are the best clone troopers you have out there?" She wondered.

"I will say this: While they might be a little unhinged at times and they may not follow orders like the rest of us, they are damn good soldiers and they get the job done."

"Thank you, Commander. That is all I need to hear," Senator Rayna finalized. "I look forward to meeting them."

Later in the day, a single file had arrived at the office for the senator which had been sent by the commander himself. Upon further review, the senator saw how page had a brief summary of every member on the small squad. It included their number, rank, skills, and their strengths. It also showed the number of successful missions they accomplished together.

The squad was comprised of a sharpshooter, a muscle man, a technological genius, a cybernetic hybrid (former reg), and a tactical tracker. They certainly were a bunch of misfits, but their track record alone spoke for them.

The senator stared down at the final page, which was designated for the squads sergeant. She found herself being more drawn to his page from the rest of them. He had been genetically altered to attain expert tracking skills and heightened senses.

Without much thought, the senator proceeded to send a comm to the commander once again. She waited a moment before her comm chimed a response. And she responded to him by asking him if he had anything else on this sergeant.

The Marauder was currently navigating through space. The Bad Batch had just completed a mission on one of the planets within the Outer Rim. Now they were heading back to their home world of Kamino.

In the other room, Hunter just finished receiving a message from Commander Cody. He switched off the communication channel before making his way into the cockpit of the ship to join his fellow brothers.

At the moment, Tech was putting in the coordinates for Kamino with Echo at his side in the co-pilot seat. Crosshair was polishing his sniper rifle and Wrecker was lounging with his feet up. The leader of the group made his way towards the control panel.

"Change of plan. We've got new orders," Hunter announced. This made Tech look up at him questionably. "Set course for Coruscant."

"What's on Coruscant?" Echo wondered. He knew the importance of the location, but he was more so curious about why they were needed there.

"We've been assigned to be a security detail for Coruscant's senator," Hunter relayed the information he was given.

"Doesn't she have guards for that?" Crosshair said with a roll of the eyes.

"That's just it," Hunter shrugged. "They're dead."

"There must be an imminent threat on her life, especially if the guards who are assigned to protect her are dead." Tech came to the conclusion.

"All I know is that she needs protection. And Commander Cody recommended us," Hunter told them.

"Great," Crosshair scoffed. He leaned back in his seat. "We get to play babysitter for who knows how long."

"It's just until she can find another detail or until the assailant is caught," Echo explained. He recalled one of his early missions. "You know, one of my first missions was to protect the Rishi Station Moon Base. Now that was a boring couple of rotations."

"Yeah, at least we don't have that kind of mission. Coruscant is much more exciting than some dumb old moon base," Wrecker explained.

But Crosshair wasn't super convinced. He crossed his arms over his chest in slight defeat, already knowing that they wouldn't be seeing as much action as they were used to.

"Preparing jump to hyperspace," Tech announced which drew them all out of their own thoughts. With the pull of the lever, the Marauder was shot into the glowing blue tunnel of hyperspace.

CHAPTER TWO HERE

Taglist:

@totally-not-your-babe @jedipoodoo @gyllord @roam-rs @totallyunidentified @redheadgirl @mrcaptainrex @whore-of-many-hot-men @graciexmarvel @qweenrogerina

NEXT PART DROPS ON FEB. 21ST SO IF YOU WANNA BE ADDED TO THE TAGLIST, LET ME KNOW!

The sketch and the writing is fantastic!!!! Loved this

Crosshair groaned, trying to move. His helmet had gotten twisted, the visor angle wrong. He couldn’t see. Panic arced through him. Where was he?

His left hand twitched, fingers spasming, his glove smearing something sticky. Something heavy slumped against him, something familiar, someone. Hunter. He was breathing, wasn’t he?

But he couldn’t move. Couldn’t get up to keep fighting, couldn’t hardly breathe. Maybe he could shoot —

You should be more careful —

He froze. Strained, trying to move his right hand, searching for his gun. Tried to move his hand —

No, no, no —

The boot on his arm, his whole body shaking, the hum of a vibrosword —

You should be more careful with your shooting hand.

A scream tearing his throat, the taste of blood, darkness —

He panted, trying to reach his right hand with his left, but he couldn’t feel it, could only feel a shrieking, stabbing pain — an absence —

“This one’s moving.”

“Stun him again. And clean up that blood. Hemlock wants them fully prepared for conditioning.”

No —

—

(We’re not talking enough about this moment and it’s killing me ;_; References below the cut. More musings on this here.)

I’m going to be making a taglist for my works? If you want to be on it, feel free to comment below or message me about it!

The Sergeants's Senator | Prologue

Summary: The Bad Batch has a newly added member of the team who can't seem to stop asking questions.

Warning: none

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 1.1k words

Series Masterlist

Note: In honor of the trailer dropping today, I have decided to release the first part earlier than anticipated! New chapters should come out consistently because the whole story is already written.

(THIS CHAPTER TAKES PLACE AFTER ORDER 66 AND DURING THE FIRST EPISODE OF SEASON 1 OF BAD BATCH FOR THOSE CURIOUS.)

The Marauder was flying silently through hyperspace with a final destination locked into the coordinates. The four remaining members of Clone Force 99 had just narrowly escaped Kamino, leaving behind one of their own. But luckily, they had gained another.

It was a little girl who was named Omega. She had taken an interest in Clone Force 99 upon the return of their mission on Kallar. It was later revealed to them that she was a clone just like them, which inclined them to bring her along with them as they fled Kamino and the newly established Empire.

Now, having just narrowly made an escape, Tech was flying the ship somewhere else. He put in the coordinates for a desolate planet and made sure to hold the wheel steadily as he steered. They'd be heading for Saleucami. Echo sat beside him in the co-pilot seat.

Behind the pilot's seat, Wrecker was sitting beside one of the control panels and Omega sat in the seat across from his. The two of them were talking quietly to themselves, sharing how exciting their escape had just been.

In the background, Hunter silently turned around in his place to exit the cockpit. He wanted to be alone, which meant leaving the others for a short time. Unbeknownst to him, Omega watched him walk away with curious eyes. She wondered if she should follow him.

Now Hunter walked into the backroom where their bunks were located. He lowered himself to sit on his own bunk, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his legs. He sat in silence even though a million thoughts and voices were filling his head.

In the background, Omega had poked her head into the doorway. She made sure not to be seen, but she wanted to see what he was up to. He thought a moment longer before reaching into his back pocket to retrieve a small device. His thumb brushed against the button, pressing it gently to activate the holo-photo.

From Omega's perspective, she wasn't able to see the face of the person in the hologram. She only saw the back of the person's head and the back of the long dress. Her eyes shifted upwards slightly to see Hunter's reaction.

For some reason, there were tears brimming in the corners of his eyes as he stared down at the hologram. His shoulders hunched over; his head drooping low until his chin rested against his chest. He clutched the device tightly. A broken sob escaped past his lips.

Just then, Omega's shoulders seemed to relax at her sides at the sight. She forced herself to take a single step into the room with the desire of wanting to comfort him. However, at the sound of her approaching footsteps, Hunter clicked the hologram off and stuffed it back into his pocket quickly. He sniffled once to hide the tears that nearly streamed down his face. He avoided eye contact with her.

"Who is she?" Omega inquired innocently. Her eyes shined with sympathy for him.

With some hesitation, Hunter quickly glanced at her through the corner of his eye. The walls he built started to come back up once again. He chose to not say anything and redirected his attention elsewhere. But Omega pressed on.

"She looks pretty," Omega's voice hinted at a small smile. She took another step towards him. She tried to meet his gaze, but he continued to avoid her. "Is she a princess?"

"Look kid," Hunter interrupted her. He released a loud sigh. "I don't really want to talk about her."

"O-Okay," Omega nodded her head understandingly. She wondered if he was just tired since it had been a long day. "Maybe some other time."

"No, I mean...I don't want to talk about her," Hunter reinforced his words. He looked her dead in the eyes. "Not now, not ever."

Although Omega had a million questions circling around her head, she thought it would be better to remain quiet in this particular situation. She gave a single nod of the head understandingly, choosing to drop the subject despite her curiosity. She took a step back to give him space.

Leaving the backroom, Omega went back into the cockpit to join the others silently. The door slid closed behind her. She flopped down into one of the seats, which earned a glance from Wrecker who sat in the seat beside her. She took her time to glance at each of the three clones sitting in the cockpit, wondering how much they knew about the situation with the sergeant.

"Who was she?" Omega inquired one final time.

Upon hearing her question, Omega noticed how Tech's shoulders tensed and his grip on the wheel tightened. She also saw how Echo had looked over to Tech as if expecting him to provide an explanation. Now turning to Wrecker, Omega saw the blank expression on his face and how his eyes stared off into nothing. They pondered her question in silence.

"Listen kid," Echo spoke up first. He looked over his shoulder from his seat. "It's an awfully long story. And I'm not sure if we should be the ones telling it."

"Hunter won't say anything," Omega said rather sadly. She shrugged her shoulders. "It's like he doesn't want to talk about her."

"Well, I don't blame him. It's hard to talk about what happened. He's still processing it," Echo defended.

"He's been processing for a while," Wrecker claimed with a groan. He tried to recall how long it had been since it all happened. "It's been two years already."

"Some wounds never heal," Echo replied to this sorrowfully.

"What did happen?" Omega pressed again. She only received silence from them.

For a moment, Echo thought about answering the question. The wheels were turning in his head, processing what kind of response he could come up with. But it wouldn't have been a simple one.

"Let's just say," Tech interrupted his train of thought. "Clones are not supposed to form attachments. And Hunter did."

"With her?" Omega clarified.

"That would be the only logical explanation as to why he has a hologram of her, isn't it?" Tech replied as his usual self. He received a sharp glare from Echo.

"Did he fall in love with her?" Omega wondered. The three clones felt their breaths catch in the back of their thoughts upon hearing the weighted question.

"It...depends on how you define love," Tech tried to convince her.

"Tech," Echo warned him with a hard look.

"Fine," Tech brushed it off with a roll of the eyes. "He did love her...in his own way."

"So what happened to her?" Omega asked sadly.

"Perhaps it would easier if we did tell you," Tech thought. He contemplated for a moment. "We do have a long journey ahead of us."

With that, Omega sat up in her chair with a beaming smile on her face. She leaned forward with anticipation, lowering her eyebrows onto the tops of her knees. She listened intently as the clones began to tell their rendition of the story that happened so long ago.

CHAPTER ONE HERE

Taglist:

@totally-not-your-babe @jedipoodoo @gyllord @roam-rs @totallyunidentified @redheadgirl

i am obsessed. that's all.

Freddy Carter + breaking character as Kaz Brekker

HE'S SKIPPING TWO STEPS AT A TIME TO GET TO HER FASTER

SOMEBODY SEDATE ME

Omega 🧡🩷💛

The Sergeant's Senator | Epilogue

Summary: A few years have passed. The Bad Batch finally think about settling down on Pabu.

Warning: fluff, reuniting, mutual pining, kissing

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 3.5k words

Series Masterlist

Over the course of the next three years, Hunter had come across lots of different beaches during their missions. He'd often take a short moment to take in the scenery at the end of a mission, judging the features that in his mind made the beach a good one or a bad one.

No matter how many beaches he came across, Hunter was never fully satisfied with the beach in front of him. There was always something that made it fall short of being a perfect beach. Whether it was much too rocky, the waters weren't the right shade of blue, or a few unfriendly critters littered the place. He came to the conclusion that none of these beaches were up to his specific standards.

That was until Pabu.

During the Bad Batch's first stay on the planet, Hunter found himself walking down to the shoreline on his own one evening. His heavy boots pressed into the soft white sand, thinking slightly under his weight. He searched some of his surroundings, glancing up and down the coastline for anything out of place. But Hunter couldn't really see anything just yet.

The crystal clear blue water created the smallest curved waves, splashing white sea foam along the shore. The sinking orange sun shone through the billowing wispy clouds, kissing his tanned skin and keeping him warm in the sunlight. A handful of colorful seashells littered across the sand, but not too much that it would be difficult to avoid stepping on them. The beach looked like a masterful painting. And it felt like the world seemed to stand still.

This was the place; Hunter was sure of it.

The Pabu port was certainly a hotspot for the remote island. Many fishing boats would travel out into the waters every day to catch fish to bring back. They also transported various goods including resources to rebuild and supplies to distribute. There were always a lot of people hanging around the docks.

Just as a boat was pulling into port, Wrecker was sure to wave from his spot on the perched ledge. He held a fishing pole in one hand, gently tugging the line with the other. The small boat docked and a number of people began carrying the supplies up to the lower level of the city.

Meanwhile, Shep and Hunter were carrying two heavy crates up the stairs to the lower level. They wasted little time in setting the crates down with the rest of them, getting ready to go back down for another trip.

"This friend of yours who's stopping by, he's another clone?" Shep wondered while throwing a glance towards the sergeant.

"Yeah, but don't worry. He's not with the Empire," Hunter reassured him. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

"If you trust him, that's enough for me," Shep smiled.

"The new fishing dock's rebuilt and moored," Wrecker announced. He had just climbed the last few steps whilst carrying a massive purple fish over one shoulder. "And I caught some dinner," Wrecker added proudly.

"You've been busy," Hunter recognized.

"You're got that right," Wrecker smirked. He propped the pole of his fishing rod over his right shoulder. He was quickly called away by some others who were looking for help to fortify the seawall. And he hurried after them.

"He's become an integral part of this community. You all have," Shep praised. His tone changed slightly as his next words came. "Any chance you've reconsidered staying permanently?"

"For soldiers, putting down roots is an occupational hazard." Hunter tried to explain. He knew this from first hand experience that he wasn't meant to form attachments to anyone or any place.

"Is that all you are? A soldier?" Shep asked sadly.

For a brief moment, Hunter pondered his words carefully. It'd been a long time since he questioned his status as a soldier. The times had changed and the war had ended since then. But he didn't have a long time to think about this before he heard the engines of his ship flying overhead.

Looking up, the Marauder flew over the docks and the port. It began flying higher into the sky, growing smaller in the distance. The two of them walked towards the edge of the steps to watch the ship fly away.

"More flying lessons?" Shep chuckled.

"Uh-huh. Tech's got his hands full," Hunter commented with a small smirk on his face.

Meanwhile, Tech and Omega were doing another flying session since she had begged him earlier that morning. She sat happily in the pilot's seat, maneuvering the wheel with two hands. Tech was currently seated beside her, but was holding onto the sides of the seat for dear life.

It was safe to assume that Tech found Omega's flying skills incredibly inexperienced and rather reckless. She'd often pull up at the last minute or use the thrusters way too much. He tried to critic her, but she kinda did her own thing.

After a moment, there was an incoming vessel approaching them that showed up on their scanners. The two of them leaned forward in their seats to look at the blinking red light on the panel.

"Incoming vessel on approach," Tech explained.

"It's him!" Omega exclaimed happily. She pressed the comm channel. "Havoc-4, this is Havoc-5. Do you copy?"

"Affirmative, Havoc-5. I see you've been keeping up with your training," Echo's voice sounded through their channel. A smile was evident in his tone.

"As promised," Omega replied.

"Good. Race you to the landing zone?" Echo challenged.

Before Tech was able to protest the idea, Omega had already accepted the challenge and grabbed onto the thrusters. She pulled a sharp turn in order to head back to the landing zone, following the ship closely behind.

Only a few minutes later, Echo successfully landed his ship near the landing zone. The engines powered down and the ramp lowered slowly. He walked down the ramp to be greeted by a familiar face. Both Hunter and Echo came up to each other and clasped their hands together in a brotherly manner.

"You weren't kidding. This place is remote," Echo told him, having never visiting the desolate planet beforehand.

"That has its advantages," Hunter agreed. The Marauder ship began to slowly descend over the landing platform, coming down a little rougher than expected.

"I'm surprised you're not on Ord Mantell with Cid," Echo pointed out.

"We've been...reevaluating things," Hunter responded.

In the short distance, Omega emerged from the entrance of the ship. She called the clones name, waving her hand wildly in hopes that he would see her. She broke into a run down the ramp, following by a dizzy looking Tech who stumbled down after her with a hand on the side of his head.

Just as Omega drew closer to them, she ended up leaping into his open arms and wrapped her arms around his next. He was a little taken back by the gesture to say the least, but he hugged her back nonetheless. She smiled so brightly.

"We've missed you," Omega said cheerfully.

"It hasn't been that long," Echo chuckled. He was careful to set her back down on her own two feet.

"Feels like it has," Omega shrugged her shoulders at this.

Turning his attention back towards Hunter, Echo's face grew more serious. He had come to them for a reason; this wasn't just a friendly visit. However, Echo did come bearing good news. And he needed to tell the sergeant.

"I've just come from Coruscant," Echo confessed. The sergeant immedielty straightened his back in posture and his breath hitched in the back of his throat at the mere mention.

"Did you happen to--" Hunter stopped his words short.

"Yes," Echo nodded. His lips tugged into a gentle smile. "I saw her. She's doing just fine."

Upon hearing this, Hunter nodded his head understandingly. His gaze fell to the floor as he tried pushing his emotions and reaction down. However, this didn't go unnoticed by Tech or Omega. They studied him carefully.

"Actually," Echo corrected himself. "She's doing more than fine."

Without another word, Echo had turned around in his place and walked right back up the ramp of his ship. The others who had been left behind were confused by his sudden disappearance. But it all seemed to make sense a moment later when he reemerged at the entrance.

This time, Echo wasn't alone though. He gingerly helped escort the former senator down the ramp slowly, being extra mindful of her weakened state. She needed to watch her steps because she didn't want to loose her footing. The two of them descended down the length of the ramp until they reached the bottom. Now they lifted their gaze to look at the others.

In that moment, Hunter felt this stirring tension growing in the pit of his stomach. Everything around seemed irrelevant as he stared directly into those mesmerizing eyes once again. He honestly never thought he'd lay eyes on her again, yet here she was, standing only a few feet away from him. He heard his heart skip a beat. And he swore that he'd just fallen in love with her all over again.

Having been apart for three years, Y/n looked different from when they spent time together and from when the picture of her hologram was taken. She no longer wore extravagant clothing fit for a senator, instead opting to wear bland and boring civvy clothes. Not only that, but she also cut her hair and it now rested in soft waves just below her chin. She looked different; she looked as beautiful as ever.

Feeling overcome with emotions, Hunter took a single shaky step forward. He moved with caution in fear that this was all just some horrible nightmare torturing his mind. But as he drew closer to her, his hesitation didn't waver. He just couldn't believe his eyes.

Very quietly, Echo and Tech silently gestured for the young girl to follow them away. She was going to protest, but they quickly reminded her that they needed a moment together. The three of them began taking strides backwards, giving the couple some space. They watched from a distance instead.

"Is that the senator he likes?" Omega asked with slightly narrowed eyes. She looked up at Tech and Echo for an answer.

"That's her," Echo nodded once in confirmation.

"She doesn't look like a senator," Omega commented on her appearance.

"That's because she's not a senator anymore," Echo replied without taking his eyes off the pair. He crossed his arms over his chest. "She stepped down a few months ago," Echo added.

"So why'd you bring her here?" Omega always seemed to have a million questions on her mind.

"She needed a place to go. She's always had a target on her back. Now more than ever," Echo said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. He didn't want to get too deep into the details, thinking it wouldn't be wise to share that information with a child.

"She'll be safe here," Tech reassured him. "Plus...Hunter's here too."

At this comment, Echo's lips began to tug into a smart smile. He nodded his head in agreement. He looked between the two of them with admiring eyes.

"It's exactly what they both needed," Echo responded. It was almost like it was all apart of his grand plan to get them back together. And it worked perfectly in his favor. "She needed a place to take refuge and he needed a reason to stay."

All the while this conversation was taking place, Hunter and Y/n were still trying to come up with the right words to greet one another. They both simply stood in front of one another with shocked looks on their faces. Each of them unable to find the courage to speak first.

"Hi," Y/n spoke gently. She sent him a nervous smile. She wrung her hands together, realizing that they had become incredibly sweaty.

"Hi," Hunter breathed back, still a bit lost for words. He cleared his throat awkwardly, shaking himself out of his trance. "I--I can't believe you're standing in front of me," Hunter spoke.

"I know," Y/n agreed. "Me neither."

"Cause I never thought I'd see you again," Hunter confessed. There was a strong sense of sorrow in his brown eyes. A heavy heart still kept him stationed, remembering all those lonely nights longing to be able to see her or speak to her.

"Well...I'm here now."

Without saying another word, Hunter took the remaining steps forward to close the distance between the two of them. He wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into a tight embrace. Dropping his head onto her shoulder, Hunter took a second to bask in the feeling of having her this close to him after all those long years. He closed his eyes shut, sighing in a form of contentment.

For some reason, Hunter was holding onto her so desperately at the beginning. It was almost like he was afraid she'd slip through his fingers so he clung to her as a lifeline. He buried his nose into the waves of her hair, inhaling the sweet familiar scent of fresh lavender. She grounded him back to reality.

"I missed you," Hunter mumbled into her hair quiet enough that she was the only one who heard him.

"I missed you too," Y/n said with a hinted smile in her tone. Her arms remained locked around the space behind his neck, holding him down to her for a while. They swayed ever so gently in their place, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness taking over them.

Finally, Hunter drew away from her, but he kept his hands on her hips steadily. He held her at an arms length so his eyes were able to scan over her new appearance. He chuckled softly to himself.

"What happened to this?" Hunter prompted with a smile. He had brought a hand up to grab a few strands of her short hair, tugging on it teasingly.

"I cut it," Y/n replied happily. She subconsciously grabbed a few strands as if to fix it for approval. She gazed up at him with sparkling eyes. "Do you like it?"

"It suits you," Hunter agreed with a firm nod. "I like it a lot."

There grew a settled comfortable silence between the two of them. They once again found that they were at a loss for words, choosing to simply bask in one another's presence for the meantime. Eventually, a thought slipped through the sergeant's mind. And he was reminded of the thing he did on every previous mission.

"I have to show you something," Hunter stated as the realization dawned on him suddenly.

"Lead the way," Y/n encouraged. He took hold of her hand gently, glancing down at her for a quick approval. When she sent him a smile, Hunter took that as the 'go ahead.'

They began walking through the various streets of the little island, talking and catching up on the latest development in their lives. She had mentioned what had happened to the senate as of recently, stating that the corruption of this new empire was only creating more problems throughout the galaxy in her opinion. She also had come to realize that there weren't too many others who agreed with her, which became one of the reasons why she stepped down.

After this, Hunter talked about to events that occurred after the end of the war. How Order 66 went down for them, how they met Omega in Kamino, how Crosshair chose the Empire over them, and how they had been on the run ever since. It felt like they talked for hours as they mindlessly walked through the quaint streets.

It wasn't until later in the evening when they made their way to the lowest level of the city. They passed by the now empty ports, heading towards the shoreline in the distance. Stepping off the platform meant that their feet settled on the soft sand of the beach.

When the former senator raised her head, Y/n was greeted by the most magnificent and breathtaking sight she'd ever had the pleasure to witness. As the sun hovered over the horizon, it casted a warm, golden glow across the sky, painting it with a palette of oranges, pinks, and yellows. The ocean waves created the most gentlest of sounds, lapping against the shore in a rhythmically slow manner.

The sand was bathed in the warm light of the settling sun, casting these long deep shadows that stretched down the length of the beach. The air filled with the silly sound of seagulls quacking at each other over the sounds of waves crashing against nearby rocks.

While the sun sank lower, the colors scattered across the skyline began to intensify. The oranges grew richer in ripeness, the pinks changed a shade deeper, and the yellow more pronounced than ever. The fluffy clouds were transformed into a canvas of swirling and mixing colors; each cloud becoming a unique piece of art never seen before. It was the most beautiful sight known to man; a beach bathed in the warm light of a setting sun.

Taking a moment to admire the beauty, Y/n wanted to commit this picture to her memory forever. She closed her eyes temporarily. She inhaled deeply through her nose, smelling the salt of the sea. As the waves crashed near her feet, a spray of seawater kissed her face gently. The gently wind blew the hair out of her face and the sun's warm brought a beautiful glow to her skin. A bright smile overtook her face.

All the while, Hunter was looking down at her like she was the only thing in the world. He didn't care about the view of the beautiful shoreline in front of him; instead choosing to look at the person who he believed could rival the view. He truly thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on and he had believed that for years now.

"It's beautiful," Y/n breathed, still taking the time to admire the view.

"Well, I always promised that I'd take you to the beach," Hunter recalled. His thoughts turned wary for a second. A frown fell across his face. "I just hope that it lives up to your expectations."

"It exceeds them," Y/n answered without a moment's hesitation. Her eyes remained trained on the landscape in front of her. "I've never seen a more pure and perfect beauty than this."

"I have," Hunter confessed.

Since getting there, this was the first time that she'd taken the chance to look at him instead of the view. She turned her head to look up at him only to find that he was already looking at her and had been for some time now. Her breath caught in the back of her throat and her heart skipped a beat. She saw the way he smiled at his and she was reminded about his heightened senses.

Feeling slightly embarrassed with herself, Y/n went to avoid his gaze, but he stopped her from doing so. He grasped the tip of her chin between his fingers, lifting her head to meet his gaze once more. The two of themselves discovered that they naturally gravitated towards one another. Their gazes switching between looking at their eyes and glancing down at their lips.

Finally, after three years of being apart from each other, the sergeant and the senator's lips brushed together in a soft delicate kiss. Their eyes fluttered shut beforehand. His hands went from the sides of her head and down to my neck, holding her steadily in his place. Mouths moving in a slow manner to swallow one another's breaths. She tasted as sweet as he recalled from their first kiss and his scruff tickled her face ever so slightly.

They tried to savor this moment together. They held onto each other in fear that they'd lose one another all over again. Their lips fit together like two perfectly matched puzzle pieces, destined to be together from the start. They were reunited.

Pulling away, Hunter already missed the feeling of her lips against his own. He leaned forward to press his head to her own. Their noses bumped together. He kept his hands on the sides of her neck, fighting the urge to simply pull her back into another kiss. She brought her hands up to hold onto the backs of his hands. She gazed up at him with a gentle smile on her face.

"I love you."

No matter what challenges were ahead of them or what was they'd be up against in the future, neither of them feared it. Because they knew that, despite what may come, that they'd always have each other. And they didn't have intend on letting go anytime soon.

It would be the two of them against the rest of the world. And they were okay with that.

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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL WHO FOLLOWED THIS SERIES! I DO HAVE A FEW DELETED SCENES THAT WILL PROBABLY BE POSTED WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO IF THAT INTERESTS PEOPLE. THANKS AGAIN!